A Bit of a Do

I always find nights out with a purpose gather pace through November and December. The obvious answer to this is that's it's Christmas with all the entails but once you throw in not only my birthday celebrations and those of a couple of mates and it's quite hard going. My own celebrations took in a couple of pubs along with tea taken in the Charthouse Chippy. Cod and chips with mushy peas for me. Served with a pot of tea and bread and butter. Just what was needed. After this it was on to The Rovers Return where money was piled into the jukebox without selecting any Cabaret Voltaire which on previous occasions has got us some strange looks.

The other nights took a similar course minus the chippy tea. Although one of them resulted in a visit to The Legion so cheap drinks all round.

I've still got a Christmas lunch lined up with work, Jaks , for that. Plus there's Gentlemen's Christmas Shopping Night and an evening of football to fit in as well.

Raise your glasses and all hail the ale.

The photo at the top is a lunchtime burito from The Rovers. Very filling.

On the Buses V

I don't blog for ages and then two come along at once.

I've blogged about the buses in the Isle of Man on several previous occasions and I had to put finger to keyboard to comment on the announcement that Bus Vannin, the state owned bus company in the Isle of Man, will not be getting bendy buses after all. They were trialled at a cost of £10,000 but according to a press release from the bus minster made late today:

"The opportunity was taken to demonstrate the potential and following the extensive trial and independent evaluation, the Council of Ministers have agreed that they should not be progressed at the present time."

From this it sounds like the trial of the buses was a massive success whereas it was mainly red faces all round as the things had a habit of breaking down. It's just a pity it took £10k to work this out at a time when costs need to be cut. I note it's the minster making the embarrassing Uturn statement rather than the transport director but it often appears that the tail wags the dog.

Another glimmer of sense is the decision to get a couple of mini buses to use on the most rural of routes.

This only leaves us with the long running industrial dispute. No a lot has been heard of this since the drivers dropped their nuclear weapon of calling an almost two week strike over the TT period. I know from personal experience that some people found it hard to get around but ultimately it got the drivers no further and no doubt alienated whatever support from the public they might have had. Still, when have Unite ever put their members or the public before a strike. Just look at Grangemouth.

Previous bus blogs can be found here , here and here.

What's Up?

The answer to that is not a lot. It's been a quiet few weeks since I returned from the States. Just work mainly and a few trips to the pubs of Douglas. Hopefully this should soon be changing. A trip to Chester has been arranged to celebrate a 40th birthday. For some the highlight of this will be Chester City v Luton Town at the Deva Stadium. To be honest I'm used to football at a high level than the Conference but the birthday boy must be indulged. I'm mainly looking forward to getting my American food vibe back on at Hickorys . Will it be pulled pork or a slow cooked brisket?

I'll try not to keep harking back to my holiday but one place of interest I did visit was the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas. It was really interesting to see a collection of old casino signs along with those for a few other places as well. Situated a short walk from Fremont Street it's a welcome addition to Las Vegas attractions. It's always handy to find something to do that doesn't involve a bar.
As you can imagine I took a few photos including signs for a couple of places I've stayed at previously and that have since shut.

WSBK Laguna Seca 2013

I know that this is a bit after the horse has bolted but with one thing and another it's the first time I've been able to put fingers to key board for quite some time.

Part of my recent trip to America saw me in Monterey CA for the American round of the World Superbike Championship at the Laguna Seca track or Mazda Raceway as the sponsor likes it to be called. It was the first time in 9 years that WSBK had been to Laguna so no one was quite sure what to expect. Firstly would there be any riders? Only 15 had started in the previous round in Turkey. A few call ups from the minor leagues and the introduction of one of the American championship teams meant that there was a grid.

I haven't followed WSBK properly for a few years so I was really attending the event to witness the spectacle rather than cheer on a rider. I'd been to this track before for a MotoGP round in 2010 so I knew where I wanted to watch the action from; The Corkscrew. Possibly the most famous set of curves in motorsport. It's hard to describe but the name says it all.
  
                                                                                 

The Corkscrew

It can be a bit of a trek to get to the top of the curve but is worth it. There's no grandstand on The Corkscrew so a general admission ticket is all you need to watch the action. There's a bar and a couple of food stands. Shade can be a bit of an issue. As someone who's used to watching racing from a sodden hedge in the Isle of Man some sun and the ability to be fed and watered with ease is a great thing. The opening lap is often the best as the bikes arrive in what I can only describe as a train. It's fantastic to see bike after bike sweeping through the bends.                                                                                                        

I also caught some of the action at Andretti Curve which is just after start finish line. I can only describe that one as a sweeping hairpin which I know doesn't do it justice, I think double apex is the technical term. The bikes seem to pass through the curve almost horizontal before powering off towards turn 3.                     

Andretti Curve.

My main conclusion is that watching bike racing with the sun shining is a pleasurable experience.

Thirsty work.

Stage Door Liquor

The clocking is ticking down for the start of my latest trip to Las Vegas.

One of my favourite places to take the weight off my feet and chug back a cool one is Stage Door Liquor. For years I'd walked passed this bar/convenience store hybrid often on my way to Ellis Island to enjoy one of their steak specials for $7. I'm not sure why I ventured in but I'm glad I did. The prospect of $1 bottles for Michelob will no doubt have helped. Inside are a couple of small bar areas with video poker at all the seats.

Over the years there has always been the same barmaid on duty, Britney. Like most American bar staff she always ready to chat and ask a few questions about where your from. Also always quick to suggest another round. Well it is more tips after all. These visits have always taken place during day light hours.

Last year I ended up in Stage Door with the clock getting ready to strike the midnight hour. Still open, still $1 Michs. Gone was Britney, shift ended and gone was the Kenny G jazz of the days. Gangsta rap was blaring out of the jukebox and it was certainly more street than during the day. The armed guard can be a reassurance at times but when they spend most of their time with a mop in hand this isn't always the case. Are things that bad that the cleaning crew need a weapon? I will soon find out.

Manx Grand Prix 2013

August is over the hump and drawing to a close and I haven't put finger to keyboard yet. The bank holiday weekend is almost upon us and for the Isle of Man that can only mean: Manx Grand Prix or is it festival of racing or Classic TT, I'm not sure. What I can sure about is there will be racing on the Mountain Circuit. Not as fast as the TT but fast enough. A mix of amateurs and professionals riding on classic bikes but without Guy Martin as the mutton chopped grafter didn't sign on in time.

I've even managed to pop out myself and catch some practice action. After crossing over the St Ninian's footbridge I was whisked by fast car to the Union Mill area. A brief hike through a public park and along the old railway line, under the bridge and finally through what looked like someone's yard and I was at The Railway pub. I think it's recently reopened, it had certainly had a lick of paint. There had been an off just before I arrived, a rider, Scott Smyth I think, had hit the straw protection. The rider was ok and the bike was slightly bent.

 I saw a few other bikes go past. I'm not sure of the class although they weren't modern machines. Many of the riders looked far to big for them with legs all over the place.                                                                 

It's a difficult weekend for the dedicated motorcycle fan with the Czech Motogp round being held in Brno as. Will Marquez outdo his outrageous pass of Rossi on the Corkscrew at Laguna Sec from the previous round? I'm not sure how he can.                                                                                                                            

Here's a couple more pictures from practice week, showing first Kamil Holan who's left the pleasures of his native land hosting the Motogp and secondly Michael Dunlop both at Union Mills.                                                                                                               

Thanks to AJS Images for those.                                                                                                            

                                                                                                               

And finally one I took at the Corkscrew in 2010. When Marquez passed Rossi, the later was on the curb and the young Spanish tyro was dirt tracking.                                                                                          

                                                                                            

Selfies, A Warning From History For Geraldo Rivera

 For reasons I never been able to work out my most popular blog is about crumpled photographs. I thought it was time I looked at a modern photographic phenomenon, that of the self taken portrait or selfie. I must warn you that this blog contains some shocking images.

The selfie most often taken at an angle of 45 degrees, the subject's upper arm leading into the head shot. Sometimes there is even a famous landmark in the background. Proof that the solo traveler has indeed left their living room. I 've even taken some of myself.

The arrival of the front facing camera helped a lot with the rise of the selfie, you can see what you're taking.  Is there narcissism in the selfie though? Certainly many of them taken in front on a full length mirror give that appearance and social media gives the ideal          platform to show off these snaps.                                                                                  

There should always be self awareness with the photo. What got me thinking of this was a shot posted by Fox New presenter Geraldo Rivera. I was first aware of his work during my trips the States, Geraldo was often up to his knees in flood water, struggling to         remain up right in the teeth of a hurricane. I blame late night bars with nothing to show after the sports have finished. Anyway to celebrate his 70th birthday Geraldo decided to post this. Not his best work.                                                                                           

                                                                                 

This caused a lot of consternation and rightly a back lash on twitter. This was led by US chef, author and tv travel/food presenter Anthony Bourdain. First known to me through his book Kitchen Confidential, a mixture of autobiography, restaurant review and self help book, Bourdain let rip into the veteran newscaster.                                                          

Sadly for Bourdain's credibility he soon announced he was standing in for Piers Morgan on his CNN show and had obviously just been trying to drum up some interest. To be honest all he had to do was not be Piers Morgan.                                                                                                                                                  

Anyway here's something I found slightly more pleasing on the eye                                 

                    

Heat

 I'm not talking about the great film with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, I'm talking about the great British weather.         

                
The last few weeks have been glorious. The sun has shone, the skies have been blue. All is good, even the temperature control in my office has worked properly for the first time in 14 years. Obviously these things can't be rushed. Tied in with this has been some great sport. A couple of long winded events are taking place. The Ashes and Tour de France are occupying quite a lot of my time. I've been watching TDF on and off since the mid 1980s when C4 started showing highlights, probably around the time Stephen Roche won the event. This sort of fell away when C4 decided Hollyoaks was a priority. The discovery footage was shown live on Eurosport was a revelation. At the time they only used one commentator for the whole show, sometimes up to 6 hours. It's no wonder he used to wax lyrical about crème brulee.

There's plenty of local interest in this year's tour with both Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh taking part. Cav's capabilities are well known but I've been very impressed with the Olympic gold medallist from Onchan. He's put in several Herculean efforts at the front to get his Team Sky leader Chris Froome into the yellow jersey although he does now appear to have some sizable bags under his eyes.

As they would no doubt say in France:

                                               Chapeau Peter Kennaugh.

Isle of Man Festival

 Last time there was a music festival in the Isle of Man I ended up attending. I posted this on an old blog site in July 2010.

Late Replacement

I popped out for lunch on Saturday, at the Queens very nice, and subsequently found myself at the Bay Festival. I was initially surprised by this turn of events. I didn't have a coat with me and I was wearing new shoes. Steel toecapped Doc Martens; which are bang on trend. After Divercity and DJ Inronkic passed me by in a haze of indifference things started to pick up. The Coronas, not named after a long forgotten brand of lemonade, played well but weren't really my cup of tea. Not enough power chords but they went down well with the rest of the crowd so what do I know? Sets from The Feeling, including a Buggles cover and Calvin Harris raised the tempo and were more to my liking. The Feeling even managed to get their guitars screaming and Mr Harris was most insistent that we showed him our hands. This proved difficult while clutching a pint pot.

 The headline act was Spandau Ballet and to cut a long story short I got the impression they were just going through the motions but after 30 odd years in the business and having played, no doubt, some of the biggest venues a tent in Nobles Park might be a slight come down. They were well received by the crowd though.

I finished the night off with a very brisk walk home as the wind had picked up and I hadn't got round to getting a JLS hoody.

Martini

We are familiar with the vodka martini, shaken not stirred, from many a James Bond film. I'm not sure when I got a taste for them, it might have been during one of my many trips to Las Vegas.  I've never noticed them being knocked back but the Trip Advisor forum on Vegas is always full of people loving the drink so that's were I had my first martini. I don't think the barmaid at The Tropicana was quite up to scratch as it was severed with a wedge of lemon rather than a thin strip of peel.
 

Obviously I liked what I had as I got myself a cocktail shaker from Amazon and mixed myself up a batch. Initially vodka but I moved onto gin martinis as well. The gin gives a subtler taste rather than the massive booze hit you get the vodka.

The best martini I've had is in the 107 Lounge at The Stratosphere Hotel also in Las Vegas. Each one seemed to contain about a quarter bottle of gin. Good job they were consumed in happy hour. Things got a little messy later. That's the only problem with a martini, they taste great but as they are totally booze you can end up on your backside very quickly. This is why I keep them for home use only plus I'm not sure the bar staff in most Isle of Man pubs would know how to make one.

The best recipe for a martini is from the Bond film Casino Royale, which he names a Vesper:

'A dry Martini,' he said. 'One. In a deep champagne goblet.'
'Oui, Monsieur.'
'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large slice of lemon-peel. Got it?'

It's just hard to find Kina Lillet.

Drink up and drink often.

Walking

This time last year I was waterproofing my scotch eggs in preparation for The Parish Walk. The day before saw torrential rain which lasted long into the night. This year I hope to be pottering around at 8AM, possibly thinking about a bacon bap. A short hike, in honour of those competing, is planned for later in the day.

I've not been out on a hike for quite sometime. Our last outing was postponed due to the weather conditions, that was the weekend before The Big Snow although as this picture shows there was plenty around that day. The Buffoons marched at home that weekend. Since then the time seems to have flown by and my boots have just been gathering dust.

                        Hoozah to feet and the pleasure placing one in front of the other can bring.

2013 Isle of Man TT

As I sit at home waiting for my nightly dose of ITV4's TT coverage I can hear the distant roar of bikes as they climb Ago's.  I should probably get out rather than watch from the comfort of my recliner.

It's been a slow start to practice week with the weather putting paid to timed laps until tonight. The untimely death of Yoshinari Matsushita during Monday evening's session did nothing to lift the atmosphere. From the many comments posted online, a genuinely popular guy in the paddock who will be truly missed

The weather is set to hold steady for the next few days so hopefully Friday's final practice session and the next day's Superbike and sidecar races can get away on time. I'm also hoping the weather stays fine for tomorrow as it's the works TT BBQ. Due to belt tightening the event is no longer free these days but I shall try to extract value for the money from it. Brews and a view that can't be bought. Not a bad life.

    

I won't give a list of runner and riders and I'm certainly no expert on this but I am looking forward to seeing how new comer Josh Brookes gets on with his Tyco Suzuki and Gary Johnson on a MV Agusta in the Supersport races. I bumped into Gary a few years ago in a late night drinking establishment and a suggestion of "Meat on a Stick" racing was made as a homage to food served at the Laguna Seca track in California. He never got back to me.   

 

 

I've been out and about over  the last few days and taken a few snaps which I'll share below

                                                                       

                                                                               

All I need now is a dodgy burger and to hear Golden Earring's Radar Love and I'm good.

Isle of Man TT 2013

                                                                             

                                          Conor Cummins during practice 2011

Well the 2013 Isle of Man TT is a week away. Let's hope it's a good one. Hopefully the roads have been repaired following the unseasonal snow fall at the end of March. Many of the top riders have been preparing with a trip to the North West 200. From the coverage on BBC Online this preparation has mainly been wearing a rain coat and getting used to cancelled races. 
                                                                                    

                        Michael Dunlop on route to victory in the Superstock Race 2012
                                                          
I'm sure John McGuinness will win his normal quota of races with some of the usual suspects making up the numbers.  Michael Dunlop will make his presence felt if only with his outspoken views. No doubt there will be endless photos of Guy Martin's eyes through his visor. New to the circuit this year is BSB rider Josh Brookes, hard to tell how he'll go.
                                                                               

                           Josh Brookes showing the maker's name at a BSB round

For me TT is more about the social side of things. I used the visit the Bushys Beer Tent every night but age has diminished me so it's only a few trips these days. The wonders of visiting food retailers will also be tried. My place of work normally have a bit of a do but in these times of austerity this is no longer free. The only downside to this are plastic glasses. They add nothing to the taste and seem to get thinner each year which can cause spillage issues if the sides are squeezed. I've added some beer gloves to my set up this year as it normally gets a bit chilly in the evenings once the sun disappears. Beer goggles have always been worn.

Thanks to AJS Images for the photos. There's also a Facebook page.

A couple of other guys I know also take the odd TT snap so if bikes are you thing take a look at JC Images and TGF Photos as well. I'm sure they have links to Facebook and Twitter all sorted on their sites.

Lets hope that the planned 12 day bus strike doesn't have too much effect. ( I just can't stay away from bus blogs these days). Our highly paid drivers have decided that TT is the time of year that they would like off. Idiots.

Isle of Man TT Blogs Gold

With TT nearly upon us I thought I'd raid the vaults for an old TT blog. First published 23 May 2008.

The TT starts tomorrow under some what of a shadow, as seems usual these days. I was hoping to view the first practise session from my normal vantage point of outside the QB with a pint in hand. I've been advised that this area is now caged to protect the crowd. If they cancel the session due to lack of marshals perhaps we could intoduce some inpromtu cage fighting to keep the crowds happy. The junction of Quarterbridge Road and Peel Road makes a natural fighting area. The UFC followers will go mad for it. If the TT ends up disappearing for one reason or another we will have a replacement event to drop straight into the the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
With TT comes the Bushy's beer tent which is my highlight. Its just an excuse to go out more than is normal or good for me and then remember later in the evening that's despite it being late May or early June its still quite chilly in the evenings.

Finally, always remember your feedback is important to me. I might even start addressing any points that you raise. Its been a while since Mike at the Atlantic Bank got in touch.

Sky Atlantic

Sky Atlantic is one of the best things to arrive on our TVs in recent years. Well, it is in my opinion. There are some great shows on the channel. I'm currently enjoying The Following with Kevin Bacon. He plays a former FBI agent called back to duty to track down an escaped serial killer obsessed with the writing of Edger Allen Poe. It's gripping, the end of each episode keep you hooked as the killer always appears to be one step ahead of Bacon. It is unrelentingly grim though with multiple slayings many of which involve blades. To confuse matters when the show first started airing Kevin Bacon was advertising a mobile phone company.

Also on Sky Atlantic packing my Thursday night are Blue Bloods and Vegas . The former stars Tom Selleck, his moustache and Donnie Wahlberg. Selleck is the New York Police commissioner and all his family are involved in law enforcement. It's one of those series they specialise with in the US where if you miss a couple of episodes do don't miss a continuing story line. Straight after Blue Bloods is Vegas starring Dennis Quaid as the LV sheriff pitting his wits against Chicago gangster and casino boss Michael Chiklis. I do love a show about Vegas. I hear the show has been dropped after only one series so fingers crossed it's picked up by another network, in the style of Southlands . 

                                                                            

Weekdays finish off in style with Treme . They're still mopping New Orleans after Katrina using drink and a booming horn section. 

Happy viewing.

Good Friday Gallon - Blogs Gold

                                                                       

                                                

I rescued this from my old blog site. It takes me back to days when Good Friday could be a frantic two hour swill. First published back in 2007. Even in those days I was harking back to days gone by, simpler times for simpler people.                                                                

The day always used to mean to me "The Good Friday Gallon". Back in the day when it was only Sunday drinking hours for this religious holiday, a whole 2 hours, the simple task was to consume a gallon of beer. No ifs, no buts, a gallon needed to be ordered and drank between 8 & 10 pm. There was a little bit of leeway with the drinking up time. Heady days my friend and not something I could contemplate these days.

Although extended opening hours have done away with this dash for beer. The longer hours have led to a more continental style of boozing. Possibly catching a game of football shown in a local pub, followed by a post match, pre teatime pint with a few more a little later. All this finished off by a nightcap in a local club.

That's much more controlled than a 2 hour boozefest once a year.

What's up?

Not much to be honest. Bendy buses are still on our roads and it's rained. So nothing much has changed.

Sausage Saturday has been and gone. I had a simple sausage bap, pork and leak from Bride. Local sausages for local people. I am also liking the work of the butcher in Onchan. Both his dragon and pork and garlic are well worth a go.

I've decided to take the plunge and join most of the rest of the modern world and have some new windows fitted. Johnny Doubleglazing has given me a price and has promised to help me with the planning application. Yes, my humble central Douglas artisan dwelling is in a conservation zone so I need to ask nicely if I can make my property better. I'm not a fan of big government so as you can imagine I'm not too happy about this.
 
My spirits will be lifted hopefully by a hike next Saturday. I've placed the route planning in the hands of twitter buddy @ScoshaMalosha quite an honour for the young man. I will need to know how many scotch eggs to bring.

On The Buses IV Isle of Man Bendy Buses

I wrote a blog about the buses on the Isle of Man a few months ago. Little did I think that I would still be going on about them now. The industrial dispute is still on going and the bendy buses are here. You can catch up on my other blogs about the Isle of Man bus situation here and here .

Well, a couple of bendy buses have arrived on the island and are currently being trialled, or tested as I would call it around various places. I've not witnessed any myself but the buses have been seen around the Ballakermeen area probably to the alarm of normal motorist. There's a couple of photographs doing the rounds of the internet showing bendy buses in action and also stationary.

                                                                   
While this bus might not be stuck according the Department of Culture Community and Leisure, I'm sure the driver wasn't just examining the hedge, it was probably just a wrong turn and happened during half term so no harm done.

                                                                       
More concerning is this one taken by Isle of Man Newspapers of an articulated bus passing Castle Rushen. The front of the bus is overhanging nearly the whole pavement with the wheel against the kerb. There isn't much room for pedestrians. Although as they plan to use these vehicles on school bus routes I'm not quite sure why they would need to pass through the centre of Castletown. I'm sure even todays generation X-boxers can manage to get from the Glue Plot to the school under their own steam.

                                                                   
This picture is from JC Images although it might be from his private stock, shows the top of Railway Hill in action. I do hope this wasn't grounding out while rounding the corner.

                                                               
They look so cute in their natural environment.

Updated bus blog here.

Camp Cunningham

The face of Douglas has slowly changed over the years. The latest landmark to go is HMP Douglas. It's not far from my work and over the last couple of months this correctional institution has been reduced to a cleared site and one final building. I always like the distinctive red brick and tiled main building which was visible beyond the high wall although demolition of this wall revealed there was less red brick than one imagined. 

I've heard several people say that the old prison should have been preserved but I can't say I favoured that. What would you do with an old prison? We have a couple of castles which served the same sort of purpose. I can only hope the site isn't sold on for flats to be built.

                                          HMP Douglas, well all that is left of it.

Something else of old Douglas will also soon disappear. The lift to the Cunningham Holiday Camp. The very early holiday camp was situated on what is now an office park off Victoria Road, opposite a well known shop. It can be a steep climb from sea level up to the site of the camp and a lift was installed. The nearest modern equivalent I can think of is a ski lift. The Cunningham lift was a continually moving set of  bucket seats that were fixed sideways to a  belt, the seats flipping over and underneath when it reached the top. 

This is something that I think should be preserved. I became aware of the lift a few years ago when I saw it through shrubbery whilst going up Switzerland Road from Douglas Promenade to Victoria Road. If you're looking for this road, it's can be found on the junction between the Hydro Hotel and Promenade T-Shirts. It brings you out opposite the old prison site. Manx National Heritage only appear to want to high light things where a cafe and interpretation centre can be built. It's a shame. I've included a couple of photos and I think you can just about make out the lift in one of them. The other one shows the entrance to the lift.

                                                The grand entrance to Camp Cunningham

Snow Joke

After days of warning that Friday would see a massive snow "event" in the Isle of Man, it all came to nothing. Sure there's been some in the hills but that's to be expected and few areas have had a dusting but for most of us Friday was just another breezy day.

                                                   Snow in happier times.


As I wasn't snowed in I took a stroll along Strand Street looking for signs of the retail malaise that is meant to be blighting high streets up and down the UK. I didn't notice much apart from around The Strand Centre which hosts the majority of empty shops in Douglas. I don't think holding an urban dance demonstration on a Saturday morning is going to bring thronging crowds in. HMV had a healthy crowd of browsers, no doubt some like me hoping for a liquidation bargain. I didn't see much although the Quentin Tarantino box set for £12 was good value. What I did notice is quite a few people from work going about their retail thing. It was pay day yesterday after all.

On a lighter note today I used both poultry shears and a meat cleaver. Quite pleased with myself for that. I now have a nicely quartered chicken.