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Relaxing BH weekend and a BBQ at Danny and Jo's house.

Haven't done much over the weekend. I have been working really hard at the Gym recently, and when I stayed over at my friends house on Friday, I didn't wake up the next morning, until 11am. I think it was my body telling me I had been overdoing it, so I stayed away from the gym and just relaxed.

On Sunday I was invited to a BBQ at Danny and Jo's house. It was a pretty cool afternoon. I enjoyed it that much, that I even got slightly drunk (the first time for 5 weeks).

I decided to help out with the actual cooking (you can see the bbq and bread rolls in the bottom right of the picture) and the husband of one of Jo's friends taught me the finer points of cooking on a bbq.

The whole garden had recently been landscaped and the grass wouldn't have looked out of place in old trafford.

Dan showed me around the house. He has a room setup with all sorts of cool technology and he was showing me the living room, which he decorated himself (put me a bit to shame I'm afraid).

Dave occupied himself, and entertained a 10 year old guest at the party for hours with his "gaming" exploits.

I think some of the guests at the party, might have thought I was being a bit awkward and occasionally obnoxious, but I wasn't really, I was just having a really good time and got carried away (I haven't been to a party in ages).

Sorry about the quality of the picture, I have lent my Cannon Ixus to Steve (to help him fight crime) and so I had to use the camera on my travel phone.

In other "news" I just got hold of a new laptop (the Acer aspire one) which I will be writing up later in the week. I will be completing the pages about Kuala Lumpur in the next few days. At that point, johnsunter.com will be completely up to date, for the first time since its inception.

I have often done my best work, in pubs or cafe's. Its always been that way, and wherever I go, I always have a book to read, a folder to work on or my laptop with me. I hadn't realised it, but this is called the 3rd place. I was reading a pretty good article about 3rd place working, written by San Sharma, technical assistant to my old from from Andersen, Emma Jones, editor of the excellent website enterprise nation and author of the new book spare room startup.

I think I should mention at this point why Dave Mandy is nicknamed "Dizzy Dave". The original "Dizzy Dave" was a lad I met at IBM.

When he talked, he made my head spin. The point being, it isn't he who is dizzy, he interacts to quickly that he makes those around him dizzy and the nickname is a term of respect and admiration.

I know lots of clever people, but Dave really was a genius. When I moved to Chester, I met someone just like him, who usefully was also called Dave (if he'd been called say, Kevin, it really would have mucked things up a bit) and so that's why he got the nickname.

Tragically, Shanaze Reade, didn't succeed in winning the "in the bag" BMX Gold Medal. You can read more about it on BBC results and BBC analysis.

Off to Moscow on the 2nd, should be pretty cool.

Eating out a lot and Fish Finger Butty's at the Faulkner.

Iv' e been broadening my culinary and beverage horizons over the last few weeks in Chester (why not, I have lost a stone in weight at the gym :).

I popped into Oddfellow for lunch. Its expensive there, but the service and atmosphere, are comparable with the Chester Grosvenor and its a very relaxing place to meet people. Like many of the places I visited recently, Ill be going back.

I recently had Coffee at Frank Benjamin, the award winning Deli and restaurant on Northgate Street. The service can only be described as superb. The only way I can describe it, is to say that it was like eating and drinking in a friends home !.

A new Noodle Bar opened on Nothgate Street a couple of weeks ago, and I had lunch there. Not the cheapest in town at £4, but delicious all the same. I wish id known about it when Frank and Na were down here, they would have loved it.

A beautiful pub has opened in Handbridge, which I have started visiting. Called simply The Handbridge, the food, atmosphere and furnishings are superb and its out of the main run of town.

A Pitcher and Piano has opened near to Off the Wall. I popped in there as I have always had fond memories of the one in Manchester, which I used to visit frequently on evening out from Arthur Andersen. Didn't blow me away, but pleasant all the same.

I have started to go out a lot in Hoole (pronounced with my Manchester accent "ool") It was here the other evening in the Oak, that we celebrated the leaving of the excellent Dizzy Dave from BT (the end of an era now, as there are no long any "BT Boys").

He hasn't wandered far though, he has gone to work with Dan at LSG in Crewe. Dan and I have had a couple of drinks in the Faulkner (its equal distanced between his house and mine). On the occasion that the bar staff's tranquilizers have worn off, and you can actually get served in a reasonable time, its quite a nice pub.

In addition to this, they have a pretty smart pub food menu, and it includes comfort food like Fish Finger Butty's. This is me eating one. Thing is, fish finger butty's are one of my favourite meals, and you just cant find anywhere, that sells them (if you ask, your usually told its on the children's menu or more often just given a patronizing look).

When I went to order the Butt'y, I also ordered a quarter pounder for Dan. On the menu, its referred to as a regular "Big Boy". There was no way I was saying that at the bar, so I just pointed at the menu and said one of those :)

Day out in Wales with Frank and Na.

I Spent the day out with Frank and Na on Sunday (it was a packed weekend, hence the website being updated late, my apologies).

The plan was fine. The train travels from Manchester Piccadilly, passes through Chester (where I would join it) and then on to Llandudno junction. But oh, what's this, there is a replacement bus from Warrington, Frank and Na miss their connection and I'm left hanging around the station for 40 minutes.

Well, we eventually arrive at Llandudno junction and to my surprise, Conway is only a short walk away (I have attended quite a few courses at Llandudno junction, and if id know, I would have popped out at lunch.

We wander around the walls (there was some debate about the best way to get onto the wall, but after much sarcasm from me, Frank is proved right). I took the above picture with the best view of the Walls, the Town and the Harbour that I could get.

We had a couple of drinks in the Liverpool arms and then raced back to get the Blaenau Ffestiniog train. Sadly, we just missed it, so we jumped on another train to Llandudno.

We wandered along the waterfront, down the peer, and around the back streets and shops. We finished off the day, with Fish and chips (Na is enthusiastically embracing UK food) from a delightful cafe compliments of Frank.

As we headed home, I got of the train as it passed Chester. I am only meeting up with Frank, once more before he heads back to Thailand. I will probably "pop" over and see him next year.

Stu's leaving do.

The entertaining and sometimes frank Stu (who has become nicknamed "Spew") left my firm on Friday, and we all went out to celebrate (well not really, that sounds awful, we actually went out to give him a good send off).

To be honest I wasn't looking forward to it. Its Liverpool City Center and I'm more of a small pub, sit in the corner kind of guy. Still, a promise is a promise, and we head down to Liverpool for the evening, wearing aftershave and suitably ironed clothing.

When I got there, I was surprised to find that most of the bars weren't as crowded as I had first thought. Bouncers, for the most part seemed almost friendly and jeans were allowed to be worn (a sacrilege 5 years ago).

We first visited Edwards (where I met up with Peter Gillespie. A changed man now, and a pleasure to meet. I remember him years ago, as a young lad helping us to cable the office, when we were let down by a supplier).

Next we went to a Vodka Bar, where I met an old friend from Chester, Bruno, who used to work at the Firkin, and later at MBNA. I found out that he moved to Liverpool 18 months ago. It was in the Vodka bar, where the above picture was taken. I especially like this picture. The Neon light on the ceiling, gives the impression that Simon (with his MC arms) is wielding some kind of light saber !.

Next up, we went to some sort of 80's bar. The music was really good but we didn't stay long. It was here, that I gave Stu my space pen. Inspired by the scene in a Beautiful mind, I have given a few of them out to mark special occasions. I have already ordered a replacement, so no problem there.

After this, we visited a vibrant Iris Bar, and in the video bellow, Simon can be seen demonstrating his Irish Dancing.

We'll all miss you Spew, have a great time at your new Job.

John

Jude's Birthday.

Just came back from a weekend camping in Porthmadog.

The occasion, was the birthday, of the excellent Jude (pictured above). The camping trip was a grandiose affair, to say the least (the picture above, is taken in the Gazebo where the main party was held).

I was exposed to some "yoof" music, including some people called the Gallows. At first, I felt that a visit to the gallows was preferable to listening, but over time, it grew on me. Lindsay was explaining the principles of hardcore fashion. I now understand, that the lad in the pub with a flat cap, isn't in actual fact a prat as I have always thought, but actually at the cutting edge of urban style.

There were guitars, loads of tents in a kind of small "woodstock" configuration and a brill mix of different people. I was really impressed with Angela's camper van and at one point, there was even an air pistol shooting competition (did that pellet really pass right through the can ?, I don't remember air guns being so powerful, when I was a teenager).

Overall, a brill weekend and I met loads of new people, had a go at "camp" cooking and just generally enjoyed the countryside.

You can see some pictures from the weekend here. To watch a video of me cooking, click the object bellow.

In this weeks action packed itinery, Fish finger butty's from the Faulkner this evening, the new X Files film on Tuesday and a leaving do in Liverpool on Friday.

My mate Spew (he's actually called Stu, but I think that's far too conventional a name for a friend of mine) has decided to leave our firm after 7 years. Liverpool isn't normally my evening destination of choice, but I am going to hop over on Friday and see what it like.

Whilst camping, over the weekend, we visit Black Rock Sands beach. On the left, some of the lads attempt an "Eiffel Tower" from sand. A brave attempt, to say the least.

Were British after all, so over on the right, a thoroughly civilised game of backgammon is being played. Behind that, is the excellent VW Golf, that I rented for the weekend. £57 for 4 days was a fantastic deal.

It was so hot, that a few of us (including me) got burned by the sun.