February 2026. Stockport. Hah ! Clickbait. Not a new local for me, though Mrs RM is already tired of Sheffield as our house has a garden that she now regrets buying. Why can’t you make an increased offer to buy a property without a garden. Youngest lad Matthew is looking to leave the rents of… Continue reading CHECKING OUT POTENTIAL LOCALS IN STOCKPORT
JOINING THE DOTS IN TURIN
February 2026. Turin. And finally from Turin, a redemptive afternoon exploring the western half of the city, a half almost entirely ignored by the internet. ChatGPT had summarised the internet and listed ten (10) highlights, somehow omitting the indoor markets, both the historic fresh food hall visited by Pope John Paul, and a modern food… Continue reading JOINING THE DOTS IN TURIN
THE LAVAZZA MUSEUM
February 2026. Turin. I always say, in a confident way that brooks no argument, that you need to visit a place at least half a dozen times to get the measure of it. And that applies whether it’s Tamworth, Toddington or Turin. I wouldn’t wish six trips to Totnes on my worst enemy, mind. Three… Continue reading THE LAVAZZA MUSEUM
“McDonalds finally found us, and we’re folklore in Turin”
February 2026. Turin. We woke up on that first morning in Turin feeling a bit like this; I felt sorry (not sorry) for Mrs RM, who had gone pint, pint, half litre of white wine, pint of Leffe. Luckily I Reali Bed & (sort of) Breakfast had a coffee machine, but even after five espressos… Continue reading “McDonalds finally found us, and we’re folklore in Turin”
TURIN – SHROUDED IN MYSTERY
February 2026. Turin. In 1985 the New Musical Express gave a legendary review of The Jesus & Mary Chain, berating them for no longer having the energy to play the twenty minute sets, slipping in their into the “rockism” of hour long shows with encores. Similarly with blogging, it’s harder (for me, anyway) to write… Continue reading TURIN – SHROUDED IN MYSTERY
HAPPY HOUR AT TURIN’S JUMPING JESTER
February 2026. Turin. You left us in M** Bun at 6pm after a very late lunch, largely liquid, and it was time for an early night back at I Reali and a catch up on our respective blogs. But central Turin on a Friday night was just about to liven up, and Mrs RM insisted,… Continue reading HAPPY HOUR AT TURIN’S JUMPING JESTER
M** BUN, SLOW FAST FOOD IN TURIN
February 2026. Turin. Two hours and two pints into Turin, with the sudden realisation we hadn’t eaten since sharing a croissant in Monaco that morning. The disappointment in finding the city’s highest rating brewery/skatepark/burger bar didn’t start flipping till 6pm on a Friday was palpable, but luckily Google recommended the small chain of M** Bun*,… Continue reading M** BUN, SLOW FAST FOOD IN TURIN
HAND PUMPS IN TURIN
February 2026. Turin. You’ll be wanting to see Mrs RM’s tourist map for Turin, the highlights marked with chocolate bars. Our first target after checking at I Reali guesthouse was food. What’s more authentically Torino than an artisan burger at a brew pub with cask near a skate park ? Open Baladin is the BrewDog… Continue reading HAND PUMPS IN TURIN
MONACO, VENTIMIGLIA, TURIN
February 2026. Monaco to Turin. If you’re missing the English pub reports here’s a spoiler. The first half dozen pints back in Old Blighty are….Beartown, Holt, Tiny Rebel, Harrogate, Thornbridge Jaipur and Abbeydale. And not a duffer in the six. But first, coffee and croissants in Monte Carlo station, cheaper than Pumpkin in Sheffield, and… Continue reading MONACO, VENTIMIGLIA, TURIN
A PINT IN MONACO OLD TOWN
February 2026. Monaco. One night in Monaco, as Murray Head nearly sang; one day is plenty, but not more than enough. I really enjoyed the principality, but you can walk from shops to casinos to the Old Town in half an hour, though you’ll appreciate those evcr-present free elevators on the walk back. We left… Continue reading A PINT IN MONACO OLD TOWN
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