Images of Broadstairs Folk week

Though I’d bung these images up of Friday night in Broadstairs, whilst I think of something to bitch about.

Broadstair Folk Week

Some photos taken yesterday

Sunshine plus guilt free music

What a brilliant Sunday, sun shining, not one for indulging in bloggin and local political machinations or negative middle aged angst, much enjoyed by the likes of me and others. I thought I’d give it a miss.

I’d intended to spend most of yesterday reading the papers or bloggin but got side tracked ploughing through the Sunday Times, somewhere half way through the News section was an article mentioning Spotify a new legal website offering music free, financed either by advertising or subscription.

So instead of reading anymore I spent the morning listening to music, some of which I’ve not heard in years Sam Cooke – Chain Gang, Sinatra - Young at Heart, Beach Boys -Fun, Fun, Fun, Little Deuce Coupe, Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians, Darude –Sandstorm, Stevie Wonder – Uptight, Curtis Mayfield – Move on up, Joan Osborne – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted (better than Jimmy Ruffin), Jimi Hendrix – Gypsy Eyes, Who – Who Are You, Baba O’Riley, Rod Stewart – Gasoline Alley, Hall & Oates – Rich Girl

I much recommend this addition for any PC however cluttered with other junk like faceache twatter and even blogger. The only downside is the occasional advert which is fairly unobtrusive and far better than listening to local radio particularly if all you want is music and not someone halfwit DJ’s interpretation of world affairs.

After playing with this I was dragged from the house, for the first cycle of the year, by Mrs Me, not too far, just down to the front at Broadstairs, nipping in to relatives on the way to see if we could bludge a meal (my credit crunch idea), ended up at the Dickens, blimey how much ? (I’m not too used to buying drinks in pubs) Five pound something for a blimin Kronenburg and small glass of wine, still I suppose it would be the same at a McForleys Tavern although generally I find J D Wetherspoons (pity there’s only the one in Thanet) don’t bring on a panic attack, any how the food was reasonable and not a bad price.

The Beach was packed (it is still March), as per the photo at the top, god knows what other bloggers found to write about yesterday?

As you know the arts is not my strong point and this is a rare digression, any how if you’d like to listen to my first Spotif playlist click here it will send you to a page that has the list and some I didn’t mention, or you can always wait till I get the call from desert Island Discs.

One other tangent is one a recent additions to my favourites list, Joan Osborne – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted which I first heard a few weeks ago, when BBC Four showed the Documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” about the Funk Brothers, the musicians behind the Motown sound which was still on You Tube earlier today click here.

Normal service will be resumed shortly. I should get out more!

Broadstairs No Tutti Fruitti

Forced from the Keyboard by Mrs Me, yesterday, with rather unkind comments about fitness levels and wasting another weekend, I was obliged to come up with something to do, which is bad enough, but since even here at Bignews Towers, we aren't immune from credit crunch, cheap was upper most in my mind. Bikes yes bikes, we'll go for a cycle.

Target Broadstairs, its only a couple of miles, easy especially with a chance to visit relatives on the way. Any how a nice easy ride into Broadstairs, with the shortest route taken through Reading Street and then down toward the cliff along Lanthorne Rd avoiding the more scenic coastal route along from Palm bay, Kingsgate and then two hills the first short and sharp the second up to the lighthouse long and painful.

Even on bikes, getting into Broadstairs becomes a pain for some reason motorist with "clarkson mentality" seem to think Albion St. is some sort of passage, to and from the east of Broadstairs well, it isn't, its just an obstacle course (enhanced with plucky but stupid pedestrians who will insist on using pavements or trying to cross) that leads to the Albion street car park, which is permanently full anytime. I'm sure I've never attempted to access or egress Broadstairs this way in my motor.

Naturally we gravitate to the front, and sit down on one of the benches, provided not by the council, but the dearly departed, where I consume a couple of saveloys, and a cheese and bacon puff from Rooks (along with Petes fish factory, a great purveyor of proper food in this case pies meat, sandwiches and the like). During our meal me and Mrs me had a brief discussion on ethics and pragmatism, earlier while shopping I was offered change for a tenner, instead of the 3 quid I'd actually given, which naturally I pointed out, I'm sure she would have done the same.

Coming back to benches on the cliff top, these apart from being memorials often mark the favourite view of the departed, and that got me thinking, just where would I wish to sit and stare for an eternity, and with all respect Broadstairs is not on my list, its just too boring. Still there's something about staring out towards sea or any water which is always fascinating, if moneys no object, I'd go for somewhere busy like Venice or New York.

After sitting for an hour or so we moved on, after I suggest that we might become senile sitting any longer. Still coming back to the land of the living, Broadstairs is unique amongst Thanet towns in as much, as the core of the town is complete, the sea front is as good as nature & man allows.It must be a long time since I've been that way, because I did notice a couple of things I don't remember, one a lift close to the bandstand, and the area around the bandstand has been altered considerably.

Although a thoroughly pleasant afternoon, I was disappointed, I have to say, by the choice of Ice Cream available at Morrellis, no Tutti Fruiti or even a reasonable substitute like Rum and Raisin, instead all I can seem to recall, were rather monotonous offerings of lemon, mango, mint and that sort of thing.

I've spent much of my life living in Broadstairs, its seems to have changed, or maybe its just that whilst much of Thanet has been allowed to decay, Broadstairs has been looked after, probably because many of Thanet's well healed live there, still maybe I'm just morose and getting closer to that park bench, than I thought.