Slowing down on the tidying & cleaning now ... there's always tomorrow right? A sit-down to enjoy this West Coast style collab from @trackbrewingco.bsky.social - Here For You #BskyBeer

Flicky

Am still doing pre-trip tidying and cleaning but it's definitely time for a beer pick-me-up to keep me going. Love these shiny cans from @trackbrewingco.bsky.social - Separate Ways #BskyBeer

Board of Peace - Season 1

I'm back on that familiar quest again: a) a good quality vegan (or very vegan friendly) restaurant in Brussels for a Saturday night with pals; b) restaurants & attractions open on a Monday lunchtime in Brussels (few and far between!)

Have got Wax Trax era Frontline Assembly playing through every room in the house through the speaker system, as that's about the only thing that will motivate me to do the cleaning

GOOD MORNING! Here's our regular round up of good writing about beer and pubs, which starts with 'retail groups' and ends with cask ale in New York. 🍺🍻 boakandbailey.com/2026/01/news...

New book time this weekend, starting Alec Le Seur's "Bottoms Up In Belgium" ahead of my trip to Brussels next week

Now drinking a beer named after the childhood name of Cu Chulainn. Funny how odd references pop into your evening!

Some decent beer here at Regency Club - Maisels IPA (which disappeared pretty quick, I was thirsty!) and a good Weiss from Rothaus too

Off on a desi pub venture tonight, way out west to the Regency Club

🌿☕Went to a #seedtalk yesterday #dunkertons Cheltenham. Gothic Fiction & The Female Writer @joanpassey.bsky.social enlightening! I didn't know the CPR dummy Resusci Annie was based on c.1890 body of a 16yr old Unknown Girl of the Seine & Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal (Annie are you ok) was her🤯

I just can't take the news. Everything pretty awful. Had intended to watch a film for distraction tonight but instead cooked pork rib eye with creamy mustard sauce, drank Pinot and watched Portillo eat pinchos and Ben Fogle talk to a pair of charming Scandinavian artists

We're hiring! Could you become our new Wales Officer, lead our Priority Plants Project & support #BSBICountyRecorders across Wales? Apply here: bsbi.org/about/people... Deadline: 23 February Interested but not for you? Please help us spread the word!

Have been out to Borough Market to do my Burns Night shopping - venison loin, @newbarns.bsky.social beer and Cora Lin cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy

Lots of fireworks in our area tonight - anyone know what the occasion is?

Checking out this new vermouth from Cornish vineyard Knightor in my negroni today

On the agenda for the rest of today: some time spent in the Reading Chair; drinking negronis while watching the end of Apocalypse Now; cooking a five rib joint of pork; doing some prep for my trip to Belgium & FOSDEM at the end of the month

If only there was a recent book that had some really untold stories about Seven Dials in the 1920s and 1930s to tell. Oh, hang on... manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/

BLOG POST: Do you mind sharing your pub table with strangers? Or is it your worst nightmare? 🍻🍺 boakandbailey.com/2026/01/of-c...

Oh, my god. What an utterly intense film. Incredible performances from all actors, Ralph Fiennes outstanding! I couldn't help but start crying just before the end credits rolled. Still trying to physically recover, all my muscles tensed up and now have cramp.

West Coast in the sunshine - enjoying a Three Locks WCIPA at Hawley Wharf in Camden #BskyBeer

GOOD MORNING! Here's the weekly round-up with notes on the perfect mid-shift pub kitchen BLT, formidable Yorkshire landladies, and the pub as third place. 🍺🍻 boakandbailey.com/2026/01/news...

After listening to this episode of The Food Programme on desi pubs with @davidjesudason.bsky.social and @jaegawise.bsky.social, I've arranged to go to The Regency Club (mentioned in the episode) for supper next Friday!

Now exploring some IPAs in House of Cans #BskyBeer

Yay for Jaipur! Though it does look, cutely, like a tiny cat stepped in the foamy head

No @thehoplocker.bsky.social tonight, so I'm off to chase down a lovely looking pint of @thornbridge.bsky.social Jaipur that I saw someone post on Instagram

Ordered some more Burnt Mill beers - I think the Stones and Ruins is my beer of the year for 2025! #BskyBeer

Finished article. My first attempt at making Scotch Broth, very pleased how it turned out!

I was cold and miserable, but have warmed myself up by dancing round my kitchen to Underworld (who I'll be seeing again live in Feb) and starting prep to make Scotch Broth from a friend's nan's 1949 recipe

Back in this lovely place - The Bountiful Cow, a steak-focused pub just 5 mins from Holborn - cozy vibes, warm & welcoming service, looking forward to a fillet steak and a glass of Primitivo!

Listening to @davidjesudason.bsky.social and @jaegawise.bsky.social on this now - and am already craving the keema goat pie at The Gladstone!

That was interesting - Enda Walsh wrote the screenplay for Small Things Like These (based on Claire Keegan's novel) - was impressed by his play/film Disco Pigs which is where I first saw Cillian Murphy, they've collaborated a few times. Also Small Things was produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

I thought it might be nice to give away my last 2 signed hardbacks of my novel 1983, with two lovely linocut hares by my mum. All you have to do to enter is repost this (& leave a reply). The book's been called "Stranger Things rewritten by Kurt Vonnegut and Sue Townsend”. Extract in the replies.

Fab line up of AF beers, good to see such a choice for pubgoers! @nagsheadreading.bsky.social

First working week of the year done, no @thehoplocker.bsky.social on this week, so celebrating the weekend with some rosé prosecco and watching Cillian Murphy in Small Things Like These (which I just finished reading also)

This was a real eye opener ... a mindset very alien to me

Listening live. I’m on ‘after the news’. The continuity woman pronounced desi properly!

Happy New Year, CBGs 🍻 After a festive pause, we’re back - quietly plotting great things for women in beer in 2026! 💪 Kicking things off with January meet-ups in London & Manchester. No tickets, no pressure - just good beer and good people. 🤗

I've just managed to buy the last Longtailed tits print by @littleramstudio.bsky.social to go with the wren print I already have. I love birds, but I think these are my favourite UK species. Do you have a favourite?

Some artwork potentially of interest to the Beard Liberation Front - Gilbert & George at the Hayward Gallery @keithbeard.bsky.social

I'm halfway through Municipal Gothic and it's such a masterful collection of varying terrors. The Curse Follows the Seed is darkly amusing. Thou Knowest My Sword is brilliantly unnerving. Protected by Occupation made me ill with unease. Exquisite stuff.

I've just finished reading my second book of the year, "The Bones of It" by Kelly Creighton - devoured it in 2 days - it gripped me as viscerally as @regretteruane.bsky.social 's writing - a satisfying read but now I need a beer and some time to recover!

Good carpet game here

Important restocking work happening

Good morning. Here's our first news, nuggets and longreads round up of 2026, with notes on pub openings, beer in Rome, and East London. There's also an attempt to gather all the various Golden Pints entries that we noticed. boakandbailey.com/2026/01/news...

Off to get a Southbank Brutalism fix later - art at the Hayward Gallery, dinner at Skylon

Mamdani has only been Mayor for a day & criminals are already fleeing New York