Pizza in the Palace

I am back in London yet again, arriving on Thursday evening. We ate out, at the Pizza in the Palace on the Crystal Palace Triangle. I recommend the salads served here.

Gibside Chapel renovation

I visited Gibside Estate today for a short meeting. It is one of the most popular National Trust properties in the North East. I spotted work taking place on Gibside Chapel. Apparently, the roof had sprung a leak and was undergoing repairs which are expected to be completed before Christmas.

Sadly, I didn't have time today to look around the rest of the Estate, though I have visited it a number of times before.

Hadrian Wall excavation at Segedunum

Segedunum is the Roman fort that stood at the eastern end of the Roman Wall at Wallsend (the clues in the name). I visited Segedunum recently for a meeting but took the opportunity to have a look at a recently exposed stretch of the Roman Wall, just outside of the site. The excavation is now complete.



The newly exposed section of Roman Wall.



A recreated section of Roman Wall, next to the exposed original.

Stone Trough in Gateshead

I got back from London to the North East on Saturday just in time to go out for Christmas dinner at the Stone Trough on Durham Road, Chowdene, Gateshead.



The cost was about £15 a person, plus drinks. Quality was good. The place was packed, suggesting it's a popular establishment for eating and drinking.

Brown and Green at Crystal Palace Station

I returned from London to the North East on Saturday morning but not before having breakfast at Brown and Green cafe at Crystal Palace Station. I had used the cafe one before, to get a coffee and a piece of cake, but this was the first time I had sat down there for breakfast which came as both meat and veggie. It's not cheap but quality was good.

Mediterranea in Crystal Palace

On Friday evening last week it was time to eat out again. We chose the Mediterranea, a Sardinian restaurant on the Triangle in Crystal Palace. A non-pretentious establishment with good food and friendly service. Worth a visit.

Crystal Palace Park

I took a walk through Crystal Palace Park in London last Friday. It's near my flat so it takes only a few minutes to get there by foot. The park is famous for its dinosaur statues next to the lake. They date back to the mid Victoria period when the Crystal Palace was moved there after the 1851 Great Exhibition (which had been held in Hyde Park). Modern dinosaur experts would have come up with different designs but the dinosaur statues are fun anyway.



The lake itself seems to be fed by a culverted steam. It you look at the landscape around Anerley Hill, it is possible to track the route of the stream. The lake was created by building a dam in front of where the park cafe now stands.