Bright starts in Brighton

it was a little different trip down to the coast this time. As Bill was flying in for Alex’s wedding, we needed something a little bigger than a living room floor – and Jo very kindly obliged by lending us her flat, complete with a pair of tea-drinking builders. I’m not sure many of my evenings out result in structural damage but it was a wise precaution.

No, that’s not Jo in the picture – it’s a mad girl we met in a late night session at the White Rabbit. Look at the fear in James and Steve’s eyes! Great accents, though…

Here’s a nicer shot – Steve, Nat and little Dylan. Very cute, very dribbly and very well behaved (I didn’t get thrown up on even once).

Bill arrived the same day. We took a walk along the undercliff path out to Rottingdean, whose historical attractions I hadn’t really appreciated before.

The nautical theme continues…

On my return to London, I set sail once more, in a fancy speed boat ride up the Thames with Emma. Here we are enjoying some high speed turns off the Isle of Dogs. Still a bit ashen from the weekend.

Great views of the city’s fine bridges and waterside buildings – including a spot of aquatic graffiti…

Talking of fine buildings, a re-visit to the fabulously kitsch Freemason’s Temple in London netted a sneak view of the Grand Temple itself. Where *did* they get all their money?

Another great meal out, with Mark, Rob, Billy and Jess, at a tasty little Vietnamese restaurant behind Victoria (and Black Sheep at the Plumber’s Arms beforehand). Spot Bill’s copycat art visit…

A rather fishy stag in Scarborough

You’re lucky there are any pictures at all in this post – not all are fit for family consumption. And talking of consumption, I think I have just a touch of it following our legendary intake of rum, real ale and fried food. Burp.

It all started innocently enough at the sunny seaside resort of Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast. The Old Scalby Mills pub made an excellent rendezvous for far-flung stags. Beer o’clock!

This lavender-scented, shocking pink tea room (great fish & chips) was the high point of civilisation for the weekend. Downhill from here, chaps.

More drinking and some pirate radio DJ’ing at the YHA cabin.

Then it was time to don our tricornes, charge our muskets, splice the mainbrace and generally pirate up. Yes, we were indeed the gayest pirates ever to cause a cabin boy’s knees to tremble.

Alex’s transformation was much more elegant. Is it a fish? Is it a manatee? No, it’s the ritual humiliation of the stag. Glug.

With our captured mermaid safely netted, we pillaged our way through Scarborough’s extremely rough nightclub seas. Much yo-ho-hoing, lots of doubloons, and general roistering all round.

A very soft landing in London

It’s always nice coming home (well, my second home) to London, especially so when I’m met in town by family and friends. Lunch with Dad on a barge in Little Venice was a great start, followed by a little light photography around St Pancras and the British Library.

Then it was straight on the fizz with Badger and Dad at the world’s longest (and possibly chilliest) champagne bar.

I’ll skip my jaunt up to Scarborough for the moment, and detail a few other London highlights. The Henry Moore show at the Tate Britain was excellent, all the more so because Mum and I benefited from Pauline’s superb commentary and insight – we had a real giggle.

The art was pretty spectacular too…

That night, I had a great curry out with my sisters in Warlingham. Ah, you just can’t beat stuffing out on mutter paneer, brinjal bhaji, tarka daal and a pillowy garlic naan.

Here’s Tilly all grown up and heading out to Coloma.

Not so chilly, still quite hilly

A couple of Sundays ago, it was the annual Chilly Hilly bike ride. Unseasonable warmth (maybe 12-15C!) drew thousands of early season cyclists on the ferry out to Bainbridge to tackle the 33-mile rolling course.

Not only did my Wallingford mate Doug and I make it round in a creditable 2.15, we even cycled both ways to the ferry, making it a very respectable 44-miler altogether. Here’s us in a HUGE queue for the return ferry on Bainbridge.

Then it was straight to the Pioneer Square Saloon to watch the Olympic’s grand finale – US vs Canada in the hockey. A real nail-biter of a game with a last minute US score and a Canadian golden goal in overtime. Result! Here’s Canada giving US a shave in the pub for losing…