“It’s Amazing What Soup Can Do !”*

15Jan12

Well they’ve done it, the evil empire has reduced my favourite local building to just so much rubble.

I suppose it was only a matter of time before it happened.

When I wrote about the joys of my home town back at the start of 2010 its future was looking bleak – and unfortunately that wasn’t the low point. The local Civic Society tried to get the building listed but because those at English Heritage deemed it of no “special architectural or historic interest” that never happened – and that’s with their head honcho Dr Simon Thurley living less than a mile away.

So we’ll no longer be greeted by the tower upon our return home from travels afar but at least we’ll get a much much bigger supermarket in return – which is great eh ?

[UPDATE] Forgot about the mention of the tower in Peter Ashley’s excellent Cross Country, (which I’ve written about over here) : “On the coastbound busy bypass, you can see on the left a brick tower built as a cooling tank for the Campbell’s Soup Factory (prop. A Warhol), I don’t know how long it will be here; Tesco’s want to demolish it and the factory to extend the display area for oven chips.”

Visit	Campbell’s Tower at Nothing To See Here
Visit	‘To Make The Best’ at the UEA Film Archive
Visit	Campbell’s Tower Flickr set
Visit	UK’s Unsung Landmarks at the BBC

* Campbell’s slightly odd advertising tagline.

Filed under: Architecture, King's Lynn   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Campbell's, Campbell's Tower, Dr Simon Thurley, English Heritage, King's Lynn, Soup

“A Wise Traveller Never Despises Their Own Country”*

05Jan12

I have an enormous amount to thank Anne Ward for.

After all if it wasn’t for her, (and, it must be said, her Newspaper Club colleague Russell Davies), I probably wouldn’t be writing here. That may seem largely insignificant, (and yes I know what that sounds like but I’m not digging for compliments, or laying the blame elsewhere, I’m just being realistic), but through the process of looking outwards rather than inwards, (which is my factory setting), I’ve been a lot saner than I would have been otherwise and in addition, (and it’s a big addition), I’ve been introduced to a world of wonderful things which otherwise would have passed me by.

So that said it seems entirely appropriate, as an attempt to say thanks, to plug Anne’s new book ‘Nothing To See Here – A Guide to the Hidden Joys of Scotland’ which has just been published by Pocket Mountains.

I got the book just before Christmas but with all that that entails have only now really got around to giving it the time it deserves – and it does deserve your time because, (perhaps unsurprisingly if you know of Anne’s work, (and yes I know there’s too many brackets skulking about here today)), it’s a grand little guide to the many “delightful destinations” available to those willing to search them out. The origins of the book, for the completists out there, can be found over on the Nothing To See Here website which catalogues “some of the world’s lesser-signposted places” including the soon to be demolished Campbell’s Tower – which I’ve written about before as it stands just around the corner from where I live, and the Anderby Creek Cloud Bar – which was contributed by me !

So if you’re planning a visit North of the border, or even if you weren’t planning a visit but would be happy to be persuaded anyway I’d suggest you invest in a copy of Anne’s book to help direct you to some of the many hidden joys of Scotland. You won’t be disappointed.

*With apologies to Carlo Goldoni.

Filed under: Books, Travel, Uncategorized   |  4 Comments
Tags: Anderby Creek Cloud Bar, Anne Ward, Books, Campbell's Tower, Newspaper Club Russell Davies), Nothing To See Here, Nothing To See Here - A Guide to the Hidden Joys of Scotland, Pocket Mountains, Scotland, Travel

Revoluting

01Jan12

I usually manage to set aside a few hundred resolutions at the start of each year however as someone brighter than me suggested earlier resolutions should come from “resolving to do things that come from celebration”, so this year I resolve to be more like Spider-Man and less like Paris Hilton.

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That Was The Year That Was

31Dec11

  
  
  
  

So ta ra to 2011, hopefully 2012 won’t be quite so difficult to take to. Here’s a quick overview of my year via the visually appealing world of Instagram : 1 - The start of the year, where good fortune was in short supply despite the arrival of a lucky cat. 2 - My stash of francs proved of little use despite later developments in the money markets. 3 - Turning the tables on my favourite photographer at The Story. 4 - Celebrating with family. 5 - A day at the seaside with some of Scotland’s finest fayre.  6 - Staring out to sea from a window in Devon. 7 - The evening of my sister’s birthday and Norfolk never looked more lovely. 8 - An unexpected appearance from Rebekah Brooks. 9 -  A day away from work. 10 - Being puzzled in Bruges. 11 - Boring 2011, which was anything but. 12. And ending the year in deepest darkest Derbyshire.

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Tags: 2011

Puzzling

24Dec11

 
 

More charity shop winnings, this time Superpuzzle from Spear’s Games which contains sixty intriguing problems – should keep me busy over the next few days.

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Tags: Spear's Games, Superpuzzle

First Class Post

15Dec11

As a result of the event that will shortly be with us I’ve made a number of purchases from the rather wonderful Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, (who were introduced to me earlier in the year at The Story).

Said purchases arrived this week although as I was at work they were delivered to our neighbours who brought them round later that day.

Quite what they thought I’d had sent is perhaps a question that should be left unasked.

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Tags: The Story, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, Post, Parcel

Blue Book #3

11Dec11

 
 

One of the burdens of no longer being a child, (yes yes I know), is that there are so many wonderfully illustrated books especially for children – that adults are so deprived in this area is a constant disappointment.

The latest addition to the Weir collection, ‘Through the Rainbow – Blue Book 3′, is just such an example, published by Schofields & Sims Ltd. and illustrated by Joanna Carter.

The book also introduces us to the following new words : Simon’s, front, side, street, end, first, houses, opposite, has, him, run, Elizabeth’s, when, cake and home. Please make a note of them as I maybe using some of those noted in future posts.

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Wet Weather Gear

10Dec11

For any of you who’ve investigated the various destinations over on the right – you may or may not have visited my What’s For Tea Mother ? tumblr where I occasionally post examples from a set of recipe cards that I picked up at a local charity shop – they’re well worth a look although if you’re looking for culinary inspiration I’d perhaps venture somewhere a little less alarming.

The reason that I’m telling you this is that the fine people at Anorak magazine have decided to produce something similar for grown-ups, (Anorak is for kids), called Cagoule. And in the first issue they’ve run a piece on bad food featuring some of the particularly gruesome recipes that appear on What’s For Tea Mother ?

Issue one of Cagoule was waiting for me on our return from the Peak District so I’ve only had the chance to give it a cursory glance but it looks great. The people at magculture.com have had the time to give it a more thorough look and have given it a rave review over here – “a joy from start to finish”. So unless you have an unfeasibly hip newsagent I’d suggest you wander over to the Present Joys website and buy a copy from them direct - if you’re lucky you might find, like me, this rather fine card included  . . .

Filed under: Ideas, Magazines   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Anorak, Bad Food, Cagoule, magculture, Present Joys, What's For Tea Mother ?

“What I Did On My Holiday” rtd. : Day #06

08Dec11

Well the weather hasn’t been any better than it was yesterday – in fact it’s been worse, however we did manage to nip out before the elements really set in for the day. The forecast is for snow in the morning so it maybe that the “What I Did On My Holiday” reports may continue for longer than was originally intended.

So given that it was supposedly our last day in the Peak District we drove over to the Ladybower Reservoir to celebrate  Mr John Shuttleworth, (if he’s reading this the level seemed a little low but the heavy rainfall should resolve that sooner than later), nipped over to the David Mellor Visitor Centre to pay homage to the designer of the UK’s traffic lights, (although he’s proabably more famous for his hideously expensive cutlery), and then to Bakewell to purchase puddings, (which were frankly quite odd).

Then slowly back to Edale through rain of a quite spectacular nature, because after all it’s grim up north.

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Tags: Bakewell, David Mellor, David Mellor Visitor Centre, Edale, Ladybower Reservoir, Mr John Shuttleworth, Peak District

“What I Did On My Holiday” rtd. : Day #05

08Dec11

Today was spent mainly in front of this because the weather outside was frightful, but the fire is so delightful.

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