Cambridge UK meet up 6 Sep 2014
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1kidzdoc
Our day out yesterday started at the Cambridge train station just after noon, as Luci (elkiedee) and I met there after I took an express train from London King's Cross and she took the earlier local from Finsbury Park. We walked from there to the Pint Shop, a British restaurant specializing in "Meat. Bread. Beer.", which Rachael had recommended. Rhian (SandDune), Rachael (FlossieT), her husband Rupert and two of their three children joined us shortly afterward, and Fliss (flissp) came a short while later. After conversations on Rhian's LT thread and my Facebook page about the relative lack of lamb consumption by Americans compared to Britons (0.4 kg per person per year in the US, versus 4.7 kg per person per year in the UK) I felt compelled to prove that at least one American loves lamb. I had a tender and tasty roast lamb shoulder smothered in a light mint sauce and peas (which fortunately weren't mushy), along with bread dipped in beef drippings and butter (low fat, of course) and a pint of a nice bitter from the tap.
Rachael also gave me a book that she had told me about earlier this year, The Axeman's Jazz by Ray Celestin, a thriller set in 1919 New Orleans that is based on a true story. Depending on how I get on with the Booker shortlist, which will be announced on Tuesday, I may start reading this next week.
After lunch Rachael and her family said goodbye, and we walked through the crowded streets of town (damned tourists!) and had cream tea (Fliss and I), latte (Rhian) and ?hot chocolate (Luci) at Fitabillies, a 90+ year old café which is best known for its Chelsea buns. The clotted cream that Fliss and I had for our scones was as authentic as any that I've had before.
By that time it was nearly 4 pm, and I wanted to visit The Fitzwilliam Museum, the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, so we spent roughly an hour there before it closed.
Rhian left to return home afterward, and Fliss, Luci & I visited Heffers Bookshop, which dates back to 1876 and is now a branch of Blackwell's (surprisingly, as Fliss said, Cambridge is relatively bereft of independent bookshops, unlike Oxford or London). I bought two books from the Booker Prize longlist that I was most interested in reading, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, and The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee.
The three of us then had drinks at Bill's, one of a chain of restaurants that didn't feel like one, due to its unique interior design. We were swallowed in low backed but very comfortable lounge chairs, surrounded by old books and magazines, as Fliss and I enjoyed prosecco while Luci had a hot chocolate served with a small bar of dark chocolate on the side.
We walked back toward the train station, where we said goodbye to Luci, and Fliss and I had dinner and drinks along with Rachael at Anatolia, a relatively new Turkish restaurant that was the best one I had ever dined at, although Fliss and Rachael insisted that there is an even better one on the other side of town. (Apologies for the lack of pictures, as the meal was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.)
We had a splendid conversation, mainly about books, and we left just after 10 pm, but only because I needed to get back to the station to get the 22:30 train to King's Cross, the last one I could take before the Underground stopped running. I got back to my hotel just past midnight, as the Gloucester Road station was preparing to close. It was another memorable and immensely enjoyable meet up, and I look forward to one or more similar ones over the next two weeks.
Rachael also gave me a book that she had told me about earlier this year, The Axeman's Jazz by Ray Celestin, a thriller set in 1919 New Orleans that is based on a true story. Depending on how I get on with the Booker shortlist, which will be announced on Tuesday, I may start reading this next week.
After lunch Rachael and her family said goodbye, and we walked through the crowded streets of town (damned tourists!) and had cream tea (Fliss and I), latte (Rhian) and ?hot chocolate (Luci) at Fitabillies, a 90+ year old café which is best known for its Chelsea buns. The clotted cream that Fliss and I had for our scones was as authentic as any that I've had before.
By that time it was nearly 4 pm, and I wanted to visit The Fitzwilliam Museum, the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, so we spent roughly an hour there before it closed.
Rhian left to return home afterward, and Fliss, Luci & I visited Heffers Bookshop, which dates back to 1876 and is now a branch of Blackwell's (surprisingly, as Fliss said, Cambridge is relatively bereft of independent bookshops, unlike Oxford or London). I bought two books from the Booker Prize longlist that I was most interested in reading, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, and The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee.
The three of us then had drinks at Bill's, one of a chain of restaurants that didn't feel like one, due to its unique interior design. We were swallowed in low backed but very comfortable lounge chairs, surrounded by old books and magazines, as Fliss and I enjoyed prosecco while Luci had a hot chocolate served with a small bar of dark chocolate on the side.
We walked back toward the train station, where we said goodbye to Luci, and Fliss and I had dinner and drinks along with Rachael at Anatolia, a relatively new Turkish restaurant that was the best one I had ever dined at, although Fliss and Rachael insisted that there is an even better one on the other side of town. (Apologies for the lack of pictures, as the meal was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.)
We had a splendid conversation, mainly about books, and we left just after 10 pm, but only because I needed to get back to the station to get the 22:30 train to King's Cross, the last one I could take before the Underground stopped running. I got back to my hotel just past midnight, as the Gloucester Road station was preparing to close. It was another memorable and immensely enjoyable meet up, and I look forward to one or more similar ones over the next two weeks.
2reading_fox
You move away from Cambridge for a few years and all the bars and restaurants change! Sounds like a great meet-up thanks for the pics.
