Holiday in Wales - Day 2

On the Saturday of our holiday we went to Wrexham. I had put out a call on my Facebook to see if anyone had any recommendations in the area, and a friend had recommended Ty Pawb in Wrexham. It's an art space with market stalls and food counters, and on the Saturday it also happened to have a Makers Market on too. So I said we should go. We were only about twenty minutes west of Wrexham so it didn't take too long at all. We parked and went into the market. There were some lovely things to buy, but we didn't get anything at first. There's also a great retro gaming shop inside it which was cool to see. We went out of Ty Pawb and into some other shops including a record shop where we bought a couple of things. We went into a little arcade and some nice independent shops. 

We went up some really pretty streets and into St Giles' Church. It had an interesting display inside about D Day, so we read some of that stuff. The ceiling was also really nice and I was glad that a nice volunteer had given me a leaflet about the church. 

We were kind of looking for somewhere to eat, but couldn't find anywhere, so we decided to go back into Ty Pawb where there were a few different food choices. I wanted Welsh Rarebit, but it turned out that it had bacon on, and I don't eat meat. Wtf though, why did it have to have bacon on it?! I should have got a refund and gone elsewhere, but I was flustered, so I decided to just have a jacket potato with cheese and beans. It was fine, but nothing special. Lee had pie and chips which looked amazing. 

We headed back to the caravan site and went swimming. There were a few other people in but the pool was nice enough. It was warm enough, but it needed a bit of refurbishment. It was very from the 1970s! It shut at 5pm so we got out then and got showered and in our pyjamas for the evening. 

Lee made fake bacon and pan haggerty for tea. I've said it before but he always makes pan haggerty on holiday because it's a bit labour intensive. It was delicious! We forgot to get solid cheese to grate so I ended up cutting up slices of cheese with scissors, like you do.

I was wearing an old Yours dress, I love the pink colour and pattern on it. I also got a pair of Pride converse off Vinted and I LOVE them. I thought they might rub but thankfully they don't. I love the sequins and rainbows! My hair was tied up because we were about to go swimming. I also had a new costume which I had got off Simply Be recently, it was nice to wear but I didn't get a photo of it until later in the week.

The inside side of my trainers is silver sequins. You can also see most of my Hello Kitty tattoo haha

And the outside is rainbow sequins and I love them!

Inside the market when we got there. I did end up going back and buying a couple of bits, but nothing huge

St Giles' Church, it was on a really pretty road too 

I liked these signs

Inside, looking at the D Day display

There are sixteen singing angels on the ceiling, apparently

Inside a very cute shopping arcade

Jacket potato with cheese and beans

Pink dress when we got back

Cutting up cheese with scissors, like you do (the knives were rubbish too)

Pan haggerty

And that night I looked outside a bit earlier, so the sun was still setting really

Holiday in Wales - Day 1

At the beginning of June Lee and I went away to Wales for a week. We stayed in a static caravan on a Vale site about twenty minutes west of Wrexham in North Wales. It was the first proper time Lee had had off all year and he really needed it! We couldn't get into the caravan until 4pm and the drive was only a couple of hours, so I said we should go to Black Sheep Wools on the way.

It's in Warrington and I've bought yarn off the website before, but I know you can visit the warehouse so it's been something I've wanted to do for ages. It was practically on the way to North Wales. We left our house at about 11am and bought some sandwiches from the drive as I know that the shop has a tearoom but I thought it just did hot drinks and cake, so we needed sandwiches for lunch. 

We ate them on the way, listening to music as we do, and we got there about 1pm. I walked round the whole shop, looking at all the yarn and all the kits that they have. I picked up some craft kits, and looked at a cardigan that I want to make. I really want to crochet myslef a garment but I've seen conflicting informations about how much yarn I will need. So I asked a member of staff, Lucy, for help. She was really helpful and nice. I bought several balls of yarn and am hoping to make a garment out of them. I didn't have any hooks with me though and Lee wanted me to get going while I was away, so I bought a hook too. 

We went into the cafe - which actually does do some sandwiches and quiche, which is useful info if you're going! - and I had a coffee and a scone with butter, cream, and jam. Lee had a brownie which was delicious. We set off not too long after that, and hit Wales at about 3pm. However, there was some traffic so it took us until nearly 4pm to actually get to our caravan site. 

It was a big site, and very quiet. The amenities weren't much to write home about, but we don't use much of them anyway. We were too late to go in the pool that evening, which wasa bit of a shame, but we unpacked and got settled in anyway. The caravan was really nice and clean and had everything we needed and more. It didn't have a deck but the one next door was having one installed, so I think ours was probably next on the list. There was barely anyone there. Our caravan had a picnic bench outside and as the weather was nice we ate our tea - leftover shepherd's pie from the previous night - outside. It was a bit cold though - the whole holiday was cold - so we went back inside to watch a film!

I was wearing new earrings I bought recently from Loud Mary, who I've met a few times. I love the pattern of them and will be wearing them loads. I was also wearing my Wednesday t shirt and a Scarlett and Jo skirt.

Here's my face and earrings just before we set off

Cream tea in Black Sheep Wools. All the staff were so lovely

Me outside the shop

Our caravan! Sadly those sliding doors didn't open (but probably will when it has a deck) but the windows did

The front room

A better look at my earrings

There was a bottle of wine left in the fridge for us which was nice, so I opened it straight away!

Here's what I bought at Black Sheep Wools

The picnic table

The sky looked so blue and lovely but it was so cold

Lee and his tea

Looking down the park from where we were

Here's all the crochet I got going with, just simple grannies... I love the colours of the yarn, though

It was too light to see any stars when we went to bed, but the sky looked lovely

Lunch and Shopping with Chloe

At the beginning of June I went to Meadowhall to see Chloe. We had planned it with Lolly, but she wasn't well enough to come, so the two of us decided to go to Meadowhall anyway because Chloe wanted to go to Kenji. We met at 10.30 and had a coffee each before doing a little bit of shopping. We went into Yours where I got a couple of tops, and then into Lovisa (or is it Louisa) where I got some studs for my nose piercing. I've worn the same one since I got it pierced in 2010 and I love the shape of it, so I've just never bothered changing it. 

We went into Lush where I bought conditioner and then went into the Oasis and had a little look in the Lanes, but then headed upstairs to the restaurants up there. We wanted to try The Real Greek, which has only just opened there. It's where the Handmade Burger Co used to be. There was already a bit of a queue - clearly everyone wanted to try it! We joined the queue and got seated really quickly which was good. 

I went for hummus and flatbreads to start with and then a halloumi wrap which had salad and chips and mint yoghurt inside. It was really nice! I would go again and try some different things too. I can't believe how busy it was though. 

We went to Kenji and Chloe bought a plush kitty she was after. Then we went into Marks and Spencer and I got some food I needed and she did too. Then we ended up sitting outside M&S chatting for ages until it was about 2.30 and Chloe needed to go. I drove home. I was wearing my Topsy Curvy rainbow tartan dress which is so comfortable so was just what I needed. When I got out of the car my neighbour told me it was a 'very summery dress!'. 

Chloe and I in the Real Greek. It was lovely to see her, I wish Lolly had been well enough though!

Hummus, it was delicious 

And it came with plenty of flatbread!

My wrap - you can't see the halloumi but I promise it was there!

My rainbow tartan dress

And finally my new nose stud

Films of the Month - May

I watched fourteen fillms in May which was a decent number especially as I was so busy generally. Here's what I saw:

First of all I watched the remake of Mean Girls. Mean Girls is one of my favourite films of all times so I was intrigued to watch the remake. I didn't realise it was a musical to start off with which I understand happened to a lot of people! I did like it, it's not as good as the original but I did enjoy watching it

I really want to watch ten films with Margot Robbie in before my birthday next year, so I rewatched I Tonya, which I absolutely love. I also really recommend the You're Wrong About podcast talking about Tonya Harding as it's really interesting

Lee and I carried on our Ghostbusters thing by watching the second film. We like it, it's still great, what else can I say?

I watched A Life Less Ordinary just because I like Ewan Macgregor and I've never got around to watching this. It is not one of his better films. I wouldn't bother seeing it again

As I previously wrote, Sam and Jodie and I went to see this filmed version of Nye from the National Theatre, I'm counting it as a film 

Lee and I watched My Cousin Vinny together, it's one of my favourite films and I love it so much. Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei are both amazing and funny

Lee and I watched Terminator 2 one Saturday I think. It's my favourite over the first one. I love it so much, I love T1000 and I love how the original terminator learns ethics

Netflix wanted me to watch Mother of the Bride so I did. It was quite cute. Brooke Shields was good. I wouldn't watch it again, but it passed the time

Netflix also thought I would like to watch In the Land of Saints and Sinners with Liam Neeson. I love films set in Ireland and this is a decent example of the body of work, even if it did feel a bit formulaic in places. It was nice to see Niamh Cusack on the telly!

Lee and I also watched Hot Fuzz which I love - I actually wanted to watch Shaun of the Dead but it wouldn't work properly so we watched this instead. We might watch the third one again

Where the Crawdads Sing turned up on Netflix so I watched it. I haven't read the book and now I don't think I will. I liked the film but probably not enough to read the book. The actors were all good though

Lee and I watched Punk's Not Dead which is a documentary about hardcore punk, primarily in America but with some UK people too. It's really good; we've seen it before but not for ages. I recommend it if you like punk 

I watched Grease one afternoon late in May, because I love it a lot and it had been a while

Finally I watched the Scooby Doo film from 2002, which I've never seen. It's not brilliant at all. Not even Sarah Michelle Gellar could redeem it!

Six by Nico in Leeds

On the 2nd of June I went back to Leeds to meet my friend Sally for lunch at Six by Nico on East Parade. She's been before but I never had, but I had been signed up to their mailing list for ages. Basically every six weeks they get a new tasting menu of six courses inspired by somewhere or something new and they do a vegetarian menu alongside a meat one. I've been interested in quite a few of the menus and noticed that Sally had been, and she also mentioned the two of us eating together somewhere fancy to celebrate us both turning forty. Sally and I went to school together but lost touch when I left at sixteen. We became friends on Facebook and have met up a few times since January 2023. It's been really nice to reconnect with her! So I thought going here would be absolutely lovely. 

It isn't cheap - the tasting menu is £42 which isn't bad, but the drinks were a bit expensive and we also asked some savoury churros. But it was really nice for a treat and I liked the ambience of the restaurant. The serving staff were really pleasant and knowledgeable, too. 

So this menu was inspired by Mexico City and as you can see the vegetarian side has had as much thought as the meat one. The different types were really similar to each other which was nice because it meant Sally and I could compare notes. I think my favourite was the tostada which came first - I think I could have eaten about ten of those. I was glad we added the churros, too. We were there two and a half hours, including coffee, which was absolutely lovely. We walked towards The Light together before saying goodbye.

I was wearing this old Scarlett and Jo dress that I've had forever. It's a lovely sheer grey material with polka dots, which was lovely in the weather because it was lovely and sunny in Leeds! I was wearing my teal coloured Snag tights underneath, and red dolly shoes which were originally from Topshop but which I got on Vinted. I also put make up on!

My lipstick was darker than it seemed, but I like it all the same

Let me make this photo a bit bigger in the hopes you will be able to read it

Sally and I both had a guava spritz to drink

Here we are with our drinks!

Tostada - so fresh and delicious

Sweetcorn fritter - this was delicious too 

Goats cheese and parmesan churros - I could have eaten a lot of these, too 

This was an onion with onion chutney and potato crackling for me - but what I really liked best on here was the almond pesto. Sally agreed!

Halloumi on a white bean chilli and served with a spicy broth - this was delicious too 

Plantain in like spring roll pastry, with corn tamales and different gels and stuff. This one didn't wow me

But the cake was worth the wait - pecan cake with tres leches mousse on top and a sorbet type thing which was citrussy - really yummy even though I wouldn't have chosen it

And to be honest the whole thing pushed me out of my comfort zone, which is good!

Red dolly shoes from Topshop, they're so ridiculous

Here I am in my Scarlett and Jo dress. I've had it since at least 2017 cos I wore it to my cousin's wedding then

I sat outside for a little bit about 6.30 with the cats, which was lovely