OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

Bigjenny

Not sure where you are Byatt, but the furthest west they come is Dorset.

http://www.grandukholidays.com/pick-up-points

lessonlearned

Yes those pesky single supplements are the killer.

Anyway I will get a googling when the time comes. Right now a couple of mini breaks in the uk will do, so I might try a coach trip as well as getting a rail card.

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm also sorry to hear about your loss LessonLearned and welcome to the thread. I'm sure you'll pick up lots of tips all round....tell ya' we're getting this here single living cracked on here...

On another point re what restaurants gave me my food in and I think I've had it in both the things takeaway places use, ie silver foil containers and plastic type containers.

calicocat

I have been asking for doggy bags from restaurants since I was about 19. We used to eat in lots of fish restaurants, and they were in real terms cat-bags. At the time it was pretty rare, but they soon got used to it, and in the end even if I didn't have anything to pack up they would give me a couple of langoustine for the 'twins' as we called them every time I went in....which was about 4 times a week....so very spoilt cats.

I thought doggy bags were the norm now??, whether for an animal or for us for breakfast.


Being turned down as a singlie at a restaurant is appalling...and I wouldn't be going back there again......unless you were going to do a bit of a Pretty woman thing....where you turn up with 4 of you...then refuse the table explaining why....but i'm a bit of a biatch that way...lol.




Also, if you are up for a bit of an adventure, there are boating singlie holidays too, from what I gather you all work the boat, so a semi-working hol in a small way, but apparently great fun. The ex did one of these around the Greek islands I think.

Oh.....talking of ex.......latest gossip.....his latest ex wants to talk. So whole going round the world in a motor home is I think on hold for now. Not that he's sold the house anyway.

Horace

Sorry to hear of your loss LessonLearned - welcome to the thread (they are a great crowd here, I joined in this week).

I was once taken to a very posh restaurant and I ordered a steak - I did not expect something the size of a brontosaurus (ok I am exaggerating but it was rather huge), I could not eat it all and remember asking if they could box it up for me as it would be a shame to waste it - they packaged it up for me and I ate it the next day with some salad.

I have been in cafes in Stratford on Avon before now that are singly friendly because they provide newspapers and magazines to read (they tend not to offer these to couples). I thought that was rather nice. I once treated myself to breakfast in Fortnum & Mason in London, it was £15 and I felt like a queen because nothing was too much trouble - the only odd looks I got were from some of the other diners but then I would just nod and smile, it was great for people watching.

I have been and stayed in a B&B inside a pub in Brill by the windmill, I was given the most sumptuous room - I had to step up to get into the bath. They knew I was on my own so made sure that I knew how to get in if I came back late at night and said that they would leave a light on the stairs for me. I was given a nice table at breakfast so that I could view the room instead of sitting with my back to the room (I notice that some places seat singlies like this), even when I had lunch I was seated where I could see everybody and chat to people. I stayed in the room with a view of the windmill http://www.thepheasant.co.uk/?photo-galleries=rooms (also charge less for single occupants).

I haven't dared ask for doggy bags when there have been 2 for 1 offers on in the pubs/restaurants.

Don't get me started on buying too much veg - there was a time when you could buy half a cabbage but now you have to buy the whole ruddy thing.

Details of the boutique hotel that gives discounts to singles https://www.thehillcroft.co.uk (I haven't stayed here but it is owned by the brother of one of my friends).

JustKeepSwimming_2

Byatt - forgot to say earlier that I'm sorry your having problems with your DD again. I think you're right to step back more & look after yourself. What a cheek about the money though :mad:

ellie99 wrote: »

I have, made me feel terrible, like some lone saddo!

I had read about a band online (not famous, they mostly play small venues in their local area) and decided I wanted to see them.
Their area is about 100 miles from where I live, but somewhere I visit regularly...so I booked a B&B for a couple of nights (run by a lovely singlie, but even she was surprised I was travelling alone!).

On the evening I drove to the pub/restaurant nice and early, planning to eat before the band came on. The pub had 2 or 3 tables with "Reserved" signs on them, but they also had a large restaurant room, fairly empty, and no reserved signs...but when I asked if I could eat, the waitress said all the tables were booked and they couldn't fit me in...ALL of them?

So I just left and sat in my car in the car park for a little while watching all the couples and groups going in, and thought "WTH am I doing here?" I thought about trying somewhere else to eat, but my confidence had been knocked and I just went to the chippy....

It is a real confidence blow isn't it? I have to make sure that I'm feeling robust if I ever try & have a posh meal out (which isn't often ) just in case I get refused again.

...I know businesses are there to make money, but I'm sure they have no idea how hurtful it can be to be turned away, and how much courage it may have taken someone to turn up in the first place. And it may backfire on them a bit...I've since stayed at the hotel which made me feel welcome several times, and sometimes taken friends and family with me, so we've spent a fair bit there...I won't be back to the first place.

And I've also had to try and explain to my boys why we couldn't have a family ticket when there was just 3 of us...annoying when paying for 3 is as expensive as a family ticket!

apologies for rambling

Not rambling at all - you're agreeing with me, so that's grand

calicocat wrote: »

I have been asking for doggy bags from restaurants since I was about 19. We used to eat in lots of fish restaurants, and they were in real terms cat-bags. At the time it was pretty rare, but they soon got used to it, and in the end even if I didn't have anything to pack up they would give me a couple of langoustine for the 'twins' as we called them every time I went in....which was about 4 times a week....so very spoilt cats.

I thought doggy bags were the norm now??, whether for an animal or for us for breakfast.

I've asked for a doggy bag if it's the remains of a meal that I've already eaten (not often as I don't usually leave anything ) but I was wondering if anyone had had the nerve to ask for the whole 2nd meal to be bagged up without it ever making it to your plate - after all, you've already paid for it if its a 2-4-1.

Being turned down as a singlie at a restaurant is appalling...and I wouldn't be going back there again......unless you were going to do a bit of a Pretty woman thing....where you turn up with 4 of you...then refuse the table explaining why....but i'm a bit of a biatch that way...lol.

Now that's a good idea - Calicocat, are you expecting to go to Heaven when you suggest such behaviour :rotfl:

Also, if you are up for a bit of an adventure, there are boating singlie holidays too, from what I gather you all work the boat, so a semi-working hol in a small way, but apparently great fun. The ex did one of these around the Greek islands I think.

Too much like hard work for me, & the only coach trip I went on was for a day trip in Madeira - I was 38 & easily the youngest there by about 25 years. I found the pace very, very slow....

Oh.....talking of ex.......latest gossip.....his latest ex wants to talk. So whole going round the world in a motor home is I think on hold for now. Not that he's sold the house anyway.

That's a shame - was looking forward to the exciting posts as you flitted from country to country :rotfl:

Lessonlearned - I remember you from a previous thread too, & so sorry to hear your news. I hope you are managing to get some rest.

I'm waving my DS off tomorrow on a Scout camping trip - to France, which I'm now feeling a little :eek: about. I'm sure he'll be fine, but he is a little young for his age - last night he was in bed with me again as he was too scared to sleep in his own room. Some of you on here may remember that I swapped my double bed for a single to try & ensure this didn't happen.... How tired & sore do I feel after a night perched on the edge of my bed while he snored loudly?

calicocat

Well from what he said he is still thinking the motor home trip is the more likely, as the problems with ex will crop up again.

He's seeing her thursday, and ringing me for a debrief friday apparently......lol. I don't really know her well so a bit difficult for me to judge, the few times I have met her she seemed nice enough to be fair.....we'll see...what will be will be.

Bummer...I was going to get his water butt too and ransack his house for things of use......lol.



Re: two for one meals.....got tw rong end of the stick again......hmmm, never done it as have never eaten alone in a restaurant to be honest. However, you are more than entitled to it aren't you.....i may be tempted to say i'll have the other free meal to go for my friend sat in the car....

I know, you could order for the two....imaginary friend doesn't turn up...you ask for other meal to be boxed...bingo....tomorrows tea sorted. If i'm going to a restaurant and the tables for two are irritatingly small, I book for 4 and pretend the other two haven't turned up.....i hate being crushed onto a table.

PasturesNew

LavenderBees wrote: »

Bloomin 'eck!:eek: Being turned away from a restaurant for being on your own?? That's horrendous . We should set up a name and shame section, that would sort the bu66ers out!

I had this a few years back. Living in a bedsit, it was early Saturday evening and I felt I deserved to sit and eat an indian curry in a restaurant instead of bringing back the usual takeaway to my roof-room.... so off I went.

I'll name and shame. Even though every restaurant was empty at the start, then half full after I'd found/parked and got to the 3rd/4th ..... EVERY restaurant said no to a "table for one" in the town of Exeter, EXCEPT, finally, one on North Street, who even got me a table/chair and placed it down.... and that one was full!

So, there's a name and shame on a whole town: Exeter, indian restaurants (except one).

PasturesNew

Another one I found was trying to book rooms for a friend. He and his chums were visiting the town where I lived, so I offered to phone round to try to find out who had rooms as I knew the town.

I knew they didn't want to share and phoned one "surfer hostel" who had twin rooms ... even paying for TWO people, for single occupancy, they rejected the booking. Their excuse was "we make our money on the meals/drinks they'd have, so we only book two people into the twin rooms, even if one person wanted to pay double it's not allowed"

ellie99

calicocat wrote: »

Being turned down as a singlie at a restaurant is appalling...and I wouldn't be going back there again......unless you were going to do a bit of a Pretty woman thing....where you turn up with 4 of you...then refuse the table explaining why....but i'm a bit of a biatch that way...lol.

Oh I like this idea, I really do, you have a wicked mind calicocat

I've felt like doing this to a few car salesmen in the past. I've been single quite a few of the last 20 years since DH died, and been in control of my money all of those years, so I choose and buy my own cars.
I turn up at a garage to look at a car, and the salesmen think...well tbh I don't know what they think...that I'm wasting their time? that I'm not serious? that I don't know what I want? that I'm not going to buy? that I need a man with me? :mad:

Have met some very condescending salesmen who obviously wanted to talk to a man. There was one car I actually wanted to buy, but the salesman was so reluctant to discuss price that in the end I walked out and left it...I'd have loved to go back in my lovely new car bought elsewhere just to show him :rotfl:
(but unfortunately I don't look like Julia Roberts so the effect may not have been quite the same :rotfl:)

Thank goodness there are some reasonable salesmen out there, and that we can also buy cars privately.