March 2026. Sheffield. Back from Driffield in triumph, East Yorkshire GBG complete, I find Mrs RM in full-on “Operation Yank Invasion” mode, with a list of jobs to make the house ready for Chicago guests (not Dick and Barb) last weekend. Saturday night had been earmarked for a Curated Exploration of Kelham Island Public Houses,… Continue reading CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
Tag: food
STUBBORN TICKING
February 2026. Timperley. Greater Manchester. At Sunday School we used to sing “Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam“. No, not the Wolverhampton pub serving 9am pints of Abbot, Paul. I guess I’ve maintained that positive outlook on life, finding the best in everyone and everything. Even Maidenhead. But that relentless positivity is occasionally tested by… Continue reading STUBBORN TICKING
TO BE FRANK, TIMPERLEY IS A CURATE’S EGG
February 2026. Timperley. Greater Manchester. On Saturday I dropped Mrs RM off at Manchester Airport after an exciting trip through Wynatt’s Pass and less absorbing trek along the A555, which let me tell you in no A57. Mrs RM was off on another planet-killing trip with a very famous pub blogger, but it wasn’t me… Continue reading TO BE FRANK, TIMPERLEY IS A CURATE’S EGG
LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. Not a great day to explore Letchworth on foot, and apart from pubs and “Marty Supreme” at the cinema there’s not a lot to do apart from loiter in pubs, but you can’t visit and not see the old underwear factory. It’s now offices where people sit at desks and… Continue reading LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. If you can’t be bothered to read the next week’s deluge of posts, here’s the spoiler: Letchworth was really good, with a great variety of drinking establishments (I’ll let CAMRA debate whether they’re “pubs”). Start onLeys Avenue, the main shopping street; there’s a rambling furniture shop called Martin’s (clearance sale… Continue reading LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
CHECKING OUT POTENTIAL LOCALS IN STOCKPORT
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
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
THE BLACK BULL, PAVIA
February 2026. Pavia. I’d booked Trenitalia tickets to Pavia, reckoning a 7pm return* would be ideal to allow us to have a quick pint before a mad 20 minute dash for the train to Genoa (though I would caution against ever making Mrs RM dash for anything). But as we stood outside the Black Bull… Continue reading THE BLACK BULL, PAVIA
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