retiredmartin

February 2025. Waterloo. London.

A week ago I was finally doing the (delayed) 60th birthday treat Retired Martin deserves, getting to the heart of Hillingdon and Uxbridge. What did you expect from an RM milestone ? Mrs RM and I had our Silver Wedding anniversary in Letchworth Spoons during a police raid.

Talking of Mrs RM, she’d joined my Two Together ticket to the capital and was headed to the Royal Festival Hall while I had an earthier gig at Kings Cross.

We met up at Charing Cross (Seven Dials, great food court), and did the “Terry and Julie” walk over Waterloo Bridge.

Go on, sing along.

London looked stunning, and I speak as an Official Ambassador for The North.

I realised how little I’ve visited Waterloo in recent years, its giant BrewDog and new Spoons eluding me.

And the “urban art” in the tunnels under the station.

Mrs RM wanted to pop in Vaulty Towers,

but I just needed a long, long walk, and left her to her Brahms Requiem on the South Bank,

while I completed my 30k steps on Pentonville Road.

Central London has gone subtly upmarket since COVID, which means a lot of Ramen and Dirty Burgers and Pad Thai for £16.95, but perhaps a few less “cheap eats”.

Right next to my gig, “Lucky Skewers” is just what I want after 30k steps.

The charming owner told me to skip the spicy beef in favour of the skewers next time, made sure I won a “lucky skewers” chopstick in the lucky dip, and guaranteed that I will pop in again.

I might not be taking Mrs RM on a return visit on gig night.

Her Brahms Requiem finished at 21:35, just as Sophie Jamieson took the stage at the Lexington. Indie kids work different hours to German classical composers.

Cur a torrent of text messages. “I’m rushing to King’s X”, “Don’t rush, just started”, “On my way”, “No !”, “When will you be finished”.

Still, she’d bought me chocolate and train craft from Waitrose,

so let’s not complain TOO much, eh ?