Monday, November 08, 2010

It was a fab sunny day on Saturday before the weather turned (it's blowing a hoolie through this door frame as a type). And we treated ourselves to a trip out to Wye to look at the Farmer's Market. Delish sausages from Burscombe Cliffe Oganic Farm. Even more lovely home-made chocolate truffles from a local lady. I hadn't realised that Wye was such a lovely place.




There was even a couple of young musicians making the atmosphere very medieval and relaxing. Next door was a book fair which kept JP occupied for hours...
then we treated ourselves to a stop for lunch at the famous Battle of Britain Pub: the Cat and Custard Pot - (fabulous name) which J has lots of memories about from his ATC days.. We were glad to see it doing so well. Hardly a place to sit!

It made me realise just how many lovely days out we've had out since we've been here.


Like this one at the Deal Folk festival last month. Again the sun shone for us and the Morris dancing was in a fab location outside the Kings Head opposite the beach.







It went on for hours and the costumes were fantastic!









More pictures of Deal...


At the end of it all, we were too tired to walk back, so we caught the bus. This was a first for Dizzy - who as you can see was a bit scared!

Just incase we ever forget what it was like in this little place - here's the view of the men relaxing in the garden. (This weather already seems so far away)!


But yesterday, guests all disappeared (for the time-being) it was a time to be lazy and watch the F1. Well, some were more interested than others...


Monday, October 04, 2010



Being a tenant (at the same time as being a landlady) for the first time in my life is proving to be an enlightening experience. I'm the first to point out people's personal prejudices, after all that's what I teach (and research), but here is a new one on me: tenants are (so I've learnt) thick, dirty, disrespectful and generally people to be avoided at all costs.

Perhaps because I've spent many years around Post Grad students who of course often HAVE to rent in order to study, naively I've been oblivious of biased views from other home owners... After a month of being here, I have to admit to being quite bored now of trying (with some difficulty at times) to justify myself.

Take the latest 'little niggle' I have: my shower screen. It's old, knackered and doesn't fit properly against the wall.

The somewhat obvious 5mm gap between between the plastic and the glass means that water gets onto the bathroom floor everyday (and has done probably for 3 years prior to us moving in). Yet it took me 20 mins (and a lot of deep breaths to maintain my patience)of repeating myself before the 'plumber' (and I use the inverted commas for a reason) actually understood that I wasn't going to believe him that it 'was the design of the screen' and that yes, what I wanted to happen was for a new shower screen to be fitted (one that actually works). "Look at it this way" I explained to the very large bloke "I'm a lanndlady and if this leak was happening in MY house, I'd want it sorted asap before more damage to the floor was caused". Oh. UUUrrrrrmmm. Yes - that shocked him.

Another little lesson in life: don't make assumptions about other's circumstances from outward appearances!

Monday, August 09, 2010


the view from the bottom of the cliff walk (outside the pub of course)


the poor neglected back garden...


the front - in desperate need of sweeping up and some plants in that porch!


the front garden - J can't wait to get his chainsaw out on that lot!



the back garden - 2 apple trees and lots of brambles - but not a decent shrub in sight!

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

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Being absent from Kent for several years, we were intrigued to discover recent positive reviews of the group of new Foodie pubs overseen by the now notorious I'm-a-celebrity-Michelin--starred-chef John Burton-Race.



We were particularly curious about ‘Harvey’s restaurant’ in Ramsgate. Had we blinked and missed Ramsgate becoming the new classy Dartmouth of the South East? Had Whitstable finally fallen off the Champagne & Oyster podium? We looked at the website with wide-eyed anticipation – "Oyster & Wine bar and their own fish market"!!? "Newly refurbished premises right opposite the marina""?
Quick!!! – lets get there for lunch before the rest of the world finds out about this….or so we thought....

Having (at last) secured a place to live; back ‘home’ in good old Kent, this was an excuse for a family celebration. My brother-in-law lives in the area and is a wheelchair user, so we decided to ring the restaurant in advance to book a suitable table. Despite the Disability Discrimination Act, we occasionally are disappointed to find that restaurants are not as flexible as they should be in accommodating their customers who are less-able bodied. At the time I dismissed the fact that no-one rang me back after leaving a message but in hindsight this should have sent alarm-bells ringing....






We booked for a sunny Friday lunchtime. We were assured by the staff-member who took the booking that the tables were “fully accessible”. However we were surprised upon arrival at 1pm to find the doors closed and no outward evidence of the restaurant being open. Despite this, we accessed by the side door and found the two staff present very helpful and courteous. Sadly, the tables laid out were all inaccessible to a wheelchair user – down a foot-deep drop - and it was with some considerable and somewhat embarrassing encouragement that the staff moved a table to a central place in the room. I was unsure where the toilets were but suspected they were also inaccessible. Of course Harvey’s is a very old building and it was highly likely to have problems with making appropriate modernisation. However, I cannot understand why the large step down to the eating area was not made into a ramp during the recent "extensive refurbishment" (or at the very least made clear upon booking).

More bad news followed: the website advertised ‘set lunch offer’ was off (with no explanation). So we ordered from the daily menu. The food was only average. Presentation was good but lacked vegetables. My sea trout was undercooked in places and over-cooked in others and the fish-pie was lacking in seasoning and had no smoked haddock (isn’t that illegal?!! LOL). The staff openly admitting that it indeed included "cheap off-cuts of various fish" (but this didn’t stop them charging us £14 for it)! The service was good, but without ANY fellow diners there was little ambience and the music was a repetitive irritation (Level 42 – no doubt because they have a forthcoming reunion tour at the nearby Margate Winter Gardens). Were those strawberries in plastic tubs on the bar from a supermarket? Oh dear… perhaps I'll skip the £8 desserts.

Overall, perhaps it was not surprising that the restaurant was empty. The four of us enjoyed the meal, but when the bill came and totalled £90 we were shocked. We had ordered one starter, no wine or desserts. Interestingly, during our lunch some other customers were drawn in, but declined the menu when they discovered the set lunch was not available. They really have got it so wrong here. Are they forgetting this is RAMSGATE!?!

We exited to the nearby ‘Belgian Cafe’ for dessert and after-dinner drinks, where the accessibility, ambience and prices were much more welcoming.





Ramsgate the new 'Millionaires Playground"? Eh, ...well , actually no. Not yet anyway.....Raspberry beer anyone?

Tuesday, June 15, 2010




Can you believe it? So soon! Another academic year has well and truly reached its Autumn and slowly but surely my seemingly-endless ‘marking’ pile has subsided into a boring pile of filing in a bunch of colourful cheap (collapsing) lever-arch files. I feel change is now well overdue and am having difficulty motivating myself with thoughts of potentially delivering the same lessons to (yet another) wonderful bunch of university-aspiring naive students in a few short months. Another 150-odd new names to learn? Mmmmmm…..

Anyway, whilst pondering (and waiting) for various ideas, suggestions and opportunities to (hopefully) raise their beautiful heads above the ground, I'd like to avoid talking anything 'footie' - apart from to show you how lovely my doggie looks in her new Football Bandana (handmade of course)
......................but now onto more serious matters and what ‘foodie’ things I have been up to lately….

J took me to Brum for my birthday (not YET ‘the big one’ – but getting frighteningly too close for comfort). It was that day over the Bank Holiday when it (inevitably, I guess) absolutely p***** it down - virtually all day. This was a blessing really as we were to be inside most of the day – firstly on the short train journey to New Street, then onto enjoying the culinary delights of Michelin-starred chef Andreas Antona at the now famous Simpsons restaurant. Later on to see a revised version of Barrie Keeffe’s 1979 classic and emotionally raw play ‘Sus’ at the Rep.

Simpsons was originally in the picturesque town of Kenilworth (convenient foodie town to escape to whilst I was at Warwick Uni), but the chef had higher hopes than a shop front and sold-up to invest in this lovely Georgian style place in Edgbaston – which was obviously the right thing to do as he’s won loads of awards since.
















We arrived a bit early as for once the train was on time. Although it’s only a 20 minute walk from New Street station it was raining so hard we took a cab. It was a little frustrating that we were a little too early to taste something from the bar (not being residents you see (if only)), but we enjoyed a comfy leather seat in the oak-panelled lounge and a fresh coffee with the papers. It was quite interesting to speak with the staff preparing for the lunch service and the bookings being taken.

Very soon however, others started arriving and we were allowed a ‘proper’ drink and a peep at the menu. There’s a choice at lunch of either the tasting menu (£70 pp) or the (very reasonable I thought) set 3 course lunch at £30 pp inc half a bottle of wine. If we’d had a ‘lazy’ afternoon ahead of us, we would have treated ourselves to the former option, however the play started at 2.45 so we had a schedule of sorts….



The setting is really wonderful at Simpsons. The light and airy ‘conservatory’ area, with rattan-style chairs and brilliant-white tablecloths was just so stylish without being pompous. The outside area looked lovely and green and inviting, but sadly we couldn’t really venture out as it was just too wet! I admired the vibrant Rhoddies though - through the floor to ceiling glass.

I won’t detail here everything about what we ate as I’m sure you can easily find specfic dish details elsewhere, however I will say a bit about what I can remember about the simply glorious food. Everything was perfect. the amuse bouche was a cube of cod which had been deep fried and served on a cocktai stick (may sounds awful but was actually delicious). I had the cod for my main (J had the lamb 'cooked 3 ways') and the desserts were lovely if a little un-adventurous - one passion fruit and pineapple sorbet thingy and mine was a (much better) Simpson's Knickerbocker special. Oh if only we had the time to meander through the cheeseboard! The service was attentive without being stressful or over the top. There was a good mixture of customers (amongst the highlights of the people-watching experience was a couple on the next table who were also celebrating HIS birthday and a large family group ordering lots of champagne because there was “no special occasion – just a get-together” (how wonderful). With almost a cover on every table at one point which made for a buzzing but relaxing atmosphere. The maitre-d was wonderfully experienced and very French of course and went out of her way to make all the guests feel comfortable.

We got to the theatre in plenty of time and it was fascinating to see the players so close-up in this intimate production. I was a bit worried when they were smoking so much on stage (I hate it when someone starts coughing during a performance) but the ventilation was obviously good and I hardly smelt it at all (what a long way we've all come since the smoking ban in the UK). It was a fab performance and very thought-provoking.

"We must visit the theatre again soon"! We always say that. But most importantly, let's go back to Simpsons. Next time we visit I would love to have a table either nearer to the open kitchen area – or - even better outside in the covered area on a warm summers evening...champagne on ice of course....

Wednesday, March 24, 2010


Here we were, not that long ago walking along the Northumberland coastal path again and returning to our cosy cottage at Christmas....but now Winter is well and truly over and I'm sorry that this Blog has been somewhat neglected since the colder months.

But now the daffodils in the garden are well and truly raising their heads again, the lambs are bleating in the field beyond and I'm about to change my winter tyres again - so it MUST be spring right?!
It's that time when (helped by Mr Darling's latest changes perhaps) we are thinking again about moving to pastures new....maybe 2010 will be the year?

We must have been to hundreds of nice restaurants since Nov - and I've been very lazy in not writing about any of them.

The most memorable was maybe the 'Cheerful Soul' in Marlow where as you will remember the couple from Raymond Blanc's "Restaurant', Michelle and Russell have been running their own foodie dream. Michelle was there (apparently Russell doesn't work in the kitchen anymore - not sure why) waiting truly 'cheerfully' on the tables. It was very quiet though - Saturday lunchtime. Although Michelle told us they were "chocker" that evening...
the food was...good. Not outstanding. Can't even remember what I had now...(although 'you know who' will remember).
We also had a great meal at Edwards (or is it Edmunds?) in Birmingham. Which apparently is hoping for a Michelin star soon...and J ate lunch recently at the now famous (thanks to Ramsay) Lasan Indian restaurant in Birmingham which apparently was superb. I'll have to wait in line with all the other customers for an evening meal - apparently there's a 3 month waiting list...
So, I'll get some more thoughts down soon...and some photos....til then :)