January 2011 - That Was The Month That Was

So now that a whole month of blogging is complete, it's time to look back at it all, and crunch some stats.

Highest Scoring Day :  Thursday, January 6th (54%)
2nd Highest Scoring Day : Sunday, January 9th (52.5%)
Lowest Scoring Day :  Saturday, January 22nd (21%)
Average January Score : 33.82%

                                           Thursday January 6th - Highest Scoring January Day

Films Viewed At The Cinema (marks out of 10)

127 Hours                  7.5
The King's Speech      7
Biutiful                        6
Black Swan                6.5
N.E.D.S                     5.5
No-one Killed Jessica 5
Dhobi Ghat                 4
The Way Back           4
Tron 3D                     2.5
Megamind 3D            2

Number of Films Viewed : 10
Cost Per Film                  : €2.14


127 Hours - Film Of The Month


Weight

End of Month  : 11 stone 12 pounds 8 ounces
Start of Month : 11 stone 10 pounds 2 ounces


Damian McEvoy - January 31st, 2011


Blog Hits

Total Hits In January         1,638
Average Hits                      53
Highest Hits In A Day       209 - January 7th
Lowest Hits In A Day        4     - January 22nd

Ireland                    914
United Kingdom      364
Australia                 132
United States          118
Germany                26
Canada                  25
Japan                     15
Singapore              13
France                   4
Russia                    4

Day 31 - Monday, January 31st, 2011

"Tell me why - I don't like Mondays," sayeth the Booomtown Rats choon, but I have always maintained that Tuesday is the worst day of the week. Monday has some remnants of the weekend fresh in the mind, Wednesday is halfway through the working week, Thursday is Thursday Night Darts Club, the other days speak for themselves. But today had nothing really going for it at all, and most people I met looked similarly inclined. 

So without even a foray to the cinema in the evening, the day must be declared to be monumentally dull, although ironically the evening did seem that little bit brighter during the walk home - summer is edging towards us, slowly but surely!


Bob Geldof - doesn't like Mondays
all of the time, apparently

Contentment : 10 / 25
Excitement :    0.5 / 10
Memorability : 1 / 15

Score : 23% (26th out of 31)

Day 30 - Sunday, January 30th, 2011

High time for a trip to the Cavan homestead methinks, so time to dust the cobwebs off Al the Almera for his 2nd spin of the year. Thanks to the collective magic of the Port Tunnel, the M50, the M3 and (less so) the N3 and R194, I am in Gallonbawn within 75 minutes and in plenty of time for a phenomenally awesome Sunday lunch of the tenderest roast lamb, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, with home made apple tart and ice-cream to follow - class! Mum and Dad are in fantastic form as ever, as are brothers Austin and Shane and sister-in-law Suzetta too - ace! Time for lounging on the couch in front of the fire and a spot of Sunday newspaper-reading - bliss!

I have brought Winning Streak tickets for each family member present - four prove fruitless while Mum's yields a whopping €6 - cue ecstatic celebrations and mass retirement planning!

All too soon it's time for me and Al to retrace our steps, which commences with a false start when I realise 100 yards down the road that I have forgotten my jacket. The drive back to Dublin is otherwise swift and safe, and the evening concludes quietly back at the Lighthouse.

I forgot to take a picture, dammit, but here's a picture of Gallonbawn from Christmas, in snowier times

Contentment : 15 / 25

Excitement :    1.5 / 10

Memorability : 4 / 15

Overall Score : 41% (6th out of 30) 

Day 29 - Saturday, January 29th, 2011

After a restful morning, came a profitable early afternoon with some winning wagers on the Everton Chelsea match - huzzah! A bus journey into town later, and I'm supping the finest of Guinness in McDaid's with Enda G, watching my beloved Coventry City go two goals up against Birmingham City, only to lose 3-2. Onwards to Break For The Border, to expunge a couple more Citydeal vouchers - this time it's €60 worth of food and drink for just €20 - gift! A chicken chimichanga to start, sirloin steak as a very fine main, washed down with a pint of Heineken and a vodka and lucozade.

Next up, a spot of poker in a Ballsbridge apartment, where 7 athletes have gathered to pit their Texas Hold 'em skills against each other over some iced barley drinks. I acquit myself adequately by sharing the €70 pot with Rory in the first game, then am second player to exit in the 2nd and final game.

                                         Tension can cause baldness and/or narcolepsy
Our final port of call is Kobra nightclub in Leeson Street, which is heavingly jam-packed by the time we arrive, at about 12.30am. Many convivials later, and it's time to retire!

                                         Pretty lady - picture quality, not so much
Contentment :  12 / 25
Excitement :     2.5 / 10
Memorability : 4 / 15

Overall : 37% (9th out of 29)

Day 28 - Friday, January 28th, 2011

At lunchtime, I whisked birthday boy Trev Underwood away to the luncheon magicality of The Long Stone, which I had only discovered 24 hours previously. Today's must-eat plat du jour was Chicken Curry half n half, which involves a chicken breast, oodles of currry sauce, boiled rice and chipped potatoes, all in abundance, and for a miserly €9.50!

After work, 'twas off to Cineworld again (yes, it appears that a fixation, an addiction, is brewing here) to see Biutiful  (6 / 10) - a Catalan film staring Javier Bardem that has won Oscar nominations for he as Best Actor and the film as Best Foreign Language Motion Picture. Thufar I have seen 3 of the 5 Best Actor nominees (James Franco, Colin Firth and JB), and I have to say that Javier gets the nod thusfar. It is difficult watching though, because it attacks the senses and arouses uncomfortableness, big-style- you'll see what I mean if you decide to go and see it yourself.



Contentment    :      9 / 25
Excitement :           1 / 10
Memorability :        1.5 / 15

Overall Score : 23%  (24th out of 28)

Day 27 - Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Work had the most magnificent of interruptions in the guise of lunch with Baron Bryan de Hoey, a frightful Southsider who is quite the doppelganger of Prince William of Wales. We adjoined to The Long Stone hostelry, for finest carvery victuals. My first choice of lasagne was lamentably sold out, so I made do with Southern Fried Chicken, which came with magnificent accompaniments of carrots, cabbage, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, chips and - bonus prize - a complimentary slice of roast ham! Naturally it goes without saying that it was bleedin' d'lish.

I re-emerged from NorTrust at 5.21pm, and made a bee-line to Doolan's, amphitheatre of Thursday Night Darts Club's 70th tournament. In honour of the milestone, Frank von Doolan kindly bestowed all 9 athletes with 2 free pints each, and a quality feed of variant ultra-fresh sangitches, complemented by succulent cocktail sausages and sublime chicken lengths, which were wolfed down with emotional ceremony.

Back at the oche, phenomenal feats of athletic prowess were being performed, none less than Lara Della Volpe's stunning score of 156 (triple 20, triple 20, double 18). James "The Peach" Leach (also known as The Dark Destroyer) emerged with his 7th title following a narrow but deserved 2 point victory over John "The Equaliser" Delaney. It was a joint 3rd showing for me, and the record will also show that I scored 2 of 5 scores of 140 that were registered during the evening.

               A radiant Jimmy celebrates his 7th TNDC title win, flanked by the dashing McEvoy siblings

                                                    Those were the scores, George Dawes

                          The National Convention Centre looks more lovely as each evening goes by


Contentment :   9.5 / 25
Excitement :     3 / 10
Memorability : 3 / 15

Overall Score : 31% (15th out of 27)

Day 26 - Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

After work, I was due to meet up with Gavin who was back from Bermuda on a work project, but he mailed during the day to say that he'd have to work until 8pm. Rather than go home and come back in, I decided to take in yet another film at Cineworld, and the best available at the time was off-Bollywood sensation Dhobi Ghat (4 / 10) - a film about a bloke who's a moody artist, who moves into a kip in Mumbai and stumbles across a set of video diaries left by the previous tenant. Moody artist has a one-night stand with an affluent Indian girl who is back on sabbatical from the US, and has a lowly laundry-man who bumps into this affluent girl and they get on like a house on fire too. Cue much intermingling, tape watching and a melancholic ending, all interspersed with enticing cinematography of Mumbai.

So I emerge from the cinema at about 7.30pm, and endeavour to make contact with Gavin, which is a little difficult because I don't have his Bermudian mobile number, so I e-mail him via iPhone, and make my way towards the south city centre. 8.15pm comes and no word back, so I decide to board a 128 bus home, and as affirmation, a mail comes a few minutes later from Gavin confirming that he is staying on at work.

Homewards to the Lighthouse, where I'm greeted by Darren, Emma and a magnificent triumvirate of toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches that I concoct for myself.



Dhobi Ghat heartland - looks like Dhobi refers to a laundryman


Contentment :  9 / 25
Excitement :     1 / 10
Memorability : 1 /10

Overall Score : 22% (24th out of 26)

Day 25 - Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

After a splendid day's toil, it was time for Tuesday Night Golf Club at Metro Golf, where a competitive field of 7 international athletes gathered to play the Innisbrook Copperhead course. I finished mid-field with a creditable 30 points, which consisted of a great start before my 1st pint of Heineken took effect, a dodgy third-quarter as the 2nd pint affected my swing, and a barn-storming last 4 holes as the 3rd pint instilled confidence and athletic abandon. Seasoned professional Neil "Dutchy" Holland edged out Conquer "The Conqueror" O'Keeffe in a dramatic play-off after both finished on 34 points. The evening was only slightly marred by a neighbouring gang of chappies who insisted of laughing like hyenas every 15 seconds - amazing how a round of golf could produce such utter hilarity!

                                         Damiano points to the screen for no apparent reason

                                          Bronze medallist "English" Niall English in putting action.

The Royal & Ancient Committee then retired to the fine nearby Ringsend hostelry, The Oarsman, for a few convivials, and the fine evening finished with a bracing walk home across the East Link bridge.

Contentment :  12 / 25
Excitement :     3 / 10
Memorability : 3 / 15

Overall Score : 36% (10th out of 25)

Day 24 - Monday, January 24th, 2011

Ah, another week, another $, and a splendid day's Nothern Trust toil was done sooner than the shake of a lamb's tail, but it was marked on the walk in by the random finding in the morning (on the Eastern Wall pavement) of a €7.50 Boots voucher - what absolute luck!

Post-work, I made a beeline for Cineworld and caught the 5.50pm showing of Black Swan, THE film that is generating much word of mouth at the moment. I gave it 6.5 out of 10, having enjoyed an amazing performance from lead actress Natalie Portman, having ultimately enjoyed the cringe-inducing moments of the film, where she picks her skin and bleeds, but having baulked at the all-too-many believability-defying moments, not least at the end.

I emerged from Cineworld, and in an incredible twist of coincidence, there to greet me on the Parnell Street pavement was yet another Boots €7.50 voucher. These pieces of parchment are precious - is there someone out there deliberately spreading thm all over the city's thoroughfares?! Or is it an extraordinary piece of magnificent luck? I think we should be told....

Whilst walking home, I phone in my order for Bombay Pantry in Fairview, to use the 6th of my 8 CityDeal vouchers, where €18 worth of victuals are purchased for the princely sum of €8. My order includes Chicken Saag, Fire House Beef, twice rice, batata vada and subz bhija (nice Indian starter thingies). Home to the Lighthouse, where much of the order is unceremoniously wolfed.

                                                        Luscious Natalie, the Black Swan

Contentment : 11 / 25
Excitement :    1.5 / 10
Memorability : 1 / 15

Overall Score : 27% (18th out of 24)

Day 23 - Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

A double dose of cinematic pleasure was self-prescribed by Dr. Damiano, so off it was to Cineworld, giving Al (my Nissan Almera) a rare run-out. I recently estimated that each drive of the year costs about €40 in tax and insurance, before petrol or any maintenance - ouch baby, very ouch!

First up was N.E.D.S (5.5 out of 10) - a film set in 70s Scotland about a kid who starts off as a promising scholar and ends up as one of many Non-Educated DelinquentS. The acting was superb (except the Dad and the Latin teacher) but the plot collapsed two-thirds of the way through it and it descended into farce - pity. Second up was Megamind 3D (2 out of 10), which was desperately poor - it was corny and had utterly unfunny dialogue, like a particularly awful new episode of The Simpsons. I'd be lying if I said I stayed until the end - my mind was well made up with forty minutes elapsed. A 3rd viewing to wash out the taste of rotten turkey was tempting, but I ambled instead to Henry Street and a spot of retail convalescence. Fifteen minutes and €206 was spent in River Island, and I emerged with some black jeans, a blue checked shirt, a pair of trousers and a pair of shoes.

Time to expunge yet another CityDeal voucher, this time at Sushi King on Dawson Street, where a starter and main course were on offer for a tenner instead of the normal €20 price. The King Prawn Tom Yum Noodle soup was an awesome meal in itself, and the Bang Bang Chicken main course (which came half-way through the starter, in delightfully true Oriental style) was well tasty. A bulging belly was very slightly deflated with a walk back to Al on Bolton Street.


                                                               Mega-Turkey!

Contentment : 10 / 25
Excitement :    1.5 / 10
Memorability : 1.5 / 15

Overall Score : 26% (20th out of 23)

Day 22 - Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

Without question, this will go down as one of the most non-eventful days of the year, but getting to bed at 5am in the morning usually doesn't set things up for anything else. As is a lazy-day tradition, just one foray outside the apartment is made all day, to the Centra supermarket on the ground floor below.

Today's sporting action included Liverpool getting a rare away win (against Wolves), Rangers losing to Hearts and Aston Villa beating Man City. To spice the day, I had three bets - an €10 accumulator on 16 teams to all score (they didn't), €20 on Arsenal to beat Wigan by 3 goals or more (they did) and €20 on there to be 7 corners or more in the first half of Villa versus City (there were) - total profit €41 - yay! The bets don't normally come in, so nice to have a profitable day once in a while.

I have decided to disband the practice of photographing myself each day, as it's boring and pointless, so only shots involving external activity will feature from now on. However, for the sake of including a photo in each day's blog, here is a picture from a day that I reckon would have been Number 2 out of 365 in the rankings last year, had they existed.

                                      Saturday November 20th - MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas

Contentment :   9 / 25
Excitement :      0.5 / 10
Memorability :  1 / 15

Overall Score : 21% (22nd out of 22)

Day 21 - Friday, January 21st, 2011

Back to work in Dublin today, and the day passed speedily into evening, and the 69th edition of Thursday Night Darts Club which due to its travelling impresario, took place a day later this week. The venue also moved, back to our old stomping ground The Palace on Camden Street, and while it only has 1 dart-board instead of Doolan's two, the atmosphere is generally livelier.

No less than 15 athletes turned up this time, including a number of debutants. The lead changed hands on a couple of occasions but the winner once again was John "The Equaliser" Delaney, winning his 25th TNDC title and he will surely and deservedly over-take my 26 titles in the weeks ahead.

After athletic proceedings concluded just before midnight, it was off to an unsurprisingly-jammed Flannery's for an ale, and then onto The Colossus Casino for some blackjack action, where I emerged €25 more wealthy - yay! This paid for a slap up burger, chips, potato cakes and Fanta feast in Roma II, Dublin's finest city centre traditional chippy, and the taxi home.

 Danny - Son of Hoon, Ara, The Equaliser, and Judge Dredd's finger

 A radiant TNDC impresario mid-tabulation

Contentment :   12 / 25
Excitement :      3 / 10
Memorability :  3 / 15

Overall Score : 36% (9th out of 21)

Day 20 - Thursday, January 20th, 2011

I checked out of the St. Pierre Park and headed into work via taxi, not wishing to trundle my suitcase along 2 miles of Guernsey footpath. At 3pm, it was time to take another taxi, this time to the airport for my 4.15pm Flybe flight to Southampton. Guernsey is officially a duty free zone but after some browsing I decided against any purchases. The flight was quick and relatively pleasant, although it did have a screaming child, one of which is mandatorily obliged to travel on all flights worldwide. Headphones went in as son as they were permitted, and banging tracks from Tiesto made everything well again.

Alas I was not so fortunate with the second leg, which was delayed by 90 minutes because of the incoming plane from Glasgow getting delayed by fog. We sat on the runway for a while as the plane took on more fuel, because fog in Dublin was becoming a possibility too. Thankfully it didn't materialise and we touched down just after 9pm. Conveniently, my taxi booked through work was waiting outside to whisk me home, via a pit-stop to Bombay Pantry in Fairview, mainly because I had 4 vouchers left, purchased at €8 each, for €18 worth of food, which expire next Thursday week. The food must be collected, not delivered, and it's Monday to Thursday only, so time is ticking! Cue a pig-out feast of samosa, subz bhaija (vegetable dumpling), batata vada (potato and nut cake), chicken hazari (fiery!), rice and baijan bhaji (aubergines and tomatoes).

10 minutes past take-off time and still no word!

Contentment :    10 / 25
Excitement :       2 / 10
Memorability :   3 / 15

Overall Score : 30% (13th out of 20)

Day 19 - Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Another delightful breakfast buffet to start the day - I eschewed all fatty hot options and dived in at the Melon and Pineapple stand, following it with some weetabix, nuts, fruit and Guernsey milk. Guernsey milk is the creamiest lushest most delicious milk in the world - fact! - even putting ultra-tasty Irish milk into second place. Buoyed by such nutritious vitality, I walked into work, not quite knowing the way, but reckoning that if in doubt, go downhill, and it seemed to work, as 25 minutes later, I was at Northern Trust's harbourside Trafalgar Court, at sea-level.

After a hearty day's toil, the walk back to the hotel was considerably more difficult, being as it was almost entirely uphill, so upon completion, I issued an internal decree that gym would not be required on this particular evening, due to deemed exceedence of exercise quota. So I spent the evening in The Doghouse - Guernsey's top live music tavern, and alleged purveyor of fine foods. The nourishment was very good indeed - superb Thai fish cakes followed by a not-great lasagne (too little mince and their idea to infuse it with pesto just didn't work). However, the "real" chip-pan style chips were bleedin' d'lish, as was the side of sesame seed stir-fried vegetables. I asked the slightly surly but highly efficient waitress if she could help me decide between the Chef's Chocolate pavlova and the Iced Lemon Cheesecake, and she replied that both were delicious. I figured that pressing the point further would lead to hostility, so I plumped for the cheesecake, and it was truly awesome.

A little weary from an abundance of food and from a couple of nights' poorish- sleep, I exited just as the folk-rock combo Barley Kings were about to hit the stage, so alas I cannot provide a critique on their excellence or otherwise.

                         The Channel Islands of Herm and Sark in the background, beyond the low tide

                             Nearly in the Doghouse

Contentment :  10 / 25
Excitement :     2 / 10
Memorability : 2.5 / 15

Overall Score : 29%   (Rank 13th out of 19)

Day 18 - Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

Buffet breakfast in the St. Pierre was a healthy treat, with lashings of melon and pineapple, followed by Weetabix, followed by scrambled eggs and beans - meaning that I wouldn't have to eat for the rest of the day, if I didn't want to, except I did. Graham the taxi-man was upon hand to drive me to work along the narrow winding hilly roads of Guernsey. Work went splendidly and then it was back to the hotel where I dived headlong into a Gym Quickie, featuring a 4km cycle and a 2km row (establishing a stunning new personal 2011 best of 8 minutes 38 seconds in the latter). Colette from work then very kindly picked me up and we headed into St. Peter Port for dinner with Carrie and Alli (also from work) in Christie's.

After a cheeky G 'n T, I tucked into a hearty Seafood Platter, featuring King Prawns, crab, smoked salmon, lobster and an oyster, which was the first ever time that I ate one raw - they really do taste of the sea, and have great flavour. For mains, it was the tastiest shepherd's pie ever - top quality steak mince, tender mash, garden peas, baby carrots, gravy, and a little mini-pot of HP Sauce on the side. Dessert was a very fine trio of sorbets. Conversation flowed ("funny that, with 3 women at the table", I hear you say), making for a really enjoyable night. Colette keeps a hive of bees in her back garden and the fascinating stories about what they do, how long they live, when they sting and how they react when their honey is taken lasted a speedy 20 minutes in itself. Ali left me back to the hotel and a cup of soothing camomile tea in my hotel room capped off a splendid evening. But maybe the camomile wasn't so soothing, as I had an unusually restless night's sleep, having crazy dreams that thankfully have not stayed in the memory bank, and waking up fitfully throughout the night, dagnabit.

My first nude shot of 2011 - phwoarr, I think you'll agree

Contentment : 12.5 / 25

Excitement :    3 / 10

Memorability : 4 / 15

Overall Score : 39% (9th out of 18)

Day 17 - Monday, January 17th, 2011

The bugler's reveille trumpeted at an unusually early 6.15am, signalling the start of a magical journey to the mystical tropical isle of Guernsey. Mr. Taximan was waiting promptly at the gates of the Lighthouse, and whisked me promptly to the Airport in less than 15 minutes via the Port Tunnel. At check-in, I was informed that no bags had been paid for, so I had to decide between sacrificing my full Sure deodorant can, half-full Shockwaves Hair Gel, quarter-full No. 7 face scrub and full No. 7 shaving gel, or pay €148 to check in the bag. Yes, €148 - four plane legs at €37 each, and even though I would have been fully entitled to claim the money back on expenses, I said eff that for a game of soldiers. I chanced my arm and put the toiletries to the security scan test, but they failed miserably and were unceremoniously dumped by one of the delightfully surly security blokes. "Ya shoulda knawn dah," he said helpfully. "I DID know, but gave it a try anyway, you tool," I replied, uttering the last two words silently, and without lip-movement.

Straight to Boots then to stock up on 50ml deodorant, 70ml shaving gel and 50ml hair gel - all by Trevor Sorbie, and a veritable snip at €7.83, and including - yay! - yet another €7.50 Boots voucher! First leg of the journey was to Southampton, in a Flybe Dehavilland Hair-dryer, seating 78 people. The plane was about two-thirds full, so I had a double seat to myself. The journey afforded fine views of East Wall and the docklands, then Wicklow, then fluffy clouds, then Southampton.

                          Look! It's the Harp bridge! And the East Link Bridge! And my gaff!

                                                     The Enchanting Southampton Docks

With an hour stop-over at Southampton airport, I treated myself to a slap-up vegetarian breakfast, featuring vegetarian sausage (too much batter on the outside, nice mashed veg on the inside), scrambled eggs, beans, grilled tomato and hash brown - saucy at £7.95 if it were not in an airport, where prices are allowed to be as high as I was over the Irish Sea 30 minutes ago. Onwards aboard another FlyBe hair-dryer and a quick 40 minute hop skip and jump to Guernsey, and thanks to the waiting Graham The Taximan, I'm in the Northern Trust Guernsey office by 11.30am.

The NT Guernsey crew are a friendly bunch and I am made to feel very welcome. Each cubicle seems to possess a full giant tin of Roses/Celebrations/Quality Street - always a sign of a convivial atmosphere. I quickly get settled into work at my desk, which overlooks the St. Peter Port harbourside. Time flies by, and soon Graham the Taximan is on hand again to transport me to my hotel - the St. Pierre Park - about 10 minutes' drive away. It's a nice homely 4-star affair, one I sussed out myself for £60 per night, as the work travel agency's best effort was £160 per night in another 4-star hotel. No expenses scandal on view here, I tells ya!

After unpacking, I head downstairs to register my first gym visit of the year, and rack up 3km on the rowing machine, 4km on the bike, some time on the cross-trainer, polished off by some steam-roomage - quality! Dinner has well and truly been earned - scallops for starters, then ultra-fresh sea-bass, with the finale of a raspberry roulade - bleedin' d'lish!

                            Edgy, brilliant, poignant, totally non-pointless photo of me in my hotel room

Contentment : 12.5 / 25
Excitement   :  3.5 / 10
Memorability : 4.5 / 15

Overall Score : 41% (6th out of 17)

Day 16 - Sunday, January 16th, 2011

A hideously relaxing (boring) day was enlivened somewhat later on when I met up with Danny The Swede for a bite to eat and a flick. Dinner was at Cafe Carlo in the virtually-unheard of Lynam's Hotel on O'Connell Street - I never knew it existed before purchasing one of my many CityDeal vouchers - this one entitled a duo to Starter, Main Course and a glass of wine for €12.50 - bargain! My starter was a rather rustic smoked salmon salad, with globules of mayonnaise and toasted traingles of sliced brown Brennan's bread, so expectations for the fillet steak were lowered, but it turned out to be a very decent one - good juicy well-cooked meat (as I like it), with a tasty peppercorn sauce, and fine if small sides of mushroom and fried onion. The glass of vino was decent, whilst the service was Fawlty Towers-esque, as is the bizarre 70's decor (which was decor'ed in the 70's). Excellent value for €15 (including over-generous tip), but I was glad I wasn't paying the menu total price of  €38.

Onwards to Cineworld and The King's Speech (7 out of 10), a film on the subject of King George VI of England's and his battle against his stammer, aided by his wife (who we know as the Queen Mother) and an unorthodox speech-therapist. It was an enjoyable watch, if a little too saccharine and economical with the truth at times.

Homewards then to pack for tomorrow morning's early departure to Guernsey, where I'll be working until Thursday afternoon.

                           That passable fillet steak in full, in the nation's narrowest restaurant

Contentment : 11 / 25
Excitement :    1 / 10
Memorability : 2 / 15

Overall Score : 28% (11th out of 16)

2011 - The Scores On The Doors

Rank       Score    Date                  Day

1              67%      April 2nd            Saturday
2              62%      August 27th        Saturday
3              61%      October 1st        Saturday
3              61%      September 3rd    Saturday
3              61%      April 26th           Tuesday
6              60%      September 6th    Tuesday
6              60%      April 27th           Wednesday
6              60%      July 9th               Saturday
6              60%      July 20th             Wednesday
10            58%      October 22nd     Saturday
10            58%      October 8th        Saturday
10              58%      February 12th     Saturday
10            58%      February 19th     Saturday
13             57%      March 26th         Saturday
13             57%      July 5th               Tuesday
13            57%      April 16th           Saturday
13             57%      June 4th              Saturday
17            56%      August 31st         Wednesday
17            56%      June 5th              Sunday
17            56%      April 6th             Wednesday
20            55%      August 5th          Friday
20            55%      April 21st           Thursday
20            55%      July 7th               Thursday
23            54%      September 2nd    Friday
23            54%      January 6th         Thursday
25            53%      July 8th               Friday
26            52.5%   January 9th         Sunday
28            52%      October 30th      Sunday
27            52%      January 2nd        Sunday
27            52%      August 14th        Sunday
27            52%      July 4th               Monday
27            52%      June 25th            Saturday
27            52%      May 1st              Sunday
32            51.5%   March 31st         Thursday
33            51%      October 16th      Sunday
33            51%      July 29th             Friday
33            51%      June 10th            Friday
33            51%      June 11th            Saturday
33            51%       May 29th          Sunday
33            51%       May 7th            Saturday
33            51%      April 30th           Saturday
33            51%      March 12th         Saturday
40            50%      August 26th         Friday
40            50%      June 24th            Friday
40             50%     June 2nd              Thursday
40             50%      March 16th         Wednesday
40             50%      April 28th           Thursday
40             50%      March 4th           Friday
40             50%      June 23rd            Thursday
40             50%      February 4th       Friday
40             50%      June 7th              Tuesday
53             49%      October 27th      Thursday
49             49%      October 2nd       Sunday
49             49%      September 10th   Saturday
49             49%      July 22nd            Friday
49             49%      June 3rd             Friday
49             49%      July 15th             Friday
49             49%      February 13th     Sunday
49             49%      June 29th            Wednesday
49             49%      February 26th     Saturday
49             49%      April 8th             Friday
58             48%      October 5th        Wednesday
58             48%      August 12th        Friday
58             48%      August 10th        Wednesday
58             48%      July 28th             Thursday
58             48%      July 16th             Saturday
58            48%      June 27th            Monday
58            48%      February 11th     Friday
58            48%      January 12th       Wednesday
58            48%      May 26th            Thursday
71            47%      October 28th       Friday
67            47%      October 15th       Saturday
67            47%      September 17th   Saturday
67            47%      August 19th         Friday
67            47%      June 12th           Sunday
67            47%      July 3rd              Sunday
67            47%      June 19th           Sunday
67            47%      April 3rd            Sunday
67            47%      June 9th              Thursday
67            47%      June 6th              Monday
75            46%      September 28th   Wednesday
75            46%      September 4th    Sunday
75            46%      July 24th             Sunday
75            46%      May 25th            Wednesday
75            46%      April 24th           Sunday
75            46%      May 14th           Saturday
75            46%      April 1st             Friday
75            46%      March 13th         Sunday
75            46%      April 14th           Thursday
84            45%      September 22nd Thursday
84            45%      September 16th  Friday
84            45%      September 7th    Wednesday
84            45%      July 27th             Wednesday
84            45%      July 17th             Sunday
84            45%      June 27th            Sunday
84            45%      July 13th             Wednesday
84            45%      June 16th            Thursday
84            45%      April 10th           Sunday
84            45%      February 10th     Thursday
84            45%      March 19th         Saturday
84            45%      April 23rd           Saturday
99            44%      October 20th      Thursday
96            44%      October 14th      Friday
96            44%      September 21st   Wednesday
96            44%      July 23rd             Saturday
96            44%      June 30th            Thursday
96            44%      June 17th            Friday
96            44%      May 11th            Wednesday
96            44%      April 17th            Sunday
96            44%      March 5th           Saturday
96            44%      March 17th         Thursday
96            44%      February 16th     Wednesday
96            44%      October 10th      Monday
106          43%      October 9th        Sunday
106           43%      August 4th          Thursday
106           43%      July 31st             Saturday
106           43%      July 2nd              Saturday
106            43%      June 18th            Saturday        
106            43%      March 3rd          Thursday
106           43%      May 24th            Tuesday
106           43%      May 6th             Friday
114          42%      October 4th        Tuesday
114           42%      August 29th        Monday
114           42%      August 25th        Thursday
114           42%      September 12th  Monday
114           42%      August 6th          Saturday
114           42%      July 6th               Wednesday
114           42%      January 14th       Friday
114           42%      May 12th            Thursday
114           42%      May 5th              Thursday
114           42%      March 27th         Sunday
114           42%      April 22nd          Friday
114           42%      May 13th           Friday
114            42%      May 31st            Tuesday
127          41%      September 18th  Sunday
127          41%      September 13th  Tuesday
127           41%      September 11th  Sunday
127           41%      August 22nd       Monday
127           41%      August 16th        Tuesday
127           41%      August 2nd         Tuesday
127           41%      July 26th             Tuesday
127           41%      June 20th            Monday
127           41%      May 23rd           Monday
127           41%      May 10th           Tuesday
127           41%      March 9th          Wednesday
127           41%      January 30th       Sunday
127           41%      January 17th       Monday
127           41%      January 5th         Wednesday
127           41%      March 29th         Tuesday
148          40%      October 24th       Monday
142          40%      October 13th       Thursday
142          40%      September 25th   Sunday
142          40%      August 28th         Monday
142          40%      August 21st         Sunday
142          40%      August 18th        Thursday
142          40%      July 21st             Thursday
142          40%      July 12th             Tuesday
142          40%      June 22nd           Wednesday
142          40%      January 13th       Thursday
158          39%      October 23rd      Sunday
150          39%      July 11th             Monday
150          39%      June 28th            Tuesday
150          39%      May 30th            Monday
150          39%      May 15th            Sunday
150          39%      March 21st         Monday
150          39%      January 18th       Tuesday
161          38%      October 18th      Tuesday
156          38%      June 7th              Wednesday
156          38%      April 12th           Tuesday
156          38%      March 8th           Tuesday
156          38%      March 22nd        Tuesday
160          37%      October 3rd       Monday
160          37%      July 25th             Monday
160          37%      July 14th             Thursday
160          37%      June 13th            Monday
160          37%      June 15th            Wednesday
160          37%      January 29th       Saturday
160          37%      February 8th       Tuesday
160          37%      February 17th     Thursday
160          37%      April 11th           Monday
160          37%      April 9th             Saturday
170          36%      January 10th       Monday
170          36%      April 29th           Friday
170          36%      March 14th        Monday
170          36%      January 21st       Friday
170          36%      January 25th       Tuesday
170          36%      February 22nd    Tuesday
170          36%      February 19th     Sunday
183          35%      October 21st      Friday   
177          35%      September 28th   Thursday
177          35%      October 12th      Wednesday
177          35%      August 1st           Monday
177          35%      July 31st             Sunday
177          35%      January 4th         Tuesday
177          35%      February 3rd       Thursday
177          35%      February 27th     Sunday
177          35%      April 19th            Tuesday
177          35%      October 11th       Tuesday
202          34%      October 29th       Saturday
184          34%      September 5th     Monday
129          34%      July 18th             Monday
129          34%      May 27th            Friday
129          34%      June 1st              Wednesday
129          34%      January 3rd         Monday
129          34%      February 21st     Monday
129          34%      April 7th             Thursday
209          33%       October 25th      Tuesday
140          33%      September 1st      Thursday
138          33%      August 9th          Tuesday
135          33%      July 19th             Tuesday
135          33%      June 21st            Tuesday
158          32%      September 19th   Monday
139          32%      August 8th           Monday
137          31%      March 18th         Friday
137          31%      January 27th       Thursday
137          31%      March 11th         Friday
140          30.5%   March 20th         Sunday
178          30%      September 26th   Monday
152          30%      September 16th   Friday
152          30%      September 20th   Tuesday
146          30%      August 7th          Sunday
144          30%      August 3rd          Wednesday
141          30%      January 20th       Thursday
141          30%      February 23rd    Wednesday
152           30%     August 20th        Saturday
145          30%      February 24th     Thursday
145          30%      April 20th           Wednesday
172          29%      April 25th           Monday
152          29%      August 13th        Saturday
86            29%      January 19th       Wednesday
86            29%      March 15th         Tuesday
86            29%      February 7th       Monday
86            29%      February 18th     Friday
157          28%      August 24th        Wednesday
93            28%      May 22nd           Sunday
91            28%      May 2nd             Monday
91            28%      January 8th         Saturday
91            28%      January 16th       Sunday
247          27%      October 17th      Monday
195          27%      August 15th        Monday
215          27%      September 27th  Tuesday
94            27%      January 24th       Monday
94            27%      February 25th    Friday
254          26%      October 31st      Monday
185          26%      August 17th        Wednesday
96            26%      January 23rd      Sunday
96            26%      January 1st         Friday
96            26%      February 15th     Tuesday
258          25%      October 19th      Wednesday
99            25%      January 11th       Tuesday
99            25%      April 13th           Wednesday
99            25%      March 23rd        Wednesday
230          25%      September 24th    Saturday
102            24%      April 15th           Friday
102          24%      April 4th             Monday
102          24%      March 1st           Tuesday
102          24%      February 28th     Monday
266          24%      October 26th      Wednesday
106            23%      January 15th       Saturday
106            23%      January 28th       Friday
106            23%      January 31st       Monday
106            23%      February 5th      Saturday
106           23%      March 6th          Sunday
106           23%      April 18th           Monday
112           22.5%   February 9th       Wednesday
112           22.5%   March 7th           Monday
114           22%      January 7th         Friday
114           22%      February 6th       Sunday
114            22%      January 26th       Wednesday
114          22%      May 4th              Wednesday
114          22%      May 9th              Monday
248          22%       September 23rd  Friday
119           21.5%   February 1st       Tuesday
224           21%      August 23rd       Tuesday
120          21%      January 22nd      Saturday
120           21%      February 14th     Monday
120           21%      March 2nd          Wednesday
120          21%       March 10th        Thursday
120           21%       March 28th         Monday
125           20%      February 2nd      Wednesday
125            20%      April 5th             Tuesday
125            20%      March 23rd         Friday
128            19%      March 29th         Wednesday
129            18%      March 24th         Thursday