For what has become something of an annual sojourn after the post Christmas festivities, we took our usual trip up to Aldeburgh, for three nights on this occasion. This time around it was the Brudenell hotel, and any cursory search on this site would tell you it is one of the three hostelries in the town that we have previously had the pleasure of staying at. Took the package deal that gave us evening meal on two of the three nights which, given the vagaries of the North Sea “breeze”, we thought was a sensible option.
General
Christmas Day
For the first time ever, we chose to eat Christmas day lunch at an ‘outside’ venue. As Scott et al are not visiting until Easter, we took the opportunity to secure a late booking (3PM) at the Duke of York pub just outside Woodbridge. We arrived on time, had a lovely table and very good service. Good to see it thriving and all types and …
The Artist and the Art….
Tangentially prompted by a recent posting in the R&B Q&A section (specifically about Van Morrison and his lack of presence in the Primer section of this website), I have somewhat precariously decided to place an R&B music derived article into the main musings section – although, in my defence, this is fundamentally about more than one artist’s simple inclusion in a fan’s on-line tribute to a musical genre…it goes beyond the specifics of Larry’s question and debates the merits of valuing an artist’s work, irrespective or in spite of the individual’s own personal characteristics. As such, it has a far broader reach than Van The Man and yet he remains very much at its core. A complicated and divisive topic, but I’ve started now…..
The Theatre Return….
A last minute decision to see Kafka’s Metamorphosis in Colchester on the Wednesday night became an overnighter with the addition of a very pleasant break at the Greyfriars hotel, last stayed at earlier in the year as part of Mrs. No Names’ ‘birthday bash’! As far as I can determine, this was our first theatre production since 2018, so a welcome if very belated return.
Old Haunts and Pastimes
Notwithstanding I have never mentioned how this occurred, but earlier this year Mrs. No Name ‘acquired’ her own bowling ball and a last minute decision to get the holes adjusted for a better fit resulted in a hastily arranged overnight Thursday night stay in Norwich. Went to the tenpin bowling centre and ended up playing tenpin for three hours (in my case picking up a …
Half Empty You Say!!!
On the front page of the site I may have ungenerously but somewhat characteristically made reference to my foreboding for the 23/24 football season. Well, after eight games and one point, I can’t help but try and recall the exact wording….hmmmm……. “Dreading the 2023/24 season though 🙂”. Oh yeah, that.
Justified and Ancient
For no particular reason (well, a little shopping maybe), I exercised my bus pass and ventured into Ipswich yesterday. Other than the ever more irritating visits to my dental practice, this must be my first foray into the county town in years. Remembering how pleasant the place appeared when we first arrived thirty years ago, it would be partial but still fair to suggest that there is no longer much to recommend it.
Wisbech Whistlestop..
Although it wasn’t that short a visit, as we enjoyed a leisurely five night break at the National Trust Coach House Lodge, all organised by Mrs. No Name. The lodge proved to be a lovely base and, as it was a National Trust property and adjacent to Peckover House, had the additional benefit of ‘out of hours’ access to the house gardens.
Annual 2023 Catsitting
No sooner back from the cruise and we were off on our trip to serve the cats for the second time this year. Overnight stop in Wentbridge on the way up didn’t prove to be as successful, with a few issues at breakfast that rather put a dampener on proceedings. Recompensed, but worrying enough to consider alternatives in the future….
Oenology tasting, no less
That’s a wine tasting event, for the uninitiated – including me, who had to look up how to spell it!! A Christmas present from S&G, Mrs. No Name kindly organised the trip and decided on Shawsgate Vineyard, which is just ‘up the road’, very close to Framlingham. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we did know it included the wine tasting itself and refreshments of some description.
Another Tick in the Box
Back yesterday fron a one nighter in Stoke by Nayland at the Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort, which also happens to be the home of Fleece Jazz. The latter has a thirty year history of presenting modern and contemporary jazz (and a little blues). Originally based at the Fleece in Boxford, then briefly at Kersey Mill, it found its current home at the Stoke by Nayland hotel in 2009.
Sudbury, famous for…..
being the birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough and for the house within which he spent his childhood. We’ve been threatening to go for many years and, on Friday, we finally did. He later resided there (again), following the death of his father in 1748 and before his move to Ipswich.[6] The building still survives and is now a house-museum dedicated to his life and art. Thee house was (predominantly) the focus for the journey.