Author Archives: garymoore

Leith

I had a nice, unplanned, day in Leith with the hound yesterday. She’s really good on trains, so maybe I need to do this more often.

We managed to fit in The Mother Superior, Newbarns tap room, Campervan brewery, The Dreadnought and Lost in Leith, before catching a tram back to Waverley and the train home.

We’d planned to call at the Moonwake taproom and Teuchter’s Landing too, but we were delayed in three places after meeting people who’ve been in our bar.

We probably need to do this again soon.

Back in Newcastle, we called in the Mosaic Tap, since it’s just behind the station, then wandered over the High Level Bridge and called off at Axis and our place.

Vegan history

Quite a few years ago, I’m not exactly sure when, but around 2011-12, I had a nice conversation with a pub chef in Manchester.

It wasn’t a great pub, a place I’d been in a few times previously; mostly when I’d been to the nearby Academy for a gig.

But that particular conversation was something of a game changer for me. A month or two earlier, I’d made the decision to move to a vegan lifestyle.

Looking at the menu, I realised that it was vegetarian/vegan by default, mostly vegan. We’d ordered a couple of burgers and the chef had called by to check everything was ok. This involved a discussion between him and my beloved about hot sauce (they had one of her favourites). Eventually, we talked about veganism. I won’t go into detail, but his words have stuck with me since. He also introduces us to Egg in Liverpool (no idea if it’s still open, I’ve not been in ages).

I’ve only been there again a couple of times, once to eat, once with an old mate after seeing a band. The place wasn’t the best as a bar, it was a bit tired, but always seemed to be doing ok.

I mention the bar because I came across a post on Facebook (while following up comments on posts from the (our/my) bar.

I’m sure the chef has long since moved elsewhere, as pub chefs tend to do, but it was sad to read that the pub’s soon to become an Irish bar. That’ll be the old menu gone too, then.

The beer there wasn’t great, but it was never about the beer.

Mates

No one reads this as far as I know. So I’m ok to say things that people won’t see.

I’m feeling pretty shit right now. On of my best mates is pretty ill right now.

I’d swap places in the blink of an eye.

Whisky

I’ve never liked whisky. More accurately, I’ve always hated the stuff. Mates have tried to educate/convert me for years, with no success.

A while back, someone told me to try it with a bit of water added. I didn’t see the point, since surely that would only make it a little less vile.

Somehow, we agreed to attend a whisky tasting night at the Green Dragon in Whitby. It was a tasting session with a difference, but the poisonous liquid was still to be involved.

I was dreading the evening (it happened last night), but am very fond of imperial stouts, which were to be paired with the whisky.

The stouts were great, beautiful even. The weakest was over 14% and they were all out of the ordinary. The whisky was made more bearable with the addition of water; one was even almost nice.

It was a brilliant night, though.

Idles

Idles were pretty good tonight. Last night now.

One of the best live bands I’ve seen.

Interpol & Nick Cave

Somehow, I’ve managed to double book gigs again. While, both were booked a long time ago, I need to be more organised about these things.

Interpol’s in town, but Nick Cave’s Manchester (where we saw him last time, before Covid). I saw Interpol in Edinburgh last year, so decided on Nick Cave.

The gig’s tonight.

Then, yesterday, I came down with a bloody awful bug. I can see it’s going to just be a 48 hour thing, but that obviously means I’m going nowhere today.

The silly thing is, there’d always be a chance I’d be ok for tonight, so Interpol might have been an option. If I hadn’t given the ticket away.