Curry Corner

The answer to Saturdays puzzle is Curry Corner. And the TV program that the Indian restaurant featured on is F Word, Gordon Ramsey's Channel 4 food show. Each week the best restaurants in different categories go head to head to be crowd Britain's Best Independent Restaurant, unfortunately Curry Corner just missed out on a place in the final, to be broadcast in a few weeks time. But still good on them for beating so many other great Indian eateries.

And the winner of the Cheltenham postcard? Bob The Bolder of Durham Daily Photo. He named the restaurant but not the TV show, but he was still the closest. Congratulations to him.

Dong! Dinner Is Served

We are still having a look around the shops and restaurants in The Suffolks. This figure is one of a pair, ready with a gong, in the window of Indian restaurant B-Ten. I've had a couple of takeaway meals from here and the food is delicious. Best of all if you collect your food you get a discount off of the bill and if they deliver it to your door you get some free beer. A win win situation!

What is your favourite kind of takeaway meal?

Feed The Birds...

This is a familiar sight to many Cheltonians - the pigeon lady. Every day she appears on her bike and feeds the pigeons. She puts down bread and seed in several different places and all the birds know her, and are there waiting for their lunch. I took the top photo but have cropped it (see below) but couldn't decided which one to post so you get the wide shot, the cropped shot and the close up shot. Which do you prefer?

And yes, that is a pigeon she is holding!

Just Desserts

I'm short of photos so time to share a delicious dessert with you all. This is one of the very fine puddings at The Daffodil restaurant - green apple and calvados parfait with blackberry compote. So there!

Daffodil Stairs

We went to The Daffodil restaurant yesterday for lunch. It is a fantastic restaurant set in a former art deco cinema, and although it has gone through many refurbishments and renovations it still holds onto its wonderful style. There was so much to photograph as well as cocktails to be drunk and delicious food to be eaten. I couldn't decide which photo of the staircase to post, colour or black and white, so went with both. I'll leave you to choose your favourite.

St Michael Memories

Marks & Sparks, M & S, St Michael or Marks & Spencer. Whatever you call it this retail institution has been a feature on British High Streets for decades. The store started out life as a penny market stall in a Leeds market hall 125 years ago and over the years has grown into one of the most recognisable brands in the UK. To celebrate their birthday M & S held a Penny Bazaar in their stores, with twenty items costing just a penny. Peopled queued on the High Street, waiting for the doors to open, hoping to grab a bargain. The stock was limited (unsurprisingly) and many shoppers left empty handed, but it was a good publicity stunt! Anyway, today's photos show their retrospective window displays. Bright, colourful and full of memories.

As I mentioned yesterday I'm off on holiday next week and I'm planning to do a series of other peoples photos. If you'd like to loan a photo to appear on Cheltenham DP send me an email (address in my profile.) You'll get full credit and a link.

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Foodies Heaven

As I mentioned yesterday we visited the Tewkesbury Food Festival on Saturday. The event is in its 5th year and took place in the shadow of the towns famous Abbey. If you like food (and who doesn't?!) then this was the place to be. There were over 70 stalls in the main Food Hall selling any food you could imagine, with the majority being locally produced.


There were plenty of samples to taste to help to get you to part with your cash and lots to see and do - celebrity chefs, craft tent, music, champagne bar, pig roast, a theatre where demonstrations were taking place, to name but a few.


We bought a few things like the chocolate covered ginger below, which is now just a memory. Delicious!

Dragon Lamp

Would you fancy a front door lamp like this? I know its a bit ostentatious but it would certainly be a talking point! This dragon lamp is one of a pair that are either side of the entrance to the Thai Emerald restaurant. The eatery produces the best Thai and oriental food for miles around (in my opinion.) They have a wide menu and, if you can't chose what to eat, they offer a buffet style menu with a vast range of dish brought to your table - a great way to try a bit of everything!

Have a great weekend.

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Burger In The Bushes

Behind all this undergrowth is Tailors pub. We went there yesterday for my birthday lunch, they do a delicious homemade burger and chips. No surprises at what we had to eat then! The good thing about Tailors is that it isn't part of one of those large chains, it just an independent bar with good food and some real ales. Needless to say the outdoor seats were empty due to the weather!

Among the gifts I had yesterday were a Photoshop software package and a Tripod! Watch out for some night shots and improved images coming soon!

Art Deco Daffodil

Today's photo is by a guest photographer - Phoebe's Mum P. This is the interior of The Daffodil restaurant. AJC and DJ Groin Strain were down from Manchester for the weekend and the four of us were very kindly treated to lunch at the posh restaurant by P & B (Phoebe and AJC's Mum and Dad.)

The restaurant used to be one of Cheltenham's six cinemas and The Daffodil Cinema opened on 5th October 1922. The cinema remained open until 1963 when it closed its doors for the last time. The art deco building was left to crumble until 1977 when it was converted into a bingo hall and then into an antiques emporium. In 1997 the building was lovingly restored to its art deco glory by new owner Mark Stephens, who opened his restaurant The Daffodil. More recently the buildings interior was redesigned by TV interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Although the design is relatively modern it still has a 1920's feel, with grand sweeping staircases, dramatic lighting and original features. The kitchen is open to the restaurant and sits in the place once occupied by the cinema screen. And, most importantly, the food and service are fantastic.

Thanks again P & B for lunch and the photo! It was good to see AJC and DJ Groin Strain too!

And finally - its my birthday today. Happy Birthday me!

Grow Your Own

That's the buzz phrase at the moment, what with the rising food prices. This is Cheltenham Borough Councils attempt to encourage people to grow veggies at home, showing that you don't need much space. Normally the beds and borders of Cheltenham's parks and gardens are filled with summer flowers but this one, in Sandford Park, stands out from the crowd. It has (starting at the front) parsley, chives, beetroot, bronze fennel and sweet corn growing in it. The bed is edged with purple violas and yellow calendula for some colour, and the green feathery leafed plant on each end is dill. I think this new planting scheme is a great idea, I just hope the produce is harvested and used. It just goes to show what can be done to help save some money.

So, do you grow your own food?

Fresh From The Farm

As promised, a return to Cheltenham. On the first and last Friday of the month the Farmers Market comes to town. There are about 30 stalls selling all sorts of food, drink and plants produced in Gloucestershire. I don't get to go very often, as I'm normally at work, but as I was off last week, I seized the opportunity to go. I came home with bread, cakes, samosas, goats cheese, white wine plus a few other goodies! The Farmers Market is a really good idea and it allows people to support local producers. I think most towns and cities have one these days. What is the one near you like?

Don't forget Theme Day tomorrow!

Master Baker

This baker stands on the balcony above the entrance to Maison Chaplais. The shop calls itself a Fine Food and Lifestyle shop, selling breads, chutneys, coffee and other...well...fine foods! It also has a cafe inside, serving homemade food. I've not been inside (it all looks a bit expensive) but it seemed to be doing a roaring trade, which is not surprising as it's in a prime location, on Andover Road, just out of the town centre, in the Tivoli shopping area. This large baker certainly beats the Little Chef!

Spice Of Life

The Indus restaurant is one of my favourites in town. It serves delicious Indian food, their Naan bread is the best! The front of the building stands out from all those around it, what with its columns and mosaic tiles. And inside it is alive with colour, paintings, bright fabrics and fantastic smells. The staff are friendly and give great service and it isn't that expensive to eat there. And when you leave the ladies are given a flower. Ideal for a night out when you've forgotten to get flowers for your date!

Check out the menu to get your taste buds going!

Ladies That Lunch

The outdoor tables of the restaurants and cafes on the Promenade are full of al fresco diners as we enjoy some lovely early summer weather here in the UK. Cheltenham is known for its shopping and these ladies were obviously taking a well deserved lunchtime rest before continuing on their mission! Credit crunch? What credit crunch?!

Pasta At Prezzo

Carrying on from yesterdays foodie post, here is Italian restaurant Prezzo. Its on the Promenade opposite Neptune's fountain. Before the restaurant took up residence in the building it was a pub for many, many years. The pub went under several different names - Huckster's, 1994's and most well known, The Black Tulip. I've been to eat at Prezzo's a couple of times and the food is very good.

Hope today's post hasn't made you feel hungry. If it has, how about Italian tonight?!

Emerald Elephant

This is one of the two elephants that sit on the roof of the Thai Emerald Restaurant in St Georges Place, Cheltenham. I've only eaten there once and I never even noticed the elephants. I was more excited about the food, as its meant to be really good (and it was!) We had a buffet, it was brought to the table, and there were so many dishes of lovely food. Delicious!

Below is the whole building. It doesn't look very big but the restaurant goes back quite a bit, and the inside is decorated with lots of oriental artifacts and carved wooden furniture. In the photo you can see a hammer above the front door so I guess the building may have been a Court Of Law or an Auction House in the past.

To see more elephants check out Ham's 'London's Elephants' series here - http://londonselephants.blogspot.com/ Its really good. Go on, have a look!

Roll Out The Turkey

Turkey roll anyone? Or pork or sausage. In the middle of the High Street in town is a seasonal take-away vendor selling all sorts of hot food and drink. In the past this chap has had difficulty in obtaining his license from the Borough Council to sell food in the street. Some Council members think that this sort of thing isn't in-keeping with Cheltenhams image. I don't see the problem myself especially as the stall is only there for a couple of months. I haven't tried a turkey roll yet, when I took this photo I had just had lunch.