oxford's covered market

when i arrived in oxford i heard people talking about the covered market, and it took me a long time to realize (a) that this was a permanent establishment (not an every-weekend-people-bring-in-things-to-sell-and-set-up-temporary-tents collaboration), and (b) that it was located in the heart of town.  the covered market it huge - probably 50 permanent businesses, of which more than half are restaurants or butcher's shops.  and it's kind of hidden - there are two little alleyways that sneak off the main road to the covered market, which is behind the main row of shops.  i felt like an idiot when i realized where it was, because i'd been looking for it for days.  none of the businesses in the covered market are big chains, which makes me really happy.  i go there for lunch a couple days a week now.  in this photo you can see the roof of the market and a little independent key shop.

fresh fruit at another stand...

eww - meat.  lots of butcher's shops in the covered market, with men in bloody aprons.  they also sell delicious looking brown eggs which aren't in a refrigeration case.  i'm assuming the eggs are relatively fresh and thus don't need to be refrigerated?  but it creeps me out a little...

one of my favorite places to have lunch!  pieminister sells savory pies - i've had the "heidi" (goat's cheese, sweet potatoes, and onions) and the "posh cheese and onion."  with your pie it's typical to order "mash" (mashed potatoes) and "mushy peas" (smushed peas with mint - actually really good).  if you eat meat you get gravy poured over your whole plate.

flower shop...

this is the one and only moo-moo's - which specializes in milkshakes.  the journalism teacher at our program takes his kids to moo-moo's several times a week during their morning break, and the kids always come by the office and will pick up moo-moo's for anyone who is working and wants one.  this is one of those places where you can get any kind of milkshake you want - ginger and chilis is what larry likes to order, and i tried one with raspberries and strawberries.  and when a student is bringing this directly to you while you work, it's hard not to order one.

there is a big sign in the covered market that says "the covered market is now open on a sunday from 17 may," which seems like an odd phrasing - "on a sunday" instead of "on sundays" - but i guess that's just another british-ism.  that's what i'm calling them - british-isms.  when in reality what WE say is probably an american-ism.  oh well.

in addition to what i've shown you, there are lots of sandwich shops in the covered market and one very vegetarian friendly place called alpha bar where you can build your own salad.  sally tells me that the covered market has limits on how much people have to pay in rent, so that local businesses can afford to stay there and keep their prices reasonable.  i've read that oxford is one of the most expensive cities in britain (an expensive country), so this is important.

in other news, yesterday's weather made me so happy to be alive.  warm, but not hot, blue sky, little humidity.  heaven.  after the weeks of rainy days we've had, i appreciated this SO MUCH.  it's the kind of weather that makes you want to sit in the sun with your eyes closed and just soak it up.  i did this for about 10 minutes and then i had to go back into the office to work.  lame.

yesterday i also had this really good thai green curry with vegetables - probably the best curry i've had in months.  and i had it in a pub called the old tom.  i know this makes no sense, and i was EXTREMELY wary, but it appears the pub is co-owned by an englishman and a thai-turned-english woman.  there are two menus - pub food and thai food.  and the curry was amazing.  the pub had a little courtyard in the back with picnic tables, enclosed by stone walls that were thick with ivy.  a peaceful little patio, and a great find.