Mostly, I would accompany my grandmother to 'Lindy's Patisserie' opposite Golders Green station, adjacent to the language school that she taught at for so many years: Golders Green School of English. English was her fourth, or perhaps fifth, language.
As on any trip, she would be immaculately dressed - suit, hat, gloves, handbag to match, pearls. The suits came, I think, from Argentina where a friend of my grandmother had a couture house, and they retained a distinctive continental look.
On occasion, we would go to the 'Cosmo' or 'Dorice', further up the Finchley Road by Swiss Cottage. There we could have a proper meal - meaning schnitzel and strudel, what else. We were surrounded by the sound of German with very occasional sallies into English for local or contemporary references. A few people sat on their own reading, perhaps AJR Information, the journal of the Association of Jewish Refugees, colloquially the ‘A-Yud-R’, founded and headquartered locally.
Both Dorice and the Cosmo were a short walk from West Hampstead and Belsize Park. We were interlopers from Hendon, but my grandmother's bearing and Viennese accented German were, despite her being Polish, sufficient warrant that we belonged.
My first summer job was at URO, the United Restitution Organisation, a legal office set up to assist victims of persecution to secure restitution. It was situated a stone's throw from the Dorice, opposite John Barnes, the Department store, now Waitrose. On the corner was a coffee roaster that scented much of the area. My role was uncertain, in practice it largely entailed providing company and a sympathetic ear to the elderly visitors. I suspect by virtue of my family, Dr Wiener’s grandson, I was regarded as suitably qualified for the task, and perhaps I was.
I am not sure what has brought on this moment of memory. I miss my grandmother. More than 45 years have passed since her death.
[You can read my grandmother’s story in my brother Daniel’s bestselling book ‘Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad’ also as an audio book. US edition available. He writes far better than me.]
Oh my goodness I can relate to every sight sound and smell you reference here - remember them all. And last but by no means least your amazing Grandma - always immaculately turned out whenever we saw her. Only matched by your brother’s reminiscence of Hounsom, Batty’s etc in his excellent book.
I well remember the Cosmo