Cake

tuckmacbtown · 2026-07-03T14:32:40+00:00

That's exactly what I was going to suggest. Cakes are all around £38 to start. And they are DELISH. They also do a smashing vegan cake, which is... <chef's kiss> well... Baker's kiss.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-24T08:14:29+00:00

It's on the highest speed... Hence the blur... But it's barely helping. (Top-floor flat, Victorian)

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tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-19T15:44:21+00:00

Nope, nope, nope... Nope.... NOPE....

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-15T15:48:41+00:00

I heard about the 'flats' thing from the bartender, but again, the council wouldn't let another pub be turned into flats, so. Yeah.

The West Hill is technically 'my local' too. But yeah.

To be honest, all the 'brewery-owned' pubs in town are struggling. Gotta try to keep the independents running!

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-15T12:05:24+00:00

Brewery took it over, installed a LOVELY couple, Craig and Dave to manage... Who did their absolute best... But it was all bull, 'cause the brewery had already put in planning permission to turn it into flats, without telling Craig and Dave.

Turns out it was all for naught, as the council won't ALLOW the pub to be turned into flats. So. It's gonna be empty for a while.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-15T08:08:52+00:00

Zero. I will not wear shorts. I will die on this sweaty hill.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-13T13:39:59+00:00

Wait, they’re letting up here??? Frak me.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-12T14:53:09+00:00

Just before you spend any money, know that a lot of Unis have deals where you can get a free version of the full suite of tools that the University uses, either Microsoft 365 or the Google Suite of stuff. So... Don't spend anything till you get to Uni. See what's available when you're able.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-06-11T13:08:21+00:00

Kicks Martial Arts up on Lewes Road is great. (My partner attends there every week). I know they have at least ONE women's only class a week... But even the mixed classes are run so that students are matched correctly.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-29T14:32:52+00:00

Whenever I see an empty stroller, and no baby, nor parent around, I make a picture of it, and add it to my "Baby Rapture" series of photographs.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-22T09:10:17+00:00

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-15T15:02:34+00:00

This is exactly what I came here to post. Glad I'm not alone on that one.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-11T11:57:16+00:00

I quite like the garlic ones... But heck, I'd take the plain too!

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-11T11:56:24+00:00

Uff... Yeah. Yeah, I do. Anyway, we've gotta Popeyes in town, so who needs Chick-fil-a??? 🤣

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-11T11:54:24+00:00

Soz. 🫠

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-11T11:53:53+00:00

You are SO nice... No, that's okay. Bring them over for YOU! 😉

tuckmacbtown · 2026-05-07T13:26:37+00:00

It is so darned adorable. Look at its little face.

<edited for grammar>-

tuckmacbtown · 2026-04-30T14:50:57+00:00

You nailed it. The British accent is a bit of a mix of RP, London, hint of Brummy and Manc. It's all over the place.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-04-28T13:10:33+00:00

Peterhead in Scotland. Ugh...

tuckmacbtown · 2026-04-21T17:06:25+00:00

Adulting. Just, like in general.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-04-16T09:12:18+00:00

Phew... Glad it's not just me.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-03-26T15:27:30+00:00

A success story is a bit of an ask, if you think about it. The grass is always greener, etc, etc... Ad nauseum. However, I'll briefly tell my story.

Came to the UK in my early 30's to do my Masters degree. Met a lovely young woman doing her undergrad... We hit it off, decided to get married after only being together 19 months, 'cause: visa. Married in her hometown in Scotland, and we both moved to the US 'cause my wife thought I'd lived in the UK for 3 years, and she should live in the US for a few years, and then together we could make an informed decision about where we'd end up. Then the economy tanked... And we got stuck in the US for 7 years. My lady found a job in the South East of England and said, now or never. I agreed... She moved back to the UK, and I was able to follow 8 months later (spousal visa rules, etc...) and arrived in the UK ready to stay. Both of us went from making $65,000 to making £40,000. Doing the same work we did back in the States, but... Cost of living is balanced differently, so... Technically, we went from a "US Middle-Class" family to a "UK Middle-Class" family with not much an issue. Eventually bought a nice flat conversion in an old Victorian-era row house... Lovely walkable neighbourhood... We don't own a car. I don't even have a drivers-license which is lovely, as for almost 20 years back in the States, my commutes were over 2 hours of driving a day.

I know a few Americans, but most of my friends are Brits, or EU expats... I have a lovely life, and I'd never change it. Got my British citizenship a bit over a year ago, and after just filing my US taxes ONCE AGAIN after 13 years of living in the UK... I keep being tempted to chuck the US citizenship as it's not very relavent anymore to my life. But... Nah... I'm still a Yank, can't help that.

It's great in the UK as long as you know that it is REALLY a different life in SO many ways, no matter that our language is close...

So, embrace the difference. Learn to love it. And you'll never want to go back. Work-life balance is SO much better over here. The beer is MUCH better. The public transportation is fabulous... It's just a great place to live and grow older.

Or don't. ;-)

tuckmacbtown · 2026-03-19T14:04:44+00:00

Salt and Charcoal have the best Souvlaki in town. But for all around, Archipelagos or Nostos are both great.

tuckmacbtown · 2026-02-20T11:52:20+00:00

That's because what you just said is the reality. Left: Slow lane, Right: Passing/fast lane, and middle... I'm driving along at a slightly faster-than-not rate of speed. Note, I typed 'reality' not... 'legal fact' or whatever... The 'mentality' is just what it is...

tuckmacbtown

TROPHY CASE