by Cedric | Dec 1, 2018 | General, Goods and Services
Moving to a new city has its challenges: meeting new people; settling into a new routine; adjusting to the bizarre new geography… But most of all, finding a suitable hairdresser.
Those of you who know me will be acutely aware that I have hair on my head. This hair does not behave according to the regular, predictable laws of physics. It needs shearing far more often than I’d like. Consequently, my second haircut in this city stampeded my way with frightening alacrity.
Being a terribly busy man about town, I do not have much free time throughout the week or indeed on the weekends. I needed somewhere which would not make me go too much out of my way. Especially given I am without a bike now, since being crushed to death by a fast moving taxi. Pickles and Co is perfectly situated in the middle of the Jewellery Quarter.
At first I was a little concerned at the price. Alarm bells rang as soon as I was offered a coffee. That is usually a bad sign for your bank manager. Then I looked around me and understood where the few extra pounds were to go.
The place is absolutely gorgeous. The downstairs area is even more aesthetically pleasing. The coffee, by the way, is superb. Of course it is difficult to go on at length about a hair cut. Other than to say a hair cut is a hair enhanced, one can can seldom expand on his follicle foibles.
Suffice to say, the service was outstanding. Tom sheared me with passion, assisted by his glamorous apprentice, Soloman. I was impressed by the care with which he cut my hair. It took around an hour, which made me feel as though I was getting value for money – a prized boon.
Call them on 0121 389 8498 to book an appointment. And tell Tom I say hello.
by Cedric | Sep 26, 2018 | General, Goods and Services
Recently, I’ve come into contact with an abnormal amount of wrath. My bike was stolen from New Street Station some days ago. I deliberately parked it under 3 cameras in a crowded area (the Drop & Go!).
To cite Homer,
[My] rage is black and murderous.
Perhaps the thieves in question were not Greek, but I should still like to “pitch [their] souls… into Hades’ dark, and [leave] their bodies to rot as feasts for dogs and birds”.
Moving on from my fully justified disgust of criminals, I found myself in need of a new bike. After a brief search and numerous phone calls, I alighted on the Bike Foundry.
We offer cycle maintenance training to individuals, schools and organisations. We also run a tool club where you can come along and use our workshop.
Founded in 2010; The Birmingham Bike Foundry refurbishes donated bikes and resells them. In my experience, their service is swift and cost effective. I got myself a Boardman hybrid bike with thin road tyres. It is pictured below. I must say, having ridden this, I’m almost glad the last bike was stolen. This bike is so very fast. It took me 18 minutes to cover 4.6 miles. I could do it in 15 without the damn traffic. I must admit to feeling immense joy sailing past all the cars on my way to the city centre each morning. The weather has been particularly kind to me in the last days. I do hope this continues.
The Bike Foundry are efficient and professional. The standard of their ware is beyond question. I am delighted to recommend them to you, on this fine Wednesday.
While on an excruciating walk to university, I snapped this picture of St Philip’s Cathedral. This bears no relevance, aside from it being a direct result of the theft of my bike. But, I am a skilled and conceited photographer and feel the need to impose this picture upon you.
by Cedric | Apr 26, 2018 | Food and Drink, General, Goods and Services
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.
by Cedric | Mar 23, 2018 | Goods and Services, Tunes
Vinyl Destination is situated in the heart of Coventry Market (Stall 93). I was so impressed by the pun in it’s nomenclature that I knew I had to buy something from them. Ian runs the joint. What he doesn’t know about music isn’t worth knowing.
Over the last few months, I have visited his shop numerous times. Ian does not only sell vinyl; he also runs a secret underground business of cleaning vinyls. I brought him two copies of my Album of the Year. Both skipped at the same place: Side two, track two Aqua. He cleaned my record with a special machine to remove any specs of dust then looked at it with a microscope. All Free of charge. Ian is as kind as he is knowledgeable.
They played beautifully from then on. I came back and bought every record by the Eurythmics that Ian had. I came back again for The Tourists’ debut album (pre Eurythmics Annie Lenox & co). Each one was wonderful and saw me using my dancing shoes.
Ian doesn’t just sell vinyl; cds. He sells joy. He is competitively priced and centrally located.
There are hundreds of vinyls to chose from. I’m not sure how many record shops the reader frequents, but allow me to tell you they are not normally as well arranged and indicated as Vinyl Destination.
I recommend it as the place to go to get that record you have been after but don’t want to pay the amazon premium price for. He stocks all kinds of music from all time periods. Equally, to avoid the worry of the neanderthals at Royal Mail mishandling your vinyl and crushing it in transit, Ian’s seemingly novel “Instant Delivery” system, available in all high street shops if one could be bothered to leave one’s homes and get out into the real world, is available for all.
Make Vinyl Destination your primal destination in Coventry Market. Ian will take care of all your vinyl needs.
Find out about their opening hours here.
by Cedric | Mar 12, 2018 | Food and Drink, General, Goods and Services
One’s Erasmus year rarely includes a lot of studying. There comes a time where one must focus. Sometimes (all the time), the stale air in the library and the three floors of internal suffering and panic don’t make for helpful revision. So I sought out a place with a calm and jovial atmosphere, away from all the dread of Roma Tre library.
It just so happens, not 100 metres from the university, there is a little cafe called Le Storie.
I found it and was amazed. Stefania Stefanini runs the place. Her inimitable charm and grace are a staple of Le Storie. Over the year(s) she has become a dear friend. I went to see her in my brief trip to Rome recently. Le Storie remains a breath of fresh air in the unkempt Quartiere San Paolo.
I spent countless hours of my erasmus here reading; writing; and socialising. Le Storie is friendly and warm. Stefania also stocks a litany of progressive literature as well as all the course books you could ever need. The coffee there is of great quality, unlike the sludge they serve here in England. I must thank my friend Edorado for gifting me a vintage Bialetti.
In all, this is the place to go for a peaceful solution to your mounting workload. Fresh food in ample portions, relaxed atmosphere and excellent coffee. This is the place to escape your university woes for a few hours.
Lest we forget, it is also one of the more beautifully put together cafes in the San Paolo area. A testament to Stefania’s excellent taste.
When you go, make sure to tell Stefania: “Cedric says ti voglio bene!”
by Cedric | Jan 6, 2018 | General, Goods and Services
Let’s talk about Chris Stacey.
Tucked in a narrow alleyway between two semi-detached houses on 35 Dane Rd, Coventry, you’ll find Stacey’s repairs.
Resurrecting my car from its sorry state was nothing short of a miracle. For the sake of my insurance company and likely-shaking mother, I’d like to make it clear I was not in an accident.
The fact of the matter is, I cannot park to save my life. With my previous job, I drove on average over 1000 miles per month, visiting dozens of department stores and high streets. Needless to say, parking was a nightmare. Some car parks are more manageable than others.
Being without a car is possibly one of the most trying experiences of my time on earth. Having to cycle to my various appointments was a prime example of first world problems. In reality it wasn’t so trying at all.
Chris Stacey is an exceptional mechanic. In the space of a week, he managed to remove any trace of my incapacity to park. The photograph does not show that the other side of the car was similarly scratched and that there was a dent in the rear bumper from Warwick University’s Car Park 8. I’d managed to back it into a yellow pillar of all things. You’d have thought I’d have seen it.
The above picture is of Chris’ new garage space. It should be finished imminently and promises to boost Chris’ productivity and output.
An astute and highly efficient mechanic, Chris Stacey promised to make my car seem as though it were brand new. And he did so wonderfully. Even when I bought it, the car did not look as good. His price is fair and reflective of the high standard of his work.
Stacey’s service is incomparable to many mechanics which have previously worked on my car. Yes, mother, I’m afraid there have been a few appointments to the body shop I didn’t tell you about. Chris exceeded his promise to drive me from the garage to my home. He also drove me to a bakery and a Polish Delicatessen in order to pick up some bread and smoked ham.
The ensuing slow cooked lentil soup was a terrific success.
Chris kept me up to date with developments to my car and came to pick me up when it was ready.
Not a scratch! I am grateful to Chris for his professionalism and superb workmanship.
I could not recommend him highly enough. Strikingly new looking and fully valeted. Gold standard service.
http://www.192.com/atoz/business/coventry-cv2/car-body-repairers/staceys/032f06fd23455cadd6fc216c02209d21b878c3a0/ml/
