Just trying to pass it along the line

On a dismal West Sussex day when there’s not really a great deal to do. there are no trains running into Brighton so we can’t go to pride and it’s really just a little bit ….”sort of not a nice day” So the only thing for it was to go out and try and get a few little bits that we needed to purchase for home and as we were going up to Chichester we decided that we would pop into the garden restaurant which is the little place inside the brickkilnl garden centre and have a bit of breakfast

Only one thing for it…. The big old breakfast , to set me up for a morning of retail browsing all the things we wish we could buy.

This isn’t a blog about the breakfast. That was ok. Nothing wrong with it and reasonably priced.

I blog about service as you’ll see, and what surprised me was then when I asked to take advantage of the offer for”kids eat for £1″ and all I wanted to do was put a lunch “down the line “for some one that needed it….. I got 3 reasons why I couldn’t do that. Not any one who wanted to work out what COULD be done.

Poor show #brickkilnursery. I’ll stick my pound in a charity pot somewhere it begins. Because that isn’t at the restaurant in your center

I think it’s only fair to the business that I add to this that when I came out of the nursery at the tills I was asked if I had a good day and I said actually …no,that I haven’t I explained what had happened and the site manager came and explained to me that if I looked at the terms and conditions on the offer then I was too early and also that the child I was getting the meal for had to be with me at the time. ( I know I don’t look old but my two are both adults) Now I fully understand the reasoning behind this but surely if somebody wants to actually put some money in a box or use it to buy somebody a little less fortunate some food then that’s more about the spirit of the offer .brick kill nursery of Chichester West Sussex would rather not work in the spirit of the offer but live by factual terms.

I did suggest to the nursery that what they could do would be to put a box near the checkout and if anybody wanted to buy a little token or a ticket to put in that box that would give somebody that needed it a small free meal then that would help a lot of people potentially and it would also bring people into the nursery that may not already have come in.

This is in no way to detract from the garden centre as a garden centre which is one of the nicer and better ones in the area but the restaurants side of things I think they’re approach to actually helping people is terrible

And just to finally add to this I did pay for my food my drink for me and my wife and this is in no way a sponsored posy

So you have found my blog…. It’s one without any pictures and I would love to hear your comments once you’ve read it

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

A bit of a new style for me but I’m gonna give this a go and see if I get any responses it’s a simple question and I’m just curious if you can answer below in the comments

what is your favourite thing about you

I don’t need to know what other people think of you and I don’t even need to know what you think of each other it would just be nice to have somewhere positive where people can say for example that they are friendly, they are honest they are whatever positive value they think they are….

I’m going to put this across all the categories and all the tags of my blog, the good ones and the bad ones and I’m curious to see what comes back.

When you are in Felpham in West Sussex and you’re looking for breakfast there is only really one choice

On a Sunday morning when it’s nice and sunny and it’s an easy morning of not doing very much there is a great choice in felpam in West Sussex of places that you can go for breakfast and over the many years of living in this part of the world I’ve probably been to most of them and I would say in my opinion deligo is probably the best

They offer a decent selection of breakfasts, they do the full English breakfast they have vegan options they have vegetarian options they have lighter options they do a great selection also of coffees teas and with regards to sandwiches and cheer batteries their choice is amazing

You can see their menu and they’re opening hours and get their contact details if you want them from this webpage https://linktr.ee/deligoeatery

On my last two visits I have gone for the lighter breakfast option of salmon and scrambled eggs which has been nice and on each time I think I’ve had a cappuccino coffee with it

The prices as you would expect food is really really nice the venue is not huge but it has seating outside and I would say if you’re in this little village on a Sunday it’s well worth the visit in fact if you’re in this little village any day of the week it’s well worth a visit

Just too add that these opinions are my own and I have not been paid or had any sponsorship for this blog

Trying out “the buttery” in Chichester…..impressed.

As  anybody that follows this blog will know I don’t generally go much out of my hometown but today I’m in Chichester in West Sussex . As I am told that a change is as good as a rest but obviously on a cold spring wintery morning there is a need for some warm

The last time I was here which was probably in the last millennium this place was called the crypt but now it seems to be under new ownership which isn’t surprising really

The obligatory cappuccino coffee and nice hot drink for my amazing wife, for some reason it is the time of day to have a scone and I have breakfast coming. And for those that follow me you will know I’m currently going carb free so yes I have a carb reduced breakfast.

As I’m not yet brave enough to blog live I suppose I should just say that I’ve had a lovely breakfast I’ve got a nice cup of coffee to finish, service was excellent and I will come back probably next time I’m in town. Thank you very much to the young lady who served us, I did know her name but I won’t publish it

The only very cold fly in the ointment would not be an issue in the summer…. But in a cold crypt. I guess the keeping coats on is ok… Even though we were next to a radiator that wasn’t on it was a bit chilly…must be to make the drinks feel warmer ..

Thank you www.thebuttery.org

Just to confirm, these opinions are mine and this blog was not sponsored

When you go back to a place, hoping it’s improved……

As me and Mrs Oldman Leslie were out doing a bit of shopping to get the parts to finish off the amazing decorating at home after we had www.freshcolours.co.uk in to do some painting. We made the pilgrimage to the hard water store. Arranged the parts we needed to get.

Typical winter afternoon🥶 in West Sussex so we thought about popping Into Costa coffee on the shripney road in bignor Regis

Nothing wrong with the coffee. But the service is a different matter

All we wanted was 2 drinks, and for one of the team to drop it over to us when ready. as im a little wobbly when carrying trays

I was just a little surprised that whilst I was sat waiting for our drinks to come over .to see the drinks go to another table and having waited 10-minutes when I went up to the counter to see where they were the staff just looked very blankly at me and made no apology at all

I then asked another one of the staff if I could have a paper copy feedback form to complete so that I can get a response from Costa and unfortunately at time of writing this hasn’t been given to me either

So as I mentioned there is no problem with the way the product tastes but basically has anyone who is followed by Brian eno it’s all about the service and this place that doesn’t seem to matter

Foot note … When we left, I asked again form the feedback form and I was told quite abruptly that any feedback I had I should leave online

So here is my feedback if you want nice coffee and great atmosphere and people who actually want your business in bognor Regis then head to the high Street to the London road coffee shop which is amazing and if you just want to sit and have something served at you which might be drinkable then Costa coffee is where to go.

Who knew, finding such a cool place on a rainy day could cheer up the day. In a town I’ve never been to before….

In a town I’ve never been to before,on a rainy summer’s day in Ventnor.

We found a place, it looked quaint so we went straight in, off the street…

That’s brave for me.

What a find, and right on the prom

This one had a gorgeous suprise in it. A hunk of lemon meringue ice cream in the middle of a HUGE coffee

A huge slice of Victoria sponge for me, the age-old debate of “scone or scone” with my son a quiche and two hot chocolates for my wife and the family and I think the bill was about £13 pounds (UK) and the place is #dogfriendly. It’s just a shame that #Ventnor beach is not #doggyfriendly during the summer season

But, back to the coffee shop and wow what a coffee shop.what’s not to like.

Attentive staff, decent pricing. Just wish I’d found it sooner.

It’s on the prom in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight….

And it’s called,well I don’t actually know what it was called

Update from a cold winters night in west sussex 10/12/2020 Finally found the name of this amazing Place…

The Chocolatier

Metropole, Esplanade, Ventnor

Look them up on face Book to check they are open, and if you are passing , its well worth a visit

We were so impressed as we were walking through ventnor on my way back to the car I recommended them to another couple

This wasn’t under the #eoho scheme. We paid full price, I just thought you might like to give it a try if y’all are in Ventnor.

<p class="has-drop-cap" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">

Deli express -Bognor Regis

10/12/16 Update on the blog, Unfortunately  this wonderful deli is No More , Such a shame, however there is always  ” the tank” for great coffee in town.

 

 

 

So those that know my Blog will know that I have many times sung the praises of a business that for all the right reasons is no more….but for once,it’s a success story…

The team behind the sandwich factory have moved into the high street into bigger cafe / restaurant premises…still offering the great selection of baguettes and cakes. Great coffee aswell helps.

And of course my BBC baguette which was just a nice and tasty as always

I know my picture doesn’t do it justice.this is cos the half I ate already was gorgeous.

Not too pricey and with all the usual face book and email so you can order for local free delivery
I am sure it’s going to do well, so if you are here for  Holidays,butlins,a day out,shopping. it’s a great place to stop for lunch or a snack
Good luck deli Express

What a success story

And just for the record this is NOT a sponsored post

May 2016 update
Such a shame there was not enough support .this business is no more.it has closed

 

Just a shame i cant use them anymore been using them for years & never had a bad one

10/12/16 Update on the blog, Unfortunately  this amazing local Business is  No More , Such a shame, however there is always  ” the tank” for great coffee in town

This had been in Bognor for many years

If not the Best, then certainly One of the best Places in the town of Bognor Regis  to get a Sandwich , Before it was the sandwich Factory, it was Kays. Before that who knows.  All i can tell you is that i have used them many times over the years, NEVER had a bad one from them, Always good service as well.

If you are  down this way, possibly on hols at Butlins

, the shoreline, the wave . or any where else , you will find  these boys in the town near the post  office . Its weird as i have never asked the guys name, but he always says  Hi when i go in

My PERSONAL  choice is a HOT Baggutte with Bacon Brie  & Cranberry sauce…..you can now see why i cant go too often

http://the-sandwichfactory.com/  will give you their address  & NO , i wasn’t paid  for this Blog, i think the service is THAT  good  and the food speaks for itself

Related articles

• Health Benefits of Cranberries (lowcarb.answers.com)

What a great little find, I only wish we had found it earler – Flo’s Diner

So this is all about  an amazing little Diner that me and my family found when we were on our holiday this summer.

We stayed in New York state and I’m sure many of the native new yorkers would know of many many good places to eat however we didn’t go to many many places we went to a few and one of the best that we found was Flos Diner

It was a nice unassuming place a good service, amazing menu ( i had flos slop )  of great  food.well priced,clean tidy and basically what all the things I perceived an American diner should be.

Flo’s Diner advertises itself as the home of the”tencent coffee”  I tried the tencent coffee and it was just as nice as many that I paid £1 for £2 for in the UK.

This Diner was an absolute Gem of find and i only wish  that we had found it a lot earlier during our stay

we did pay for food we weren’t given anything the prices were good the food was amazing and if I am back  in the future I will definitely go back to Flos Diner

if you’re in that part of the world in New York state and it looking for a nice place to go and eat I would highly recommend Flos Diner

And if you are a new yorker and are wondering where this gem is:

3223 Rt 31, Canastota, NY

And if you are a naive ” UK holiday maker on  a trip in as you have seen this blog and fancy trying it , The hot sauce is exactly that “

Look & Sea Visitor Center Surrey Street Fisher mans Quay, Littlehampton – such a great place for a coffee, a meal and a base for a day in town

As a family  we a ” wheel chair  relation ” we found recently  and have used many times  the look & sea Centre  as its fairly local  to us. It has facilities for disabled access. good food at reasonable prices , a great view over the river and down  to the sea , friendly staff, in fact all that you would want in a restaurant. always best to book a  table in advance as  because its so good , it can get busy on sunny days. I am  not a blogger that has taken pictures  of the food I eat here, but as  I have never had a meal that was anything less that  lovely it  shouldn’t need pictures of the food

Full details of the look and sea  center  can be found on their page  here  Just for the record, i have not been paid for this blog, its just that I believe if a place or business offers good service then you tell people  about it

 

Cone heads ice cream parlour ,Oneida ,NY state What a great parlour

 

There must be many many ice cream shops in America and I cannot comment on any of the others however on a holiday to Oneida in New York State we found as a family that the Coneheads Ice cream parlour was absolutely amazing.

Such a massive choice of ice cream syrups flavours toppings and otherwise in any combination that you wanted as ice cream or indeed as a milkshake and to top it all off the pricing was pretty good as well

Well worth a visit if you are in this part of the world

The lady that served us was really helpful, even my son’s amazing choice when we told him could have what he wanted wasn’t a problem

I only wish we had discovered the place little earlier, we would have been back. If you want to get in contact then there are all the usual methods. Just tell them where you saw the review  and ask the lady how the Caribbean trip fund is  going

All the usual social media contacts

Just for the record, I have not been paid for this blog, it’s just that I believe if a place or business offers good service then you tell people  about it

 

Trying a new place..and a new question

Popped into dunelm today..just for a sneaky latte when the ” Old man Leslie” clan. Went shopping. Like everywhere else like this it has a coffee shop. Unlike a lot of other places the Barista was up to the question” can you make me a nice coffee of your design that you haven’t made before”

A strange request, but the result is gorgeous.

Although you can’t taste pictures….

Any how,if you are out rainy day shopping in this part of the world, Brunch, coffee, lunch or otherwise  i would say  it was worth a visit

Can comment on prices as Mrs ” oldmanleslie ” was treating me , but when its good, you tell people.

 

I cant even tell you what it was i had as i forgot to ask, its just to say that  it was refreshing to find a person  that was ” up for the challenge ”  and knew enough to make  ” a nice cup of coffee ”

I wonder if on the board one day they might put  ” awkward customers mystery coffee ” .

Gallery Restaurant & Tea Rooms – Littlehampton ( There are better alternatives )

We popped into this restaurant for a bit of lunch today, Its right in the middle of all the Harbour park development in Littlehampton  ( west Sussex ) . Just a brief review…so here goes

Dirty Cutlery that we had to clean,No means of anyone with a wheelchair actually having a card terminal brought out to them to pay,so in this instance “the real oldmanleslie  had a freebie ” No one bringing cutlery out to you, the waiter staff behind the counter ” threw/ dropped ” the bottles of drink on a tray. and for a restaurant on the seafront serving predominantly fish, NO Tartar Sauce available. The fish was OK and enough of it.

2@scampi& chips, 1@cod & chips with 3 soft drinks £29….so not exactly “cafe ” prices

My recommendation , if its fish you want , then for take away, it has to be Freds of littlehampton and if its a restaurant then always the fish factory . both of which i have used previously and can recommend.

So when you ask……you definetly get – London road coffee shop, Bognor regis

I prefer to shop where possible at the independent stores in town, I guess if everyone did, and didn’t use the large chains all the time, we would be a better place, that s just my opinion….any way, as I have previously claimed to have found the best coffee and the best place to have it on the planet,

I had written off that side of my Blog. Until this morning when me and my long suffering wife were out in town and wanted a coffee as we had a few minutes spare …Only one place for it. And its a place that never disappoints Service is always good, the staff are really friendly, and the prices aren’t too bad either

So why Blog about a shop….

Well I like to be a challenge sometimes and I as I had my ” freebies ” from the loyalty cards, I d

decided to ask the barista ” can you make me a nice cup of coffee that you have never made before ” . Daunting when she said she had been there for 5 years …
What can I say, the lady took the challenge and made for me what she called a Vanilla Americano with a flat white top… simple enough I guess, but tasted lovely.

My recommendation if you are in Bognor on holidays, staying at #Butlin’s for a weekend, or is a local, just popped out for a few bits, in Bognor then it has to be… And for the record, although it was s freebie coffee from my card , I wasn’t ” given it ” . Its just that this place is so good

The London Road Coffee Shop

So what do you do , when you have had the Best of something in the world ……..?

Well. the TV   & media are telling us that  Autumn is here. all the stores  are selling Christmas goods already. and  Halloween is just around the corner….

So time to look back on a summer that was pretty good for  the oldmanleslie  clan.  And leaves us with only 2 problems

When  I run a blog that started off as ” the sneaky latte” and was supposed to give  a guide where to get the best  & avoid the worst. What can I do now I have had many trips to what was the BEST COFFEE SHOP IN THE WORLD  in my opinion

I guess everything  else will have to compare to it. Just for the record This place I mention, will respond to the ” please make me a nice cup of coffee” challenge that  most places  wont do ,  the response was to  give me   a peach latte so smooth that the peach is  at the bottom, un mixed  so I could  do it just as I wanted.

And then  when I asked for a drink to cool me down, not knowing that there was Iced latte available, I was so very surprised to see that out came the best vanilla iced latte I have ever had, with   just the right amount  of  pure hand-made vanilla ice cream in it, the perfect summer drink  .

So there in lies the problem,  I have now had the best coffee in the world,  many times, so I know its consistent, served excellently  and I know everything else will be second best now.

 

The second problem is  along the same lines.  When as a family you have had the privilege of  going to one of the best worlds best hotels ( acknowledged by some as the best  ) and had a peek at the sort of service that other places can only aspire to. What do you do to avoid disappointment  by comparison in  future

Just for the record, the hotel in question for the coffee  was    and it was the staff in the restaurant  IMPERIUM  that made meal time so  special and something to look forward to

 

My only other comment / picture as if it were needed is of what i consider to be the best hotel in the world, based on our experience as a family. the  staff can’t do enough  for you , there is an air of confidence in the place , and  every aspect of the time we had there was perfect  and without improvement

 

In answer to the title of the blog, simple …..work hard, save pennies and take the next generation of “oldmanLeslie’s if & when they arrive into the world ……that should give me a few years to look forward to it.

“What a real ” WOW ” of a place, with just the right amount of ” just what was needed “”

“What a real ” WOW ” of a place, with just the right amount of ” just what was needed “”

What an excellent place for a family meal, we went to celebrate a bit of an occasion for us . the Buffet was excellent
, the food was fresh, presented beautifully . Drinks were a little expensive, but not too overpriced in my opinion ( remember this is Dubai and it’s just not the same as the UK or Europe ) . the rose for my wife was a pleasant surprise , as was the very tasty gift .

Our youngest son wasn’t charged for his ” drink of choice ” at all.

I accept that normally now you have to pay a lot for good service, well at the burj, I can say that i don’t think i paid anything like the level of excellent service we received
A very special thank you to” Mohit ” as he prepared a dish especially for my son. Yes, the main chef in a world-class restaurant took and 8-year-old child ” fully a la carte ” this really made an impression on my son
also to
“Ivan”, one of the senior management team. who was kind enough to take time out of his day to come and talk to us. and arranged a personal tour of the hotel,
and also to
the waiter who went way beyond the call of duty and ” played ” with my son out on the beach in the evening as my son said it was a little cold in the restaurant.

The staff even managed to explain WHY this is a 7 star hotel

The staff in the restaurant and the hotel have an obvious pride in what they do , and it shows. Even the things inside the hotel are worth a few minutes to watch

It is so very easy to see why this restaurant should well be one of the best in the world

Located on the Ground floor, Burj Al Arab | PO Box 74147, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Thank you to Ivan and his team

first one of the Holidays…in future i will take pictures

its the weekend, and its sunny, and its the school hols. so why not. suddenly realising that KFC portions are getting smaller  if you don’t ” go large” and they are candidates for the  ” nice enough tasting, but looks nothing like the picture ” 1st prize

 

I looked at the picture  of what i thought i was getting,  and realised  when my food came out , one main reason why Bloggers  take pictures of their food. What i got was nothing at all like the picture.

Over the summer holidays we are  going to be in a few different places so i guess we will get to see  if  its just a local thing to the Bognor Regis drive through  ” near halfords ” that should be avoided  if you are here on holidays 

 

NO ONE PART OF MY FOOD LOOKED LIKE THE WWW SHOWS

Fish Finger Sarnies & a root beer float …….So this ones an important Blog for me, Where to spend the hard earned Pennies

Don’t worry, oldmanleslie isn’t about to go and get  all serious, well not overnight any way. For the first time in my blog, there is conflict ., ( shock horror )

I’m based in  west Sussex, and this time  of year, we are blessed with a lot of sunshine, so days out , at the shops, on the beach, an evening stroll along an almost deserted prom ,
and yes that really is our local prom and the sunsets are that good

and at the end of the prom you find

The Lobster pot.

There are many reasons to go here  on a sunny day in summer, or for a refreshing  autumn stroll. And i have blogged  about it before 

One reason to go is the Amazing Fish Finger Sandwiches, that they do. I suppose i am ” not very wellinformedoldmanleslie” but i didn’t know you could get these…. so to find them on my doorstep was  a bit of a coup

Putting the Lobster-pot  aside for a moment, I was keen to  see what the good people at sparks yard had done to improve their offering  in Arundel. Now i know some bloggers only review freebies, well that’s not the way it works with “oldmanleslie”  its nice to get freebies of course, however  why should business  have to fork out for  opinions…..Any how  Back to the loft

Mrs Oldmanleslie and I Parked ” down by the river ” in Arundel, and had a nice stroll   along the banks of the river , up through  Arundel. avoiding the  multiple coach loads of students & visitors to the castle…. and there it was, clearly visible  from the end of Tarrant street

so now the facts, Easy access to the shop , although parking in Arundel needs looking at . easy  wheelchair access to all floors of the shop  and restaurant  via their own lift,  Always  clean inside.  Well refurbished  top floor restaurant that we tried to just pop into. we were soon asked if ” are you Chris ”  and shown to the reserved Table  by the window that they had ” reserved for us ”  I have to say Mrsoldmanleslie liked that ”  We were served well,  quickly but not  invasively . and  we were left to order our food. After a nice chat with what turned out to be one of the owners

 

” stop, Hammer time “

for the  first time as a blogger  i should have taken a picture of something i was about to consume , ( I didn’t )  so you will have to believe me that £2.50 for a drink  was the best value in a long time. Imported root beer that you can buy in the shop , used to make an ice cream float, with a curly straw, now that’s the taste of childhood .

A quick look down the menu for food, and there it was. The fish finger sandwich….. so apologies to Andrew and the team, I’m sure that everything else on the menu was fine, and maybe we will  be back soon to try it, however that’s a favourite with all us Leslie’s, so  there in lies the dilemma

Go for what you know, and now have a choice of venues that both serve excellent  food, or risk going off “Piste ” and getting something you don’t like ?

We are going to have to go back and find out i guess, it certainly wont be a hard choice and when a place is just that little bit too far away  to walk to, it makes it all the more special to be well looked after  by them.

So I can’t take credit for the images ( taken from the www)   and i cant  take credit for the effect on the waistline ( that’s  your responsibility

however Either way, if you are in west Sussex for holidays and looking . Just remember 

On the beach in Felpham = The lobster-pot

Shopping and  touristy things in Arundel  = Sparks yard  / The loft 

Either way ” the fish finger sandwiches are excellent,” and the root beer  just seals the decision  for me 

Free coffee…..always good

And it tastes good…..usually does.

So if you are in sunny Bognor Regis…..forget Costa or maccy d….head for  “the London road coffee shop“….

And with a buy 6 get one free….even better

Just for the record….vanilla cappucino. Made from kimbo beans

Absolutely Lovely

…yum. With a bbc ( Bacon Brie & Cranberry ) sarnie to finish..

Posted from WordPress for Android

Hot, Spicey . and very very Nicey

Hot, Spicy . and very very Nicey , I know we have lots of savouries in the UK already, But I saw these and thought, I bet they are nice, What do you know, I was right.

Crunchy, Hot, Meaty tasting , apparently very big in the German / USA markets.

I wont give you the boring facts, figures and ingredients, you can get those from the web

£3.44 a bag ( Amazon always charge over the odds ) or I paid £1.65 from Sparks yard I’m sure they would work something out on the postage for you

Coconut latte…..this is going to be a new one on me

So yes,I like my coffee at the weekend….
Yes we have gone back to sainsburys as opposed to Tesco….
So I can sneak a coffee in while Mrs oldmanleslie shops….

Never tried coconut latte….

But its lovely…not sickly,not too sweet.

Just right…… Well done sainsburys ….and I only stumbled across is as they had run out of boring vanilla

 

Subway store in bognor Regis….best avoided

For a lesson in the most complex buy one ….get one free. That actually ended up costing more…and staff that encourage people to push to the front of the queue…cold subs by the time I sorted out the drinks and general bad service…

No non fizzy juice for the kids..

This is your best bet…..

Shame really as I like the brand

Posted from WordPress for Android

Sparks yard – Arundel – West Sussex – update, its just gets better

And then, just when i thought i had seen all the good things at this place, they advertise

20% OFF EVERYTHING THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!
The weather is looking all over the place this weekend so to tempt you out of the house on a wet Saturday and out of the garden on a sunny Sunday we are offering you a fantastic 20% off your shopping bill all weekend! We have tonnes of fantastic new stock and we want you to come and see it!! JUST QUOTE ENGLISH SUMMER at the till to receive your discount.

T’s&C’s – Discount not available on food or drinks from our coffee bar. This offer may not be used in conjunction with any TLC discount and TLC stamps will not be issued for discounted purchases. This offer is only valid on 07/06/14 & 08/06/14

 

 

So on a dismal  bank holiday Monday,  In normally Sunny Sussex,  when  you are tired , and just looking for that little lift / Sparkle  in your day. you decide on a little retail therapy, Asda,Tesco,sainsburys, seem to sell everything, just the same as each other…..

So you look for the Independent ” curio ” shop. some where  that you know you  will  be appreciated, and there will be Nice things to look at, gadgets to buy, gizmos to  think ” why do i need that ”   and  up on the first floor ( until the work is done on their new place ) Great  coffee & cafe facilities. These are the facilities at the moment.  its gonna be good to see how they improve , apparently  its about a month or so off

 

So what added Sparkle to my dull afternoon, a root beer ( proper american )  float  with extra marshmallows, and a yummy Big Old Slab of cake… other gorgeous things that ended up on our  Table, Big old slices of toast & peanut butter ,  a  smoothie that  apparently was lovely, so lovely i didn’t get  to try it , and for the little oldmanleslie, a smartie cookie that filled him up so he couldn’t eat his brownie.

So yes, I like the independent, I  generally go back to what i enjoy, and if it’s this good ,then I tell people about it.

Add to that the imported food section , and  i think the expression is OMG . I came out with  a butterfinger bar, not sure why i had to share it but  all liked it,  space dust that i havent had for years, so i felt like a child again,  and some squeezable candy( the like of which i have never tasted ) 

So in summary, if you are in  arundel for a day , for a holiday , or just for and hour or 2 and you fancy something a LOT different then  Sparks yard is definitely worth a visit

 

Just for the record, NOT a sponsored blog, we paid for what we had, it really was THAT good

 

 

 

Another nice one

Just while I was waiting for the clan to do their shopping….in the time I saved not getting a haircut.

Popped into London road again, just for a nice sneaky coffee

I guess its good to go where you know its good…..

Pop in if you are down this way

Its worth a look

Posted from WordPress for Android

Thought it might be nice..

Just thought it might be nice to pop into the “Sussex ” as was…..not busy and £ 8.10 for a pint, 2 crisps and a soft drink. seemed a little pricey .

 

Posted from WordPress for Android

Great food, fair prices, & a nice suprise at the end of it

Great food, fair prices, & a nice surprise at the end of it

Just back from our “Mothers day ”  meal out, when  we asked Ma what she wanted for Mothers day , it was simple …”Italian ”  now as we have one of our group in a wheel chair, we need to make sure a place has good facilities, is child friendly, has decent food, and looks good.

 

I have to say Carluccios in Chichester fits the bill and ticks all the boxes,

 

One small point is that  there were 2-3 occasions where things we had asked for we had to remind the staff, but I would recommend the place to any one.

We arrived a little early so me and ” My Oldmanleslie ” had a coffee while they sorted the table ( nice gesture they didn’t charge us for it )

Al the usual things with an Italian, good selection of breads, the Anti Pasto courses where great, the main meals were lovely

11 out of 10  for the Thinly sliced char grilled rump steak, served with rocket leaves and shaved Parmesan, rosemary potatoes and tarragon mayonnaise.

All in all , well worth the Money, and most importantly  “both Mums ” enjoyed it

Oh yes, and the surprise  at the end, ” rose chocolates for the mums ”  , a nice finish to a nice meal

Just because i missed this one, you shouldn’t

Just because I missed this one, you shouldn’t

I saw this offer for Free Tea, I thought i would have a go, but i wasn’t quick enough,

It looks like its one of those daily things so good luck

I hope you  get some

and I hope it’s as nice as it looks

 

Subway Store – Bognor Regis NOT GOOD – ( in my opinion)

so there we were, out in town this morning , we had the  smallest ” oldmanleslie” with us . and  when we asked him what he fancied for lunch, as a bit of a treat…. there we were a few minutes later  we were in subway.  Obviously , in her hand bag that has the contents of the world in its corners Mrs oldmanleslie  had a voucher so  this made it a little  easier.

Thanks to the guy that  gave me another voucher as we were going in , didn’t get his name, didn’t know him  but a random act of kindness, so thanks.

it turns out  that a voucher that you think says buy one  drink  and a sub, and get a free sub , has so many conditions on it, and so many restrictions on how it can be used, that it really isn’t worth the hassle. But we paid the bill any way.

We asked for a glass of tap  water for my son , apparently  Subway now charge ( not for the water, For the cup  £1.19 UK ) which is coincidentally what they charge for a cold drink.

But it took a very rude ( in my opinion ) member of staff to tell me this.

The part that  most surprised me though , was when i went back to actually pay for a bottle of water, i joined the queue. i was told to go straight to the front  to the till, I’m thinking this would have annoyed  all the others in the queue so i declined and waited.

I got the bottled drink from the  fridge as instructed and my change was brought over to me ( NO RECEIPT ) so i don’t know if the  transaction went through the till

and of course after all this my subs were cold ( i had  hot steak and cheese ) but no one seemed  too worried

so all in all , Poor service, misleading Marketing and un helpful staff

Shame really as i used to like the occasional Subway. and  in other stores the service has been good , this relates only to this store 

My advice  if  you are in Bognor  for the day , shopping , staying at butlins , or just down for the day  and fancy a sandwich , Avoid this Subway . Head about 150 Yards up the road to  

a place that i have used for many years 

Dont they make enough money any way ….

So  there was Mrs Oldmanleslie  & I  out for the afternoon  ” sans ” children, it doesn’t happen very often, but the opportunity presented itself , so we grabbed it.  Nice sunny  Sussex afternoon. Like  a lot of people , off to the local retail park for a bit of  retail therapy.

Popped into the local KFC  for a spot of late lunch,  and although un necessary as it was, it was very nice. But this isn’t me telling the world how Nice KFC is, you can formulate your own opinions on that ,

It’s a comment on ” big brand ”  customer service . The issue is this , I paid Cash for my  bits, and as they didn’t have the ” coins in the till” they asked me if it was Ok to Short  change me ….. ( only 2P )  so it’s not the amount i was worried about , it’s the principal.. so whilst  chatting to Mrs Oldmanleslie  over our chicken i was thinking…..2P per person, 100 people an hour ,24 hours a day  from one branch in a small town……….. and of course  it doesn’t  take long to get to a significant ” extra profit ”

So I pushed the matter  when I had finished  and asked for the  change  to be given back to me , the lady had to check 3 tills to get  the money,  she looked at me with such disbelief  that I was actually asking for it,  but in the end she did  give it to me , so I  put it ( and some more change from my pocket in the charity pot )

So again, I ask….. Why should the big international brand always expect the customer to take the hit when they  don’t get it right, im sure there are many reasons NOT to have  a bag of pennies in a store….

And  just for the record, I do Enjoy KFC, and YES, they did exactly the same to the person that came in after me

Another example of Not Good service…..but at least they changed the cup

Another example of Not Good service…..but at least they changed the cup

so as  the sun decided to come out today , i guess like everyone else , the ” oldmanleslie” clan decided to go out for  a little retail therapy .

So off we went  to Haskins which is a regional Chain  Garden centre.  It was recently revamped to  basically be about 5 different types of restaurant  & coffee shops  and a place to buy plants and related things for the garden.

All i have to blog is that the service from the staff at  the tills, wasn’t good. I have never had the misfortune  of actually having some one  give me a discount because ” they haven’t answered when i have rung them , and i cant be bothered to check ”  when  as customers we had dared to pick up what was a plant that wasn’t part of the offer that  it was marked as….

Surely, the staff in  these places ” should be  bothered “.

The lady that was serving in the coffee shop wasnt, when she served my  coffee in a dirty cup,  but the lady that changed it for a fresh one in a clean cup was.

Simple  questions from this  are :

• Is it wrong to expect proper service from retail staff  in ” brand ” owned shops
• should it only be what appear to be the older staff that actually try to help

Having once again tried Costa  Coffee, and  still not had a good one, i think i will Stop trying.

I’m going to become a Starbucks Bunny, as although it costs a little more, its always nicer. And  for those  that follow my blog, you will know that if im local , it’s the London road coffee shop ( bognor  ) Sparks yard ( arundel ) and Lulamaes. all of which as far as i know are independent

Just kicking back….

Having a milk….

I know in a few years it will be a bud at £10 a bottle….but the sentiment will be the same.

And especially when its sunny…

Weekends are for relaxing..

Can’t quite believe its march already,summer just around the corner

Oh yes, and just for the record, this  was the London Road coffee shop in Bognor Regis , Excellent food ( again) and  great coffee.

Its Independent, and owned by the same people that own the Lobster pot   just up the road .

 

Been to both loads of times , and NEVER had a bad meal yet

Possibly the nicest coffee i have ever had …..

So I like a sneaky latte, there’s no issue with that , I and I will continue to hunt down the best  one on my travels. I MAY have stumbled across the perfect recipe  though so I thought I would share…..

A Big old Mug ( with a nice big circumference  that takes to hands to hold ) for that warm  fuzzy feeling…. A big old slug of  ” THE MAGICAL INGREDIENT  FOR ANY COFFEE “ In this case lemon Meringue   syrup. And yes, im sorry i didn’t measure exactly ,

A good old fashioned Tassimo  coffee pod, run twice through the machine  just to get  the extra strength  for the Mix , With a large Latte  portion , again run twice  through  the machine

I don’t know  if it was just the ingredients, or the Delicate way  I stirred it (  who am I kidding )  but  it was lovely, and  for a large coffee with syrup, I worked out it only cost about 60p

Tassimo & Monin are 2 names that definitely go well together and I will be telling them so

 

Coconut latte…..this is going to be a new one on me

So yes,I like my coffee at the weekend….
Yes we have gone back to Sainsbury as opposed to Tesco….
So I can sneak a coffee in while Mrs oldmanleslie shops….

Never tried coconut latte….

But its lovely…not sickly,not too sweet.

Just right…… Well done sainsburys ….and I only stumbled across is as they had run out of boring vanilla

Celia – Gluten free Beer V Carling Zest

So there was I, enjoying a pleasant night  with good company, in the run up to Christmas. Generally in good spirits,having had good food, and sitting down to watch another ” typical ” Christmas film. All the component parts of a nice night

Then I was given a bottle of Celia  Beer to drink, I have to say  that being a man of some years, i have had a few beers in my time,  i like the mainstream lagers. however this beer, In my opinion was Awful. It tasted almost as if it hadnt been brewed out properly.

I get the idea that  with Gluten free products  there may be a difference in taste slightly. This  beer was just  Not nice,

Im sure there are alternates available.

My host even told me to finish it before i could move onto the Carling Zest ( with wild berries )

Now me  & my mate have had daft ideas  and many challenges  of many kinds, eating drinking  & other things over the years, its one of the things that we just seem to do , I wouldn’t change that…

However from experience tonight, i can confirm that in the context of spending time with friends, and relaxing , Carling Zest beer is Significantly Nicer than Celia  Czech beer 

It just wasn’t very nice …..

Just up the road from us  on the A259 at a quaint little village call Clymping is  Bairds farm shop, Its been there for a long time. and it sells all the nice  things that you would  expect. www.bairdsfarmshop.co.uk/ is the web site and as i say you will find all sorts of nice things in the shop,  There is also one of the best Butchers in the area in there as well.

My review is not in a section called ” is this a great place to shop “,

It’s all about the sharing, and yesterday when  me and 2 of the Leslie Clan were passing we thought we would try the coffee shop out which is now billed as a restaurant. I have been in there as a coffee shop on a few occasions, for work with clients as its near the seaside , I have been in there as ” thirsty” customer and enjoyed a ” sneaky latte”

This time MRS oldmanleslie was with me, that’s easy , a pot of tea  & a slice of coffee cake ( that she didn’t finish ).and it certainly didn’t look like   as  shown on their www

“Little- est ” Leslie  had his current favourite  of Burger  and chips.He did like that he could have as much Tommy sauce as he wanted

The issue I had was that once again I seemed to  be able to find the Most ” card board” burger  in the count.  It was as the menu card described a lamb burger , and it had all that it said it would  in it. It Just was not Nice , it wasn’t  moist.

So here is my question. and  I guess you can answer in comments if you see this:

Should a business do all that it does  very well, and do more of it ?

Or

Should all businesses try to be all things to all people and hope that customers accept adequate

In summary, Baird’s  @BairdsFarmShop1   is great for shopping, gardening stuff, BBQ and the like, and its a nice place to sit  and have a sneaky  coffee….. i will add that i was asked if everything was Ok  but this was ONCE i had paid.

But as a restaurant, It wasn’t good yesterday

Old school is always the best way ……..

So today, it was proved to me that ” old School ” is the best way…. we heard from an old Friend of the family a couple of weeks ago that there was a local event that she would like to go to. Just to say the lady involved has no email , no PC, No smart phone. No internet access, She had seen an advert ” printed ” in a local Parish type Magazine

 

We knew it would be a nice day out with a friend any

way so off we went to the event… I of course had tried to find it on the www the night before & couldnt so my expectations werent High …

 

The event was brilliant, a proper local event but on a big scale. all sorts of things going on. we particularly liked the soprano singer . The tree was magnificent

 

It looks also like it’s an annual event so roll on 2014

 

Any one who follows the Blog will know from the summer that i know a couple of good places to go in Arundel for that illusive Latte, well today we were on our way to take our friend to our favorite

 

When almost like a little voice at the side of the road ( or was it that i saw the sign ) i was drawn to what turned out to be the BEST BROWNIE I HAVE EVER EATEN

 

so a great day out generally, a smashing lunch, thanks to the team at sparks yard

 

Sparks Yard (Photo credit: Badly Drawn Dad)

 

, and time with an old friend

 

Not a bad weekend, and it’s not over yet

 

All thanks to an Ad in a magazine that an old lady saw ……..Old school is the future

 

A taste of christmas

And it was good….
Starbucks of  Chichester….eggnog latte.

Really christmassy

Just Get this one out far and wide

Just Get this one out far and wide

Just think, if everyone that saw this, told everyone they knew , and re blogged it  to everyone they knew, and they all donated  even a £1.00     How many Million users are there on this  site…

PLEASE RE BLOG it . you can even donate via paypal

https://paypal.dec.org.uk/philippines_typhoon_appeal

Related articles

• DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal (virginmoneygiving.com)
• How to Help Philippines Typhoon Victims (vickielester.com)

And it was GOOD , Mind you so was the lady dressed as a witch that served me

And it was GOOD , Mind you so was the lady dressed as a witch that served me

Been off this week , so got a few Sneaky ” non weekend ” latte’s in there. and as i was waiting to have by car fixed, i thought i would give in to the corporate  brand  and try …….

A CHOCOLATE & ORANGE MOCHA LATTE

OMG , it was gorgeous,  with all the trimmings. Couldn’t Fault it, drank every last drop

On a separate issue, why is it that as i get older, i find witches  and all things Halloween  weirdly  attractive , could it be early exposure to Elvira

Happy Halloween Boys & girls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

What a Gem of a place … Sea Breezes Guest house , Plymouth

What a Gem of a place … Sea Breezes Guest house , Plymouth

All i can say about this place, is that i wish i had found it a long time ago, I had the pleasure of 2 nights there for business this week. To save time, I am simply blogging that I agree with Everything stated on  http://www.plymouth-bedandbreakfast.co.uk/ which is the guest house’s site  

Clean rooms, good breakfast , comfy beds, & a very attentive ( but not intrusive ) landlady. who even gave me extra bacon as i wasnt keen on the sausages

Most places, you kind of get what you pay for , Here its a case  that if you paid for how nice this place is it would cost a fortune, It’s worth it though

“Thanks for having us ”

If you do go, please tell them where you saw this review

Plymouth Hoe (Photo credit: Arcturus Aldebaran)

I seem to have a knack for finding cardboard Burgers

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be exhibiting  at Plymouth University. lots of good conversations and a really positive day for business (  maybe we are over the worst of the recession )  as a result , at the end of the day we had booked to have a  meal out at what we thought was  Gary Rhodes Restaurant

 

We were a large group of people ( 10+ ) , we had to pre book the food we wanted before we arrived. the Starter was OK, i had the buffalo salad . could have done with maybe a little more to it, and fresher tomatoes, but i guess it was ok , The My ” Classic Burger ” came out …. i think it had about 12 chips with it, the bun in my opinion wasn’t fresh, and as i hadn’t been asked how it was to be cooked, i didn’t enjoy getting a very well done , almost charred offering . But no one came to ask what we thought.

I will give credit for a lovely desert which was all i hoped it would be and more. So OK starter, Great Desert, But Not good main course. and other people commented similar about their other mains..
Brilliant location, and friendly front of house staff

I spoke to the land lady of the hotel we were staying in and as a local she told me that the place is in fact a franchise and  In my opinion they are trading badly on his Name…..Best to look for another restaurant if its important, or be VERY specific what you ask for

To be honest…..not very nice, just a bit bland at the top

First one of the weekend….while working at the shopmobility shop I littlehampton…..nice bacon sarnie,but not nice coffee.

Sorry I couldn’t photo the butty, it was yummy

  11.32 update . it was more ” coffee ” ish at the bottom, so i guess it just needed to be a bit stronger

Restaurant Review – MEATmission

Not One of My visits……….. but it looks good , will have to pay a visit when next in town

I told you so , I told you so ………

Well in a previous Blog i mentioned a little place in arundel  Called Sparks Yard. I said they were one of the nicest places to stop for a ” sneaky latte ”

it turns out  i was right  and now they have just scooped another award follow the link and say HI

Well done to the Team @ Sparks

What a great place for a stop, on a lazy Sunday

 

 

 

 

Sparks yard in Arundel

What a great place for a stop, on a lazy Sunday

Right in the middle of what must be englands Sleepiest city ( arundel ) is what bills itself as a lifestyle store, I’m not quite sure what this defines it as, but on floor 2 of 3 of the store is  the  coffee shop area.  Gorgeous milk shakes ( i had and oreo one )  proper big slices of cake, and smartie  cookies for the kids…this was all we wanted as it was just a stop, but there is a full menu on offer.

Clean tables, good service, an outside terrace to sit on . They even offer loan blankets for when it gets  a little chilly.

Once we had  our snack, up to the newly set up Christmas store on the 2nd floor, what a load of really nice  traditional  toys & gifts  they have .

There is a lift to all floors of this store, the  team that run it seem to care about what people think.

Well worth another visit  maybe for a bit of Christmas shopping. If you go , pass on my best to Andrew

I thought they should get a second chance….

 

Well, it was the first ” sneaky latte ” for  the weekend, unusually for me it was a cappuccino, but it was with Brekkie, so  that’s allowed. Mrs ” oldmanleslie” was shopping in Sainsburys in Bognor so i thought” lets have a brekkie whilst im here” i think the easiest way to summarize this is as :

 

Coffee, tasted Nice, but note the mess on the cup and not the saucer, i guess this means it was a clean saucer, not a clean cup .The Guy  that served me, very polite, lots of good mornings and a bit of chat  so very nice , much nicer than  the previous visit .  the table  was clean and tidy, there was a free  newspaper to read, so again  very nice

 

and then came the food , the egg was fried well, the beans were nicely cooked , the sausages were not to my taste, but that’s just me  i guess as they were nice enough .  The Tomato on the menu  was only 1/2 a tomato when it got to my plate . and the 2 rashers of  bacon were fused together at right angles. when i pointed this out to the person that served me, they said  sorry……did nothing about it, but said sorry…. so ui drank my coffee, read their paper and took the tray back to the desk.  explained about the bacon and showed them that  when i had managed to prize the  rashers apart, on the inside they weren’t cooked, they looked a lot pinkier that  I thought they should  the Supervisor assured me that  they were up to temperature, i explained this wasn’t my issue . it was that  as they were fused together, the bacon on the inside  could not have been cooked to the level of the outside……

 

 

 

any way  i was offered a refund, which i declined , as its not about the money, I was offered a free breakfast which i also declined  as even i cant eat 2 together any more, and i dont like eating potentially undercooked food.

 

I know sainsburys take food service very seriously  and i guess it is just unfortunate that this happened today . And this is actually more about  the service than the specific store

 

My point is though, since i  started noticing these situations a littl emore, it seems that the approach of ” let us try and put this right  next time”, or ” can i get you another one ” is acceptable.

 

How refreshing it will be when this trend passes and people in organisations go back to the good old fashioned approach of ” get it right first time ”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

• I thought they should get a second chance…. (oldmanlesliesblog.wordpress.com)

 

Ladies that live in this part of the world ( Felpham West Sussex ) , Be on your guard

Ladies that live in this part of the world ( Felpham West Sussex ) , Be on your guard

Taken straight from the WWW.

This is serious 

POLICE are urging women to be vigilant after a 33-year-old was grabbed from behind by a man in Felpham.

The victim was walking through Longbrook Park when she was approached by a man from behind between 4pm and 4.45pm on September 24.

The man indecently assaulted the woman but fled after the woman hit him with her handbag.

Officers are considering the possibility that the incident could be linked to an incident in Flansham Lane on September 18 when a man grabbed a woman but then ran off.

Detective sergeant Sally Arbuckle said: “We are considering the possibility that the same man is responsible for both incidents.

“Neither victim has been seriously hurt but both are understandably upset at what happened to them.

“I am keen to speak to anyone who was in Longbrook Park at the time on September 24 and could have seen what happened.

“I would urge women walking in the area to stay vigilant.

“There is nothing to suggest that this man poses a physical threat to anyone but it is still important that women stay alert and contact us if they are concerned about the behaviour of any men they see acting suspiciously.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting serial 543 of September 25 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Happy COFFEE Day!

I guess its always national something or other day some where ….

Roaming Rosie

Sunday, September 29th, is National Coffee Day!

To celebrate this necessary, addictive, complicated, comforting, sweet, perfect nectar of life, here are a few eCards that will hopefully bring a smile to your coffee buzz!

(photos:  cup of coffee, someecards)

View original post

What a waffle…..

and the Coconut Cappuccino  that came with it went down really well. 

Thanks to the girls and boys at  http://thelondonroadcoffeeshop.co.uk/  Best Waffle i have had in a long time,  Service was excellent , even  though the place was very busy.  If you  are ever down in sunny bognor regis for a day  or a holiday . definitely worth a visit

There are other places in the town that can serve  coffee, and waffles, but as someone that has tried most of them. This place gets it ” hands down ” as one of the best , and Not badly priced 

Just for the record , I  was not paid for  this blog, its just when a place is this good, its best to tell people

 

and to find an excellent place to eat aswell, what a night ( shame it was a school night )

and to find an excellent place to eat aswell, what a night ( shame it was a school night )

so there i was on my road trip  and if you have read my blog  you will know i was , checked into my  hotel http://www.ashfieldhousehotel.co.uk/contact.html and im told that the chef isn’t on that night. this wasn’t as it turned out bad news, because the helpful staff pointed me in the direction of la mamas….. it was brief stay for me as i had work to do , but the service was excellent, the staff very polite, my starter was on of my all time best ever , quality and quantity far better than i expected when i looked from the outside. My Main course arrived, piping hot, Fresh, tasty and delicious, the waiter was attentive , not intrusive ..

All in all, i popped in for a business meal, i wish i could have stayed longer, if i am in the area again, i will definitely go back…. must be one of the best in Wigan