Tag: cafe

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Dead thirsty

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Hopefully not down to slow service!

I took our Christmas decorations down today – always a depressing activity, I find. Normally I would insist we keep them up until New Year’s Day has passed (although not usually until the traditional 12th Night), but compromised this year as my wife hates having them up once Christmas has passed. It doesn’t make me sad as much as it used to, but I would prefer to try and eke out that cosy Christmas feeling a bit longer.

Dead thirsty

Minolta X-300 & Minolta 50mm f/1.7 MD on Ilford Type-517. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 14.5mins @ 20°.

Taken on 25 October 2025

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Seaside food and drink

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There’s something alluring about seaside architecture, I find. It’s unusual to find similarly styled buildings that you find occupied by seaside cafes or beach-front chippies further inland, except maybe in some public parks and gardens.

In a lot of cases these places feel a little run down (although not always) which can add some extra attraction to them as photographic subject matter. In this case the opportunistic weeds and peeling paintwork.

Waffles, donuts, and whippy ice cream
By the beach cafe

Yashica Mat 124G and Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 11 October 2025

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Cleethorpes new lifeboat station

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On my previous visit to Cleethorpes last year, the new lifeboat station consisted of little more than a series of concrete pilings set into the beach and surrounded by a metal fence. You can just make it out in the first picture of this post from February 2024.

Now, although at the time of taking these shots there were still construction vehicles parked on the slipway, it seems to be almost complete and, given these pictures were taken over three months ago now, could well be fully operational (I said that in the voice of the emperor from Star Wars, as though describing the second Death Star…).

New lifeboat station
Shore works

Yashica Mat 124G & Fujichrome Provia 100. Lab developed and home scanned on an Epson V850.

Taken on 30 March 2025

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Looking in at The Lookout Cafe

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Another shot from Mablethorpe. This one is The Lookout Cafe which sits on the promenade overlooking the sandy beach and the North Sea beyond.

Something good that happened today…

Nothing major stands out in terms of good things today. I had a relatively pleasant day at work where I got a few things done and cleared off my (continually increasing) to-do list, so I guess I’ll take that. It would be lovely if some wonderful good thing happened every day, but I guess that there will be always be days where it’s a little more difficult to find something that warrants a mention.

The Lookout Cafe

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Cafes open and closed

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I’m sat here wondering what to write for today’s blog post and I’m just drawing a blank. I spent some time staring at my Flickr stream to see if anything caught my eye that I might write about. A couple did, but the things I’d like to write would take longer than I have time for this evening, so those might wait until another day.

So, in lieu of just posting a picture and writing nothing at all (which I do do on occasion), I’m posting a couple of pictures of cafes, one of which seems to be doing better than the other. The worse-off cafe makes for a better picture though.

American breakfast served all day
Cafe Bar

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f.3.5-5.6 AF-D & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro

Taken 20 August 2023.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Beach cafe

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I didn’t go inside this cafe on this visit to Mablethorpe, although I have on previous trips. There’s something comforting about sitting in a cafe with views out over the sea, with a hot drink, and maybe a snack as you contemplate the world outside.

Beach Cafe

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D & Fukichrome Velvia 50 (expired 2011). Lab developed & home scanned.

Taken on 17 September 2022

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Tea and cake and dead insects beside the sea

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This was taken as I sat with a cup of tea and a flapjack on a bench near the cafe. Sadly the flapjack was a little melted from being in the full sun and, to my dismay, a small insect decided to take it’s own life by drowning itself in my tea before I could finish drinking it. Nontheless, as I sit typing this after a full week of complete and upper upheaval while we have the whole of the the upstairs and the staircase decorated, a melted flapjack and insect-polluted tea on a sunny day beside the sea would be quite welcome.

I mustn’t grumble
Despite things I didn’t like
I ate fish and chips

Seaside caff

Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Lomography Xpro Chrome 100 (expired 2012)

Taken on 16 September 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Seaside treats

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The Mermaid cafe sits on the small promentory on Mablethorpe’s prmenade, just to the north of the Pullover – the main access point to the beach at the end of High Street. The cafe has been there as long as I can remember, although I can’t recall if it’s been known as The Mermaid all that time. It stands adjacent to a small crazy golf course (which can be seen to the right of the photo). The course is now pirate themed, but I remeber it in its slightly ramshackle and homemade guise from when I was younger, with obstacles that looked like they had been built in some inventive creator’s garden shed. It was great fun.

Games of mini golf
The sound of waves and seas breeze
Acompanied play

Seaside treats

Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Lomography Xpro Chrome 100 (expired 2012)

Taken on 16 September 2021