West Malling - A Famous Shop.

Well...famous may be pushing it a bit but this shop has, nevertheless, a place in Beatledom. For this ...(wait for it...wait for it..)  is the view from the inside (inside !) of the Rain Grill Kebab Shop in West Malling, Kent - purveyors of very fine kebabs of all persuasions and I can vouch for that having partaken of the ancient rotating meat this very lunchtime. This is the very shop in which Ringo purchases his MMT tickets from a mustached behatted Mr O'Boogie

Happily, the Fabs seem to have had a bit of a 'thang' about dear old Ancient Cantium having cavorted around 'my tree' in Knole Park in early '67 for the poptastic Strawberry Fields Forever video and then returning to the West Malling spot  later that summer for fun and frolics at the aerodrome. Lest we forget that ol' Johnny Boy bought his Mr Kite poster in Sevenoaks high street. 

Now, I must  confess that each time I investigate a Kent Beatles Spot I find (a little to my dismay, it has to be said) that umpteen fellow obsessives have got there before me. Strange how they all seem to look a little like me..Fifty something, greying (ok grey for pity's sake - throw me a bone why don't you) and always filming alone (Christ that's depressing...but then again, 'people' can cramp one's style). But could this be the first Beatle Place scoop ??? A view from the inside of ......for God's sake enough already. 

Exciting posts (!!) of all the above Fab Hotspots can be found on this very blog !!! Wow I hear the masses say ! What a very fine Beatle Blogger your are Herr Brilig !!! So just scroll away...its all down below somewhere (pass me the pills)

It's my Birthday, too....yeah !

It's all about being of a certain age. Beatles T-shirt, Beatles Book (hurah ! at last Tune In is in my grubby mitts !), Beatles toy car, Beatles Cards, Beatles cakes..........I absolutely love it.

Beatles Cakes

All parts edible. Birthday.....nuff said

In case you didn't know...

How would you not know ? Not knowing really who 'you'  might be...but if 'you' are here then 'you' almost certainly know that the Beatles tome is retailing at 30 squids at Waterstones but, wait for it, wait for it - it is an astonishingly cheap 18 squidos at W H Smith but ... wait for it, wait for it.....you can get 2 for  mere 22 squideroonies (getting bored of this). But would you really want two copies ? Yes...but hold on.... family shouting in ear that not supposed to buy two of the same book ?! What do you mean, family ? Cannot compute ? Of course I need two copies; one for the dust-free-air-conditioned-Beatles-bookcase-in-kids-free-study and one for the coffee table !!! Are you sure you are my kids ?

Pyjamarama

As I wandered down Jermym Street yesterday pondering the course of my life and why I had not yet reached the point where I could afford a hand tailored suit  (and never would), I stumbled across this window display in one of the most venerable menswear stores. What the Hare Krishna was this all about ?? We know from the Beatles' London book (handily, at the bottom of my rucksack - enough all ready ...) that the Fabs frequented these parts to enhance their sartorial standing but that was at DAKs across the road. I see no record of purchases from Turnbull & Assers, Hosiers and Glovers. But hang on ! As I snapped away at the window display, a very gentle gentleman stepped out from the shop and invited me in to survey their Beatle related merchandise. Silk hankerchiefs of every Beatle album cover, jackets and tunics with fine inlays of famous Beatle moments ?! I asked the chap whether the shop had some sort of Beatle connection and he said that their Foursomeness had had their pyjamas made there ? Suits you, sir !

With time on my hands, I checked out latest status of No 3. Seems like the construction work has ground to a halt ? Did the 'Give three piece a Chance' campaign win the day ? Will the pitter-patter of tiny well shod feet not be heard running up and down the stairs at Kids Abercombie and Fitch ? Does anybody have any news on this ?

No 3 Savile Row

 Wait ! Wait ! Just discovered this on the intraweb - hankerchiefs at £95 a throw. But they are a limited edition....and I can't afford a suit - dam it man, I can't even afford a sodding hankerchief.

http://www.turnbullandasser.co.uk/

Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells

I was well and truly shut-up by the youngest Brilig today. I was ranting on about the arrogance of that shaggy-haired shag-meister of One-Direction - apparently the teeny-bopper has dared to say that he boy band is now 'bigger than the Beatles' - when she asked whether John Lennon got into trouble when he said his boy band was 'bigger than Christ'. I started to explain that he has been misunderstood but....but.....

Mallorca

Palma Police Station

Passports all in order, the Brilig clan ventured forth on a rare excursion out of Blighty. A very pleasant two weeks in the Mallorcan sun with plenty of San Miguel to avoid dehydration as we sat on the beach at midday (of course) and moaned about the battalions of  bloody, noisy Germans encroaching our little piece of sand.

As the family dozed listening to bloody Tiny Temper or some other such rap crap on their Walkmans (surely not Walkmans ? Phones perhaps) and the irritating buzz of that Tiny chap drifted across the dunes, my mind wandered, as it always does, to thoughts of the Fabs. Was there any Beatle connection with this isle ? Something told me 'yes'. Of course, Cynthia has set up home here, but there was another connection I was sure. Yes, yes - JL came here with Yoko to 'acquire' her daughter Kyoko in 1971.......quick check on the wifi back at the villa told me all I needed to know.

There are pictures of Joko in and around the airport and the Police Station in Palma but I could not find anything of them at Manacor where they 'picked-up' Kyoko from a nursery.

I started hatching plans for an excuse for a family excursion to Manacor ('There's a great market there, kids with really cheap fake designer clothes') but the plan was scuppered when eldest Brilig (always the most suspicious) spotted Lennon pics on the page I had left open on family laptop. I tried to explain what parsimony with the truth meant and how it differs from actual lying but it was yet another family tumbleweed moment. I though about getting up early before the clan and driving there myself but then wondered whether it prudent for a middle-aged man (when will I accept 'late' middle aged) with camera to search out nurseries with the excuse being an obscure event from 40 years ago.....

And so, the moment and the opportunity evaporated. Pass me another San Miguel, its amazing how thirst you get at 40 degrees.

Passport to Pimlico

Well, not exactly Pimlico as the passport office is in Victoria but never let the truth get in the way of a mediocre title. And so for the third time in thirty years (passport renewal cycle of course) the Brilig holiday was in severe jeopardy as the passport renewal dates had been ....unobserved. With the threat of actual physical harm from the Brilig clan, I was ordered to take a day off and 'get it bloody well sorted' - my eleven year daughter's language is really developing.

Hahahahaha (evil laugh). Little did they know this was all part of  my elaborate scheme, plotted over many months to give me an excuse for a Beatles Fest day out in London in the brilliant sunshine ! With the Beatles London book hidden at the bottom of the rucksack (I did not want to give the game away) beneath the mountains of passport paperwork and multiple copies of mugshots signed by upstanding members of the community, I headed north to the metropolis. A fine Mad Day Our was on the cards....

Having queued and queued and queued at the Passport Office I was well and truly ready to make the most of the 4 hours between submitting the paperwork and the passports being ready. I had the said book open on pages 108+, the anticipation was building and several Beatle related watering holes were calling out to me.

But wait, what do you mean the photos of the beautiful children are not acceptable ??? What do you mean they they are not supposed to smile so much ?? What do you mean they were not all supposed to signed on the back ?? Dear God - don't I ever get a break !!!!!

Despite the misery of the passport situation, I managed to get a few Beatle snaps....not quite what I had planned but hey-ho....

36 Lyall Mews - Book page 111

First off, the very exclusive Lyall Mews. I had to move pretty sharpish after this photo as my presence was clearly causing some one inside some anxiety.

25 Pont Steet - Drug Man - Book page 112

San Lorenzo Restaurant - 22 Beauchamp Place - Book page 109

 The restaurant is still there and looks very pleasant. Thought about stopping for a quick bite to eat then remembered I still have most of my mortgage to pay

Borshtch 'n'n' Tears Restaurant - 45 Beauchamp Place - Book page 109

Back in about '88,  I 'dined' here with friends. I only have vague memories as the quaffing was rather intense that evening but I have an image in my mind of a semi-naked woman dancing on my table and drinking vodka from the bottle....

Parkes Restaurant - 4 Beauchamp Place - Book page 108

So this is where John Lennon got his line 'bent back tulips.

Pattie's Place - 15 Ovington Mews - Book page 111

Apple HQ - 27 Ovington Square - Book page 112

This one is new to me ! How can I really call myself a true Beatles fan when I did not even know this place existed ? It has not got an explicit entry in the Book but just a reference from Patti's Place (above). I peered through the window, I hung around the door, I photo'd everything in site. I suddenly remembered I am a middle aged businessman with three kids - what the hell am I doing with my Yellow Submarine cuff links, my Yeah Yeah Yeah socks !! Get back to the Passport office and sort out your life man !!!!!!

Apple HQ - 27 Ovington Square - Book page 112

Apple HQ - 27 Ovington Square - Book page 112

 George Harrison's top flat.

Apple HQ - 27 Ovington Square - Book page 112

Apple HQ - 27 Ovington Square - Book page 112

Blue Post Alley - Book Front Page

Its been a long day and not exactly a success as far as the passports are concerned but I deserve a drink. Actually I definitely do not deserve a drink given my ridiculous holiday-threatening antics....but I had one anyway at the Blue Posts.

Blue Posts Pub - inside

And look at that picture on the wall of the Blue Posts Pub......it all leads back to the same thing.

Kite Window

Through this very window frame (inspected, it looks very old) John Lennon peered to observe the Mr Kite poster. Its true, true true ! At least I think its true. Sevenoaks high street - see various previous blog entries on this subject - that's if you have no life, of course.

Pubs they drove past.....possibly

Have you guessed what it is yet ? No ? Good for you as this is just sad, as my kids constantly tell me. There is a land with no redeeming features which sits awkwardly between the horrors of the M4 and the abject misery of the M3. A Bermuda Triangle in which I get lost - week in and week out. And so it was that today I traveled from the modern-life-is-rubbish-hovel of an air conditioned Crawley office to the modern-life-is-even-rubbish-er windowless Reading office with smart-board (what the hell !). But...but...but on the way back home I made a detour through the back-end of nowhere and ended up driving down the quaint one hundred metre stretch of the A30 (just past Old Basing - yeah right) called ... wait for it...wait for it .....Hatch.

Where the hell is this going ? Well, as every good Fab Follower with a gold medal in anal retentiveness knows, Hatch is the last destination identified in the video accompanying pen-pen ultimate Beatles single; The Ballad of John and Yoko.

Hatch is over before its starts. But where is ends (heading west towards Ascot pile) there is a pub called..wait for it..wait for it ....The Hatch. And I guess they (Joko etc) must have passed it. Dear lord, help me.

Here it is 

Is this the original ? Look at that rust ! It might be 40 years old. I could pull it straight off ! It could be mine !! Drop it for God's sake.

Don't believe me ? Here it is in all its Hampshire (was I really in Hampshire) glory.

Any guesses where this comes from ?