I decided to have a change of scene today so took myself off to Mill Rd in search of a new coffee shop I keep hearing about recently, called Hot Numbers. it seems everyone else had heard about it too, as every table was taken. I'll go back again another day as it did seem very inviting and full of life, but I needed room to sit down with my laptop, so I headed back down Mill Road and went to CB1 instead. CB1 advertises itself as an internet cafe, which suggests something very high-tech, but actually it's cosy and slightly dishevelled in a good way, the walls lined with shelves of books and old typewriters - so a perfect setting to get into the writing mood! As I left I noticed an official looking plaque outside, declaring CB1 to be the "UK's Oldest Internet Cafe: Established 1995." Had the internet even been invented then? Eighteen years is a long time in computer years!
Having said all that, this photo is not of CB1, but of another (presumably more recent!) internet cafe on Mill Rd that I walked past on my way back to the car. Jaffa Net boasts an impressive collection of rainbow-coloured hookah pipes and (not sure what the connection is here) metal boxes in the window - an interesting contrast to the banks of computer screens inside. The houses reflected in the window are on the opposite side of the road behind me.
Three good things
1. Eavesdropping on some very interesting conversations at CB1 (couldn't possible divulge - far too risqué!)
2. Managed to remember to buy ingredients for Will's Food Technology (aka cooking) lesson tomorrow - chicken tikka massala - so the oriental supermarkets on Mill Rd came in very handy!
3. Paused on the way back to the car to watch a very professional-looking Frisbee competition on Parkers Piece. Instead of the normal random free-style lob and-leap (usually with the added handicap of an over-excited dog in the mix), they were clearly doing something very technical that involved teams and synchronised throwing and running to catch it. Disappointingly, though, there didn't seem to be much in the way of acrobatic leaping. I think a loopy dog would have livened things up a bit!
I love CB1! Hot numbers is great but usually too many yummy mummys with enormous push chairs in there during the day - they do do live music nights which are good value though.
@katharinehubbard thank you for the tip about the live music nights - I'll look into that. Yes, I definitely picked up yummy mummy vibe -
there were more turbo-powered-pushchairs than the John Lewis cafe!
there were more turbo-powered-pushchairs than the John Lewis cafe!