Espresso martini at Tattams

Krema was closed. Why are they closing at four, it is not winter?

I decided on a coffee at Tattams. Not very good.

Stayed chatting to an attractive blonde. When her friend turned up and the two of them left, I stayed and had an espresso martini.

I was curious. They were using quality ingredients.

Everywhere does cocktails. No expertise. Cheap ingredients, high margins.

Classic espresso martini using Mr Black.

That was the only reason I stayed, espresso using Mr Black, not a cheap coffee liquor.

I can’t recall the vodka.

What I did not like, the fancy glass. Simple is elegance. Contrast with the coupe glass used at Notes.

Expensive, £10-50.

Downside, Mr Black has been acquired by a conglomerate. Not good news.

Lunch at Hanki

Excellent Korean lunch at Hanki, a little Korean restaurant in Jefferson Passage.

Afternoon in Guildford

Would I miss the rain? Sadly not. Would I make a return train, train strikes tomorrow. Luckily yes.

A coffee at FCB kiosk on Guildford Station. I had not meant to stop. I pick up coffee beans.

Walking over the footbridge. I cannot believe the work not complete. It is still not possible to climb down to the river and walk along the river into the town centre.

Zero fairly busy. Last year empty. But no one manning the zero waste. Packaging on the floor as walk in, a trio hazard. Overroasted black oily beans, oxidized. Not the way to buy coffee beans.

Lion and Lamb shopping centre derelict. Why was a derelict shopping centre shortlisted for a consumer service Award? A convenient shortcut, nothing more.

I wished to have lunch in Atto, a Korean restaurant. It has been trashed. Widescreen TV. Why destroy an excellent restaurant? Very depressing.

Walking through the market, lunch at Hanki, a tiny Korean restaurant. It was excellent.

As I am eating, heavy rain arrives.

Looked in Sol Sisters. Last year empty, no customers. Today very busy. I bought muesli.

I wished for coffee at Krema. Closed. Why are they closing at four, it is not winter?

I visited Tattams. Last year I had a coffee. It was excellent. Today not good. I then stayed and had an espresso martini.

Far too late for M&S. Reluctantly I visit Waitrose.

Passing the bus station, a bus leaving Aldershot. Will not let me board. I don’t like the bus. But by the time I walk down to the train station, wait for a train if I miss a train , bus would be quicker.

Twenty minutes wait for a train. To my surprise the train waiting. I double check. At least can sit on a warm train, not a cold station.

Notes King’s Cross

Arriving at King’s Cross Station, a pleasant evening.  Instead of descending into the bowels of the London Underground, I decided to go for a wander in search of Notes coffee  shop.

But first I checked with a stall holder closing up at the street food market outside King’s Cross Station.

Nearby and open until ten pm.

The back of King’s Cross Station used to be rough, very rough, an area for travellers to avoid.

I found night life, a trendy area.  People sat outside. It was as though late August not late September.

I almost gave up, turned around to return to King’s Cross Station, and found myself facing Notes.

A very trendy coffee shop.  More like Athens than London.

I asked, if I bought a bag of coffee beans would I receive a free coffee? Yes. Always worth asking.

My coffee reasonable but not great.

While I was leaving, I noticed filter coffee, free samples. I tried both. One I was very impressed by. I was going to change my purchase, but then decided I would have both. The girl was surprised as the coffee had been sitting for hours. Er, should refresh every hour.

The girls were very pleasant and helpful, but not baristas. Lack of knowledge of coffee. A shame when Notes has an excellent reputation as a roastery. Maybe knowledgeable baristas during the day when they function as a coffee shop, night morphs inti cocktails and food.

A brief chat with the guy making the cocktails appears to be using quality ingredients, which is more than can be said of most bars. On reflection I should have tried an espresso martini.

Food being served looked good too.

If passing through King’s Cross with time to spare, worth a detour to Notes.

King’s Cross night scene

Around the back of King’s Cross Station used to be rough, very rough. An area for travellers to avoid.

A pleasant evening, I went for a wander in search of Notes coffee shop.

End of September, the nights have been very cold, indeed the evenings cold, once the sun set.

I found myself in a very trendy area, people sat outside as though late August not late September. Though very bad outside heaters.

I had almost given up. It did not help, few places had signs.

I turned around to return to King’s Cross Station, to find I was facing Notes. People sat outside, and I am pleased to say, no outside heating.

Sunset Ferry Lane

Wonderful sunset

York Food Festival

This should be a celebration of quality local produce, instead junk food.

My reason for visiting York. I was going to eat, but glad I did not.

Hot dogs, loaded fries, Greek food that gives Greek cuisine a bad name, adulteress cheese.

Are there no local fans producing cheese? Cheese stall at Lincoln farmers market has a better selection cheese. As do cheesemongers in York.

A cookery demo with maybe half a dozen people.

Finding Kiosk closed, I returned for a coffee. It was not good. I poured down the drain. A cyclist returned with his coffee, it was that bad.

Looking at the programme. A demo of Ukrainian food may have been interesting.

On the way from The Perky Peacock I passed by the Larder Club. Tasters to try, a food trail for the York Food Festival. Could I try? No, I had to pay for an official food trail from the a

York Food Festival.

I talked to the information stall. No mention of the food trail, and I thought not to ask.

Afternoon in York

Unlike my last trip to York, an uneventful trip.

A very cold day.

At Doncaster, a brief wander into the town

York Station very quiet. I have never seen so quiet.

Walk along the city wall to The Perky Peacock. Coffee has change to Pact Coffee. Not good news. An excellent job on the dungeon.

Look in second hand bookshop Minster Books. I have manged to obtain Foundation series and Robot series but not Empire series.

I take a different route. Pass by The Larder Club. I look inside. A little Italian restaurant. I will try for lunch on my next visit.

York Food Festival junk food. I wm through and head toKiosk in Foddgste

Kiosk closed. Excekksnt deli nextdood sold. But will continue as a deli.

The Shambles street food market not great but better than the York Food Festival.

I look in a deli with quality cheese. More than can be said of the cheese stall at the York Food Festival. Are there no farm cheeses in Yorkshire?

Head back to York Festival for a coffee. Not good, I pour down the drain.

I made the mistake of not popping in Spring Espresso Foddgste. It used to be excellent, sold a couple if years ago and went downhill.

Just make the train which pulls in in time v

Guildford ex-council leader distances the Council from Experience Guildford

In a rather strange e-mail Guildford Borough Council leader Joss Bigmore (now ex-leader) distances the Council from the local BID.

Why has the ex-council leader lied, falsely claiming @GuildfordBC not in partnership with Experience Guildford when council docs state otherwise? https://t.co/ANY77Cnnl0 #Guildford @surreylive @guildforddragon #BID #BIDLevy @BensRecords @DecadeStore pic.twitter.com/E3ZD8FTIxk

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) September 25, 2022

He claims the Council no different to any other local BID Levy payer.

This oddball e-mail begs many questions.

There may be no formal relationship between the two, but former council leader admits they work closely together.

The claim to the benefit of the local economy is a sick joke. Though a few board members and cronies may benefit.

Extracting money from local businesses does not help.

Sloping shoulders.

We are an impartial bystander, no different to any other BID Levy payer.

Really, there may be no formal partnership, but by his own admission, works closely with the local BID?

Why two Council seats on the board? Second council seat could have gone to a local business. Who appointed?

Did he not receive the Mosaic Partnership BID Scam briefing? Push BID onto gullible local businesses. Make promises that have no intention of honouring, offload council services onto the BID, and make local businesses pay via the BID Levy.

I have yet to see any project that supports the local economy. They extract money from the local economy, extort money with the help of GBC, and when asked how much the projects cost, hit obstruction.

Crass projects to give the impression of doing something. Of benefit to the local economy? No.

The large number of empty retail premises show how successful the BID is in helping the local economy.

Look to Scarborough. Local council Vote of No Confidence in Yorkshire Coast BID, called on the board to resign, and the BID to be wound up.

Does not the council have the power to wind up the BID?

Strange he copies in the BID.

But, a big but, council docs show Guildford Borough Council in Partnership with Experience Guildford, the same docs show the leader delegated to cast 27 Yes Votes in the BiD Ballot.

Local businesses do not cast 27 votes.

27 Yes Votes will mean struggling local businesses will fail, people lose their jobs.

At least explains why the ex-council leader is covering for the BID.

Stir-fry patty pan squash mushrooms sugar snap peas with rice noodles and peanut butter

Not often I cook a vegan dish.

Loosely based on a recipe from Riverford.

ingredients

• patty pan summer squash
• red onion
• mushrooms
• two garlic cloves
• rice noodles
• peanut butter

method

Hot pan, a little oil.

Add diced red onion.

Add sliced mushrooms.

Add chunks of patty pan squash.

Rice noodles four minutes in lightly salted water.

Drain the noodles. Save the water. Add noodles to the hot pan.

Make vegetable stock, half a mug of noodle water. Add to pan and simmer.

Add a large dollop of peanut butter.

thoughts

Unusual for a vegan dish, tasty. Addition of peanut butter takes to another level.

I did not add any herbs, but I did sprinkle a little herbes de Provence and ras el hanout.