**Review** ~ Pizza Express Gluten Free Pizza

I am not a food connoisseur, far from it, but when it comes to Gluten Free food I do know what I'm talking about.

10 years ago I was diagnosed as a Coeliac as was my brother. I had already lived with the diet for 3 years as my mum had already been diagnosed. At this time there was absolutely nothing in the supermarkets, and as for eating at restaurants it was a nightmare on a grand scale.

When someone is diagnosed as a coeliac there is a 5-10% chance that one of their children will have the same condition, me and my brother had to be the exception. 

In recent years more and more supermarkets and restaurants are starting to offer a wider range of gluten free products and meals. These products always cost more than the gluten containing products and that can be frustrating.
So it's nice when you go to a restaurant ( of a major chain ) and they are offering a gluten free alternative at no extra cost. I am always a bit dubious about trying new products because if they're horrible you've usually wasted a lot of money. Thankfully I had nothing to worry about at Pizza Express.
On arrival the staff were very welcoming and were very prompt at taking our order, it was with some trepidation that I ordered the gluten free pizza as I was unsure if I would enjoy it.
In due course the pizzas arrived and although the gluten free were slightly smaller than the regular pizzas they at least looked edible.
So then I took my first bite........

I was in heaven!!!!!
The base was thin yet doughy with a lovely crisp crust and tasted just like a pizza should.
The toppings were a perfect ratio to the base so it didn't fall apart when you lifted it up, I just couldn't believe it tasted so good and I wasn't being naughty eating something I shouldn't. 
This pizza was exactly how I remember restaurant pizza tasted and that is quite an achievement considering how temperamental some gluten free ingredients can be.
I have tried other gluten free products from some of the leading competitors and I would say that Pizza Express is definitely a contender for the best restaurant catering for a gluten free diet.
Our server asked if my brother and I enjoyed our pizzas and we both said they were fantastic but I wish they did gluten free pasta dishes too. Apparently I'm not the only person to mention this.

My verdict.....

Service 100%
Staff 100%
Restaurant 100%
Food 100% 
Overall 100%

I really enjoyed my first visit to pizza express and will definitely be returning in the near future, hopefully when there will be pasta dishes too.
 Ciao Bella
Cheryl xxx

Tattoos ~ Art?? or Not??

In recent years tattoos have become more of an accepted culture, employers are even being told that they can no longer discriminate if a current or prospective employee has tattoos,
But......
Are tattoos seen as art or not???
In my opinion tattoos are art, I feel that tattoos are an expression of a persons individuality and personality. As you may have guessed I have tattoos, 5 of them ( technically 6 because one has been covered over )



 

Ok so my first one was a Devil Tweety Pie, I've always wanted it :), my second was my ex husbands name in thai ( hence the lack of a picture ) ~ it seemed like a good idea at the time :/ Then I've got my Egyptian tattoo which says Granddad, I got this when I was 21 as when my granddad died when I was 12 I swore one day I would get a tattoo for him.
The butterfly on the inside of my wrist is the one that's technically 2 as I had initials there ~ again it seemed like a good idea at the time, and lastly my tribal star on the outside of my wrist, I got this because I wanted a star and I liked this one. Simple!!!
So, to the crux of the matter, how many reading this and looking at my pictures see art??
How many see it as I have defaced my body??
And let's be perfectly honest why should I actually care what anybody else thinks??
After all it's my body and they don't stop me from doing my job or living my life.
There are people in my life who don't like tattoos who will try and influence me to their way of thinking, that is not now, nor is it ever, going to happen.
I love my tattoos and I do have plans for more and my advice to people who don't like them.....
Don't look.
And....
Don't try to force your views, or prejudices, to become my way of thinking, you're wasting your time.

Love and Hugs Cheryl xxx

 

                                                                    

 

Organ Donation ~ A Matter of Life and Death

How many of you, when organ donation is mentioned, have thought "ooo no, I wouldn't want somebody taking bits of me", a majority of you I should imagine.

But how many of you, when faced with life or death, would accept somebody else's organs????

Again, I would imagine, a majority of you.

And finally, how many of you are actually on the NHS Organ Donor Register???

 

I would like to tell you a little story...

 

This time last year my uncle was gravely ill, he was in desperate need of a liver transplant, his children were aged 25, 20 and 12, the youngest being the only girl.

We were all watching my uncle deteriorate and become a shadow of his former self. Everyone was hoping and wishing that the call would come and that there would be a match. In September of last year that call came, and it was a match.

 After shooting to The Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Birmingham, my auntie had an agonising 8 hour wait while my uncle was in theatre. She received regular updates from theatre but it was with a sigh of relief that my uncle went to recovery, the operation having been a success.

My uncle is still on the road to recovery as that road is a very long one and may take a few years to complete, but he is living life to the full and cherishing every day and is thankful for the life he now has.

 

If it wasn't for the generosity and humanity of somebody, or somebodys family, there may have been a very different ending to this story.

 

So I would like to urge everyone reading this to Please, Please, Please sign the NHS Organ Donor Register. It only takes a few minutes to do online. Click here to sign up.

It could mean the difference between life and death for someone, after all what are a few minutes compared to someones life???

 

Love and Hugs Cheryl xxx

** Review ** ~ The Master Mariner, Wetherspoons

For the past few months I, like many other people, have been watching the development of the new Wetherspoons on New Brighton Promenade. In recent years New Brighton has undergone a transformation and this saw the once was RJ's night club becoming The Master Mariner. The building is part of Union Terrace - a short row of properties, originally lodging houses, that were built for the seaside resort in the 1830's.   

This development has cost nearly £2 million and has created over 70 new jobs. It comes after a multi million pound development of New Brighton with companies such as Morrisons, Home and Bargain and The Hungry Horse opening up along Marine Point. It is a much needed boost for the once was failing economy of New Brighton.

 

But I digress.

 

This particular Wetherspoons opened its doors to the public on Tuesday 23rd April. On Friday 3rd May I went there for lunch with my Mum, Nan and Uncle. By the time I left I was unsure if it was worth it.

 

We arrived around 12.30 pm and managed to get a table in the tastefully decorated dining/family area (I say tastefully because that is the only description I think applies). After 10 minutes we had made our choices and my uncle and I went to the bar to place our order, 15 minutes later our order was taken, it took 15 minutes as there were only 2 staff behind the bar and at least 6 customers all placing food orders. The staff were very pleasant and polite, albeit a little harassed, and once we had our drinks we returned to our table. At this point I must add that there were 2 managers wandering round doing I don't know what.

 

My Nan and Uncle's meals duly arrived followed my by Mums. There was nothing wrong with the first 2 but my Mums roast dinner was missing a yorkshire pudding, not the end of the world I know, when she questioned the staff member serving us she was told they had run out and she had been given an extra roastie. Even with the "extra roastie" the meal looked a bit forlorn. Now it was my turn. The staff member who was serving our table approached and informed us that they had no jacket potato's left and asked if I would like chips or rice with my sirloin steak. Rice???? With steak????. I initially ordered a jacket potato as the chips are not gluten-free and being a coeliac i kind of have to watch what I eat.But, rice with sirloin steak??? that sounds wrong on a lot of levels, so I had the chips but didn't eat many. Now don't get me wrong, some of the meals were fine and my steak was cooked just right, but I was a little annoyed that I couldn't have my menu choice due to them running out.

 

This Wetherspoons had been open just over a week when I visited and they were already running out of food. It was 1.30 pm and they had no yorkshire puddings and no jacket potato's, maybe I should have suggested they popped to Morrisons over the road.

 

My experience overall???

 

The serving staff, behind the bar and on the floor, were pleasant and friendly.

The pub itself was modern and easy on the eye.

The food, well, what I had of the meal I initially ordered was fine, BUT, I wasn't aware that it was even possible to run out of food at lunchtime and this really disappointed me, in fact, it annoyed me a little as I was offered 2 alternatives, 1 was ridiculous and 1 I shouldn't eat.

 

So my advice is this;

Should you decide to visit The Master Mariner for a meal, make sure youv'e got a potato with you, just in case ;)

 

Love and Hugs

Cheryl xxx

 

 

(Ir)Responsible Dog Walkers

As you know I am a dog owner and a responsible one at that. When I walk Kez I always ensure that I have more than enough "poo bags" to last me. In fact I often go to get a tissue out of my pocket and nearly wipe my nose on a poo bag :/

 

So you can imagine how completely furious it makes me when I see a dog owner letting their dog do their business and just walking away. Is it so hard to go into a shop and ask for a bag??? Walking around Liscard and the surrounding area it is impossible to go ten paces without having to avoid a pile of dog mess. Where are the dog wardens when this is happening??? Do we even still have them???

 

What also infuriates me is ignorant members of the public tutting and muttering about  "dirty, disgusting dogs". Hello!!!! Have you ever seen a dog pick up a poo bag and remove its own mess because i sure haven't. The lack of thumbs makes it impossible!!! What people should be muttering is "dirty, disgusting dog owners" because quite frankly it is their fault, not the dogs.

 

In my opinion anyone who isn't going to be responsible enough to pick up after their dog should not have a dog.

 

So let this be a warning, if I see you walking away after your dog has done its business, I will approach you and I will, very loudly, ask if you are going to clear it up and if you need a bag. 

 

And now I am going to go and put my soap box away.

 

Love and Hugs Cheryl xx

** New Car **

So last week my lovely car was written off. I was devastated as I had had it from new and some dopey cow ran into the back of me and sandwiched me with the car in front. She says her foot slipped from the brake to the accelerator, impossible in a manual car!!!! She was either too busy talking to the passenger or she was on her phone and thanks to her stupidity my little Suzuki swift has now gone to the scrapyard in the sky.

So now I had the mammoth task of finding a temporary car for less than £1000 that was in a good, drivable state. After seeing a few cars I was really dis-heartened and starting to get a teeny bit fed up.

My eye kept getting drawn back to a VW Polo I had seen on Gumtree, so me and my mum went to see it and I test drove it. Now I thought it was in pretty good nick considering it is 17 years old, it had the usual wear and tear and needed a good clean but I was happy with it so I bought it at (what I thought was) the bargain price of £520.

Needless to say I don't think me and my mum will ever be allowed to purchase a car again unless its brand new.

After my dad had looked it over and driven it a few times it became evident that it wasn't such a good buy as I had thought. It turns out that the back brakes need replacing as does the drive shaft and there is a funny whirring noise underneath that my dad thinks may be the fuel pump.

On the plus side its got smart alloy wheels on it =)

So the moral of the story is this - I may be a petrol head but when it comes to buying second hand cars, always take my dad cos he knows so much more about cars than me!!!!!

Love and Hugs Cheryl xx