Krimo's Candlelit Dinners...

A few nights ago, we had two birthday parties at Portofino. One was a 13th and the other 16th. The thirteen year-olds were accompanied by a couple of parents. The sixteen-year olds were solo. Twelve of them but they all behaved impeccably.

When it came to lighting the candles on the birthday cakes, both sets of girls sang Happy Birthday to each other.

Both cakes lit up the whole restaurant and the singalong created a great atmosphere.

I took this photo on my iphone.

A busy place on a Wednesday night made even "buzzier"!

Krimo's Game for a Laugh...

The Face of Tees Valley contest is hotting up.
I was invited to be a judge (as if I knew what I was doing.)
With four other judges, journalists, radio presenters and tourism officials, we had to shorlist two contestants to go head to head and become the Face of Tees Valley next March.
All entrants were absolutely magic! Exactly what we need to represent our region.
They had to take part in two physical activities, Thundercats (mini-speedboats) and Walk-on-water.
I got roped in to participate in the race and absolutely loved it.
But I declined the invitation to walk on water. I think I am claustrophobic.
We all had a lot of fun watching people trying to stand up inside the giant balls only to fall back down in hilarious heaps.
Each of the entrants later had five minutes to persuade the judges why they should be shorlisted to be the Face of Tees Valley.
I got to meet two journalists from the Evening Gazette and the Northern Echo and Graham Mack from TFM Radio.

Tomorrow the Great North Run takes place. We have already had a few people from the South of England gorging themselves on pasta in anticipation of the race.

Krimo's Midnight Walk...

I was invited by the Hartlepool and District Hospice to perform the countdown to the start of the Midnight Walk on Saturday 5th September.

On arriving the Historic Quay car park, it looked like Hartlepool's entire female population had descended on the Marina.
Daughters, mothers and grandmothers wearing something pink and sporting sparkling antlers warmed up to the sound of dance music, copying the moves of an aerobic trainer assisted by an enthusiastic bobby.
Besides raising money for the Hospice, the Midnight Walk raises awareness as to the work of the Hospice and its dedicated volunteers.
When I first got invited, I imagined myself being trusted with a starting gun and dreading it to go off in the wrong direction causing a bloody massacre. As it happened a harmless pair of scissors was thrust into my hand a few minutes before midnight.
I began the 10-to-1 countdown with the backing of a giant female choir. On reaching "1 and Go!" I theatrically cut the ribbon and quickly stepped aside to avoid the oncoming female tide. The walkers set off on their trek towards Seaton Carew. On reaching the seaside resort, they would turn and head back to the starting post to be rewarded with a medal and a hot bacon butty...
By the time the first one did just that, I was tucked away in my warm bed dreaming of the Olympics.

Flix takes off...

Flix Movie Café opens tonight after a couple of training evenings where I was dragged back into the kitchen to supervise, train, tweak and taste pizzas, burgers, chips etc...

Adam's new place looks absolutely great.

The sound and picture are really good.

Once you are sat watching the movie you feel as if you are in really cinema, but even better than that said a few of the guinea pigs who were invited to test the team.

The Hartlepool Mail gave Adam a great sending off.

Fingers crossed it all goes well from now on...