Beer ? Mmmm, beer.

[venta]

Caught a train down to London last night to meet up with the newly-LJ'd-up spindlemere. He seems to have a knack of finding interesting pubs, and, in this particular case, pubs with far more E's in the name than was strictly necessary.

We headed out to Chancery Lane, to the Cittie of Yorke. Despite this bar having been largely created in about 1923 it looks pleasingly old and woodeny. And has a bar which was once the longest in the Empire alledgedly (though it didn't specify which empire). And Pintwatch was overjoyed to get its pint of nasty lager (spindlemere's fault) and it's nice pint of Sammy Smith's for £3.59.

Slightly confusing to have my change thrown at me by the barmaid - apparently accidentally - with the pound coin landing neatly in my beer. Despite my protests that I wasn't worried, they took my pint back, poured it away, gave me my pound and a new pint back. I think it's some form of slightly crap press-gang.

But the beer was nice, and the burgers were nice, and we got to sit in a strange little wooden booth - apparently the booths were intended for lawyers to use while consorting with clients. The pub was briefly overrun with CAMRA members, and some bloek trying to organise them (I think he was just in it for the shouting), but they went away, leaving the place strangely quiet for nine o'clock. That's The City for you :)

Eventually, in the interests of exercise, we upped sticks and moved, ooh, a couple of hundred yards to Ye Olde Mitre. Which is hidden off down a ginnel, and turns out to be 17th Century, all oak panels and cool wooden furniture. And - get this - friendly staff. Having ordered our half of Broadside and pint of Burton's (£3.80, which Pintwatch didn't consider too bad), we got gently ranted at by the Polish barmaid. Apparently you don't get bitter in Poland, and she thinks it's horrible, just like beer that's been open all night and you're drinking it in the morning, and did we really like it ?

This place was also full of CAMRA - it dawned on me that it's the Great British Beer Festival from today, so they were probably stoking up - until again, they moved on leaving the place more or less deserted.

Good pub, though. Suitably old, in a wobbly floors, terrifying staircase, kind of way. The landlord tells us that their policy is no TV, no music, no fruit machines... and the result is great. I'll definitely go back, if only I can find the damn place again.

Nice pubs, nice beer, nice company. Sitting in pubs and chatting is underrated as a pass-time. I should do it more :)

Comments

[addedentry.livejournal.com]

Useful. The Cittie of Yorke is round the corner from my workplace, but despite the temptation of Samuel Smith cider I've refused to investigate because of those extra Es. Will have to overcome my prejudices.

I thought the Mitre was down a twitten, though, not a ginnel (-;

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

"and did we really like it ?"

At which point you were presumably forced to confess that no, you thought it was revolting too and only ordered it due to peer pressure ?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Beer pressure :)

(Sorry, I've been trying to avoid making that comment since you posted yours. I've failed.)

I've been repeatedly informed, actually, that everyone, when small, steals their dad/whoever's beer, and hates it. So how come nearly everyone drinks beer now ? (Am I right in thinking you don't?)

I dunno. I liked beer even when I was little.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

(Am I right in thinking you don't?)

Nope. But I can guess why you think that - I don't drink tea and coffee, which combined with my habit of ordering spirits in pubs... Actually, I think it's probably true to say that the last time I ordered a beer in a pub was last year ! Wow !

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

So how come nearly everyone drinks beer now ?

Because most people's tastes change as they get older such that they like bitter and sour things more, and sweet things less.

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

Incidentally. You are possibly unique of all my friends list in having a continuous stream of "current music" namechecks that both sound absolutely brilliant and are things I've never heard of before. I don't suppose you ever do mix tapes for people? ;)

[venta.livejournal.com]

I can do, if you're interested.

And thanks. I achieve said continuous stream by constantly sponging music off other people. Usually ChrisC, but in this case grahamb (though in this case I use the term "music" cautiously :)

Give me three clues as to what you like, and I'll make up a couple of tapes/CDs.

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

Smart-alec lyrics, devil-may-care punk surge, weird and fragile. Oh, anything really, so long as it's good.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

*waves*

Hello there!

I'm a friend of both fluffymark and spindlemere (it being a small world, an'all that!) and I have it on good authority that you like folk music and (it appears from this entry) nice beer.

I must therefore add you to my friends list. So ner. :)

*waves again*

[venta.livejournal.com]

'Ullo. Come on in. I believe spindlemere mentioned you last night...

And as for both of you knowing fluffymark, I just cite that as further evidence that everyone I know actually knows everyone else I know, and is probably conspiring.

[wimble.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't know everybody else you know.

'Cos I'm special ;-)

[venta.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't know everybody else you know.


Now that's just being discriminating.

We don't want any of that round 'ere.

[wimble.livejournal.com]

You think it's a good idea for everybody you know to know everybody you know? I doubt it.

There's some right dodgy people around here.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

everyone I know actually knows everyone else I know, and is probably conspiring.


Damnit! You're getting too close to the truth now...

*grin*

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Hush. We agreed not to give her any clues before October.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I forgot about that.

Ah well, at least it will still take her months to work out the rest of what's going on...

[sampiano.livejournal.com]

I know almost nobody else you know. But as beckyc so nicely pointed out, that's my fault for being in the wrong continent. I'll be somewhere in the south of England for a few days in October, I promise!

[timeplease.livejournal.com]

I know fluffymark and beckyc and I like nice beer too, so I shall also add you to my friends list. (Rather than my "randomly browsing friends of friends" list that I use when I'm avoiding paperwork.)

Come to my pub sometime when you're in London. I hope Pintwatch will not be disappointed.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yes, I remember you mentioning that pub a while back... it certainly looks like it's worth a visit.

And 'ullo - you'll have to excuse the low beer-to-noise ratio in my postings :)

[surje.livejournal.com]

glad you like IHASPFTW, i've also just managed to get grahamb into it, and he's been playing it at work and his work mates have been getting into it as well!