Yacht Club nosh

[Violetta]

Out of my area

Never ate at the Hammersmith - but I was always fascinated by what different hospital catering managers could do with the same small budget. Is it "just a job" or do people care about the result - that's what makes the difference.

I have always treasured a compliment I was paid many, many years ago when working as a "cook/mate" for the ICC. One chap, at the end of his holiday, shook my hand and said "thank you - this is the first time I've been on a boat and looked forward to my food". It used to give me a huge kick, trying to make every meal a little bit special in some way - and seeing how much it was appreciated.

Hope your travels are still going well, Charles.....

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[Violetta]

Sharing a pseudonym with Homer Simpson

Could it be that Mr. Power also shares his approach to food? ;-)

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[Violetta]

Going down the gurgler?

No it ain't. I like it here. Even the food is improving, although we still have a long way to go to regain our lost cultural heritage of food appreciation.

Each to his/her own - enjoy your wanderings!

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[AndrewB]

Plug for White Cliffs YC, Dover.

When this was formed a couple of years ago it was decided to approach an award-winning quayside restaurant (Cullin's Yard) to provide us with a base. Meetings do have to be in any room that is going spare, but we enjoy the best food of any YC I've known. After all, which is more important!

 

[Violetta]

Ah.....

Now Dover's a place we might actually get to. A club with a proper sense of priorities indeed! Visiting yachtspersons welcome, I trust?

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[Sybarite]

Re: Talking about hospitals..

On the same theme. My sister is a career nurse and is very enthusiastic about what she does - trained at Saint Thomas'. Recently I took her to see some of the hospital facilities in France and notably the food scene. Around mid-morning they bring round the menu for you to choose your lunch - and wine - and it is beautifully cooked. What really got her though were the patient massage sessions on a relaxing water-bed - in this case for post natal relaxation. You could also freely book sessions for several months after having given birth.

John



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[charles_reed]

Re: Out of my area

Apart from the cellulitis and acute generalised septicaemia in 2001 (which landed me in the Virgen de Carmen) and the fatigue failure mode mast which wrote off most of 2002 sailing season, things have been going swimmingly.
Having finally fought my way through the slough of depression which is Mediterranean Spain and arrived at Sardinia/Corse/Sicily, I have, at last found some cruising areas which can start to compete with the Atlantic coasts (Westcountry of UK, S Brittany, S & W Ireland, Atlantic Spain and Portugal).

On my way into the Med I met a depressed Swede in an X boat who said he was so fed up with the Med that he was off back to the N Sea where IHHO the sailing was better. (Mind you it is a Swedish trait - depression).
He had a point.
Wasn't it Bill Cooper who pointed out that the Western med was merely there to test your resolve on the way through to the E Med.

How are things on the E Coast - is the buxom Macwester still acting as your magic carpet?

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[charles_reed]

Re: Talking about hospitals..

If I were ill...

France would be where I'd choose.

I've a mate who's in charge of the cardiology dept at Lille Medical school, in 1968 his kit made the postgraduate school @ hammersmith look positively Victorian (and that was our No 1 center of excellence).

Mind you it can't continue - the French can't afford the quality of medical care they currently enjoy.

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[Mirelle]

Re: Sharing a pseudonym with Homer Simpson

More than likely; for aught we know, he or she is a teenager playing on a parents' PC. It has happened before...

 

[NigeCh]

Holyhead SC

(But it was several years ago)

One of the joys of sailing is to rediscover past roots, so we launched our 2nd cruiser from Port Dinorwic, a Wayfarer, that we had sailed many miles on/in/under with tent and primus stove for a 'sharpening' excercise to sail clockwise around Anglesey. After an epic beat wind over tide through whirligigs and overfalls off North Stack(somewhat reminiscent of The Ride of the Valkyries) where it took us 4 hours to do the last 3 miles, we finally made it into Holyhead and crunched the boat up the ramp by the Holyhead Sailing Club at dusk .... and the dining room had just closed.

We asked where the nearest fish and chip shop was and whether we could pitch our tent in front of the Clubhouse.

To cut a long story short, they re-opened the restaurant and said that they only had home-made Steak, Kidney and Oyster Pie with home grown mangetouts, chips and gravy.

With a pint of Guinness (genuine Liffey) we climbed the stairs and had the finest meal in any Yacht Club that I've ever had.

The costs: Parking the Wayfarer: Free; Camping: Free; Dinner: about £6.00 per person.

I've eaten there many a time since and it's excellent food at prices which makes you wonder why you would want to eat anywhere else.


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[Violetta]

That\'s more like it

Shows what you can do with a bit of love - of people and of food. It's a great combination!

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[Violetta]

Sad and glad

Sad to hear about the setbacks - to you and the boat - but glad to hear that things are back on track now. Makes you think, doesn't it? Both how lucky we are with the wonderful sailing areas we have around our coasts and the neighbouring ones AND how unpredictable life is. Don't neglect to enjoy it!

Yes - same old boat. We've had her 27 years now. She's family and we would never think of getting rid of her. Indeed, we often say we will have to scuttle her if and when the time comes that she, or we, are too old to carry on. In all the years since the shell swung over the telegraph wires and came to land in the Buckinghamshire meadow where we started her fitting out, she has never sailed without one, or both of us on board. We can't imagine that ever happening, although we have had quite a few offers for her over the years.

It really is quite restful, never having to worry about what the next boat is going to be. Barring the unthinkable, there ain't gonna be one!

Fair winds to you.

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[LadyInBed]

Re: Now, I wonder.....

If you also scrub decks, unblock heads and polish bright work, I can offer you a berth /forums/images/icons/cool.gif/forums/images/icons/blush.gif/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[Violetta]

All of that - and more.....

Heh, heh, heh...

But I don't need a berth, thank you very much. I have a very good one of my own ;-)

And neither, at this time, do I need a crew, so I'm afraid I cannot reciprocate your kind offer.......

P.S. I also make GROMMETS!!!!! Now - who else do you know wot can do that? Jolly useful things, grommets



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[whisper]

Re: All of that - and more.....

How come your profile doesn't mention this multitude of talents ? It's as empty as mad Max's. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[ccscott49]

Re: All of that - and more.....

Isn't grommit a cartoon character along with wallace /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[Twister_Ken]

Re: Ah.....

La Belle Violetta,

If you do make it to Dover, by all means try the White Cliffs (but it doesn't have facilities at Cullins Yard every night, I believe). OTOH, only visit the Royal Cinque Ports if you are prepared to put your watch back 35 years.

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[Gunfleet]

Re: Talking about hospitals..

Couldn't agree more about the French medical service. Both I (motorcycle accident - someone backed a lorry over me) and Mrs M (slipped disc) have been hospitalised when we lived in France. Both times it was like a midway decent hotel, only with hot and cold running nurses. Fantastic. We've all had the English A&E experience, leave alone the laughably named 'medical assessment' (ie where tyro medics get to prod you and guess what's wrong). It's like being hospitalised in a casbah. I keep telling herself, if I get seriously ill please drive me to Calais and call the SAMU.

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[ccscott49]

Snobbish? Because she sets high standards for food? As far as I'm concerned, fast food is smoked salmon, with toast and butter, with a cold chablis! I've never had a burgerking thingy or macdonalds wotsit in my life and do not intend to start now! Snobbish? OK I'll live with that! Pillock!

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[Jeremy_W]

Dartmouth YC was very good when Hump and I looked in at the beginning of April. An antipodean held the franchise and the menu was short and unpretentious, BUT the key was first class fresh local ingredients.

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