Posts Tagged ‘Godalming’

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Staycation Live 2019

August 3, 2019

GWR Reading-Guildford-Redhill, wifi not working, usb charging not working. Usually though is down to not turned on. Why is there not a check list? Maybe there is.

Alighting at Godalming Station, surprised how many get off the train. All were headed for Staycation Live. Word has got around.

Once I arrived at the park, already many people, far more than when I usually arrive.

Disappointed to find The Little Beer Company no longer running the bar as they have done an excellent job the last two years. Maybe ask Growlers & Cans.

Reusable plastic for the beer. Pay a refundable pound deposit. I can though foresees a problem, no washing facility on site.

The design I did not like. It would have been better a logo nothing more on the side.

But the concept is good sustainability.

Something that needs to be addressed at the markets in Godalming, Farnham, and Guildford. No it is not acceptable to use plastic. Why do councils have such abysmally low standards? If Staycation can, then so can they. They should be demonstrating best practice, not worst practice.

Hog roast always worth grabbing something to eat.

A fake burger vegan stall. I would rather have seen quality vegetarian dishes, not fake meet. They do at least make their own.

Beware of the fake meat being hyped for example Impossible Burger, big businesses, highly processed crap including gmo soya contaminated with glyphosate.

Extinction Rebellion probably thought themselves in a prime location, in the cloisters with the secondary stage. Not so if tried to hold a conversation

It would have been a good idea had they been granted the stage to give a talk. Maybe they were, maybe they did.

Something to consider for the future, talks, poetry, drama.

Need a quality coffee truck.

I would have liked to have seen a quality coffee stall. Something that has been lacking. Maybe try Coffee Gems, a quality coffee roastery in Farnham. Or 101 Coffee Espresso Bar in Oxford who have experience of running coffee stalls at festivals.

I would invite Ollo Foods, quality vegan food, not fake meat substitutes.

Surrey Pride, sponsored by BAE Systems, hands dripping with blood of all the children killed in Yemen. Sickening.

I did not stay long, left before three.

On leaving a brief chat with the local Mayor.

Lucky I left when I did, local butcher closes at three.

One reason for wishing to leave early, I had spotted on Wednesday cast iron cooking pots in Samaritans charity shop. Unfortunately had gone.

Looked in 2 Bada, a Korean restaurant. Somewhere to eat on my next visit to Godalming.

Caught bus into Guildford.

A little market on the Town Bridge. Did I want an ice cream? No, Loseley ice cream, not cheap at £3 a tiny tub, I would prefer a cone, no cones. Man suggests try elsewhere. But I could not find where he directed me.

I did find at the bottom of the North Street an ice cream van peddling crap ice cream with engine running.

It illustrates Extinction Revolution have a long way to go. Guildford has declared a Climate Emergency. Empty words unless followed by action. Why is this ice cream van permitted?

Dylan’s ice cream, top quality local ice cream and served in a cone, does not leave an engine running.

Next time roads are blocked, point out roads are multi-function, not restricted to traffic. OK for a bike ride passing through that blocks the roads. The chaos is as nothing when Climate Emergency kicks in.

Last week record high temperate. This week, a month’s rain fell within a couple of hours, roads swept away, rail lines swept away, a dam about to overflow a small town evacuated. Had the hills been rewilded, subsidised sheep kicked off the hills, these flash floods would have been prevented. Grass grazed herbivores improve soil structure, soil acts as carbon sink, grass mitigates temperature change, when it rains the water soaks into the ground.

Good deed of the day, helped with a survey on shopping habits. Long discussion followed on collapse of retail in town centres. Tunsgate Quarter zombie shopping centre, Brighton, need for support for local indie businesses not chains, question why Visit Guildford and Experience Guildford are promoting corporate chains at the expense of local indie businesses, are they taking money to do so?

My detour into Guildford to collect Black Gold from Waterstone’s.

A girl outside handing out poetry. She was typing it out on a portable typewriter. She was packing up when I came out of the bookshop.

I questioned she was not there for long. She told mm she had been there all day.

She told em she was a musician and gave me a copy of her EP.

It was then to Guildford Station.

Even though I left Staycation Live early it was still around seven when I got home.

Staycation Live is supported by Godalming Town Council. And they are to be complimented for their continued support.

Culture should be supported for its own sake, it improves well-being, sense of place, but as a study in Sheffield has shown, it also benefits the local economy.

To what extent does Staycation Live benefit the local economy? Those with stalls will benefit, if provided by local bars and restaurant, as in the past, even if not making money on the day, is going to tempt to visit.

Sheffield has an excellent freebie magazine Now Then found in indie coffee shops which supports local indie businesses, local culture.

Contrast with Guildford where Visit Guildford and Experience Guildford promote corporate chains, big business to the detriment of local indie businesses. 

 

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Roost

July 31, 2019

I came across Roost when I was last in Godalming for the street food festival. Today I thought I would pay a visit, have lunch, then later a coffee.

Roost is nicely laid out inside, a rustic appearance, the street frontage belies the interior, which is much larger than would expect, with a garden beyond.

I chose to sit in the garden as too hot indoors, but a tad too cool in the garden. Though if the sun was shining the garden would be too hot as lacks shade.

Food once ordered, a long time coming. Quality though of the soup, tomato and red pepper and what followed, avocado on lightly toasted bread, good, nicely presented too.

The menu to say the least quirky, and a tad too pretentious. What is a vegan Cobb salad, what indeed is a traditional Cobb salad? Menu does not say.

Cobb vegan salad with shredded chicken. Better not let the vegan quasi-religious fundamentalists know.

Note: According to Jamie Oliver, Cobb salad: lettuce, avocado, blue cheese, roast chicken, bacon. Vegan most definitely not.

A little deli, well actually a couple of shelves.

Chocolate on sale was quality chocolate, no emulsifier. Why therefore adulterate by adding mint?

I asked when closed. Four. I had an hour to have a quick wander and get back for a coffee. Four seems a little early to close, but this is Godalming.

Headed to the basket shop, a friend hailed me. She was surprised to see me, what are you doing here, and not sure of she believed me when I said I too was heading too the basket shop.

She appreciates coffee, I suggested as I was headed back to Roost she joined me for a coffee.

We queried one of the coffees on offer, another quirkiness of the menu, espresso with MCT oil and butter. She did not know what was MCT oil.

Nor did she know what the coffee was. We checked the bag. No information on the bag. There was a qr code, but this should be for additional information, not for basic information that should be on the bag.

Note: I later checked the website. It was singularly unhelpful.

We also noted all the coffee on sale was old coffee. Yes, the fault of Roost, but also the fault of Chimney Fire Coffee, as they should not be supplying more than can be used within optimum operation, not that is if they care about the reputation of their coffee.

Our coffee was not good. We both agreed the coffee was not good. Better than anything will find in Godalming, at least drinkable, but that is the best that could be said of it. And nothing can be worse than Cupsmith which is served at Cafe Mila or Redber served at Godalming Deli.

Everything that could be wrong was wrong, lack of skill of barista, poor quality machine, was the coffee weighed, I think not but cannot be sure and poor quality coffee.

Please can someone open a quality coffee shop in Godalming. As otherwise it is a trip to Guildford or Farnham, where Krema have a coffee shop in both towns.

There is no excuse these days for not serving quality coffee, buying quality coffee beans, employing skilled baristas.

Godalming lasks good coffee. Corporate chains, independents serving poor quality coffee. Roost has marginally upped the game. I could suggest far better locally roasted coffee, but I doubt they would supply, not unless Roost improves its side, as would only give their coffee a bad name.

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Afternoon in Godalming

July 31, 2019

Pleasant sunny afternoon in Godalming.

Shocked to find the Parish Church locked. This is one of the rare churches one finds always open. Hopefully not a new policy to keep locked.

A board says the churchyard closed. Baffled, as not closed, can still walk through. I think what they mean is closed for burials, though it does not say so.

If managed as a hay meadow, poorly managed as the has should have by now been cut.

A slight detour to Cafe Mila. I used to be a regular. A little expensive but ok if quality to match. Last year the quality had fallen.

Looking in today busy but very little choice, not the wide range of cakes, what used to be a board with the menu has gone, a sheet of paper hanging from the wall. Bean soup and stuffed tomato. Bean soup is a winter soup. Insult to their customers Cupsith coffee, and the Cupsmith tea no better.

I returned to walking along the River Wey.

I was headed to Roost a coffee shop cum cafe, which was new last year and I first noticed when I visited for the Street food festival (which was not worth visiting).

Roost is nicely laid at inside, a rustic appearance, the street frontage belies the interior, which is much larger than would expect, with garden beyond.

I chose to sit in the garden as too hot indoors, but a tad too cool in the garden. Though if the sun was shining the garden would be too hot as lacks shade.

Food once ordered, a long time coming. Quality though of the soup, tomato and red pepper and what followed, avocado on lightly toasted bread, good, nicley presented too.

I asked when closed. Four. I had an hour to have a quick wander and get back for a coffee. Four seems a little sarky to close, bu this is Godalming.

Headed to the basket shop, a friend hailed me. She was surprised to see me, what are you doing here, and not sure of she believed me when I said |I was heading too the basket shop.

We both agreed the bookshop was well worth a visit.

I was then headed for Robert Dyas. I had power banks. They worked a power banks but the light did not work. I wished to see if I could change. Change I did, but same problem, lamp did not work. Man pressed and held, lamp turned on. Odd, my other, double click and the lamp turns on.

Just what I want, said my friend, and she bought the one the man had brought out from the back.

It was then back to Roost where we had a coffee. We both agreed the coffee was not good. Better than anything will find in Godalming, at least drinkable, bu that is the best that can be said of it.

I saw a bus, hopped on to save walking to the station, then caught a train at Guildford.

Why oh why do people put their feet on seats.

Today, first time for weeks, trains on time, no delays, no cancellations.

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Godalming Food Festival 2019

July 7, 2019

The first food festival I went to a few years ago was excellent. Has slowly gone downhill. Each one worse than the previous. Today was dire.

Why a Sunday? Public transport is non existent on a Sunday. So much for reduce reliance on the car and that we are facing a Climate Emergency.

In the past one train an hour to Guildford, one train an hour from Guildford to Godalming, with nearly an hour wait at Guildford.

Revised timetable, two trains an hour to Guildford, two trains an hours to Godalming, which is an improvement.

But try catching a bus.

Whilst waiting fora train, cappuccino off FCB kiosk.

Sunday, no butcher open, no greengrocer open.

Waitrose had a cookery demonstration. Weirdest cookery demonstration I have ever seen, the cooks were silent. The guy who was doing the talking was trying to sell stuff from Waitrose, completely ignored the cooking.

The Waitrosee demo meant I missed the hog roast.

Hog roast, dosa off Ollo Foods, Dylan’s ice cream, paella, the only stalls worth knowing about.

In the past there has been a range of beer and wine, and far wider range of food.

A stall selling fake-meat burgers. Why? Why not provide quality vegetarian food? I was surprised to see a long queue. I think they were too. Only the queue was for the neighbouring Thai stall.

A stall with adulterated cheese shrink-wrapped in plastic.

Godalming Deli has improved, or at least expanded, now has zero waste. But crap coffee from Redber.

Cafe Mila busy. Crap undrinkable coffee from Cupsmith. I saw a a cappuccino, full of froth and foam, chocolate dumped on top, yuk. In the street a sign barista coffee, meaningless.

Why is no one in Godalming capable of serving decent coffee?

Cafe Mila is usually empty during the Food Festival. That it was busy a reflection of how bad the Food Festival.

A stall with what was claimed to be craft artisan chocolate only it was not. Wrapped in plastic, bulked out with emulsifiers. Quality chocolate it was not. The guy manning the stall did not even know what was bean-to-bar chocolate.

Chocolate

– cocoa mass, sugar, vanilla
– cocoa mass, cocoa butter sugar, vanilla

Purists do not add vanilla.

Why do council markets have abysmally low environmental standards? Why not plastic free?

Worst stall by far, stall with turkey sausages sitting on the stall on a hot afternoon, sausages in polystyrene boxes. Sausages cooked, popped back in the box for people to sample. Cooked sausages crawling with flies.

Hot weather and food do not mix. Why environmental health not patrolling these markets?

Meat, cheese, should be on refrigerated stalls.

With no greengrocer, no butcher, not even a fruit and vegetable stall, it was to Waitrose.

I never made it. I saw a coffee shop called Roost. I had seen a sign for it earlier but no indication where it was.

I looked in. It goes further back than external appearance would indicate, with a garden out the back. Very pleasant ambience.

I sat in the garden and had a chat with the owner.

Coffee from Fire Chimney Coffee. The only place in Godalming that sources other than cheap crap coffee. I did not try a coffee, too late. Maybe another time.

Waitrose now closed. Made do with Cook.

On the way to the station, am ice cram parlour, crap coffee, but interestingly had bean-to-bar chocolate. And no emulsifiers.

I tried a pistachio ice cream. He said it was made differently. Taste was much different. Not sure if I liked or not.

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Staycation Live 2018

August 4, 2018

I was in two minds to visit Staycation Live this year, something I usually look forward to, a two-day free music festival in a park by the River Wey in Godalming.

Last couple of years I have not enjoyed as much as I used to.  Last year, both days I left early.

It was going to be a very hot day, though not as hot as Friday, there is very little shade on the site.

The clincher, South West Railways on strike.  The most ridiculous strike possible. Chinese owners have not said whether or not they will get rid of guards, the railway staff go on strike regardless. The only people it hits are the long suffering passengers, as though they do not suffer enough already from the appalling rail services in the country, as I often document.

I worked out I could get there, assuming train running, therefore set off to catch a train to Guildford, then on to Godalming.

I missed the train to Guildford. They drop the barriers and not possible to catch the train. Forty minutes wait for the next train.

At Guildford I leave the station and catch the bus.

A pleasant walk along the River Wey.

I have missed the first band, a blues band.

As I arrive a pop group playing.

I have a chat when they finish. Suggest they put their recently released work on Bandcamp, set free download, people can pay what they wish.

The cloisters used to be the quieter set, acoustics, jazz, blues, but not any more.

A rap artist with looped violin, overwhelming bass thudding out.  Had he stuck to looped violin, it would have been better. Check out Steve Lawson (looped bass) or Zoe Keating (looped cello).

I suggested to the guy who had music on sale, use Bandcamp.

Conversations on Bandcamp are either not aware of or aware of but do not use.

Maybe something on Bandcamp in the programme.

Fairly good choice of food and drink. Wheat and orange beer off The Little Beer Corporation, hog roast off  Milford Meat Roaster. Both were excellent.

A franchise coffee operation serving undrinkable coffee.

Far better would be Chimney Fire Coffee,  a coffee roastery located in the Surrey Hills, running a coffee stall next year.  Failing that Edge coffee van from Edgcumbes Coffee (though probably too far away from Chichester).

Godalming is a strange place, nowhere serving decent coffee.

I had a tea at Cafe Mila which was not good.  Their coffee is Cupsmith, undrinkable coffee. The tea also supplied by Cupsmith, which explains why not good.

There is no excuse these days for serving bad coffee. Could get away with it five years ago, not now.

Abysmal environmental standards.

Coffee stall said paper cups. Er no, plastic-lined paper cups that can not be recycled. Did though have paper straws.

Thai stall had changed to card boxes, wooden utensils. Apologised that their cups were plastic.

The Little Beer Corporation plastic cups.

There is absolutely no excuse these days for low environmental standards. It needs two things, minimum standards for the stalls, education of the people attending.

Cups can be compostable, the ‘plastic’ cups can be plant-based cellulose.

Information on each stall and in programme, take compostable items home or put in the clearly marked compost bins.

This makes rubbish disposable easier as all that is compostable can be collected for composting.

Most of the music seemed loud noise, enthusiasm but loud noise.

When I returned from Cafe Mila, a group playing, playing badly, TV theme tunes.

It was at this point I decided to leave. I had had enough.

Walking through the town, to the butcher then Waitrose, very tired, therefore probably wise I chose to leave when I did.

Not long to wait for a bus. It was then do I risk catching a train and risking no train, or go to the bus station and catch a bus. I decided on the latter.

I could have stayed later. The cloister which usually finishes early, was going on until late.  It looked more interesting later, but with no trains, no buses, not viable.

Running a festival is not easy. Who to invite? Bring back what was excellent last time, and that is assuming available?

In the past, I have bought a lot of music, often given away.  Today, none.

I am lucky, I encounter good music. And these days I only buy from those I encounter, supporting struggling musicians, even financing albums.

Do I make a note, suggest for Staycation Live?

I would certainly invite Jewelia, she appeared a few years ago in the cloisters, and give her the main stage.

Some of the reggae bands that have played in the past have been exceptional.

Alternative Dubstep Orchestra were amazing at Staycation Live 2013. A mix of avant garde rock, ska (reggae) and salsa. In many ways they were like a cut down, avant garde salsa band, with brass, strings, guitar, percussion and vocals.

Sunday I think I will give a miss.

 

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Godalming Street Food Market

July 7, 2018

A very hot day in Godalming.

The market stretched down Church Street as far as the Parish Church. It was though an illusion. A French market had been tacked on. A big mistake, as the French market is a travelling circus.

I was though pleased to see a French stall that I once found in Winchester, quality produce brought over from France. Not part of the travelling circus, an independent stall.

I wandered up and down, each year fewer stalls, at least fewer stalls of quality, fewer interesting stalls. Many stalls that used to come no longer do.

Gin tasting was a con, they were selling gin, and they were not even the producers.

It was good to see a Punch and Judy show. A rarity these days.

Music and dance at the Pepper pot.

Would it not be great if somewhere in Godalming served quality coffee? Sadly not.

I passed by Jory Cafe Gallery in Church Street. More a greasy spoon cafe than a coffee shop. What were the coffee beans? Would not say, may steal their secrets. Over roasted Colombian. I ordered a cappuccino. Chocolate dumped on top. I sent it back. Second cappuccino not good.

Were their takeaway coffee cups compostable? It did not say. Yes. On leaving I was handed a cup and lid to add to my compost experiment.

I popped in The Star, walked into their back garden. A mistake. Full of drunks. I took my beer out into the street. Remind me again why I prefer coffee shops to pubs.

All day I was wishing for a refreshing cold brew coffee. Chance would be a fine thing.

Disappointed Chimmney Fire Coffee did not have a stall.

Abysmal environmental standards on the market, food safety and obscene us of plastic.

The same stall as of Guildford farmers market, poultry sat on the stall with temperature in excess of 30C. Why was it not closed down? Were the butcher to put poultry on a stall outside the shop would very quickly be shut down.

Food and hot weather do not mix. In this hot weather Environmental Health should be patrolling food markets, not wait until people fall sick.

Humans have this strange ability to hold two contradictory and opposing views simultaneously. We know plastic is polluting our oceans and yet we continue to use plastic.

The amount of plastic on the market was appalling, drinks in plastic, plastic straws, junk foods served in plastic boxes. Even sweets in plastic coffee takeaway cups.

Paella stall an exception, but that an initiative of one stall. It should not be down to one stall, standards should be set for the market, no plastic.

It is not only Godalming. Farnham Carnival, Guildford farmers market, Winchester street food market, all have abysmal environmental standards.

Nor is it only local markets. Wimbledon is handing out bottled water. To add insult to injury, French bottled water.

Has no one heard of Plastic Free July? Does any one care?

From Cook a raspberry and mint lollipop. It was excellent. I went back and had a second.

In Waitrose rCup. Waitrose had their own reusable cup at £3, now the rCup at £12. Claimed to be made from a dozen recycled coffee cups. Which makes the point, plastic is not recycled, it is down cycled. Designed by a former designer for Dyson. Maybe should stick to vacuum cleaners as not barista friendly, something fairly basic for a reusable coffee cup. Greenwash by Waitrose to distract from fresh produce in plastic.

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Afternoon in Godalming

December 12, 2017

A cold hard frost this morning.

A couple of minutes only to change trains at Guildford. I usually make it, but not today. Train was running late. I may have made it, but stopped to speak to the guard to alert that carry on luggage sitting on the luggage rack where I had been sat was not mine. Arrived at the platform as train doors were closing.

35 minutes wait for the next train. That was why I caught the earlier train, 20 minutes wait if I had caught the next train.

FCB kiosk not open. It luckily opened after about ten minutes.

Excellent Colombian guest coffee from Dark Woods Coffee.

Half the coaches of the train freezing cold with air conditioning units blasting out cold air.

A walk along the River Wey. Pockets of frost in the grass. Ground waterlogged, pools of standing water.

Not much choice at Cafe Mila. I choose vegetable soup followed by quiche. Waitress brings me soup, says she will then bring quiche. I explain no. She asks was it the main course? What did she think I was going to do, dunk the quiche in my soup?

I had brought copies of Caffeine and The Alchemist to drop off. Whilst I am not looking, vanish from the table. I assume over-zealous waitress.

All the good staff appear to have left.

I walk to Waitrose at the other end of Godalming.

Throwaway coffee cups filling the bin. Waitrose contribution to the 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups thrown away every year. There is a cafe at Waitrose. Why do they not encourage customers to use the cafe? Though I note there is a queue. Or, compostable paper cups, with a bin for the cups?

What do they do with the coffee grounds? They could put outside with the garden gear and plants, free for gardeners to collect.

Two-month old coffee on the shelves is not doing Union any favours.

For mid-afternoon, mid-week, Waitrose busy. Not all the checkouts manned.

A slight detour to basket shop to say hello and wish Merry Christmas. I drop of The Fifth Mountain and The Devil and Miss Prym.

I look in Waterstone’s. Only one coffee book, the utterly useless Where to Drink Coffee. I draw to the attention of helpful assistants. They open book and see, yes, useless. I ask why, when we have many coffee shops, why no books on coffee? They agree, very strange.

I make it to Cafe Mila before it closes. Now closes early at four o’clock.

Pecan pie and a mug of tea spoilt by handful of out of control screaming kids. No one attempts to control them or keep them quiet.

Cupsmith is low quality catering supply coffee. Cafe Mila need to source better coffee. Hence my drinking tea not coffee.

It is commendable Cafe Mila may wish to source their coffee locally, support local businesses, but not if it means buying poor quality coffee. How local is local? High quality coffee can be sourced from The Roasting Party or from Horsham Coffee, and why not have occasional guest coffees? The world has moved on from serving low quality catering coffee, leave that to the chains.

I walk to the station. Train again cold with air conditioning units blasting out cold air.

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Staycation Live 2017

August 6, 2017

Alighting at Godalming Station, every one else seemed to have the same idea, as most of the train disembarked and headed for Staycation Live.

I noticed yesterday and today the Parish Church was closed. Always open. I hope not a change of regime and no longer open.

Nothing on the main stage, the bandstand, either running late or previous act had finished early.

I had no idea who was playing in the cloisters.

This only serves to empathise what I raised yesterday, the need for a playlist at each of the stages and something saying who is currently playing.

I headed for Cafe Mila for lunch.  Excellent marrow stuffed with mince served with rice. It said curried mince, but did not seem to be. Curried it would have ruined the mince.

On heading back, I was able to suss who was playing on the bandstand, but not in the cloisters.

Sometimes it is easy, for example solo guitarist or folk or blues, but not always possible, unless you know them, hence the need for a playlist and who is currently playing.

Ice cream off Dylan’s ice cream. Strange, it tasted different to  The Village. It could be a different batch but I suspect it was colder.

I went for a walk along the river, then back to Cafe Mila for afternoon tea and cakes.

Lunchtime, Cafe Mila was quiet, late afternoon very busy.

On return, back to the hog roast then a beer.

I was shocked by the amount of litter. People were throwing their rubbish on the ground, or leaving on the tables to get knocked on the ground.

This was not a problem yesterday, nor has it been a problem previous years.

One of the problems Stayctaion Live now has is the same problem Ambient Picnic had which then destroyed it, becoming too popular.

Today, there was too many people, and it lacked the atmosphere of Saturday.

Unusual for me, I left early, late afternoon as the last act was only just coming on.

Dark clouds, it was turning cooler, although no rain forecast, I did not wish to be caught in the rain.

  • PHOTOS Staycation Live 2017 (to be added)

At Staycation there is always reggae, usually lots, this time none, or at least none I noticed.

Wish list for next year

  • Steve Lawson
  • Jewelia
  • Imogen Heap
  • Charlotte Church

Steve Lawson played Guildford earlier this year. sadly I missed him.

Jewelia has played Staycation in the past. She has gone from strength to strength. I am surprised she has never been invited back.

Charlotte Church impossible? Saturday night she played a free gig in Liverpool. She had been pulled from where she was playing, as running two hours late. Not wishing to disappoint, she offered to perform for free if  a venue could be found.

What of food and drink?

The Little Beer Co, as last year, did an excellent job. A pity they are not at The Village rather than an outlet selling the output of a chemical factory.

The Little Cafe Co are relocating to Brighton. Who will provide the coffee? Of those I have recommended in the past, one no longer appears to exist, another has said no, too far, which only leaves The Hobo Co, if available.

Bedda, two Sicilian guys serving pasta are a must.

Staycation Live is  a weekend event, Saturday and Sunday, first weekend in August.

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The Little Cafe Co

August 5, 2017

I came across The Little Cafe Co at Staycation Live.  An improvement as last year some ghastly franchise coffee van serving overpriced undrinkable coffee. I was pleased to see an effort had been made to invite a quality coffee truck.

At first I thought it was The Hobo Co and was about to say hello, but as I drew nearer, I saw it was not.

A row of syrups lined up is like raising a flag, we serve shit coffee.

Home made cakes.

I decided to try a cappuccino. It was not great but reasonable, I have had far worse.

Catering supply beans.

With decent beans, a skilled barissta, it would be serving great coffee.

Based in Guildford they intend to move to Brighton.

They will be in for a rude awaking, as Brighton is coffee mecca, with many wide and varied choice of high quality coffee.

If they do relocate to Brighton, back to square one for a choice of quality coffee truck for next year at Staycation Live.  Of those I have suggested in the past, The Hobo Co is the only one that may be available, as one no longer seems to exist, and the other is not interested too far away.

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Staycation Live 2017

August 5, 2017

I usually look forward to Staycation Live, but today in two minds whether to go or not.

Last couple of years it has not been up to its usual high standards and it was forecast rain.

I set off with warm jacket, then changed to a light jacket, as it was quite warm, though the forecast was cool, with two periods of heavy rain.

At Guildford, I noticed heavy rain, Godalming, very heavy rain. It also turned cool, the temperature had dropped by several degrees.

No choice than to wait at Godalming Station until the rain stopped.

The next train pulled in, then blue sky started to appear.

When I arrived at the park by the River Wey I was surprised at the number of people.  They must have got soaked.

It then turned warm.

A few drops of rain, until the next heavy downpour.

Hog roast off Milford Meat Roaster.  Quite generous portions, tasty.

A cappuccino off The Little Cafe Co. It was reasonable. At least not the awful coffee of last year. Based in Guildford, but intend to relocate to Brighton. They are in for a  rude awakening.

I was pleased to see The Little Beer Co as they did an excellent job last year organising the drinks. I wondered were they still around as no stall at the Guildford farmers market.

Various food stalls, including Thai, vegetation, and of course Dylan’s ice cream.

Later, after a visit to Cafe Mila to escape the rain, I had sweetcorn based snack off the vegetarian stall. A little bland. maybe add peas and chickpeas to the sweetcorn.

Violinist Mike Dennis was excellent, at least what little I saw. Looped violin for first number, then ruined it with rap. It was though impressive in the thunder and lightning.

It was then to Cafe Mila before I got soaked to the skin, which meant I missed the rest of his set.

A cappuccino. Not great.

Cafe Mila no longer use Bristo, catering supply coffee, which is a step in the right direction. Though Cupsmith is not much better. I tried a couple of weeks ago. Not good. It could have been the beans or or lack of a barista. They now have their barista back, today was his first day. Coffee still not great. Having got their barista back, they now need to buy in quality coffee beans.

On return I caught the last of a blues group  Mule Train in the Cloisters. They were good, the cloisters packed.

Last act on the main stage otherwise known as the bandstand La Inédita. Interesting fusion of Latin American, without the brass section,  vocals, or percussion, mixed with a little reggae.

I missed the end. It was catch a train, a couple of minutes to catch the next train, hope it was not late. But, at Guildford, for some perverse reason pulled up way down the platform. Had the next train not been late, I would have missed it.

Organisation good but at times leaves much to be desired. It is irritating little things, that could easily be put right. Lack of a running playlist at each of the stages, a sign saying who is on, lack of coordination between the two stages. It would be helpful if the programme said a little more on each of the bands, links to more information, a twitter address for example.

Usually I pick up loads of albums. I did not see anything on sale. That may be I was not in the right place at the right time.

Staycation Live is  a weekend event, Saturday and Sunday, first weekend in August.  On a Saturday it continues at various venues in Godalming.

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