{"id":3923,"date":"2010-09-21T17:34:03","date_gmt":"2010-09-21T21:34:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/?p=3923"},"modified":"2010-09-21T17:43:10","modified_gmt":"2010-09-21T21:43:10","slug":"im-with-orwell-finding-an-ideal-pub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/2010\/09\/im-with-orwell-finding-an-ideal-pub\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m with Orwell: Finding the Ideal Pub"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I read George Orwell\u2019s article<\/a>, I became increasingly interested in where this charming pub, The Moon Under Water, could be found. I will admit I was disheartened when I learned the pub did not actually exist. Nevertheless, I came to understand Orwell and his inability to find his \u201cperfect\u201d pub. I haven\u2019t had extensive experience with pubs here in London, but after evaluating the ones I have visited, I can say I haven\u2019t yet found my favourite pub either.<\/p>\n

In regards to the location of the pubs, I have ventured into both the obvious pubs positioned glaringly on busy main streets and the more inconspicuous pubs situated off the beaten path in quieter areas. Like Orwell, my ideal pub is located on a side street where \u201cdrunks and rowdies [will] never seem to find their way\u201d (The Moon Under Water<\/a><\/em>, Orwell<\/a>).\u00a0The Marlborough Arms, which is just around the corner from the Arran House, is a local sort of pub that offers the intimate atmosphere where a mix of university students and middle-aged regulars can enjoy some privacy as they socialize over a few drinks. The bartenders are friendly (they offered a friend a free drink since her food arrived late) and the owner is also good-humored and amicable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Marlborough Arms<\/a> Pub on Torrington Place, off of Gower Street<\/p>\n

The clientele of a pub is also a significant factor in finding a great pub. There are pubs that seem to attract younger crowds, like The Court on Tottenham Court Road. It appeals to young adults mainly because of their young, attractive bartenders, booming beats, and prominent location. It\u2019s a fun setting if you\u2019re in the mood to deal with a jam-packed, noisy pub. Honestly, it reminds me more of a college party scene than anything else. I don\u2019t want to find a number of other American students at the same pub! Another sort of clientele I\u2019ve noticed some pubs gear toward is a tourist. The Rising Sun, also on Tottenham Court, does not seem to follow the normal English pub rules. Their staff seems to have adapted to serving foreigners since, for one, they have waiters who will cater to you as you sit at a table. I prefer the traditional English pub experience where one must go up to the bar to buy food, a round, or to discreetly tip the bartender\u2014just as Kate Fox explains in Watching the English<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Court<\/a> Pub on Tottenham Court Road<\/p>\n

Another topic Orwell brings up in regards to pubs is the selection of food and drinks. Unfortunately, I have not come across a pub that combines great food and drinks with my ideal pub environment. The ambience at the Marlborough Arms is great\u2014decent music, some noise, a match playing on the telly, friendly patrons, some privacy and comfort\u2014, but the food is mediocre, in my opinion. Moreover, I have had better drinks served elsewhere. Like, for example, the great menu at The Cock a few blocks off of Oxford Street. I agree with Orwell that the quality of food is important for a pub. Superior food and a good selection of drinks add to its comfort and distinctiveness.<\/p>\n

Speaking of distinctiveness, I also think it\u2019s important that a pub distinguishes itself from other pubs. As Orwell stated, he enjoys pubs with gardens and he only knows of three that possess them. Moreover, he covers in detail the architectural layout of his ideal pub, The Moon Under Water. Not that I have discovered my preferred \u201clook\u201d of a pub, I have recognized that I like pubs that express some sort of distinction from the rest. My ideal pub should definitely stand out. It could attain this through its architecture, its garden, or even just its quirky name, like The Moon Under Water.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Old Bank of England<\/a> Pub on Fleet Street<\/p>\n

Sure, I hope to sometime pick a favourite pub, but I also don\u2019t mind exploring all sorts of pubs and their disparate clientele, atmospheres, food and drink selections, patrons, and quirks. In the end, each pub is different; I just have yet to find that one \u201cgreat\u201d pub. It\u2019s not The Old Bank of England Pub on Fleet Street\u2014a high-class pub near the legal courts that had potential to be the favourite\u2014so maybe I will stumble upon it in Norwich.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I read George Orwell\u2019s article, I became increasingly interested in where this charming pub, The Moon Under Water, could be found. I will admit I was disheartened when I learned the pub did not actually exist. Nevertheless, I came to understand Orwell and his inability to find his \u201cperfect\u201d pub. I haven\u2019t had extensive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":380,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6675,92],"tags":[1478,797,1324,807,15241,15210],"class_list":["post-3923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2010-maryc","category-pubs","tag-drink","tag-food","tag-george-orwell","tag-leisure","tag-pubs","tag-socialization"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/380"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3923\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/norwichhumanities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}