Thursday, 19 July 2012
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Wednesday 18th July 2012
What started off as a 'Groundhog Day' lunchtime walk around Cirencester, turned into a very exciting afternoon with a celeb spot of Arsenal football legend Tony Adams!
After 5 minutes stalking the poor fellow while he waited to park his Mini, I then practically leapt out on him as he was paying for his car parking. He was very friendly and even agreed to pose for a photo with my ruffian work colleagues - cue today's rather fabulous photo of the day :)
To read more about Tony Adams, click on this link
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
London - Tower Bridge & Southwark
London is a vibrant and sprawling city with an endless list of things to see and do. If you're visiting the city but are limited for time, it's probably a good idea to focus your efforts in a specific area and definitely get yourself a plan of action ready beforehand!
Recently I spent a day and a night in London with an old school friend. We stayed at the Hilton Tower Bridge Hotel which was the perfect base from which to visit several nearby attractions (well, mainly bars, but there was loads to do in the area if we had remained sober long enough to visit the attractions!).
We did however manage to do some sightseeing, including to see the mighty Tower Bridge - one of London's most iconic landmarks - which is currently sporting 3 tonnes of Olympic rings (at a whopping cost of £250k) in celebration of the upcoming Olympic Games.
The Royal Navy ship HMS Belfast is permanently moored just opposite Tower Bridge and you can purchase tickets to tour the ship and learn more about what it was like to live and work on board it during WW2 and beyond.
A little further west, towards Southwark, are yet more attractions including Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern Art Gallery. We visited the Tate and had an amazing lunch in the top floor restaurant, which boasts panoramic views of the Thames, St. Paul's Cathedral and across London.The restaurant was pricey but the food was beautifully presented and delicious.
As this area follows the meandering River Thames, it feels wonderfully open and spacious, unlike other areas of London which can be cramped and hectic. There is also a path along the majority of the riverfront, with several watering holes along the way, making it an ideal spot to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy a few sundowners or whiskey chasers.
If you have more time in London than we did, then perhaps also consider a visit to the nearby London Dungeons, or have a few cocktails in the swanky bar in the OXO tower.
What's your favourite part of London?
Photo of the Day - Tuesday 17th July 2012
Granted, little cars have their uses when it comes to parking and fuel efficiency, but the hire car that Harriet has been given whilst her Golf is at the garage is beyond small! Seriously, where the heck are all her shopping bags meant to go after her weekly trip to the mall?!
Monday, 16 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Monday 16th July 2012
The Keep Calm brand is very popular in the UK and there are tons of variations of the famous Keep Calm and Carry On slogan. However, I've never stumbled across this one before, which I spotted in a restaurant window today. Brilliant!
I also came across this blackboard outside the local artists' gallery, which brought a wry grin to my ridiculously pale face as England has hardly seen the sun at all this summer! (After 10 years in the UK I am finally becoming a true Brit as all I seem to do these days is complain about the weather!) ;)
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Sunday 15th July 2012
I visited Portishead today, which is a sweet little town next to the Bristol channel. The sun was shining for the occasion which was borderline miraculous, as England has had a summer of perpetual rain. I stumbled across this awesome car on my travels.
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Word of the Week
Salubrious
(Adj.)
Synonyms:
healthy - wholesome - healthful - salutary - sound
'Salubrious parts of town.'
Photo of the Day - Saturday 14th July 2012
It's such a shame how quickly time flies when you're having fun! After two wonderful days catching up in London with my BFF, it was time to return to Cirencester this evening :(
Had a fab time though - today's pics are at the hotel we stayed at in Tower Bridge.
Friday, 13 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Friday 13th July 2012
After accidently mixing up the month that my friend was coming over to England from Dubai (it's definitely Friday the 13th!), I ended up making a super last minute trip to London this weekend to see her! She is my best friend from my school days in South Africa and it is always such a treat when we catch up. We had an amazing time drinking, eating, sight seeing and laughing like we were 18 again. Great friendships are a fantastic blessing :)
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Thursday 12th July 2012
I had a brilliant photo for today, of the general manager having a nap in the car when we were on our way to visit clients! However, I would like to keep my job, so instead I've opted for a photograph of Kemble train station in Cirencester. It's like something out of the 1900's, with it's two tiny platforms. Sometimes it's hard to believe that London is only just over an hour away from here!
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Wednesday 11th July 2012
And in today's news I successfully completed the final part of the kayaking Starter course this evening! I can paddle forwards, backwards, sideways, manoeuvre around corners, climb in and out of the kayak on the water, stop and capsize (... oh, and crash into river banks and other kayaks).
Next step is becoming an official member of the club and going for a weekly paddle!
Not bad for a girl ;)
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Tuesday 10th July 2012
Lesson of the day - never turn up to work in a shirt that's the same colour as the UPS uniform.... Otherwise you may find that your colleagues fashion the rest of the UPS uniform for you and then make you pose for photos! (Note the picture on the wall of a genuine UPS delivery person - I think we did quite a good job with the outfit!)
Monday, 9 July 2012
The Fleece Hotel, Cirencester
I've decided to dedicate a section of my blog to new discoveries - this can be a tasty food product, a great clothing shop, a new restaurant, music group etc.... basically anything I have stumbled across recently that I have really liked. So, to kick things off, I'm starting with The Fleece Hotel in Cirencester, where I had lunch today for the first time. It is swiftly becoming my new favourite place to hang out.
The Fleece Hotel is situated centrally in the Market Place in Cirencester, but the first time I noticed it was a few months ago when it was undergoing a complete refurbishment, and even featured in my photo of the day post for the 29th February.
I'm pleased to report it's looking significantly better than it did in February. In fact, it's downright fantastic! On a hot day, the whole front of the bar is opened up, with tables splashing out into the market place giving it a very European feel. There is also a fabulous courtyard out the back of the restaurant and loads of comfortable seating inside if it's rainy (this is England after all!).
Added to this, it has a great food menu, with a focus on responsibly sourced, quality produce. Oh, and the staff are friendly and helpful and know how to make great coffees, which is always a plus!
Whether you're after a venue for a morning coffee, a business lunch, a family meal or after work drinks, The Fleece fits the bill. It's definitely the new place in Cirencester to head to, so give it a go!
Click here for the link to The Fleece's website.
Photo of the Day - Monday 9th July 2012
If I have any more time off work, I may start feeling like a lady of leisure ha ha!
A good friend from my school days in South Africa stayed over last night and we went out for a delicious lunch today at the recently refurbished Fleece hotel in central Cirencester. The food was delicious - I think I may have found a new favourite place to hang out!
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Photo of the Day - Sunday 8th July 2012
After a relaxing, pampering spa day this morning, I had a fab evening with a friend who was visiting me from Newquay. We had a chilled night at home, eating, drinking wine, watching television and catching up.
I also came home to a letter from London, which contained an invite to a uni friend's engagement party for next weekend. I've booked my train tickets already as I wouldn't miss it for the world - especially as her and her fiance are moving to Jakarta very soon!
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