Last weekend started with a trip to the National Theatre in central London on the river. We went to see The Grapes of Wrath. This is a play of the novel by John Steinbeck.
The play follows the book quite closely and recreates the feel of the book with a minimalist set, which was highly effective. The novel is about a family of farmers who, during the 1930s Great Depression, must move west from their home in Oklahoma. Hit by drought, financial hardship, bank demands and changes in farming, many families migrated to California in search of jobs.
On their journey, the family hears stories of Californian landowners who use various strategies to increase the labour supply. This drives wages down as people compete for the few jobs available, making their desperate situations worse.
The play’s themes — the search for a better life, migration, friendship, and community — are as true today as they were in the 1930s.
The next day, we went to the Hampstead Heath lido, an outdoor swimming pool. The last time we went, the pool temperature was 18°C. We spent quite a bit of time standing knee deep in the water before starting to swim. This time the temperature was 23°C. Again, it felt cold. However, when I put my hand in the water, it was quite warm. Taking the plunge confirmed this.
We like the lido because it’s a bit like a seaside resort in North London! After showering, we sat, with many others, on the side and had food and drink.
On Sunday, we went to Coal Drop Yard in King’s Cross. During lunch, we found some deckchairs and listened to this Brazilian band. It was the right music for the weather. There was a friendly atmosphere.
Afterwards, we walked around the corner to see the free outdoor cinema by the canal. There was a huge queue — and that was for the later showing. We found a way to get onto the canal and sat on the floor to watch the film, Cruella.
I’ve not seen the film but, talking to some young women sitting next to me, I got the impression it’s a bit of a cult classic. They had seen it several times.
Mid-week, I went to the Earth Photo Exhibition at the Royal Geographic Society. I’d never visited the place but enjoyed the exhibition. I then took the bus and tube to Euston and had coffee and cake at the Quaker’s cafe after reading some of the poems on the wall.
The tea and pastry below were from another place later in the week. I was ordering some tea and saw a sign on the counter saying “Mon-Fri after 2pm, any hot drink and social for £4.50”. That price was not much more than a hot drink. I wondered what a “social” was. The server took me to the window and showed me the plant-based one, described as “Braided sweet soft vegan dough pastry, filled with vegan vanilla custard and cinnamon paste topped with chocolate icing […] Socials are the height of hygge [and] are made to be shared with good company or enjoyed by the slice at any time of day”.
Hygge is a defining Danish characteristic meaning “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being”.
When the server gave me a plate, the “social” was huge. I asked if she’d given me extra because it looked like three slices! She said “No” and smiled. It was delicious and I’m going to have to show restraint the next time I go after 2pm!
