To Hell on a Handcart Upgraded?

To Hell on a Handcart Upgraded?

Century Films are currently making a major documentary series about the rail network. Told from the point-of-view of staff and passengers, it’s exploring the upgrade of stations and tracks, the problems that bad weather can cause, the impact of crime … just about every aspect of daily railway life.

They are very keen to get in contact with people who regularly commute from / through Reading and into Paddington (First Great Western trains). The upgrade work that’s happening on this route is a big focus for the series, and they want to include the experience of passengers as well.

Do you use the route regularly? When do you use it? What’s your own FGW experience like?

Please contact Rob McCabe by email at robmccabe@mac.com or via his twitter account @robmccabe72


Pear Shaped by Stella Newman…A Tasty Read

Pear Shaped by Stella Newman…A Tasty Read

What a nicely indulgent treat Pear Shaped is.

It’s been a while since I have picked up a book that I have easily and enjoyably devoured. Frighteningly, Sophie, the main character in the book, reads very much like a period of my history, which I think a lot of readers will relate to.

It’s delightfully sharp & witty, interspersed favourably with words for the senses describing the most unctuous & delectable foodie treats.

I will endeavour to master making the ‘ultimate chocolate brownie’ because as we all know the chocolate brownie is sacrosanct and therefore, having no brownie is better than an average brownie!!

Visit Stella Newman’s blogspot and Stella Newman’s Brownies – The Hunt for the Best Brownie Recipes

I received my copy of Pear Shaped via www.peerindex.com and you can follow them on twitter @PeerIndex


Thrills at Bill’s?

Everyone Likes a Freebie!

After a very lubricated Saturday night with two chums, experiencing the ‘oh dear, we’ve ended up in the After Dark club’ moment, a breakfast of fair substance was required the following morning.

There was a unanimous vote for Bill’s as the sun was shining and sitting opposite St. Mary’s Church in the fresh air seemed a good option.

The courtyard was exceedingly busy as would be expected. We found a table, sat down and waited for service. A very personable waiter appeared to take our drinks order, ravenous we were already primed to order our food…full English all round. We sneeked in our breakfast order by the skin of our teeth at approximately two minutes to twelve before breakfast service finished as our waiter told us.

Coffee, Earl Grey and freshly squeezed orange juice duly arrived, which was more than gratefully received. Given our ‘fragile’ state, carborific sustenance was in need urgently! After about twenty minutes and still no arrival of food the tweeters amongst us were doing what comes naturally and miraculously the waiter appeared, however it wasn’t our foodie needy tweets that had summoned the waiter but a natural apology of the tardy service and that a party of 25 had just pipped us at the post for our breakfast order. Now, call me pedantic but one would have thought that passing through our order of three breakfasts ahead of the 25 would have not resulted in our delayed service…but ho hum, it’s Sunday and go with the flow.

Ten more minutes passed and the charming front of house chap appeared at our table apologising for the delay and offered us more beverages and given our arid state that was very welcome.

Hurrah and Hussah…our breakfasts arrived albeit 25 minutes after we had ordered.

Three fully resplendent plates of eggs, bacon, tomato, mushroom etc including apparently ‘bubble & squeek’.

I am fully aware that the proprieter of Bill’s is Antipodean and therefore ‘bubble & squeek’ would not be a staple dish down under. I think that maybe the chefs need to be educated that mash with a wee, and I mean wee, bit of sauteed savoy cabbage dotted within it does not equate to what we in the UK would associate with ‘bubble & squeek’ (I feel a whole new post coming on there)!

That aside, the breakfast was cooked exceedingly well and did the medicinal job it was ordered to do.

Fully sated and now all wilting, discussed our busy schedule for the rest of the day to veg in front of the TV for the German Grand Prix. After our plates were cleared, the exceedingly personable front of house chap effortlessly navigated his way to our table…”so sorry for the delay guys, I hope you enjoyed your breakfast. For the record the bill is squared away”.

We were more than happy to pay for our fayre, it was good, the staff were excellent, the only downfall was the tardiness of the arrival of our breakfast, but it is Sunday and we were chilling.

What a refreshing attitude to service…big brownie points to Bill’s.

Footnote:

My dining partners were @pdmckenzie and @_Andythehat

Shifty Guy at Clapham Junction

Now You See Me…Now You Don’t

I was taking some general footage at Clapham Junction, when this chappie spotted me filming.

I want to know what this guy has been up to? Or is he just playing peek-a-boo?

Love the way he peers back through the window and ducks away again once the door has closed.

Shifty Man at Clapham Junction from Philippa Ratcliffe on Vimeo.

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