Nantwich is on the map this week - 29th July

Nantwich, the home of my high school, has been all over the news this week.

Mainly due to their big Cheese festival, this in some way goes to explaining my love of cheese.

The BBC website ran this story this week:

The Big Cheese

This never happened when I was there.
Live Music at Cheese Festival

Gary Barlow set the ball rolling with a visit earlier in the year. Now they’ve got all the big names lining up to perform in the tiny market town, Jedward, Stavros Flatley and Lemar.

And then this book is coming out soon, by Phill Jupitus:

Good Morning Nantwich: Adventures in Breakfast Radio

Question is why Nantwich?

Pub Research - 17th July 2010

Helen, Licia and I spent Saturday helping Caroline with her very important pub research. We were there for our pub experience and insights, obviously

First up Scootercaffe in Waterloo. It had a charm, a cat and scooters. A winning combination.








Then walk over the river, to the Blackfriars.

A pub worth checking out for it's decor.

Caroline carefully making notes of our research.

Then we were off again, after a swift half, to the Seven Stars near the Royal courts of Justice.


Hence the wig and skull display in the window.

We then stopped at a small pub called the Ship and Shovel, or Shit and Shovel as I thought it was called mishearing the name. It was filled when we got there with loud Aussie/English group, making use of the pub being split in two across the alleyway, half a pub on opposite sides. Yelling to each other across the alley, whilst one was dressed as a penguin, which was possibly a bet that had gone wrong.

The last pub on the (long) list that Caz is researching that I visited with her was The Harp on Chandos place.

This pub had the funniest graffiti that any of us had seen in a while, including the 100 Clubs.

I love a big red candle....what?

In case you can't read this it says "Kate Bush - The Greatest artist of the 20th Century" to which someone has replied "maybe but what about the 'Cheeky Girls?'"

Brilliant. A lovely way to spend Saturday afternoon. I hoping I am required for more vital research soon. You should be able to read more about these pubs and how they faired in our research soon via Caroline's website http://contrarylife.wordpress.com/

Peppercorn - Kent 2010

Since it was nice weather this weekend we took Burt out for a spin to blow off the cobwebs.

We sped over to the small VW festival in Kent called Peppercorn. Not the easiest festival to find, as it doesn't have it's own website. A bit of googling and eventually we got the address and with the help of the AA found the site.

View Larger Map

Black Beetles

There always has to be at least one Herbie

Liam Howlett's old Camper is for sale.

After wandering around the show, we took a long detour round Kent and Surrey home, soaking up the good weather.

My mirror view

Burt in reflection

Driving with Burt.

Passenger on my commuter train

Karaoke Circus at the 100 Club - 30th June 2010

I joined Caz at my first Karaoke Circus just before Christmas, held then at the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. It was, like the Book Club, a raucous event, only this time with drinking and singing, not drinking and books. Two Book Club regulars (and now Dave Gorman radio sidekicks), Martin White and Danielle Ward, set up the Karaoke Circus initially playing as a small band with guests singers. At Christmas they expanded the band to include Martin's orchestra The Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra. It was pretty amazing.

This time the venue changed to the legendary 100 Club. Adam and Dave joined us for an evening of the great and the bad.

The Baron starts the show off with some nice "Saw" music. Actually these guys are a double act outside of the KC called Foster and Gilvan

Martin introduces the judges for the evening, The Baron and Daniel Maier. Dan is always on hand for a caustic, funny put down that Simon Cowell would blush at. The Baron always has a good word to say, even if sometimes he stumbles to find anything good.

The Prize, a slightly odd looking cuddly toy.


Lizzie Roper, actress and comedienne, is first up, singing Call Me by Blondie (which included in this rendition the memorable line "Call me you C*nt)


In between each of the star turns, there were normal people singing. Martin asked everyone on the way in if they wanted to sing any of their pre-rehearsed songs, such as Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out. Our group of four declined, since we can't sing!

The Blind Date couple, this is two people plucked from the audience, who hadn't previously met before until they were whisked up on stage to perform a song together. Tonight's song, performed with some gusto and dancing from a pregnant woman was Meatloaf's Dead Ringer For Love.








Tony Gardner and Chorus singing Shaft, much to the cheering and applauding from the audience.


Tim Vine crooning.



Kevin Eldon sang Witchita Lineman, the Glen Campbell classic.

Andrew Collins Uptown Top Ranking - read his version of events here

Petra Massey with her Hyperdrive co-star Stephen Evans sang Starship Trooper, the Sarah Brightman classic





Chris Addison - Singing "Left to my own devices" originally by the Pet Shop Boys, who sang with dance actions and no words printed out.

Robin Ince - singing Rolf's classic - Two Little Boys