peckham_perkster

*pours timmy taylors into glass slowly watching it clear* *opens up the ES magazine cos it's Friday* *cheers ed :)-D trying to clink glasses as quietly as possible*

That's amazing DM bravo! I shall be in the area tomorrow so will pop in and hopefully Will to get a bit of money off. I don't think I've ever tried a burgundy before. Do we want to stick to just the white this time and then go for a red next time? I don't think our taste buds will be on top form if we have both rouge et blanc in one session.

*flops onto a chair eyeing up the ale* *any Timothy Taylors in there Ed?*

I find my wine tastes follow the season and I am most definitely in agreement with JL when it comes to rose wine. I was almost a bit gutted when I started discovering the options were getting better only for the darn stuff to become really trendy about a year later! I also don't get on that well with white wine all the time, I find it gives me a headache. I tell you what is amazing on a hot summer day, a glass of really cold lovely sherry, no really. I'm sure I heard that some of the big wine houses use rose as a way of working out if their new grape blends work well, they see if it comes out OK in a rose before making a vat of the others. I'm probably wrong but it was something like that. I really like the idea of the virtual tasting in a way it would be more fun though I cannot wait to see the notes we all make about the wines. I will not be able to contain my laughter if people start commenting on how the wine whiffs of petrol and the tops of babies heads and has great legs.

I was thinking the same thing Asset, I know it's pushing it but if it's possible to come up with something by the end of the working day that would be perfect as there is an Oddbins really close to where I work so I could pick up the flavours of the week ready for the tasting on Sunday.

I was thinking of coming as well as I'm a relative newbie but I'm apprehensive. Mind you they do a decent pint at the Gowlett...

Urm, I'm more of a red wine drinker myself but like to open myself up to the world of white wine every now and then. Shame on you for presuming that all ladies will be more interested in the white option! Surely you guys want to experiment with some white as well? Prove to us that you are real men...>:D<

I like the sound of this virtual wine tasting club and doing it at G&B's sounds good as well I know we can reserve an area if needs be though it can get noisy if it's busy. Maybe we need to ease ourselves into this gently like online dating starting off with virtual wine tastings eventually building up to a real date at G&B's - I'll be the one with purple teeth from the plonk. I'm part of the Virgin Wine Discovery Club which means I get sent a case every quarter or so which comes up with some lovely stuff and is good value for money. I'm no wine buff at all but at least this means I try things I wouldn't usually so I'm getting there. I'm up for a tasting this Sunday and it will tie in nicely with the other half being down from Brum so I can add his comments as well. Let us know the exact Chablis DM if we go ahead with this and I shall make sure I buy a bottle.:)

Don't have to think twice about that one, it's a brilliant idea. As long as there are no spitoons, I want to drink it not swill it about and spit it out.

Fray Bentos, it really is a place not just the cheapest meat pie in christendom.

*accepts the pinot grigio but can smell the meths on mockney piers breath and is slightly disappointed not to be offered any* *clears throat and quaffs the entire glass in about 3 gulps* *leaves as quickly as possible bumping into the drinks trolley on the way almost upsetting a bottle of advocaat*

I second SM's thanks, I've been looking in the windows of that place for so long wondering if it was ever going to open up and now cannot wait to go and be nosey.

Good point bald marauder, and good on yer for trying to change the attitude. I always wonder with men if their frowns are to do with the fact that the wheeled contraption they're pushing doesn't have power steering, climate control or a nice set of alloys? I'm sure that DWP's are just as exhausted as MWP's, though I think some MWP's might beg to differ.

*peeks round the door having never been in here before* *note to self don't wear trainers that squeak when walking across the floor* *finds the drinks trolley and helps self to a glass of ice cold sherry* *looks up and smiles at everyone in the room* *realises that this may be misconstrued as flirting* *finds the leather sofa and hides behind her book 'Hidden rivers of London'*

Hello! :)) I always smile and say hello to people when walking down the street, it's a great social experiment and the responses differ greatly. Even if you don't say hello try to get eye contact and smile - without looking like you're psychotic or about to hit on them. People invariably smile back and that's never a bad thing. My favourite is smiling and saying hello to groups of young people whose attire usually consists of hooded tops and tracksuit bottoms with mobile phones playing some rather loud music. I always do this whenever I see them and have to say that they are the friendliest lot and usually are quite polite. It's not exactly hugging a hoodie but I think instilling the idea that we don't all think they're small time criminals about to happy slap us a good thing. The unfriendliest....hate to say it...mums with prams.

Yes, south of Peckham High Street. Strange but true but as soon as you cross that road everything is a little bit more lovely. As with all generalisations they don't hold up completely but this one does to some extent. Sorry getting off topic, my fault.

But of course Brendan, if only to understand where your beer comes from. Saying that I'm really glad that the river Peck is no more I can't imagine how awful beer would have been if made from this, though it would explain why the locals on the wrong side of Peckham are a bit scary.

Hmm, well I doubt they any brewer actually uses the water from the local rivers these days! Having seen the rubbish and at least one up turned trolley in the river Wandle right next to the brewery I sincerely hope they didn't use this water, however maybe this is what gives it their beer a strong earthy taste... I actually looked at the CAMRA site out of sheer curiosity and take back what I said before, the 'Great British Beer Festival' is on in August this year at Earls Court and looks enticing.(tu) GBBF Photos 2006

Thanks for the warning about the Clock House, it's a real shame as it was an alright boozer before though the quiz night could be a bit scary. Friends of mine went in and were politely asked to move by some regular quizzers who claimed that the table they were sitting at was theirs. Sorry to be pedantic but Youngs hasn't been bought by Charles Wells, they are still an independant company using Wells' brewery in Bedford to make Youngs lovely beer. I work literally on top of the old brewery site in Wandsworth and it was a sad day last year when we no longer smelt the hops being brewed. I know it's unusual in this day and age for a woman to know her beer but I love a drop of 'real ale' :)-D I hasten to add that I am not a member of CAMRA and don't attend beer festivals.

The blog looks great Ruth. Annt let me know if cakes need dropping off anywhere as I'm not about that weekend and I'll get them to you or someone else if needs be. Loving the bunting, I should have guessed that would be the sort of thing you'd have lying around mumra!

I know this one isn't local but it does do the most amazing food and is packed with Chinese people, always a sure sign of good Chinese cuisine. The Peninsular restaurant is by the eyesore called the 'Millenium Dome', it's part of the Holiday Inn Express hotel so parking is ample. We went there on Sunday and the food was to yummy, reasonably priced and the service was swift. http://www.mychinesefood.co.uk/home/home1.htm The only down side was having to sit next to my other half munching his way through chickens feet in black bean sauce (td)

Things really are moving fast! I'm more than happy to bake a cake or some buns for the Goose Green Fair but can't come along myself as I'm at my nephew's 2nd birthday party. I've put Tuesday 5th June in the diary, I'm really looking forward to it.

Peckham Perkster - Clare, though everyone calls me Perki, ask mumra... If thats their campaign for this year then I feel we're slightly late seeing as work has already begun on the Dulwich Community Hospital. I'm so pleased there are noises about not singing Jersualem. If we're going to be setting up a new group then we should bring the WI kicking and screaming into the 21st century, jam and chutney making aside, obviously.

I've just been read this thread and am keen to find out as well so if it's OK will be in attendance. I'm interested in seeing what the criteria are to become a new WI. At the moment the only skills I can offer are in making chutney.