The Sacconis are back!

About ten days ago now to the Wigmore Hall for a lunch time concert given by the Sacconi Quartet, a quartet who have done at least two  seasons with the Dorking Concertgoers Society, and who have performed at the Wigmore Hall, although we have not seen them there.

The Extinction Rebellion people had been advertised to appear at Oxford Circus, but there was no sign of them when we got there. And while I have a sneaking regard for them, I guess green affairs are going to have to go on the back burner, at least in the short term, while we in the west scramble about for alternative sources of oil and gas. On which point, I read that it would take the West Germans some years to unpick their curious decision abandon nuclear power - and that Russia is one of the suppliers of nuclear fuel too. And then, how long will it take the frackers in the US to crank up their activities enough to make a difference? Too long to be presently relevant? Not seen anything on that point, not even in the Financial Times.

On the other hand, the Smartie delivery lorry had made it through to All Bar One Central, and from there to their Regent Street outlet.

The concert, Haydn Op.76 No.2 and Beethoven Op.131 was spot on. Haydn showing a sense of humour. And our not wanting anything else after the Beethoven. Delivered by the violinist working from a computer and the other three from paper.

One programme rattler, who at least had the manners to desist during the performances. But one whistling hearing aid from the back somewhere, just before the Beethoven. The quartet waited for a bit then eventually viola got up and asked the unknown culprit to do something about it. Which he or she then did.

Afterwards, we finally made it to the Olle & Steen outlet across the road. Quite a lot of young people. Several people working away on their laptops while consuming no more than a coffee - which I guess is fine when they are not busy, not so clever otherwise. Perhaps they have the good sense not to push their luck.

Two chicken rolls and one slice of a pastry involving cinnamon - a variety of pastry of which they clearly sold a great deal. Chicken roll involved a lot of goo, but was perfectly fresh and edible. Pastry involved rather too much sugar and goo for my taste, but I can see they might go down well in the winter in a cold country.

All very attractively presented. But how long will it be before we try them again?

Next stop the Selfridge's food hall, which seemed to be mainly a place to buy expensive snacks, pastries and confectionary. Although there was a butchers counter, a fish counter and charcuterie. The fish included some rather good looking white crab meat from Cornwall; dear but good. To be remembered when I next do a crab salad. And the charcuterie included some kabanos. Also to be tried when next in the area. And we were reminded that there is a salt beef operation - although it is not expensive, nothing like as expensive as the once famous salt beef bar in Upper Great Windmill Street, after allowing for the massive amount of inflation since that place was up and running, so probably nothing like as good. See reference 8. And I see from Street View, that a house in the same street, that I once used to take a lunch time cigar in from time to time, with interesting goings on upstairs, is now an All Bar One.

While back at Selfridges, the bread department had caught the sour dough disease, so we went across the road to the M&S food hall, which had not. And where we were able to buy a much better than average, large white bloomer to go with the cold beef waiting for us at Epsom. For which see reference 6. Later on, it also did quite well for cheese and tomato sandwiches. Not quite the white bloomer of old, but not a bad try.

On the other hand, we did struggle with the self checkout, of which there seemed to be a prodigious number.

From there a bus to Victoria, from which we decided that our Monarch's garden did not sport any Wellingtonia, so no point in trying to blag a ticket to one of her garden parties.

No trains to Victoria, not a disaster once the brain had computed that it was but a short step to Vauxhall, from where there probably were.

On the way, noticing this poster on the tube. Where I think the claim is that during the manufacture of a mobile phone one emits more greenhouses gases than during the refurbishment of one, to the tune of 79.68kg of carbon dioxide or equivalent (see reference 7). A number which strikes me as both very large and improbably precise. Maybe I will have a spot of relaxation one evening checking.

Just made a train to Epsom at Vauxhall which was good. But it was something of a rattler, which was bad. BH is a big fan of the rolling stock put on by Southern Trains as far as that goes.

And so home to some well earned, excellent beef sandwiches. To think that years ago it was not difficult to buy such things, in public houses, in London and elsewhere.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/10/in-dark.html. Wigmore in the dark: noticed but not taken.

Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2018/04/sacconi-three.html. Dorking Concertgoers.

Reference 3: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/2011/03/cultural-affairs.html. Dorking Concertgoers.

Reference 4: http://sacconi.com/.

Reference 5: https://dorkingconcertgoers.org.uk/. We used to go to their string quartet concerts most years, Dorking Halls being nearer Epsom than the Wigmore Hall, but the plague rather put a stop to that. A possible revival next year?

Reference 6: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/04/beef-without-backbone.html.

Reference 7: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential.

Reference 8: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nosh_Bar.