A quiet week end!

The week end again, and we decided to keep it local for a change! On Saturday morning we headed into Burton to have a look around the shops. Have you noticed how busy they are at this time of year! I am truly glad my Christmas shopping is all done. After a trip up the A38 to Lichfield to get our hair cut, we headed off to Barton Marina to visit the Craft market. I am so glad we went, it was great! There were way more stalls than usual, and also a much better selection of stuff for sale. The past time we went it seemed to be a total cup cake fest! There was lots of jewellery for sale....oh joy!! One of the stalls had a great selection of themed jewellery - Harry Potter,  The Hunger Games, 50 Shades and best of all Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. I think i may have been their best customer of the day. 

Despite it being a cold day, we went for a walk around the lake. A mother and daughter were feeding the ducks, all was going well till a huge swan appeared on the scene convinced the bread was for him. He was bigger than the child, and extremely pushy!! Mother and child beat a hasty retreat!

Today we went to Byrkley Park, it was very busy! I love to visit the garden centres at this time of year to check out all the decorations. So many to choose from, and this year we found lots of angels.....not that we need anymore! We stopped at the cafe to enjoy their special offer, a mince pie and tea for 99p - would have been rude not too. I would love to know what the inside of the grotto was like though, there was quite  a queue of parents and children outside waiting to visit Santa, but it looked kind of -blah- from outside, really not decked out in festive attire. I hope the inside was more magical. 

Just over a month to go till the BIG day, and i am so excited! This afternoon we have embraced the Christmas spirit by watching Christmas movies and drinking mulled wine. Does not get better than that! I am never really ready for my week ends to end, they never seem long enough. But i am looking forward to the month ahead, at least the Saturdays and Sundays -  because whatever we do, they are always filled with joy!

Beautiful Bath

Firstly, maybe you should go and make a coffee….or perhaps a tea. Then when you are sitting comfortably, let me take you on a journey!

On Saturday we started the day with a lovely breakfast courtesy of the Holiday Inn Express, very nice selection of hot and cold food available at the buffet. So after refuelling we set off for Bath, much less complicated!!! It was a short drive to the Park & Ride, and from there we hopped on a bus to the city centre. It’s a busy Park and Ride, and the buses were leaving full! 

On arriving in Bath the first thing I wanted to do was visit the Jane Austen Centre.  I had wanted to do this last year, but having spent a large part of the day at the Roman Baths, there just wasn’t time. The admission is quite steep, so be warned! But it is interesting, and if you are a Jane Austen fan then it’s a must. First there is a talk by one of the staff dressed in period costume, these last about 15 minutes and take place on the hour, twenty to the hour and twenty past the hour. After the talk we were free to wander around the rest of the centre at our own pace. It’s not a huge place, but interesting! At the end there is the opportunity to dress up in costumes if you wish too. Plus as you leave there was a big plate of little biscuits to try, apparently these were made from a recipe from Jane’s time. Be sure to try them if they are there, they were good! The gift shop is full of interesting things, and i bought the most beautiful necklace that pays homage to Austen's Mr Darcy.

After leaving the Jane Austen Centre, we had a coffee then set off to explore the beautiful city. For any of you that have never been, you should try to visit at least once. There is so much history, just look around you at the buildings as you walk past! The architecture is wonderful, there’s something interesting to look at everywhere you go. Besides the Jane Austen centre, there’s The Roman Baths, the Abbey, The Royal Crescent and probably a lot of museums etc that we never discovered.

A place that is well worth a visit is Sally Lunn’s House, there is now a tea room there which you can’t miss because there is always a long queue of tourists outside waiting for a table. It’s a very quaint building, and worth a visit if the queue isn’t too long and you accept the fact that the tea and buns are going to be over priced! However, what a lot of people don’t know is that there is the teeniest museum down stairs in the basement area, where you can learn a little more about Sally Lunn, and also buy her famous buns!  According to the Sally Lunn web site - Legend has long been certain that a young Huguenot refugee – Solange Luyon – came to Bath in 1680 after escaping persecution in France. She found work in the kitchen of the bakery in the street known in those days as Lilliput Alley, and originally sold the baker’s wares from a basket in the lanes around Bath Abbey. But Solange – who, due to her colleagues unfamiliarity with French pronunciation, became known as Sally Lunn – had arrived in England with a unique skill to share. She began baking a rich, generous brioche bun similar to the French festival breads that she would have been so familiar with before she fled France. And a final note about Sally Lunn’s, the lady in the little museum/shop likes to talk….a lot….and backing away towards the stairs doesn’t help! By the time we finally got away we knew her whole life story – bless her!

The shopping is great in Bath, no big shopping Centre, but lots of interesting little side roads, and all the major chain stores you could possibly hope for. It is worth taking the time to also walk down to the river to see the famous Pulteney Bridge and the weir. Pulteney Bridge crosses the River Avon. It was completed by 1774, and connected the city with the newly built Georgian town of Bathwick. Again, there is a lot of history in this area and the architecture of the bridge is beautiful. If you walk across the bridge you’ll find lots of little shops, cafes etc (check out the cakes at the bakery!) This is where we found Thai on the Weir, a wonderful Thai restaurant where we stopped for a very late lunch. Make sure you head towards the rear of the restaurant, where there are tables overlooking the weir. Much nicer view than from the front of the restaurant.  The set lunch was delicious, and we were so glad we discovered the place. It was an adventure ordering drinks, and interesting to find that the Thai have no idea what shandy is! 

After lunch we headed back to the main shopping area, just to soak up the atmosphere of a busy pre-Christmas Saturday afternoon. Sadly though it was soon time to head back to the park and ride and start our journey home. Once again luck was not on our side, it seems to be everywhere we go, there are roadworks or accidents L On Saturday the M42 was closed completely at its junction with the M5, meaning we had no option but to carry on up the M5. I had visions of us being hopelessly lost in the middle of Birmingham on a Saturday night, but as luck would have it the M5 was deserted and the journey home via the M6 was not that bad, or that much longer.  We did stop at a service area for a comfort break and to refuel the car, whilst there I just happened to find the most amazing Anna Smith bag! It was fate, obviously meant to be mine!!

 

It’s been a great week end and one that I am sad is over. Bath is a beautiful city and I am already hoping that we can return soon. It’s one of those places that is easy to fall in love with. But be aware, one day will never be enough to take it all in.

The Mystery of the Missing Park & Ride

I was lucky enough to have Friday off work, and we had plans! We were up bright and early, and by 7.30am we were on the M42 and on our way to Bristol. The roads were surprisingly clear, and traffic moving along nicely. Everything was going well till we turned off the M5 for Bistol, our aim was to head for the Park and Ride. I had googled the details before leaving home and having seen a sign post we knew we must be heading the right way. However the Sat Nav kindly took us into the middle of a residential area and announced 'you have arrived' - the hell we hadn't!! After quite some time driving around, it became apparent we were not going to find a park and ride, so we decided to bite the bullet and just head into the city centre. That was easy enough, but we were in for a HUGE shock. Oh my god, the car parking was so expensive. We pulled into the NCP car park under the Holiday Inn, and were mortified by the parking charges, but you know what can you do.....you're there, and have no idea where else you could go. The sign posting  in Bristol

left a lot to be desired I have to say. I am sure if you're a local and know where you're going then its not a problem, but to a visitor its a nightmare. Anyway, having resigned ourselves to our fate, we popped into the Holiday Inn, and met the wonderful concierge Derek, he was amazing and very helpful. Considering we were not guests at the hotel, he went above and beyond. It was interesting to find out that as far as Derek knew there was no Park and Ride on that side of Bristol - the plot thickens!

The rest of the day was better, we had a coffee and took a few moments to compose ourselves then headed off to explore. We looked around Cabots Circus, St Nicholas's market and the Harborside. I have to say, I think Bristol is very expensive and that came as a surprise. But it was nice to experience somewhere new. The highlight of the day was having lunch at Za Za Bazaar, the place is amazing and apparently the biggest restaurant in the UK. It certainly is HUGE! Its a world buffet with food stations serving Indian, TexMex, far eastern food etc. Everything was delicious and plentiful. The best part was the desserts....oh my lord, they were to die for! Little mini lemon meringues, pannacotta's, banoffee pies, jelly in shot glasses, and little slices of cake.....heaven on a plate. SO if you ever go there, leave plenty of room for dessert!

We left Bristol late afternoon and headed to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express just outside the city centre. It was really upmarket to our usual Travelodges!! It was a lovely comfortable hotel and there was a pub next door. So after checking in, we went to the Fox Den for a drink, we might have stayed for more....but that would have meant  taking out a second mortgage. We returned to the hotel for a quiet evening, and early night. Yes - the Ivans' are party animals!

A visitor from the Ice Age

Meet my new friend Sid! Isn't he a cutie, we valiantly rescued him from the ice age and brought him to live in Swad - what more could a prehistoric sloth ask for!  Paul got me Sid to cheer me up, and to keep me company on my drive to work. At least now i will have someone to talk too when i am stuck on the A38!

Today didn't start well, it was a lovely morning - beautifully bright and sunny, so we decided to head to Byrkley Park to check out the Christmas decorations. Sadly we only got half way through Barton, the road was closed due to the remembrance Sunday service and we were unable to go any further. I hadn't realised it was so near to 11am. Instead we headed back into Burton to do some shopping, like Old Mother Hubbard, all my cupboards were bare.....along with the freezer and fridge! While in town we decided to have coffee and i decided we should try somewhere we'd not been before. With this in mind we headed up to Cafe B - don't ask why but I've never been! When we got there the place was almost obscured by scaffolding, vans and men with long poles! I was convinced that they'd drop something on my head and that would be the end of me! We went off to Home Bargains and returned later, when we only had to contend with the scaffolding. I am glad we did, what a lovely place when you get inside. I love the way the place was laid out and decorated. Already looking forward to going back again at some point.

When we got home my personal colourist (aka Paul!) did my hair for me, he's really very good at it. Tho i wish he would stop trying to talk like a hairdresser! Glad to say my hair looks much better now! And i tried out my new nail polish, bright red with a glittery top coat that sparkles like diamonds when the light catches it. I almost feel ready to face a new week!

Share my trip to Loughborough

At last the week end, why is it sometimes it seems to take forever to come around. We woke up to a bright sunny day, so we were up early and off to Loughborough. Its a university town about a half an hour away from where we live, and somewhere we love to visit every once in a while. When we arrived we headed to Bojangles, a fabulous shop that sells beads, and all the fixings to make bracelets, necklaces etc. I could spend hours in there looking at all the stuff they have for sale.  We bought some antique chain, clasps and pendents. I was a very happy shopper! Next stop was the coffee shop next door. Its the first time we've been there, but not the last I am sure! The tea was nice and the toasted tea cake was even nicer! I think the place was called Goodliffes. I have to be honest, I know it started with a 'G' but that's all I'm sure of!

After our refreshments we had a walk around the town. Loughborough is one of the few places i know that still has a big Saturday market. Its also very popular and busy! Its fun to browse at the stalls, and people watch. A winning combination for sure. And for anyone that is into crafts, there are lots of interesting shops. And whilst wondering along the high street we discovered a Fair Trade craft fair in the town hall - how lucky was that! Right place, right time!

We had lunch at the Varsity, part of the Smith and Jones chain, which is currently in administration. Sadly our local Smith and Jones pub in Burton has recently been closed, but the Varsity is still going....for the moment. Its a shame, its a nice pub, and the food's cheap! We didn't buy much else, but it was still nice to get out and make the most of the day.

On the way home we passed the ruins of Grace Dieu Priory. One day i would like to visit the place, but i think it would have been too wet on Saturday. According to Wikapedia it was founded around 1235-1241 by Roesia de Verdon and dissolved in October in 1538. The priory is reputed to be the site of frequent paranormal phenomena, sometimes attributed to the priory's proximity to the Thringstone Fault, several lay-lines and some possible Pagan significance attached to the site.

Later in the day i decided to try out Lush's Starlight Starbright bath melt. Its smells amazing, and is the most glittery thing you can imagine. It looked like one of the Iron Fey has dissolved in my bath! I think it goes without saying that i am now glittering like one of the Cullens from Twilight! What fun!!

Paul's afternoon was also very productive, as he used some of the stuff we got from Bojangles to make me two necklaces. Do they not look amazing, i am thrilled with them! As you'll all know I love Alice in wonderland, and love this pendent.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday, i just wish the time didn't just fizzle away at such an alarming rate. There are always so many things i want to do, and somehow there is never quite enough time.

the highlights of Swad - part 2

It recently seems like the Pipeworks has become the epicentre of Swadlincote. The amount of cars trying to park there at week ends and school holidays would prove that point. But hey, the day the Odeon opened, we knew Swad had 'arrived'!! 

 

On Thursday, i met my lovely friend Caroline and her son at the  Hungry Horse, now I know a lot of people rave about this place, but I've never had much luck there. Whenever Paul and i have been (which isn't often) there has been a long wait, once 90 minutes!! On Thursday there was a wait and when the food arrived, mine came first and finally the other two meals. Not ideal, and i have to say my lunch was mediocre.  However the wonderful company more than made up for that. I was delighted to meet Caroline's son, and so enjoyed our chat about Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Atlantis. All i can say is that Andrew has excellent taste! 

 

There are also several garden centres in and around Swadlincote which make a pleasant diversion, especially at this time of year when all the Christmas decorations are out.  Paul and i recently discovered Chapmans Garden centre out near Rosliston Forestry centre. Its quite small compared to some other local ones, but they have a cute little coffee shop out back. In the summer we found it a lovely place to sit outside amidst the plants and trees, while enjoying a coffee. Its one of those places we're really glad we stumbled upon.

 

I've probably spent more time in Swadlincote this week than in the last few months, and its been enjoyable. Its made me think that we really should make more of an effort to stay local and enjoy what it has to offer.

The highlights of Swad......yes, really!!! Part 1

After our trip down to London and Kent, we decided to have a couple of days closer to home. It was nice to have a break from the traffic and the weather. We have lived in Swad for so many years, yet rarely go into town. So for us it was quite an adventure!! As we happened to be there on Thursday, we were able to visit the farmers market, its much smaller than the one in Bakewell, but still worth a visit if you are in the area. We sampled some cheese (and ended up buying some) and ginger wine. We got into an in-depth conversation with the stall holder about the virtues of brandy and Babychams, yes....very 1980's I know! For some reason he was convinced I came from a catering background - go figure!! It was fun looking around the market! I was meeting the lovely Caroline for lunch, but we still had time to kill and decided to have a wonder up the road to se where it went. And.....we discovered Sharper's Pottery museum. I am ashamed to say we hadn't been before. Its free and really interesting, certainly gave me a better understanding of Swadlincote. And it made me realise, I will NEVER be considered a local! C'est la vie! The museum has a lovely coffee shop, and that is somewhere we will go again for sure. they make the prettiest cappucino's! We really enjoyed our visit to the museum, so much so that we went back on Saturday. And worth mentioning, we were asked to complete a questionnaire to say what we thought of the exhibition upstairs. In return for doing it, they gave us vouchers for free coffees. Now, who can say no to a free coffee!

more than just a week end - Part 2

Wednesday the 30th saw us head down to Kent to spend the day in Rochester. I lived near here for several years before moving up to the Midlands, i know a lot of you will remember those days! Its was strange returning there for the day as a tourist when everything seemed so familiar. Though the shops and restaurants have changed, the roads and pavements are the same ones I have walked along so many times in the past. We visited the castle first, its been there since Norman times and has seen a fair amount of action over the years.There were not that many people there, which made it easy to explore the castle.
You can climb pretty much to the top, and the view from there is worth the climb.

next stop was the Cathedral. Another place I have been many times. Its a place to find peace and quiet reflection. Sadly the crypt was closed, but we walked around the  rest of the cathedral and admired the beauty. On leaving the cathedral, we had lunch at Ye Olde Arrow, we were the only ones in there a part from a man standing at the bar. What a shame, the food was wonderful!! After lunch we had a stroll along the high street, looking in some of the shops as we walked along. The highlight of the day was shopping for gypsy tarts!!! Woo hoo, i got two from different bakeries. For anyone who has never had one, they  are scrumptious!! And as far as i know they are only available in north Kent, i have never seen them anywhere else. They are so good, and worth driving to Rochester for, ha ha!! I was sad when we had to leave, who knows when i will next be

back there.

Rochester might be one of the smallest cities on the country, but there is a lot of history in the area, and its well worth a visit. Its a short drive from Bluewater, Dockside and Upnor castle. If you're ever in the area, don't miss it!

more than just a week end - Part 1

well another week end over, and as usual the week end and in fact the whole week has flown by. Its been a week of ups and downs, but in true Pollyanna style i am only concentrating on just the good parts! We had a wonderful day in London, it was so good to be back there again. We spent the morning in Camden Market, one of my favourite places! It was fun to look around, I got the most fabulous and brightly coloured bag you can imagine in Cyberdog. Paul thinks you can see it from orbit!! We had Chinese food for lunch, and enjoyed ambling around the the stalls. In the afternoon we went on one of the walks from the Histories and Mysteries books, it took us past the Haymarket, trafalgar sqaure and St Martins in the Field. We spent an hour or so at the National Gallery - so many beautiful paintings! From the gallery we walked over to Charing Cross road and had a drink at the Garrick Arms. What a lovely pub, it was nice to sip a cold drink and people watch. The walk finished near Covent garden, so we spent some time there. Its another of my favourite places. Finally we headed back to Charing Cross to get the train back to Penge. I do feel a little sad, as i don't know when we'll next get to spend time in the City.

to be continued......