Phew - what an Easter



Our function room ready for the event!



Well, I hardly know where to start - what an Easter it's been....................  Firstly lets start with the catering we did for the re-launch of Blue Water Salcombe. This gave our Chef James the chance to show his expertise in Canapes - and blimey what a great job he did!! http://www.bluewatersalcombe.com/

We've since had very positive feedback and it was clearly worth him starting at 5a.m two mornings running. Our very best wishes to Rob & David the new major shareholders of the business!  Have a look at their website. it's well worth a view!! 

We next had the wedding of Rachel and John, 40 guests and about 10 children ..... I was very pleased with how the room looked and how splendid the food was (more work for James and his team)! No complaints, very happy guests and best of all a children's entertainer who kept the children happy!  It has made me determined to use the upstairs function room more - so I think a planned advertising schedule is called for in the Autumn.


Our Bride Rachels place settings

 Alongside that - we've also had Easter and the MOST glorious weather you could have asked for........ the bluest skies, the warmest of April suns.  Lots and lots of customers and children in our gardens and dogs of every shape and size! We did almost 300 meals every single day and come Easter Monday we were all very very tired.............. and still its continuing (thanks Kate & Wills!) with THE wedding on Friday morning - a 10.00a.m start with two parties already booked in for bubbles and croissants , then another Bank Holiday weekend. Phew!!!!

But, back to Easter - I also did my Church Warden stuff on the Sunday, and I have to say that it helped me feel quite grounded about all the frantic activity in our pub and allowed me the time to give thanks to God. Because, despite all the tiredness, the petty town politics, the often little amount of quality 'us' time that SOH and I actually spend together, the poor amount of time I see my son - I do have an awful lot to be grateful to God for. I have fair health right now, I have a very loving Husband (I'll show you THE ring next time) a fabulous family, a business that is thriving, great hard working committed staff and lovely customers.

Then I got on the scales this week and realised (with the help of JC and his data bank!) that I have lost just 1 pound short of three stone in a year. so that helped me walk with a spring in my step!! So I hope you all enjoy the rest of the sunshine and here are a few more pics from the wedding and our garden in the Easter break................


One of 40 Strawberry Meringues



The function room



One very happy child!!



MANY happy children.........

Salcombe gets it's own - Tandoori Nights!

Have a quick look at this link - can't wait to do this in Salcombe..... it's going to be fun!! Victoria Inn is absoluteky mad busy - so will post after the weekend when I have more time. In the garden is our friend Mark doing us great new signs for the pub! See you all soon lovely friends...............

http://captainmorgans-salcombe.blogspot.com/2011/04/salcombes-own-tandoori-nights.html

Oh I forgot to tell you.............

Oh I forgot to tell you this hugely funny (unfunny for me but my staff thought it was hilarious!) story............ It's a well recognised fact in the Victoria Inn that I treat the Vic much more like my home than a business, because indeed it is!

As such, staff are very used to seeing me floating around in a dressing gown till about 10a.m - thick fleecy in the winter and thinnish jersey in the summer.....every now and then I try to resolve to get up, shower, breakfast, make up and dress - THEN go down to the bar (by the way we're not talking pub open yet - just in case you were wondering!!). 

One day last week I was sitting in bed with my first delicious coffee of the day (no one makes that first coffee like SOH!) and checking my Face Book and Twitter - both of which I do avidly.  Anyway - (I'm getting there...Patience!) on my Twitter account I see a tweet from Good Morning Devon regarding Cream Teas and the fact that Cornwall got voted the best - again! So off I tweet back about how marvelous we are at the Victoria with our Cream Teas etc etc................

Not 10 minutes later there is a lovely reporter Sophie from the radio station actually in the Victoria who just happens to be in Salcombe for another reason and wonders if I'd like to say Hi and talk about the pub and cream teas...............Would I??? Hell yes!!! Just one small problem - bed head, no make up and grubby dressing gown :(     But I just couldn't turn down the opportunity for free publicity - hence I did a radio interview at about 9.15 in the morning sat in my garden in my slightly grubby dressing gown and slippers trying to look as though it was something I did every day.  Not only that, I completely fluffed it not once but TWICE!!!! Oh the shame...........................

But Sophie was lovely and if you fancy having a look at what she does in HER spare time you can read it in her blog!   http://devondispatches.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the sun today - it looks like we're in for another glorious day - and yes I am up, dressed and working!!!

Oh my feet..................

Well I have to say it's a blessed relief to sit and write this log - my feet are flipping well killing me!! We are (I'm very pleased to say!) exceedingly busy. Saturday lunchtime and not even Easter yet and we've done 80 lunch covers today............. would help my poor kitchen staff if the kitchen extractor fan hadn't gone bang yesterday and is going to cost us Lord only knows how much to fix!! So they are gently glowing and do you know what? Not a moan from any of them.......Bless 'em. 

The garden is finally finished and I'm almost ready to open it up in it's entirety - that's probably going to be next weekend - in the meantime the terraces and children's area is open and absolutely rocking!! Whats so incredible is that it's not even properly the 'season' yet.......... so long may the good weather continue!

The person in this picture is Victoria - and she stands guard proudly at the entrance to the path that leads to our garden - she has a label round her neck inviting you to walk up the path and come and look at the Chickens and our Budgies and for all the children to enjoy the climbing frame and slide...........

The orders have been placed for all our staff to have new shirts for the summer - we've gone for good quality polo shirts this time in bright colours, although the boys have stuck to Black and Purple, the girls are having Raspberries and Limes - should look gorgeous!  

We also now have our new seating in place - the boats and their seat as tables and chairs, as well as the boat at the foot of the garden for some very interesting evenings we plan to have in the summer...... how does the sound of fish cooked over coals (just like they do in Spain) appeal to you???  We also have a few more surprises up our sleeve but not saying what just yet - otherwise, they're not a surprise!!  By the way - if you like the look of 'Victoria' you can buy one just like her from Blue Water Salcombe, in Island Street - a re-branded new venture in Salcombe being led by some friends of ours. You really need to have a look when you're next down here...... not only have they got some great new clothing lines and all the things you need to go on the water (far too technical for me to talk about on here - but all the stuff for boats!!) and lots of toys, they are also having a great NEW Internet cafe. I've been in and had a nosy at it's going to look fab-u-lous!!!

What else - well SOH has taken a rare day off today to go sailing today  - although I virtually had to put his arm up behind his back to make him go - it's all too easy to get caught up in the day to day work of pub life and remember we came down here to enjoy ourselves as well! I am having a day off on Monday to go clothes shopping for my Greek holiday in 6 weeks....... I am starting to get very excited already and the weight is still coming off!!! I did my first night time drive this week - and I didn't like it at all. but I've done it and if I have to do it again it won't be quite so frightening.

Later on this week I'm off to Manchester for just 2 nights to see my Brother who's a little bit poorly. Not driving though - letting the train take the strain! Right then, I'm off to help tidy up the remnants of late lunches in the garden and get ready for the evening onslaught! Keep well everyone and enjoy the early much needed sun!