Wine Tasting at Veeno

  A few weeks ago an exciting email popped into my inbox. An invitation for myself and a friend to try the Selezione wine tasting at Veeno in Harrogate. Exciting on two counts. Firstly, I like wine as much as the next classy lady. Secondly, although I have had many wonderful opportunities via this blog they are rarely so easy that I can walk home … Continue reading Wine Tasting at Veeno

Banana, chocolate and raspberry muffins

Sometimes baking inventions come from slightly healthier intentions. We have been eating a lot healthier and going to the gym 4-5 times a week. We actually have a couple’s gym membership (although I categorically deny that we sit side by side on the exercise bikes!) As such, there has been a lot more fruit and vegetables in our shopping basket. Enter these muffins. I had … Continue reading Banana, chocolate and raspberry muffins

Ginger Whisk Cookery School – A Review

If you love food I’m sure you can appreciate that even the most confident cooks sometimes benefit from a bit of help and guidance to improve in certain types of cooking. Personally, I find using pastry a challenge (curse my naturally warm hands). As such I was absolutely delighted to attend a Pork Pie making class 2 Saturdays ago at the Ginger Whisk Cookery School … Continue reading Ginger Whisk Cookery School – A Review

Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be constantly productive?

Do you ever get the same feeling as me that you’re constantly running behind? Like you have a long to do list, you complete 90% of it and yet you still have a niggling feeling like you should have pushed that extra bit to get everything done. Sometimes you do have the energy to finish everything off or but some lucky stroke things take less … Continue reading Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be constantly productive?

Something for the weekend: George’s, Leeds

Before I properly start this blog post there are 2 things you need to know:7 The photo quality does not do this restaurant justice. It is embarrassing that after nearly 5 years of blogging that after 5 minutes D took better photos than me. Bravo my darling, bravo. If you’re looking for a venue that can produce a classic British dish and put a contemporary … Continue reading Something for the weekend: George’s, Leeds

Wedding planning part one

As I mentioned in my recent travel posts D and I are engaged and planning our wedding. Full disclosure; there hasn’t been any major stresses and we have disagreed on approximately 3 things. These were centred around the usual minor things; the food, the music etc etc. I have a very helpful fiance who has done a lot of work organising. With music being a … Continue reading Wedding planning part one

The Hobbit Themed Chocolate Birthday Cake

Hobbits are well known for their love of food. So is my family. As the Hobbit is one of my Dad’s all time favourite books it seemed pretty fitting to have a birthday cake themed around the part of the Hobbit; although the execution of it was something of a lucky fluke. Fortunately although it is not an exact replica of how Smaug or his … Continue reading The Hobbit Themed Chocolate Birthday Cake

A weekend in Northumberland

Northumberland you stole our hearts. It turns out that all it takes for D and I to be happy is a beach, fish and chips, a place of historical interest and a boat trip. (Maybe also a day off work). We visited not one but 2 castles; Alnwick Castle, where much of the first 2 Harry Potter films were shot; and Bamburgh Castle which is … Continue reading A weekend in Northumberland

The Florida Road Trip

Oh Florida you stole my heart! Our final leg of the trip was preceded by a rather disastrous flight to Jacksonville from Washington DC, but we had a wonderful time in Florida. We started in Northern Florida at the beaches of Jacksonville and St Augustine, enjoying relaxing on the white sand and swimming in the sea. We followed our day at the beach with seafood … Continue reading The Florida Road Trip

Shenandoah

After more than a week of city breaks we were so ready for some time outdoors and we couldn’t have picked a better location than Shenandoah National Park. Situated in Virginia, we were both blown away with the scale of it and its beauty. We had picked up a hire car in Washington DC and headed for the park, only stopping for walking snacks at … Continue reading Shenandoah