A Wee Wander Around London’s Shepherds Bush

One of my favourite areas in London is Shepherds Bush, I just love the feel and buzz of the place. I know the area fairly well, as I lived there for two months when I first arrived in London.I was in a flat share, but the Irish guy who owned the property wasn’t right in his head and I had to get out of there as quick as I could before he drove me as crazy as he was.

I often head down to Bush for a wander around the Market,  for something to eat or for a few relaxing drinks. I however try avoid Westfield Shopping centre like the plague because the place gives me a huge headache, but I’m sure plenty of people love it.

Yesterday I was badly in need of some big heavy cooking pans and I knew just the place to get them at Shepherds Bush Market. The stop gap pan set I bought from Argos when I first moved to Kilburn have seen better days. They were of such poor quality, I wish I kept my receipt because I would have taken the fuckers back.

I’m going through my not quite Gordon Ramsay faze at the moment. By that I mean I need to learn to cook some new dishes, because I’m basically getting fed up with cooking the same old 6 or 7 dishes that I have mastered to perfection. I’m a modern guy that doesn’t leave all the cooking and cleaning to his woman. Dinosaur guys out there know who you are.

Over the years I have worked with so many Dinosaur guys, you know the type they always left all the cooking and cleaning to the wife. They get got cheating with some slapper they met off the internet and the wife gives them the Spanish archer. You see them at the supermarkets with there shopping basket full of ready made meals. Dinosaur guy doesn’t even know how to switch on a washing machine let alone know what an iron is used for.

I arrived at Shepherds Bush via the Central Line just before lunch time and since I was a wee bit peckish I nipped into Chop Chop noodle bar, a cheap and cheerful Chinese place for a bite to eat. I had been into this one in Bush countless times without any complaints. A delicious huge bowl of noodle soup and a bottle of sparkling Perrier Water for under £5. You cant beat that.

I strolled up to Bush market, which was only 15 minutes away. That walk was badly needed because I was stuffed from the Noodle Soup. I found the pans that I was looking for and  sent Gordon Ramsay a couple of pics of them via my mob to make sure they were okay. He texted me back telling me I should buy his range that is out. My reply was straight out of his book, FUCK OFF.

What I miss about not staying in Shepherds Bush is the butchers that abound in the market, which sell good quality meats at a fair price. I stocked up on some goat meat and chicken, which will keep me going for the next month. All for not much more than £10.

As much as I like living in Kilburn, one thing I really hate about this area is that the main supermarket is Sainsbury’s, which is for certain things totally overpriced. It isn’t so bad now that Iceland has opened up, which sells a few things I like. For example you can get a 4 pint bottle of milk in Iceland for £1 and it is around £1.50 in Sainsbury’s, fucking rip off.

I nipped in to my favourite Shop in Bush market for some Caribbean seasonings and a few bits and pieces. I have developed an addiction to Ting, what a delicious tasting fizzy drink it is. I headed down back onto Uxbridge Road and got some veg and herbs from a shop just outside the market on Uxbridge Road. I bought a selection of veg and herbs and got double the amount for half the price I would have paid in Sainsbury’s.

All this shopping was making me thirsty, but I knew just the bar to head to,  my old local The Queen Adelaide. I use to love a few quiet pints in there on a weekday evening. I plonked myself down on a comfy leather chair, beside the log fire and chilled out as I downed a pint of Guinness. I was tempted to have another but that could have proved fatal, so I used my will power and got myself back on the road.

I couldn’t stop myself from going into Oche Caribbean Takeaway for a couple of Jamaican fishcakes and a bottle of the Soursop juice. What an amazing snack that was. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I’m contemplating jumping onto the bus right now and going back to Bush for some more.

Just as I was about to head home, I remembered I needed to get some curry powder, so I  nipped back to Bush market to get some. I then headed down to Goldhawk station to get the tube home, but couldn’t resist nipping into The Stinging Nettle for a swift pint first. Not the best or cheapest pub in Shepherds Bush but it was right next to the station, so it was too tempting not to pop in.

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