Early dawning, Sunday morning. B (the Beast from the East); the satanist and I have just dropped my grandmother off at Birmingham New Street. Having ensured her arrival at platform 7A, we exited via the putrid-smelling short stay car park. Our objective was clear: see some awesome motorbikes.
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Our first encounter with excellency was in the entrance hall of the museum. Just before the ticket office I noticed a curious hood ornament on the side car of a Norton motorcycle. What is particularly striking about this bronze man is his Union Jack waistcoat. How thoughtful!
Little did we know there was a lot more to be seen beyond. The museum itself was heavily damaged some 14 years ago due to a fire. Since then the family team have renovated almost all of the motorcycles damaged.
On display were over 700 British made motorcycles. There is one American motorcycle whose innards were made in Sheffield. It comes as no surprise that the American motorcycle was the most distinctive of all the ones we saw.
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Moving into the first hall, we were presented with a panoply of British-made motorcycles from as early as 1898 to the middle of the 20th Century. I shan’t bore you with what one of my lecturers titles “ghastly description”. Instead, I will show you some exciting photographs of motorcycles in the hope they will motorvate you to visit this magnificent museum.
Above is pictured B’s favourite motorbike of the whole museum. He called out to the satanist who was still making his way through Hall 1 (of 5) saying “you have seen nothing yet!”. Sadly, the machine gun attached to the side car would not have been used whilst driving. The weapon would have been detached and mounted before use. Nonetheless, this was an impressive British bike, made by Clyno in 1914.
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Pictured left is an incredible specimen from Hall 4. The biggest motorbike engine made for mass production at the time when it was built. 2300CC petrol engine. The Triumph Rocket 3 was made in Hinkley, Coventry – not 25 miles from where we stood admiring it.
To the right was one of the first exhibits we saw. In the entrance hall before the ticket office. I am fascinated by the intricate functioning of motorcycles, especially this one. Perhaps I was a magpie in a previous life, hence my attraction to all things shiny. You’ll notice a ‘hood’ on the headlamp. This is because up to roughly 1937, most motorcycle headlamps were lit by a wick and flame rather than a bulb. How fantastic!
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.There is something for everyone at the National Motorcycle Museum. There you shall find a motorbike which astounds you particularly. My favourite, the 1958 Nero, made from the wreck of an old Matchless Motorcycle (bought for £5!) Its improved version, the Super Nero, was recorded going as fast as 236 miles per hour. Quite impressive for being built over 60 years ago!
Now, a caveat. It should be mentioned that the satanist owns a motorcycle. It is not by mistake that we ended up surrounded by them. The one pictured below was and remains his favourite. There is something about a motorcycle in which one can consider brewing beer which makes it just that bit more masculine. The aptly named “Copper Knob” is, for want of a better word, breathtaking.
I leave you with my final favourite photograph. You’ll have noticed in the ‘featured image’ a line up of police cars. On the back of one of them an extraordinary codicil which I did not expect to see on a vehicle with fewer than four wheels.
If the reader looks past the incredible telephone, they should see a reflection of the Suggestor in the mirror.
This museum really impressed my flatmates and I. A family run business since its inception; collecting British made motorcycles. There is something deeply patriotic about visiting the National Motorcycle Museum. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I hope you shall too.
I have searched high and low. Eaten this dish everywhere from Harrogate to Hiroshima. I lived in Rome for one year. Queued three hours with my dearest to eat at Gino e Sorbillo’s in Napoli. Yet with all my accumulated pizza knowledge and cholesterol, Alicia’s knocked me off my chair.
Though your Suggestor is often prone to hyperbole, he is not afraid to admit this was the best pizza he has tried in England. I hoped you enjoyed that bout of third person pontification. I seldom have the courage to conduct myself so conceitedly. Alicia’s Micro Bakehouse has this effect on me.
Bhaskar (Beast from the East); the satanist; a delightful Indian CEO ; my grandmother and I drove fully forty minutes for this phenomenon. Let me tell you dear reader, we did not expect what followed. Below are listed the delicacies we sampled.
La Spagnola: Chorizo, mozzarella & manchego cheese
Boscailo: Mozzarella, cured black forest ham, red peppers, garlic mushrooms and gorgonzola
Neapolitan style pizza is a rarity in this country. But pizza like this is nigh impossible to find. Believe me, I have tried. This dough was made from the finest 00 flour from A Di Maria. It is no coincidence we ended up here. The satanist and I bumped into a major component of Alicia’s organisation purchasing the same flour I was to consume, some days later, in the form of pizza. I reasoned if they got their flour from the same place I do, then their crusts must be as crisp as mine.
Here we were, seated on one of maybe 6 tables. Strong wooden table made of either light oak or beech. The seats were sparse yet spacious – but not specious. We had to wait a little while for the above Spagnola etc. But once they arrived they were outrageous. One need only look at a photograph to discern quality.
The Margherita pictured in the ‘featured photo’ was just as it should be. Tomato sauce; chopped (not grated) mozzarella ; some pepper if proffered. Having passed the Margherita test, I knew Alicia’s other choice pizzas would entreat me.
The above Parma really wowed B. For someone who had never tasted either Neapolitan style pizza or Parma ham, this was indeed an audacious choice. But his boldness was rewarded by a top shelf pizza.
But the pizza which really stole the show for me was the Noci. Since eating the Garlic chestnut mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, red onion jam, and rocket pizza at the Saracen’s Head, I did not think I could have eaten a better version. Yet the combination of the onions with Gorgonzola and walnuts blew all of our minds. It is pictured below. Truly a masterpiece. This right here is the best pizza I have eaten in England.
To say I suggest this restaurant is an understatement. I strongly suggest you go to Alicia’s Microbakehouse and sample their delectable pizza selection. Keeping the menu comparatively short ensures the freshest quality of ingredient. Although the A Di Maria 00 flour has run out and the Shipton Mill 00 flour has returned, I guarantee you a sterling pizza. The likes of which one can only dream about.
Once again I found myself in a rut. So many great albums with so little time. One album really stood out from start to finish. This four sided record is nothing short of a masterpiece. I’ve been listening to Sparks’ albums for a while. Last month my formula for picking an album was to look at the producer. I applied this again.
Sparks’ debut album (Halfnelson) completely blew me away. I thought it would be AOTM but then I looked at its producer. Halfnelson was of course produced by Todd Rundgren. I did my research and found myself listening to Something/Anything.
“Others had recorded one-man albums before, most notably Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, but Rundgren — without borrowing musically from either artist — captured the homemade ambience of McCartney with the visionary feel of Music of My Mind, adding an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music from Gilbert & Sullivan through Jimi Hendrix, plus the crazed zeal of a pioneer.”
There are 33 tracks on this album so forgive me if I don’t go into too much detail telling you about each one in turn. Personal highlights were: I Saw the Light; It Takes Two To Tango; Breathless; Saving Grace; The Day the Carousel Burned Down; Black Maria and of course the showstopping Hello It’s Me. Rundgren produced and played each instrument on 3/4 sides of this LP. The entire album is a “mind altering trip” and does leave you breathless. One of the best albums I have heard. IT alters my perception of what good music is.
“The first side is “a bouquet of ear-catching melodies”; side two is “the cerebral side”; on side three “the kid gets heavy”; side four is his mock pop operetta, recorded with a full band including the Sales brothers.”
Something/Anything is one of those albums which make you self aware. It shows every side of Rundgren’s highly distinguished musical capacities. So many genres of music are covered. Now I shall leave you to make up your own minds about this album. I was moved and so too shall you be. In which direction remains for you to decide.
Until recently, I was not coffee’s biggest fan. Even in Italy I refused to sample this unknown delicacy. Too sour for me, I like sweet things. Alas, my youth faded much too quickly and I now relish more savoury dishes.
I found myself in Genius Coffee, Carlisle one morning for work. Driving an average of 1000 miles a month had me exhausted so I stopped for coffee. I was at once mesmerised at how flavoursome and awakening this beverage is. From then I was hooked.
Stepping closer to coffee perfection was incremental for me. I received my first Bialetti from my dear friend Edoardo when I went to Rome in February. I soon realised I needed something with a greater capacity. Mother and I traded Bialettis. Now in possession of the six-cup beast, I was able to fully explore coffee varieties.
While on one of my vegetable runs in Coventry Market, Ed’s Coffee House caught my eye. A wall and table stuffed to the gunnels with stacks of coffee. Kilner jars as far as the eye could see. I was in coffee Nirvan.
Chris, manning the desk, knows everything there is to know about each of the many kinds of roast coffee beans he sells. I have thus far tried the Indian Monsoon Malabar; Olympic Blend; Cuban Serrano and Q blend. Each of which have a unique effect. The Olympic blend, as Chris will be able to relate to you in much greater detail, comes from the North East Africa, where the soil has an usually high nitrogen content. This translates into a cup of Joe which makes you feel as though you’ve been hit by a bus.
Each coffee is unique. Chris knows I use a Bialetti. He grinds my coffee beans in front of me, into the finest powdered coffee for my machine. But my grandmother has a peculator so the grind was different. Ed’s Coffee House caters for everyone’s coffee needs. They even sell their own coffee for £1 a cup.
They have changed my life. I know they will change yours too. I can say with confidence that my days are powered by Ed’s powdered coffee beans.
And the best part of it all is that they deliver. So when I leave the Warwickshire region for good, I know Ed’s Coffee House will never be far from my Bialetti.
What can I say about Birtelli’s? The satanist recommended it to me. He and I were in Leamington one evening on nefarious business when we were struck by pangs of debilitating hunger. What could sate our stomachs? As in most cases: pizza.
On nearby Clarendon Avenue, we found the tried and tasted haven that is Britelli’s. I had an in depth conversation with the pizzaoilo about the gluten content associated with the 00 flour he uses for the dough. Now assured about the authenticity of Chef’s recipe, I ordered my Margarita. One must always order margherita when trying out a new pizzeria. If they pass the margherita test, you can be certain everything else on the menu will either match the standard set or surpass it. You’ll be pleased to know that Birtelli’s passed the test with flying colours.
On my next visit, I ordered two pizzas. The first can be seen in this post’s ‘featured image’. The Aubrey Allen Cornish Spring Lamb pizza was, frankly, inspired. Whoever thought putting lamb on a pizza with strips of onion would work so well? It doesn’t feel right putting lamb on a pizza but for some reason it was extra delectable here.
Above is the Mackenzies Yorkshire Smokehouse chicken, with sweetcorn and Sun-blushed tomatoes. Again, I would never stoop to putting chicken on a pizza, even if the chicken is from my own home, Yorkshire. And yet, this combination was a sensation. I’ve spoken at length about how irate mozzarella grate makes me, but here it worked to boost the flavour of its fellow ingredients. The crust is thin and crunchy as it should be. The toppings are of the highest quality sourced locally in Britain.
The level of service I have received in Birtelli’s is consistently excellent. From the staff on the phone to the shop tenders and finally the delivery boy. The whole operation is highly skilled in customer service and it makes all the difference.
Next time you’re feeling peckish for a slice of pizza or six, choose Birtelli’s. Satisfaction guaranteed.
From whichever direction one enters Stockton proper, 12 Harland Place cannot be avoided.
Far be it from me to suggest this is a negative, quite the opposite. I had the pleasure of eating here in August. It is a convenient distance from Newcastle, where I, then, resided. With my sister’s birthday coinciding with an influx of free time – I made my way to Northumbria from Warwickshire.
The family met in this idyllic village and celebrated my sister’s 20th birthday. A momentous occasion indeed.
We started with some cheesy garlic pizza for the table. I have eaten pizza from here before so had high expectations.
This pizza generally satisfies, but this one had a little extra something which made it more delectable. Not true pizza by any means but still delicious.
I feasted on Parpadelle Pollo funghi. A grand combination of chicken, mushroom, garlic, white wine & cream sauce. Perhaps they were overcooked by half a minute for my taste. But one shouldn’t be pedantic.
Next up was Mother’s goats cheese and red onion marmalade pizza. Conceptually viable but poorly executed. The pizza was over cooked and the ingredients did nothing to counteract the dryness of the crust. It was gag-worthy, but not in the pleasantly surprising way. (For all the beastly people out there, that was a reference to RuPaul’s Drag Race, nothing crass.)
My sister’s white truffle and wild mushroom risotto felt right. I would say the grains were a little under cooked. It was just short of being optimal but on the whole a delight to eat. Just the right lightness of flavour from white truffles mixed with the earthy nutty tones of organic wild mushrooms.
Finally, we moved onto dessert. Banoffee cheesecake; salted caramel cheesecake and blueberry cake. All homemade, all home runs. Excellent all round. The salted caramel cheesecake is better shared between two. It can be overwhelming in excessive quantities.
I’ve been somewhat critical of this restaurant’s cooking timing but honestly, 12 Harland Place is a delight. The staff are friendly and attentive as well as efficient. The decor is well thought through and maintained to a high standard. The location is lovely and the food is not too expensive.
My family & I had a great time, and so too shall you.
