Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - Mammy told me not to come.

[dobby]

Back home after a savage couple of days in Munich. Thanks to all here for the tips and advice. Did the walking your on Saturday, really cool guide and told the story of the city well, ended up in Marienplatz and ate pork knuckle for her and cow tongue for me in a place called Donisl. Beer for the evening then. Sunday was a 6 hour tour out to Dachau concentration camp. It was grim asf but nowhere near as bad as I expected. Again, we had a great guide who told the story fantastically well and some people got quite emotional which was totally understandable. Absolutely wrecked after that as the majority of the day was spent on our feet so we planned on getting food and hitting a few bars but we found chain restaurant called Chop Block and the staff there were superb so we ended up staying there for 5 hours just chatting, drinking and watching the world go by in gorgeous weather.

We saw so many other things we want to do so will definitely return to Munich but up first is Milan for the October BH. €75 return flights in case anyone is looking for a cheap break away.

[elbows]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/i...m79bbjlr3?t=ie

SPOILER

If ever there was a case of Chinese whispers, this was it. The mutterings concerned the inception of a new and upmarket oriental restaurant in south Co Dublin, and they began reverberating around the cloisters of the hospitality industry last Christmas, causing much speculation. “The backers are rich legal eagles, akin to those who got the Four Seasons in Ballsbridge up and running in days of yore” was one conjecture; “the Beijing government” another. The food: would it be Chinese, Japanese, Thai or maybe Malaysian? Who knew.

Come the end of February, flesh had been put on the bones of rumour. The new restaurant would be Chinese; it would in the former post office in Blackrock; and it would be very upmarket.

An interview in March, given by the newly appointed manager Paul Malone to Food & Wine magazine, confirmed the glamour and glitz, saying: “The likes of Hakkasan restaurant in London is more similar to what we are in terms of the style of food we offer and service.” The venue, he described as “stunning” and said the cuisine would be mainly Sichuan but with food from other Chinese regions on the menu to provide variety — and he promised “authenticity”. The opening date was stated to be between April 5 and April 10.

The Old Post Office finally opened on May 22. The day after, I had a lunch date booked with my pal Foodmad, a truffler of the highest order and moreover, like myself, an enthusiast for Chinese food. Foodmad is a devoted disciple of Fuchsia Dunlop, foremost in introducing Sichuan regional cooking to an occidental audience. It seemed appropriate to mark down the Old Post Office for a review.

Sichuan province, in the western interior of China — breeding ground of the rare and exotic panda — is a land of rugged, mountainous terrain, made more impassable by spectacular gorges.

The cuisine is noted for its spiciness, derived largely from the use, singly or in combination, of two ingredients: the tiny, russet berries we know as Sichuan peppercorns; and pungent, red chillies, usually in the dried state. The Chinese themselves sum up Sichuan cooking in two words: “ma” and “la”, meaning “numbing” and “spicy hot”. This combo points up, rather than masks, the main ingredients of any dish.

The flavours of Sichuan food tend to be intense. To achieve this, other flavourings include salt from Zigong, a city near the capital, Chengdu; soy sauce; vinegar; sugar; garlic; and ginger. The culinary idiom can range from simple to extraordinarily complex. Duck, marinated in saltpetre, smoked over camphor wood or aromatic tea, steamed and then deep-fried, is one of the region’s signature dishes. Exciting stuff, eh? The very thought of it had Foodmad and me rubbing our hands in anticipation.

The room is indeed “stunning”. Elegant decor and furthermore, at the rear where we dined, a view over the bay through floor-to-ceiling windows. Service was pleasant and professional. As soon as we sat down I ordered Chinese tea (which, I suspect, turned out to be Japanese green) and the pot was kept an eye on and refreshed throughout the meal.

Choosing wine to accompany Chinese food I find a bit of a trial; in the event a bottle of halbtrocken (off-dry) riesling coped pretty well with everything we ate.

Despite the presence of three chefs from Sichuan, regional fidelity was not much in evidence. “My God, it’s 1990s Wong’s,” exclaimed Foodmad — and I have to say he got it spot on. (For younger readers, Wong’s was a Cantonese restaurant in Ranelagh popular with those of mature years and deep pockets back in the day.)

There were indeed overtones of the trendy chain restaurant Hakkasan, in whose Fitzrovian branch I have dined a few times.

We selected three starters. The crispy duck spring rolls (two for €7) were somewhat flabby and the accompanying sweet-and-sour sauce gloopily and gloomily commercial. The marinated spare ribs (three for €8) hinted at decent meat but the spicing was nowhere in evidence — “ma” and “la” had clearly gone walkabout. The bang-bang chicken, though expensive at €16, was reasonably fettled.

Next we shared a soup (€9), a broth wholly lacking any character, with a scant few prawn-and-chicken wontons lurking under the surface.

The solitary Sichuan representative was a trio of Connemara mountain lamb chops, and I have to say they were of exceptional quality and cooked only a small quibble beyond pink. But the rub (coriander, cumin and chilli) had been applied too sparingly, a culinary technique, or lack of, that was becoming a theme. The dish cost €24, for which a portion of steamed rice or noodles was thrown in. Our other shared main, the aromatic duck, slathered with half a bottle of plum sauce, was, frankly, a shambles; a weak effort that could have been bettered by half a dozen takeaways I could name. Refrying the duck had turned it into tooth-bruising nuggets — “duck scratchings” was our joint verdict. At €26, this was the second most expensive dish on the a la carte lunch menu. The fillet of beef would have cost €32.

We skipped dessert. Pear and chocolate or apricot and apple tarts would not transport us to old Chengdu, we decided. But nor would any of the other dishes we had consumed. Sichuan pepper, chillies, spicy and hot bean paste — was there anyone at home? It was hard not to conclude that what we got was quasi-Chinese food for folk who don’t like Chinese food.

The cooking lacked authenticity for sure. It was also missing that old and honourable Chinese culinary commodity: balls.

Afterwards the thought struck me that the three guys from Sichuan toiling in the kitchen must be going Chinese crackers at the scaredy-cat management whose timidity turned their vibrant, character-building cuisine into a gutless, insipid mishmash.

Lovely as the room is, when it comes to food, the Old Post Office just does not deliver.

Ouch

[Guest]

Over a week later and the goys media protection running out.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/here-was-a-highprofile-athlete-urinating-in-public-on-a-man-he-never-met-before-how-drink-is-the-curse-of-athletic-classes-38170776.html

Didn’t realize that in addition to Pissgate an ex player knocked an academy player out cold. Banter! Though this article attempting to offload the blame onto the booze.
Who’s the ex player who assaulted the young lad? Seems like an “arsey” thing to do?

[Dice75]

[Theresa]

Over a week later and the goys media protection running out.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/here-was-a-highprofile-athlete-urinating-in-public-on-a-man-he-never-met-before-how-drink-is-the-curse-of-athletic-classes-38170776.html

Didn’t realize that in addition to Pissgate an ex player knocked an academy player out cold. Banter! Though this article attempting to offload the blame onto the booze.
Who’s the ex player who assaulted the young lad? Seems like an “arsey” thing to do?

Let's just say he was the right man.

[Raoul Duke III]

Locked and loaded, roped in a partner in crime. Suggestions welcome.

SS. Just bar hop for food, there is one street that leads up from the port that is Touristville. Avoid that and everywhere else is great. Follow the locals!

If you want a bit of exercise, climb the hill overlooking the town for a good view. The other peak at the far end of the bay has a funicular to the top.

There's a hippodrome too if you want to go racing.

[Solksjaer!]

Gab trying to escape the Liverpool Hysteria?

[shrapnel]

Locked and loaded, roped in a partner in crime. Suggestions welcome.

If you're there when it's on, go and see a game of cesta punta in biarritz

[Lazare]

Season 2 of Line of Duty is shaping up really well in fairness.

If I had known it was a new story I'd have prob skipped season 1. Thought it was awful.

[dobby]

Season 2 of Line of Duty is shaping up really well in fairness.

If I had known it was a new story I'd have prob skipped season 1. Thought it was awful.

It's not a new story. It's all connected season 1 through 5 so you would have missed stuff if you didn't watch season 1

[Dice75]

Found this a tough one -

Name a footballer who played at 4 World Cup Finals but never played a single qualifying game.

[dobby]

Found this a tough one -

Name a footballer who played at 4 World Cup Finals but never played a single qualifying game.

Have no idea and after googling it, I'd never have got it. Definitely one for the connoisseurs.

[Dice75]

Have no idea and after googling it, I'd never have got it. Definitely one for the connoisseurs.

Judging by the passing of time between our posts you obv thought long and hard about it

I was two days on and off trying to figure it out!

[Guest]

Found this a tough one -

Name a footballer who played at 4 World Cup Finals but never played a single qualifying game.

SPOILER

Diego Armando Maradona?

Nevermind, actual answer is cool though

[dobby]

Judging by the passing of time between our posts you obv thought long and hard about it

I was two days on and off trying to figure it out!

Ita not something I've ever even heard of before tbh so knew I had pretty much no chance of knowing who it was.

[Solksjaer!]

Got my King of Hearts results after getting the test done twice. Got a call a week or so after the 7 day test to say the machine was faulty and had to get it on again.

Had my follow up cardiologist app while I still had the first monitor on and got told that one side of me heart is enlarged but they think it is due to the aneurysm and nothing sinister.

Got the results of the 7 day test to confirm I do 100% have Long QT syndrome and they getting me put on a different beta blocker. She said she thought I was going to be a borderline case if def confirmed. Unfortunately, I am not and it was worse that we all thought.

It was a consultant cardiologist that told me initially about LQT, but it was the EP that confirmed it.

She is wanting a "loop recorder" put into my eldests heart. It may happen to me as well, but just need to wait till I get called to discuss my results.

good luck Gill

[Raoul Duke III]

there is racing on Wednesday so will be our first port of call.

Avoid the following beverages:

Txacoli - rough as guts aerated white wine
Patxaran - dodgy local poteen stuff

I was fucked for a morning after a combo of those two.

Everything else should be good. If you can swing it, there are private men-only dining clubs in the Casca Viejo where you will eat like a lord. We got invited to one but was the day of the final so had to regretfully decline. Average standard of food in bars is exceptional. I preferred the raciones of stuff that would be cooked up for you in two mins than the gear sitting out on the bar counters. Any good place will do both.

The neighbourhood over the river from the old town has even better food and much less tourists. Gros.
This place doesn't look like much but we had an outrageous lunch there.

[Raoul Duke III]

Back home after a savage couple of days in Munich. Thanks to all here for the tips and advice. Did the walking your on Saturday, really cool guide and told the story of the city well, ended up in Marienplatz and ate pork knuckle for her and cow tongue for me in a place called Donisl. Beer for the evening then. Sunday was a 6 hour tour out to Dachau concentration camp. It was grim asf but nowhere near as bad as I expected. Again, we had a great guide who told the story fantastically well and some people got quite emotional which was totally understandable. Absolutely wrecked after that as the majority of the day was spent on our feet so we planned on getting food and hitting a few bars but we found chain restaurant called Chop Block and the staff there were superb so we ended up staying there for 5 hours just chatting, drinking and watching the world go by in gorgeous weather.

We saw so many other things we want to do so will definitely return to Munich but up first is Milan for the October BH. €75 return flights in case anyone is looking for a cheap break away.

Probably not something that you contemplated but would it be a good spot for kids? Usually bring mine somewhere for the Halloween break and feels like it would be a good option.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[Guest]

Probably not something that you contemplated but would it be a good spot for kids? Usually bring mine somewhere for the Halloween break and feels like it would be a good option.

Barcelona then portaventura. Not bringing your kids unto Portaventura at least once is basically child neglect

[Opr]

Some familar faces playing. Just the casual 1k/2k blinds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBG8Zq1FAbA

Opr

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[dobby]

Probably not something that you contemplated but would it be a good spot for kids? Usually bring mine somewhere for the Halloween break and feels like it would be a good option.

Couldn't say tbh. Dont have em and not planning on it so didnt even take any notice of any kid stuff

[Raoul Duke III]

Barcelona then portaventura. Not bringing your kids unto Portaventura at least once is basically child neglect

You're talking to a man who has told his kids he will never bring them to Disney land

Nearly 13 years into parenthood at this stage, I'd say I'm odds on to collect on this one.

[Raoul Duke III]

Munich though is class for beer. So there is that if the kids can hack a few litres.

They do like going to the pub (crisps and fizzy drinks on tap!).

I'd like to go to Berlin without encumbrances. Oddly enough, I have been booked to go there three times and every single time, somebody has died and I've had to cancel. I feel like it's not meant to be.

[ComradeCollie]

They do like going to the pub (crisps and fizzy drinks on tap!).

Poor kids these days don't even get the secondhand smoke to enjoy

[Raoul Duke III]

Poor kids these days don't even get the secondhand smoke to enjoy

Or banging on the side of those funny old phones you only ever saw in pubs to rob the coins

[Flushdraw]

Ian Wright is off his nut

[hotspur]

Ian Wright is off his nut

I used to know someone who had lived in London, drinker, would get in trouble etc. He assured me that Wright was a very dangerous man. This was a long time ago now.

[Solksjaer!]

I used to know someone who had lived in London, drinker, would get in trouble etc. He assured me that Wright was a very dangerous man. This was a long time ago now.

He was lethal from 3 yards in.

[Guest]

Question re: Ryanair

> The priority queue + 1 bag option was sold out. So I am checked in with non-priority and small bag. What's the craic when I get to the gate? Will I get by with a small samsonite cabin bag or should I downsize my bag?

Small bag is basically a small backpack/handbag

[Solksjaer!]

[thechamp87]

Question re: Ryanair

> The priority queue + 1 bag option was sold out. So I am checked in with non-priority and small bag. What's the craic when I get to the gate? Will I get by with a small samsonite cabin bag or should I downsize my bag?

Had same issue yesterday flying Naples to Dublin. We were charged €20 at the gate for the cabin bag. The allowance is only a handbag or small backpack.

[dobby]

Question re: Ryanair

> The priority queue + 1 bag option was sold out. So I am checked in with non-priority and small bag. What's the craic when I get to the gate? Will I get by with a small samsonite cabin bag or should I downsize my bag?

Had same issue yesterday flying Naples to Dublin. We were charged €20 at the gate for the cabin bag. The allowance is only a handbag or small backpack.

Yep. We were told €25 fee but same principle applies. The free bag they mean is the size of a laptop case or back pack

[Mellor]

Ryanair charge for carry on bags? Wtf is going on over there lads

[Flushdraw]

Question re: Ryanair

> The priority queue + 1 bag option was sold out. So I am checked in with non-priority and small bag. What's the craic when I get to the gate? Will I get by with a small samsonite cabin bag or should I downsize my bag?

Is there not a non priority with a bag option? I flew from Malta to Dublin on Saturday and I dropped my 10kg back off at the check-in desk and went on through security and into the plane with my laptop bag with the non priority heads.

[Strewelpeter]

in the world of Ryanair Priority now means only that you can bring on a 10Kg bag and a handbag / laptop bag. You stand in the longer queue but board (the bus) before the people in the other queue.

Its not a bad system really, anything that speeds up boarding is good IMO. The only problem is that it makes price comparison a bit more difficult as the ryanair headline price looks better than it is when you are bringing a bag.

[Raoul Duke III]

in the world of Ryanair Priority now means only that you can bring on a 10Kg bag and a handbag / laptop bag. You stand in the longer queue but board (the bus) before the people in the other queue.

Its not a bad system really, anything that speeds up boarding is good IMO. The only problem is that it makes price comparison a bit more difficult as the ryanair headline price looks better than it is when you are bringing a bag.

I actually fly Ryanair by preference for Euro business trips. Flights are more reliable and the luggage is generally on the belt before you get there.

Although their trick of announcing 'Boarding' when there is, quite blatantly, no fucking plane on the ground is usually good for observations of stupidism at its finest.

Typing this at Gate 108. The 15.30 flight to Amsterdam is late (thus disproving my own point above ). The staus is 'boarding' and easily half the passengers are standing in a queue!

[Solksjaer!]

Airport wankers.



I haaaaate Air travel to the point of frowning upon it very hard. . Off next month with 2 hyper kids in tow. Can't waiiit. I need Star trek to get here and begin the beaming up type o thing.

[rounders123]

Airport wankers.

I haaaaate Air travel to the point of frowning upon it very hard. . Off next month with 2 hyper kids in tow. Can't waiiit. I need Star trek to get here and begin the beaming up type o thing.

Me too. Very against modern era avation. Not myself the moment I step foot in an airport but getting better with each sojourn. The whole thing just puggles me. I'm heading to Wexford next month(not flying!) for a couple days when the racing is on!. Never even been there before. If anyone knows any nice bars or things to do in Wexford town let me know?.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[V for Vendetta]

Giving serious consideration to what my move will be next year.

There's a Dublin option of €150k which is all but guaranteed. But I'm only 41 and don't want to retire. Money is the only win here. But Dublin is cool and like it a lot.

My CV is perfect for France. So maybe go up a level and strike a top five business school? Don't know if France is the life end result though.

There's the 'other Europe' option. But they'll all be equally strange and couldn't be as good as France is to a family.

Not giving any thought to US / Oz as those are fucked up countries. I realise Oz is debatable here, but thinking long term.

Then there's the nuclear option. Giving serious consideration to a Chinese move. China is the absolute future of everything and want to be there on the ground floor. But - and this is a deal-breaker - can't live in a high rise apartment as have a crippling fear of a kid or me falling out of them.

Just mentally rambling here. Don't know what to do.

Where does the Mrs want to be? She’s earlier in her career so next steps are probably more important. You don’t sound terribly pushed and can go a number of places. Happy wife happy life.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[rounders123]

Before considering China watch as many of serpentza's videos as possible. Its a facinating vlog I follow from someone whose lived there many years now and loves it overall but tells all the pros and cons. Quite an eye opener.

[Flushdraw]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GyQalaqZx0

Ike Haxton fairly irate that Sam Soverel was not disquaflied, claiming he has done this and similar things before. It looks like an Oscar winning performance just after he folds his card, but sliding a time bank chip to the dealer in a similar way that you would fold the cards seems like a ridiculous way to call for extra time?

[rounders123]

Yeah looks like a crook play, tosses the time bank out of turn like a fold. You cant be up to the Russians. The commentators were sold anyway!.

[Strewelpeter]

Ike Haxton fairly irate that Sam Soverel was not disquaflied, claiming he has done this and similar things before. It looks like an Oscar winning performance just after he folds his card, but sliding a time bank chip to the dealer in a similar way that you would fold the cards seems like a ridiculous way to call for extra time?

Are there cards or chips for both time bank and all in use here?

[Flushdraw]

Are there cards or chips for both time bank and all in use here?

Time bank card, and it's a round all-in button.

[hotspur]

Hmm, not sure Hitch would be allowed to buy a carton of milk In China after a few months of points losses for his shenanigans. But you should definitely go and report back to us regularly. Like, no offence, but I couldn't give a fuck about France and their ways. Go to China!

[Strewelpeter]

Not giving any thought to US / Oz as those are fucked up countries. I realise Oz is debatable here, but thinking long term.

No way, approx 17% of US people are acceptable all round humans that figure is less than 2% in OZ ... Its South Africa on steroids, without any of SA's redeeming features with much more skin cancer .

Giving serious consideration to a Chinese move. China is the absolute future of everything and want to be there on the ground floor. But - and this is a deal-breaker - can't live in a high rise apartment as have a crippling fear of a kid or me falling out of them.

Wouldn't it be physically impossible to get out the windows of the high rise

[Strewelpeter]

Time bank card, and it's a round all-in button.

75% + angleshoot IMO

[Raoul Duke III]

Two things:

1. Oz isn't a fucked-up country
2. Is it now cool for Irish people to publicly talk very specifically about money? As in actual numbers. Seems very American.

Edit, actually three. China is a pretty hideous dictatorship that rather exuberantly executes its own people.

[shrapnel]

Giving serious consideration to what my move will be next year.

There's a Dublin option of €150k which is all but guaranteed. But I'm only 41 and don't want to retire. Money is the only win here. But Dublin is cool and like it a lot.

My CV is perfect for France. So maybe go up a level and strike a top five business school? Don't know if France is the life end result though.

There's the 'other Europe' option. But they'll all be equally strange and couldn't be as good as France is to a family.

Not giving any thought to US / Oz as those are fucked up countries. I realise Oz is debatable here, but thinking long term.

Then there's the nuclear option. Giving serious consideration to a Chinese move. China is the absolute future of everything and want to be there on the ground floor. But - and this is a deal-breaker - can't live in a high rise apartment as have a crippling fear of a kid or me falling out of them.

Just mentally rambling here. Don't know what to do.

what about thinking about the environment you want your kids to grow up in? Chinese cities really don't appear to be that appealing tbh, compared to US/Aus/parts of Europe

re high rises, don't you live in a flat in Rennes already? you/your kids ever fall out there?

[Guest]

Friend lived in shanghai for more than 10 years. Seems like a place for your 20s and early 30s. Really started to wear on him toward the end. Defo wouldn't uproot kids to go there.

[dobby]

have I missed something in that hand? Action is on Heath who slides in a time back. Soverel mistakes Heaths action for a fold, then thinking it's his action folds his cards.

I must be missing a lot of context to the outrage.

I actually thought the guy who slid in the time bank was angle shooting. The way he does it looks like a fold so the guy acting out of turn cant be blamed imo.

But like you say context, must be loads missing.

[rounders123]

have I missed something in that hand? Action is on Heath who slides in a time back. Soverel mistakes Heaths action for a fold, then thinking it's his action folds his cards.

I must be missing a lot of context to the outrage.

hahah only just spotted Heath sliding in a time bank seeing you say that, Soverel did mistake that as a fold.I take it back. Flushdraw is a shit stirring fcuker here from what I gather

[Raoul Duke III]

I actually fly Ryanair by preference for Euro business trips. Flights are more reliable and the luggage is generally on the belt before you get there.

Although their trick of announcing 'Boarding' when there is, quite blatantly, no fucking plane on the ground is usually good for observations of stupidism at its finest.

Typing this at Gate 108. The 15.30 flight to Amsterdam is late (thus disproving my own point above ). The staus is 'boarding' and easily half the passengers are standing in a queue!

Then they sent my bag to a far and distant carousel, far removed from the one advertised. Still dozens of confused Irish standing around.

Dutch efiiciency is actually not a thing at all. For some reason, I always lumped them in with ze Germans in that department.

[shrapnel]

have I missed something in that hand? Action is on Heath who slides in a time back. Soverel mistakes Heaths action for a fold, then thinking it's his action folds his cards.

I must be missing a lot of context to the outrage.

Heath is the one angleshooting imo

[DeadParrot]

Then they sent my bag to a far and distant carousel, far removed from the one advertised. Still dozens of confused Irish standing around.

Dutch efiiciency is actually not a thing at all. For some reason, I always lumped them in with ze Germans in that department.

any self respecting man about town needs no more than a carry on (jocks,socks, shirt,jeans,shoes) unless travelling for a month.