Tag Archives: Platinum Al

Tat Trek Update #5: Meerkat Meal Tray

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Let me start this post with an apology.  The “Tat” section of the blog, where I feature items of questionable taste that I have collected, has been severely neglected of late.  The last Tat article was in May 2015, and that was the only one that year.  It’s about time I made amends for this terrible oversight.

It’s not like I’m lacking in kitsch crap to showcase, there’s plenty.  So let’s start 2017 with a fresh effort to celebrate garbage – after all, it seems that the useless and ridiculous are all the rage right now.

Item: Meerkat Meal Tray

Description: a tray which supports a plate of food, with cushioned area underneath to rest on the users lap whilst eating a TV dinner.  Featuring a delightful picture of a group of meerkats. img_20170129_181552466

Cost: approx £7

Reason for buying: this item was actually bought by Mrs Platinum Al.  But as it’s in the house, I’m claiming it as an entry for Tat Trek.

Yes, not actually an item that I bought, but never the less, part of the scenery chez Platinum Al.  Seven quid is a bit steep for tat, even for me.  And it was from Charlie’s in Shotton, rather than Rhyl.

Even so, this fantastic item features one of the great tat icons of our age: the always popular meerkat.  For that reason, if not the fact that TV dinner trays are a bit naff, this item is proudly part of our Collection de Tat.

The Best of 2016

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Well we’re now a couple of weeks deep into 2017 – how’s it going for you?  Well, I hope.

2017 at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub promises to bring you more of the great features you love, plus (hopefully) more in the year ahead.  But before I get all carried away and storm straight into new adventures, let’s take a moment to reflect.

Last year was a hell of a crazy ride.  But what Virtual Hot Tub blogs got you steaming hot?  Let’s take a look at the top ten most popular posts in 2016, in reverse order…

10. Skateboard Museum: Variflex Joker

The tenth most popular post in 2016 was this golden oldie from 2013, featuring one of my old 1980’s skateboards.  Skate nostalgia is obviously popular stuff, with internet searches keeping this article in view.

9. Wales Comic Con Strikes Back – Part 2

Up next was the second part of my report from Wales Comic Con in Wrexham from May, with loads of cool cosplay photos.

8. Tragedy – Gig Review

In March 2016 I went to see Heavy Metal Bee Gees tribute act Tragedy, at the Live Rooms in Chester.  It was pretty popular read (even the band liked it).

7. Sci-Fi Weekender 2015 – The Director’s Cut

Back in February 2016, I posted some photos I had left over from the previous Sci-Fi Weekender in March 2015.  Again, loads of interesting cosplay pics – plus a bit of comedy.  This was a warm up for the 2016 event.

6. Santa Cruz Snowskate

The next most read post was this blog about my snowskate, made by Santa Cruz skateboards, originally posted in winter 2014.  Internet searches kept this this one popular again this year.

5. Food Quest: To Koutouki, Chester

This write up of the excellent Greek taverna in Chester, posted in May 2016, has been very popular.  The most read food post all year by far, I hope it helps bring them some business, because they deserve it!

4. Wales Comic Con Strikes Back – Part 1

The first part of my report from Wrexham Comic Con was far more popular than the first, which came in at number 10 (above).  I don’t know why this part was better received, as it features the same style of cosplay pics.  Perhaps it was the pic of yours truly as Tony Stark that did it…?

3. Santa Cruz Street Creep

Another skateboard blog, this July piece featured text and photos of another 1980’s classic, in this case my Santa Cruz Street Creep reissue.  Rad.

2. Sci-Fi Weekender 2016 – Part 1

The second most read article on my blog in 2016 was the first part of my report from Sci-Fi Weekender.  The cosplay pics made it successful.

So what was the most popular blog post, with the most views, at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub in 2016?

It can only be…

Sci-Fi Weekender 2016 – Part 2

Yes, the final episode of our adventure at this years Sci-Fi Weekender convention was the most popular blog of the year.  Loads of photos of fantastic cosplayers having fun won the day, and not even my terrible photographic skills could ruin it!  No idea why Part 2 beat Part 1 though.

Thanks again to all the great folks who attended Sci-Fi Weekender, hope you enjoyed the photos!

Thanks to YOU too, for choosing Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  Your feedback and is always appreciated.  Here’s to another year of fun – all the best!

Disclaimer

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It’s about time I covered a few items, in order to explain how this blog works.  I know this isn’t much fun, but it needs to be done.  Please note that this list is not exhaustive; I may amend or add to this list at any time that suits me.

The points below refer to my WordPress blog, “Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub” (“Virtual Hot Tub” or “blog”):

  1. All views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own and do not represent the views and opinions of my employer or previous employers.  I do not refer to my employer by name on this blog for this reason.  Please do not mention the name of my employer (current or previous) in any correspondence.
  2. Photographs of subjects are taken with the person’s verbal consent only.  If you object to your image being used on this website, please let me know and I will remove it.  Proof of identity may be requested for any removal.
  3. Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub is not responsible for any injuries you may receive, or loss of any kind (including financial) whilst participating in any of our featured activities.
  4. Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub receives no remuneration/compensation from featured venues or events.
  5. Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub and Platinum Al’s Virtual Tiki Bar are “virtual” locations and do not exist in real time or space.

Hope that’s cleared a few things up.

Tat Trek Update #4: Eric Bristow Mug

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In a secret underground facility near Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub can be found my Museum de Tat.  Regular readers will be aware of some of the wonders to be found here.  It’s time to visit once again…

This time I have an absolute classic, which has been in my possession for a long time.

Item: Eric Bristow “The Crafty Cockney” Mug

Description: a standard mug (drinking receptacle) bearing the image of darts playing legend, and “geezer” – Eric Bristow.  Emblazoned with Eric’s nom de guerre “The Crafty Cockney” and a dartboard (not shown) on the reverse. IMG_2793

Cost: Free (it was a gift).

Reason for buying: I didn’t buy it, it was a gift.

This fantastic item actually dates back to my time as a student.  Whilst collecting household items for my first student house (way back in the 1990’s), my Granddad donated a few pieces to help out.  All students have wacky novelty mugs, usually cartoon characters and the like.  None matched the sheer randomness of my Eric Bristow mug, however.  This cup became my standard – my symbol – amongst the student kitchen chaos.

An unusual item for someone who doesn’t drink hot beverages, perhaps.  Cool mug though, thanks to my Granddad!

If you own a tacky novelty mug, feel free to let me know about it.

New Year Resolutions

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Another year, another chill sesh in the Virtual Hot Tub!

It’s customary at this time of year to make resolutions, usually as we regret the binging over Christmas and promise not to be so greedy in future.  Fair enough, I feel that pain.  And I applaud anyone who wants to make a change for the better.

I do have a small problem with resolutions being so very negative, however.  It’s all “I must not do this” and “no to that”, and so on.  I think it’s much better to have a positive outlook on these things.  So instead of “I’m not eating junk food”, try “I’m going to eat healthier”.  Or “I’m going to reduce the amount of alcohol I drink”, rather than “I’m not drinking at all”.  Make your resolutions a goal, rather than a restriction.

This way, any minor relapses can be balanced out, rather than becoming a failure and evolving into an excuse to fall back into old, unhealthy ways.

But then, don’t take too much notice of Platinum Al – I’m not giving up anything!  Why would you, with your own Virtual Hot Tub and Tiki Bar??!

I am, however, intending to do the following this year:

  1. Play music.  I listen to music all the time, constantly doing my music homework.  I think it’s about time I actually played some music though.  There’s a guitar and bass in the garage that haven’t been touched for years.  Maybe it’s time to start playing a little.  Practice a few tunes.  I might even start a band!!!
  2. Skateboard more.  In 2014 I was rolling a hell of a lot more than the past few years.  But let’s face it, I’m not getting any younger.  I need to skate as much as I can while I can.  So whether I’m doing tricks or just cruising on the longboard, I intend to get out and skate.  Weather permitting.
  3. Buy some more hats.  Top of the list are a bowler hat; a sea captain’s hat and a Native American head dress.  I like hats.

So there you go – let’s see how those little goals I’ve set develop over the coming months.

Thanks again to all who read, follow and contribute to Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  I really do appreciate it!  Your comments and feedback make it all worthwhile.  So stick with me, there’s lots to come in 2015.  All the usual garbage you’d expect, plus possibly a few new areas too…

Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2015 – have a blast, everyone!

Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub – 2014 in review

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Happy New Year to all my readers!

Thank you for taking the time in 2014 to pay a visit to Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  Your support, advice and interest have made this all worth while.

Take a look at the report below, to see some of the exciting stats for the past year.  No really, it is interesting!

Thanks again, and stay tuned for more fun in 2015!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,500 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Happy First Birthday, Virtual Hot Tub!

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The Top 5 Posts on the Virtual Hot Tub

Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub is now one year old!

Actually, the first anniversary was on March 24th.  So I’m late, again.  But I’ve been so busy capturing vital events like Sci-Fi Weekender, Kurt Cobain’s passing, Easter and all the other stuff that I just haven’t had time to get round to celebrating it.

So it was 24th March 2013 when I first welcomed you all to bathe in the soothing waters of the Virtual Hot Tub.  Since then, I’ve posted all manner of weird and wonderful items on the blog.  But which ones have been the most popular?

I checked out the stats; and here, in reverse order, are the most read posts in the first year of the Virtual Hot Tub’s existence:

5. Skateboard Museum: Variflex Joker

There’s obviously loads of people searching the interweb for old school skateboards.  This post about my old Variflex skateboard has been constantly showing in blog results.  Nice post – shame about the photo.  I’ll remedy that soon.  Take another look here.

4. Questions #2: Full English Breakfast Ingredients

All of the “Questions” posts fared well in the rankings, particularly the food related items.  This one was the highest placed.  Read it again here.

3. Hammer Glamour

I went blog crazy in October with my Hallowe’en Horror Fest.  This post, which counted down the top ten Hammer Horror babes, has been incredibly popular.  Lots of people Googling sex and horror, I guess.  Check it out here.

2. The Best Man’s Speech

Over 150 people have read this post, commemorating the wedding of my friends Cathryn and Jarrod.  It’s nice that this article has been read so many times.  Have another look here.

So what’s the most read blog post on the Virtual Hot Tub, in the first year?  It is:

1. A Letter to the New York Post

This piece, which recounted my experiences in New York on September 11th, caught people’s attention much more than I thought it would.  I suppose it went “viral” – more than 475 views.  It certainly received an amazing, and heart warming, response.  Thanks to all who shared it.  Read it again here.

There you go: the top 5 blog posts on Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing, thanks for being a part of it.  Your contribution – and interest – has helped make this worthwhile.

Plenty more to come, so stay tuned.

Platinum Lounge Playlist

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Excellent news – the legendary Platinum Lounge is open again this weekend.  This is whilst the recent licence issues are “pending”.  Hopefully we’ll see the Lounge resurrected to its former glory and status as a beacon of light in glum old Chester.

To celebrate, here’s a playlist I’ve collated on my visits to the establishment.  Obviously, this list isn’t exhaustive – I don’t know or own every song played in Platinum Lounge.  These are just the ones I have a copy of, and can remember.  After all, I usually have a couple of polite drinkies when I’m there.

This is a soundtrack for some great nights, great music and great company.  Maybe it will help convince people that Platinum Lounge is nothing to be afraid of.

  1. Kylie Minogue – “Confide in Me”
  2. Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
  3. Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
  4. Amy Winehouse – “Rehab”
  5. AC/DC – “Girl’s Got Rhythm”
  6. Alex Gaudino – “Destination Calabria”
  7. Beyonce – “Irreplaceable”
  8. Rhianna – “Umbrella”
  9. Audio Bullys ft. Nancy Sinatra – “Shot You Down”
  10. Destiny’s Child – “Independent Women”
  11. Beyonce – “Crazy in Love”
  12. Beyonce – “Green Light”
  13. Christina Aguilera – “Dirrty”
  14. Massive Attack – “Teardrop”
  15. Nickleback – “Rockstar”
  16. Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand – “Let Me Think About It”
  17. ZZ Top – “Gimme All Your Lovin'”
  18. Poison – “Unskinny Bop”
  19. Motley Crue – “Girls, Girls, Girls”
  20. T-Rex – “Get It On”
  21. AC/DC – “Rock’n’Roll Train”
  22. ZZ Top – “Legs”
  23. AC/DC – “Back in Black”
  24. Alice Cooper – “Poison”
  25. Starship – “We Built This City”
  26. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
  27. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
  28. AC/DC – “Shoot to Thrill”
  29. Steppenwolf – “Born to be Wild”
  30. Metallica – “Nothing Else Matters”
  31. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
  32. Tenacious D – “Tribute”

Recently Platinum Lounge held a Rock Night.  It was one of the best collection of tunes I’ve ever heard on a night out in Chester.  The above list doesn’t include songs from that night, I’ll post that as a separate list another time!

Enemies of Freedom

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Very sad news recently with the announcement that Chester’s only lap dancing club, the Platinum Lounge, has lost it’s “sex establishment” licence.  This possibly means no more Platinum Lounge, and certainly no more lap or pole dancing.  It also means job losses for girls and bar staff working there.

The reason given by Chester City Council is that the club is in a residential area, and thus disruptive for local residents.  Which is clearly nonsense.  The real reason is that the busy bodies in the City have decided that a lap dancing club is “just not cricket” and would tarnish the reputation of the historic City of Chester.

However, I note that Chester Races is obviously a feature that the residents, business leaders and council whole heartedly approve of.  Chester races, which encourages binge drinking and violence on an unprecedented scale, not to mention traffic and disruption for all those who live or work in the area.  Chester races, the one day when male race goers wear a suit other than when they’re in court.  And the “ladies”, shoe-horned into tiny dresses to reveal their orange tanned cellulite ridden bodies.  Seen later with their knickers round their ankles, pissing in the gutter and being sick on their chips.

I’ve been to Platinum Lounge may times and found that the club was friendly and professional with no sign of trouble or drug use.  Unlike most other Chester venues (and I’m talking about some of the popular places here, not the tiny ones).  Not to mention that the drinks were affordable (unusual) and the music often excellent (very unusual for sad, small minded Chester).  I seriously doubt that I will be spending many evenings in the City from now on, as the alternatives for a good night out are scarce.

The hypocrisy and stupidity of this decision infuriates me.  It is blatant snobbery which will only serve to drive out any diversity in the City and further intensify the antisocial behaviour witnessed every weekend.  

For this reason, I name Chester City Council as my first ENEMIES OF FREEDOM.

Read more here.