South London

A weekend well spent in the south of the capital. Started in Balham, where we bumped into most of the family, ate curry and drank wine. Rose early on Saturday to babysit little Ella who is nearly two and completely gorgeous. Such a lovely disposition, she's happy and chatty with anyone.
Then to Lewisham for lunch, fab fajitas made by Andy and were entertained by Lucy in her lovely garden, shivering and sipping cider. We went for a stroll through Lewisham high street, losing the boys to the pub as we stocked up on cheap tops and I felt thirteen again. I love hanging out with Lucy, I feel so like me, but more carefree. We all then went to The Ravensbourne Arms, a cool pub with ping pong, books and board games. We opted for Taboo, and stayed long enough to stay a bit too long, making us late to meet more friends.
Hopped on a bus to Brixton, where Vanessa was waiting in her new house with a lasagne in the oven. We were well looked after, and had to tear ourselves out of our seats to get to Hootananny's, a laid back pub with live music and a very Bristol feel; where we bounced around to music, caught up with yet more friends and fought fatigue until an acceptable hour arrived in which we could go home to Vanessa's and sleep.
Rising lusciously late on Sunday we ate a posh breakfast in the garden and played scrabble until home time. With many good friends now living around the Tooting area, I don't think it'll be long before we're back to this part of London.

Cheltenham Lido

Cheltenham Lido is a wonderful place.
I am a huge fan of outdoor swimming and have been meaning to visit Portishead Open Air Swimming Pool for a long time now, but when I finally had a free day in which to do so, which was sunny enough to enjoy in an outdoor pool, the person I was going to swim with, and who was to drive, suggested Cheltenham Lido instead.
Eventually, after attacking housework and all the other things which hold up a Sunday, we got there at 4pm, and dived straight in. It was glorious. Heated, long (at over 50m) and lovely. The grounds are green, with a cafe at the end, the decor is quite refined, and the atmosphere is of good old fashioned fun.
I sincerely wish Bristol had a lido. One you can afford to swim in I mean, so that discounts the Clifton one. If I could, I'd swim outdoors all the time, as I just love cold water, fresh air and exercise.
After 30 lengths we got out, showered, ate chips and headed home, feeling healthy, happy and tired.

South of Bristol

We found ourselves in Ashton Court on bank holiday Monday, which was a great place to be, given the green everywhere, deer up close and only a very faint hum of traffic noise. We then moved on to Clevedon, which has some charm, despite all the mud and the fare to enter the pier. On the way a pub advertised 'Live Steak Night' and I wondered if they served live cows, and the garage may or may not wash your car in its 'Car Wash Lottery'. Finally on to Somerset, to hang out in the huge garden, eat, drink tea, and relax. A family filled, fresh air day.

Zakynthos. Heaven and hellenic.

We booked our flights to Zakynthos two days before we left and didn't bother booking anywhere to stay, as our flight landed in the morning. However, upon our arrival, in 30 degree heat, we realised it was Sunday and there was but one bus running on the island. So we scrapped our plans to head to the peninsula and, after a quick dip in the sea, boarded the bus, getting off at the final stop, and wandered to Amboula beach in Tragaki. After another swim, we decided to ask at the beach bar if they knew of any rooms to rent. This was our first introduction to the incredible hospitality of the Zakynthans.
We were given a lift up the hill to a detached house with a panoramic view, air-con and a huge garden, and we quickly decided to stay. Over the next few days any idea we voiced aloud fast became a reality as our hosts felt it their duty to make our stay a success. Mention of a boat trip transpired in a ticket the following morning. Pondering car hire, a car turned up in our drive. So during our five day stay we managed to circumnavigate the island by boat, drive to secluded beaches, swim in caves, spot turtles and eat tons of tomatoes, olives and cheese.
We did not see a single cloud, we swam for hours every day, and with the sun shining on the crystal clear sea, I knew it was worth the money we paid to go away on the most expensive week of the year, for a lifetime of turquoise memories.

Back to Boomtown

It was a good and busy Boomtown.
This time round was bigger, less friendly perhaps, busier, but the music was still amazing. Highlights for me included the energetic First Degree Burns; incredible beatboxing by Reeps One; the club atmosphere Ms Dynamite managed to create; jumping about to Babylon Circus; hearing good time classics by The Selector; hearing them again in a new and even more energetic format from True Beat; and the constantly crawling Arcadia stage, in the form of a giant beetle, which would sporadically spread its wings to reveal a dark underside of music and dance.
I got to interview bands, which was fun. Despite its inflated size, Los Albertos, the Carnyvillains and First Degree Burns all reckon that Boomtown is an unpretentious, fun and friendly place, to discover and dance to all manner of music. I think they're right.

Kings of Ping

Only in Bristol can an old motorcycle showroom be taken over by a bunch of artists and find new life as a ping-pong-off.
Saturday evening was spent supporting friends as they took on opponents in games of ping-pong on the five tables set up in 'The Motorcycle Showroom' on Stokes Croft.
As next weekend sees a festival in a bowling alley, it's occurred to me that here in Bristol we can make a party out of anything. Annual events include Stokes Croft Street Fest, in the underpass of the motorway; St Werburgh's Fair, held in a pig pen; Vegfest, celebrating all things vegan; the Bristol Do, for street performance; Upfest, for street art; the Zombie Walk at Halloween; the Organic Food Fair; the Montpelier Bean Feast; St Paul's Carnival celebrating Afro-Carribean culture, the Balloon Fiesta, the Kite Festival, and countless music festivals on the harbourside.
I could go on, but like the party-goers in Bristol, I don't know when I would stop.

St Ives

We went to St Ives to buy board shorts, but got distracted by the glorious sunshine and ended up celebrating by eating ice-cream, swimming in the sea, throwing sand at seagulls and watching a seal bobbing about in the harbour. Then we dragged ourselves away from the beach in order to visit the Tate, where we wandered through a hall of balloons and raced through the rest of the gallery. We finally made our way back along the coast path to the car, sunkissed, refreshed and happy, but pondering where all the surfshops went.