giggirl

Sunday morning. I'm wondering what to have for breakfast that would be socially acceptable?

People who use the forum to complain about local businesses can often find themselves shot-down by other forumites who are happy customers of that business. I suppose if someone has genuine cause for complaint then we want to hear about that, but I think most people on here can rise above the petty posting that occasionally goes on. I don't think any local business should allow themselves to be bullied by someone who threatens to post a bad review on the forum. Bullies should always be stood up to. I find false recommendations worrying. People who join the forum just to rave about a particular service and then, surprise surprise, they never post about anything ever again. I would go so far as to say that if someone recommends a business and it's their first ever post on the forum, ignore the recommendation and assume it is false. Cynical, I know, but there we are. By the same rule of thumb, I'd take a complaint about a local business from a first-poster with a pinch of salt.

Go to the office and speak with one of the parkies. There is always someone in the office.

I would have thought a MTH warm-up was top of your wish-list, but if you'd prefer Iceland vouchers then mine is not to reason why.

TillieTrotter Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My teenage visitor is going to Camden for a > piercing tomorrow!! eek. Piercing what? Can you say or is it not decent. I darsen't send her home pierced or tattoed!

Great suggestions so thank you. I'm Godmother to various kids and for presents and treats I rarely buy them "things" as I prefer to take them somewhere and give them a good day out. Sometimes I run out of ideas. I'm taking a friend's 7 year old boy on the Rib ride at the beginning of September (it's his birthday present) so I can't take Megan on that because she'll steal his thunder. I'm liking the Viktor Wynd shop idea. She's very familiar with the South Bank because her train goes into London Bridge and I meet her off it and we walk. Another thought is I wonder if there are any cookery lessons for teenagers. I know she bakes and her mother would love me forever if I could get her cooking.

She's not that London-literate - she's a suburban girl. She loves the hustle and bustle She's not that girly. She's a bit EMO and she doesn't own a single dress (except for school uniform). She's very bright and quite sensitive so she isn't blase about things - everything has a big impact. I've taken her to see The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Nighttime and she loved that. I've got my eye on this.... http://hinthunt.co.uk/#hh-faq which looks great fun but I can't find a free slot for a few weeks so I'd need to book ahead. It's a team game where you're locked in a room and you need to solve clues to get out. Businesses use it for team-building but it is also suitable for kids over age 9. Lunch at the top of Heron Tower sounds like fun. I'm sure she'd enjoy the Harry Potter tour but it's a long way to go so that puts me off. I would like to see the new Monsters Inc film but I think she would think she was too old for it!

I'm taking a 14 year old out for a day this week and she's a terrific girl so I want to give her a day with real wow factor. I'm racking my brains and I'm getting nowhere. Has anyone done anything amazing with their teenagers this summer that they can share with me?

Gringle, my advice to is to take a deep breath and walk away. I know it's horrible when you get ripped off but stress is even worse. Even if you managed to get them to agree a refund in principle then, because they are so sharp, they'd do something nasty like deduct ?20 for "admin fees" or the like, which would take the shine off any victory that you felt. The saying "revenge is a dish best served cold" is a cliche but there is some truth in it. For now, walk away and let it drop - that would be the best thing for you. If, the next time you were in Bluewater or wherever you happened to see a sale about to get finalised, and you happened to have a word in the mark's ear to tell them that this is going to end up costing them a lot more money than they think, then I would imagine that will be deeply satisfying. Those paintball sales-people are everywhere. I've never engaged with them because it's not my thing, but a lot of people have read this thread and so take some comfort that you've probably warned a lot of people off signing up in future. Have a stiff drink and reflect on that.

I'm so pleased you're back Hooch. Px

Hello Gringle, Best of luck but they've been at this a long time. Here's a link to a thread on Moneysavingexpert.com which is a few years old but still an active thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=184661&page=1 worth a read

I like it. More please. On the spot fines for Crocs Eating fried chicken on the bus Saying "awesome" I could go on but I'm getting over-excited.

El Pibe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would most definitely look a right prat if I got > all dressed up in day-glo, slapped Vicks vapo-rub > all over me and hugged strangers whilst saying > 'what's your name where you from what you on' ad > naseum to cheesy rave. > Actually we all did back then but noone cared. > > OK, back to the real world, Pearl on the Peak > leaning out atop Victoria peak is hard to beat for > jaw dropping views. Pretty good restaurant there > too. > > http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4070/4430205055_cf0d > cd105a.jpg > Pearl on the Peak, a restaurant with a magnificent > view. Victoria Peak, Hong Kong by Fred @ SG, on > Flickr I've eaten at Pearl. It's a restaurant with a small bar at the entrance. NOT a bar with a restaurant. Food not that special but the view is magnificent and the ride up is pretty special too.

Excuse me but isn't this the place that had a house band called "The Joshua Trio" with doppleganger Bono?

I'm thinking of opening a B&B for departed forumites. Well I say B&B but you'll have to go to Homemade for breakfast. I think it is very sad that sound forumites are going off-piste.

Jaysus you don't mean the Swan at Stockwell do you? On a thread entitled "Great Bars of the World". If you think the Swan is one of the great bars of the world then you haven't really been getting out as much as you think you have.

The guy stands almost directly outside of my house so it does creep me out a bit. My broadband is password protected of course but even so, there's a guy on a laptop right outside my home on a regular basis.

I struggle with being me so I haven't got time to be someone else as well.

Lane Lover - remind me to come and have a really good laugh some time at your expense. Prick.

"Have you said a prayer to St Anthony" - I think that's my mother talking circa 1975

Yes - RIP Filthy McNasty's in Islington.

Oh yes MM, I spent a rather interesting night in that bar in New York. There was a megaphone behind the bar, the staff periodically set the bar alight with alcohol and then danced on it. Does this sound familiar MM? Same bar as you? Meat Packing? I had a little dance myself but I kept all my clothes on. All of them. Did you remove anything yourself MM? I wouldn't say it was one of the best bars in the world but it was a great night out. We stumbled on it completely by accident and we spent the night, drank a lot of beer, and things became a little loose. We walked all the way home to Chelsea and slept until noon.

Very very sad.

Ha - seems I'm not the only one for whom Taytos are a secret pleasure. No wonder the Irish shop is still in business.

My guilty pleasure. Tayto Irish crisps! Yum. https://www.taytocrisps.ie/