Archive
Embrace The Opaque
Commercial Street Newport Costa Coffee still not open at 07:00, despite what the Costa Website says. However the Costa at the station opens at 06:00 and the lady behind the counter was excellent. Started in The John Wallace Linton, where the Hazy Jane (my Breakfast Beer of choice) was in plentiful supply.
The Pen And Wig (Newport – Dog Friendly) for 10:02. The joy of it being back to the way it was pre Rhona, Cask and Citra to boot.
Chip shops can be tricky on a Monday, so it was Plan B and 50p more to boot. However a good sized portion and just around the corner from Tiny Rebel.
Speaking of which. In the corner by the power and now next to the organic back wall. Nothing better than slowly drinking the afternoon away. Solid Monday.
Without a Bridge
A good start to the Beano with two unique pints in the Malcolm Uphill. Classic Public Service on the Stagecoach bus to Pontypridd. A great pint of Digger’s Gold by Grey Trees in The Rickards Arms in Treforest. Cask rising no doubt? Swarm App told me that I hadn’t been in The Otley Arms since January 2020. I raised a glass from Polly’s Brew Co to an Absent Friend. No Apple Pay but I’m coping like the wind. A great day and now with Tesco sarnies to finish.
Superior Hot Weather Sales Technique
Bridgend because, why not, haven’t been there for ages and it’s the same price on the train as just going to Cardiff. Double check in at the Wyndham Hotel. Apparently due to the council? Slowly watching an upload and then onto to The Coach. What an excellent pub it is! And the Barmaid has an excellent sales technique. Two glasses and a T-shirt later. Didn’t make it to the Little Bar on the Bridge as I became a bit sleepy and then it was the joy of cancelled trains. I need more Beano training, urgently.#
Cheeky Chicken
Cheeky Chicken is Chicken with Piri Piri by the way, at least it is in the Bay. High Summer, showery with longer periods of rain and a gap of ten years since I was there last. A new Spoons, see ten years ago and Brew Monster’s Bay Tap House. Minus points, the Bay Spoons, The Mount Start is far more expensive than most other Spoons. Differential pricing at it’s best. Also missed an order that I made via the app. However, the get a pass as pubs shouldn’t be table services. Politics and all that.
The plus side. Brew Monster’s Bay Tap House. Long and narrow and you have to be sitting down to sign in but again a pass. Good selection of beer. An Untappd verified venue and the food was good. It’s also opposite the Buffet if you need more. Probably go there again and maybe not wait ten years?
Don’t Sit On The Power Switch
Don’t Sit On The Power Switch, if you are watching Wales in the Euros and it’s still the first half. I did and the projector went off. The staff and punters in Crafty Devil’s Penarth Cellar were not amused. I wasn’t too happy either. However it was a great sunny day. All of my drinks were uniques and Spoons (The Bears Head) had an excellent selection of cask ales. Chips and a Class 769 to take me there. Wales drew.
Cardiff Like Newport
Summer and a pleasant train journey into Cardiff. However The Queen Street Costa Coffee doesn’t open until 08:00 on a Saturday. Things aren’t back to normal at all. Also, the cask selection in The Gatekeeper is minimal. Thankfully Bubs came to the rescue. The Finest of Ales, The Finest of Staff and some kick arse WiFi. No if I could only get them to open at 07:00 and do Bacon Rolls. You can dream, can’t you?