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[Cain]

This is Islington, I should point out.   It's like all the advantages of London, with virtually none of the disadvantages, except the very real and threatening possibility of running into Boris Johnson at some point or another.

[Doktor Howl]

This is Islington, I should point out.   It's like all the advantages of London, with virtually none of the disadvantages, except the very real and threatening possibility of running into Boris Johnson at some point or another.

The disadvantages are really part of the attraction for me.  London as I recall it is a town where you can just roll around in your own mess and nobody gives a shit.

[Cain]

Yeah, Islington's a bastion of Labour in the city, which means they sorta at least pretend to give a shit what people are doing (or, depending on who is in charge, actively meddle in it).   

But you're never more than 20 minutes away from a more fun part of London anyway.  Tube's a 2 minute walk away, and from there I could get to somewhere like Dalston with almost no effort.  And Dalston is a shithole.

[Doktor Howl]

Yeah, Islington's a bastion of Labour in the city, which means they sorta at least pretend to give a shit what people are doing (or, depending on who is in charge, actively meddle in it).   

But you're never more than 20 minutes away from a more fun part of London anyway.  Tube's a 2 minute walk away, and from there I could get to somewhere like Dalston with almost no effort.  And Dalston is a shithole.

Years ago, when I'd heard they'd gentrified Soho, part of me curled up and died.

At least there's still Lambeth Road. 

There is, isn't there?

[trippinprincezz13]

Also, tried some chillli beer the other day.  It was about as good as could be expected...which is to say, no bueno.

Why must people fuck with beer?  It's perfect the way it is, and very simple.  You give grain to Germans and Dutch people, and you drink what they make with it and you do NOT QUESTION THE SYSTEM.

If they did it to a real drink, like scotch or vodka, someone might actually kill them for their crimes.

What's chilli beer?

It's beer, with chilli flavouring.  Or something.  It's not entirely clear because there are no ingredients on the packaging.  It's insanely spicy, too.  Like, the mild beer was like drinking a jalfrezi.  The medium was like smearing curry powder directly over your eyes.  I'm dreading the final one.

There was one brewery back home that made a good green chili beer. It was a really light ale and you just got the bit of bite at the end. Good in summer.

It can be good if done right. Say Two Henry's Blueberry Jalapeno Porter. Decent.
If you see Billy's Chilies or Ghost Face Killah, run. Just run.

My boyfriend and I split a bottle of the Ghost Face Killah a while ago because we saw it and had to. Now I am happy to shove all manner of spicy food in my face hole (bought him some Carolina reaper beef jerky for Christmas - it was quite tasty), but that was just awful. What little "beer" flavor I could detect under the heat reminded me of Budweiser if someone decided to grind up a bunch of peppers in it, which I'm sure is essentially what it was. Even splitting it, it was a struggle to get through.

Now I've had, and he's made, some chipotle flavored beers that were well made, with the right amount of spice. But there are plenty of examples out there that show that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

[Cain]

Yeah, Islington's a bastion of Labour in the city, which means they sorta at least pretend to give a shit what people are doing (or, depending on who is in charge, actively meddle in it).   

But you're never more than 20 minutes away from a more fun part of London anyway.  Tube's a 2 minute walk away, and from there I could get to somewhere like Dalston with almost no effort.  And Dalston is a shithole.

Years ago, when I'd heard they'd gentrified Soho, part of me curled up and died.

At least there's still Lambeth Road. 

There is, isn't there?

For now.  Between gentrification, the Olympics, the Mayor and the social policies of the current government, London is slowly, but surely, being cleansed of undesirable elements.  It's not enough to simply have gated communities, the global elite must gate the entire city against unforgivably poor people, cluttering the place up with their nonsense and, incidentally, sitting on some very valuable real estate.

[Roly Poly Oly-Garch]

Also, tried some chillli beer the other day.  It was about as good as could be expected...which is to say, no bueno.

Why must people fuck with beer?  It's perfect the way it is, and very simple.  You give grain to Germans and Dutch people, and you drink what they make with it and you do NOT QUESTION THE SYSTEM.

If they did it to a real drink, like scotch or vodka, someone might actually kill them for their crimes.

What's chilli beer?

It's beer, with chilli flavouring.  Or something.  It's not entirely clear because there are no ingredients on the packaging.  It's insanely spicy, too.  Like, the mild beer was like drinking a jalfrezi.  The medium was like smearing curry powder directly over your eyes.  I'm dreading the final one.

There was one brewery back home that made a good green chili beer. It was a really light ale and you just got the bit of bite at the end. Good in summer.

It can be good if done right. Say Two Henry's Blueberry Jalapeno Porter. Decent.
If you see Billy's Chilies or Ghost Face Killah, run. Just run.

My boyfriend and I split a bottle of the Ghost Face Killah a while ago because we saw it and had to. Now I am happy to shove all manner of spicy food in my face hole (bought him some Carolina reaper beef jerky for Christmas - it was quite tasty), but that was just awful. What little "beer" flavor I could detect under the heat reminded me of Budweiser if someone decided to grind up a bunch of peppers in it, which I'm sure is essentially what it was. Even splitting it, it was a struggle to get through.

Now I've had, and he's made, some chipotle flavored beers that were well made, with the right amount of spice. But there are plenty of examples out there that show that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

That made with Ghost Peppers?

Not surprising it was lousy. Those are mostly used for evil. Only ever seen them used for good once, in deviled eggs. So good. So painful. I ate like 6 of them. Equal parts satisfaction and regret.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Next time I leave North America, I'm going to have to put London on the list. In such a way that I spend more time there than several hours at Heathrow waiting for the buses to start up again, and then waiting at the bus station for the bus to Liverpool.

List of regrets includes being in London, but not really.

[Doktor Howl]

Next time I leave North America, I'm going to have to put London on the list. In such a way that I spend more time there than several hours at Heathrow waiting for the buses to start up again, and then waiting at the bus station for the bus to Liverpool.

List of regrets includes being in London, but not really.

Heathrow is everything that is wrong with the Western world, rolled up into one crowded, disorganized, and decaying ant hill.

[Cain]

Yeah, Heathrow isn't really part of London, because that would suggest it had a redeeming quality.

[trippinprincezz13]

Also, tried some chillli beer the other day.  It was about as good as could be expected...which is to say, no bueno.

Why must people fuck with beer?  It's perfect the way it is, and very simple.  You give grain to Germans and Dutch people, and you drink what they make with it and you do NOT QUESTION THE SYSTEM.

If they did it to a real drink, like scotch or vodka, someone might actually kill them for their crimes.

What's chilli beer?

It's beer, with chilli flavouring.  Or something.  It's not entirely clear because there are no ingredients on the packaging.  It's insanely spicy, too.  Like, the mild beer was like drinking a jalfrezi.  The medium was like smearing curry powder directly over your eyes.  I'm dreading the final one.

There was one brewery back home that made a good green chili beer. It was a really light ale and you just got the bit of bite at the end. Good in summer.

It can be good if done right. Say Two Henry's Blueberry Jalapeno Porter. Decent.
If you see Billy's Chilies or Ghost Face Killah, run. Just run.

My boyfriend and I split a bottle of the Ghost Face Killah a while ago because we saw it and had to. Now I am happy to shove all manner of spicy food in my face hole (bought him some Carolina reaper beef jerky for Christmas - it was quite tasty), but that was just awful. What little "beer" flavor I could detect under the heat reminded me of Budweiser if someone decided to grind up a bunch of peppers in it, which I'm sure is essentially what it was. Even splitting it, it was a struggle to get through.

Now I've had, and he's made, some chipotle flavored beers that were well made, with the right amount of spice. But there are plenty of examples out there that show that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

That made with Ghost Peppers?

Not surprising it was lousy. Those are mostly used for evil. Only ever seen them used for good once, in deviled eggs. So good. So painful. I ate like 6 of them. Equal parts satisfaction and regret.

Yea, I think Ghost Peppers, Serrano, Jalapeno and maybe Habanero or something else? Whatever the combination, it didn't belong anywhere near beer.

Ghost peppers are definitely good for burning your face and everything else as they work through your digestive system. Likewise with the Scorpion and Reaper peppers that knocked Ghost peppers out of the top spot for hottest pepper. A place near my work used to make ghost pepper wings that were oh so tasty, but came back the next day to remind you what you did. The place is now under new management and apparently significantly cut down on the amount they used, resulting in much disappointment when one is looking to set their face on fire.

Including them in/on deviled eggs does sound quite interesting though.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Next time I leave North America, I'm going to have to put London on the list. In such a way that I spend more time there than several hours at Heathrow waiting for the buses to start up again, and then waiting at the bus station for the bus to Liverpool.

List of regrets includes being in London, but not really.

Heathrow is everything that is wrong with the Western world, rolled up into one crowded, disorganized, and decaying ant hill.

My girlfriend at the time and I spent the night in a filthy lounge chainsmoking and playing card games, grumbling about the immigration officer who made us miss the last bus because Merkins apparently take Erngersh jerbs. This was news to us because we're from the awesomest country in the world.

"What kind of job do you have in the United States that gives you 5 weeks off of work to visit Europe?"
"Uh... one that I like having?"
"How are you getting from Ireland to France?"
"We're going to figure that out once we get to Ireland. Since I have family there."
"Ok, I'll let you in to the country, but you better be on that plane out of Paris"
"Well, we did buy return tickets, and we're heading to Ireland pretty soon, so, I don't really think it's something you need to worry about"

It was a decade ago but things I recall are a couple of people who just conked the fuck out, security shooting the shit with us because they were also bored, and once we actually got the bus, a friendly Welshman in a suit pointing out all of the London landmarks from our bus. He was the most intelligible Welsh person I've ever run into.

Actually Welshman. I don't think I've ever seen a female Welsh person. Which raises interesting questions.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Yeah, Heathrow isn't really part of London, because that would suggest it had a redeeming quality.

[Cain]

Actually Welshman. I don't think I've ever seen a female Welsh person. Which raises interesting questions.

You have, you just don't know it.  They look a lot like this:

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Actually Welshman. I don't think I've ever seen a female Welsh person. Which raises interesting questions.

You have, you just don't know it.  They look a lot like this: