Ian, Mags and I met up for our regular three-monthly catchup at The Lamport Swan tonight. I’d quite forgotten how good the food is here, and tonight didn’t disappoint. The service was spot-on too. In spite of us keeping in touch, we seemed to have more-than-usual to catch-up with in terms of each others’ news. …
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Category:Restaurant
A Tale of Two Shuckburghs
In the morning, I popped over to The Olive Grove – a Garden Centre in Oundle, to catch-up with Alison W, a colleague from my days in the 90s at Nokia. This was our first visit, since it opened its expanded eatery – and it didn’t disappoint: great food, great menu and very (very!) pleasant …
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Haddock Grate Time!
Another Friday and another meal out! Our regular monthly eat-outs with David and Val had, in past few months, somehow fallen by the wayside, so we put that right tonight by driving over to The Shuckburgh Arms in Stoke Doyle. David acted as chauffeur in his rather swishy-looking new Mercedes convertible (but, it wasn’t warm …
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Thank Folk it’s Friday!
It’s been one of those weeks, that considering I’m retired, I seemed to be out more than in. And no, it wasn’t just ‘out for lunches’! Instead, I sorted out a friend’s two PCs as she made the jump to Windows 8, continued my computer-coaching class, met up with an ex-work colleague, as well as …
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Trainers 3 – Elm 1
The One Elm – Stratford Whilst petrol-heads from around the globe went into collective shock over the news of the suspension of the iconic Jeremy Clarkson for punching a BBC Director (allegedly!) – Mags, Ian and I opted for something far less controversial, and got together for our regular three-monthly catch-up and gossip-fest. I parked …
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Family Visit
Ann and I drove up to see Denis today. It was the first time we’ve seen him since his three separate operations involving a pacemaker, two stents and finally a heart valve. He was in pretty good spirits, all things considered, but did look a bit frail. We took him to The Fortescue Arms in …
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Weekend with Roger and Jane
With Oliver away on a skiing trip in France, it was the perfect weekend for Roger and Jane to spend the weekend with us. In fact, it was the first time they’d been away – just the two of them – for around 11 years! First port of call was Stamford. It was a trouble-free …
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Trainers Unite – Saxon Mill
Ian, Mags and I met up at the rather pleasant Saxon Mill restaurant in Warwick tonight. They say that people aren’t eating out anymore, but the place was packed! This was a good sign and the food didn’t disappoint. Duck for Mags, and Venison for Ian and me, meant we all enjoyed a tasty bird, …
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Bicester Act
After last night’s takeaway, we kept the Chinese theme going by heading off first thing to Bicester, with David and Valerie – apparently, Bicester is the third most visited UK location by Chinese tourists, after Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. I’m not sure if I believe this factoid, but looking at the gazillions …
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And the Beet Goes On!
We travelled to Heckington today to see Denis – probably our last visit before we see him again on Christmas Day. We took a slightly different route via the nearby villages to try and locate a suitable nearby Pub for lunch. We decided we wouldn’t go to the Fortescue Arms in Billingborough (our normal haunt …
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Lunch with Alison W
Time for my twice-yearly catchup with Alison W, so I drove over to Peterborough heading for the Fox and Hounds. Last time I was there back in September 2013, it was a real challenge actually getting to the Pub itself, because of some very complex roadworks and poor diversion signage (well, that’s my excuse anyway!). …
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5ive Go To… Birmingham
So, here we are again – it’s that time of year, when a few of us Trainers get together for a long weekend of drink, food, drink, drink and culture. We started this now regular event, two years ago in Stratford-upon-Avon, and last year, we visited Bath. It’s the ‘usual suspects’ of Philip P, Antoinette …
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Birthday 2014 – Steve Serenaded/Men with Pikes/High Points/Low Points/Swans on the Bed/Pigeon Paranoia/East v West/Wow Factor 11
As the title suggests, this year’s birthday celebrations have been especially memorable. Loyal reader, read on… Even before the celebrations began today, I had a rather unexpected birthday-call the previous evening. The phone rang, and I didn’t recognise the number that came up, nor the voice at the other end. The mystery voice immediately sprang …
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A Splashage to India
We met up with our good friends Paul and Sue and headed to our fave Indian Restaurant – The Exotic Dining, in town. Since Mazza’s closed earlier this year, this is now our restaurant of choice when ‘going Indian’. It was their first visit, so we hoped it would go well. As always, the food …
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Sleepy Swinford gets a Bang!
A lads’ lunch today! I picked up Geoff B (a colleague from my Sainsbury days) in Irthlingborough and we headed off towards the sleepy village of Swinford – and The Chequers Pub. I haven’t seen Geoff for almost a gazillion years, and the drive to the Pub gave us chance to catch-up with each other’s …
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Fortescue Family!
It was off to The Fortescue Arms in Billingborough today, to meet up with Denis and Bev. We didn’t need much of an excuse, but as it happened it was to celebrate Denis’ birthday earlier in the week. Feeding Time! Phew! What a scorcher! Boy, was it hot!! We sat outside (a first for us …
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Wonderful Wheatsheaf
We picked up Lee and headed for The Wheatsheaf at Titchmarsh for Sunday Lunch. We haven’t been back here for a while, but the food and service was as good as we remember it. Since our last visit, as you can see, they’ve been treating the Yorkshire Puddings with Steroids! Having conquered the batter, we …
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Meal with Ian and Mags – Il Moro
So, it was over to Stratford-upon-Avon this evening, for a catch-up with Ian and Mags. We were slightly off-schedule as were due to meet back in May, but had to cancel. What a find Il Moro was! (thanks Ian!!!), a perfectly positioned Italian Restaurant (away from the main buzz of of Stratford’s town centre, in …
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Waiter, there’s a Soup in my Hare!
We met up with David and Valerie and headed for The Hare in Loddington tonight. In spite of our early booking for 7pm, the car-park was already almost full when we arrived (perhaps a good sign?). Inside the Pub, the numbers confirmed the car-park situation – the place was already buzzing! It’s only our second visit …
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A Meal fit for a Duke!
David and Valerie invited to a private do at the Citadel in town tonight, where we sampled the delights of Michelin Star Chef, Mike North, from The Nut Tree. First up was a cooking demonstration on how to prepare the perfect Beef Wellington (involving pancakes!!!), then we sat down a full three-courser to see if …
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Care Hare
You wait for ages for a great eatery to come along and then… (well, you know the rest!) Not content with discovering the Beckworth Emporium on our doorstep last week – tonight, we discovered another local gem. We met up with our friends, Paul and Sue at The Hare in the nearby village, Loddington. They …
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Lunch with Alison W
Dessert! I drove over to Peterborough today in Marco – its first long(ish) journey since taking ownership a few weeks ago. It’s running a lot faster now I’ve added red car mats! Putting fuel in it was like going back in time – 25 quid and the tank is now three-quarters full! (that’s a big …
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Hey Prezzo
After my previous get-together with Ian and Mags at the underwhelming Chimichanga’s back in October last year, this time we headed ‘next-door’ to Prezzo’s – hopefully this was going to be a better experience. I needn’t have worried, as the food was delicious, and given how busy the place was (on a Monday!!!) , others …
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Film: Cuban Fury
After the thoroughly depressing 12 years a Slave, from a month or so ago, we felt that our next visit to the cinema ought to be something a ‘little lighter’! So, we picked up Jo and Janet and headed for local Odeon to see Cuban Fury. Starring Nick Frost and (a rather wrinkled) Ian McShane, …
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Education, Education… Curry!
I met up with Angela C at King’s Cross and we headed to the Barbican and the Museum of London. This was the first part of our ‘educational’ day in London.The Museum was fab – I haven’t been there for a good 10 years and it’s changed a lot. It was good last time…. but …
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A Fine Fox
Our annual pilgrimage to meet up with Jane and Mick S for pressy-swaps took us back to The Fox Inn in Thorpe Waterville. We’d only been there once before back in April last year, but were so impressed with the food (and the size of the portions), we thought they deserved a return visit! We …
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Full-on Saturday
The Vines, Barton Hall, Kettering Even though we’re smug enough to say that all the Christmas shopping is finished, today was one of those ‘not-a-moment-to-breathe’ days – there just seemed to be hundreds of little jobs that needed sorting. In spite of an early start, we didn’t get back from town until almost lunch-time – …
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Chimichanga’s – The Return of the Tormented Tortilla
After last week’s visit to Kettering’s latest eatery, Chimichanga’s, that left Ann and I slightly underwhelmed, I was still looking forward to going there tonight with good friends Ian and Mags to see if things had ‘moved up a notch’. When we arrived just before 7.30, the same very warm welcome awaited us, and we …
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Ola Chimichanga!
There’s a famous military quote: “Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted”. and it turned out to be so appropriate for tonight, as Ann and I checked out Kettering’s latest eatery – ‘Chimichanga’s’, in preparation for the meal there with friends Ian and Mags next Monday. As you might guess, if you’re not familiar with …
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5ive Go to Bath
After last year’s very enjoyable Trainers Go to… event in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon, this year, we headed for a weekend in Bath. Carey had to drop-out at the last minute (which was a great shame), but we know she was there in spirit! It was my turn to organise it all and after some initial difficulties …
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