Review: Draper's Arms Ealing

Waaay back in the day, Ealing had a Firkin pub (remember them?) where I used to go with my geeky sixth form buddies and drink Two Dogs and Breezers. Ah, those were the days... they don't make music like that anymore. Anyway, after a while, the Firkin became O'Neills, and I went there with my work buddies and drank Guinness.

Holiday Highlights: Sheringham & The Poppy Line

I'm back! Had a month of busy busy work and then a lovely holiday last week. But now I'm home, dropping stinky little blog drops all over your carpets. Haha.

Now I'm not going to bore you with my whole holiday album, both for consideration's sake and because, as Gemma of Retro Chick revealed, some of it was debauched gambling of the most sordid nature. Well, going for a drink down Great Yarmouth way and putting all my pocket money into the 2p falls machines. I won a little plastic horsey. Class.

Here's a little video of our time in Yarmouth...(it isn't actually of my chest, for some reason that's what the editing app put as the first shot!).

Anyway the thriftier and more sophisticated resort on our little East Anglian driving route was Sheringham. Sheringham is slap bang next door to Cromer (famed for seafood and well worth a visit). It's a small resort but well served by shops, cafes, bistros and pubs. The larger hotels tend to be pricey compared to B&Bs and the wealth of self catering, camping and caravan places around - we did stay in a hotel, but this was our big holiday. The nice thing about the town is that there is accommodation for all group sizes and budgets.

It is a very typical traditional resort, suited to families and couples alike. There is plenty of maritime history explored in two museums "The Mo" and The Fisherman's Heritage Centre. Of course, Sheringham has a broad and clean beach (we were there during those seriously hot days- it was fantastic) lined with colourful beach huts, tea rooms and a couple of pubs with great views! Amazing sunsets to be viewed from The Two Lifeboats (try their steak... a real treat) and The Crown is a great spot for the evening, with live bands outside in summer. Off the seafront but with a great beer garden and epic menu (especially seafood) is The Lobster. On rainy days, their indoor ambiance is great, a real place to relax.

OK enough about His Lordship and I filling our bellies! We did stuff too! As well as the beaches and walks, charity and craft shops and views, Sheringham has another great value day out: riding the North Norfolk Railway "Poppy Line" to Holt. This is a restored steam line with 3 stations. Each station has refreshments, museums and things to see such as model railways. It is a wonderful day out for just £11; the return ticket allows you to ride up and down the line getting off at Weybourne and Holt. Holt itself is a charming little town (one of the residents did joke it was "Chelsea on Sea", I guess it's not fascinating 24-7) - especially if you like to hunt round charity shops and antique markets, picking up what the wealthy locals have donated! There's a routemaster bus from the station to the town centre, £2 return ... everyone got very excited about this (me for a slightly different reason - it was built in Park Royal and suggestions inside were it ran out of Acton Depot back in the day - I may well have been on it before as a kid! Showing my age!). On a pleasant day you could also definitely walk the route. We enjoyed all the activites on our little jaunt, but in terms of value this was superb: a whole day riding in beautiful old carriages, superb views, museums and new towns for just over £10.

Unfortunately the weather has now turned and we're definitely NOT on hols anymore. Are you planning a trip in the UK this summer? Where are your favourite thrifty days out?

Winter Wonderland 2012

On the first of December, I dragged himself out do do something Christmassy. For it was the first of December and my house was too much of a wreck to even consider Christmas (this left the cleaning and tree wresting to Sunday, with a hangover, which in hindsight I should have foreseen). Anyway, it was time to get squashed, get muddy in a park line up in the cold for the toilets and buy beer in plastic cups ... that festival in the midst of winter, Winter Wonderland Hyde Park.

If you've never been, essentially it's a German market, circus, fun fair, Santa land and ice rink all in the middle of London; free to get in, with loads of stuff to spend all your pennies on inside. Like beer halls and mulled wine. Yeah, we were totally up for the cultural stuff. What a shame, we got waylaid by the food and booze, as is our way.

Things To Do On A British Break...

...So, you're on holiday, you've got spending money but you don't want to go mad? Often, especially in resorts, everything seems to cost and it soon adds up. Now I am not one to pinch the pennies on holiday, but I like to spend on things I'll really enjoy (a nice meal or a particular day out), rather than ending the day with a 'meh, got a bit ripped off' feeling. I will most definitely go for luxury or even full blown tourist tack some days (we did the full Wookey Hole, natch) but often I enjoy the simpler things. Here are some of my favourite British holiday activities, and why I feel they represent good value.

This view; less than 20 min walk from the city centre.

Somerset Holiday (Pictorial)...

The weather has not been particularly kind, but the cider farms have. Just a swift drop of a few amusing snaps... no vintage effects here, as I'm typing an an amazing little cottage and drinking scrumpy. Just some silly snaps to give you a flavour of our latest adventures!

More detailed travel guide stuff and a full report on our unique little cottage rental upon our return...

Wookey Hole hall of mirrors... honestly, it is!

Marvellous Cocktails!

What, cocktails again? I know, it's a burden because usually I am abstenious at all times. In my defence, these were marvellous cocktails, at the Vintage Norwich Marvellous Cocktail Party. I was up in the Fine City for another weekend, and we kicked this one off in style...


Retrochick, glamorous as ever.

What The Hell Am I Doing, Drinking in...

Chiswick? Way less cool than the eponymous song of the 90s, and quite expensive to boot. We're meant to be saving to join the ranks of the 'first time buyers' (not in Chiswick, though, where we could afford a shoebox. In the middle of the road,. With a hole in it). Erk. Imprudent Perdita. To be fair, I have been good of late. In order to further preserve pennies I have avoided high-street and designer (outlets, natch) shops for a while and stuck to charity shops and ebay.

However my wardrobe is still bulging and my clothesrail has collapsed for the umpteenth time. I fear I may have a bargain addiction. Here is one of my recent splurges, plus a little cocktail review...

All Aboard! Swing For Skin!

Last night we went to Swing For Skin, a fabulous 40s themed party in aid of DEBRA UK. A fabulous floating party, for it was aboard HMS Belfast near Tower Bridge; a wonderful location with stunning views.

Pub Review: The Office

Another pub review from Brighton. Decadent, I know. Please do read on to the end, as well as finding out about a favourite North Laines pub you'll also get to see a picture of a giant prawn holding Union Jack bunting. Which, I think you'll agree, is worth a few minutes of anyone's time.

The Office is a modern pub located in Sydney Street, a popular shopping area in Brighton's eclectic North Laines. It attracts a mixed crowd- families, students, couples and work groups all mingle in the bar and small garden (to the rear). Decor is rather 'woody'- plenty of pine, beige and cream - it gives a neutral effect. Some might find this unoriginal however in an area where some shops and cafes cynically crank up the novelty factor or niche themselves into clique territory, having this rather plain decor is a boon as it encourages the mixed crowd and relaxed atmosphere. The personality of this pub results from its staff, drinks, food and music- which speak for themselves.

Review: The Pump House Brighton

A slightly different post, as suggested by His Lordship. I do like a good pub, and I do hate a bad one - thus, my beloved husband suggested, I should add more diverse pub reviews to my blog. Most useful for those of us who cannot afford cocktail bars and swanky restaurants every day, and full of vintage, rock, kooky or mainstream charm, natch.

I'll start us off with two Brighton faves, simply because I spent this weekend in the rigorous and lofty pursuit of treats and shopping in said city. The first, a new favourite. I must admit that in the many, many years I have been spending time in Brighton I have always avoided this one as I assumed it would be tourist hell. I was wrong. I admit it. Such a snob.Just as there is no Englishman like an ex-pat spending his days in Spain, there is no gosh-aren't-the-tourists-making-it-rowdy than a friends-and-family return visitor.

Perdita Roams: Ross On Wye

Oh yes indeedy, and it's neither East Anglia nor Brighton this time. I'm like freakin' Michael Palin these days.

Ipswich and Old Leigh On Sea

What a weekend! Here's a nice little outfit post from my night out with the Muskerbeers. Mmm sequinny.

The 80s has landed, note tasteful Audrey-Hepburn-style Muskerbeer in the background.

Cheerful ramblings from His Lordship

Ah, that Friday feeling, dressing 'down', relaxing and having a few ales. In my case, dressing gown, bed rest and a lemsip. I've got the lurgy! Grrr. Hence, I am a little stuck for topics. Outfit post: 'wet flannel on forehead: the bathroom, thermometer: superdrug, hot-water-bottle: gift'? Charming vintage extracts from home medicine books? (Note to self- that's not a bad one). What about a product review- Beechams v Lemsip v Superdrug own brand decongestant? Would take a while, what with waiting 4-6 hours between doses. Nah. Instead I exercised my wifely perogative and offer for your reading amusement, here for you today, my husband His Lordship Florizel Of Tweed and his amazing performing drinks cabinet:

This is he, playing the fule.

This is the amazing performing drinks cabinet.

Nunc est bibendum (Guest Blogger)

My darling husband, His Lordship, Florizel of Tweed, gave me a ready made blog post for Valentine's day. How kind! It's about Martinis, perfect for lunchtime posting. Please excuse the bits in rampant bad taste, I didn't write them...

Poet's Corner

Ha ha. That's a little West London pun for y'all. Just a quick little post on a cause very close to my heart, promoting poetry in performance. I do write a little myself (sadly, due to work, I have little time to perform now; so unfair- why can't I just blog, write and perform in silks whilst eating magical calorie-free chips and drinking the finest wines?) but today it's all about the very talented James Priestman, of Pitshanger Poets fame:

'Tweetspiration', or '#charityshopandbeersaturday'

I'm in the bosom of my very, very messy home, recovering. I feel a little tired-of-head and I blame twitter! Specifically a Saturday-morning tweet by Retrochick with three very dangerous words in it: charity, shop & beer. Picture it: me, vaguely wondering what to do after my chores, seeing those words. It was a revelation I tell ye! A revelation. In spite of having spent Friday teaching a media studies class how the hypodermic syringe theory of audience reaction was all outdated bunkum in our media-savvy age, I saw those words and immediately texted my partner-in-crime. Who, strangely, was just texting me with the exact same suggestion. See, partners in crime. I shall call her Lilac Lady, to protect the identities of the innocent. She's a lady, and she suits lilac.

Life ain't no walk in the park

Actually, it was yesterday. It was when we got there and the effing battery gauge on my camera malfunctioned and went from full to empty in 30 seconds flat that it all went wrong. Luckily, his lordship was able to sally forth like Sir Walter Raleigh and save me with his posh android phone thingy which has a passable camera.

We enjoyed a stroll through the Eastcote nature reserve in far West London (you'd never guess you were in mid-suburbia) and I grumbled because there were loads of lovely things I wanted to photograph, and, good though the stand-in was it wasn't up to arty shots of leaves, lichens and other boring stuff I like to snap.

Finally, we popped to Eastcote House for a look around the pretty walled garden. This has nothing to do with it being en-route to the pub. Sadly, the manor house itself is little more than a glorified shed nowadays; intact on the outside but you can see the boarding behind the glass, and it's where they store the lawnmowers and grit. By modern standards it's little more than a big detached, but back in the day it would've been some place! Depressing, in a way, but at least it keeps it preserved. No photo either- a large van was parked outside obscuring the view. Our luck came back when we lifted the latch and sneaked into the secret garden...

Me, apparently bringing back the 'hobble' skirt from the early 20th century!

Playing with the camera apps!

And so, following a bracing walk, we adjourned to the pub. The Case Is Altered, Eastcote (it's an unusual name, but there's another up in Bushey! Strange). The name is apparently a corruption of the Spanish name for a brothel - the 'house of fun' if you will. Cheeky times in centuries gone by! Nowadays, the only women lowering the tone are me and my pals- it's a really nice local pub, giving the flavour of the local Inn in an Agatha Christie cricket-on-the-green village - but on the tube and 30 mins from central London. Fab.

They have the 'balance' here: sport is shown, but on a small unobtrusive screen in one area, excellent food is served, but it's not a 'gastro', there's olde-worlde charm with a large airy barn conversion for fans of modern decor. The range of drinks is good too- there are usually 4-5 ales on pump (Bombadier and Pride being the usuals- the guests yesterday were all Cornish, I tried a Cornish stout with coffee. Yum!). In the summer, there's a spacious beer garden with an excellent view of the cricket green and/or nature reserve.

Yum. Dehydration is a killer.

If you're in the area, I recommend this pub! It's also a good start for a crawl round Eastcote and Pinner. ;)

Would You Like A Carrier Bag With That?

This isn't an eco-post, this is a post about my soon-to-be, fabulous (yet budget- PremierInn special offer, natch) pre-Christmas weekend in Norwich. The title is a tribute to the serving lady at the student supermarket at 'The UEA' in the mid 90s.

Baby it's cold outside (and inside)...

Feeling chilly? It's my lunchtime and, due to 'inclement weather' I find myself trapped in my office! Argh.
Time to add my now overdue update on weekend activities...

I managed to get to (and back from) Brighton safely, thankfully. Whilst there I visited a few places old-and-new, ideal for a cold wintery weekend...