Tanza

Thank u v much for the replies. Also had v helpful tip via pm about long queues for food so I'll definitely take something.

Just wondered what people think is the best route to the Olympic Park from East Dulwich? Anyone tried bus to Forest Hill and train route? Or is it better to get the Jubilee Line from London Bridge? Off to the Velodrome tomorrow morning and v grateful for travel suggestions.

As the school summer holidays have arrived I thought people might be interested in sharing ideas for day trips outside London. We went to Portsmouth for the day and thought it was great for an easy day out from East Dulwich. You can go by train from Waterloo or Victoria. The train station is right by Portsmouth Docks (a five minute walk) and there is lots to do, (including visiting Nelson's Victory ship, visiting a Victorian warship, the ticket includes a boat trip round the harbour, and lots more. The Mary Rose isn't open at the moment though.) But bit that I particularly liked is that five minutes in the other direction from the station is Gun Wharf, which has lots of places to eat overlooking the harbour along with loads and loads of discount shops including Gap, Ted Baker, M&S, Ralph Lauren etc. Big wide avenues, flat and pedestrianised. Obviously, you couldn't visit any of the ships with a buggy as you need to be able to climb ladders, but if you needed to entertain a smaller child (while an older one was taken round the ships) there is a big warehouse in the Docks with lots of space to run around, packed with slightly out of date interactive exhibits. The Docks also have a huge open plan cafe.

I think the clue was the name of street - Lordship?

I picked up a copy of the free paper that's outside William Rose - think it's the Southwark News. The story on the front page says that the adult offering a lift was in fact an off-duty policeman who thought the child looked distressed and so offered a lift. According to the story, the policeman has been spoken to (by superiors?) and now realises the upset his good intentions caused.

Hello - I agree with Redjam's post - Moshi Monsters (and Club Penguin, for that matter) have lots about them that are fun and educational too. (just like the East Dulwich forum!) My son's writing and reading came on apace thanks to Club Penguin as he was so keen to do the missions. He's also a member of Moshi Monsters and likes both sites pretty much equally. I like the fact these sites are less passive than TV although in moderation all things have their place, TV included. My son (who is now 8 but was 4 when he started on Club Penguin) has gone on to set up his own Club Penguin fan website which he posts updates and videos on how to complete missions and the latest news. I've also been impressed by how kids can be creative in terms of how they use these sites as they grow older. On Club Penguin (and I'm sure it's the same on Moshi monsters) my son has played really imaginative games with other children from all over the world, from pretending to be cops and robbers (all played out by typing instructions out at rapid speed on screen)to role playing games. Club Penguin is very well moderated and all messaging between children happens in public on the screen. CP doesn't lend itself well to anything other than the most fleeting and in-the-moment comments. My one concern about Moshi Monsters is that anyone can request to be your child's friend and then if your child accepts, they get to post messages on your child's message board, which is tucked away in their home. The onus is on your child to turn them down, so it is a conversation you need to have with your child. I hadn't realised this was the case, so was slightly un-nerved to discover that my son had been merrily accepting total strangers as friends including adults (they give their age - according to my son the adults on his friends list were Moshi Monsters' personnel - no idea) and teenagers. He then received a couple of mildly flirtatious messages from young teens which I wasn't thrilled about, as he was only 6. I contacted Moshi Monsters to ask if they could put some form of parental lock on it, to which they said they couldn't and it is up to parents to monitor the use of Moshi Monsters. They also pointed out they do moderate it. Anyway, since then we've had no further problems and the good points about it outweigh my irritation over the messaging. My son has learned a valuable lesson about only accepting real life friends as online friends too.

I got this text. It said it was an attempted abduction of a year 6 child from a local school.

Just spotted this intriguing looking hearse parked in Melbourne Grove advertising paranormal investigations. Anyone know anything about this? Is it more of an events company or is it deadly serious (excuse the pun)? As an aside, it's parked opposite two houses that are up for sale. If you were a prospective purchaser would this put you off? I don't think I'd care one way or the other, but interested to know what the forum thinks.

I am with the 306 Medical Centre and I have only had good experiences with the centre. I've never had any problem getting an appointment and my experience is that they've always gone out of their way to fit me in. Even when they haven't had space, they've said to come and wait and they'll try and squeeze me in - and they have. I have also found them good about referring me to the right people at the hospital - so it's a thumbs up from me.

Hello can anyone tell me if Stax is on tomorrow please? Am assuming not. (For anyone who doesn't know Stax - it's a Saturday music scheme run by Southwark for kids from Year 3 onwards. V good. You get instrument tuition, choir, drumming session, orchestra for 3 hours every week during term time).

We do home exchanges via this website and it's worked very well for us. We do it partly because it's cheap but also because it's interesting to see another country from a local's perspective. They generally leave tips on where to go and what to do in the vicinity. We get offers from all over the world from all sorts ofhomesforexchange houses for our not-very-special house in East Dulwich. We've only had good experiences of this so far.

Since I posted, I've found the answer to my question. It's not at all suitable. A shame, it's a great game, but it's very easy to create realistic stabbings, shooting of police officers, strangling etc. No idea about the getting naked, but what I've found is enough to be going on with.

Is anyone on the forum familiar with the movies superstar game? And is it suitable for children? We've just been given it for our 8-year old son. On the face of it it's all v creative, lets you make, edit your own films using Sims-type characters who act out your script on great-looking movie sets that you build yourself on the computer. But it looks to me like it could be violent (if your child chose it to be) and I also am wondering if ummm it's possible for the characters to get naked? As I type this, I think we're just going to have to lose this game. I can't find reviews online for it and there's something about it that feels too adult - the characters look too realistic and the women look like like Jessica Rabbit. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

When this thread started I had never noticed the bottles of orange liquid. I spotted my first one today in Melbourne Grove.

If you are considering this nursery worth reading the OFSTED report from Sept 2011Cherry Tree Ofsted report Feb 2011

My son attended for a number of years - also a few years back. I agree with Redjam that there are better nurseries out there.

I have always been impressed with 306 medical centre in lordship lane. Their receptionists are always helpful and have either squeezed me in or helpfully said if I come and wait I'm likely to be seen.

Hello - we went to this yesterday with my 7-year old but somehow didn't 'spot' (no pun intended) the room you mention (white room where you can do what you like with free stickers.) However, we thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition. My son was amazed by the 'infinity room' which makes you feel as you are standing in space, with stars above, below and around you - thanks to the use of mirrors, lights and water. You might need to be ready to explain the word 'phallic' though. 'Tuber'-shapes everywhere - in boats, in shoes etc, Ha ha.

We had persistent mouse problems over several years and in the end called in Colin - who has lots of recommendations on the forum. I tried loads of things before calling him in - trying to block up holes, poison, traps, electronic beepers - you name it. He sorted our mouse problem out and (touch wood) we haven't seen a mouse in over two years. Can definitely recommend him. His number is (or was)07940 751 255.

The numbering seems to have changed at some point in Melbourne Grove's history. Because my house number (I live at an end) doesn't feature at all in the census records. Also in a local history book about East Dulwich, there is a picture of a chap on a motorbike outside my house with the house number written in the text, a number that doesn't correspond to the current numbers. Would love to know why and when the numbers changed.

Echoing the comments already made - this is a fantastically useful route but there simply aren't enough 37 buses so my heart always sinks at the prospect of a long wait at Herne Hill, particularly after work.

These bikes look amazing. But gulp ?299 for a kid's bike? Surely there must be a good, cheaper alternative out there??

Can anyone recommend a bike for a 7 year old please? He's learned to ride on a bike we were given, but it's a heavy bike and the pedals don't go backwards (only forwards) so he's having trouble getting going on it.

My dad had a pair of shoes made at Merrifields and they were something gasp-inducing like ?400 but they are the most comfortable pair of shoes he's ever had and he's thrilled with them. Handmade shoes are way out of my budget, but my dad tells me from his research that ?400 is very reasonable compared to what you'd pay anywhere else in London.

I agree a personal shopper is a great way to ease yourself back into style. Selfridges has very stylish personal shoppers - the service is free but they demand a minimum spend of something like ?1000 and won't select from the cheaper brands. I think the free personal shopping service in Debenhams is a good bet. It's free and there is no minimum spend in fact there's no pressure to buy anything. You sit and read magazines while the shopper does all the legwork running round the shop selecting items for you. Then while you try them on the shopper does another swoop based on your immediate reaction. I thought the service was good. My only feeling was that the personal shoppers were not particularly cutting edge themselves. The selfridges shoppers were far better at grasping the look I was after ( I went in the days before the minimum spend)