Another One Bites The Dust

London is one of my favorite cities, and one of the ways I feel at home here and in my other regular cities of Madrid and Columbia (Missouri) is to make sure to go back to a few favorite spots. I like to see what changes may have taken place with my favorite pub, park, or shop. This makes me feel more at home, even if I don't live there any more, because I know what's going on with my "regular" places.

Last night I caught up with an old friend and former flatmate at the Roebuck, which used to be our local pub when we lived together. Sad to say, the two beautiful Indian girls who used to pour our pints are no longer there, but there's still plenty of atmosphere, friendly service, and, of course, real ale.

This morning I went to another of my favorites, Unsworths bookshop. This is one of the best bookshops in London. Specializing in remaindered and antiquarian books on the social sciences, I'm always able to pick up some interesting history or archaeology title here. They carry a complete stock of Loeb's Classical Library, both new and used, and their antiquarian section is awesome, with texts dating back to the 16th century. Yeah baby, hardcore porn for bibliophiles! It's strategically located across the street from the British Library, where I usually spend a day or two doing research while I'm in town, so I'm always tempted to go inside.

But today I find out they're closing at the end of the month! The landlord will be "redeveloping" the area, probably to put in some God-awful Starbucks or Burger King. Ugh! Why can't the bad stuff change and the good things remain the same? Ah well, at least there are a few hundred other good bookshops in town I can go to. Unsworths will keep its antiquarian section at Foyles, and will keep an online presence, so it's not completely dead, but my research trips to the British Library won't be the same.