Tanza

Just had a baffling phone conversation with hairdresser Myla and Davis in Northcross road - trying (and failing) to book a haircut for a 13-year old boy at the weekend. They won't take a booking at a weekend with a child - even if the customer is happy to pay a full-price adult haircut for that child. I've never known a hairdresser actually turn a full-paying customer away on the basis of age. They must be doing well if they can afford to be so strict on their no-kid policy at weekends. I'm genuinely puzzled. I get the fact that hairdressers can't justify cheaper kids haircuts in peak time - but I've never had a hairdresser refuse to take an adult fee for a kid before. Their business, their rules, of course. Odd though.

Hello - I'd also like to recommend Sue. She taught my son piano for several years and he made good progress. She is a very kind and patient teacher.

I just thought I'd let people know (shameless plug for my friend) that there is a new Beckenham Forum, set up by my friend Alice who used to live in East Dulwich and loved this forum. She'd love anyone interested in Beckenham to have a look at her new forum - it has only just been set up, so any traffic or input really appreciated. www.beckenhamforum.com

true but I have a Malm and it tips if you open too many drawers. Nearly came down on my mum. We still have it in my son's room but we are careful. Should have attached it to the wall but didn't occur to us.

Cornners on the corner of Grove Lane and Champion Park bothers me.

Thank you!

Anyone know where I can buy boxes of Krispy Kremes locally? Thank you....

Has anyone found a secure method of storing bikes outdoor at the front of the house? Or is it pretty much accepted that if someone wants to steal your bike they will find a way? We are currently wheeling our bikes through the house so any thoughts appreciated.

Pamela, Amec and GoodLiz that walk (Downe Walk) looks great. I predict I'll be crashing into half of East Dulwich when we eventually get ourselves down there. Thanks for sharing.

I recommend Sue Klein - my 12-year old son has been learning piano with Sue for a few years now - all going well. She's kind and encouraging and he's made good progress too. She teaches clarinet too. Her email is sueklein60@gmail.com I don't have her phone number to hand but if I can find it, I'll add this onto my post later.

there's a pop up theatrical performance as u walk round the walled garden in Brockwell Park. Very sweet - u choose tokens representing advice or a joke or a story - and as u wander round the garden u pass "the invisible people" and if u give them a token they will give u the relevant response. It's free and the theatre group have just returned from Berlin. It's on till 4pm today (Sunday) no booking just turn up. Suitable for all ages I'm nothing to do with it - but I stumbled across this today and was sorry I hadn't read about it earlier. So wanted to recommend if anyone stuck for activity in the sun this pm

Took an 11-year old and he loved it so much we are going with friends again. Be aware that the first decision you make is which of two doors to go through. Don't wish to spoil the surprise - but if you have younger kids or anyone that doesn't like the dark then best to pick the same door so at least you are together!

My parents ate all my Quality Street chocs I'd been given (not by them) one Xmas. I was 11 and thought I'd save them and open them on Christmas Day. But when I did, I found there were only wrappers left. My parents thought it was hilarious and said I should have hidden them if I didn't want anyone to eat them. So very normal behaviour in my book.

Our car has also been keyed (ages ago) but parked in this part of Melbourne Grove too.

Another school on the radar this year for people in East Dulwich is Elm Green - a co-ed in Tulse Hill. Their catchment reaches East Dulwich.

Hello - I'm not aware of any boy in east dulwich getting in to forest hill this year. (Apart from sibling etc places) Certainly the top band was so oversubscribed that no boy living in central east dulwich stood a chance of a place. It's possible the catchment for lower bands may have stretched this far. Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sydenham Girls and Forest Hill boys are both good > and take lots of ED kids. > > But bear in mind that at the Charter 2 meeting the > other night, they said - when pressed, with all > the usual caveats that no one can predict > accurately - that they expect their catchment to > extend 1.5 to 2km. So most Goodrich parents have a > very good shot of getting in. Plus of course > Charter 1's catchment should increase once the new > school opens.

Is therea particular brand of moth pheremone traps you find works? I bought some from Farmers and they've been useless, I've caught more myself! I thought perhaps I'd bought a dud batch so bought more from Farmers and also bought a second lot from Amazon. The one from Farmers has caught 3 in the last two months - the ones from Amazon caught nothing. I've swatted about 60 (easily more, I swot about 4 a day) myself. I'm spraying the house every few days. Sigh and yet they still they keep coming back. damzel Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I use the moth pheromone sticky traps. They only > attract the male moths but this prevents them from > breeding (or is it the other way around?) It > seriously cut down the number of moths year by > year but suddenly this year they are back in > avengence. Will have to invest in a spray too.

Just to say my experience growing up as a teenager in London chimes exactly with ScaryT's experience. London is a brilliant place for teenagers to grow up. As a young teen, the whole of Camden/Hampstead/Kentish Town/Archway/Hampstead was our stamping ground - walking in groups to parties, hanging out on Hampstead Heath, coming home on the bus together. We walked miles and miles across a whole swathe of that part of London - flitting between each other's houses at weekends. We tended to stay reasonably local, mostly hanging out at school-related parties at nearby pubs and we rarely bothered going into central London, apart from shopping at Top Shop or on outings that we deigned to go with parents. We did have the Camden Palais on our doorstep though. So 'our' London was fairly small - probably much the same area that a cat or fox might claim as their own. From what I can see this part of SE London has a similar vibe. I'm sure teenagers have a brilliant time in this area. As an older teenager, coming back from University to London, I felt like I lived at the centre of the universe and have to say (ha, ha) that I pitied my University pals who lived in places that I considered to be backwaters (ahem).

njc97 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Poison exhibition at Truman Brewery? That does look good have you been njc97? I had no idea the Brewery hosts exhibitions let alone poisonous ones!

Thanks Redjam. Have just booked the spiders for this Friday! Would recommend the Udderbelly comedy for kids too, despite the fact my 11-year old was one of the oldest there. There are more dates in June and the one I went to was only half full.

We've traipsed round the major (and not so major) museums and galleries in London over and over and are looking for inspiration for this half term and beyond for an 11 year old. Either in London or day trips. Just booked Udderbelly comedy which looks promising. Another tip someone has given me is the Olympic park swimming pool sessions. Seems a tricky age to find things that aren't "boring" or "too young".

Fox cubs spotted in the garden this morning.