Monthly Farmers Market, Church Street, Colchester

*I think I need a new camera. I'm not going to make anything look worth visiting with my crappy old Canon, but for the time being I'm afraid you'll have to bear with me and use a bit of imagination...*

I had heard of a monthly Farmers Market that is held on the first Friday of every month in Colchester so thought I'd sniff it out last week. We had friends up for the weekend and I wanted to cook something for them using some local produce. Whilst in Hackney we had lived within walking distance of Broadway Market and often took a short bus ride to Borough Market, so I suppose I was going to the market here with very high (unrealistic) hopes. I really do have to keep reminding myself that the only place like London is London but maybe that's one of the reasons we don't live there anymore. I don't even know if that makes sense.

Anyway, the Farmers Market here is held in the Colchester Arts Centre which is based in a huge converted Church. I hadn't been here before but have heard a lot of good things about the place. Among other things (plays, exhibitions, music) a lot of well known comedians test out their shows here before they go on tour as apparently the local audience are very polite and they never get heckled!

Colchester Arts Centre

Unfortunately, the market isn't very well publicised which is a shame as I think that explains why it wasn't very busy, I was rather surprised at first by the lack of stalls. The little I had managed to find about the market on the internet said there were 20 stalls. There definitely wasn't 20 stalls last Friday. However, the standard of produce for sale was really high. It was very much quality over quantity. There were stalls selling Chutney, Herbs, Fish, Meat, Honey, Cakes, Soap (which I thought was cheese, must wear my glasses next time), Vegetables and Bird boxes. So not a great amount but the prices were very good and the stall holders were super friendly. One thing I've noticed since moving from London is that everyone here has time to talk to and chat. It's great and is a bit like going back in time. In a good way.

Nicks Wonky Label Preserves

Delicious Capers. 

Not grown locally (from the Pyrenees!) but pickled and 

packaged locally which sort of counts.

Huge Oysters

Skate Wings

One Skate Wing for tea, I've never had one before, and a bag of cockles for Wig. 

Point Clear Bay Fish Company

Small Moroccan Mint and Massive Fennel which could grow up to 5 feet tall if I don't kill it.

I couldn't bypass a stall with the word Wig in it and I'm glad I didn't.

I bought eggs, bacon and sausages for our breakfast on Sunday and it was all delicious. 

It's worth going to the market for this stall alone actually. 

As well as delicious food from the farm, you can also buy sheepskins.

Wigborough Traditional Meats

So, even though its only a small market I've already decided I'm going to go next month. Small but perfectly formed. It's really good to support local businesses and hopefully next time there may be a few more stalls, apparently there is usually a game stall that sells homemade squirrel pasties. Wig will love that.

Ye Olde Medieval Festival

When I lived in London a lot of my posts about my surrounding area were a bit "yeh, its really great here yeh, woop, I love where I live". And now I've moved I think a lot of my posts will be a bit "yeh, its really great here yeh, woop, I love where I live". I don't think its because I'm fickle, but more that I genuinely think there are some  really good things to do and see instead of sitting indoors staring at the wall or a telly. Also, in terms of my thoughts about Colchester, 5 months in, I think I'm still in the "have we done the right thing" phase so I'm probably trying to convince myself that it was a good move. However, today, with the sun shining and a Medieval Festival 1 minute walk from our new home, I don't need too much convincing that things aren't too bad.

Castle Park is a beautiful award winning park in the heart of Colchester with a bandstand, amazing fauna, a roman wall, a boating lake, a cafe, 3 excellent playgrounds and a castle. It's a pretty special place and even better still, they seem to have a lot of events on throughout the year. Last month it held the Town and Country show and this weekend it was the venue for a Medieval Festival.

Castle Park

I love history, tights, cider and pork (there was a hog roast) so this was a real dream afternoon out for me. Entry was £7 per adult which at first I thought was a bit steep but  on reflection, it was money well spent for an afternoons entertainment. Lovely toilets (a big plus), loads of stalls and activities and a great atmosphere. The Sunday Times had it in their list of '50 Things to do in the Summer' so there.

Colchester Castle (closed for refurbishment until next year, boo)

Follow ye olde typeface

Not sure what this guy was up to but he had a really great costume

Some sort of battles with sticks

Friar Tuck

A play

Making some wool. I think

A King

Huge local Mersea Oysters and Clams

Birds of Prey

Arrows

Don't think this was an authentic medieval toilet roll holder but I admired the resourcefulness.

Anyway, it was a really great way to spend the afternoon and I can't wait for the next event, a Food and Drink Festival at the end of June. Yum. Reckon I'll be about 28 stone by the end of the year.

The Hospital Arms, Crouch Street, Colchester

Crouch Street in Colchester is a nice little road on the edge of the high street which leads out to the area of Lexden. Lexden is apparently the swanky part of town, it has some massive beautiful houses and some very good schools. We don't live in Lexden. However, we can still go there if we want to which we did, to visit The Hospital Arms pub for lunch.

The Hospital Arms

The Hospital Arms is a really old pub situated opposite the old Hospital. Apparently, the staff at the hospital, who spent a lot of time there, used to refer to the pub as 'Ward 9' so as not to worry the patients that they were going to the pub. Brilliant.

It's quite an unassuming place and although smart on the outside, it doesn't look like much and you could easily pass it without noticing it was really there. However, it really is a great little place and even better if you are an Ale fan as its an Adnams Brewery owned pub.

Adnams

We've obviously been a bit spoilt for pubs having moved from London, however I have to keep reminding myself that it was only in the last 3 years or so that East London really has blossomed. So for the other 13 years that I lived there it was rather a baron wasteland as far as pubs/restaurants/coffee shops were concerned. When I first moved there black cab drivers wouldn't take me home from Soho. It was too dangerous they said and they would only drop me round the corner from my flat. Now its one of the most desirable places to live in London. 

Anyway, I am more than happy to go to this pub again and one good local pub is way better than none!  The staff were really friendly, the other customers were really friendly and the Poughman's was delicious. (Top marks too for having a high chair which was an added bonus). They also have an extensive menu board at lunchtimes (between 12pm - 2pm, then the kitchen closes) and they only take cash, no cards. One could find this a slight irritation but I thought this added to it's charm. It's like stepping back in time. 

Traditional decor

Ales Menu board

Display of old pub games

Beach huts in the garden

Delicious Shandy

My favorite pub food of all time. Cheese and pickle

So, if you are in the area, its definitely worth a visit. And while you are there you could always have a sniff along Crouch Street and check out, among other's,  Frank Wright + Son  (traditional butcher), Guntons (Colchesters oldest Fine Food shop), Simply Living (fancy homewares and fashion). As well as . . . 

Whitnells Grocer, Crouch Street

Tea and Sympathy

Tea and Sympathy is an interesting place which sells vintage clothing, cards, gifts and also tea and cake. The lady that runs it also organises a monthly book club and film nights, and they also hold craft workshops and beauty treatments in the rooms above the shops. Good for her I say. I bought the baby his first Levis jacket from here for ten quid. As a child I always wanted a Levis denim jacket or even some Levis jeans but alas it never happened. There's nothing like having a baby for projecting your childhood dreams onto. He'll probably hate it and look like a tiny bald Shakin' Steven's.

The other shop of note in this area is a tiny Antique shop on the corner of Crouch Street and Rawstorn Road which doesn't appear to have a name. It seems to be open at quite funny times too but great if you can get inside. It's not cheap but the owner does have some lovely things. Even though since we have moved I have been trying to cut down on purchases and actually, selling a lot of things on eBay, I couldn't resist this deed box. Not only is it good storage but it's from Wilkin + Sons Ltd,  The Tiptree Jam people.  

Wilkin + Sons - Tiptree Jam

So a bit of local history right there people.

Anyway, I'm off, got to get ready to go to a Medieval Festival in the Park. I'm not joking.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party

This feels weird. My first post since last September and my first from the new abode in Colchester. Good weird though. I've missed my friend the blog and it feels fitting that my first post in 8 months should be about the 1st birthday party of my baby. I'm not sure he's still considered a baby now he is one, maybe he's a toddler although he's not quite toddling. Yet.

Its been a very hectic year since his birth last May. Not only coming to terms with being someone's mum but also moving away from East London after 16 years. More about that another time, but for now, its all about The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

We weren't going to have a party as we are quite frankly knackered, however at the last minute we felt like really mean parents not celebrating this milestone. On reflection, its not only a milestone for him but also for us. Apart from one late night trip to A+E, 3 weeks in, when we thought he was really sick (he was just hungry . . . ) it's been quite good being a parent. So as well as a party for the little boss it was also a small pat on the back to The Wig and I that we go through it (so far). We know he wont remember the day, but we will and we hope our guests will as it was a really great afternoon.

My memory of birthdays as a child were a ballerina cake (every year) which all the girls in my village seemed to have (the boys had football pitches) and 'Squeak Piggy Squeak'. Things seem to have changed a lot since the 70's and birthday parties are now quite a big deal. Also, the wondrous internet makes it very easy to have a slightly more memorable day. I had 5 days to plan our soiree and that was just enough time.

I chose the theme of The Very Hungry Caterpillar as a friend bought the wee man a Hungry Caterpillar rattle when he was born and he absolutely loved it. Since then he has gathered quite a collection of Hungry Caterpillar of various shapes and sizes and has an appetite to match. Luckily this baby/toddler will eat anything. He is particularly fond of foodstuffs I never consumed until I was in my late 20's (humous, Pizza Express doughballs, coronation chicken etc etc). Luckily, a quick google search threw up a whole host of caterpiller themed items that arrived 2 days later.

 Party Pieces

Napkins, straws, cupcake cases, the dreaded party bags

Apple tissue paper garland

Butterfly tissue paper garlands

Strawberry

Next to make the caterpillar himself. I'd seen some images online where he had been made using round paper lightshades spray painted but that seemed like too much hard work to me (and also I didn't have that much time), so I ordered several honeycomb balls in green and one big one in red. I then bought a small pack of A5 sheets of coloured foam from the craft section in Sainsbury's to make the face and tiny legs. I never noticed his tiny legs before. He has 6 if anyone cares.

The glue didnt really work sticking the features on so I attached the eyes, nose and antennas with bent coloured paper clips.

It really was very quick and easy, the most complicated thing being getting the shape of him with different lengths of string on a dowelling rod. But we were so pleased with him, he's still hanging up. And we cant be bothered to get the ladder out again.

No party is complete without a bit of fancy dress, so I also ordered a strawberry costume for the birthday boy. Needless to say he refused to wear the hat (so I wore it) but he was very good natured about wearing the little suit. Again, this came from the internet and was delivered very quickly.

Baby Strawberry Fancy Dress

For the party food, it was a mixture of bought (thank you M+S) and home made. My biggest surprise was how unpopular potato salad was. Subsequently I shall be eating it for the new 3 weeks. 

Please note small round caterpillar holes in the watermelon. That wasn't my apple corer it was the hungry caterpillar of course . . . Candy Floss care of the man in Eld Lane, Colchester. Probably the best £1.50 I spent. Not for the children though, they wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, for the adults.

Finally, the cake. To be honest I was rather disappointed with it but as a rush job it was ok. If I had more time (and could bake) I would have made it myself but never mind. After showing the cake shop a picture of the cake I wanted, when I went to collect him on the morning of the party I was shocked and surprised to discover they had given him a blue head (??!!). After my sniggering had subsided they agreed to change it to red, so an hour later I went back and noticed they had given him a black nose (everyone knows he has a green nose) and red eyes. Out of spite I'm sure. Choosing to quit while we were ahead, we took him like that but shall not be returning to that particular shop again. Cowboys.

An interpretation of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

So all in all, I think it was a success and very easy to put together at the last minute. 

Well, thats me done for now, it feels good to be writing again and I hope I can do so again soon. I have ALOT to say on relocating from London, just got to psyche myself up for it. xx

Westfield ruined my baby.

I have been walking for days. It's like torture. Pushing a pram, and walking. Non-stop. I have been everywhere there is to go in the East. My legs ache, my back aches, I feel (and look) like a zombie but still the baby is not happy. And neither am I. One would think with all the excercise I've been having I'd be a losing a few pounds but that's not the case. I'm actually getting fatter as I'm having to eat out all the time. It's the only time I can sit down to eat or drink anything. Its a pretty hard time at the moment. Being forced to walk around Hackney, putting on weight and spending a small fortune on hot chocolates. Boo. I really don't know what's going on but my lovely calm, contented baby has become seriously discontented in the last week or so. Is it the weather? Is it the dreaded teeth? Is it a spurt? Is it a reaction to the jabs? Is he bored of my face looming down at him all the time? Is it just because he is a baby? Or is it a symptom of Westfield? Who knows, but all I do know is that I hope this particular phase passes soon. Everything seems to irritate the baby at present, apart from going out. Hence the walking. It doesn't stop the crying completely but being outside muffles the sound somewhat.

Basically, the baby's mood deteriorated after his first visit to the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford last Friday. I thought it would be a nice treat for him (ie me) so we went on the train, making use of the new lift at Hackney Central. However, it had somehow slipped my mind that the Paralympics were still in full swing which meant that Stratford was extremely busy. The whole world was there. Literally. The sheer volume of people combined with all the bright lights and jazzy window displays not only proved to be the most exciting day of babies life so far but also meant that he was totally overstimultaed by the time we got home. Wide eyed, cranky, he screamed so loudly on Friday evening I thought the neighbours may call the Police. Luckily however, the eggy mood coincided with a plan to go to a friends birthday so as soon as Wig got home from work, I handed over the screaming baton and legged it out the door. It was only when I went to the ladies at the pub at 10pm that night that I realised my right shoulder and right leg were  covered in baby possett (vomit) and my hair resembled a scouring pad. Thanks baby. The only positive from the Westfield excursion was the discovery of the most amazing changing stations I have seen in my travels so far. They call them 'parent rooms' and not only have the most luxurious areas for changing nappies (great height, sinks adjacent, bins underneath, perfect position ie baby's nether regions are face on to you not side on like most changing areas), but they also have sofas for feeding and a kitchen area for heating bottles or food! It was worth giving birth just to have access to this wondrous room.

Then on Sunday, as we didn't learn from my mistake on the Friday, we took baby back to Stratford! I know, stupid. But the thing was, we got last minute tickets to the Olympic Park and I really wanted to take baby. Wig had seen it already as he had been to the Paralympic Athletics but I felt bad living so close to the site and not having been. According to facebook I was the only person in the world that hadn't been. So off we trotted and I regretted the decison almost as soon as we had arrived. Not only was it even busier that the shopping centre (of course, its about a gillion times bigger) it was also extremely hot. Way to hot for a baby. So we only stayed about an hour before lugging him back home again. At least I guess when he's older he can say he was there, even though he will have no memory of it and even if he did his memory will have been of being covered in Factor 50 and kept under  a muslin while hearing me chattering away like Rainman, "Its too hot, we should go, we are being very irresponsible, are his legs ok? do his feet feel clammy?" etc etc repeat to fade.

Olympic Park, VERY impressive.

On Monday the terrible mood of the small boss continued so I took him to the one and only place in Hackney that I've never been. The Hackney Museum. My hopes weren't too high about what this museum would be like but it was somewhere to go and was free. I'm trying to think now what I learnt and I don't think I learnt anything. Maybe I learnt that I wont go again. Sorry Hackney Museum.

Exterior of museum.

Interior of museum.

I agree.

Rather surprisingly the Hackney Museum didn't have a picture of this charming street art which we saw on our way home. 

Like I said, charming.

Yesterday, the walking continued. I was out from 10am until 5pm. The small boss is relentless. I think if this is going to become a regular thing I will have to invest in some sturdy walking shoes. Walking for  7 hours in my 99p Primark Espadrilles is doing nothing for my bunions (thats a joke, I don't really have bunions. Thats about the one gross bodily ailment I don't currently suffer from). We walked around Broadway Market, The Bethnal Green Toy Museum, Sainsburys, Another Sainsburys, The Hackney Picture House, Tesco's, Boots and Marks + Sparks. I'm scared about what today will bring. There really is nowhere else to go.