Summer Holiday
Posted by dulwichmum on Wed 18 July 2007
The country roads of Cornwall are just not suited to capacious modern vehicles. Only this afternoon I realised I have swapped grid lock in South East London, for grid lock in Padstow. Would you believe a great Argos Direct van was coasting up the tiny country lanes? Dreadful city chain stores have no place in rural England. No place at all. How terribly homogeneous. I almost had a panic attack! Those dreadful blackberry briars do terrible things to my metallic paint work. My super Audi Q7 tdi cannot usually accommodate oncoming traffic of any description on these tiny tracks. The car park of Bedruthan Steps is simply bumper to bumper luxury four by four vehicles. We are at Dulwich-on-Sea!
I spent this afternoon perusing the shopping emporiums of the tiny Cornish fishing village. The streets were jammed with Bugaboo and Phil and Ted’s buggies, I was lucky not to have been run down by aggressive London daddies wearing White Stuff sweats and combat shorts propelling their precious offspring. What is the world coming to?
I visited a super shop called SeaSalt, selling all my favourite style of casual clothes virtually identical to Boden, along with Crocs (no cheap imitations) and Orla Kiely fare. It was just like being back in London! I bought James and tiny Max matching sweat shirts and shorts from the enormous White Stuff shop, and carried out my annual grand tour of the Rick Stein empire; Rick Stein’s Café for a Latte and biscotti, Steins interiors emporium for cushions and table wear, the Stein Patisserieto purchase Stein wine and perfect florentines for my darling Monster in Law, Steins Deli for interesting ingredients and preserves, the Stein Padstow Seafood School (to pick up a copy of their current programme) The Stein Seafood Restaurant to make a booking for myself and Vashi who arrived this evening, and St Petroc’s Bistro (owned by Stein) to book a table for lunch at the weekend. I even had the time to take a look around St. Edmund’s House (again a Stein) as a potential future destination (not a patch on Bedruthan).
How I love fine wine and fine dining. I called into Fifteen (Jamie Oliver’s trendy Cornish venture) to book a table for the weekend now that all of my chums have arrived.
How I love unspoilt authentic Cornwall. It really is the most relaxing holiday. I have had every treatment imaginable, and the children appear to be enjoying themselves too. They took a trip to Newquay earlier in the week to buy some trendy body boards. Newquay is not for me, it is far too commercial for my tastes, too close in character to Faliraki as far as I can imagine. My PA Lydia and au pair Ana appear to be enjoying themselves too.
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Motheratlarge said,
Thanks for the postcard from Dulwich on Sea! At least you won’t feel homesick now your mates have arrived.
The Good Woman said,
I didn’t realise Rick’s empire was so all encompassing. So you see Dulwich Mum, your blog is officially educational.
I Beatrice said,
If you get bored with Rick and Jamie, there’s a very nice National Trust restaurant on St Michael’s Mount, with never a celebrity chef (or a celebrity indeed) in sight….
But perhaps that’s not the reason why Dulwich goes to Cornwall?
(Come to think of it, why DOES Dulwich bother to go to Cornwall at all?)
dulwichmum said,
Darling MotheratLarge,
It really is the best holiday destination! A coffee morning by the sea.
Lovely The Good Woman,
I know, Rick really has taken over, the Cornish equivalent of Tesco!
Dear I Beatrice,
Indeed we shall be visiting there tomorrow! Cornwall appeals as a family holiday destination for Dulwich as we limit the size of our carbon footprint, we can keep our enormous four wheeled drive vehicles with us, we can indulge in fine dining and are just a short dash from London if any urgent issues arise in the world of private equity! Also our chums get to play at the seaside with their chums and the beauty treatments are amazing. Later in the summer when the family holiday is finished, the ladies of Dulwich holiday en masse in Marakesh to recover from two weeks with the children.
IngeniousRose said,
It all looks just too lovely Dulwich Mum but juust one question – where on earth did you get that Faliraki link from?!!! I do hope it isn’t anyone you know!!!
debio said,
As a native of the region, dulwich mum, you have made me feel quite homesick…..
I do so love being on holiday and bumping into familiar faces though – happens in the South of France, Verbier etc.
Doesn’t happen here though – maybe I’ve taken the wrong turning somewhere??
Continue to have a great time!
DJ Kirkby said,
‘Unspoilt authentic Cornwall’, lol! You are too hilarious!
I Beatrice said,
Oh I SEE, DM!
I used to go to Cornwall myself, before it became fashionable…
Now, well I content myself with boring old Tuscany! (How Old Hat is that, I wonder?)
Omega Mum said,
After the torrential rain today, you could probably have enjoyed real-life Dulwich on sea without the bother of driving to Cornwell! How clever of you to keep posting even on hols.
rilly super said,
Dulwichmum, seasoned traveller that you are, I’m sure you will blend seamlessly into the local population down in Cornwall, as cornish as a morris dancing pasty on a surfboard…
Scruffy Mummy said,
Sounds lovely and very relaxing!
@themill said,
And the ones who can’t get into Cornwall are heading to Northumberland. Where there are still empty roads with real life farmers driving their ancient 4×4′s.Sigh!
http://www.spitalford.co.uk
Stay at home dad said,
Just as it has become ecologically fashionable to holiday in the UK the weather has worsened considerably.
The Q7 will be aking its way across Europe once more shortly I hope…
dulwichmum said,
Lovely Ingenious Rose,
I found the link to Faliraki on the internet – I assure you it is no-one I know!
Darling Debio,
You should never be homesick – it sounds as though you live in paradise.
Perfect I Beatrice,
You could never ever be old hat!
Dear Omega Mum,
Would you believe we haven’t had a spot of rain at all? I am completely serious, I am turning the colour of mahogony! They have a spray tanning booth in the hotel – too much sun light is dreadful for the skin.
Lovely Rilly,
You know I would never touch a Cornish Pastie, I have been enjoying daily lunches chez Jamie Oliver, a Black American Express card will secure me a table anywhere!
My good friend Scruffy Mummy,
Why have you not come too? We are practically neighbours…
Sweet DJ Kirkby,
Do you think so my lovely? It really is Dulwich by the sea, with a more upmarket version of Tesco!
Sweet Lovely @themill,
You see body boarding and surfing are so very now, a skill which every child should acquire, just like skiing and horse riding. It is my duty as a parent to see the poppets are afforded every opportunity.
Darling Stay at home dad,
The weather here has really been divine. I just wish they would widen the damn roads.
East of Dulwich said,
Dear Dulwichmum
I can’t believe that you’re staying in the Bedruthan Steps where I had one of my most wonderful childhood holidays. I wonder if they still have the dance floor (and a band playing Showaddywaddy covers). I guess I was around 11 or 12, saw my first X rated film in the cinema (I think Barbara Steisand was in it but I was sent to bed before the end), and fell madly in love with a girl with long brown hair who I never had the nerve to talk to.
Marianne said,
All a bit too Dulwich for me I’m afraid, but glad you are all going to Cornwall as my little corner of England is very beautiful and peaceful right now. We even get the best of the English weather here and the coast is only half an hour away.
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