Halloween Events of Old (and a bookmark)

For today's countdown to Halloween, I am sharing an old, old leaflet which I found I cannot remember where. I believe it was in one of the local libraries, but it could have been a local pub. Back in 2008, the town of Maidenhead was doing some special event in the week just before Halloween. We went there, but a bit late, so we missed pretty much everything: pumpkin carving, scary stories told (by a certain Baron Bloody, I need to find that guy if he still exists), evrything that is, but the owls display. But I kept the leaflet because the image looked so good, with the witch flying with her cat, with the moon in the background. Since then I have been using the leaflet as a Halloween bookmark, which I use to read my Halloween related books, come this time of year. It is old and wornout, but it is the coolest bookmark ever.

The bread and olives at Boulters

With the new year, I am trying to start again the Friday (or Saturday, or weekend ) tradition of plugging a menu or a piece of the menu in a pub or a restaurant. Tonight, it is something I ate at Boulters when I had a lunch with colleagues. I could plug more than one thing on their menu, but I want to focus on one particular item in their starters. I am talking about the Homemade Rustic Bread (as they announce it), with olives, confit garlic and dipping oil (and balsamic vinegar). First, a warning: while what I had as a main dish was quite small (but delicious, and more on it another day), the rustic bread and all its accompaniments were very filling, enough actually to make for one meal. In fact, I think it could be shared by two people and they would still have enough for a lunch each. But, s it any good? It is delicious. I love olives, and the confit garlic was a discovery to me. I was a bit too enthusiastic with the garlic: I had it all and stank of garlic all afternoon and the day after. I guess it should also be a warning, but it was worth every bite. So delicious in its simplicity.

Maidenhead today and a quote

My wife and I are going to Maidenhead today. We will do a bit of Sunday shopping (read: clothes shopping). It's just a good excuse as any to quote Anthony Burgess again:

"Women thrive on novelty and are easy meat for the commerce of fashion. Men prefer old pipes and torn jackets."

She is going to become a godmother next weekend and wants a new dress. I will wear the same old suit I have been wearing since 2004.