Costa's Large Cup For Cappucino or latte

Large cup with two handles in Costa. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

This cup is used for massimo, maximum or large size drinks. In addition to coffee, options include hot chocolate.

 I noticed the huge two handled cup used by the person next to me in Costa under Sainsbury's in Hendon, NW London. The cup is for a large drink. Massimo. Favoured by people who want to occupy a table for an hour or two or more. Whether for meeting friends, or, more usually, working at a laptop. 

Why? Some people may be working from home, but to get away from distractions of family, noisy children, crying babies. 

Or out of the office. Or between meetings in the area. We were waiting for deliveries. Or for appointments with tenants and letting agents. Or to wait for cleaners to finish cleaning a flat.

You can buy these cups on line. The one from Costa was on ebay, used, at about twelve pounds. Several more at that price, in heavier porcelain. Lots of cheaper ones in light weight plastic. For invalids, or the elderly. On Amazon.

I also spotted a smaller two handled cup for only about four pounds. Maybe for a child, or for a novelty.

Useful Websites For Two-handled Cups

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handled-Drinking-Coffee-Tableware-Released

Many styles, two handle holders for one handle cups, practical affordable styles, as well as elegant and expensive porcelain:

https://www.mobilitysmart.co.uk/daily-living-aids/drinking-aids/two-handled-cups

ebay two handled mugs under five pounds, plus postage:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/298029458555?var=0&shprz=EBAY_GB

Costa Coffee Shops:

https://www.costa.co.uk/stores/sainsbury-hendon

https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-beans/our-story/history

Costa, Starbucks, Cafe Nero and others worldwide:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coffeehouse_chains

Info On Mug Sizes Compared To Coffee and Tea Cups:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug

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Wines of Israel & Kosher Wine

At London Wine Fair, we learned, from two jolly gentlemen, John and Josh, that Israelis were pioneers of drip irrigation.

Their vines did not suffer from phyloxera, which devastated French, Spanish and European vines in the last century, and attacked our vines in London this year, 2025. However, Israel's vines had a virus, so the growers replanted.

Vines have been cultivated for wine since the time of The Temple, and Jesus served wine at the Last Supper. But what about recent times?

Very interesting to hear about the vineyards and the past. But what sort of wine can you buy nowadays?

Sparkling moscato with pink foil, brand Bartenura, at only £16 retail.

Even better value the Moscato D'Asti. Popular for a party.

The Asti of course is from Italy. That's not from Israel. Not all kosher wine is from Israel. £12, sometimes even £10 on discount.

Lychee wine in cans. Buy from Tesco, Wembley and online in Amazon.

When would you need it? At a family or business or club event with even only one person drinking kosher wine, or just adventurous drinkers, cans of lychee moscato, only 5% alcohol.

From a wine shop in Hendon called The Grapevine.  1848 winery, Modem mountain winery, Carmel.

For a special occasion, birthdays, an 80th birthday celebration, you have lots of options of unusual kosher wines at all alcohol levels and prices.

Legal, odor mountain winery

A Prosecco, at retail about £18 to £20, sells as a party drink. Label Verawang, green label glows in the dark!

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel_Winery

https://londonwinecompetition.com/en/entry-info-251.htmCarmel_Winery

https://www.kosherwine.co.uk/

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Life in London - Picnic in the Park - or a Kosher Kiosk

 Photo from Facebook.

What is there to do in London? I ask relatives who live in Finchley, Hendon, and Northwood. 

The husband of one pair said, "Not much to do. Everything is closed. Except for the food shops."

I replied, "What about the parks?"

"Yes, we went for a walk in a park in Hendon. We bought some food from a restaurant, like a kiosk, order from outside. A kosher kiosk.  They bring the food out to you. We ate it sitting on a bench. They removed the tables and had four wooden benches like a pub. The benches are bolted down."

The park is near Hendon Central Station.

The park adjoins an area with a Remembrance arch. The words in Hebrew, reading from the right to left, are the consonants which spell out Le zeekderon.  

N R K Z L

A bit like speedwriting, or text messages, or acronyms

Anything more cheerful?

the kiddie playground is in use.

The park has grass and trees. Three tennis cours. A couple of basketball courts, one still in use. Nobody is playing tennis. "It's too wet for tennis."

I asked, 'What about the snow?'

' When it's snowing in Wales and up north, there's not much snow in London. It's too warm here. The snow just melts. We are quite glad of a change of seen. Since nobody is working away from home or going out to restaurants, snow does not make much difference to our lives. Just something to look at. Out of the window.'

Another couple in thei

Searching For Parks On Maps

I remember when as young marrieds we moved from a flat in Stanmore to a bungalow in Hatch End. We knew all the big parks along the main road. However, when we looked at a local map, we discovered lots of interesting open spaces.

The nearby park had two entrances, so you could do a circular walk

Another park had an exit which led to a footpath through the woods and out through a housing estate.

Cricket grounds and tennis courts were in fields which offered another chance for a walk.

Photos

The seasons provided a changing opportunity for new vistas and photos. A fountain in front of the Hatch End arts centre.

Snow in winter. Flowers planted in public places. Houses with Christmas lights. Balloons for birthdays. On gates.

Seasonal posters of offers outside restaurants. 

I researched. Every path, building, cemetery, had a story. 

Gifts in the supermarkets.

Useful Websites

https://www.facebook.com/Hendon-Park-

360 view of the area

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x487610dcac10a71b%3A0xcb4a0cde1bf29f87!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is teacher of English. (Advanced English and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, an aspiring polyglot.)

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs, and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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Raffles Hotels Worldwide And Where To See Raffles' Statues In Singapore and London

You might come across Raffles hotels around the world, thirteen of them (in 2019) at destinations such as: Dubai; Istanbul, turkey; Jakarta, Indonesia; Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Paris, France; Warsaw, Poland; the Seychelles and Singapore. Raffles started in Singapore.

Raffles Hotel, Singapore. Photo by Elisa.rolle from Wikipedia.

Raffles Hotel, Singapore
Raffles Hotel is still a landmark in Singapore, on Beach Road, which was originally a beachfront Road, before Singapore started expanding.

Raffles Hotel is still a favourite destination for those wanting to try Singapore Sling where it was invented, in Raffles Bar. (You can also try Singapore Sling on Singapore Airlines.)

Singapore Sling.

Raffles. White Statue. Singapore. Photo from Wikipedia.

Sir Stamford Raffles
Raffles, the man, is a story of a rollercoaster life. He did a great deal to put Singapore on the map. The outlines of the port were established, and the segregated quarters you can still see today, Chinatown and Little India.

Covered Ways
Under Raffles' direction came the covered famous five foot way, sheltering pedestrians walking in both directions to pass each other, protected from the sun and rain, with room to pass a trolley carrying goods in both directions.

Covered ways have recently been extended to cover public walkways in Singapore, starting with high traffic areas, between the MRT stations and public housing blocks (HDBs) and schools.

Raffles Hotel
The old Raffles hotel has been refurbished and extended so it now contains numerous shops and eating areas where you can eat at various speeds and prices. The bedroom blocks have been separated. Such is the popularity of the hotel, that you have to book a guided tour.

Raffles Statues
Statues of Raffles can be seen in the hotel and other points of the city. Near Raffles Hotel in Singapore is the Raffles Place MRT (underground railway - in the suburbs becoming overground).

1 Bronze statue in front of Victoria Theatre by the Padang (green).
2 White marble statue on the waterfront.

Sir Stamford Raffles' Life
Raffles led and up and down life. After moderate success he reached what many would consider his high point, establishing and governing the new port.
His first wife died. You can see her grave in the Botanical gardens he founded.

He remarried. However, for him things did not end well. His children, three of them, died in the East.

On the way back to England, he lost his goods in a fire on board ship. The ship was in dock, so the people survived, but the precious document were destroyed.

His only daughter died on the eve of her wedding.

 He was involved in a court case about loss of money and had to pay a huge sum, and his reputation was damaged.

It looked like he had lost everything, his treasured worldly possessions, his money, his daughter, descendants, reputation.

However, after he died, his widow (the second wife) fought tirelessly to have his reputation re-established. He was cleared of wrongdoing.

Posthumous Success
What did he leave behind?

1 The foundation of Singapore.
2 London zoo.
3 The Botanical Gardens in Asia.

Now the hotel named after him is world famous.  His name is the epitome of luxury and success and history. His statues are in Singapore and his name is known worldwide.

I have visited the hotel in Singapore many times, before and after the latest refurbishment. I visited the hotel's museum and saw the stage play performed in the hotel.

More recently, I have taken photos of his statues in Singapore, in the hotel and outside Victoria theatre and on the waterfront.

Raffles in London, England
I also made a pilgrimage to his forgotten and unassuming burial place in a church in Hendon. The church vicar would not allow the body to be buried in the church, because Sir Stamford Raffles had been anti slavery and the vicar's family made their money in slavery. Years later, the church was extended, the body was found and identified as being that of Raffles, and a plaque was inserted in the floor of the church.

I had been hoping for something more. But at least I had found it.

Books and Background Research
I first read the book about him when I was a member of the Friends of The Museum in Singapore which had study groups about the history of Asia.

What an extraordinary life he led! What a horrific yet inspiring story of ups and downs. If you want to know more, visit Raffles Hotel in Singapore, check out the other Raffles hotels. Look in Wikipedia for a quick summary and when you have time read the paperback books about his life.

He died in 1826 aged only 44.

LATEST NEWS
Raffles Hotel was featured in the film Crazy Rich Asians in 2018.
The hotel is being renovated, due to re-open in mid 2019, taking bookings for August 2019. The gift shop on 3 Seah Street is open.

What To See
LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
1 Statue of seated Raffles, life size, on a cylinder plinth. In Westminster Abbey, London, England.
2 Plaque on floor of St Mary's Church, Hendon, London, England.

SINGAPORE
1 Bust of Raffles in Raffles Hotel, Singapore.
2 Statue outside Victoria Theatre.
3 Statue on waterfront.

Raffles City, MRT station, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

SINGAPORE
Names To Note
Raffles Place (MRT station)
Stamford Way (street in Singapore).

BOGOR, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA
Monument to Raffles' first wife, Olivia, in Bogor Botanical Gardens, Bogor, Indonesia (previously called National Botanical Gardens) West Java.

Useful Websites
Raffles Hotel, Singapore
raffleshotel.com

Raffles Hotels
https://www.raffles.com/

Singapore Airlines (Raffles class is business class)
singaporeair.com

Books
The Duke of Puddle Dock
In The Footsteps of Stamford Raffles by Nigel Barley. (See Amazon and Ebay.)
https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Puddle-Dock-Footsteps-Stamford/dp/0805019685

UK Travel
visitbritain.com
visitbritainshop.com.

SINGAPORE TRAVEL
visitsingapore.com

INDONESIA TRAVEL
indonesiatouristboard.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Night Bus from London's Trafalgar Square to Edgware - wear white at night

Problem

How do you get home at night in London?

Answer

A night bus.

A bus service, Route N5, runs from Trafalgar Square to Edgware.

The stops are:

Edgware - bus station 

Burnt Oak, 

Colindale, 

Hendon Central Station, 

Golders Green - bus station

(then Hampstead, Camden Town,

Leicester Square Station

(more or less along the Northern line train directions)

Trafalgar Square - for Charing Cross Station

Here's a list of stops in both directions:

Route record

Edgware - Colindale - Hendon - Golders Green - Hampstead - Camden Town - Trafalgar Square 
Edgware Bus Station - Station Road - High Street Edgware - Burnt Oak Broadway - Watling Avenue - Montrose Avenue - Lanacre Avenue - Grahame Park Way - Colindale Avenue - Edgware Road - The Hyde - The Broadway - West Hendon - Herbert Road - Wilberforce Road - Station Road - Vivian Avenue - Hendon Central Station - Queens Road - Brent Street - Golders Green Road - Golders Green Station Bus Station - North End Road - North End Way - Heath Street - Hampstead High Street - Rosslyn Hill - Haverstock Hill - Chalk Farm Road - Castlehaven Road - Hawley Road - Kentish Town Road - Camden Town - Bayham Street - Crowndale Road - Eversholt Street - Euston Square - Euston - Euston Road - Gower Street - Bedford Square - Bloomsbury Street - Shaftesbury Avenue - Charing Cross Road - Leicester Square Station - Charing Cross Road - St Martins Place - Trafalgar SquareWhitehall (for Charing Cross Station)

Trafalgar Square - Camden Town - Hampstead - Golders Green - Hendon - Colindale - Edgware 
Trafalgar Square East Side (for Charing Cross Station) - St Martins Place - Charing Cross Road - Leicester Square Station - Charing Cross Road -Tottenham Court Road Station - Tottenham Court Road - Euston Road - Euston - Euston Square - Eversholt Street - Camden High Street - Camden Town- Chalk Farm Road - Haverstock Hill - Rosslyn Hill - Hampstead High Street - Heath Street - North End Way - North End Road - Golders Green Station - Golders Green Road - Brent Street - Queens Road - Hendon Central Station - Vivian Avenue - Station Road - West Hendon - The Broadway - The Hyde - Edgware Road - Colindale Avenue - Grahame Park Way - Lanacre Avenue - Montrose Avenue - Watling Avenue - Burnt Oak Broadway - High Street Edgware - Station Road - Edgware Bus Station.

You need to go to their page to check out the times and the bank holidays when they run more or fewer or no buses.

Night Time Safety Tips

What can you do to be safe from traffic when walking around at night? The nights are light and long in London in summer. But still remember to wear white at night. Then the traffic can see you. Stay safe.

I looked up the origin of the phrase 'Wear white at night' which I was sure came from a British road safety campaign. On YouTube I found two videos. One from 2015 gave the shocking figures that nearly 400,000 were killed on the roads, 200,00 thousand children killed or seriously injured after dusk.

An earlier film was from the 1970s or 80s. What could that tell me and you? It suggested that if you were not wearing white, you could carry a newspaper.

Tips

http://www.londonbusroutes.net/times/N005.htm

Author 

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Art Deco in London: Harrow, Hatch End, Kenton

The art deco buildings in North West London are quite striking. You see white semi-detached houses, detached houses and bungalows noticeably in Kenton where it runs into Hendon.

In the High streets you see entire blocks of shops with the dates above, 1932 or 1933.

The first one I noticed was Hatch End Broadway. Look for the date above the shops by the old telephone exchange which is unfortunately empty. You see the words The Broadway and the date.

In Kenton along Kenton Lane and Kenton Road you see elaborate brickwork. Round windows have a frame of bricks painting out like sun rays. Along the walls above the shops are brickwork columns.

Being a passenger in a car is such a joy. You would be able to admire the buildings in the main streets from the lower or upper decks of a bus if you sat on the window side. My favourite houses are the white ones with the green tiled rooftops. But I just noticed and started to like the red brickwork buildings.

Now look at this picture I took in Hendon. At ground level, you see small, rather ordinary shops, before 9 a.m. as you drive to work, the food shops not yet open, maybe not until lunch time, in newer styles than the old building above. But from the passenger street, stopped at a traffic light, I have the chance to admire the building above the shops.

The first thing which caught my eye was the very top, a little globe with sharp points, like a sputnik from a later era.

Then my eye travelled down to the windows of the flats over the shops. A delight.

Looking side to side, I can see one building owner has painted their section white, which I like, nice and clean, although it obscures the decorations. Another has left the brickwork orange, red London clay bricks, like they were originally.

A third has brown brickwork but painted white on the arches over the tops of the windows. The effect is to draw attention to the contrasting details.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

London's Suburban Architecture: See The Semis, the Thirties and more

London Suburbs

On many road, and diverting out of the Wembley traffic jams in the morning and evening rush hour, down the residential side roads, you can also see London's distinctive London red brick houses. Terraces are also built of brick.

Brick decoration

Those brick walls are built from bricks using London's clay. Sometimes the red bricks are dirtied to a grey or brown. Other times the grey or brown bricks are the original colour, deliberately, creatively mixed with orange or red or other colours to create checkerboard patterns. Occasionally the entire wall is a pattern on grand buildings. On small houses, more often on borders or friezes or across the tops of windows like eyebrows and over doorways like moustaches or noses.

Semi-detached 'semis' in mirror image

Pairs of homes are called semi-detached, pleasing mirror image twins. When first built, and in the old days they were always decorated in matching styles. Now everybody paints their front doors different colours, installs double glazed windows in assorted styles. It's a h o t c h p o t c h. (Predictive text tried to insert hitch pitch). But, when you are visiting a friend, easier to find the house with the turquoise door.

Victorian Mock Tudor

In addition to the brick semis and terraces, you will see the black beams on white (in Singapore called black and whites) which are mock-Tudor, with sharply angled triangular gables. 

Thirties Curves

My favourites are the Thirties buildings are even more distinctive and attractive with their soothing curves. Many have pretty but impractical flat rooftops, which leak and eventually sink under rain. The smarter and better kept Thirties buildings, (some in Hatch End) sometimes have delightful green tiles on sloping roofs which allow the rain to drain off. Both styles have white fascias and wide widows with horizontal top windows.

P a v e d Gardens and Parking Places

Looking for a place to pull in to let a screeching police car and ambulance pass, or for a convenient place to park, you understand why so many homes have paved in their front gardens. The advantage to visitors is that you can park on your friend's front drive, if they don't have a car for every adult resident and already overflow their own available parking. 

Read more about Wembley in a later post.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author and speaker.

Cream Puffs From Afghan Bakery in Hendon, London

I visited a family living in Hendon and was offered a variety of cakes of which the one which stood out was the cream puffs. They have a spiral outside and a surprising soft creamy centre. Delightful. I tried several other cakes from the same source (the lady I visited) and they seemed dry and tasteless but these were absolutely wonderful.

I later looked at the outside of the box and photographed it. When I got home, to my disappointment, the name was partly missing and so was the address. I expanded the photo to full screen. I got out a magnifying glass. The end of the name was ghan. Afghan!

Using the bakery's name, address street name, postcode, and phone number, I found the baker's picture on Yell. It seems to be a normal size small shop on a corner with a clear name sign, easy to find when driving or walking past and to identify.

First, I guessed it had to be near Hendon and tried searching. No luck. Then I tried the postcode. I looked at the name ending han, and guessed it must be Afghan. I had the street name. Progress. I knew I was nearly there. Another search and I found it.

If you are in the area, take a look at the bakery. I can;t vouch for any other products. But I do recommend the cream puffs.

The lady who offered me the cakes spoke Urdu, Pashtu, Hindi and a little English. She told me, 'I make - home made.' It was pretty obvious to me that the cream puffs were a uniform size and shape and neatly stacked so I assumed must be from a commercial bakery.

 I'm trying to learn Spanish, Italian and German, after that some Japanese, Chinese, Russian. Now I'll have to add Urdu, Hindi and Pashto to my wish list of languages.

I believe the cakes came from the bakery. She didn't make them. Unless she makes them at home and sells them to the bakery. Or works in the bakery?

Anyway, next time you or I get a chance to go to the bakery, look for these cream puffs. If you are visiting a home in the area, or know anybody who is Afghan anywhere in the world, look for cream puffs.

My next investigations will be to visit the bakery, and/or another Afghan bakery and ask for cream puffs. Meanwhile I shall look up the recipe online and try reproducing it at home to see whether I can make something similar, or not as good, or even better.

Ingredients listed are: Flour, water, butter, ...g sugar (icing sugar?), puff pastry.

No calorie count. If concerned about your daily calorie intake, divide one pastry between two of you. Eat a morsel with your tea or coffee or milk or lemon tea or water for elevenses, or after lunch or at tea time.

Enjoy -

the photo! Oops - they are not called cream puffs but cream roll.

(Incidentally, if you are visiting London, you will find the high streets have many halal food shops and restaurants and sections in supermarkets as well as kosher and vegetarian. You can see Polish, Afghan and many other ethnic places providing new or familiar foods for you to try, new brands and home made food, bagels and bakeries and supermarkets such as Morrisons selling freshly made bread and cakes cooked up daily in their big ovens in the kitchens at the back.)

More Information / Visits
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15869/cream-puffs/

Afghan Bakery, 187 Church Road, NW10 9LF
Tel: 020 8451 1212.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author, speaker.

RAF Museum Hendon, London - Free!

The RAF Museum London is free. They have an internet page and FAQ.They have two leaflets on tracing your ancestors.See www.rafmuseum.org.ukTheir website says
Contact us

T: 020 8358 4873
research@rafmuseum.org

Department of Research & Information Services
RAF Museum London
Grahame Park Way
London, NW9 5LL

If driving you can use google.co.uk and type in your starting point and get a map and text directions.
Open 10 am-6 pm.
Another air museum is RAF Cosford.

More Museums
Jewish Military Museum, Hendon
thejmm.org.uk
You have to phone and give them your name before visiting.
thejmm.org.uk
Open Monday to Thursday, 10-4.Seven minutes walk from Colindale underground railway station.


BENTLEY PRIORY
You can see a plane outside the museum in Bentley Priory, Bushey Heath, top of Stamore Hill. Bentley Priory Museum is open by appointment, high security because you are entering a private housing estate with construction works.