We’ve done some shopping. And now we’re in the Horseshoe Bar.
Category Archives: Pubs
Plastic Letters
… was the name of a Blondie album. In my opinion, their best. Today, though, I bought some cardboard letters.
Yes, the Z is the wrong way round, but I’d taken the picture before noticing. Rest assured, it’s now correctly oriented.
After buying half of the contents of Hobbycraft, we caught a bus to town. Before returning home, we called off at the Bridge Hotel, where I found two Atom beers on draught.
Only staying for one, this was a difficult decision. Light or dark?
Or a half pint of both.
And both were very nice. We may also have had a game of skittles in the Split Chimp while in town.
Regrettably, I was defeated by my second in command. But only because she cheated.
I’m sure there was a ‘1’ prefix missing from my first score.
Sodhouse Bank
Our street has quite a bit of history. William the Conqueror once had a bit of a run in with Malcolm III of Scotland (it didn’t end well for Malcolm), pretty much just outside our house. And, for a few hundred years there was an annual procession up the street.
This procession would stop for refreshment at a pub down the road, the Old Cannon. While a nice building, the times haven’t been kind to the Cannon. I’ve only called in twice and found the pub to be pretty run down and struggling to survive. Something of a shame when you consider its past.
Inevitably, the pub closed and attempts to reopen an turn it into a realistic business failed. It’s soon to reopen as a Chinese restaurant.
At least the building is remaining largely unchanged. Unlike the nearby Queens Head, which closed more recently. It’s to be converted into bedsits.
Should a ghostly Sheriff of Gateshead still be travelling the route, at least he’d be able to find a meal and a bed for the night.
Broken rules
I met my second in command in town after work today. Brewdog do vegan pizza now, you know.
And it’s rather nice. As is the coffee stout.
I must admit that I feel somewhat ashamed to say that we’ve played the bus lottery this afternoon. And cheated.
An X1 arrived, so we pretended not to see it and waited for a 56 (which stops at our local).
The Station
Today, while escorting my second in command’s father to his train, I noticed something in Central Station.
I’ve read about these, but hadn’t seen them before today. Just a few years ago, this would have been unimaginable in Newcastle. Hell, I remember being regarded as different in my early days of vegetarianism seriously think that vegetarians/vegans will one day dominate the world. Naturally, anyone who resists will be fed to cats. And, speaking of which, I need to purchase a chair, a white long haired cat and a pair of black (faux) leather gloves.
Also in Central Station, on the same theme, was a shop.
Finally, while having a pre-second-in-command’s-dad-train Erdinger, I found that the Station Hotel is likely to reopen soon.
While only the facia has been retained, I’m looking forward to the reopening.
Is this the way to Amarillo
Or a Moretti. I’m back from a retirement do at Heworth golf club, a bloke called Neil. A nice bloke. he’s only a year older than me. Which makes me realise that, when the mortgage is paid off in six months, I could afford to do the same.
But maybe not, since I need to pull together some funds for the Sodhouse Bank Brewery (the shed).
The end is in sight though.
In my local for a nightcap.
Goatshead
No, we’re not in Goatshead yet. We’d called off in Oxford for breakfast, but a visit to Oxford involves a compulsory pint of stout in the Three Goats Heads.
It’s an excellent Sam Smith’s pub, lovely both outside and in. My second in command’s not partaking of stout though; she’s shopping (and is disappointed that the Apricot store has not only closed, but is in the process of being demolished).
Shopping is generally a good thing for me; I get to have a pint (or two if I’m quick) before my second in command arrives (for a fruit beer).
Coincidentally, Sam Smith’s fruit beer is made (partially) in Stamford, where my second in command was born. A picture of the brewery, taken a few days ago.
Peebles
We’re just back home after a couple of days in Europe Peebles. I’d never been before and was somewhat surprised to find that it’s pretty gorgeous.
The locals (in the locals) we met were lovely; there were even a couple of expats northeasterners (one from Newcastle and another from Gateshead).
We were quite intrigued by the Beltane festival, which apparently has its roots in Brussels mediaeval Europe.
We spent much of yesterday in the capital Edinburgh. Regrettably, the cool graveyard was closed, but it’s great to see restoration in progress. The view from the hill was still pretty impressive though.
While in Edinburgh, we had a quick pint (Punk IPA) in the World’s End pub before heading back to Peebles.
Back in Peebles, we went to the Bridge Inn, after which I saw a familiar creature.
While I don’t have a picture to hand, I’m pretty sure that such things exist outside Europe in London, by the Thames.
Also, when in the Bridge, I visited a urinal which appeared to have once belonged to Adam Ant.
We’d have remained stayed in Europe Peebles longer, but we have a date with a goddess in town this evening.
Augustines
It already feels a long time ago, but on Wednesday we went to see Augustines at the Academy 2 (which was located in the students’ union, rather than in the Academy itself). We had a walk around town first, of course, calling off at what must be one of the busiest Sam Smith’s pubs in the country.
And, since the weather was perfect, we made the most of it and sat outside. The Old Wellington, next door, would have been next, but they appear to no longer sell Erdinger.
And, so we had another pint of Sam Smith’s stout (or, in the case of my second in command, another organic Strawberry beer). The Temple Bar was next on our list, where a person can always find a bottle, or two, of Erdinger.
The place had been decorated since our last visit, last year.
We’d have stayed longer, but had to check-in. We still found time to continue wandering around, which left my second in command feeling tired.
And hungry. So we had something to eat at the Thirsty Scholar, not the best of pubs, but they also stock Erdinger and the food’s all vegan and vegetarian. We had a conversation with the chef, who’d given me some great advice when I’d first switched from vegetarian to vegan. And had told us about a great veggie cafe, Egg, in Liverpool.
Later, we went for a couple of drinks in Big Hands, before the gig. The bar’s a favourite of my second in command. And apparently, and unfortunately, of my second ex-wife too, since she was also there. However, we were all very adult about it and ignored each other.
The gig itself was great, with an excellent atmosphere. The band seem to get better every time.
Unusually, I’d taken a camera, since my phone pictures tend not to be so great. But, strangely, some of the pictures taken with my phone weren’t too bad. Apart from the resolution, which I cut down here anyway, there isn’t a great deal of difference between snaps taken with a phone or a camera. The next few are from my phone.
Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
Thunderbird is very slowly retrieving email from my BT account; I’m now up to 2011. It’s a pain, but progress is being made. In only 27 days I won’t exist in BT’s world. Which is probably not a bad thing.
Today, an average kind of Tuesday, has been my Friday. I have the rest of the week off; originally, to see Augustines tomorrow (technically tonight) night, but we decided to make a week of it.
We aim to meet people in Big Hands around 18:45, but our day will most likely begin in the Temple Bar several hours earlier. And then there’s the Castle; we need to fit that in at some point.
Augustines. Not Rufus Wainwright. So there shall be no cigarettes or chocolate produce. Well, my second in command has nicotine pills so that just leaves the chocolate. And, since, I’m now a vegan of 18 months, the chocolate shall be of the non-milk variety. Preferably chocolate stout.