Golden blades….. And pretty amazing service once again

Update April 2024. I’ve been back to this place and I can absolutely confirm that the edge that this place had when it first opened has not diminished it was still great service it was great grooming and barbering if that’s even a word and I think it could become a well visited place

Original blog as below

it’s nice when you find a new business that has opened up and you give it a go and it does exactly what it says on the tin so to speak in fact when you walk out of this particular Turkish barbers you will end up feeling in my opinion like a king

I used the chair up the end

All the usual services that a Turkish barber can offer including a shave a haircut a shampoo having your nose waxed on the inside having your ears set on fire and all the other potions lotions and things to make you smell great and feel great

This amazing barbers has a Facebook page as to all local businesses and they can be found at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554750707726

Very easy to find on the main road

So if you fancy a bit of a pampering session and you’ve got about an hour and a half which is what these guys gave me then it’s well worth a visit and no I was not sponsored for this post

Golden blade barber in felpham way,No appointments Just walk in

Opening times

Monday—Saturday 9am -6:30pm
Sunday 10am-4:30pm

Address :
101 felpham way
Bognor Regis
PO22 8QB

Bognorphenia – what Sunday afternoons were made for.

Sometimes it’s good to look back and remember. Well this weekend it was a case for me looking back to the days before old man Leslie was alive and to the times when I was told of my dad caught my mum on his Vespa and apparently wearing one of the coolest Parker jackets at the time that you could ever imagine. I have often thought about my dad as a mod and kind of had a smile about it.

So with all the busy things that we all have to do each weed and all the commitments that we have for our children and the various clubs and churches that we all have to go to this year it was nice to be able to make time to go to what is an annual event in bognor Regis.

Very loosely based around the film quadrophenia this is basically an annual celebration of all things mod

Just a few of the many scooters that were there

As with all these sorts of events that were stalls selling memorabilia they were stalls selling food drink there was even a stall selling freshly made pizzas but unfortunately they must have been so good because the queue was just so long when I saw it I couldn’t wait that long. I got a card this year maybe next time I’ll get a pizza

But most of all there were mods there and they were happy to talk to you about scooters and music and all kinds of things and as this was a free to enter event I would say it was great value and I will definitely get it into my calendar for next year

It’s normally a two-day event with the Saturday being more focused on things for young children and families to do but the Sunday is just a case of performing bands and music and bikes and all things mod

My personal favourite on the day as this is what I was told my dad’s scooter used to look like

For the food auctions we found nice coffee and we found something that we see it more and more events and unfortunately although it’s not good for my waistline I absolutely adore these

So if you are in this part of the world in sunny West Sussex and you do want to have a look at this event for next year follow their webpage here which will give you all the links to their social media. http://www.bognorphenia.org.uk/

These are the details for this year’s event

Not so much a specific product but always worth a look

This one is a nice easy to find page online you may already know about h ukd however this is the little subdivision or subpage where they post all their freebies most of what they do is obviously download based but it’s a really nice resource to see and you can get some really really nice books up there especially if you are using a Kindle

Recipe books, novels, maps and all sorts of other resources

http://www.hotukdeals.com/tag/freebies

I just thought this was one that was worth sharing because everybody likes something for free and obviously for each download or free item there are terms and conditions which will be published on the particular offer

The good the bad the ugly and the amazing team that somehow managed to save it 😁

So I promise that this will be my last write-up about my stay at parkdean resorts in warmwell in Dorset and I’m going to try and do this as honestly and as openly as I can there’s gonna be a lot of pictures that will show things like moisture and mold and paintwork in need of order and there will be pictures that show access that was not easy to do with for some of our party… But it’s not all bad because although it took a lot of sorting out on our part when we actually spoke to the right person at warmwell things got sorted and things got done and surprisingly this was after a meeting with the general manager who was keen to tell me what the team at the site could not do…

Cut electrical cable in the bathroom… This got sorted

Damp/ mould in bedroom 2. This got sorted out. (Apparently the cleaners missed it)

Another damp room

Panels of the walls coming away. This was fixed and sorted

Mould and damp in the bathroom

Bath seal didn’t seal

Very steep loose access

Flaking paint

So some of the things were just a little bit inconvenient things like the flaking paint and some of the mold in areas that couldn’t really easily be seen however when it came to a health and safety issue with one of our party being asthmatic and a sufferer of long covid we just could not endure living in a damp lodge for two weeks so we reported it.

I go by the name of old man Leslie but on this trip was also my mummy and she’s a lady of significant years who walks with a stick and just could not get out of the lodge without somebody holding her arm for support trying to walk up and down steep access. So rather than my mum being stuck in the accommodation and unable to go out on her own and walk her dog we mentioned this as well.

We reported all these things to reception and in fairness they were quite keen and quite quick to sort out some of the issues however when it came to the big issue of access and health and safety that had to go to the general manager and he basically told me that all he could actually do as there was no way he could put in an access was to give us a discount off the cost of our holiday and that was pretty much it.

This is where I think it’s only fair to mention the amazing team of ladies on the reception desk at this site and also the maintenance team because it was then who managed to have a rail installed for my mum so she could get out of the property it was then who replaced the furniture which was damaged in the property and it was them who did a really really deep search to try and find us alternative accommodation on the site until they knew that they could fix the problems.

It just goes to show that when you end up talking to the right people not necessarily the people at the top of the tree things can get done and although there were a few teething issues the way in which this was handled was amazing and we felt only right at the end of our trip to leave a small gift for the team for their support and their help as they had managed to turn what could have been a potentially horrible and unsafe vacation into an enjoyable stay.

As is my policy I will not name the individuals but they do know who they are and I’d have told them that I will be publishing this blog and I will send a copy to them

The amazing handrail that they built for my mum

Just so mum could walk her dog and actually get out of the lodge

Obviously this is not a sponsored post and we acknowledge that we did receive a discount against the money we had already paid. Which we are anticipating receipt shortly

This post is simply to show that even when you turn up somewhere and you think things might not be good and might not be as you’re expected it’s definitely worth looking to talk to the right person not to get angry with them not to scream and shout at them but to talk something through and things do get done

Thank you to the reception team of parkdean warm well site for your help support and understanding

Skiing on a summer day, who needs Snow?

So here is the other half of the blog about things that you can do when you are at the Park Dean resort which is known as Warmwell. The main reason that we chose this site for our main break this year was the fact that connected to it or within it, whichever you prefer is an independently run ski slope for dry skiing and this just looked like something that would be a lot of fun for the two boys to learn and to hone their skills ahead of some winter holidays that they have coming up early next year.

All I can say about the ski school at the resort is it is absolutely excellent the staff there are keen to take absolute beginners and get them on either skis or on snowboards and they work with them and they help them and they are supportive yet they are also fun and they make it exciting for children and young adults to learn

One of my sons had already skied previously so he was at an advantage that he could actually put on a set of skies and demonstrate to the staff that he was at the right level of safety so he was allowed to go off on the slope pretty much under his own steam.

Our second son had never strapped skis on before and had never strapped A snowboard onto his feet before either but within four days he was able to come down the slope from the top and have a good safe fun time on both

Just in case you’re asking no I didn’t put skis on and I certainly didn’t put a snowboard on but my boys made sure that I came down in what they call a Ringo

Which is a large donut and was basically about as close to anything faster than wanted to get but if you’re going to go to a site make sure that you give the girls and boys at the ski slope and knock because as I said their prices are amazing their support is excellent and whoever you’re going to send down that slope will pretty much have a good time.

And as always this was not a sponsored blog in any way and we received no reward for it apart from the fact that all three of us had a great time when we were at the slope and you can assess the risks for yourself but it was an amazing way to spend what turned out to be about 8 hours

When we got home we found that it turns out it’s not just us that enjoyed it but TripAdvisor rates this place as one of the top five things to do in the area http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g190817-d4354119-Reviews-Warmwell_Holiday_Park_Ski_Slope-Weymouth_Dorset_England.html

A great way to spend an hour..weymouthbayribcharters.co.uk

#staycation #passportexpiredincovid and many other things that we could put the blame on for not having an overseas holiday

Back in the days Pre covid we have had some pretty big holidays in some exotic places. this year we stayed home and took 3 generations ” west ” to Dorset. I’m not blogging here about the accommodation, there are separate posts for that . this is just to say a big thank you for a great trip out to the cove today https://weymouthbayribcharters.co.uk/

This was the nice calm shot , leaving the Quay , I couldnt have got many more shots once we were out there on the open sea ( and this was the Durdle trip ) we had chosen billed as the more sedate trip as opposed to the “Bay blast”

The ” durdle Trip ” promised….. We are blessed to be right in the heart of the Jurassic coastline. You will have the opportunity of visiting Durdle door on a 1hr 15min long tour. You will cover up to 20miles during this trip, visiting stunning landmarks and caves throughout this incredible tour. You never know, you may even get to see our resident dolphins along this trip.
This trip is suitable for nearly all the family.

So if you find yourself with an hour or two to spend and you’re in Weymouth in Dorset head down with the key and get yourself across to the big yellow boat hire place in front of the chip shop , that is just down from the bridge

Just to say that we paid for our tickets, this was not sponsored , but as always if I find something that’s good for families I will share it

Thank you to “Phoebe ” and her team . we had a great trip

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.

Another freebie that I have found that might be useful for you

I just wanted to share about a little freebie offer that I have found online on the hukd site. It’s only a download but it follows on for my earlier post

https://oldmanlesliesblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/14/air-fryer-it-seems-like-the-think-to-have-at-the-moment/ about air fryers and it takes into account recipes for anybody who is diabetic

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/diabetic-air-fryer-cookbook-the-complete-guide-to-making-low-fat-low-sugar-and-low-carb-free-at-amazon-4152920

The link above should take you directly to the download point and if it helps you and gives you any recipes that you didn’t already know about the make you feel a little bit better than I guess that’s a good thing

Just in case the link above isn’t working it’s here as well.

www.hotukdeals.com/deals/diabetic-air-fryer-cookbook-the-complete-guide-to-making-low-fat-low-sugar-and-low-carb-free-at-amazon-4152920

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

When you find a service that really is that good….

This one is a little bit unusual as it’s not a specific product and it’s not a specific place that I am recommending but for those that are of a certain age like myself you will realise that sometimes you have to buy services in to do things and perform tasks that you used to do easily yourself

Recently I have determined that I cannot, as well as we used to decorate or do as much heavy work in the garden as I have done previously.

what started out as a conversation with a friend about helping with a small job has turned into me finding one of the most versatile general tradespeople that I know and although they are a friend of mine I feel that I should let you guys and girls out there in West Sussex know about them

Definitely worth making contact

www.freshcolours.co.uk is thier presence online and the man that you need to talk to as his number online and his name is Mark

There are also all usual links to Facebook and other sites available from the webpage

Decorating carpentry plumbing and construction work I’ve used this company for all of them and have no reason to complain at all the work has been excellent there are lots of photos of their work on their web page and I would say if you need them then give Mark a call

He’s a little bit of an update for you that in April because we were so pleased with what fresh colours have done before we had them back into doing other job for us and again service was excellent the price was amazing and the job well you can have a look on their website for the pictures the minds the blue and white kitchen

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

We Only went 3 Miles – we were glad it was with……

2 days – what a short time to use a company and for them to prove to be so good. Well over and above what I personally would expect. This crowd certainly deserve a shout. We thought we had a booking with a rival firm to move an elderly relative. I won’t name them because at the 11th hour they “got a better offer ” and dropped us. That gave us chance to look for another service. removals aren’t something that you use every day so we took to the www and friends and https://good-moves.co.uk/ were recommended. Decent price for the job ( not the cheapest, but as you know, sometimes you get what you pay for in this world ). Very Hardworking ( on a hot day ) movers

Highly recommended

The gents turned up as promised and very carefully packed all the items, they even took notes of where things were so that they could describe exactly which box to look in when it came to unpacking

They took account of the “4 legged house member “that inadvertently gave them and us a problem to sort out (a small medical issue ) and this just helped to show just what a professional bunch they were in a crisis

No Immediate plans to move again for a while, but if I do, or anyone asks me then ill know where to send them https://good-moves.co.uk/contact-good-moves-removals-and-storage-littlehampton/

we weren’t paid for this blog, the opinions are ours and we feel that for us this business was excellent so we share it with other people that may find this usefull

Disco Stu is in the mix

#Lockdown really has brought out the best in people, sure, most of us have directly, or know some one who has suffered loss of a friend or loved one. Our lives on a daily basis have changed , in some cases beyond anything that we could have expected . Figures for all the bad things that are happening all over the world ( Cases, Tests , positives, negatives and alike are all fluctuating)

Then after so many months in the UK we get the good news that there might be light at the end of the tunnel with the #vaccine that has been developed. Time will tell if this has the massively postive effect that we all hope it will.

Thats not the purpose of this blog, what I wanted to draw attaention to is a very Specific Individual. Not a massive corporate , or a multinational . But in my small home town of BognorRegis in West Sussex in the UK is a gent .

He goes by the name of ” Disco Stu ” and all through lock down he has been playing a Disco set for any one that wants to tune in ( if thats the right expression ) . recently using the Mixcloud Platform

His mixes for the last few months can be found here and if you like Music from the 1960’s to 2021, if you have a couple of hours to fill, have a look and a listen , you might like it

Why is this unusual , Well disco Stu is doing all this for free, no charges to listen. No complex subscription , no monthly charge , Just a gent ” spinning tunes ” .

A very local Blog, A very Kind Guy . That we can all share all over the world via the gift of the internet

We all hope that the effects of #covid will ease soon, however if we have to cope with Tier 1,2,3 or what ever comes around the corner next . Then it will just be that little bit easier knowing we can go to the virtual ” disco ” on a saturday night , e@Chat with new people , listen to some cool tunes ( he does requests)

Make sure you drop in , Genarally 08.00PM saturday night at the link here https://www.mixcloud.com/live/AfterDarkDisco/

Some times Cheesy,Some times Trendy, sometimes so retro . But always with a sense of fun….

Just to be clear , we werent paid to promote this , its just that when something or some one goes that little bit extra to please people & cheer them up , it would be wrong not to share.

I have to say thank you to a friend of mine for malking me aware of Disco Stu.

Back when we thought he might end up doing three or four weeks ( who knew )

” Disco Stu is in the mix ” is the shout you will hear…

And Just for future reference , Y’all can book him after the restrictions are lifted

Update 03/04/2021 Disco Stu is has moved on from lockdown , watch this space for the new links

What a brrr….illiant day out for a tier 2 lockdown- Planet Ice Gosport – Hampshire ( UK )

When I was a very much younger ” oldmanleslie ” I used to hear of people describing Halcyon Saturday Mornings at the Pictures with their friends. Well when I am recounting, my Saturday mornings will be ” the ones we used to spend at the Rink “…We were even able to go there during the 2020 pandemic.

So why Blog this, well it’s nice to find somewhere that I can say feels like it has just the right Balance of Social distancing in place to keep a venue safe.

Yet isn’t in any way oppressive, during the #pandemic as a #skater. I have been looking for places to #Skate that are safe, within the recommendations and most importantly …. #Fun

I have had to temporarily Hang up my Quad Skates that I usually “Roll” with at either of the local Clubs in this part of the world. As they have had to suspend skating during the pandemic. And that “outdoor “concrete stuff hurts if you land on it or slip on a leaf. As you can see, I’m not a hardcore skater…

The focus at #Planetice in Gosport is on Family skating at the weekends ( daytimes ) however the rink has all the markings for the Hockey Skaters and the figure skaters so its a proper versatile Venue.

The usual disco lights and a cracking sound system for parties and the like . Check out the venue site for full details and location , opening timess etc

One of my fellow south coast skaters knows where most of the good Skates are . He suggested that during the summer we try “PIGosport ” for new venue bit of a strange name. It turns out it is what used to be known as Gosport ice rink and has been doing what it does very well for 20+ years

We booked the tickets, got ourselves down there ( socially distanced ) of course and in we went. We have now been back about half a dozen times, and it’s just a pleasant vibe, and people are friendly. Number 01 son ( my eldest ) bought some skate accessories from the tremendous onsite shop.

It turns out we know the Skaters that run this place through the Amazing South Roll…
but that s a whole different blog

I don’t think we will be back there this side of Christmas, but that is just because there is a lot on, its Christmas after all…..

#PlanetIce Gosport – Thanks for making us welcome, Y’all do what you do very well .

I’m pretty sure we will be back and we will bring our friends when we can

Just for the record, we paid for our tickets and transport, the blog is not #sponsored, its just a great day out that you may be looking for . Could be just what you need in tier 2

“So I’m at home today, won’t be going out and I’m still wearing perfume! Why? Because I can!”

One of the problems of lockdown is that you just don’t go out, or at least some of us aren’t supposed to.

The disadvantage to that is that you kind of forget how nice people generally look, their eyes, their smiles ( behind a mask ) sometimes and how nice people smell. Some lucky people can do this without Cosmetics. a multi billion dollar industry globally . I manage to avoid ( not because I’m beautiful either ).

Some people think they Need a little assistance to enhance what they were Put on the planet with. They turn to bottles, Jars, lotions and Creams for  that help

As you know ” Products ” …

That’s not what this little blog is about.

Its all about service that is Impressive

This time found almost by Fluke a lady who is selling perfumes and a range of Beauty & Beyond Products.

“We sell designer inspired men’s, women’s and unisex fragrances, home fragrances, cosmetics and makeup.
All products are cruelty free.”

Now I’m No way brave enough to say that Beauty & Beyond is the best or Cheapest place for cosmetics. I’m a little long in to the tooth to think that a small amount of make up can make me look adorable .

However when I heard about the lady behind Beauty & Beyond I wasn’t very suprised to see how well it set up . All the usual social media channels for information and products and ” Nice service ” that’s the important part , when there are many places you can buy a product online.

When you can’t venture out into the real world.It has to be the service you get that Matters . Or at least it does to me , that’s why I wanted to tell you about Beauty & Beyond . Especially if its good service that has helped to build that global Brand

So in answer to my initial thoughts when I received the Small gift from Beauty & Beyond , Knowing more about the person than the product “Should I blog about beauty products…. its not something I Know a lot about”. Became very easy to answer

“I think I don’t need to know a lot about the products as there is a whole world of information out there .

I just need to know who to ask..My Buddy Francesca .
It was her that came up with the Amazing Quote.Drop her a line, Say Hi , fire questions at her.

Just a bit of an update for lockdown really….

So just because we cant all go to the restaurants that we want to during Lock down and experience just how good they are. And we cant see or meet up with our friends. Focus on what we can all do . We went to this place before lockdown for sunday dinner , and its fair to say it definetly didnt disapoint then.

Today at lunch time , a knock on the door from one of my relations with a free Lunch . Well we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch. But today for me , there was …..

A Decent selection, I went for the Southern fried Chicken Baguette, My visitor had the prawn One. Mine was lovely, I will adnit to ” #PrawnEnvy ” and I have no idea how that many prawns stayed in the Baguette . But they did.

All the details are above, so if you are local to the village, give them a call

I’m pretty sure we will be back there before #lockdown2 ends

“A family recipe, handed down over the generations”…Mince Pies that are just a little bit Special

“A family recipe, handed down over the generations”..Now that is a statement that can make you think you are getting something that is going to be amazing….That Is going to have the sort of quality, or in this case taste, that is magnificent.Well,on the basis that I only blog about things that are really really good or terrible I think it’s fair to say that these particular products were or indeed are are lovely.

Not something that will save the planet, not something that will stop wars.And i hope its not too early to mention the ” C ” Word, maybe i’ll just say it quietly “Christmas”….

Put simply, and just in time for Christmas. A young lady making #mincepies to her grannies recipe.

Just for the record I paid for these cakes I’m very pleased that I did and if you want to buy some from the young lady that’s making them the details are here. ( Not the young ladies details ). You can work out prices with the ladies

And to add to that , 05/11/20 I went back and bought 2 more boxes as there are Gorgeous Apple pies available as well. I’m sure we will be having more before Christmas…

“The Elmer” oddly enough, in Elmer…. Well worth a visit for Sunday lunch

If you are on holiday in West Sussex even if you are just passing through near Littlehampton or Bognor Regis for a day and you’re looking for a nice traditional English pub to go and have #Sunday dinner then look up the Elmer hotel

If you are local you will already know of this Place and how good it is

I haven’t recently been a blogger who has taken photographs of their foods or their drinks however in this instance I wish I had…

The food was gorgeous the vegetables were nice there was lots of meat lots of gravy ,gorgeous apple sauce and the crackling, the crackling was just that

With all of the restrictions in place around #covid-19 we had to book apparently four days in advance. so this might not be the best pub to just turn up but if you can get a table it’s well worth it

And where is this amazing place …

The Elmer

PO22 6HD

I cant comment on the hotels side of things as i’m ” local ” but if they are as clean and tidy as the food is nice and plentiful then they should be good

Come to think of it , I have been here many times over the years and i dont think I have ever had a Bad experience , Not many places you can say that of at the moment

We paid for our meals, we werent given anything for writing this blog, its just when a place is this good you want to tell people about it

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.

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Little old Me, and an internationally covered event – who would have thought it

Where to start these blogs, is often the problem. I could ” star wars reference ” and use the “along time ago………….. ”  but it wasn’t that long ago.however, the experience really was this year out of this world.

So who wants a blog about another fire works display, and boring pictures.

 Well, this one is a little bit special, I cant say its free to attend, as it’s not.  But it gathers international media coverage each year as the organisers continue a tradition of burning Effagees for the crowd, always Guy Fawkes. Each year they also add a selected media person. This year it was Harvey Weinstein.

 The organisers that plan this amazing firework display is the Edenbridge Bonfire society. The Fireworks get so much focus, the effigy always does. What people don’t always report is the hard work of the committee and organisers that also put together a torch-lit parade through the town before the fireworks to involve the community, the schools, the nurseries and the children & families. It was  the 3rd in 4 years that I had been here, as a helper, a performer  and  this time as a marshal  so I got to actually see the amazing procession

If you are anywhere able to get to this event for future years, Or feel like helping out. contact the organisers Its got to be one of the best Fireworks displays  that “oldmanleslie ” has  ever seen “

So, if you use a place and its good, you remember,if you use it again and its good. tell people …Ace printing – Torquay

Just back from a short  family break in Devon, nothing to  dynamic  in that you may think. we stayed in a typical  chalet site. which was Ok , we knew this as we had used it before. Days out  whilst down there for 3  generations of “oldmanleslie”  and plenty  to do .

Obviously  a day out in Torquay  was on  the list, I was pleased ‘cos this  gave me the chance to go back to  ” ACE “ A company  I had used before and I was hoping were still under the same ownership  and hadn’t been a victim of the recession.   They haven’t, in fact they seem to be doing well. All I can think  is that  it must be the friendly staff, great range & choice,keen prices and the ability to print 1 offs at low cost that have kept them going .In addition to looking after their larger  customers

Any way, to Josh and the team that helped me , Thank you & see you  sometime soon I hope

If you want to give them a call or pop in if you are in sunny Devon . details are here .. 

Just for the record, I paid for the items I left with , I wasn’t given anything for this blog, its just that  when a place does show  proper customer service and makes you feel like you want to spend money with them, Its a good thing

So why is it that things have to change.? its not a serious issue, but …….

After  composing  this blog, I have this thought…”My grumpy old man training ”  seems to be ramping up…

Here goes

It appears that as you get older especially in the case of “Old man Leslie” there are things that you believed would always be around that aren’t…This might be people that pass on which we have seen too much of recently, this might be the friends that you either move away from or fall out with.
This might be businesses that close. today in my case it was one of the things I’ve done for many many years. Since the early days in the last millennium when I first met what became “Mrs Oldmanleslie”, there have been places we have been to, and things we have bought as we haven’t had a lot of funds. we were being careful with our money, way before MSE and the Web made it easy to find the bargains

Today in my case it was one of the things I’ve done for many many years. Since the early days in the last millennium when I first met what became “Mrs Oldmanleslie”, before there were Junior “Oldman Leslie’s” to think about. there have been places we have been to, and things we have bought as we haven’t had a lot of funds. we were being careful with our money, way before MSE and the Web made it easy to find the bargains

There have been places we have been to, and things we have bought as we haven’t had a lot of funds. we were being careful with our money, way before MSE and the Web made it easy to find the bargains

Anyway, I have referenced before the great service that we used to get from what we knew as the” meat man at ford ” we have used him for Many Years,  and always had good product and service. The

The company is here, and I understand why they have to have a Fb, Instagram, and all the other new channels, as they are a great business, and they have offices all over the place in this part of the world. My only thought is that it’s not just a place to go to visit to get the meat for Christmas, or for the Monster sized BBQ packs in the summer. It was the old emotional connection of standing there in December, on not exactly the warmest of days, waiting for that special deal that I always thought  I was getting. Sad to see them not at Ford any longer, worse still to see some other crowd selling meat.

I guess that as a business they have to look at where the money comes from, and if people like me only go to a market once in a blue moon, it will, of course, dwindle to nothing.  So am I, and those like me to blame for this, I think not in this instance as ” Ford market ” has evolved from the heady days of  ”  £2.99. any bag any holdall ”  and the massive £0.20 p per person admission to the ” club ” .. and buying mysterious unknown things in black bags ….Through the eBay generation and to the time when there are smartphones in every pocket. From the 2 long lines of market traders on both sides selling all sorts.

It has now become  what appears today to be a Massive ” boot fair “ but still a great place to loose a couple of hours  on the occasional  Sunday morning if you are  in west Sussex  and anywhere near Arundel and fancy buying that unfound antique

 

I just wish Malpass were still there and that things didn’t have to change, That we could still buy the “same old stuff”.  I guess this is one of the things that is innevitable as I get older

And just for the record, I received no payment, No slabs of gorgeous beef, none of  their sticky  ribs , fillet steak or otherwise for this blog, it’s just the thoughts of ” me ” and my reminiscences of halcyon days gone by…and not just  buying meat.

So I blog so much about the band I’m in…

Most of the freebie events I blog, many of the fun things I get involved in with the other Leslie’s are based around this band….

 So what is this thing that draws people in..Check out the site on line. And if you visit tell me what you think. www.celebrationsamba.co.uk/ and if you are based in this part of the world then maybe one day we may see you for a drum. This video is when our friends the dancers came over to a rehearsal…. As always, details on the web

“The tank” a little place with a Massive approach to customer service

Right in the heart of Bognor Regis Town there used to be a McDonald’s.now this was a McDonald’s that like many other towns had their people  that would meet around the front of it and will be open all hours. it  would serve all the usual stuff however. This wasn’t enough for the huge corporatethat is McDonald’s, who  decided to take the restaurant out of Bognor Regis and it’s place was  empty for a little while

 

But now the site that was formerly the restaurant has been brought up and is being developed at the moment it is the smallest coffee shop and bar in Europe and it’s called “the tank”

There is a lot of work going on at the tank to make it a venue for all sortsof things for all kinds of people but initially it’s a coffee shop that seats no more than about 4 or 5 people and it’s friendly and it’s good and it’s quality coffee and it’s nice. I personally as a resident of Bognor Regis wish the owner or the very very best luck in getting it off the ground I’ve used it a couple of times, the  coffee is  good,doughnuts are gorgeous and  it’s such a nice place to go if you are in town whilst on holiday

 

Its right in the middle of town

41-43 High Street

Bognor Regis

So nice to see a start up doping well. and  have  great feedback, but dont take my word for it

Children go free in fancy dress for Halloween 2016….now that always sounds good when free means Free. I’m sure there is lots to spend your money on when you get there

This could be a brilliant offer for anybody who’s got young children and lives in the south of the UK.

Basically if your children are dressed up in Halloween fancy dress then there is free admission to Monkey World one of the best attractions along the south coast here is the link to the Monkey World website if you want to verify this and I found this link on h u k d have a great Halloween and remember it’s all about having fun

 

Here are the T’s & C’s from the monkey world website at this link 

 

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

 

Just an Amazing ” freebie ” day out – Hastings Pirate day 2016

Firstly , I admit to having taken this from the web ( my own blog infact ) so is that allowed , who knows Not to sure if I should use the text above for this  as it’s really a review of  what has been a great  year  ( band wise  )  and  there are still events to come this year .

I have the pleasure of performing with  Celebration Samba, a band based in   West Sussex . The band has been around for a while  and  it seems to get better  every year . The reason for the blog is an event that  being in the band Takes me to  each year, a great day for Families, Adults, Children,mums and dads alike .

Its my involvement with the band that has taken me to so many places, dressed me up in fancy dress, made me smile, and  really enjoy something that other people seem to enjoy me doing .

Hastings Pirate Day 2016 on Sunday 17th July 2016

There is just so much going on, and its only if you tell people about these things that the word gets out

So why blog about it, well, the band has shown me that  it’s not just the ” big & shiny ” events that are fun, Dressing up. and playing & performing  can be good & its so much fun.Last  year has also seen oldmanleslie, don his pirate  wig, use his best AAAAARRRRRRR

Before I get picked up saying the event is Free, you will have to pay to get there, you may have to buy  food / drink etc, and you may need to get parking and things for your children.

So I guess the main point of the blog, is that  if like me you are at a carnival procession ( big or small)and you see something that looks like fun, it’s always  good to ask, because speaking from experience, if I hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have found out about celebration samba,and I couldn’t have told you about all the wonderful  free to attend events going on in this part of the world

If you fancy Joining the band, have a look at their www and see if you can get along to rehearsals , full details and a Little history  are here and if you think it’s just ” 40 somethings like oldmanleslie “. no we have all ages  in the band.and its NOT  always about piracy.Mums, dads,grannies,granddads,father & sons, Generally people just having a good time entertaining people

For the blog,  my involvement with  the band
has cost me to buy kit and rehearse, however it has shown me that there  are so many carnivals and free events that are typically  English around the country, its still a good  ( and noisy if you are drumming ) place to be.

“see you at the pirate day , be sure to come and say HI “

A firm is only as good as its Staff, and when the man at the top is this good….

This blog isn’t going to help you with a great day out; it won’t even tell you where to get a decent meal, or a coffee in town. There is a saying that goes something along the lines of “if you get great service” then tell people. So here goes.

6 years ago ( so it’s not  just a flash in the pan, recent thing ) we had some work done on our little house, Mrs ” oldmanleslie” decided she wanted the kitchen we had inherited  to be updated, she could live with the dust, lack of services, upheaval  etc. etc. as long as she got  the nice shiny kitchen she chose. Part of this of course was choosing the flooring, so of we went to a local place to choose the best for us. We hadn’t used this company before so we thought we would give them ago.

They listened to what was wanted, where it was to be used and an idea of what we had to spend on the job. As a result they recommended that we use 

All I can say is that for the first few months it was fine, and then it started to crack, shrink and in some parts lift. In my opinion there are better flooring solutions out there available. I would NOT  recommend Karndean

This is the point where I became glad we had used the right fitters for it. As a simple call to the fitters and they came and sorted out the concerns, NOT just a fix, But a fix to the customers (Mrs oldmanleslie’s) standard.

 

My reason  for wanting to tell of how good the service is from this company. Here we are 6 years down the line and I’m told  that they have popped in this afternoon to sort out the last of the last reported issues.

So I now have:

• A smooth Kitchen floor. This is handy when we come  down and its dark to raid the fridge.
• A happy wife who has sorted her problem kitchen floor
• An opportunity to tell people that  if you are looking for great service at Good prices( not always the cheapest) and you can find them. Then call Sargeants….

Just for the record, in the time since I contacted Sargeants for the kitchen, We have used Sargeants for other small rooms in the house. I have not asked them to do any work  or provide service for free, I am choosing simply to tell about great service from a local company to the Bognor Regis ( UK ) area. There may be other companies in the area that are just as good. but i think you would have to go  a long way to beat the service we have had.

 

 

 

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

what a great part , of a great holiday

Clan ” oldmanleslie” like to have time away as a family, and whilst the boys still appreciate it  and seem to enjoy it , it does get harder to find something that we can all do together. This is because there is  an 8 year gap  between ” the boys ”

This year , for a  cheap holiday  in august, we decided to go back to Dubai . we  have been before , we know what to expect. we stayed at the  “Zabeel Saray ” …there are other blogs  here about the holiday .

 

The one is specifically about  ” the spa ” as i think its worth shouting about.

Usually a spa is a bout  ” me time ” for relaxing , however in the case of the that’s not strictly true, it was ” me time ” for me and my  Number 01 son. who was old enough to come in with me we were staying at he Jumeriah Zabeel saray.We discovered that the spa was actually part of the hotel, it was excellent. The facilities here are excellent, there are just the perfect amount of staff to be helpful yet not intrusive . all the usual pools, relaxations, steam. saunas etc etc. and then for us, the best feature. a snow room for use after a sauna.

No fee for hotels guests for the main facilities and it seemed to be open every time we wanted it

separate facilities for males / females of course, so i cant comment on the ladies facilities

We found that the spa was just right as an escape from the august sunshine, and also a perfect way to relax a little after a hard day touring the beautiful city of Dubai. and provided  all we needed for a great bit of ” father son Bonding ”

 

Please excuse using ” web photos” obviously no cameras allowed  in the spa  & i have listed this in freebies-that-i-have-found as its complementary  for hotel guests

So its the simple ideas that are often the best

On a recent great holiday to Dubai with the family, whilst sat on a beach, on the palm, in near 50

C heat. i was pleased to see that the Hotel Give out free water and ice lollies to their guests during the day. I guess it’s just one of those things that is a ” nice touch ” and for this i say well done jumeriah.

The downside to a major hotel giving out bottles of water , all iced and cold in branded bags and nice for the guests is that there is a lot of Bottles left that have to go to recycling. So Why should i choose to blog about rubbish , well anyone that knows me will know of the company i work for ” Tempcon” and through them i got to hear about the WFAA. The link will tell you what they do , basically my ” knowing of them ” has changed the way i think about waste

so lets cut through this, My Idea was to simply condense the bottles down before sending to recycling, there by optimising the space required, reducing the number of vehicles needed to move the bottles and save fuel etc etc etc.

So My thanks go to the team at the JUMEIRAH ZABEE

L SARAY hotel firstly for giving me time with their managers to explain the idea to them and for putting me in co

ntact with this man ( I wont name him as it wouldn’t be fair to him to directly), I’m sure that Jumeriah will do something good with Any money that they save as an international chain of hotels. As its part of their Green Globe accreditation . Also a big thank you for the things that the Hotel arranged for us as a gift. My photo doesn’t do the suggestion any favours really but I hope you can see what was suggested .

It’s Just Nice to see that a truly global brand will listen to a customer, will take feedback , and will also act on it quickly and effectively, I will be feeding this back to the managers that I dealt with directly

Well done Jumeriah