Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms are famous. Well famous for tea. In Yorkshire. Being the tea lover I am it was all Georgina had to say when she mentioned the Harrogate Trade Fair on the 17th.
If you get chance, and you in Yorkshire, you should take the time out to go to this Tea Rooms. There are a few of them dotted around, Harlow, Ikley, York... All of them with plenty of pots of tea on offer, with great sandwiches and cakes.
We had lunch there but I'll have got to go back at some point and get the tea for 2, with the little cakes stand worth of cakes. Watching all the older clientele dig in to all the delights of the stand was torture.... Mmmmm cake....
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Tin Pan Alley Festival 2006 - Denmark Street
It seems like the Tin Pan Alley Festival 2006 came around really quickly again this year. And I have to report the dreaded thing has happened... it's got too big for the street. We arrive mid-afternoon thinking it would be sensible not to stand out in the blazing hot sun all day, only to find a throng amassed around the entrance to the street, just off Charing Cross Road. And there across the street was a fence, complete with security guards.
With a bit of patience and a lot of hefty shoving (not by us, but those behind) we were finally let through after 15 minutes, but there was no chance to get out for beers later. We were trapped.
Where last year and the year before it had been a relatively mellow day, relaxing in the sun drinking beer, watching bands, wandering freely. Now there were more people, drinking more beer in the hot sun, lots of security guards, and a general air that things were going to kick off.
A car that for some bizarre reason, known only to the driver, was still parked in the street, with only a bit of low metal fencing around it to protect it. The first time the car siren went off it was funny, and the second time too. Some people decided to use it as a better viewing platform. (Didn't see that coming.) Cue one angry man getting on stage half way through a band's song, to shout quite angrily about the wrongs of sitting on other peoples cars.... and so the day went on.
I can only hope that they come up with a better way of organising the entrance next year. Maybe issuing free tickets before the event or something. Here's hoping.
As it turned out nothing really caught my eyes or my ears on stage. By the time Bromhead Jacket came on I was ready to go home. We stuck it through and left before British Sea Power came on.
I just add one final note. Hot weather doesn't suit me. It removes all sympathy from my generally lethargic self. And therefore perhaps my less than enthusiastic review of the day.
With a bit of patience and a lot of hefty shoving (not by us, but those behind) we were finally let through after 15 minutes, but there was no chance to get out for beers later. We were trapped.
Where last year and the year before it had been a relatively mellow day, relaxing in the sun drinking beer, watching bands, wandering freely. Now there were more people, drinking more beer in the hot sun, lots of security guards, and a general air that things were going to kick off.
A car that for some bizarre reason, known only to the driver, was still parked in the street, with only a bit of low metal fencing around it to protect it. The first time the car siren went off it was funny, and the second time too. Some people decided to use it as a better viewing platform. (Didn't see that coming.) Cue one angry man getting on stage half way through a band's song, to shout quite angrily about the wrongs of sitting on other peoples cars.... and so the day went on.
I can only hope that they come up with a better way of organising the entrance next year. Maybe issuing free tickets before the event or something. Here's hoping.
FO Machete - and I did want to say Fuck off by they time they'd kicked into the 3rd song.
I was a bit disappointed by Vincent Vincent and the Villains, I kind of got distracted from the off by the lead singers hat, mainly because if I squinted they were a bit like the Ordinary Boys, in other words ordinary. I wanted a flamboyant outfits, I guess it was just the name that made me think they might be a bit outlandish. It turns out they were just another indie group. In fact not that dissimilar in sound to the Ordinary Boys...
As it turned out nothing really caught my eyes or my ears on stage. By the time Bromhead Jacket came on I was ready to go home. We stuck it through and left before British Sea Power came on.I just add one final note. Hot weather doesn't suit me. It removes all sympathy from my generally lethargic self. And therefore perhaps my less than enthusiastic review of the day.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
The Spinto Band - Dingwalls, Camden
Me and Tim went along to catch The Spinto Band play at the reasonably small Dingwalls yesterday. Having seen them on Jools Holland last series, I kind of knew to expect a slightly oddball, kooky band to play. It's very hard not to find yourself just staring at the one member who dances around in a strange manner as he plays guitar, even when he's not on main singing duties.
I do recommend going to see them live, they will keep you entertained. And if you haven't got the album, why not? Go buy it. *
The set was finished off with a cover version of Tiffany's "I think we're alone now." I'm ashamed to say that after a few drinks I more than happy to join in with the handclaps and dancing. Still it was a good night.
* Word of Warning: The copy of the Spinto Band album on CD (nice and nicely done) that I possess is one of those non-CD discs, which computers won't recognise. And no amount of software that I have for these such shiny things would let my itunes see it. Mmmm, still worth getting hold of a copy though.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Day trip to Amsterdam -30th July
Ok it was with work, so it probably doesn't really count as a trip. Exhausting, having got up at just before 3am, and not getting home till nearly 8pm.
Still what I saw of Amsterdam I loved.
For starters they have lots of Wind farms. Apparently, so my supplier tells me, farmers are given a subsidy for every wind turbine they have on their land. So of course all the farmers have one. To me it makes sense. Any argument that they are an unsightly blot on the land, need to think about what that land will look like a few decades down the line, when we've ravaged this earth of all it's resources, and polluted it to hell.
Plus I think they look cool and quite serene!
And then there is the cheese of amsterdam...
Being a cheese lover, probably more than I am of chocolate (shock) I was in my element, buying an edam with mustard seeds, another whole farmhouse edam for 10euros. And the best buy of all, was one I bought which caught my attention Reypenaer because it mentioned on a sticker "Nantwich International Cheese Show." Of course I had to buy it! Quite a good salty tasting Gouda, perfect for putting on jacket potatoes.
I'm back there in a few weeks for another work trip. It's a good job you don't need to declare cheese at Customs. Actually scrap that you probably do, I better go and check.
Still what I saw of Amsterdam I loved.
For starters they have lots of Wind farms. Apparently, so my supplier tells me, farmers are given a subsidy for every wind turbine they have on their land. So of course all the farmers have one. To me it makes sense. Any argument that they are an unsightly blot on the land, need to think about what that land will look like a few decades down the line, when we've ravaged this earth of all it's resources, and polluted it to hell.
Plus I think they look cool and quite serene!
Bizarrely in a little town 40 minutes out of Amsterdam we came across a London Red Bus, with Wimbledon as the destination on it...
Nope me neither!
And then there is the cheese of amsterdam...
Being a cheese lover, probably more than I am of chocolate (shock) I was in my element, buying an edam with mustard seeds, another whole farmhouse edam for 10euros. And the best buy of all, was one I bought which caught my attention Reypenaer because it mentioned on a sticker "Nantwich International Cheese Show." Of course I had to buy it! Quite a good salty tasting Gouda, perfect for putting on jacket potatoes.
I'm back there in a few weeks for another work trip. It's a good job you don't need to declare cheese at Customs. Actually scrap that you probably do, I better go and check.
Just for Dave
Now I know how to put videos up on here I can't resist putting just on Hoff Video up on here.
It is a corker.
It is a corker.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
So we lost at the Football, again.
England having gone out of the World cup, we needed something to cheer us up.
So with a bottle of diet coke and a packet of trebor mints we attempted to create a soda fountain to lift our spirits.
Perhaps we should have gone for something a little more chalky by way of sweets.
A bit like England, a lot of rallying round, but in the end a bit of a disappointment.
It's not quite this...
So with a bottle of diet coke and a packet of trebor mints we attempted to create a soda fountain to lift our spirits.
Perhaps we should have gone for something a little more chalky by way of sweets.
A bit like England, a lot of rallying round, but in the end a bit of a disappointment.
It's not quite this...
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