Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck at The O2

London, UK. Saturday 13-February-2010. [Published 04-Feb-2023]

I can’t believe that I didn’t blog seeing the legendary Eric Clapton at the O2. Prompted by the recent passing of Jeff Beck I went to check when it was that I saw him and Eric in concert only to discover that I had not done a post at the time. So this is a very belated retro-post.

I’m sure I didn’t imagine it so I went and checked back in Facebook memories. First I found Jeff Beck supporting Van Morrison in 2016 [Van Morrison and Jeff Beck at The O2].

Going further back, I found a reference which implied that Mary had been twice: once with me and once with her friend Andrea but she has no idea why she did such a thing. I was at home on the second occasion with our two rescue cats, Peaches and Blue, that we had picked up that very day from the re-homing centre.

Further googling revealed that Eric and Jeff had in fact done two concerts on consecutive nights the 13th and 14th. So I went and checked back through my picture archive, hey presto! there was a photo from the 13th. I didn’t imagine it, I was there.

Full song list from www.setlist.fm revealed that Jeff went first, then Eric, then a joint set. Despite his reputation I was less familiar with Jeff Beck's music but the rest was much more familiar. A great evening with some classic songs and legendary guitar playing. 

Helen Galashan get a gold medal

Mary's nieces switched from gymnastics to synchronised diving a couple of years ago and continue to do well in their new discipline.


Helen and Carol Galashan - Helen is the one on the... erm...

Galashan takes individual 10m title in Sheffield
Posted: Saturday 6th February 2010 | 21:05

EUROPEAN bronze medallist Helen Galashan took gold in the individual 10m on the second day of diving at the British Gas National Cup in Sheffield.

Her final dive secured 59.2 points to give her a total of 337.9 to top the podium ahead of Sarah Barrow in second and Brooke Graddon who finished third.

The 25-year-old, who specialises in the 10m synchro with her twin sister, went into the final ranked in fourth place and with little medal expectation.

"I am so shocked right now," said Galashan. "I came into this competition with no expectations or aims and it is so good to have won that gold. That is my best ever score and my Inward was a great way to start the competition. I have never scored nines on that dive before. I do prefer the synchro because it is with my sister so anything I do with my individual is a bonus for me."



Full story: http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/diving/068736-galashan-takes-individual-10m-title-sheffield

Thanks and apologies to the sites I borrowed the photos from.

Visiting May - February 2010

The usual monthly visit to the MIL in Scotland. Fly up Friday evening, get picked up from Glasgow airport by the BIL, borrow the SIL's car and drive down to May's. Then spend the weekend doing chauffeur duty and assorted DIY tasks.

This time it was replace a broken loo seat, install three sliding baskets on runners in the kitchen cabinets and glaze part of the shower cubicle with a sheet of Perspex (clear acrylic sheet).



Sunday we went out to celebrate the birthday of an old family friend, Duncan. We went to Maccullum's of Troon right down by the harbour side and had an excellent meal with efficient and friendly staff. Googling the restaurant reveals lots of 5-star reviews and deservedly so; one to re-visit.

Then back late Sunday with a multi-part meal of snacks and wine, in the airport, on the plane and on the train. And so to bed.

Food and Wine from the Puglia Region

Puglia Wine Tasting Dinner on Tuesday 26th January at 7.00 pm

So felicitous of Enoteca Turi to organise a Puglian wine dinner on Mary's birthday; made the choice of venue for the celebratory meal a no-brainer :-)

This time we were seated on the top table either side of Guiseppi and so were able to have a long chat with him. It was fascinating to hear the story of the restaurant and how it has prospered over its 20 years.

We met not one but three sets of Puglian neighours! One couple even knew Anne and Henry who introduced us to the region and in whose trulli we often stayed while the building works were being done. That said it should not really be surprising that London-based holiday home owners would favour a Puglian restaurant and especially this dinner.


Guiseppi Turi in front of a vineyard

The wines:

• Falanghina del Salento - Good but have had better Falanghina.
• Primitivo del Salento - would not have guessed it as Primitivo, light.
• Five Roses Rosato del Salento - passable pairing with the food but a more unctious white might have been better
• Il Falcone Castel del Monte - cooler climate wine compared to the Negroamaro.
• Negroamaro del Salento - preferred this of the pair, richer,fruitier warmer climate style.
• Nero di Troia - very strong Morello cherry palate.
• Primitivo di Manduria - as Parker would say "gobs of fruit" velvey, chocolate palate. Yummy - a "vino di meditazione".
• Moscato di Trani - went well with a most delicious dessert.

The meal:

Stuzzichini
Grilled oyster mushroom, bread dumplings with garlic, pecorino and parsley
deep-fried mussels, capocollo di Martina
Burrata with toasted Altamura bread
Le Fossette Falanghina del Salento 2007 Alberto Longo
*
Selection of antipasti
Grilled squid
Catalogna chicory with fava bean puree
Toasted bread with cima di rape suffocate
Baked artichoke with egg, pecorino and mint
Primitivo del Salento IGT 2006 Cantele
*
Lagane, ceci, cozze e tria
Mussels, chick pea and tria
Five Roses IGT Rosato del Salento 2007 Leone de Castris
*
Orecchiette con brasciole
Parcels of beef filled with celery, onion, parmesan and parsley slow-cooked
in a red wine and tomato sauce, served with orecchiette
Il Falcone Castel del Monte DOC 2005 Rivera
Maime Negroamaro del Salento 2005 Tormaresca
*
Costatine d'agnello alla brace con bieta
Grilled lamb cutlet with swiss chard and olive oil
Le Cruste nero di Troia IGT 2006 Alberto longo
Primitivo di Manduria DOC Sessantanni 2006 Feudi di S. Marzano
*
Zuppa Inglese
Rum-soaked sponge with vanilla pastry cream and candied fruits
Kaloro Moscato di Trani DOC 2005 Tormaresca
*
Coffee with almond nougatine sticks

Excellent Exeter

A weekend of fine dining and much walking in delightful, historic Exeter and environs.

Mary had a work trip to Exeter last Friday so, as the client had paid her train fare, she suggested I might like to come down to join her and make a weekend of it - and so we did.

Friday I left work early, did some work on the train, and checked in to the ABode Hotel, Exeter for a special weekend package. The deal included a free glass of decent champagne and a meal in their fine restaurant.


Exeter cathedral - the view from our hotel room

Saturday we tromped 12 miles along the Exe Estuary Trail. Devon Council are still working on what will be, I am sure, a very popular leisure resource.


River Exe view

After the first 8 miles it was time for a pub lunch at The Puffing Billy in Exton. Good food and beer with a convivial landlord. We tried a couple of local ales: Gun Dog for me and Otter for Mary. The last 4 miles took us to Exmouth and the train back to Exeter.


Boats on the River Exe

That evening we caught the train back down to Topsham for supper at Oliva, recommended by a colleague of Mary's. The food was excellent and the service friendly but very slow. An earlier table was late arriving and the kitchen could not cope. Not like it was packed solid or anything. Even a basket of bread would have helped, as it was we were drinking on an empty stomach for an hour. I would go back but...


Walking tour of Exeter - Catherdral to Quay


Sunday we did a guided tour of the city "Cathedral to Quay" which left us an easy walk to the Double Locks pub for lunch. Then a walk back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and spend the afternoon trundling home on the train.

An very tourist friendly city with lots of history and atmosphere - recommended.

Mark McLellan - My Year in Status

When I did my Facebook year in status it neatly precised the last twelve months: music, food & drink, cycling, travel.



Music was a rich year with some most entertaining evenings out:

• Tina Turner at the O2 (brilliant!)
• Rick Wakeman at Hampton Court Palace
• New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans (too many artists to list)
• New Orleans festival at the O2 (John Mooney, Dr John)
• Neil Young in Hyde Park (also Seasick Steve)
• James Taylor at the O2
• Sapphire Bullets in a pub in Kingston on Thames
• U2 at Wembley
• Bolan Bop in Golders Green
• T.Rextasy at Epsom
• Bill Bailey's Extraordinary Guide to the Orchestra 
• Bill Posters Will be Band plus Three Bonzos and a Piano at The Bull's Head, Barnes
  

http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/search/label/music

Food and drink to many to mention, see:

• http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/search/label/wine
• http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/search/label/restaurants

Travel is not good for our carbon footprint. The most frequent destination was Scotland to visit Mary's mum and help her with the down-sizing and move to the sheltered accommodation. Of course the Trulli gets a number of hits.

• Scotland (10) - visiting May
• Italy (5) - open up, holidays, close down
• New Orleans (1) - Jazz Fest
• South Africa (1) - Whale watching in Hermanus
• Bowness (1) - walking in the lake district
• France (1) - weekend visiting John and Andrea in Bordeaux
• Dublin (1) - Valentine's Day weekend

Cycling
One charity ride (London Bikeathon in Aid of Leukaemia Research) and load of miles commuting to work by bike.

Health
I had a cataract operation in March in the left eye which went well. As only the one eye was done that left me with mismatched eyes. I cannot now use glasses as the prescriptions are two disparate - I miss the varifocal lenses. Instead I use a long distance contact lens in the left and reading power in the right - leaving the brain to auto-flip flop between the images; odd but mostly works ok.

• http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/03/cataract-operation-went-well.htm
• http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/05/after-effects-of-cataract-operation.htm
• http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/05/one-eyed-man-is-king.htm

Work should get a mention. At the tail end of 2008 I was budget cut out of BT after four years of contract renewals. I then got a contract as "poacher turned gamekeeper" at Wexham Park Hospital. After only two months there the financial axe fell again and, as freelancers are easy meat for the cull, I was out again.

Luckily I obtained a new contract on a really interesting project, with excellent colleagues in a good location (London Bridge) that I cycle to most days that I can. The rate wasn't top of the range but who's complaining with the other plus points.

What is a pain is that the agency through whom I was contracting went into voluntary liquidation owing me three months money. I am unlikely to ever see that but the plus side is that I am now working directly for the client and get the old agency's cut so will gradually claw back the loss. And the work looks set fair to continue for some time.

Christmas: The previous two Christmases were spent in South Africa so this year it was our turn to host Mary's Mum and stay in the UK. We spent a relaxing time as home in Wandsworth with May mostly knitting in the corner. We were joined by my Mum and Dad for Christmas Day goose and on New Year's Eve our friends Bob and Lynne joined us for a meal at a local restaurant.

No New Year resolutions but if I were to make one it would be "to become older and wiser". That way I am guaranteed at least a 50 percent success :-)

PS [14-Jan-10]
Molly the Morris Minor: How could I have missed that other milestone of the year? After 13 years with us Molly the Morris Minor went off to a new home. http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/search/label/cars

Preparing for Christmas 2009

This past week has been getting ready for Christmas. Up into the loft to bring down the tree, the decorations (the gold collection and the red and green collection) and the Christmas tea pot.



Yesterday we went down to Farnham to visit the Ageds for a cuppa, drop off a bag of presents and collect one in return. Then off to Heathrow to collect May, the MIL, and bring her back to stay with us for a couple of weeks.

The tree has already been assembled; tonight we put up the decorations and lights.



Jeeves, mull me some wine!

Bill Bailey at the O2

Mary Galashan wrote "when a friend of a friend of a friend invites to you at the last minute to see Bill Bailey in a hospitality box at the O2, don't even think about it, say YES!!! It was great fun and so clever."


Peter Blake guitar at The O2

An old friend of my brother rang me up last Friday lunch time and asked if I was free that evening to go see Bill Bailey at the O2. He had done someone a favour and they reciprocated by giving him the exclusive use of a corporate box on that very day. So he spent the entire day frantically phoning round to find short-notice guests. Mary and I were available so off we went for what turned out to be a most excellent evening.

We saw Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide To The Orchestra which was hugely entertaining. I had not realised that he was a musician before he was a comic and was pleasantly surprised when he sat down at the piano to rattle off a few classical numbers. Google for more reviews.

There was catering, as much drink as we wanted all for free, plus the entertainment. Afterwards, as it was still early, we went down to the VIP lounge bar and had a glass of champagne to round off the evening.

Bill Bailey at The O2. Slumming it in the corporate hospitality box. Free booze. Free food. Peter Blake original on the wall. Party on dudes!!

Sassicaia and Ornellaia Wine Tasting Dinner

Thursday was our works' Christmas party. Since we are the directors and work force combined we, as in previous years, splashed out the company's money in accordance with the taxman's tax free allowance for staff entertaining [1]. Namely we went out for a very nice meal. And they do not get much better than a Sassicaia and Ornellaia Wine Tasting Dinner at Enoteca Turi.

We sampled parallel vintages of 2003. 2001 and 1999 presented by Tim Atkin MW http://timatkin.com/. It was a rare opportunity not afforded to many to taste such Super Tuscans in such a combination.

Stuzzichini
Tuscan Tastes:
Chicken liver crostini, polenta cheese gnocchi, salame toscano
Cauliflower and olive bruschetta
Prosecco
*
Ravioli di fagiano e verza, salsa al tartufo nero
Ravioli filled with pheasant and Savoy cabbage, black truffle sauce
Sassicaia DOC 2003 Tenuta San Guido
Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2003 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
*
Carre d'agnello, con carciofi e patate, spinaci alla fiorentina
Roast rack of lamb with sauteed artichoke and potato,
spinach fiorentina, thyme sauce
Sassicaia DOC 2001 Tenuta San Guido
Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2001 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
*
Formaggi Toscani
Selection of cheeses from Tuscany
Sassicaia DOC 1999 Tenuta San Guido
Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 1999 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
*
Vin Santo con cantuccini
Vin Santo with cantuccini biscuits
Vin Santo Bianco del Empolese DOC 2004 Leonardo
*
Coffee

For more about the wines see:
http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/12/sassicaia.htm
http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/12/ornellaia.htm

[1] http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/480.pdf page 10
The following expenses payments and benefits are not normally taxable under the provisions described in this booklet.
Annual parties or similar functions
Sections 264 and 266(3)
Annual parties at Christmas or alternative functions of a similar nature, such as an annual dinner dance, which are open to staff generally and which cost no more than £150 per head to provide. Where there is more than one annual function and their total cost per head exceeds £150, only the functions that total £150 or less will not be taxed.

Sassicaia

The producer of Sassicaia today, the Incisa della Rocchetta family, was a key player in the Medieval and Renaissance history of northern Italy. The family descend from Aleramo, one of the largest landowners of the Holy Roman Empire, with 250 square kilometers of estate.

Leopoldo Incisa, a high-ranking official of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1840, retired due to a severe illness, and went back to the ancestral home of Rocchetta Tanaro, in Piedmont. Here he published two catalogues of precious Italian and foreign grape varieties that he had collected, which today are a bibliographic rarity and a point of reference to anybody involved in viticulture.

Almost a century later, his great-grand child, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, as a young student in agriculture, was inspired by those books to plant cabernet vines first in Rocchetta, and then in Bolgheri, the estate he inherited by marriage. As a student in Pisa during the 1920's, the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta dreamed of creating a "noble" wine. Like most of Italian aristocracy at the time, his taste in wine ran strongly to fine Bordeaux.

In 1930 Mario married Clarice della Gherardesca, heiress to the Tuscan estate of Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, on the Tyrrenean Coast, where the young couple moved at the end of the Second World War.

There, just below the castle of Castiglioncello in San Guido (about 400 meters a.s.l.), he found the "terroir" that he was searching for. In 1940, he planted the first vineyard of Sassicaia and then in 1965, he planted two more vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Eventually, all of the wine produced on the estate came to be known by the name of Sassicaia.

The 1968 vintage of Sassicaia was the first to be offered on the open market, and it was as well received as the Premier Crus from Bordeaux. In subsequent years the cellars were moved to temperature-controlled quarters, wood fermentation vats were replaced with stainless steel ones, and French oak barriques were used for the ageing process. The marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta passed away in 1983. His son, Marquis Nicolo Incisa della Rocchetta, now oversees all estate operations.

Ornellaia

Tenuta dell Ornellaia, a 97 hectare estate, was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, in the hills near Bolgheri, adjoining Tenuta San Guido, the property of Sassicaia. Lodovico is brother to Piero Antinori of the Antinori Estate, and also nephew to Clarice Gherardesca of Tenuta San Guido.

Having inherited this estate, Ludovico planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot in 1982, with advice from his mentor Andre Tchelistchev, the late Californian wine guru.

The estate's signature wine, Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, was first released in 1985 after ageing in French oak barriques for 18 months. Other wines produced on the estate include Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia, Masseto and Le Volte. Ornellaia and Masseto comfortably rank amongst the world's greatest wines.

Lodovico Antinori is no longer involved with the winery he founded; after the very successful joint ownership by Marchesi de Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi in 2002, the property is today owned by Tenuta di Toscana, a company controlled by Marchesi de Frescobaldi, its young and enthusiastic team benefiting from the resources of a large company whilst having autonomy when developing the estate's wines.

Ornellaia is not one of Tuscany's most historic wineries, but it has become one of its most respected with a formidable reputation.

Ornellaia DOC Superiore is the estate's flagship wine; each grape variety and each vineyard is vinified separately, and then assembled to produce wines that reflect the nuances of each vintage. The final blend for each vintage decided 6 months before the completion of its barrel ageing and the wine remains in the bottle for a further 12 months before it is released. Ornellaia 2001 was considered "2001 World's Number 1 Wine" by The Wine Spectator.

One of the great Super-Tuscan estates, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Winery was founded in 1981 in what has proved to be one of Italy's most interesting and expressive wine-making areas, the maritime hills of Bolgheri within the greater wine region of Maremma. Maremma is an extremely interesting sub region of Tuscany for food and wine lovers to visit. Although for centuries it was considered unfit for vineyards, in the past few decades this coastal area has become one of the most ultra exclusive wine producing regions of Italy. Its success is due both to its staunch commitment to the philosophy of "quality without compromise" and to the unique climate and terrain here. While in some ways similar to Bordeaux's, the estate's terroir is truly something special; ever-changing and composite, it includes marine, alluvial and volcanic soils, allowing each grape variety to be planted in its ideal type of soil. Ornellaia enjoys some famous neighbors such as Sassicaia, one of the most legendary Tuscan estates. Sassicaia is owned (not coincidentally) by Antinori's uncle, who made the first Super Tuscan and began the trend that continues today.

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia actually occupies two separate estates in Tuscany's low, hilly coastal region. The original property, which Antinori inherited, is home to a stylish, clean-lined winery and 30 hectares of vineyards. Nearby is the second estate, Bellaria, with 46 hectares.

Olive harvest 2009

The last visit of the year to Trullo Azzurro to close the place down for the winter and a very productive visit it was too.

Usual routine when we are flying RuinAir: straight from work Thursday evening to the SAS Radisson Stansted. A relaxing meal and an early night for the dawn flight to Brindisi and a sprint down the SS16 to Trullo Azzurro (tafka Hovel-in-the-Hills).

After a quick lunch at Trullo Azzurro we went to the bank to pay some gas bills and reinstate our Internet banking. That evening we went with Chris & John for a meal in Martina Franca.


Harvesting olives 2009 - Mark and John

The next morning C&J came round to help us with our olive harvest and a spot of lunch. Mary insisted on buying rather than borrowing the kit so we are now the proud owners of three crates, four nets (4m x 8m) and four olive rakes.


Harvesting olives 2009 - Nets, crates and haul

A couple of hours was enough to denude all our trees of their olives. We took them round to C&J's neighbours to add in to their harvest for pressing. Hopefully next spring we will get back a couple of litres of extra-virgin olive oil.


New patio paving

The other main reason for the visit was to admire, and pay for, our new patio (see "Trullo     Azzurro works"). After lunch Donato came round to tell us about what he had done and receive his well deserved money. He has done a fine job and we are very happy with the enlarged sun-bathing area :-)

The rest of the time was bagging up all the linens into vacu-sacs, plugging in the dehumidifier and preparing the place for over-wintering. Job done it was home on Sunday. I travelled light: hand luggage only and that was a Waitrose bag-for-life!

Molly the Morris Minor leaves with her new owner

As previously written we put Molly up for sale after owning her for 14 years (1963 Morris Minor 1000 2 Door Saloon For Sale). Interest was sporadic and we were sad to see her go but I am happy to report we have found her a good home :-)


Molly the Morris Minor leaves with her new owner

We had spent a load of money having her refurbished (Molly Goes to Bristol, Molly returns from Bristol) so we may have sold her at a loss but we have helped preserve a bit of motoring heritage.

As the new owner said, it may only be a lump of metal and glass but you do get very attached to them.

South Africa 2009: Wendy House

In South Africa sheds are known as Wendy houses and we decided we needed one on our terrace.

We have a couple of lovely shell-back chairs that have needed re-varnishing every visit and a barbeque which had rusted in the salty air. So a storage box to contain these and the sun loungers (and possible future bicycles) over winter seemed like a good idea.

We consulted the beach club regulations which prohibit extending your property without permission but did a free standing Wendy house really constitute a structure under the meaning of the rules? Anyway, it's not a Wendy house it's a "storage box", honest.



We decided to apply the adage "it is better to ask forgiveness that seek permission" and went ahead and ordered one from Tops Timbers at Bot River.



Being on the third floor presented some challenges. The floor and roof panels were too large to go up the stairs so had to go up the outside of the building! Then all the wall and door panels had to be carried up the stair well - no lifts.



We had specified a low roof to keep the sight-line close to that of the parapet wall but the Hennie of Tops Timbers had kindly made it taller so we would not have to bend as much to get the chairs in. When the thing was installed it was huge and at least a foot (30 cm) taller than we intended.



When we explained to Hennie he was the epitome of excellent customer service. He arranged for the lads to come the next afternoon, dismantle and remove the offending side panels. They took them back to the workshop, chopped them down and returned the day after to reassemble the now shorter Wendy house (sorry storage box).



It still looks massive but at least it is, mostly, out of sight.

And of course like my previous shed, Jabba [1], and current sheds, Arthur and Jackson [2], this too should have a name. And what better name than Wendy :-)

[1] http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2005/10/jabba-shed.htm
[2] http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2006/04/arthur-two-sheds-jackson.htm

South Africa 2009: Paarl

On this trip to South Africa we flew out on our wedding anniversary. Normally we go away for the weekend to celebrate, and so this trip we decided to do the same. Instead of going straight to the apartment in Hermanus we went to Paarl for the weekend, a winegrowing district that we had not previously been to.


Cascade Manor Hotel

The price of very ordinary B&Bs in Paarl itself decided us, or I should say Mary as my personal travel organiser, to go out-of-town and for the same price, have a much more luxurious accommodation. The Cascade Manor hotel was a delight. Parts of the building are over 200 years old, and it has recently been renovated and refurbished. It looks more like an Italian villa than anything else.


Mary wine tasting at Laborie

As soon as we had checked in the first thing we did was get out and go for a wine tasting; we drove into Paarl for a tasting at Laborie. http://www.laborierestaurant.co.za/


Goat tower at Fairview

On the Sunday we did a wine tour with André of Four Seasons Travel (http://www.4csonstravelling.co.za/, email: 4csonstravelling@vodamail.co.za, Tel: +27 837 607 408) for a few more tastings:

• http://www.solms-delta.co.za/ - interesting ethical winery
• http://www.fairview.co.za/ - home of "Goats do Roam" and "Goat Roti" *groan*
• http://www.seidelberg.co.za/
• http://www.vnl.co.za/ - Vrede en Lust for lunch

Vergelegen wine estate

Monday it was a leisurely drive down to Hermanus taking in a couple more tastings and lunch at Vergelegen.

• http://www.avondalewine.co.za/
• http://www.backsberg.co.za/
• http://www.vergelegen.co.za/

We went via Tops Timbers to arrange for a man to visit to quote for a shed then on to Hermanus. We arrived in time to buy some electricity and supper for a quiet evening in. And so the holiday began :-)

A Weekend in Lacanau, France

Our friends John and Andrea have had a holiday home in Bordeaux for nine years. We had a standing invitation to go and visit them. And of course, we never did until they sold the place and we had one last chance to visit, which we did this weekend. Our friends Bob and Lynn took the overnight ferry from Portsmouth and drove down, picking us up from the airport en route.

Friday night was a meal in; some wine was drunk. Saturday the weather forecast was pleasantly inaccurate and it was sunnier than predicted in the morning.


Walking round Lacanau
Saturday morning, we went for a walk en famille.


View of Lac du Lacanau
It was a lovely morning walking through pine woods, with views of the lake.


Fly Agaric
It being autumn and both warm and damp, the mushrooms were in full sprout. This one was simply missing the gnome.


Charlotte posing
Mary, Andrea and the children went home and then shopping while John, Bob, Lynn and I did a nine kilometre walk to Lacanau-Ocean. We all met up at the coast for a lunch of crepe. Charlotte was posing the camera.

After lunch we drove the route du vin from Margaux to Loudon-Medoc going "Ooh, aah!" at the picture-book chateaux and bought some wine to go with the evening meal. Another meal in and even more wine was drunk, and possibly the guests as well - hic!


Mary buying Sauterne Jelly
Sunday we went to the market at Castlenau where Mary bought some Sauterne Jelly. Excellent with fois gras and brie (French of course) so the stall holder informed us.


Chateau Petrus - a bargain at € 2650 a bottle (USD 2518)!
Later we went to check out one of the local wine stores to peruse their shelves and marvel at some of the prices. Then lunch, back to the airport, back to the UK and home for a very early night.

More pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157622661084630/detail/

New Zealand wine makers dinner with CJ Pask

Steam Bar, the latest addition to the Wandsworth restaurant scene, is excelling itself. We had a superb wine tasting meal there last night. Arrived 7:30pm and left 11:00pm - the proper way to spend a relaxed evening meal.

Kate did a fine job of presenting the wines and giving us some background to the winery. North island, East coast; middle tier family owned estate (not giant corporate, not garagiste), disused river bed with mix of gravel and alluvium giving a variety of terroir.

The wines were fine but the chef surpassed himself and got a well deserved round of applause.

---

New Zealand wine makers dinner with CJ Pask

Gimblett Road Hawkes Bay New Zealand

Tuesday 20th October 2009 7.30pm

Steam Wandsworth is hosting a wine makers dinner with the award winning CJ Pask winery in Hawke's Bay. guest and wine maker Kate Radburnd will be hosting a dinner featuring her wines. Kate's wines will be matched to a fantastic four course dinner, created by head chef William Leigh.

Salsify & Parmesan rolls
CJ Pask Sauvignon 2008

Crab & apple remoulade with Melba toast
CJ Pask Unoaked Chardonnay 2007

Sauteed chicken livers, artichoke & rocket salad
CJ Pask Syrah 2005

Pot roast Scottish partridge, lentils, black cabbage & squash
Declaration Merlot 2005

Walnut souflee cake with crab apple jelly
CJ Pask Cab Sauv/Merlot/Malbec

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Can't be arsed bothered to type up my notes. If you want to know about the wines I suggest you go to Steam Bar and drink them yourself - Cheers!

George III Mahogany dining table

with drop leaves on cabriole legs with pad feet.

As previously blogged the house has been rearranged ("A Weekend with World-Class Wines") leaving us with no dining table.

We looked at fine George III Mahogany dining table in Peter Jones where we bought the TV. A bargain at GBP 2,700 - not!! Instead we put in a bid at the local auction house (Criterion Riverside) for a table answering to exactly the same description. Maybe not in quite as superb condition but still a solid mahogany antique.

We put in a absentee bid for Monday's auction and won the item. And the price tag - a whopping GBP 420, including buyers premium. So 2,700 or 420? Hmmm, <strokes chin> let me think now...



Well pleased with that. So we christened it on Sunday with a fine Sunday evening meal of roast pheasant and a bottle of 1999 Baron de Boutisse Saint-Emilion Grande Cru.

T.Rextasy at Epsom Playhouse Monday 05 October 2009

Monday night I went down to visit my long-time friend Ros in Epsom for a meal at the local Cafe Rouge followed by a concert at the Epsom Playhouse: T.Rextasy The Electric Boogie Tour! And a fine concert it was too; Danielz had them dancing in the aisles.

This is the third time I have seen T.Rextasy. The first was back in 1997 at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, 30th September 1997 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Mark's death. The second was Marc Bolan a Celebration at the shepherds Bush Empire to commemorate the 30th anniversary.

This was the most enjoyable of the three for me. I think this is because of The London Bop 2009 where I realised that a tribute band is not simply trying to slavishly recreate the sound but give it their own interpretation as well. A fine evening, thank you Danielz.

	Play list: Raw Ramp Boogie on Metal Guru One Inch Rock Rapids Solid Gold Easy Action Life's a Gas Buick MacKane Ride a White Swan Token of My Love Born to Boogie Summertime Blues Jeepster	= Interval = Groover Baby Boomerang 20th Century Boy Sensation Boulevard Deborah Lean Woman Blues New York City Baby Strange Children of the Revolution Telegram Sam Just about Get it on = Encore = Hot Love

A Weekend with World-Class Wines

Sometimes I feel like Alice with the Red Queen running faster and faster merely to stand still. I normally quip on a Monday that I go to work to recover from the weekend unfortunately work is very busy too at the moment.

This weekend was another hectic weekend. It started on Friday with meeting Mary straight from work at her hairdressers for a pre-theatre meal at Sofra followed by Bounce performing Insane in the Brain. A hip-hop dance performance based on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Saturday was spent rearranging the house. Mary decided to turn the dining room into a cosy sitting room. It started with moving the sofa bed from the front room into the new sitting-room. That meant moving the bicycles from the dining room into the hall and the dining table into the study. That meant moving the computer desks into the back guest bedroom. It will take a few days for everything to be restored to order.

Saturday evening, to relax, we went round the dinner to our friends Bron and Maggie. Bron, like Mary, is a wine aficionado and very generously produced some extremely fine wines from his cellar, two of which rated 100 out of 100 by Robert Parker.

• Gisselbrecht Vendage Tardive Reisling 2001
• Chateau Montrose 1990 St Estephe
• Leoville Las Cases 1990 Saint Julien
• Banyuls 1983 Castell des Hospices

A rare treat and a very enjoyable evening.

A beneficial side effect of the room rearrangement was that we had to go shopping for a second TV which meant a trip on Sunday to Peter Jones. We now have 37 inch LCD screen (Philips 37PFL5604H) which will be excellent for watching DVD's while Mary is watching rubbish on the other TV. We gave it a trial run Sunday evening with Moulin Rouge and very fine the new setup is especially with the sound played through Mary's hi-fi.