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This week we've got a moist honey cake recipe to share for Jewish New Year, Boy George's mansion available to rent for a small fortune, and the Finchley angle on comedian Peter Sellers.

🍎🍯Happy Jewish New Year

Finchley garden apples, Hendon Honey and a shofar, ram's horn

Next Wednesday night is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year.

What are the Jewish New Year traditions?

It’s a two-day festival, a time for reflection in the run up to The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur ten days later. A time for families and communities to come together and celebrate. One custom is to hear the notes of the shofar, ram's horn, to awake you to reflection.

Traditions include eating apple and honey, for a sweet new year, saying blessings over a new fruit (typically pomegranate, although in our Ottolenghi times many people partake of pomegranates on a regular basis!) and honey cake.

I am delighted to share the honey cake recipe I’ve been making for over twenty years.

I usually make a spare one for the freezer, and use it to break the fast after Yom Kippur. Nothing quite like a slice of honey cake and a cup of tea.

Honey cake recipe

This is a family recipe, invented by my friend Paul’s Grandma, and improved by his Auntie Lynne – it’s really rich and moist. Also on insta.

First, warm together gently in a saucepan:

· 1lb Golden Syrup

· equal volume of water

· 8oz caster sugar

· 8floz vegetable oil

Allow to cool, then add:

· 1lb self raising flour

· 2 tsp mixed spice

· 1 tsp ground cinnamon

· 1 tsp ground ginger

· 1 tsp baking powder

Fold in:

· 3 eggs

· 2 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

· 5 tbsp kiddush or sweet wine

Use a cake liner for your tin(s) as this is a runny batter.

Transfer the batter to tins, filling about 2/3 full as the mixture rises, and cook for 45 minutes at 180C, 350F, gas mark 5.

Traditional greetings

So wishing all those who celebrate shana tova u’metuka – a sweet and happy new year. And even if it’s not your tradition, you may want to try the honey cake recipe, it’s delicious. 🍎🍯

Events

OLDER PEOPLE

Sunday 6th October

Silver Sunday | Sun, Oct. 6 | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | Middlesex University, Hendon | Free | Silver Sunday, a national initiative by Age UK nationally, is a powerful way to draw attention to the problem of loneliness among older people. This event welcomes all generations and hosts fun and free activities for older people.

ARTS

Saturday 28th September

Open Mic Night - Bull Theatre | Sat, Sep. 28 | The Bull Theatre, Barnet, EN5 5SJ | £9 | Want to try out your singing, dancing, standup? This is your chance whether you are a group or an individual to put yourself in front of a live audience at the fantastic Bull theatre.

COMMUNITY

FOOD

Tuesday 1st October

Cook And Share Classes | Tue, Oct. 01 | 10:00 am to 12:30 pm | Grahame Park Community Centre, NW9 5UY | Free entry | Learn how to make simple and delicious cultural recipes from around the world and meet fellow members of your community. all meat is halal, no pork or nuts and all ingredients and equipment are provided.

THEATRE

Monday 23rd September

The Fabric of Chickenshed | Mon, Sep. 23 | The Annexe, Chickenshed Chase Side, N14 4PE | Free | Curious about the origins of Chickenshed? Ever wondered how and why it's a literal Chicken....shed?Join for the 50th-anniversary exhibition. The Fabric of Chickenshed showcases our history from 1974 to 1994. This immersive exhibition features unseen video footage, photos, articles, costumes, and more, including highlights from patrons like Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dame Judi Dench.

Saturday 28th September

Afghanistan is Not Funny by Henry Naylor | Sat, Sep. 28 | 7:30 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | from £18 | A close-shave with a landmine, menaced by a warlord and abducted by the Mujahideen: this is the extraordinary, true story of a British comedian and photographer in war-torn Afghanistan... this docu-play takes us to the start of a modern tragedy. Directed by Martha Lott & Darren Lee Cole.

Bellringers | Sat, Sep. 28 | Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, NW3 3EU | £10 | The storms are getting worse, with rains so hard that fish are falling from the sky. But the age-old belief prevails - that the pealing of bells can dissipate the thunder and lightning. It’s an extremely dangerous task – one that now falls to lifelong friends Clement and Aspinall – and as the weather worsens, the young men begin to question whether they’ll make it through the night.

Thursday 3rd October

Late Night Keats: Women at Wentworth Place | Thu, Oct. 03 | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | 10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR | £15.00 | To accompany our exhibition 'Hidden Histories of Keats House', take a look into the lives of some of the women who once lived here. Meet Fanny Keats, the sister of John Keats, as she discusses her life at the house and enjoy a tour of the house to hear more about its female inhabitants.

NATURE

Saturday 28th September

Flower Workshop | Sat, Sep. 28 | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | The Grow Farm at The Totteridge Academy, N20 8AZ | £80 - £120 | Join for a 360° learning of agroecological flowers including how to seed, plant, grow, pick, and arrange plus a delicious sit-down lunch. Only 20 places available so book quick. They operate a solidarity pricing structure to make our opportunities affordable for all.

Sunday 6th October

Terrific Totteridge: a guided walk | Sun, Oct. 6 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | Meet outside Totteridge & Whetstone Tube Station. | £15 | A guided tour around one of the wealthiest and loveliest of all London suburbs, with stunning houses, famous names, and a gorgeous green. With Paul Baker, City of London guide. Email pbaker54@hotmail.co.uk

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 26th October

Spine Chilling Cellars And Garden Ghost Hunt | Sat, Oct. 26 | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Stephens House & Gardens, N3 3QE | £5.50 | Stephens House and Gardens are opening up their chilling cellars on Halloween. Can you spot the ghosts in the trees and claim the prize? Booking essential, not at the door sales.

Friday 1st November

Black Burlesque Festival | Fri, Nov. 01 | 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm | Jacksons Lane Arts Centre, N6 5SS | £15 | Closing out Black History Month UK, Sadie Sinner & The Cocoa Butter Club present the inaugural staging of The Black Burlesque Festival — a two-night spectacular featuring the provocative, playful, and powerful Black burlesque stars of our stages.

Tuesday 12th November

Arts & Crafts Winter Showcase 2024 | Tue, Nov. 12 | artdepot, N12 0GA | Free to enter | From jewellery and accessories to textiles, ceramics and visual art, the Arts & Crafts Showcase displays the artistry and diversity of skills in the community. Applications end October 7th.

Local Lowdown

Housing

Celebrity pad. Got a spare £65,000 a month? You could be the next tenant of Boy George's spectacular Gothic mansion in Hampstead. After nearly four decades, this Grade II-listed beauty on Well Road, complete with dramatic interiors and a rich history, is looking for new occupants. Could be your lucky day.

Hollywood

Lights, Camera, Camden. Yoo Capital is spearheading a £1bn venture to transform Kentish Town into a cinematic hub. Dubbed the Camden Film Quarter, this ambitious project will include cutting-edge film studios, 300 new homes, and a free school for budding filmmakers. A real plot twist for Regis Road. The plan was submitted to the Council earlier this month.

Nutrition

Harvest heaven. Barnet Community Harvesters are reveling in a fruitful season, with over 200kg of apples, pears, plums, and damsons picked already. This year's haul marks a significant improvement over last year. Daniella Levene and her team of volunteers are making sure no fruit goes to waste, supporting local food banks and feeding the community.

Education

Innovation in education. The Windmill School in Moxon Street, High Barnet, unveiled its new £12.5 million facility for autistic children. It has transformed a once-dull warehouse into an educational haven. Think rooftop playgrounds and a sensory room in hues of pink and purple. With 34 pupils already enjoying these bespoke facilities, the school's capacity will hit 90 in the next two years.

Healthcare

Healthcare evolution. Big news for local healthcare as Royal Free London and North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trusts are set to merge by January 2025. They have collaborated for many years and became formal partners in 2021. The aim is for faster service, better treatments, and a boost in medical research sharing.

The Finchleyite: Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers, feeling pensive

Peter Sellers, an English actor and comedian known for his versatility and genius portraying diverse characters, grew up in Muswell Hill and lived in Whetstone when he married his wife Anne.

He first gained fame through BBC Radio’s The Goon Show and became globally recognised for roles such as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther films. Sellers’ career spanned radio, film, and television, with notable performances in Kubrick’sDr. Strangelove, Lolita, Being There, and The Party.

He was acclaimed for his ability to transform into multiple personas, using different accents and guises, and often playing several roles in a single film.

In 1959, Sellers, Spoke Milligan and friends made a short comic film in and around Totteridge Lane.

Despite professional success, Sellers faced personal challenges, including depression and strained relationships with co-stars. He was nominated for three Academy Awards and won multiple BAFTA and Golden Globe awards.

Sellers died of a heart attack at 54, leaving a legacy of comedic brilliance and influence on generations of comics.

Here’s a fascinating 20 year old article about 1995 BBC2’s Arena series, The Peter Sellers Story, based largely on his local home movies.

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Editors' Note - From Sasha

Had a wonderful evening last week at Fiddler on the Roof at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Brilliant, creative production telling a universal story.

Frieze London, the art fair is also coming to Regents Park next week, so it was kinda fun to have some personal branding.