We finally managed a time when M&J could come to Bristol - and would arrive Sunday afternoon.
It co-incided with a time a young colleague was coming to Bristol for a gig, also arriving on Sunday.
It was the last Premier League match of the season and so there was a desire to watch football and this led us to the choice of the King Street Brewery & Kitchen. We had expected a degree of business but, crikey!
M&J were delayed on their train so Best Beer Buddy went to the pub to meet S and bagsy a table.
Having met the visitors, we dispatched M to leg it to the pub to miss as little as possible of the action and J and I dumped bags and strolled around later.
When we arrived it packed to the rafters! We found the the others and returned to the bar to get top-ups. It took a while to get served, and there was very little choice of beer but still - we got a round in and I managed to get two & a half flimsy plastic pints back to our table without chucking it around too far (mind you, some young men are a pain in the arse to negotiate around).
Football scores were monitored, there were chats (in spite of the noise) and suddenly it was time to strike out for food.
We ended up in place we'd seen, but never been to before (courtesy of a coin flip) - a Lebanese restaurant - which was absolutely lovely. We vowed to return another time.
We did a quick, historic, walk back via the Old City walls and one last beer was in order - so we went to the Kings Head. All very well received.
Monday dawned and we decided to catch a ferry to the far end of the harbour and walk back.
Looking at the devastation of the boatbuilders in the Underfall yard was really shocking although there was a tiny silver lining in the because the walls were brick, the damage to adjoining buildings seems to be much smaller than I'd imagined. We forswore the crowds at the Cottage and walked out to the very furthest reach of the harbour to be treated to various bridge swings and lock activity. After all that excitement, some form of refreshment was in order so we tried the Pump House. When we'd last gone in there it hadn't seemed very welcoming at all but there'd been a change of hands so it was worth a go.
Again, it was heaving but the FoH staff were doing a brilliant job. We were seated really quickly, given a menu (or 3) and told it was table-service. Two cask beers available - both on good form (one BBF, one Glastonbury, one pale, one brown) and the coffee offerings were also approved-of.
The brunch dishes were absolutely lovely and whilst not exactly cheap - definitely appreciated. Would probably go back!
We ambled down the other side of the harbour to get to new offering from BBF - The Junction. It's early days (and was very busy) but seasoned pub-goers quickly spotted a table. It was a bit sad that they were closing early for a private event but it wasn't the end of the world. Will have to return when it's a bit more established.
A request was made to see the Cary Grant statue in the Millenium square, then we walked up to the Cathedral (Shut - clearly God taking the bank holiday off) and then back to home. There was much fatigue in the group by this time.
After a couple of hours some energy had been recovered so out we went. M had expressed a preference to try the Seven Stars. A metal gig was on next door and music in the pub even louder than usual. M said, I thought there was a sort of separate side-space here? Turns out he'd mistaken Seven Stars for the Cornubia - but the C wasn't open anyway so we'd probably have ended up in the SS.
Time for food - not always easy on a Monday. Marco's Olive Tree and Bocabar both closed so we went to LHG, warning M that he'd have to drink "Fucking Hipster Beer" and that he wouldn't be allowed it in pints.
An incident with a seagull and M's coat, together with an advertised prolonged wait time for food meant we took and executive decision on beers and food and grabbed a table.
Some confusion over which pale, murky beer was which saw me with a 4% cask beer and J with a 6.5% keg beer, having given her the choice to see which she liked best.
In the event, food arrived much more quickly than anticipated and was declared excellent (despite ferociously hot chillis) and itwas nice enough to stay for lasties. BBB & I shared one strong stout and one strong IPA, M had the cask pale beer and J also went with a strongish stout.
M approved of the venue so all were happy.
Today I'm feeling the effects - not so much of the alcohol as the 6.5 miles we walked finding and drinking it.
The guests headed home, S the colleague likewise from his much-enjoyed gig and we're thinking it was a job well done...and contemplating not travelling too far for beer later...
