“The smell of coffee is a feeling of home.”

In January 2021 England was experiencing its third lockdown. However, that didn’t prevent Emma (my partner) and myself from getting out and having some fun in the snow at our local London park one Sunday. When we returned we put the kettle on and as we warmed up in the kitchen I set up my recording device. And this was my first Side Trips’ episode, and the precursor to my lockdown interviews with London’s local traders and artists. In this pilot (bonus) episode I attempted to share Emma’s various stories - as this wayward girl has already lived a variety of lives! She’s been a secretary; a building surveyor specialising in cultural heritage in London; post-conflict conservationist in the Balkans; and bookstore and cafe proprietor. Now she’s an author and podcaster. We also talked about her ten weeks of driving around the Balkan backroads in a communist era Zastava 750. Put the kettle on and be prepared to be taken from Edinburgh, London to the Balkans, and back to London again. With most nations learning to live with the virus and travel restrictions easing I’m looking forward to the new year being a year of travel and sharing the stories of the wonderful characters I meet along the way. So watch this space as I’ll be back on the road later in 2022… LEARN MORE ABOUT EMMA CARMICHAEL

Website: travellingthrough.co.uk Podcast: https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/podcast-1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelling_through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetravellingthroughpodcast Book: Driving Tito - Through the Balkan Backroads with a Celebrity

ABOUT MARRIOTT'S SIDE TRIPS An overview and further information on Stephen Marriott can be found at the show's website: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com A quick way to find the latest episodes: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com/podcast Marriott shares images and videos from his travels, but rarely sunset shots, at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenrmarriott Sign-up for the newsletter and grab a Free checklist, Essential Checklist for the Modern Day Traveller here: http://eepurl.com/hxsQf1 If you have any questions or comments, Marriott always loves to hear from his listeners. You can reach him at: stephen@stephenrmarriott.com

Listen & Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts Recorded in our kitchen on 23/01/21.

“If you put a little effort into something the difference is tremendous.”

With the travel restrictions, I’ve been grounded in London and getting to know those local traders and artists keeping the city ticking over. In the last episode of the series, I caught up with friend and musician Stephanie Mair, aka Fifi La Mer. Her repertoire includes Parisian folk music to selected modern tunes, performing solo or in her band Oh La La!

I tracked down Fifi in her north London home and we discuss the neighbourhood of Bounds Green; Parisian music influences; the “surreal experience” of performing as a duet outside Zédel’s restaurant in the empty streets of West End London; what resilience feels like for Fifi; learning the accordion; and touring again.

Pour yourself a glass of wine and prepare to be taken to London, Paris and back…

PEOPLE AND PLACES MENTIONED

More about Fifi and Oh La La!, including CD purchases: https://www.ohlalamusic.co.uk/index.php National Rural Touring and Fifi’s journey into French music: https://www.ruraltouring.org/facebook-event/oh-la-la-fifi-la-mer-4 Live And Local: Living Room Project: http://www.liveandlocal.org.uk/livingroom.htm Bounds Green: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounds_Green Kenwood Ladies’ Pond, Hampstead Heath: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/hampstead-heath/where-to-go-at-hampstead-heath/kenwood-ladies-pond Brasserie Zédel: https://www.brasseriezedel.com What is Pétanque?: https://thisispetanque.com/what-is-petanque.html

ABOUT MARRIOTT'S SIDE TRIPS An overview and further information on Stephen Marriott can be found at the show's website: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com Marriott shares images and videos from his travels, but rarely sunset shots, at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenrmarriott Author’s Website and Free book: https://stephenrmarriott.com If you have any questions or comments, Marriott always loves to hear from his listeners. You can reach him at: stephen@stephenrmarriott.com Listen & Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts

Music: Fifi La Mer, performing La Complainte de la Butte by Jean Renoir. The show’s theme music is by Hanna and Julius, thank you.

Thank you to Fifi for hosting the episode on 28/05/2021.

“And it’s been noted how many people are very lonely and how many people are missing people, and this is what we do on a daily basis, we introduce people together.”

Andrew Ford is the landlord of my local pub, the Hand in Hand, on Wimbledon Common, South West London. It’s my sanctuary when London becomes too much for me, as stepping through its doors you enter a cosy country-style pub dating back to 1835. But more importantly, you’re greeted with a smile and a decent pint of beer.

On one level I have mixed feelings broadcasting about the pub, as I feel it’s one of London’s best-kept secrets – after all, there aren’t too many “village” pubs in London! However, the Hand in Hand and Andrew are full of stories; and stories should be shared.

So last month, I caught up with Andrew for a pint of ale, and we had a fine chat and a laugh. Our topics of conversation ranged from the history of the pub, which started life as a bakery; the pub as a community; the mental health effects of the lockdown on the staff as well as the regulars; the pub’s customers including Oliver Reed’s drinking shenanigans; serving a decent pint of ale; to working as a husband and wife team – Andrew’s wife Elzbieta runs the kitchen.

The Hand in Hand is the perfect example of why pubs are the heart and soul of a community. Pour yourself a drink and enjoy…

PEOPLE AND PLACES MENTIONED

The Hand in Hand: https://www.thehandinhandwimbledon.co.uk

Instagram: handinhandwimbledon

Wimbledon Common: https://www.wpcc.org.uk

Wimbledon Village: https://www.wimbledon-village.com

CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale): https://camra.org.uk

A history of Young’s & Co Brewery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s

Oliver Reed’s Wimbledon 8-pub crawl: https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/food-drink-news/wimbledon-8-pub-crawl-legendary-20491430

ABOUT MARRIOTT'S SIDE TRIPS

An overview and further information on Stephen Marriott can be found at the show's website: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com

A quick way to find the latest episodes: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com/podcast

Marriott shares images and videos from his travels, but rarely sunset shots, at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenrmarriott

Author’s Website and Free book: https://stephenrmarriott.com

If you have any questions or comments, Marriott always loves to hear from his listeners. You can reach him at: stephen@stephenrmarriott.com

Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts

The show’s theme music is by Hanna and Julius, thank you.

Thank you to Andrew and the Hand in Hand for hosting the episode on 22/06/2021.