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A long overdue bike ride
Living in the center of Bristol I get around on foot, by bike and by car. Doing a bit of everything I see hostility from each group towards the others; in such a busy environment there’ll always be conflict (especially when the roads in the center of town are constantly being dug up, diverting at least one group into the regular territory of the other). I feel like cyclists get the worst deal: They’re not welcomed onto pavements by pedestrians, and they’re not welcomed onto roads by drivers, so on the many roads and routes where there isn’t a cycle path then it’s not much fun being on a bike.…
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Holidaying on a boat
Last month James and I went away to Falmouth for a long weekend with some friends. We had been talking about going away together for months and finally got something pretty special booked up. We scoured the internet before stumbling upon a spot just on the outskirts of Falmouth town centre. What made it so special you ask? Well, it was in fact a boat. A boat with all the necessities: the top floor was all open plan with a big kitchen, dining area, and a large lounging space with lots of glass to enjoy the views. It gave the impression that you could almost walk out onto the outdoor…
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A new skill with an old craft
A few Sundays ago we went for lunch at the Rose of Denmark in Hotwells. I understand the pub’s changed ownership a few times over the last couple of years and the food’s been on an up and down journey. The roast we had on that Sunday was one of the best I’ve had, anywhere, ever! It rivals the Rummer, and that set a high benchmark. Wonderful moist meat, crunchy roasties on the outside with a fluffy middle, well cooked and flavoursome veg, a rich gravy and huge Yorkshire pud’. Steph had the veggie option and that was also excellent. We’re thrilled to have this fantastic option on our doorstep!…
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Mini-mooning to Rhodes
James and I had lots of honeymoon ideas, we were really struggling to narrow it down to something that was adventurous, yet relaxing, somewhere new, that also had a bit of culture. We had a lot of boxes to tick and in the end we couldn’t decide. For me, a honeymoon should be something really special and a trip we can plan together so whilst we were planning the wedding, we couldn’t dedicate enough time to it. Oh the regrets we had after the wedding. We were both ready for a holiday so, in the end we just booked a last minute trip to Rhodes for a bit of guaranteed…
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Gambas, Wapping Wharf
Situated in the food haven that is Wapping Wharf, the owners of Bravas tapas bar on Cotham Hill, have brought their small plates down to the Harbour. Already owners of Cantina, the mexican restaurant, they’ve opened Gambas only a few shipping containers down. Serving up authentic Spanish dishes with a seafood focus, hence the name (Gambas mean prawns in Spanish) however don’t be put-off if you don’t like seafood! When I went along with my friend Emma, both not being huge fish fans, we were able to pick out plenty of dishes to keep us grazing for hours. We visited one evening after work and made the most of the…
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The Mint Room, Bristol
Have you ever been jealous of your tastebuds? I discovered that it is entirely possible when James and I went along to The Mint Room in Clifton. Our lucky tastebuds went on a culinary journey through India, via the Tour of India tasting menu. I have never been to India but I feel like I’ve been treated to a little taster via the chefs at The Mint Room and the staff that explain each dish, showing off the various styles of cooking and the flavours that vary from region to region. Before we began our tour, we needed to hydrate. Naturally we opted for cocktails, the best way to quench…
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An Honest review
Another burger restaurant? Does Bristol need another burger restaurant? The kind of questions that don’t even justify an answer. But if you pushed for one, it would be yes. Always yes. How is it not a wonderful thing that you don’t have to walk very far to find a great burger in Bristol? We have options all over the city and the centre has just been graced with a chain from London. Chains can get a bad rep but Honest Burger have managed to avoid any of that by simply making really, really good burgers. They started off in London with several restaurants across the city, and also Cambridge, Reading…
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Rack ’em up
On a recent holiday we were reintroduced to pool, both the wet and splashy type, and the balls in pocket version. The first was a necessity; it was mighty hot in Rhodes and during the day being in the sea or a pool, or an air-conditioned room, was the only option. Later in the evenings though it was a touch cooler and our pre or post dinner entertainment often included shooting a bit of pool (the hotel cabaret wasn’t up to much!). I’m very competitive, but Steph isn’t normally, so I was surprised when I saw an edge to her rarely seen before. We, ahem ‘pooled’ our resources (sorry!) sometimes…
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Sholay Indian Kitchen, Bristol
The other night we watched a program about our nations love of curry. Turns out we can’t get enough of the blooming stuff. Although we were pretty disappointed to hear that the favourites apparently include chicken tikka masala and the korma! In our opinion, perhaps the blandest of the two and the least authentic. Each to their own but James and I like our curries with a bit more pizazz and a lot more heat. We were recently invited along to Sholay Kitchen, one of the shipping containers at Wapping Wharf, to sample their new menu and enjoy some of their staple dishes. The menu is short and sweet, with…
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Our Wedding Suppliers
A DIY wedding is both a great big annoyance and the most wonderful way to plan your big day. The annoying part is not really knowing what you are doing and worrying on a daily basis that your guests won’t enjoy the fact you’ve gone off piste and planned a traditional wedding. But for us the positives outweighed the negatives and we decided to go all in, taking the elements from what we liked about weddings and tie that into what was essentially going to be a great, big party. We were able to have full reign on when things happened, what caterers we chose, the booze we ordered, where…
