Saturday 5th September 2015
Annabel’s new look as deputy editor
I almost choked on my cappuccino-as we sat after lunch on the Fred. Olsen cruise ship Braemar last week – when my friend stated that I must be a ‘lady of leisure’ now that I’ve given up the 9-5 job in Liverpool. ‘Are you kidding me? Didn’t you read my blog?’..Gosh, is that what people really think? That I’m sat here filing my nails and going out enjoying myself everyday? Well I am getting out a lot, but its all in the name of hard work. Honest!
Its not all work,work,work though, as I’m determind to stay fit, as sitting at a computer all day does nothing for the waistline. So, I dusted off David’s badminton racquets and booked a court at The Marsh Leisure Centre. Anyone that’s knows us will know how competitive we are with each other, so an hour later, both hot, sweaty and exhausted, we agreed to call it a draw. Then back home to an enormous pan of Scouse (Liverpudlian beef stew.) After doing his research online, David had a stab at making it, and a great job he made of it too!
I was back at the leisure centre on Thursday for Clubbersize. A high energy class, taken by Sarah, with some great pounding music, only trouble was, I could just about make her out after they’d turn all the lights off! I’ve just tried piloxing there too, an eclectic mix of Pilates, boxing and dance for an all over body workout. Glad to say I was suitably knackered after it.
Friday saw me covering my first story for the paper, That Dog Place in Hythe had its official launch party and The Looker was there getting all the news which we featured on the website and will be in next weeks edition too. Later, we had dinner at Tamarind, on the Avenue, which has to be one of the tastiest curries I’ve eaten in a long time, no wonder it was choka inside. Cant believe it’s taken us so long to try it! Then, as it was Friday, it was back to the world famous Ship pub in New Romney High Street, to listen to a guest appearance by DJ Ross, playing some hardcore House music.We could have been giving it large in the latest Ibiza nightclub! –this Ship was definitely rocking and didn’t know what had hit it!
On Saturday, David was putting the finishing touches to The Looker Speed 4 in readiness for The Soapbox Challenge whilst I visited my favourite shop, The Range in Cheriton, putting the finishing touches to our new look living room. The brown walls and carpet had to go! Fast forward a couple of weeks and the dreary man cave has been transformed, with a little scousification, into a chic beachfront abode with a definite ‘Hamptons’ feel. Dinner was at The Five Bells pub, nestled in the beautiful village of Brabourne. The Kent countryside never ceases to amazing me with its beauty and has me totally seduced.
Annabel Clare and Holly sell amazing Jewellery at the Sandgate Sea Festival
Sunday we were up at the crack of dawn loading up the car to head to the Sandgate Sea Festival, where David was compere for the event and I, along with David’s daughter Holly, was manning our Lady Annabel jewellery stall. After the heat and bustle of the day, we returned home tanned and shattered.
Finally the big day had arrived! Typical Bank Holiday weather, wet and miserable, could not dampen the spirits of our David, Romney Marsh’s answer to Steve Mcqueen, who was chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel of the latest incarnation of Looker Gravity Racers. After a few technical glitches and a dramatic spin! he made it down in one piece and came a very credible fourth. We finished the day eating the most wonderful burgers, courtesy of Peter and Dean Vickerman of Aldington Farm Foods, serenaded by two fantastic singers, Nigel Smith and Peter Dinsley, who even got David up for a duet!
Looker Editor David Wimble just before he chucked himeslf down Forge hill behind the wheel of the ‘New’ Looker Speed 4 Gravity Racer
I have to say, The Looker delivery day doesn’t half come round fast, where the hell did those two weeks go? We had it done in record time because we had a lunch date aboard the Braemar in Dover, which hopefully could prove very interesting for the future?
David’s favourite funk band EK1 at Sotirio’s in Greatstone rounded off our week and after downing a bottle of champagne we were up dancing the night away.
Tonight its dinner at the greek taverna, Demetrios in Greatstone with Gill and Trevor and Jaki and Vinny, cant wait to tuck into some beef stifado!
Next weeks highlights sees us on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway for a special journey to Dungeness with fish and chip supper and making the pilgrimage to Hyde Park to watch the legendary Rod Stewart headlining Radio 2’s Festival in a Day.
Till next time….
Annabel x
