EDitorial ± 25-Oct-2015

130Story: Jog / Peas / Doctor / Fill / Crush

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Jog

Peas

Doctor

Fill

Crush

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 21-Oct-2015

TT1516, Week 3

Key date today, 21-Oct-2015, for a Marty McFly wannabe like myself. I'm still using that old MJF photo as my login on the home 'puter. We didn't quite make it to Jaws 19 nor get flying cars, though fake hoverboards are here albeit banned on roads and pavements. Pepsi Perfect, anyone?

Didn't quite make it to the requisite 88mph on my bike en route to the Ladies Hockey club on Tuddenham Road. Yang and Steve both already there to demonstrate once more that I'm a man out of time. Raring to face us are father Terry and son Rob (previously) plus Chris from way back when. They beat Rosary 8-2 last night so we should have known what to expect. In brief:

  • awful 0/3 for Ed, nothing more to be said
  • good 1/3 for Yang, winning one epic five-ender against Rob before losing another (despite a number of matchpoints) to Terry
  • excellent 2/3 for Steve, losing only to Terry and that in the fifth end

With tea taken, Yang bouncing the ball pre-serve and mimiced by Terry, it was approaching 11pm by doubles time. No hanging around for Ed and Steve, losing very badly in straight games. One final honorary mention for former team mate and friend Grenvyle, who'd probably have got a point tonight, unlike Ed. Great Scott!

EDitorial ± 18-Oct-2015

130Story: Print / Purse / Electricity / Crate / Giant

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Print

Purse

Electricity

Crate

Giant

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 16-Oct-2015

Felixstowe Light Lunches: Sally Jane's Pie 'n' Mash

Standing at Mannings, take a right towards the port and you'll find yourself on the Ronseally named Beach Station Road (never mind that the actual beach station was bulldozered a year or two back). Among the motley outlets are Jack's on the even numbers and Cafe 7 on the odds. Unbeknownst to any of us, even local lord-of-the-manor Kev, there sits an eatery that's not even on The List. Brakes on and brace yourself.

Sometimes, say as with Artizan, it's hard to know what to expect. Very much the opposite at this establishment. Signs aplenty advertise "traditional pie 'n' mash with liquor served here". Welcome to Sally Jane's Pie 'n' Mash and not, as I thought, that lady from Tiswas. Where to start? The old-fashioned red phone box that sits as a portal between behind the counter and the shop? Chas 'n' Dave on the tannoy?

When in Rome, much as we should have done on our trip to the Mexican Momentum, try the local grub. Not quite being brave enough to try either the stewed or jellied eels, that'll be pie 'n' mash with liquor, please, Sally. Top value at £4, by the way. CnD are rabbiting away as our mates' plates descend. There's my chicken & mushroom pie and my two mounds of mash swimming in a pool of parsley sauce, i.e. the liquor. Solid nourishment, that, and we're far from the only ones scoffing mains.

Niche business, perhaps, and probably for everyone, but super Sally knows her stuff. Her website has all the pie info you'll ever need. Go check it out. Meanwhile, we're all off for a brisk walk along the tiddly prom.

If it was a car -- Vauxhall Cresta.
If they were passing by -- Nik Hodges.

EDitorial ± 11-Oct-2015

130Story: Fix / Wheat / Plane

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Fix

Wheat

Plane

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 9-Oct-2015

Ipswich Lunches: Momentum

Things change, do they not? Say you're strolling from the waterfront to the town centre along groovy St Peter's Street. There, on the right, is the charmingly bijou Baker & Barista. Except that, due to a trademark infringement from another company who'd already registered the name "Barista & Baker", they've now rebranded as Applaud Coffee. Further up that same side is the glass-fronted and relaxed Saints. Except that it's now Jay B's, apparently the only Spanish tapas cafe in Ipswich.

Closer to town and facing the site of the old Ipswich Hippodrome used to be the upmarket Galley, except that they've now poshed off to concentrate on their W**dbridge branch. Galley gone, meet Momentum, a new Mexican cafe stroke cantina as you couldn't really tell from the name. Maybe Montezuma would give customers the wrong idea.

Warm welcome from the authentically accented guy with the menus, and yes please, we'll take this table downstairs. Lunch deal has a taco or torta or ciabatta plus a soft drink for a friendly fiver. That'll be a BLT for Andy, gammon and mustard ciabatta for me, and because this is a flippin' Mexican place, Kev takes the tacos with extra jalapenos, senor. All very fresh, all well presented, all good, and the beverage selection is splendid with San Pellegrino, Fentimans, Cawston, etc.

Other tables are occupied, and there's folk upstairs too. Staring at us from a shelf is a cookbook entitled Death By Burrito. Imagine. Time for sweet treats from the tempting display. Smiling guy brings us lemon tart, tiramisu and an especially chocolately brownie with ice cream. We'd all return here to sample the fuller evening menu, and I think Kev would ideally like an edible taco hat.

If it was a car -- Mastretta MXT.
If they were passing by -- Giovani dos Santos.

EDitorial ± 4-Oct-2015

130Story: Bail / Glitch / Clay / Coward

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Bail

Glitch

Clay

Coward

More to follow.