In contrast to the previous day today was dry and even warm!
Cafe Main, Cromer
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Marjorie, Naomi and Edward
Bought: Two coffees, two smoothies and three pieces of cake
Cost: Nanny paid! (Anyone notice a theme emerging?!)
Cafe: Functional, not unpleasant. We sat outside overlooking a road like yesterday but in the sunshine roads look much nicer it seems!
And: The cake was nice, the smoothies were really nice and the coffee was excellent. The loos were a long way away though.
Sunday 29 August 2010
17th August 2010
Anna and I plotted an escape from the holiday house and the infestation of children! We walked into town with the express purpose of using a cash point (and having a coffee!)
Julios, Cromer
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna and Anna
Bought: A small coffee and a small tea
Cost: Anna paid (again! Thanks!)
Cafe: We sat outside as it was dry, albeit a bit gray and damp. The view wasn't much to write home about - a road. But there was no children and the chance of uninterrupted conversation!
But: It started to rain. At first it was just the odd spot but quite soon we were having to drink up as our cups were re-filling with rainwater!
And: The coffee (in its undiluted state) was pretty ok!
Julios, Cromer
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna and Anna
Bought: A small coffee and a small tea
Cost: Anna paid (again! Thanks!)
Cafe: We sat outside as it was dry, albeit a bit gray and damp. The view wasn't much to write home about - a road. But there was no children and the chance of uninterrupted conversation!
But: It started to rain. At first it was just the odd spot but quite soon we were having to drink up as our cups were re-filling with rainwater!
And: The coffee (in its undiluted state) was pretty ok!
14th August 2010- part two of two
Now this is more like it - a proper sneaky coffee!
Tides Restaurant, Cromer Pier
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna and Naomi
Served: by a waitress!
Bought: A filter coffee, juice for Naomi and a slice of carrot cake to share
Cost: £6 including a tip
Cafe: On the pier on a sunny day. Sat outside and smelled the briny spray, the sun on our skin and watched the waves roll in. Lovely.
And: lovely coffee, nice cake, a nice interlude with Naomi. Having four children does mean spending individual time with them can be a challenge
Tides Restaurant, Cromer Pier
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna and Naomi
Served: by a waitress!
Bought: A filter coffee, juice for Naomi and a slice of carrot cake to share
Cost: £6 including a tip
Cafe: On the pier on a sunny day. Sat outside and smelled the briny spray, the sun on our skin and watched the waves roll in. Lovely.
And: lovely coffee, nice cake, a nice interlude with Naomi. Having four children does mean spending individual time with them can be a challenge
14th August 2010 - part one of two
We are on holiday in Cromer with Simon's extended family. The house we're staying in has nine bedrooms and can technically sleep eighteen. There are fourteen of us. Our holiday house is immaculately decorated and I quickly wished I had photographed it when we first arrived before all our 'kid junk' started to clutter up the place! We had a sea view from almost every window and only a five minute walk into town. It promised to be a good week, with plenty of coffee!
Cromer Esplanade
This might not count as a sneaky coffee under normal circumstances but as the first 'coffee out' of the holiday I am going to include it anyway!
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Auntie Anna, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Cody and Kian
Bought: Eight donuts (I do realise there are only seven of us, but they came in bags of four) and a coffee
Cost: Anna paid - but it would have been about £4.75
Cafe: A caravan on the esplanade with patio chairs! A great sea view and in the sunshine it was quite pleasant!
And: Not great coffee, but the donuts were hot, fresh and sugary and the promise of a whole holiday stretching before us was enough to make me overlook slightly bland beverages!
Cromer Esplanade
This might not count as a sneaky coffee under normal circumstances but as the first 'coffee out' of the holiday I am going to include it anyway!
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Auntie Anna, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Cody and Kian
Bought: Eight donuts (I do realise there are only seven of us, but they came in bags of four) and a coffee
Cost: Anna paid - but it would have been about £4.75
Cafe: A caravan on the esplanade with patio chairs! A great sea view and in the sunshine it was quite pleasant!
And: Not great coffee, but the donuts were hot, fresh and sugary and the promise of a whole holiday stretching before us was enough to make me overlook slightly bland beverages!
Friday 13 August 2010
12th August 2010
My National Trust membership has really been worth its weight in gold over the last week! As a child I was taken (dragged?) to NT places and I swore never to do that to my children. Now I take (drag?) my children to NT places regularly because they are free (or at least our pre-paid card gets us in free), educational, wholesome, etc etc....! The easiest way to make a NT visit palatable to them though is to combine it with a get together. Today we not only met my parents and Grannie but also my Uncle, Aunt and two cousins who although technically are the the same generation as me are much closer in age to my children and thus great favourites with them.
Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie; Mum, Dad and Grannie; Uncle Lloyd, Auntie Isobel, Mark and Tim
Bought: Our family had a cafetiere of coffee, two 'afternoon tea' for kids (carton of apple juice and a chocolate crispie cake), a glass of milk and a bottle of posh juice. Lactose intolerance has made cream tea a treat of the past.
Cost: Dad paid! Thanks Dad!
Cafe: In the actual hall - unusual and charming. A bit on the small side and we were lucky to get three tables on which to spread out.
And: I was on a table with Auntie Isobel, Tim and Susie. We had fun. Susie shared her drink and cake with her doll.
Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie; Mum, Dad and Grannie; Uncle Lloyd, Auntie Isobel, Mark and Tim
Bought: Our family had a cafetiere of coffee, two 'afternoon tea' for kids (carton of apple juice and a chocolate crispie cake), a glass of milk and a bottle of posh juice. Lactose intolerance has made cream tea a treat of the past.
Cost: Dad paid! Thanks Dad!
Cafe: In the actual hall - unusual and charming. A bit on the small side and we were lucky to get three tables on which to spread out.
And: I was on a table with Auntie Isobel, Tim and Susie. We had fun. Susie shared her drink and cake with her doll.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
10th August 2010
It's Tuesday, it's eleven am.... but ti's the school holidays! It is far enough into the school holidays for a 9am start to be unrealistic (unless by start you mean breakfast) but still near enough the beginning for me to imagine a sneaky coffee with all the kids might just be, in some small way, a little bit idyllic!
Arthur Robertson
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Danni, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Amanda, Ben, Elizabeth, Daniel, Naomi W and James
Served by: A tolerant and sweet bar lady. I had to order five drinks and four of those drinking (mentioning no names but NOT me) changed their choice of drinks several times during the process!
Bought: A black coffee, a hot chocolate, two Pepsi and a smoothie carton
Cost: a bit over a fiver
And: Well the kids got table 28 and the grown ups were relegated to table 29! They weren't awful but it wasn't the most peaceful coffee ever!
Arthur Robertson
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Danni, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Amanda, Ben, Elizabeth, Daniel, Naomi W and James
Served by: A tolerant and sweet bar lady. I had to order five drinks and four of those drinking (mentioning no names but NOT me) changed their choice of drinks several times during the process!
Bought: A black coffee, a hot chocolate, two Pepsi and a smoothie carton
Cost: a bit over a fiver
And: Well the kids got table 28 and the grown ups were relegated to table 29! They weren't awful but it wasn't the most peaceful coffee ever!
Monday 9 August 2010
9th August 2010
School holidays present long periods of trying to keep the children entertained and busy without spending too much money. National Trust properties are ideal but the kids are not always enthusiastic! However - this lack of enthusiasm can be avoided if the visit is made with another family. Today we did exactly that!
Croome Park, Worcestershire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Sarah, Chris, Elliot, Maddie, Esther
Bought: I bought a cream tea (scone for Ethan and Naomi to share, tea for me) three cartons of drink, one can of drink and a large hunk of shortbread for Edward and Susie to share.
Cost: £9.60 (eye watering I know, I know I previously suggested that Heaven would contain a National Trust tea room but since have decided this will only be so if it is free - and as many people have pointed out it WOULD be free because Jesus has already paid the price!!!)
And: The cafe here is in an old RAF base which makes it spacious and suitable for a cafe if a little featureless otherwise. In fact the main feature was copious amounts of wasps.
Croome Park, Worcestershire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Sarah, Chris, Elliot, Maddie, Esther
Bought: I bought a cream tea (scone for Ethan and Naomi to share, tea for me) three cartons of drink, one can of drink and a large hunk of shortbread for Edward and Susie to share.
Cost: £9.60 (eye watering I know, I know I previously suggested that Heaven would contain a National Trust tea room but since have decided this will only be so if it is free - and as many people have pointed out it WOULD be free because Jesus has already paid the price!!!)
And: The cafe here is in an old RAF base which makes it spacious and suitable for a cafe if a little featureless otherwise. In fact the main feature was copious amounts of wasps.
8th August 2010
I should point out that the date here is a SUNDAY! Sunday sneaky coffee is extremely rare for two main reasons. Firstly church - which takes up the first half of the day. And secondly church - which leaves me too exhausted to go out again.... only kidding! The second reason is that Simon is at home at weekends and Sunday is designated as a family day and he doesn't seem to get the glory of the sneaky coffee!
Kinver Rock Tea Room, Kinver Edge
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Simon, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie
Bought: A cup of Earl Grey tea, three cans of fizzy stuff and two fruit shoots
Cost: £5.05
Cafe: Built into the cliff which is sandstone. However, it also has a garden which we sat in. Very peaceful little garden with a lawn and old fashioned cottage-y flower beds.
And: The kids don't quite get the restorative point of sneaky coffee so it was fortunate that the 'upper terrace' of the Kinver Rock Houses (to all intents a purposes a series of room sized caves connected by tunnels) were just the other side of the gate. They went off and played, the grown ups enjoyed the garden and the drink.
Kinver Rock Tea Room, Kinver Edge
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Simon, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie
Bought: A cup of Earl Grey tea, three cans of fizzy stuff and two fruit shoots
Cost: £5.05
Cafe: Built into the cliff which is sandstone. However, it also has a garden which we sat in. Very peaceful little garden with a lawn and old fashioned cottage-y flower beds.
And: The kids don't quite get the restorative point of sneaky coffee so it was fortunate that the 'upper terrace' of the Kinver Rock Houses (to all intents a purposes a series of room sized caves connected by tunnels) were just the other side of the gate. They went off and played, the grown ups enjoyed the garden and the drink.
Thursday 5 August 2010
4th August 2010, part two of two
Armed with the exciting news that the pregnant woman we shared a curry with last night has actually gone into labour AND delivered a baby boy I met my crowd at Aston Hall for coffee and to take advantage of the free children's activities on offer.
Aston Hall
Sneaky coffee-ers: Anna, Auntie Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Amanda, Ben, Elizabeth, Daniel, Naomi, James, Danni, Naomi, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Viv and Alex
Bought: Tonnes! Anna bought for us... a coffee, a tea, two slices of cake and three ice creams
Cost: £9
Sat: Outside - the patio was crowded when we arrived and emptied when we left (although threatening weather may have contributed to this as well as the foghorn like racket the kids were making!)
And: This time I asked for my coffee in a mug instead of a cup - which made my drink twice the size. I don't even think I was charged more for it. I noted on the menu that you could buy a 'Cafeteria of coffee' (as opposed to a Cafetiere) which irritated my inner (or not so inner!) pedant!
Aston Hall
Sneaky coffee-ers: Anna, Auntie Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Amanda, Ben, Elizabeth, Daniel, Naomi, James, Danni, Naomi, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Viv and Alex
Bought: Tonnes! Anna bought for us... a coffee, a tea, two slices of cake and three ice creams
Cost: £9
Sat: Outside - the patio was crowded when we arrived and emptied when we left (although threatening weather may have contributed to this as well as the foghorn like racket the kids were making!)
And: This time I asked for my coffee in a mug instead of a cup - which made my drink twice the size. I don't even think I was charged more for it. I noted on the menu that you could buy a 'Cafeteria of coffee' (as opposed to a Cafetiere) which irritated my inner (or not so inner!) pedant!
4th August 2010, part one of two
My sister in law (also called Anna!) is staying with us at the moment. One of her many qualities is that of extremely devoted Auntie to the kids! Thus, when a trip to Tesco was offered this morning the kids jumped at the chance knowing Auntie Anna would probably buy them each a present! They were not disappointed. Whilst I had my mind of fruit, meal plans and freezer contents the kids weighed up various clothes, toys and CD options. Just as the whole lengthy process was drawing to a close Anna offered to buy me something but I was so weary by now that a quick coffee upstairs was the only treat my mind responded to with any enthusiasm!
Tesco, Aston Lane
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie and Anna Mary
Bought: A coffee, a tea, an innocent smoothie, a fruit shoot, two soft drinks, two ham sandwiches and two jam sandwiches and a prawn sandwich
Cost: £7.15 I think - staggeringly reasonable
Sat: On two of the high tables as we were eating too
And: Improved coffee I think
Tesco, Aston Lane
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie and Anna Mary
Bought: A coffee, a tea, an innocent smoothie, a fruit shoot, two soft drinks, two ham sandwiches and two jam sandwiches and a prawn sandwich
Cost: £7.15 I think - staggeringly reasonable
Sat: On two of the high tables as we were eating too
And: Improved coffee I think
3rd August 2010
It's been a while! School holidays do rather infringe on time which should rightfully be devoted to sneaky coffee-ing so today I bit the bullet and suggested an aptly titled 'child infested' sneaky coffee!
The Arthur Robertson
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Danni, Naomi S, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Viv and Alex
Bought: I used a filled up stamp voucher for my free coffee and bought the children a pepsi, two orange juice and lemonades and a fruit shoot (The filled up voucher was given to me a couple of weeks ago at a promotion in the downstairs mall designed to enlighten people of the fact that The Arthur Robertson actually serves coffee! The man who gave it to me knew me well - and presumably was fully aware of my full awareness of said fact!)
Cost: £5.05
Sat: The adults got table 28, the children rather charmingly sat at the next table and even managed to instigate a 'sort of educational grammar' game!
And: A child infested sneaky coffee may not be quite the same, but it can be fun anyway!
The Arthur Robertson
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Danni, Naomi S, Maddie, Laura, Rachel, Viv and Alex
Bought: I used a filled up stamp voucher for my free coffee and bought the children a pepsi, two orange juice and lemonades and a fruit shoot (The filled up voucher was given to me a couple of weeks ago at a promotion in the downstairs mall designed to enlighten people of the fact that The Arthur Robertson actually serves coffee! The man who gave it to me knew me well - and presumably was fully aware of my full awareness of said fact!)
Cost: £5.05
Sat: The adults got table 28, the children rather charmingly sat at the next table and even managed to instigate a 'sort of educational grammar' game!
And: A child infested sneaky coffee may not be quite the same, but it can be fun anyway!
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