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
Tag: Coffee
THE PRICE OF AN ITALIAN ESPRESSO
February 2026. Genoa to Monaco. Four nights in Genoa, never enough, with a final Capricossa from Bacia la Mano. 45 seconds from oven to our room on the second floor of the B & B Hotel at Principe Station. That pizza oven is a design classic, similar to the Pavoni espresso machine we brought back… Continue reading THE PRICE OF AN ITALIAN ESPRESSO
PAVIA – COFFEE, CAKE, COBBLES AND CHURCHES
February 2026. Pavia. I was going to skip the architecture of Pavia and go straight back to Italian real ale, but Lana on her Retirement Chapter blog just got a great post out of Shirley, so how could I leave out the castle, the bridge, the cobbled streets, and those beautiful shops. In truth, Pavia… Continue reading PAVIA – COFFEE, CAKE, COBBLES AND CHURCHES
“Early to bed, early to rise…”
March 2025. Iaşi. Romania. Yes, we’re not in Kaunas now, Tonto. Iaşi has its share of brutalist housing estates (this one facing the Opera House), but it’s also packed with gorgeous buildings housing smart shops, and speakeasies. There’s some money around in Europe’s fastest growing economy. I always aim to explore the streets of a… Continue reading “Early to bed, early to rise…”
SOUTHSEA HUNTER GATHERERS
I was relieved to get back to Pompey; foreign travel is all well and good but I clearly haven’t got the stomach for it. Back at Southsea Common I stocked up on proper French apples at the lovely greengrocer on Clarence Esplanade, and admired the Queen’s. Stately Edwardian, looking a bit like a Salford Holt… Continue reading SOUTHSEA HUNTER GATHERERS
POST-INDYMAN – WALKING DOWN THE WILMSLOW ROAD
I’d always planned a long walk after IndyMan, but as I left the Victoria Baths as light drizzle set in (not as common in Manchester as Southerners believe) I started to doubt my sanity. First priority after that last 11.5% sour was strong coffee and somewhere to recharge my phone. So if you were in… Continue reading POST-INDYMAN – WALKING DOWN THE WILMSLOW ROAD
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