Ralph and Karen are staying with us until Sunday! Yay!!! Thursday Ralph and Karen arrived just before lunch and after a quick nibble, it was off for a sight-seeing afternoon around picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon… …we dropped into Rick’s place – Hathaway Tea Rooms for a quick nibble, but no sign of Rick though! (That, unbeknown to …
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Category:Restaurant
London Calling!
It’s been a while since we did this – and we’re certainly packing it in – a short two-day break to the Capital! Deep breath, and here we go! …Train from Bedford… …a brief meeting with Chris, our Financial Adviser… …dump our bags at the Hotel… …Champagne Lunch at the Ritz (thanks Roger, Jane and …
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The Falcon and Fate!
We met up with Mick and Jane tonight at The Falcon Inn at Fotheringhay. We haven’t been here for ages – back in 2008, and as it was probably our first serious pub-eatery back in our Peterborough days, we were interested to see how much it had changed. Being Friday, the 13th, perhaps we should …
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Blow-out Thursday
Ann cooked a ‘big-breakfast’ for me as part of my ‘final meal’ before I embark on this year’s £1-a-Day Challenge for Barnardo’s, starting tomorrow. If that wasn’t enough, I then drove over to Cambridge to meet with Sally B for a catch-up and a full lunch at Café Rouge in Bridge Street. Thanks Sal! Good …
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Sunday Sondes
It was a welcome return with David and Valerie to the Sondes Arms today for their Sunday Lunch. We haven’t been here since last October, and it was just a busy as I remember it. Their reputation for serving massive, high quality portions for their Sunday Lunch obviously still continues! As we arrived, the queue …
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To the Moon and Back!
Time for my three-monthly catch-up with Ian and Mags tonight. As a bonus, our two Anns came along too! That’s a first! We had a torturous journey there with a massive tailback on the M6 (which we cleverly avoided by using the ‘country route’) together with the mother-of-all-jams queuing to get into Stratford (which we …
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Palmers Re- assembled!
We jumped on the train from Bedford today and headed for Bromley South where we met up with Neil, Debbie, Alfie and Frankie. Armed with vouchers, we walked up the High Street to the Ask restaurant in Bromley (where we’d met up last August) for lunch and a good catch-up. A lot has happened in …
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Term Ending/Birthday Spending/D-Day Landing
Thursday – School Term EndingIt’s a Gambles-Get-Together! We travelled down to Roger, Jane and Oliver’s on Thursday for lunch and then an overnight stay and then catching-up with Denis and Bev tomorrow. After a quick bite, we watched part of the 400th Anniversary celebration on DVD of Oliver’s school – Richard Hale – that took …
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Brampton Halt for Six!
Today was my second visit to the newly discovered The Brampton Halt Pub & Restaurant, about a 30-minute drive from ours at Chapel Brampton. I’d accidentally discovered it with John C a few weeks back when he and I met at Sedgebrook Hall (it was almost next door!). This time, we met up with Geoff …
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Sedgebrook Hall
What a perfect evening! I took the XKR and drove over to Sedgebrook Hall to meet up with John Cullwick, a business associate from my early days as a self-employed Management Trainer. We had a quick drink outside before taking the short walk to the Pub next door – Brampton Halt. It was …
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First Visit: The Marquess of Exeter
We headed off to The Marquess of Exeter in Lyddington tonight to meet up with Mick and Jane S. The Pub/Restaurant/Hotel boasts: “One of the finest restaurants, pubs and hotels in Rutland” – so expectations were high! On one of the hottest days of the year so far, what could be better than taking the …
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Short Break: Gin taster, Win chester!
We headed for Winchester today courtesy of Ann’s friend Nicki – and her gift of a hotel voucher. The route there just happened to take us in the direction of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill (with its own fascinating history). We set off around 9am and pulled into the car-park at Laverstoke Mill just …
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To Hull and Back
We headed off to Hull today to meet up with our friends, Dennis and Sandra, for a cultural day out! It was an early start – leaving just after 7am – heading for Peterborough Station to pick-up the train to Doncaster and then changing for our final destination. It was a hassle-free journey (although the …
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Blooz News
We drove over to Babe Blooz in Market Harborough tonight to meet up with Ian and Mags. It was all part of our normal three-monthly catch-up where we’ve been a few times before – but not since June 2011! It’s amazing how the years have flown by! The memorable thing about the restaurant the last …
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We ARE Amused
Ann and I met up joined Geoff, Rhonda, Paul and Sue at The Olde Victoria tonight for a spot of nosebag and our three-monthly catch-up. Gosh, we haven’t been here for about a gazillion years and it’s now under new management. What a very pleasant surprise – in every sense. Very welcoming and friendly staff, …
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Russians in Northamptonshire!
We picked up David and Valerie and headed off to The Derngate to see Russian Masters performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The journey there was straightforward, but parking near the Theatre was a nightmare – even the multi-storey was full! Eventually, we found a space in a nearby street, but I think if we …
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Retail Therapy in Leeds
A relatively early start for us today as we were bound for Leeds. That meant we were in the car and heading for Peterborough Station just after 7.30 this morning aiming for an 8.50 Virgin East Coast train direct to Leeds. Even though the weather looked challenging (overnight frost accompanied by a wafer-thin layer of …
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Meal with Ian and Mags
I drove over to Stratford tonight to catch-up with Ian and Mags for our three-monthly catch-up. Generally speaking, we’ve always been very successful in choosing the eatery – and tonight was no exception! Mags had booked the recently(ish) opened Sabai Sabai in town and it didn’t disappoint! What was disappointing was the journey over towards …
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It’s Saturday, it’s Stamford!
(Oliver turned 13 today!!!) We set off for Stamford early to do some shopping for the various ornaments and other bits & pieces in readiness for the Lounge makeover in March. Someone was smiling on us, as we had a very productive time and picked up something in virtually every shop we visited! Then it …
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The George with Jane and Mick
The Lunch Menu (click to enlarge)A superb extended lunch with our good friends Jane and Mick today. There’s something about The George in Stamford when it comes to munchies in their Oak Room restaurant – they just get it RIGHT …every time! OK, you do pay a little over the odds for the experience, but …
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New Year’s Eve 2016
This year, we drove up to Matlock to share New Year’s Eve with Ralph and Karen. We set off from ours just after 1pm and arrived just before 3 – a straightforward, hassle-free journey (and the longest so far in Ann’s new car). The venue tonight is the Peak Edge Hotel where we’re going to …
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Our Anniversary 2016
The 14th Well, here we are in Amsterdam for our 5th Anniversary (or ‘32nd’ in old money). After driving over to Birmingham Airport, we caught the 10.10 courtesy of Flybe to Schiphol and then jumped on the train for a short journey to Amsterdam Central. There we grabbed a 48 hour tourist ticket and boarded …
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Brekky at Bekky!
After the past few days where it’s been REALLY cold, it was good to wake up to a morning without frost – although it was damp. Perfect weather then for the legendary breakfast at Beckworth’s Emporium with David and Valerie. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until …
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Great Vines
It was off to The Vines tonight with Jo and Janet. The normal Friday night fixed menu of ‘Fizz and Chips’ had been suspended and replaced by their Christmas Menu. Suited me! Plan A was to walk there, as it’s only 10 minutes away, but the contra-forecasted shower of rain combined with our chosen umbrella …
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Chicken and Mice
We drove over to Milton Keynes this evening to meet up with Chris, Gill, Abi and Denise. Bizarrely, it was nothing to do with my extended birthday celebrations! First stop was Carluccio’s in the Shopping Mall with our table booked for 5.30. The food was tasty – I had chicken – but with the Barman’s …
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My 60th: Swan for Lunch!
My penultimate celebration meal today as we met Paul, Sue, Geoff and Rhonda at the Lamport Swan for lunch. A thoroughly good lunch, a good long chat and a couple of bottles of splosh as presents – PERFECT!! Thanks everyone! I had a great time! More Gifts!! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in …
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My 60th – Curry Mop-up
My Birthday celebrations continued last night with Paul, Karen, David and Rosi. They couldn’t make the original get-together back in September at The Exotic Dining, so it was the perfect excuse to do it all again, as a ‘mop-up’ exercise, tonight at the same location. The service and food was, as always, superb! and I’d …
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My 60th – Birthday 2016
So apparently, this is the ‘big one’ – ‘60’ – but luckily, I’m only 23 on the inside! This year, because of the ‘bigness’ of the event , I’m having quite a few separate celebrations (mainly based around food). They already started on the 21st with Sally and Shirley from Juno L and D treating …
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21st Century Fox
We took the XKR to The Snooty Fox in Lowick tonight to meet up with Geoff, Rhonda, Sue and Paul. Just our luck that we spotted a coach as we pulled into the car-park and that meant a 20-strong coach-party also had the same location in mind! As a result, even though the staff were …
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House Call – 2
Ann, Nicki and I met up with Jo, Janet and Carol at The Crown Hotel in Stamford for one of their mega-breakfasts before spending the rest of the day at Burghley House. Predictably, I opted for the Crown Breakfast. Yummy! Then it was off to the House, just as the sun came out, so for …
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