Reviewing stuff

I’ve been reviewing stuff here since the early days of the blog in some shape or form. Usually stuff rather than eating out experiences, there are plenty of people doing eating out reviews way better than I ever could hope to. I’ve also done mini reviews on both of my posterous blogs.

Sometimes the stuff I review has been sent to me for free, sometimes I’ve paid for it with hard cash, sometimes its been an exchange or barter of a truly old fashioned type – some of my help in return for food.

Just as I don’t review every single thing I buy I don’t review everything I get sent.

But somewhere along the line I thought it might be fun to have a rating system for the reviews.

So today I bring you…. (drumroll, trumpet fanfare)…..

…..Oh yes its…the…..

goodshoeday ‘shoe’ rating system (TM) ….gsdR(TM) for short

The reviews will be totally honest and the rating will be a genuine reflection of what I think but its also a little bit of fun, shoes instead of stars.

If you want to read my review ‘policy’ check here

If you want to understand how the gsdR(TM) system works then take a look here

And keep a look out for that gsd X shoe rated item stamp….I just know you’ll be seeing on slapped on rated products across the land very soon (once I’ve ironed out a few minor legal points that is…)

Oh and you can find my posterous blogs via the side bar links over there on the right >>>>>>

New vodka experiment

I liked my rosehip vodka from 2009 so much I wanted to make some more.

But when I went out to collect hips I was only able to get a small handful.

So I’ve paired them with a Kidd’s Orange Red apple I had left.

P1020809

I’m hoping it makes for a good combination.

PS: For my general fruit voddy method see this post here 

Hot hot hot….

At this time of day I tend to get a bit peckish…

Lunch is a distant memory and in this house we tend to eat late, so dinner/supper is a few hours away still.

And so, often I turn to my tub of Munchy Seeds Chilli Mix

P1020074_2

Conveniently located on my desk within easy reach.

There’s a problem though.

They are really nice.

AND REALLY HOT.

So after a few dips in the tub my mouth is on fire.

Yet I never learn. I make the same mistake everytime.

I bet they’d be a great bar snack to get people to buy another drink, or two.

 

Suffolk sky

Apparently its going to mostly rain this weekend.

I’m not sure that will be entirely true on the Suffolk coast. It’s always just that little bit drier.

I hope the skies will be like they were last Sunday.

P1020685

Mostly empty. Mostly blue.

The thing that looks like dust on the lens is a teeny plane. Promise.

Grrrrr-anolay things

Grrr because…

P1020675_2
P1010183_2
P1020669_2

See the full gallery on Posterous

I’m mostly not a  breakfast cereals person.

I used to be. I used to LOVE Weetabix with the top of the milk on. 

You don’t get ‘top of the milk’ so much any more, most milk has been homogenised.

And anyway I like milk much less than I used to.

So mostly I have toast. Or bacon butties (my favourite). Or cheese.

Or something that’s not cereal.

But somewhere between last November and now I’ve developed a bit of and addiction to granola-y things.

Its stared with Jordan’s who invited me to a baking day I couldn’t attend, so they sent me some Country Crisp instead.

Then Rude Health sent me some of their newly launched ‘The Granola’.

Here I found out the secret of why all granola is tasty.

Then Lynne of a Greedy Piglet let me have some of her homemade.

And now I’m sort of addicted.

Not enough to make my own.

Not enough to make me switch form a bacon butty.

And I’ll have you know my waistline will thank me for that.

Because the shocking truth is that granola is tasty because its packed with fat (go on read the label). Possibly more fat than in a bacon butty :0

Missing staircase

A grand stone staircase awaiting restoration….

P1020524_2
P1020525

See the full gallery on Posterous

I visited Copped Hall near Epping a couple of weeks ago.

I loved it.

Part of its fascination is that you don’t often get to see inside a grand house that’s in the process of being restored. Those parts are usually hidden away.

Not at Copped Hall.

Wherever possible they seem to have decided that the rooms should be on view so that visitors can see the progress.

This makes for such a different experience and also makes you realise the tremendous work involved in restoring a period property that has fallen into disrepair.

As I’ve already said here I’d highly recommend it.