We were in our local small supermarket yesterday. We've recently had twins. As you might imagine, we can barely walk a hundred yards before someone sticks their nose into the buggy with an "aw". This checkout girl, though, she was a bit special...........
Girl: Aw, you got two in there?
Me: Uh. Yes.
Girl: How old?
Me: Just about five months.
Girl: What? Both of them?
Me: Yep.
Girl: So, they twins then?
Me: Yep.
Girl: Well, how come that one's asleep an' that one's awake then?
Me: ....................
Proper Bristol genius.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
It might not be Upper Street.........
I could cry. Real tears. Of actual joy.
When we moved from our beloved N1 the things that we were very scared of losing were the decent places to buy food. From the fish at Steve Hatt to the fabulous cakes and salad boxes at Ottolenghi, from the numerous gastro-pubs in Islington to the Vietnamese places on Kingsland Road. It was, frankly, a worry.
But what do I find after a few short weeks in the outer reaches of Bristol? Not one, but two delis. Not one, but two framer's markets (within walking distance and one VERY good one in the city centre). Not one, but um ok, just the one decent gastro-pub.
Suddenly this feels like somewhere that I can live.
The day that I found the delis was the day that I crashed through the front door, arms aloft, child confusedly trailing in my wake, as I shouted "You'll never guess what.....". Is there gold in our garden? Do black cabs come this far west? Have you found a decent Turkish shop? What? What?
Melanie's Kitchen opened the week we got here. It is an oasis. Stuffed with olives and cheese and locally produced pasta and home-made cakes (ah, the cakes) and decent chocolate (Montezuma's. There is a god) and wonderful bread and delicious tarts and...and...and it's almost like being at home. I can even forgive them the occasional lapse into Gift Shop Hell (too many presentation honey pots).
Across the road is Food. A slightly more modern proposition but still a purveyor of fine coffee, cakes and Bristol's famous (and rightly so) Pie Minister pies. The child would rather I went here for the simple reason that I always appear with bags laden with fresh-baked cookies, fruity snacks and exquisite, gooey chocolate muffins. It is a wonderful, if slightly sparse place with lovely staff. Sadly I'm not entirely sure that the locals agree as it often seems a bit empty. The locals are, therefore, fools.
When we moved from our beloved N1 the things that we were very scared of losing were the decent places to buy food. From the fish at Steve Hatt to the fabulous cakes and salad boxes at Ottolenghi, from the numerous gastro-pubs in Islington to the Vietnamese places on Kingsland Road. It was, frankly, a worry.
But what do I find after a few short weeks in the outer reaches of Bristol? Not one, but two delis. Not one, but two framer's markets (within walking distance and one VERY good one in the city centre). Not one, but um ok, just the one decent gastro-pub.
Suddenly this feels like somewhere that I can live.
The day that I found the delis was the day that I crashed through the front door, arms aloft, child confusedly trailing in my wake, as I shouted "You'll never guess what.....". Is there gold in our garden? Do black cabs come this far west? Have you found a decent Turkish shop? What? What?
Melanie's Kitchen opened the week we got here. It is an oasis. Stuffed with olives and cheese and locally produced pasta and home-made cakes (ah, the cakes) and decent chocolate (Montezuma's. There is a god) and wonderful bread and delicious tarts and...and...and it's almost like being at home. I can even forgive them the occasional lapse into Gift Shop Hell (too many presentation honey pots).
Across the road is Food. A slightly more modern proposition but still a purveyor of fine coffee, cakes and Bristol's famous (and rightly so) Pie Minister pies. The child would rather I went here for the simple reason that I always appear with bags laden with fresh-baked cookies, fruity snacks and exquisite, gooey chocolate muffins. It is a wonderful, if slightly sparse place with lovely staff. Sadly I'm not entirely sure that the locals agree as it often seems a bit empty. The locals are, therefore, fools.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
"Ah, Bristol; the sort of place you live in twice. Once on your way up, once on your way down. It's good to be back........"
I nicked that from Malcolm Hardee. I'm not even sure it's that true.
I ran, screaming from this maddening, self-satisfied, complacent, damn lazy city ten years ago, vowing never to come back. Funny what life does to you sometimes..........
I nicked that from Malcolm Hardee. I'm not even sure it's that true.
I ran, screaming from this maddening, self-satisfied, complacent, damn lazy city ten years ago, vowing never to come back. Funny what life does to you sometimes..........
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