It’s that time again…
Refreshing the portfolio.
Figured I’d start updating my site at the same time… at 4.11am.
Anyway, amidst the absolute chaos of hard drives plugged into my desk, I found these.
This one holds sentimental value.
You may have met Nat already. If you haven’t, let me offer a brief (biased) summary;
Australian
Pearl Jam Fan
Specialty Wine Expert
Beer Expert/Chugger
Linch Pin Of Friendship Groups.
I first met Nat (officially) over a decade ago. We’d met prior in a bike shop, but I’d forgotten.
Nat would keep beers back for me to buy on Fridays, a treat after riding bikes in shit weather all week long.
Fridays would turn to Saturday mornings. Beers, replaced by coffee, filthy grilled sandwiches & home made cakes.
The perfect weekend ritual.
For many weekends, we’d shoot the shit during these brief encounters. Music, travelling, bikes, life, the lot.
Randomly, one weekend Nat offered me a job. He was opening a bar in Cardiff.
At that time I was a cycle courier, so the idea of a gauranteed wage each month was not to be sniffed at!
It was in this bar I met the best gang of freaks, geeks and weirdos. Under Nat’s watchful eye, we created a home where we’d drink beers, eat burgers and play Mario Kart.
Our customers became fast friends and together we made something truly special.
Nowadays, we’ve all moved on. Gotten married, had kids & followed different passions.
However, Nat has kept that feeling of home alive. Incubating it over the years that followed after the bar.
As a result, State Of Love & Trust was born. A local neighbourhood off-licence & bar, a welcoming, communal gathering space, dreamt up by Nat and his sister-in-law Abigail.
Aptly named after a Pearl Jam song.
State Of Love & Trust has evolved further since these photos were taken, hosting events with food vendors, adding more draft beer & bespoke tables from local legends Neud.
If like me you’ve put your drinking days to rest, they still sling belting coffee’s and offer plenty of alternatives to explore.
… And fried egg flavoured crisps.
Go pay em a visit. I mean, if one of the original bar crew can regularly travel from California to visit, you’ve got no excuse right?!