Fullsome weekender

Well I say full, full of pubs really. Friday night we stayed in, so as to have more energy for going out on Saturday. We had a trip to Canterbury in the day (and you'll never guess where we had lunch), no actual christmas shopping, but we went in a couple of different pubs for a change, the Cherry Tree and the Buttermarket. Both are nice enough, the Cherry Tree feels a bit dated and rough really for Canterbury, there are plenty of better places to go but it was worth checking out for a change. The Buttermarket is much nicer, no decent beers on unfortunately but we sat and had coffee and read their newspapers until it was time to head off for the bus.

Saturday night we went to Hythe for the first time in a long time, and it turned into a bit of a crawl. We decided to make the most of our Canterbury bus tickets (an "Explorer" ticket is the same price as a return and takes you all over Kent and Sussex, as if you would have time to go very far in one day) and get the bus out to Hythe, the timing of which meant time for one in Folkestone. We tried Keppels, but it was shut for a private do so we tried out The Bay Tree (the bar underThe Burlington) for the first time ever. Deathly quiet, but very nice, and really no quieter than any of the hotel bars nearby (like The Clifton or Keppels in The Grand), I'd go back again.

The bus to Hythe was full of kids, being kids, actually being quite awful kids. They were skaters and of some indeterminate alternative youth cult, and Clare and I would both love to believe that this makes you OK and a better person than if they were more mainstream in appearance, but it's just not true. I suspect that alternative is the new mainstream now, or something. They weren't just annoying and loud and spread over several seats making other people stand (though they were annoying and loud and spread over several seats), I forgave their youthful high spirits until they made racist remarks about another passenger, very poor.

Hythe was quite good, we looked in The Globe which was dated and working-mans-club-like like The Cherry Tree was earlier, but it gave it a feel of traditional pub. Then on to Earl Brownes to meet people, nice to sit around and chat, but that bar closed early, not because of us I'm sure, t seems to have declined in popularity since it first opened. A couple of other pubs along the street also stopped serving when they saw us coming, only The Kings Head was brave enough to stay open, and I think that's where all the pictures are from.

Sunday didn't do much, but did spend a stack of money. Booked a hotel for Brussels where we're off to in December for a christmas market weekender. Thought at first that we could easily get a five star hotel there at a knock down price, but on a second look it seems all these cheap places are in the EU district, half an hour's walk from the town centre, so we've gone for a Novotel right in the centre of town instead. Also booked tickets to see the Magic Numbers at Festival Hall in a couple of weeks. It's a midweeker, but I think I can do it easily leaving right after work, as it's so handy for Waterloo. Will be bleary eyed the next day, but what's new.

Got lots lined up before christmas now, we are busy bees...

2007 :: Comment / reply

Jim Bob Book Tour

Not actually a Carter USM tour, but still...

Ex Carter USM singer JIM BOB tours again in MAY playing his usual mix of new
solo material and old Carter classics.



He will also be reading extracts from his fantastic new Carter autobiography
"GOODNIGHT JIM BOB - On The Road With Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine" published by CHERRY RED BOOKS and in the shops in June.



The book tells the story of Jim's ten years gigging with Carter and very
funny it is too.



Jim captures the very essence of life on and off the road for the 90s' least
likely pop stars. Like you, I was there, and this book takes me right back.
A good dash of Hammer Of The Gods, a healthy glug of Ian Hunter's Diary Of A
Rock 'n' Roll Star, and absolutely no trace of Sting's Broken Music, this
book will mean a lot to anyone who fought the indie rock wars."
Andrew Collins (Writer and Broadcaster)



Jim Bob will be signing and selling special advance copies of the book on
the tour.



THE DATES



MAY 2004

• Wed 12 Bristol - The Prom (0117 942 7319)


• Thur 13 Cambridge - Man On The Moon (01223 474 144)


• Fri 14 Southampton - Joiners Arms (0238 022 5612)


• Sat 15 Reading - 21 South Street Arts Centre (0118 960 6060)


• Sun 16 Hastings - Brass Monkey (01273 685 906)


• Wed 19 Exeter - Cavern (01392 495370)


• Thurs 20 Leeds - Josephs Well (0113 203 1861)


• Fri 21 Glasgow - 13th Note (0141 553 1638)


• Sat 22 Aberdeen - Dr Drakes (01224 596 999)


• Tue 25 Liverpool - Carling Academy (0870 771 2000)


• Wed 26 Birmingham - Carling Bar Academy (0870 771 2000)


• Thur 27 London - Islington Academy (0870 771 2000)

2004 :: Comment / reply

Digging for pie

On a quest for PIE, Clare is frightened of the amount of shrooms in this mushroom and ale number, so probably going to make a dessert instead. Found this vegan cheesecake recipe but it calls for a blender, so it looks ilke cherry pie is a winner... Listening to Warrant , whatever happened to them?

Had a big day out yesterday, shopping and that, ending up on Stoke Newington Church Street, it's all changing along there. Bar Lorca has now changed to be a Thai restaurant, Firefly Rhum Shack has closed, the old Shamsudeen has closed, and Mesclun is now closed on Sundays. What's going on? The Lion was a bit quiet but The Defoe and Il Bacio wer luckily as good as ever.

2004 :: Comment / reply