Falafel wrap

Records, Cassette Tapes, Artwork And Falafel.

Good Saturday morning to you all!

The first ladybird I’ve seen this year, greeting me as I step out of the house, signs of summer approaching, yaay! 😀

Ladybird on Maddi's hand

Rich and I are out having a falafel wrap this weekend, reflecting on the goings on of the week.

I LOOVE Falafel! I mean i’m Arabian so this cuisine is in my blood and soul so what else to expect. Also I’m not a fizzy drink person but I have an exception, San Pellegrino. I love this Italian drink, especially the Lemonata one (best lemonade ever) and also the Melograno (Pomegranate). It’s not overly sweet, like the usual drinks you get, but more aromatic and the taste feels more natural.

Falafel wrap

I love it here as the people in the stalls are so nice. This market is one of those places where you walk past, say hello and smile at certain people in the stalls. We’re regulars here so I think they’ve started recognizing us. I love places like that, especially in recent days, I cherish this interaction between people more and more as it feels like it’s getting scarce.

Market view

I’ve got music on the mind right now and I’m itching to get onto the Amiga with Soundtracker Pro and the Polyend tracker to write a track. That feeling of something inside you trying to get out in the form of music or artwork, I’ve got that!

Speaking of artwork, I went to an art group this week with Rich’s parents (I’m so thankful that they love art! And they’re really good at it too). I’m warming back into it all again as it’s been a few years since I haven’t painted anything. Though I came back into it with a new medium, oil pastels and really creamy ones. I didn’t expect to take such a liking to them as I have, but there you go. Painting with oils will always be my first love, but here’s an oil pastel painting. It’s a recreation of a coloured pencil drawing I did in my childhood.

I’ll start talking about artwork a little later on once I get the art section of my website sorted. But for the time being, I’ll just to show what I did this week:

Anyway, back to the market. We went around the market after our meal and spent some time at this record stall.

Previously, not so long ago, I had posted this on twitter:

And the first thing I see when we go to the market… Spooky or what :-O

Record stall market, true blue album

It just felt like the good old days, around 1995-ish when I’d spend a Saturday afternoon in an old record shop just going through records, mostly looking for Madonna records and other 80’s stuff.

I’ve always loved the 80’s. Being a regular I remember the guy who’s shop it was, Stuart. He would almost expect me to come every Saturday. I went with my brother once and Stuart let us go into the back room where it was just packed full of records, we spent nearly the entire day there looking through them. I still didn’t find the record I was after, but found lots of others.

Ladybird on my finger

Anyway, flash back to present day, I got lost in a 90s daydream for a moment then 🙂

I’ve also started filming the set of vintage audio related videos. One of them is Rich’s beautiful Aiwa deck which had an issue with speed and the motor. I’m very nervous repairing other people’s precious equipment. This beautiful deck is expensive as it’s a three head tape deck and a freakin’ good one. But I did it! Yay! It’s actually on par with my Aiwa. Mine is just a newer version of it but his is in silver and therefore much nicer looking. I personally always prefer the vintage silver look instead of black.

Rich's Fixed Aiwa deck

Anyway, as I said, I managed to solve the issue and fix it. I will not say too much as there’s a video about it upcoming. But it works great now and both of us are so excited about it. Rich has had this deck for two years, it went faulty a couple of weeks after he got it and has been faulty since. So to him it’s almost like he’s only just got it now. Now I’m excited about recording a tape on it and using it’s fancy calibration.

Message to Rich: “OooOOoo look at you now, all fancy with your flashy calibration and flickering LEDs”

I uploaded a video just yesterday about the Amiga Kickstart ROM switcher and talked about the people who argue about fan direction. I must say I’m enjoying the fact people are making fan jokes and puns in the comment section, it gave me a laugh 😀

Funny fan comments
more funny comments
More fan comments

Hahahah! I love you guys!

Thank you! 😀

Check out the video here if you didn’t catch it yesterday:

8 responses to “Records, Cassette Tapes, Artwork And Falafel.”

  1. Jason Marrison avatar
    Jason Marrison

    Hiya Maddi ☺️ and what a great blog post! I haven’t had falafel in ages and the last time was when l use to spent a lot time in London in my 20’s and there was a little place in Earls Court. It was food for the heart and the soul and l miss it.

    Also, l totally get the closeness and becoming regulars at a place and l am glad to hear that you and Rich have found that in the local market place, (which l am sure has made an appearance in one of your YouTube uploads before), and it has that community spirit.

    Absolutely fantastic stuff on the artwork front and that takes me back to my first proper full time job at a local art shop. We use to stock mostly Windsor and Newton supplies and the oils where very popular, although l was an acrylic fan myself, (don’t mention fan or it will spark a war 😂) and l dabbled a little lol

    My partner Fiona is very much into her art l l’ll take some pictures of what she has been up to. She very much into an eclectic bohemian African abstract vibe which l think looks great.

    I am very much looking forward to some more vintage audio repairs on the channel and that an absolute beauty of a tape deck. I hope to start to explore the local carboot sales in Ireland over that summer as my blank audio tape collection needs a boost and who knows a new audio friend might show up.

    This was a great read and l now have the urge to source out falafel here in Ireland hahahaha….Thank you Maddi for sharing with us what you do ☺️👍🏼

    1. Maddi avatar

      Hey Jason 🙂
      It’s a shame there’s no where to get falafel there in Ireland. If you lived closer i’d have dropped some Falafel in along with other goodies. It’s a part of the Middle Eastern culture to share home cooked food with neighbours and friends etc 🙂

      I just remembered I did feature it in a holiday special, at least I think I did lol. I know i must have featured it before. It is a great place though (when it’s not completely packed lol)

      Thank you! I’m glad I liked my artwork and yes it would be cool to see Fiona’s work. From what you describe it sounds interesting. Acrylic is a good medium, i’ve used it slightly before but not done an entire piece with it, i’ve sort of used it as undercoating for oils. Do you have artwork of your own which you could share? It would be cool to see. Quite cool that you worked at a local art shop, you must have enjoyed it there?

      Yeah, be careful mentining fans now lol!
      It’s a pleasure sharing all what I do, thank you Jason 🙂

  2. Paul Jackson avatar
    Paul Jackson

    Hi Maddi

    What a beautiful picture! Those rich colours are just stunning! I was wondering the other day if you shared your oil painting/art work on any of your social media but I didn’t like to ask. And here’s my answer! It’s great to hear, and looking forward to seeing more of your work when the new art section goes live.

    Now then, those flickering LEDs on the Aiwa deck are a thing of beauty, but oh my, just check out those glowing VU meters!

    Reading these blog posts in the garden once the summer finally arrives is high on my list for sure.

    Ooh, and as a complete bonus, I got screenshotted with perhaps THE worst dad joke of all of them. hahaha. 😂

    Thanks Maddi, hope you both continue having an enjoyable long weekend.

    1. Corey Ostman avatar
      Corey Ostman

      Paul, based on our jokes we probably shouldn’t quit our day jobs. 😉

      1. Paul Jackson avatar
        Paul Jackson

        Haha, I’m inclined to agree with you there Corey.

        Even though it will be a great loss to the world, it’s probably for the best!

        1. Maddi avatar

          I think you both fit right in with those dad jokes. Rich pulls a few out of his sleeve ever now and then but he’d never admit to finding them funny ….(he does)

          Reading these posts in the garden in summer? I better get writing haha it sounds really nice actually, I love spending time in the garden whether it’s warm days or even warm nights.

          I do have a thing for VU meters as I state in one of my past blog posts, but This Aiwa has this smart auto calibration and once you get it to auto calibrate a cassette, you get flicking LEDs. I’ll demonstrate it in a future video 😀

          I hope you have an enjoyable long weekend also. Gotta love bank holiday weekends!

  3. Corey Ostman avatar
    Corey Ostman

    Although we live in tiny seacoast New Hampshire, we’re so lucky to have a local restaurant named Habibi. Their food is absolutely delicious!

    I still have my first CD, too: ELO’s Time. Still listen to it a couple of times a month.

    I laughed when I saw the screenshots of our lame jokes show up! Y’all have a wonderful weekend!

    1. Maddi avatar

      By the sounds of it, it seems you have access to good Arabic food! That’s always a good thing. It’s my favourite cuisine.

      Hahah I had to share the jokes though, they did crack me up and the fact that everyone started joining in :-)))

      Hope you have a great weekend Corey!

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