indiepanda

Another recommendation for Amy, she is brilliant, does a mixture of regular massage, hot stone massage and thai, according to your preferences and what you need. I tend to let her choose what we do each session based on where she finds the muscle tension - tonight that was pretty much everywhere - but feeling very relaxed now. I've been seeing her regularly since the start of this year and wouldn't want to go anywhere else now (and I've been to plenty of different therapists in the past).

I'd recommend the Utopia Spa at Rowley Grange in Kent http://www.alexanderhotels.co.uk/rowhill/ It's got a swimming pool, spa pool, sauna and you can get the usual range of treatments. I went there with friends on a hen weekend and liked it enough to take myself back for a birthday treat last year. You can create your own spa day by picking a price which includes a certain value of treatments rather than just a certain set which might not appeal (e.g. I often find manicures a bit of a waste because I don't like spending time sitting still while the polish dries on a spa day - invariably manage to smudge while turning the page of my book) I've also been to K West in west London, which is quite nice but lacks a pool, and the Sanctuary, which was ok, but the pool was a bit chilly for my liking - couldn't stay in for long. And the nicest day beds in the relaxation area do get taken early by people who seem to manage to claim them for the day. I've been meaning to try Pennyhill Park - one of my colleagues has raved about it. Have been to Champneys Tring, Forest Mere and Henlow Grange in the past - all quite nice. Grayshott Spa is also very nice and quieter than the Champneys ones which can get quite busy. I usually use http://www.spabreak.co.uk/ to book my trips - they guarantee to be as cheap as going direct to the spa and will help you pick which spa most suits your needs and do the calling round to check availability too. I've booked things very last minute in the past and they've saved me a lot of leg work and couldn't have been more helpful. (I don't work for them honest!)

Ah, that's interesting - am with them too.

DrinkingBuddy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My renewal quote is slightly down on last year. which insurer?

Foxtons took forever to get back to me about a flat I'd requested a viewing on - I'd offered on another house before they got back to me. Speaking as a recent buyer, the estate agent that was most inclined to get back to me with details of new properties coming on the market that matched my requirements were Property Inn. As it happened the place I bought was via Haart, who were also pretty helpful in getting the purchase through.

I keep looking in Sainsburys but they never seem to have any, have compromised with a mint vienetta recently. (Apparantly it's Prince William's favourite too!)

Thanks for mentioned - I've just watched, really pleased to hear the house is being restored. For anyone interested in just that section of the show, it starts about ten and a half minutes in.

Lol, Keef hasn't been deleted though - he's posted in the what's on section about his next gig

In conjunction with Oxfam - donate old clothes get a voucher for new ones. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/content/secondhandstore/fashion/ms_clothes_exchange.html?ito=2841&itc=0

The junction between Ryedale and Underhill is quite a problem for cars too. Turning out of Ryedale its hard to see approaching cars coming down the hill as they are partly obscured by the cars parked on the Ryedale side of the road close to the junction. And the cars do whizz down the hill at silly speeds at times - if they are meant to be doing 20mph I am sure lots are breaking the limit.

Perhaps In new Zealand they don't pump sewage into the sea? There was a time when I lived near Southend that the water quality really was disgusting because of the untreated sewage being pumped out to sea - I'd have far rather swum in a pool that risk swimming in that.

People seem to speak well of Daisy Lets. I would avoid Ludlow Thompson based on my experience as a tenant.

My other half goes to Barry Road Barbers and speaks very highly of them, and he's got barbering experience himself.

When I am retired I'd love to have a nice flat in Bath - somewhere like Brock Street or the Circus which are just round the corner from the Royal Crescent (Royal Crescent itself would be a bit much with all the tourists, though having said that, the views over the park might make up for it). And as to Quids question about why I don't live there already - there aren't any jobs for actuaries in Bath, and although Bristol is quite near, the jobs there always seemed to pay badly compared to the rest of the market. Plus the transport can be quite bad between the two - main employer is at Bristol Parkway and you can't get direct trains there from Bath, and the traffic between Bath and Bristol is pretty bad in rush hour. In any case, my parents are getting on now and they live in Essex, being here is good for seeing them more often. And myself and my other half have good friends round here, whereas I have happy student memories of Bath but no friends there now.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Why doesn't anyone live where they would 'ideally' > location wise? I just don't get it? Both of you > last two's examples are liveable in tomorrow. > So...there not really your ideal are > they?....life's too short. Go if you mean it. Not quite as simple as that though is it? If money were no object I wouldn't have to think about how long my commute to work was because I wouldn't be working. Or consider how affordable property was in the dream area. But it has to be said, as compromises go, this is a pretty decent one.

Am totally cashing in - especially as working a 4 day week it turns into a 12 for the price of 2 offer. Haven't decided where I am spending it yet though.

KidKruger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Pulling out of Sylvester Rd onto Barry Rd to go > South is a potential killer for me, I did it > recently a few times at 06.15am and variable found > myself in the path of a car, or in one case a no. > 12 bendy bus, > The issue was that cars park close to the junction > making you blind when pulling out. It was > literally a game of roulette. > After finding myself 30ft in front of a no. 12 I > changed my route. > The speed of the oncoming vehicle would gave meant > a harder impact but the root fault at that spot > was lack of VISIBILITY. Yes, I've had problems at this junction too - end up inching out veeery slowly. Cars are allowed to park far too close to the junction for you to be able to see past them to approaching traffic. I actually find this one more nerve wracking than the one with Underhill although I agree that one is an issue too.

My mum grew up in the East End during the war and they had a shelter in their back garden - thought it was pretty standard. Though fortunately they weren't in it when a bomb flattened it. Had got fed up of cold nights in a damp shelter - gather my mum was under the kitchen table and the rest of the family in the under-stairs cupboard and they all survived, would have died if they'd been where they meant to be.

All sorted now.

Hello I would also recommend Austria, and I would particularly recommend a small company that works out of one resort called redpoint http://www.redpoint.co.uk/index.html The quality of the ski tuition I've had there beats that I've had anywhere else by a large margin - the ski tuition is provided by redpoint rather than a local ski school, and the tutors are all native english speakers, so can explain things in a way that someone who is operating in their second language doesn't tend to. Some of the tuition I've had elsewhere has been pretty ropey - either not been pushed at all or pushed so far I've been terrified. They do learn to ski weeks which might be worth looking into.

fyvum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Panda I have not been near a hairdresser for many > years, that is why I have tumbling golden locks > almost to the ground. > > Eat your heart out, errr without endangering > yourself of course! Lol, I did that as a kid - trying for the rapunzel look, refusing to let my mum cut my hair so it would reach past my waist. But with naturally wild hair that just meant split ends and a tendency to tangles that led to hair being in plaits most of the time to prevent them.

fyvum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How to become a hair dresser, > 1. have a lobotomy. > 2. learn to speak shite for an hour at a time to > the adjacent equally gormless hairdresser. > 3. cut hair anyhow without paying the slightest > attention to what you are doing whilst constantly > ignoring the 'victim'. > 4. burn the scalp with the dryer. > 5. smile at the customer when they arrive at the > till to entice a larger tip. > 6. snigger and smirk to other hairdressers as you > relieve the sap of a small fortune. > 7. go out the back for a fag whilst next > sap/victim sits and waits for another twenty > minutes! > > > 'Voila' one hairdressing professional. Hmmm, I get the impression you think that makes you sound clever, but if you are even remotely serious about your experience, it just makes you a fool for not going somewhere better. My hairdresser is fab and was really cool when I first went to see him while suffering from alopecia (i.e. was partly bald) and helped me with styling my hair to hide it the best I could while it got worse. Fortunately am now recovered, but I wouldn't dream of going elsewhere, trust him implicitly. Always get complements after every visit.

I'd definitely use it if we had one in East Dulwich each week - the one in the Village is only once a month so not often enough to become part of regular routine.

So much of what is on the various Sky channels was made by the BBC in the first place, from old comedies on GOLD, QI and Top Gear, to lifestyle shows and various others. If you don't watch the sports channels (which I don't) there isn't actually that much original programming on Sky. The BBC web site may be free to access regardless of whether or not you have a TV licence, but if none of us had one, there would be no web site. I visit it on a more than daily basis and couldn't be without it. If you travel overseas you will find the BBC the envy of countries worldwide, and in places like New Zealand, again many programs are sourced from the BBC. Whilst not everything on it is to my taste, I wouldn't be without it. I am quite happy paying my licence fee.

Well, I've just gone for the ED option (today!) - and it didn't cost me ?700k or even that close to ?500k for my 3 bed house - though I will confess it's not 3 doubles (third is just over 12 x 7, others are good doubles). I think the garden is south facing and it is 50 ft. Compromise was in being a bit more of a trek down to Lordship Lane than my rented place though still SE22, but I don't mind that as it's closer to the no 63 bus route than I am now and that is my usual journey to work. I do know what you mean though, was skimming a property magazine the other day and saw some of the places you could get in Bromley for what I've spent and it wasn't a pretty comparison. But I've done suburbia and wanted to be here, and I don't have family to consider so it's up to me if I want to be silly with my money.