Puttin' the Kae in UK

Kae's visiting again! Woo hoo!

Trooper that she is, after much excitement and a big breakfast, the three of us then went shopping in Gloucester. Well, Tea and Kae shopped, for our imminent tour of Belgium and the Netherlands, while I'll kicked back in the New Inn with a book and a pint. I got chatting with a local, Don -- thanks, again, to the Roots swag I picked up in January; that stuff is aces for starting conversations about Canada -- who'd visited a fair bit of our beautiful country.

Many of the old travel guides I've been reading lately reference rail lines that no longer exist, including the old Honeybourne Line, which Don remembered from his college days, travelling from his home, then, in South Wales, to Cheltenham. I said that our rail network pales in comparison to theirs, and while he agreed, he said it's as the modern system does to that of his youth, when, for example, Cheltenham had three stations, and there were twice as many stations along his route to the college.

He and his family visited Canada in 2008, and had planned that part of the journey would be by rail. When they got to the station in Toronto, they learned that some signalling error had caused a derailment, and that Via was now putting buses on. (Their destination was Montreal.) Coincidentally, this was in late July, and they'd just learned about the terrible fate of Tim McLean. None of them slept a wink on that leg.

Overall, they really enjoyed Canada, though. They got to see Niagara, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal during their time there. I was surprised by what impressed him the most about our country, however: how apologetic the French Canadians they met were about their poor English. He said it was just so unexpected and genuine.

As I packed up to move on, he said I could come back and visit him at his 'office' any time. I love the New Inn!

From there, with the girls still occupied, I moved to another pub I'd been meaning to try: Dick Whittington's. Like the New Inn, it is also a historic building. I was surprised to find, in Darrel's book, The Story of Gloucester's Pubs, that the pub had suffered from poor management recently. I strongly suspect that's no longer the case, as the publican who served me was very friendly and generous with bar snacks. He also had an excellent spread of real ales on, including two from the Great Western Brewing Company, which I'd never tried before. Excellent stuff.

* * *

The next day -- a very special one for Tea -- we decided to go to Birmingham, for a day out and supper at Jamie's Italian. While standing around at our train station wondering why there were only buses on, who should appear before us but Matt, picking up his tickets for Edinburgh in a week's time. Having nothing better to do, he agreed to join us, on what would now be our drive to B'ham (for the first time).

The trip was seamless -- surprising, considering we were driving in the second biggest city in the UK -- and, as happened the day before, the girls soon left me -- with company this time! -- agreeing to meet at Jamie's later.

Aside: prior to splitting up, we'd all been shocked to discover a wide range of 'American' foodstuffs at the Food Hall of beautifully-designed Selfridges store in the Bull Ring: we're talkin' Jif and Skippy peanut butter (from Ohio!), Aunt Jemima pancake mix, Lucky Charms, a whole 'American baking' section... The list goes on. How the heck we've been ignorant of this mecca for so long is beyond me.

You'll no doubt be shocked to learn that we found ourselves at a pub shortly thereafter. First, the Wellington, which was much calmer than the last time I'd been there, and then the Anchor again. The highlight of the afternoon was definitely Beowulf's Killer Stout, which we wisely consumed as half-pints (7.9% ABV).

Eventually we found our way to Jamie's -- much later than the girls, we learned, sitting in the Anchor. Having had to walk by the patio at Jamie's to get from the Wellington to the Anchor, both Matt and I somehow failed to notice them waving at us. Ahem! A few missed calls and texts later, we sheepishly finished up our pints. Thankfully Jamie's wasn't busy, so we were quickly sat, once we'd made our way back -- and only ten times off our agreed time, I must add!

You must (must) be tired of hearing this by now, but, yet again, Jamie's failed to disappoint. In fact, my special of pork loin with beetroot and basil that had been honey-glazed and roasted, was one of the best dishes I've had to date. We got the antipasti plank again, and the bread selection; just a fantastic spread. This was Matt's first time at a Jamie's, and I'm sure he'll be bringing the family to one when they're over for a visit.

All in all, a great weekend. Now, off to pack!

Up next: Brussels

Birmingham: Back to Jamie's

With a rainy Saturday developing, we decided, on a whim, to take the train to Birmingham, for a bit of shopping and a meal at Jamie's Italian. Happily, we were under blue skies before long, enjoying the bustle of the Bull Ring. There's such an energy in that city, and in the open market especially; the air's a-buzz with it, the shouts of the vendors hawking their produce or auctioning off their cuts of meat coming over the top.

We put our name in at Jamie's Italian, and with an estimated wait of forty minutes, took their pager for a stroll. We came upon a fantastic find then: a bin, outside a lingerie shop of all things, filled with old water jugs advertising various breweries, £2 a pop. We picked up five, for less than we've paid for one in the past.

Shortly thereafter the pager went off. I'm happy to say that the Birmingham location is yet another example of the stellar standards we've come to expect from Jamie's. I went with their specials exclusively this time: a golden beetroot soup to start, followed by crab and risotto cakes with a fennel salad. Both were superb; simply superb. The only way the crab cakes could've been any better was if they'd included a few more tangerine segments -- maybe one per cake -- vice the one. Such an amazing blend of flavours. Tea's mushroom panzerotti was the same; probably more so, in fact.

Finally, while we were initially disappointed to learn that our beloved lemon polenta cake is a seasonal offering, the waiter was absolutely correct: the chocolate, raspberry and amaretto brownie with bourbon vanilla ice cream was truly to die for. And I don't normally make a fuss about the bill, but I think it's important that I highlight how affordable Jamie's is: all that, plus their fabulous selection of breads, a bruschetta starter, 1.5 litres of their lovely house red, and tea and coffee only cost £64. At the risk of officially joining their marketing team, I'll reiterate a sentiment I've blogged before: this is some of the best food I've eaten out; ever. And I've paid a lot more than that for meals of similar composition.

Pleasantly full, it was time for a bit of shopping. The last train home was around half nine, so we stopped up with enough time for a pint. Tea's CAMRA app. pulled through again, pointing out the wonderful Anchor Inn, just down the road from the Bull Ring. I'd recommend it for the atmosphere and friendly staff alone, but the list of real ales they had on pushes it to legendary status in my books. And it seemed to be a local favourite too, with lots of folks -- a range of ages at that -- havin' a good time.

The same could be said of the Royal Union, where we finished the night, back in town. It was good to see. We've decided Robin needs to let the dogs come down and mingle more, though.

As always, we've created a Picasa album with more pictures from the afternoon and evening.

München trip: Day 1: London

I forgot how mad London is.

As we left home this morning, a light breeze tugged leaves from the trees across our lane. It was peaceful, watching them spiral down toward us as we walked to the train station, mingling with the Friday morning commuters. That seemed continents away as we crammed on the Piccadilly Line this evening.

Apparently the crowds were worse than usual because they'd decided to shut down the line upon discovering an unclaimed bag. That said, as Tea quickly pointed out, colliding with any London evening commute is more excitement than any of us are used to. (I wonder if they are more alert after the recent American announcements, that, happily, warn about travel both to here and our destination of Germany.)

Aside: it's hard to believe that the newspaper is dead after taking a trip like that: well over half the commuters had their noses buried in the printed word. And, when you think about it, it makes sense: with all the jostling that goes on, I'd surely drop a hand-held device. Plus, you can fold it in all sorts of ways to improve your grip. And when you're done, in the bin with it. But maybe that's just me, only truly comfortable with my devices when I'm on the couch or at the kitchen table.

Just outside Paddington Station

Staying at the Novotel near Paddington is neat: the houseboats lining the canal right outside the station seem so European; in a way much of the rest of the city doesn't strike me. That said, however, I wouldn't cover our next stop, Covent Garden, with that broad brush: it's so vibrant; a melting pot of language and cuisine. Speaking of which, the Jamie's Italian close by didn't disappoint.

Nancy and Stephen had met us at Paddington fresh from their overnight Atlantic crossing -- which is to say, excited, but far from rested -- but thoughts of napping were quickly dispelled by those of lunch at Jamie's; they're loyal readers of this blog, and were eager to experience the subject of such fuss.

The service at this location, always an unknown variable with any chain, was excellent: our waitress answered all of Stephen's (many) questions, and even brought us samples of a few dishes -- something he probably loves even more than quizzing folks. Our old standbys made yet another appearance, but I had a special of braised lamb this time; exquisite! We ended the meal with the lemon polenta cake -- again, possibly the best dessert on the planet.

Up next: Munich! "Hoi! Hoi! Hoi!"

Oxford, Woodstock and Blenheim Palace

After a quick trip home for a wedding, it was time to get back to our local excursions. We needed a bit of down time -- Saturday was a lazy day browsing Moss Books, followed by the awesomeness of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World -- but struck out for Oxford nice 'n' early on Sunday. We'd booked a night at the Cotswold Lodge, which, while nice, caught our eye because it had a private parking lot. Parking in Oxford is both difficult and expensive, so this was key to us enjoying the day, and, more importantly, the evening we'd planned at Jamie's Italian.

We had time to wander around the Bodleian Library and one of the many covered markets before a light rain started to fall. That gave us the perfect excuse for an early lunch at the White Horse pub, nestled between the enormous Blackwell bookshop. (More on that playground shortly.) Two delicious Sunday roasts, some homemade apple and strawberry pie, and a few pints later, we were ready to face the elements again. Only the strong winds had carried the rain off for the moment; a trend that, as luck would have it, continued throughout much of the afternoon.

At the White Horse

We then made our way toward the Cherwell River, where the punting is like a little slice of Venice. After laughing at the silly Brits struggling with their poles, we wandered past the colleges of Merton and Christ Church before heading back to the covered markets for more shopping -- and some refreshments at Ben's Cookies; not to be missed! The rain started to pick up again at that point, so we headed to Blackwell for some sheltered exploration.

Christ Church College

Well, what to say about that place... The basement floor has a horizon, it extends so far. Nooks, crannies and staircases abound, lending it a fabulous air of adventure. But the best part has to be the second-hand room. It's tucked away in the sweltering attic; not that I noticed, grinning from ear to ear as the sweat rolled down my temples. I wish more shops set aside such a section.

The sun was out to stay as Blackwell closed, so we decided to pass some time in one of the recommended pubs we'd passed, the Lamb and the Flag, before seeking out what we knew would be a highlight of the trip, Jamie's Italian. And it didn't disappoint. We had many of the same things we've come to love there -- the antipasti board and selection of breads chief amongst them -- as well as a new favourite: lemon polenta cake. It's probably one of the best desserts I've ever had; just the right sweetness, wonderful texture... M'm...

Then it was back to the hotel. We had a nice lie-in the next day before heading to Woodstock, with a plan to spend the afternoon walking the grounds of Blenheim Palace. After a full English breakfast at Vickers, we were so taken with Woodstock that we just wandered for a bit. The Oxfordshire Museum had a superheroes exhibit on, which I had to check out, before we moved the car to the Palace grounds proper.

"You won't like me when I'm angry!"

The tickets were a bit pricey, but certainly worth it. It seemed to be a really popular destination -- whether because of the car show on the grounds that day or simply the bank holiday weekend, we couldn't tell -- but we still had great swathes of the walk around the lake to ourselves. After exploring the Churchill exhibit -- he was born at Blenheim Palace -- and the state rooms, it was time for some cream tea. (Well, I had coffee.) Sitting out amongst the gardens was lovely... except for the hornets. They took great delight in swarming over Tea's little pot of jam. It was only as we finished up our hastily-consumed snack that I noticed another of those pots nearby, clean as a whistle. I don't imagine it took them long to leave ours in the same state.

Up next: the Lake District

Days out with the naked chef

For the second week of Kae's visit, we decided on a few day trips. First, we took the train to Cardiff for the day, planning to do some of the things we didn't get around to the first time. After browsing the arcades for a bit, we made our way to Cardiff Castle, signing up for the premium tour. I'd really recommend that tour to anyone that has a day over here: it's close, and the castle truly is regal in that storybook sense you don't often find. Plus, our guide was knowledgeable and colourful, and made many references to the beautifully carved Canadian pine throughout (before she saw my TUNS backpack!). The Bute family had a number of beavers represented in the roof garden in particular, in honour of Canada, actually. The best bit? The guide saying, "By the way, those aren't squirrels with machine guns near the top of the fountain." You may just be able to pick out what she was getting at in the picture to the right.

Then it was off to Jamie's Italian for some lunch. Well, from the moment you enter that restaurant, you know you're in for something different. And while most of you will know this about us, just to be clear, we eat out a lot; not so much here -- it isn't really part of the culture, frankly -- but we've certainly eaten in all sorts of restaurants.

Jamie's Italian is easily twice as good as any restaurant I've eaten in.

Ever.

Easily.

And I'm not some naked chef fan-boy. :-) I had absolutely no expectations going in.

I think Tea and Kae would agree with that assessment of the place; they certainly enjoyed themselves. The quality of the ingredients is amazing, and what really sets it apart -- I've never tasted olives, bread or Italian meats like those -- but it's the little things too: like offering the antipasti tray based on how many will be eating it, and offering half portions of everything -- 'cause, frankly, it turns into a six course meal despite your best efforts, so you need to pace yourself.

But it's more than that: the selections are simple, yet inspired. I had a 'winter salad' with my penne arrabiata, and I quickly ended up pushing it to the middle of the table with a "OMG, you have to try this!" Pumpkin, two types of onion, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar... It looked beautiful, and was like nothing I'd ever tasted before; yet, it was so simple, I think I could make it (assuming I could get the same quality ingredients, of course). And Kae's tiramisu was another example: as she put it, "The orange changes everything!"

And, finally, as if that wasn't enough, the atmosphere was relaxed in a way that isn't normally comfortable. If the waiter or owner has as much time to talk to you as these guys did, it normally means it's a slow night, and you feel the undercurrent of how difficult that business is. At Jamie's Italian, it seemed perfectly natural. We talked to one waiter about his many years working with Royal Caribbean, and another on how often they see Jamie, and his hopes of returning to Australia soon. Really great guys, but knowledgeable too: they knew where everything was made or came from... O.K., enough. I repeat, I'm not a fan-boy; it was just that good.

We finished up the day with the Cardiff Centenary Walk, and then caught the train home, planning our next day trip.

Bath

We decided that some time at the spa in Bath would do us good, followed by more good food at the Jamie's Italian in that town. :-) Yes, folks, we went to that restaurant on back-to-back evenings. And while the spa was a bit disappointing -- the view from the rooftop pool was lovely, but the saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs were not nearly hot enough -- the restaurant was just as good as the one in Cardiff, if not a smidge better (just 'cause, Will, our waiter that evening, was so much fun).

Stella at the Pig and Fiddle

Prior to the spa, however, we stopped in at the Pig and Fiddle for something to tide us over. The ale and cider was great, as was the food, but the star of the show, far and away, was Stella, the pub cat. She was hangin' out in her bed, havin' a grand ole time.

Finally, another highlight would have to be the book shops: Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath was fantastic, with all sorts of signed copies and upcoming readings. And Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights was just like someone's home: such a great selection, with water in decanters on end tables encouraging long hours of reading and browsing. They even advertise reading spa holidays, which, while still a mystery to me, sound awesome!

Up next: a weekend in London.