Sunday 13 October 2013

Sunday's Bake Day - Apple sauce and cranberry loaf

I love this time of year. Especially as I have friends that own allotments. I had a bag full of bramleys to use up today so made a quick apple sauce and used half with my Sunday lunch and half in this apple sauce and cranberry tea loaf. Perfect with a cuppa.

Coffee-licious!

I'm all grown up - and drinking coffee! For the last 30 years of my life I have had a caffeine free diet (apart from the occasional post drinking session, redbull pick me up). I didn't like the smell of coffee, left all the coffee flavoured chocolates in a box of roses and even turned my nose up at a slice of coffee and walnut cake. In fact it wasn't just coffee, I didn't do any hot drinks, coffee, tea, herbal tea, hot lemon, peppermint tea - even hot chocolates were limited to very, very cold days out. Coffee shops were for sophisticated people.

A couple of weeks ago I was sat with a friend in a coffee shop discussing how we were starting to actually feel grown up. How we were starting to swap company magazine in favour of women's health, how we can go out on the town for just a few drinks and quite happily hand over the 'lets drink as much as we can and wear the smallest skirt we can' baton over to the younger generation. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the window, chatting away and sipping on a carton of ribena. Not very grown up or sophisticated. 

So I braved it - I went up to the counter and ordered a latte.....with a shot of gingerbread syrup (still need to keep a glimpse of the inner child) and I loved it. Tasted like Christmas in a glass. Then came the caffeine buzz and I was hooked. Two Bialetti mocha pots later and my shot glasses are primarily used for coffee making not tequila shooting. So it's official, I am grown up....and some what sophisticated.

In honour of my new found love here's 10 things you didn't know about caffeine from http://en.ilovecoffee.jp/

Monday 7 October 2013

York Does Vintage.....very well

Yesterday I walked through York city centre Topshop, through the high fashion frocks and on trend attire (found a really cool new label in there I will have to tell you about some other time) and out through the back door. I crossed the street, walked down the stone steps and was instantly transported back in time. Not only was York Does Vintage an absolute emporium of vintage finds, it was held in the merchant adventures hall - one of the most historic venues I've had the pleasure of shopping in.

 
Stall number one and my Purse was open. I couldn't resist the Alice in wonderland inspired chain from @ Two Penny Lane. The stall holder Cat was lovely, a local trader who studied archaeology and makes jewellery in her spare time - she admitted to just having a thing for shiny treasures. I think her shiny treasures are lovely and would make great Xmas prezzies, especially in the cute box, no need for wrapping paper.


Next it was time to frock shop. I was after a 1940s dress for next weeks Pickering Vintage weekender. It seemed that everyone in the changing room was trying on dresses for the same thing. Great timing York does Vintage, all the tea dresses and stockings a war time chick could desire. I settled on a polka dot number from Petra prints and a circle skirt and strawberry tea dress from Vintage to Vogue. I know - three items of clothing and I could have carried on if my budget would have allowed me. Love the biker rebel on this wrap dress and even had my eye on a vintage coffee filter. I thing the fact that I had to stop myself going to the cash machine a second time shows the quality of the goods and the thought that the organisers Alex and Sam at Now and then Events put into picking their traders. No wonder they won 'Best shopping experience 2012-2013' -Along with singing from Katie Rebecca, beauty parlours and  tea rooms I have to concur. It was an awesome shopping experience
All in all it was one of those perfect Sundays. And as Sundays are bake days it ended with me enjoying some home made profiteroles and brandy snaps in my new dotty dress - and the honey JD wasn't just for the baking....