More exploration

 So we're trying to make the effort to get around the city a bit more on this trip.  The weather is tolerable, work pressures are allowing and the plague feels marginally less threatening.

After discovering the joys of Italian antipasto of meats and cheese, and having different cheeses over the Christmas break we decided that Licata, in Picton Street, was well overdue a visit.

After a bit of a grumble at the state of the pedestrian access around Newfoundland Road we walked up through St Pauls and the infamous Brigstocke Rd.  I quickly noticed that the area has become more multicultural than I'd ever seen.  Whereas the area was almost exclusively Afro-Caribbean 10 years ago (except during Carnival) - there was a much more diverse range of people walking and cycling.  This makes me smile.

For so long "St Pauls" has been a bit of a bogeyman area - mainly in people who don't know the City - it's nice to think that this reputation might be receding a bit.

In any event, it was lovely to arrive at Licata and be welcomed by lovely things.

We bought a trio of italian cheese (not mozzarella, burrata or parmesan), some Proscuito, some bread, pasta, Sicilian sausage (with fennel) and a couple of bottles of wine.  £40 or so in all.

We wanted to go to the Canteen and Crofters rights but discovered with some horror that the Canteen is no longer open all day and wasn't open until 5pm (it was just after 4pm).  Such a shame and I worry, a little, that the Canteen is no longer the chilled haven of everyone being welcome.

So the nearest open pub was the Hare on the Hill.  This meant an ascent of Nine Tree Hill - a hill I know well from when I lived in the area, and had to walk up on a near-daily basis.  Urgh.

Panting, we arrived at the Hare and settled in.  There was a decent range of cask and keg local beers and it was another "proper" pub.  After two pints we mused on a move.  We decided to get half way home for another pint and so we landed at the Swan with Two Necks.

Beer has always been exemplary but bar staff a bit hit and miss.  This visit we had the boss who is very engaging and likes to talk about beer.

Score another one for the "real" pub list for this visit and we promised ourselves we'd be back sooner than later.

Today we're heading out again to an open space I've never visited.  There'll be bus, some walking and then a visit to Fierce and Noble taproom.  Almost, very nearly pub-like.