Cheddar Gorge

A whirlwind tour of Somerset on Thursday with Dad. We headed for breakfast at Farrington's Farm Shop, where we traditionally buy Christmas hampers. It began because Marilyn's mum used to live in Stratton on the Fosse, nearby. She died four years ago, so we dropped by to lay a wreath.

We took a wrong turn on the way back and ended up going through one of the most excellent pieces of road in England, through the heart of Cheddar Gorge (not far from Wookey Hole, where the witch lives!). It's a very narrow piece of road that twists between plunging cliffs. Some days you see mountain goats, but not that day.

The road opens out again when it reaches the town of Cheddar, which is full of quirky little shops - and cheese.

Rounded up the day at Cadbury Garden Centre, looking at the pretty parrots and the tropical fish. There were also some fairly funny cacti.

And on the shelf below, some festive ones.

Before heading back beneath Clifton Suspension Bridge, from which a woman, Sarah Ann Henley,  once tried to commit suicide and parachuted to safety in her crinoline skirt! And where my friend Daniel and I visited the Giant's Cave last year.

Sarah Ann Henley

Today we headed over to Banbury to have lunch and exchange Christmas presents with Mum and Merrick. Found a lovely little pub called The Old Auctioneer. Yummy olives, huge calzone and thin-crust pizza. Nomnomnom.

Perfect way to get into the festive cheer this year.

Clearwell Christmas 2013

Just had a lovely weekend, went to one of my favourite places with one of my favourite people, the lovely Mr. Matthews. We went for our dose of Christmas cheer.

I've posted about Christmas at Clearwell before. It's an underground cave system in the Forest of Dean. Each year they deck it out with a Christmas story. They even had a brass band playing. It's beautiful.

This year's story was about The Perfect Christmas Tree. A family find it in the woods and try everything to dig it up and take it home, but it won't budge, so eventually they take Christmas to the tree.

Most of my photos came out really fuzzy, like the silver mines. But here's a few that survived.

Creepy Mine Shaft

 

I search every year, but they never have a present with my name on it :(

Ahwell. Came away feeling all jingly bells. Headed off to Tintern to search for food at the pub opposite the abbey, but they'd stopped serving. Didn't matter as we found a tea shop next door and tucked into a large pot of tea with Welsh rarebit.

Then had a bit of a panic. 

We'd come down the Welsh side of the Severne to get to the Forest, only we needed to cross the toll bridge to get back to England. Dan took a train to Gloucester, where I collected him at the station, but we were headed back to Bristol for a night of gosine (gossip + wine).

Only neither of us had any money, so ended up driving round Chepstow in the dark looking for a cash machine and a place to park. We arrived right in the middle of some tribute to Glen Miller (think it might have been the turning on of the Christmas lights...).

It was a little traumatic.

Especially when we got to the bridge and realised our daft mistake...

... you pay to get in to Wales, not out.

Doh!

I felt like such a prat. I lived there for three years, I'm amazed I forgot.

So, we put our money to good use buying Casillero del Diablo cab. sav. and Dan cooked nommy lasagna, which we ate whilst berating X-Factor with flatmates Matt and Steve.

Lazy morning this morning, followed by the bizarre introduction of cinnamon and raisin bagels to sausages... oddly, it works. 

Lovely weekend had by all.

Public House

Gloucester Docks

Just made it back to Gloucester after a whirlwind weekend.

Had a lovely time at a Book Festival in Folkestone, where I was giving a talk about writing to a group at the local Youth Centre. 

Then headed back via London to see one of the loveliest couples I know, who I cannot name as one half of the duo is currently off work today for reasons which are about to become apparent.

Last time I went drinking in London, I ended up throwing my business card into one of those draw pots in the ladies' loo of a pub. A few weeks back, I received a surprise e-mail informing me that I'd won a £100 bar tab, cashable any day except Fridays and Saturdays.

I made plans to stay with said friends, arriving at midday, just in time to crash their friend's birthday party. My friends, and their friends, were already slightly worse for wear after revelling into the early hours, such is the way of people in London with their crazy social schedules, so they all decided to meet in The Herne, East Dulwich. 

It was, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best Sunday roasts I have ever eaten in my life. Roaring fire, lovely atmosphere. When the plates started to arrive, it didn't look like much. Thought we might have accidentally wandered into a cordon bleu restaurant where food is more art than substantial. Then the sides arrived: roast potatoes and parsnips, mashed swede and greens... piles of it. We were as stuffed as the turkey by the end. Just managed to squeeze in a little of Gill's homemade lemon drizzle cake.

Most of my friends living in London have kids or jobs, so, after a period of digestive recovery, I rounded up those that didn't and we headed out for the night.

Public House (@Public_HouseN1) is absolutely gorgeous. It's everything I love about a nice bar: mood-lightingly lit, quirky, with plenty of candle wax, good music, and an incredible selection of cocktails.

 

 

Top left was our absolute favourite: La Fleur (de ma jeunesse):

Not a hydrangea, rather a twist on the Clover Club cocktail. Gin, home-made rose & raspberry syrup, calvados and fresh lemon. 

Top right: Meteor-ice:

From nowhere, this pokey tipple hits you right between the eyes. Tapatio 110 proof tequila, apricot, grapefruit, lime and maraschino.

I must admit, I prefer my tequila in slammers. When it comes to cocktails, I have more of a sweet tooth.

Bottom left: Donkey Club Punch:

Light rum, peach brandy, honey water and fresh lemon juice served fruity; donkey's underground take on the missionary's downfall.

Bottom right: Little Queen of Spades:

Green grapes molested with the joy of elderflower, magic of oloroso, vodka and lime.

We also drank several beers (the main one I remember being Goose Island) and a healthy amount of prosecco over about a four-hour session. Then we managed to get a taxi all the way from North London to South London for £25! 

We even got him to stop off at an offy so that we could buy more beer. Well, my friends went to buy more beer, whilst I waited in the taxi being propositioned by the very nice, but slightly hopeful, Bangladeshi driver. 

A wonderful night had by all (even the taxi driver). 

Woke up this morning with a free pass! (You know, when you haven't been out drinking for a really long time, then you do and you wake up the next morning expecting to feel like death, but you're actually bright and chirpy? Only ever happens once, if you try it again the next night everything catches up with you...) So, my friend and I headed down the road to The Duck Egg, which is this awesome little café that specialises in egg-related breakfasts made with duck eggs rather than chicken eggs.

It was outstanding, we soothed our bodies back to health with a massive English Breakfast and a version of Eggs Benedict with mushrooms.

It's been a fab, if exhausting, couple of days. Going to get a good night's sleep tonight ahead of what might just prove to be an interesting week...

Autumn Leaves

It's that terrifying time of year again, when you need to think up gifts for family and friends. Headed for a mooch around Taurus Arts in the Forest. Found these cute murals.

Reminds me of the Fürstenzug at Dresden

There was even a beautiful full rainbow.

It's also the season of feasting and fattening. Dad's been enjoying himself in the kitchen and I've discovered how the panini maker works. Cheese, pesto and sun dried tomato meltes... nom nom nom.

Chard and watercress soup.

Chocolate cake with white chocolate chips and fudge icing,
wholemeal bread and homegrown tomatoes.

Then it was off to Westonbirt Arboretum to enjoy the changing colours.

Panoramic - Click to Enlarge

Ladybird, ladybird fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children all gone.