Fish and chips and a few drinks in the pub , a good way to spend a birthday evening
Birthday in The Pub
Fish and chips and a few drinks in the pub , a good way to spend a birthday evening
London is Quiet
It is true, central London is very quiet and delightful to visit at the moment. Everyone has gone to the Olympics.
The Impressionist exhibition in the Sackler rooms at the Royal Academy,Picadilly, is one of the best I have ever seen with some particularly lovely Renoir portraits.
The Summer Exhibition has the usual exhibits by favourite old dears like Ken Howard but the rest is pretentious rubbish especially the sculpture-- suggest they load it into a skip and burn it.
Bought T. a tie for his birthday from one of those expensive shops in Jermyn Street.
The Impressionist exhibition in the Sackler rooms at the Royal Academy,Picadilly, is one of the best I have ever seen with some particularly lovely Renoir portraits.
The Summer Exhibition has the usual exhibits by favourite old dears like Ken Howard but the rest is pretentious rubbish especially the sculpture-- suggest they load it into a skip and burn it.
Bought T. a tie for his birthday from one of those expensive shops in Jermyn Street.
Olympic Ticket Checker
This website has now been blocked by Locog. I will leave it on as it may be useful to some people.
I.O.C. and their geriatric members should be sent to retirement homes where they belong.This lot and Locog have a lot to answer for over the Olympic ticketing fiasco.
checker.benmarshinteractive.com
I.O.C. and their geriatric members should be sent to retirement homes where they belong.This lot and Locog have a lot to answer for over the Olympic ticketing fiasco.
checker.benmarshinteractive.com
Olympic Ticket Collection Stratford Gate
Went to collect my tickets from the Stratford Gate Box Office yesterday.
About 15 minutes walk from the tube station ,there is no escape from the route through Westfield shopping centre.
Badly signed (and only in English) we had to ask someone for directions;this ticket office consists of a few scruffy portacabins. There is no shelter from the elements for people waiting , you know it is your turn when one of the assistants sticks an arm out of the window and waves.
There were some ugly scenes as people without the correct documents were refused their ticket allocation
You need:
Confirmation email, reference number,credit card used to buy them with,identity document--passport is safest.
Allow a lot of time if you have not collected your tickets yet and are planning to collect them on the day you are going to use them
They are going to need the army , this could become a disorderly mess.
More hints: this is what I would take when going to the Olympic Park
About 15 minutes walk from the tube station ,there is no escape from the route through Westfield shopping centre.
Badly signed (and only in English) we had to ask someone for directions;this ticket office consists of a few scruffy portacabins. There is no shelter from the elements for people waiting , you know it is your turn when one of the assistants sticks an arm out of the window and waves.
There were some ugly scenes as people without the correct documents were refused their ticket allocation
You need:
Confirmation email, reference number,credit card used to buy them with,identity document--passport is safest.
Allow a lot of time if you have not collected your tickets yet and are planning to collect them on the day you are going to use them
They are going to need the army , this could become a disorderly mess.
More hints: this is what I would take when going to the Olympic Park
- Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking--toes can get squashed in flip flops and open sandals in crowds especially on the tube
- Sun screen, sun glasses,sun hat if hot and sunny
- Light weight sweater-- air conditioning can feel chilly
- Plastic cover up if wet-- noticed Primark had some good quality but cheap stuff a few days ago
- very small first aid kit + paracetamol for inevetable head ache
- Something to chew like polo mints
- Water but not sure what is /is not permitted so check on this.
Olympic Tickets at Last from the Website
I have spent days trying to get tickets after receiving emails from the Olympic Website.I have managed to get 4 costing £50 each
If you are trying to do this , this is what I worked out
1. Make sure you are registered with an account-- they only accept payment by Visa cards.
2. The extra tickets come online about 3. 30 -4 pm- be ready , logged into the page, Visa card beside you.
3. On the listing page select; Select a sport ,Venue: Olympic Park , All Times, All Events, and dates in the later part of the times e.g. 2 -12 August
4.Several pages appeared but I went to the numbers later on the page (4 ) -there seems to be quite a bit of handball ( Copper Box venue)
5 Choose fast--you have only 10 minutes to complete the transaction.
Follow the prompts through the request , search and final transaction process
6.They also ask you to create a password-- be ready for this, the minutes are ticking away
7.This may not work for everyone but it may be worth a try so good luck
8 That was the good news , now I have to go to the Stratford box office to collect them.
Sunday 4pm just tried this-- quite a lot more tickets have just come online
If you are trying to do this , this is what I worked out
1. Make sure you are registered with an account-- they only accept payment by Visa cards.
2. The extra tickets come online about 3. 30 -4 pm- be ready , logged into the page, Visa card beside you.
3. On the listing page select; Select a sport ,Venue: Olympic Park , All Times, All Events, and dates in the later part of the times e.g. 2 -12 August
4.Several pages appeared but I went to the numbers later on the page (4 ) -there seems to be quite a bit of handball ( Copper Box venue)
5 Choose fast--you have only 10 minutes to complete the transaction.
Follow the prompts through the request , search and final transaction process
6.They also ask you to create a password-- be ready for this, the minutes are ticking away
7.This may not work for everyone but it may be worth a try so good luck
8 That was the good news , now I have to go to the Stratford box office to collect them.
Sunday 4pm just tried this-- quite a lot more tickets have just come online
Olympic Tickets Bullshit
I have received emails several times from the official Olympic site telling me that more tickets are available.
I have wasted hours going through the search and request process and every time it comes to the checkout the tickets described are not available.
What is going on? the whole thing is a shambles, why do they email me when the claim that there are tickets available is clearly untrue-- oh apart from football in remote locations no one wants to see.
There are some extortionate hotel packages costing £thousands-- check in time 3p.m. check out 9a.m.
The Rip -Off Olympics 2012
I have wasted hours going through the search and request process and every time it comes to the checkout the tickets described are not available.
What is going on? the whole thing is a shambles, why do they email me when the claim that there are tickets available is clearly untrue-- oh apart from football in remote locations no one wants to see.
There are some extortionate hotel packages costing £thousands-- check in time 3p.m. check out 9a.m.
The Rip -Off Olympics 2012
Strawberry Jam Must Wait
Just realised we have passed midsummer day without having had a real run of warm sunny weather yet.
Thought I would make my usual quantity of strawberry jam but the price of good quality strawberries is jaw dropping-- cheaper ones are wet and going mouldy, no good for jam making.
Perhaps the price will drop after Ascot and Wimbledon.
Pictures of real summers I have taken in the past.
Thought I would make my usual quantity of strawberry jam but the price of good quality strawberries is jaw dropping-- cheaper ones are wet and going mouldy, no good for jam making.
Perhaps the price will drop after Ascot and Wimbledon.
Pictures of real summers I have taken in the past.
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| Virginia |
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| Biarritz |
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| Monet's Garden, Giverny |
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| Cambridge, punting by Magdalene Bridge |
Start Partying
Time to put on the silly red white and blue clothes, cut the cakes, stop arranging flowers and chill out until Wednesday.
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| Flowers for The Queen, Ely Cathedral |
Diamond Jubilee Celebration Cake
Fame at last.
Have managed to get my cake in the best cakes line up in the Times diamond jubilee cake competition today-- hooray
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/
Diamond Jubilee Rose Cake
Recipe
Cake
225g (8 oz) self-raising flour
225g(8 oz ) butter
225g(8oz) caster sugar
2 level teaspoons baking powder
4 large eggs
2 rounded tablespoons cocoa mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 fluid oz red food colouring
Filling and topping
150 g (6 oz) butter
500g (1lb) icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Decorations
454 g white marzipan, food colourings, yellow sprinkles
Method
For a speedy version omit the decoration and just use the butter cream. The red cake is a great surprise when it is cut.
Have managed to get my cake in the best cakes line up in the Times diamond jubilee cake competition today-- hooray
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/
Diamond Jubilee Rose Cake
Recipe
Cake
225g (8 oz) self-raising flour
225g(8 oz ) butter
225g(8oz) caster sugar
2 level teaspoons baking powder
4 large eggs
2 rounded tablespoons cocoa mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 fluid oz red food colouring
Filling and topping
150 g (6 oz) butter
500g (1lb) icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Decorations
454 g white marzipan, food colourings, yellow sprinkles
Method
- Pre heat the oven,180c/160C Fan/Gas4
- Line 2 x 20 cm (8 inch) sandwich tins with baking parchment.
- Put all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat using an electric mixer beat until everything is thoroughly mixed and creamy.
- Divide the mixture between the 2 tins. Smooth out.
- Bake for about 25 mins until firm to touch.
- Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then remove the parchment and cool the cakes on a wire rack.
- Divide the marzipan into 3 , colour as wanted with a few drops of food colouring ( about 3). Knead well and then roll out and use heart shaped and leaf cutters for the petals and leaves.
- Make the butter cream by beating all the ingredients together and when the cake is completely COLD use to sandwich the cake together and spread on the top and sides.
- Arrange the petals and leaves like a Tudor Rose ( see photo) on the top and more petals and leaves around the sides.
- This cake will keep well for several days in an airtight tin in a cool place.
For a speedy version omit the decoration and just use the butter cream. The red cake is a great surprise when it is cut.
Diamond Jubilee Party Recipes
Working my way through Mary Berry's Baking Bible.This is a useful book ,the tray bake recipes are practical for the home baker to make for events and parties. I made the banana loaf in about 10 minutes, a good way to use up over ripe bananas in the fruit bowl.
I will be making some of the recipes and Duke of Cambridge Tart for sale at St Botolphs, Cambridge Refreshment day on Monday 7th May.Come and try them.Lakeland have disposable trays for tray bakes and some nice decorations for Jubilee cakes.
I will be making some of the recipes and Duke of Cambridge Tart for sale at St Botolphs, Cambridge Refreshment day on Monday 7th May.Come and try them.Lakeland have disposable trays for tray bakes and some nice decorations for Jubilee cakes.
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