Slightly Askew

Some cap doffing is in order methinks.

A friend of mine, the lovely Mrs Emma Kindred, has recently started her own photography business. A talented graphic designer, Emma departed a sinking ship (they’ll be remembered as publishing houses) as every news broadcaster under God’s hot sun decided that we’d slumped into the Worst Catastrophic Recession To Hit These Shores Ever™.

Scary times.

But rather than get in a flap like a Daily Mail reader listening to a Russell Brand podcast, Emma started EightyOne – a photography studio that gives you top-notch snaps of pets, tots, and the tying of knots. And good on her.

Emma graduated from the Norwich School of Art and Design after studying photography. So you’re getting someone who knows their stuff behind the lens and is passionate about their work – not some pleb with a new gadget trying to make a quick buck.

And that’s my sales pitch on her behalf. Visit EightyOne.co.uk for wedding, pet and children portrait photography. Or give Emma a call on 07834 555329. And if you’re in a social media frenzy, tweet @ei8thyone.

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In search of a spot of lunch, we headed to The Fountain in Tuddenham, a little village on the outskirts of Ipswich. It’s usually a busy pub/restaurant/bistro/whatever-it-brands-itself, but we figured that Mother’s Day last Sunday (one of the busiest days of the year for the restaurant trade) would render this Sunday a good day to get a table. And we were right: seconds after walking in The Fountain’s door we were seated and ordering drinks. My lager arrived quicker than it could’ve been poured. Remarkable stuff.

And it got better. The menu was brilliant – I wanted to order about eight meals. I settled on a homemade cheeseburger with horseshoe fries (okay, hardly the most opulent of dishes, but I do love a good burger). And bloody good it was, too. My burger was cooked beautifully and the fries were perfect. And how often do you get a perfect plate of chips? Not often. They’re often too crispy or too greasy. Or there’s a minging green one that brings all the others down.

I didn’t have dessert, although Caroline said the crème brulée was better than the Bistro’s. And the whole thing was a good price – less than fifteen quid a head (for four of us).

In fact, The Fountain at Tuddenham was pretty much faultless. Pretty much meaning I’m go to be a nit-picking nobhead.

Because for all the quick service, brilliant food and very reasonable pricing, The Fountain is in need of some smiles. Yup, smiles. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not demanding that people who work in customer service bounce around like they’re advertising the newest tampons known to humankind. But a smile – even a forced one – makes me feel that I’m not completely spoiling your day by eating at your establishment. And word has it they’re cheap.

Just a small glitch then. Oh, and the disgraceful apostrophe omission.

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