Offshore Coffee, Glasgow

Long time listeners of that Irish Podcast Letter to America will know that I'm fond of Clements Coffee:

Clements Through A Glass Darkly

A Special Message for Listeners of LTA Chapter 30

Well I'm here in Glasgow now Dear Listener and, alas, there's no Clements.  But I may have found something better.

Offshore Coffee on Gibson Street.

Not only do they give you Hi-Speed Wi-Fi, (supposedly you have to buy a cup 'o coffee every hour but I saw no evidence of enforcement), but they gots comfy seats, nice treats, a Foxy Manageress named Eve and it's one of those places where EVERYBODY IS A CHARACTER.

Also there's always a War on the Telly.

A Special Message for Listeners of LTA - Chapter 30

A special message recorded today at Clements Coffee in Belfast for everyone who was worried about the 'Pearl Necklace Girl' referred to in Chapter 30 of Letter to America.

Watch the Message, (YouTube)
Watch the Message, (MySpace)
Watch the Message, (Google Video)
Watch the Message, (Direct Download 3.7mb)

Clements Through A Glass Darkly

Botanic Avenue in Belfast as viewed through the window at Clements Coffee.

After this photo was taken a lovely girl at Clements told me the manager said 'No More Photos'.  I spoke to the manager.  Apparently 'a girl from the Head Office' was there and saw me.  No more photos.  I always thought of Clements as kind of a local place.  Not the kind of place that would have a 'Head Office'.  I may have to defect to Esquire's Coffee.

UPDATE - April 27th, 2006:  I stayed true to Clements, Dear Listener.  They make great coffee and the people who work there are really friendly.  I've even forgotten about this incident:

A Special Message for Listeners of LTA - Chapter 30

Pics from Belfast Podcast Chapter 14

Hey folks - here's a few pics illustrating Jett Loe and Wayne Ordinary American's exciting adventures as dramatised in Chapter 14.

Here's a guy I was staring at in Clement's Coffee while talking to Wayne.

I took a photo of Wayne but didn't want to post it cause I didn't think it was too flattering, but then I went over to his website and saw this picture; so I'm posting the pic below as a nice big Thank You.

If you've listened to Chapter 14, and I pity you if you have, then you know that we were stuck in Mango for what seemed like hours.  Here's a pic I took there of purses.

The International Food Fair outside City Hall was full of action.  Here's a young couple very much in love.  I wish I hadn't yelled at them that all love is fleeting and that they must take passion where they can find it, for it is a cold, cold world out there.

Was getting tired so purchased a cup of coffee from the coffee van, (it's a van with a tent over it...there's something in that...).

I can't think of anything more transitory than a webcam - yet Belfast City Council has put what looks like a very permanent plaque in the ground to let you know they have one.

Now All You Need...

To mark the 1,000th Day of the Iraq War the Independent had this "War in Numbers" page, (go over to Joblog for the text).  Pretty effective, right?  Yeah, except their ad department sold a third of the page to a car company.  Text of the ad below:

"To give you more room to stretch your legs, we made our car more like a stretched limo.  An idea occurred to us when we designed the new Vauxhall Signum:  stretched limos have plenty of room.  So why not just move the front and back wheels apart a few more inches to make more space to sit?  Now all you need is the drinks cabinet and chauffeur."