Eating OS while staying in a hotel alone..

SnowyOwl_2

Thanks everyone for your tips. You are all so right about the fish and chips and eating them in the sea air. Oh I love fish and chips, mind you last time I had them the person in front of me in the queue was Christopher Quentin who used to be Brian, Gail's first hubbie, in Coronation St!!

My jolly to Brighton is to check out the two universities...I'm hoping to be a full time student starting Sept next year. As I am earning now, you're right I should treat myself just this once. I'm definitely heading to the Real Eating cafe in Hove when it's not so busy as it looks and sounds fab...thank you to Competitionscafe for suggesting that (though I will give the scary sounding Wagamama and even scarier sounding places with communal tables a v.wide berth cos I am shy...).

Defo not taking the slow cooker with me, easyJet would bash it to bits chucking it onto the plane. I will probably take a bowl, spoon, some cereal and extra teabags with me though, old habits die hard ...

MATH...what a kind and generous offer I ACCEPT!...you did say you are paying, didn't you..???

Downsizing__for_sanity

Snowy Owl,

I am also hoping to start as a mature student next Sept, and I'm filling in my UCAS application right now!
Even if you're going to eat out at a restaurant, and have fish and chips, you could take some things with you that you can have at other times, such as ready made crudites with a dip, and maybe some kettle chips and a bottle of wine and corkscrew for the evenings if you don't fancy going out late. Maybe a nice box of truffles and a magazine too? And remember you'll be using their hot water too - I always have a really nice, LONG bath, topping up the hot water too if I want and using a hair mask or something. Make sure you have breakfast if it's included - have a big fry up and a yogurt and you won't need any lunch till later!
Enjoy!

DFS

born_blonde

Hello there, we were in Brighton last week and the weather was lovely.
We allways take plastic plates knives and forks and a sharpe knife. A small cool bag, the sort for lunches keeps a takeaway warm and discretely gets it back to your hotel room. They won't like it if you cook but shouldn't mind a quiet takeaway. Try and get rid of any wrappers as they always make the room smell. Absolutly yes to take your own drinks. Are you sure the room has a fridge? If not keeping milk fresh can be tricky, under water in the bathroom sink helps and this will cool your wine down.
M&S food is always a nice treat.

black-saturn

Wish I was going now, it sounds great.

Hope you have a wonderful time :money: :T

Bogof_Babe

If no fridge, a carton of longlife milk keeps well if you re-fasten the opened "spout" with a mini-clip as soon as you've poured what you want.

If economy really is the issue, I would take a packet of cheese 'n onion flavoured Smash and an empty pot-snack container that is okay with boiling water. A couple of cup-a-soups and a spoon, and you are all set, if not very exciting. Don't rely on using the hotel's spoon - I made that mistake and found they only supplied those little stirring wands for the tea/coffee. I have a plastic thing that was free with kiwi fruit - it has a serrated end like a knife, and a small spoon at the other end. I always keep it in my bag now. You can use it for spreading, or for yoghurts, or paring fruit.

I also have an egg poacher that hooks over the top of the kettle, (from Lakeland I think), so you could buy a pack of rolls and some eggs (our Co-op do them in 4's), and make your own breakfast if the hotel is charging a fiver or so. (Warning, this can be a bit messy if the egg is large, and you might find the kettle is the wrong shape if it's an "old style" one!) If the kettle cuts out when it boils, just leave the egg thingy in the steam for a couple of minutes.

My sister went to Brighton Uni. I visited once and slept on her floor in Halls, it was excellent - lovely setting. She met her future husband in the communal kitchen too!

se999

If no fridge to keep things cool, stand in a sink/wash basin of cold water, the water evaporating helps keep the temperature down.

Just spotted you're flying, and if only for a weekend I expect you're trying to be hand luggage only so as not to wait for luggage, so unfortunately no corkscrew, also watch out for even sharp plastics!! The list of what is and isn't Ok seems to vary all the time. If you're not in a rush put a bag into the hold luggage.

Also if you're into knitting or sewing the pins and scissors go there too. What happened to being able to use 'dead' time in airports and on planes doing something constructive. I know safety and security is important but when they allow people to walk on/buy duty free 1 litre glass bottles, something is wrong somewhere!

Katgoddess

I spent a week at Sussex university last year for an Open University residential course. The campus was fab! I stayed in the newish Lewes II halls and it was like a hotel room.

I went to Brighton on a day trip by myself, on the wettest day in August.

Check out the doctor who exhibition at the end of the pier if thats your thing, the darleks are scary. :eek:

I'm sure the shopping centre (churchhills?) has a food hall. You probably won't look too out of place eating in there on your own. I ended up in Mcdonalds...

mrsdee

another tip if you DO decide to eat in a restaurant, and which I have used many times when away on business, is to ask the waiter/ress to remove the other place setting on your table, otherwise you look like you have been stood up, or like you are waiting to be picked up! It does make it easier. Otherwise you have strange people coming over and asking if they can sit with you (which is fine if that;s what you want!), but it does stop any embarrassing situations! Yes, def bring a book or get a window seat and look out at the sea (if you can!)

Trow

OK - this is going to be problematic for you....

Firstly though I want to say how chuffed I am with my hotel deal - I am going away for a course which is at the Crown Plaza at London Heathrow. Crown Plaza rooms are £54.67 per night. The Novotel next door is £49.00 per night. The Travelodge five miles away is £26 per night. But the travel would be a pain in the neck.

I tried priceline name your own price, where you put in what you want to pay for the area you want to go to. I did not for a minute think I would get it for £25, but tried anyway - and got a room for £25 per night plus taxes - but of course, you can't say which hotel, so I was a little wary that it would be the other side of the airport. Nope - it was the Novotel, right next door to the course I am a happy bunny! As I am sharing with a girl that I met on the last part of the course, the cost is about £15.50 each per night in London - bargain!

Anyway, my Old Style question.

I am travelling all the way down from Shetland, to spend four days on a non-catered course. I will have access to a kettle (in my room) and not much else. The local shops are 15 mins away - which is fine in the evening, but not for the morning/lunch.

So what can I take with me that is a) small/light b) keeps well c) can be eaten as is or using a kettle and d) won't cost me a small fortune.

I am thinking so far cous cous, either ready flavoured or combined with dried veg, cup-a-soups - or maybe cous cous rehydrated with a cup-a-soup.

I am also planning to take seeds and dried fruit with me, which can be eaten with yogurt for breakfast (bought locally the night before).

Any other ideas?

Lucie_2

Cheese & crackers? Keep the crackers in an airtight box & they should stay fresh.
Plenty of fruit - apples, bananas, kiwi fruit, grapes, cherries.
If you like a readybrek type breakfast, can you not get sachets of instant porridge-like stuff to which you add hot water? Not particularly OS, but suitable for your needs.