“Democracy and Progress Are ours once more…” – Jello Biafra (poet laureate of the US from 1978-83, currently a bloated performance artist in Oakland), from his seminal work Kill The Poor Democracy is afoot in places as disperse as Zimbabwe, Iran, and Uzbekistan and it was heartwarming to witness two more prime examples of the [...]

The Greyhound in Marsh Gibbon is a nice, old joint on the west side of the village and run by a kooky mainland-european man that kept me entertained well past his normal afternoon closing time.  I couldn’t place the accent, but it reminded me of that spewed by my old Hungarian colleague at the University [...]

Full of snugs and made up of at least 3 bar areas, the Royal Oak is a pretty nice place to grab a pint and/or some lunch.  I left for today’s lunch run with the intention of finishing the exercise with a greasy, drippy, chilli sauce covered kebab but the sky looked about the piss [...]

There’s a rule put forth by Pete McCarthy that you should never pass by a bar with your name on it, but my name is not so likely to ‘hit’ as Pete or McCarthy so I have been forced to extend the rule a bit.  I have a nickname that would take me into any [...]

The White Hart is similar to the 6 Bells but it seems to house a bit harder crowd.  Still, it is not a threatening bunch, but I think they are likely to be more willing to become threatening than the calmer bunch I saw at the Bells a couple nights back.  Of course, the weekend [...]

The Six Bells is a cool little pub, simple, classic, the sort of bar I grew up either in or trying to get into because that was the sort of bar in the neighbourhood.  There’s a line of taps (they have chilled IPA but it is not an ale bar) and all the booze you [...]

I reckon some of the clients here have crumped a few butts, as well:

Due to draconian libel laws in this country I am obliged to state that the DEW DROP INN IS NOT A GAY BAR.  It is a very pleasant two room joint playing jazz and lounge music and doing quite a good traffic in spirits, wine, ale and food served up to the residents and workers [...]

Missed the Oxford bus after my lunch at the Railway pub, so stopped in at the King and Queen adjacent to the bus stop.  The sign says they open at noon, but when the landlord came to unlock for me it was already 2pm.  I was the first customer of the day, it seemed. The [...]

The run from work to Wheatley took a bit longer than I expected: right at an hour by the time I found the Railway pub. The climb up Shotover Hill while only about 125 meters higher than the River Thames at St. Clements Street was the first significant hill I’ve done since the Snowdonia Marathon [...]