Coffee Room at Skintrade, Newport
Uncategorised 12th March 2015 2
Guinness World Records is an astonishing institution. Under what other circumstances would the oldest ever person, the world’s longest human nose and Norma Stitz’s …ahem… assets appear in the same publication? And how about that perennial favourite world record: how many women can be squeezed into a Mini? What... Read more
For a county with nearly seventy miles of coastline, there are surprisingly few venues with a sea view. Pretty much the whole of the south west coastline has nowhere punters can enjoy a bite to eat and a glass of something stimulating while contemplating the English Channel. Even the... Read more
Archive review: Mrs Jones Tea Depot
Uncategorised 10th January 2015
This is an archive review: the Tea Depot is closed. There’s a joke that’s made on the Isle of Wight every March when the clocks change, which is: “Don’t forget to put your clock forward – to 1952”. Well, in East Cowes there’s at least one person whose clock... Read more
The Man in the Moon, Newport
Uncategorised 27th December 2014 5
The J D Wetherspoon chain is to pubs what Lidl is to supermarkets. Once decried, the opening of a Spoons was seen as part of the erosion of the traditional English town pub; driving down standards and cheapening neighbourhoods. These days, the sneerers have gone very quiet. Like Lidl... Read more
Archive: Fogg’s, Ventnor
Uncategorised 2nd November 2014
Archive review: Fogg’s is now closed. Fogg’s has undergone something of a mild transformation. An earlier incarnation saw a wildly ambitious multi-page menu with an eclectic range of dishes from around the world. Probably a menu that was more fun to conceive than deliver. A change of ownership saw... Read more
The other day Cat was tidying her wardrobe. At the front were a pair of holographic leggings, a pair of impractical skyscraper platforms and a silver biker jacket. Stuffed at the back was an old stripy jumper. This sweater, historic enough to be referred to as vintage, is Cat’s... Read more
Bagel Wrap, Ryde
Uncategorised 7th September 2014 0
‘How many Islanders does it take to change a lightbulb?’ ‘Change? We dont like change!’ One of the Isle of Wights charms is how it has remained steadfastly behind the times, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This laissez-faire attitude may have more to do with collective inertia than... Read more
Off the Rails, Yarmouth
Uncategorised 7th September 2014 6
The question that Matt and Cat most often hear is “Are you guys really fat?”. Well, aside from the fact that Cat is not a ‘guy’, the answer is well – no, maybe yes, in places (mostly restaurants). While Matt is content to lean back in his chair and... Read more
Adgestone Vineyard
Uncategorised 6th September 2014 2
People on the Isle of Wight have long, long memories – and unforgiving ones. Matt and Cat have heard tales of folks who have vowed never to revisit a particular establishment after a single disappointing experience – and cling to that simple principle for so long that generations later... Read more
The Isle of Wight does funny things to people. Some folks that move here just don’t get with the vibe and can’t wait to leave. If you’re not used to a place where everyone’s cousins live nearby, the roads have names and not numbers, and local businesses are obsessed... Read more
