Bottomless Brunch in Sheffield

A couple of months ago I joined a Sheffield based group of alternative types. I was following their instagram and decided to join the WhatsApp community. Within that there are sub groups for almost every subject you could think of, and I joined some that were relevant to me. It's generally a really lovely and welcoming space. I joined the sub group for bottomless brunches and I signed up to the April one which was at Manahatta near City Hall. 

Lee and I went into Barnsley first because I needed to get my new glasses adjusted. Then we went for a coffee and into a couple of shops before Lee walked to the train station with me and left me there, so I went over to get a ticket and then got on a train. Once at the station in Sheffield I went to get a tram to get up to City Hall. I was actually running a bit late but about ten to one I managed to get there! I was greeted with a group of five people which was a lovely number actually!

They were all so nice! There was already prosecco on the table and I had an orchard apple spritz too. The food was good - I had a vegan hotdog and fries, and there was some sweet potato fries and onion rings to share. The alcohol kept flowing and it was just such a fun time. We had to leave the table at 2.30 but we still had some prosecco left and I ended up with a huuuuge glass of it. We went outside and drank the end of our drinks on the terrace and some other people from the group turned up too which was lovely. We went across to Wetherspoons by which point I was more than tipsy. Some other people turned up and it was just a really joyful experience. 

I left about 6pm and got on a train and Lee picked me up in Barnsley. I then laid down for quite a while... Fortunately I had sobered up by the time I went to bed. I wearing a peach dress from New Look which I've had forever and like to wear in the sunshine. It was a little bit cold though so I put my pink zebra striped cardigan on too. 

Wearing a little bit of make up while waiting for the train in Barnsley. My lipstick is a Body Shop one

Vegan hot dog and fries, it was really nice

I lied, I actually ended up with two glasses of prosecco, one of which was huge

You know it's a bad time when the Baby Guinness shots come out 

My outfit when I got home

Tea out with Stacey

I didn't have any plans for the 25th of April but then my friend Stacey messaged me earlier in the week to say she was unexpectedly child free, so did I want to get together for tea. I said yes of course as it's absolutely ages since I've seen her. We dithered about where to go and I had suggested La Fortezza at Newmillerdam, but it was fully booked. But Stacey noticed that Capri has opening a new restaurant there so we booked that for 6pm. I've been to the one in Wakefield, near Stacey's house in fact, but not to any of the others. It is a bit spendy but it is also delicious food. 

I got Lee to take me so that I could have a drink. The restaurant is in the old mill at the dam and it's on two levels - so accessibility is possible as there's an entrance on both levels, but if you're disabled be specific about parking/entry - and I was shown down to the bottom level into a lovely booth. The wheel from the mill is there and it's absolutely gorgeous. Plus the decor is really lovely and the tables are all marble etc. 

Stacey arrived not too long after and we ordered drinks and then food. I went for an arancia fizz to drink, which was lovely, and Caprese salad and a salmon pasta. I do occasionally eat fish and I'm so glad I ordered it because it was creamy and delicious. They both were, in fact. 

We only had the table until 7.30 due to a further booking, so we didn't have time for pudding. I then suggested that Stacey take me to my mum's as it's not far from Newmillerdam and Lee could pick me up from there. Plus I knew my mum would want to see her. So we headed there but on the way to the car we saw a heron on the water which was lovely, he's very majestic. My mum and stepdad were watching the snooker, of course. We had a nice chat. Lee turned up and Stacey left about 9pm because she wanted to make the most of having a good sleep and her bed to herself for the night! Lee and I left not too long after that, too. 

I was wearing a dress from Simply Be that I've had forever but usually wear with a cardigan because I don't really like the top of it. But my new (to me) coral top looks really nice over the top of it as it matches the flowers in the dress, so I am glad I put the two together. I will probably wear this again! I also put some make up on including a new lipstick. 

Selfie in the house before I set off, after I'd done my make up 

Arancia fizz 

I took this of the decor and was trying hard to not get people in it - but you can see the water wheel on the left hand side there which is pretty cool

Stacey and I 

Caprese salad - it was immense! 

Can you see the heron camouflaged against the water?

And here I am when I got home in an old summery dress and new coral top which I got off Vinted

World Championship Snooker 2025

As you might remember from last year, my mum is obsessed with snooker and always watches the World Championships when it's on the television, and for the past few years she has bought us tickets to go and watch some of it at The Crucible in Sheffield. I wouldn't say I love the sport, but I do like watching it when it's fun, and when it's live there's a whole atmosphere and vibe which I really like. So I've agreed to go with her and we've had a really fun day watching. This year my stepdad said he wanted to go. My mum bought us all tickets for the morning and afternoon sessions on the fourth day, which was expensive, yes, but she likes it so much so it's fine!

We asked Lee to drive us all to Sheffield and he then worked in the office all day. His new job is in Sheffield and he goes in to the office twice a week, so it was fine for him to go on the Tuesday. We set off at 8am because, you know, Sheffield traffic. He dropped us off by the Crucible at about 9am and we headed to Marmadukes for breakfast.

It is absolutely the cutest place and I love that this is tradition now when we go to the snooker. My mum really likes it. I didn't know how busy it would be but we went straight in. Steve Davis was in there having his breakfast which is apparently his tradition too. We got a table and ordered. I went for the avocado toast which I've had before and which I really needed because I needed some fresh, savoury food after the weekend I had had. I had a decaf cappucino too.

We went over to the theatre and got our seats. The session started just after 10am. We were seeing Pang Junzu and Zhang Anda. And oh my gosh, it was quite a dull session. They both faffed about quite a bit. I prefer it when they actually play snooker instead of playing safety shots. They have a mid session break after a few frames and in this case that didn't happen until past twelve o'clock! Some of the frames lasted forty five minutes! Come along, stop shilly shallying. We went out into the foyer for the break and had our photo taken with the cup - which we were told to not touch! - which was pretty cool. We headed back in for what was more interesting snooker, thankfully. 

We left the theatre at around 1pm because we wanted to get some lunch before the afternoon session. They were still going so I don't know what time it had actually finished. 

We went into the Winter Gardens for some lunch. My mum and I have been in there before and we liked the sandwiches. She and I just had crisps and then a piece of flapjack each because we were going out for tea. Norman had a sandwich. It is nice in there and it's also where the BBC commentary happens with usually Hazel Irving but this time it was Sue Barker. We watched that for a little bit. Then just as we were walking out Ken Doherty was wandering about so my mum got a photo with him - he was rushing off so I couldn't, but he was very nice! In the square in front of the Crucible they have a big garden with screens where you can watch the snooker and seats and stuff, and in there was Cliff Thorburn and the cup! There was a queue to meet him so we joined it and it was moving really fast. 

He was an absolute gent! He shook our hands and I said it was nice to meet him (which it was! He's a world champion!) and my mum said it was a privilege to meet him and he said it was lovely to meet us. It's a cute photo, too. I'm glad we bothered to join the queue! 

After that we went back in to the theatre and got our seats. On one table was Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Ali Carter, which is an old rivalry, but we were on the other table watching Ding Junhui against Zak Surety. Oh well, that's the luck of the draw. But it turned out to be really good! Zak was a debutante this year and he broke a record, he scored four centuries in his debut match at the Crucible, beating the record of three by two previous players. So that was pretty cool! He seemed to be doing pretty good but then Ding came back fighting and ended up winning the match. It finished early so we got to see the last frame of Ronnie against Ali! So that was really cool too. 

The session finished around 5.45 and we headed out to meet Lee, who had been in the vicinity since he had finished work. We ended up in Smoke Barbecue for tea which has two veggie options but they both sounded so good, so it was good for me. I got the vegan hot dog and onion strings, and a rum punch cocktail. It was all so good and the portions were very generous. We all enjoyed our food for sure.

After that we headed home, it was about 8pm by the time we got home and I was very tired. It's exhausting enjoying yourself!

Avocado toast on sourdough with a bunch of other stuff on it - it's delicious and really set me up for the day

Back in the room where it happens! At least this year I didn't hear anyone say it's way smaller than it looks on the telly

Before it started and as seats are filling up. There's rarely an empty seat in the whole place

Rob Walker rehearsing his introductions at the back there

And Steve Davis just before Rishi interviewed him 

My mum and I with the cup in the mid session break

The cup has all the winners engraved on it which is pretty cool

My mum and Ken Doherty!

And us with Cliff Thorburn! Honestly it's really cool that a lot of ex players and champions are around the event whether just doing this stuff or commentating or whatever. It does make snooker feel like a nice little family

I have to take this photo, I did it as we were on our way in for the afternoon session

Rum cocktail, it tasted a bit like a tequila sunrise and I really liked it

And finally my vegan hotdog!

Weekend with Friends - Day 3

On the Saturday morning of our trip everything was quiet upstairs when I got up, but I could hear Robyn downstairs so I headed down there. There was only Sarah and Robyn up! I was surprised! I'm usually one of the latest sleepers in my friend group. We stayed downstairs for a bit but then when we could hear others in the kitchen we all went up. I went into the shower and asked someone to heat the croissants for breakfast while I got dried and dressed. 

I ate some when dressed. We were all just chilling. R insisted on more glitter and gems on her face, which was very sweet of her. I also read some Bluey to her which made everyone else laugh, while Sarah hopped in the shower. After that all of us except Von set off to the middle of Retford to go to a children's and YA bookshop that I had noticed they had there. It was so cute! It was small but very cute. Plus we all had book tokens from Sam to spend. So I picked up three books in total. Sarah and R and Lucinda then set off back to the house but Sam, Jac and I went into some other shops including a really lovely chocolate shop where I picked up some bits. 

We headed back to the house where Von had made chilli for all of us! She had made meat chilli for most people then veggie chilli for Cinders and I. Lucinda had made guacamole and there was tons of other stuff and it was just delicious. I really liked it. Then Sarah went downstairs to hide some Easter eggs in the garden and then we all went downstairs to help R find them. It was cute and fun!

After that they left, they had plans on Easter Sunday with Sarah's family, but I am so glad they got to come and that all six of us plus R got to have some time together. We tidied up from lunch and then we headed downstairs. We just sat for a while, each doing our own thing. Jac was crocheting, Von was playing on her Switch, I was writing a letter, Cinders was reading, and Sam was playing on her phone. Von had brought her beading supplies so Lucinda and Sam both sat and made some bracelets for a bit. We had more cocktails - gin and orange and I don't even know what else. Peach schnapps. For one thing. It was served in gravy boats which was hilarious. I had also brought some face masks so a few of us did those - I think mine really helped my eyes! 

It was nice to have some downtime and to just each be doing our own thing and having a bit of relaxation. We went upstairs at maybe 8pm and had some party leftovers to soak up some of the alcohol. I did think we might go back downstairs but instead we just sat there until it was bedtime. Sam was wandering around tidying things up. Jac joked that we had activated her roomba. 

On the Sunday morning we were all up pretty bright and early getting everything tidied up and packed. We divvied up some of the food that was left; Cinders and Von made sandwiches for later. We took a final picture in the living room, which is such a cute photo. We got the cars packed - mine being way less full than it had been on the way - and stood on the pavement saying goodbye to each other. 

Sam and I drove back to my village where she got on the train and I drove home. I was actually home at about 10.50... before Jac and Lucinda had got on their train! But everyone did get home eventually. I chilled out for the rest of the day - Lee had gone to Durham to see his family for Easter, so he wasn't back until later. 

I hope we get to do this again in a couple of years or something!

Easter egg hunting in the garden with R. That window looked into the living room

The books I got in the book shop

Superhero stylle with my eye mask

And finally, the five of us on Sunday morning just before we said goodbye

Weekend with Friends - Day 2

On the Friday of our little weekend in Retford we at first got ready for the party. There was still just Sam and Jac and I, and I had planned a party for the afternoon once everyone arrived. I had bought some decorations so we all blew up a zillion balloons and Jacqui arranged them in gorgeous bunches and put them around the house. I had enlisted her as party co-ordinator because she's very good at that, I definitely chose the right person for the job. 

Sam and I popped to Asda because we had forgotten a few things the day before (so much for my list). We got back to the house about 12.45 and by that time Lucinda was arriving at the train station so I went to pick her up. We got back and made sandwiches for the party - we went old school with ham, vegan chicken, cream cheese and cucumber, and egg sandwiches. 

Sarah and R arrived and although Sarah and I were both worried that R would be shy as she hadn't met everyone else before, she was absolutely fine and slotted straight in. We went downstairs to the living room which is where we were when Von arrived about 2.30. We had some gifts for each other which was lovely, and presents for R as it had been her birthday. We headed upstairs and some of us got into glammer clothes for the party. I had taken a spotty dress because polka dots were all the rage in the indie scene in 2005. I had a purple beret and I had taken a bunch of glitter make up and some stick on gems so we all got glittered up and R of course had to have many gems on her face with a lot of glitter. I had also ordered some temporary tattoos with a nautical theme so we all had a few of those. The problem for me is that I actually have so many tattoos on my arms that it's hard to find a gap to put one in - but I managed it. 

I had made two playlists for the party - one was old school school disco so it was cheesy and fun, and the other was all indie stuff from around 2005. Cinders made a gin and elderflower cocktail and we also shared a lovely bottle of Cotes du Rhone (my favourite) and raised a glass to those we've lost over the last twenty years (which is frankly too many). 

R went to bed about 7pm so the rest of us got comfy clothes on and headed downstairs so we were making less noise near her. I had done a quiz featuring indie bands of the noughties and you had to try to name them, it was hilarious because everyone was absolutely terrible but there were a lot of really crappy bands in there. The Twang, anyone? 

Someone - no idea who, probably two someones - went upstairs and made a cocktail featuring a lot of crap - it was vaguely blue black but it tasted fine so who cares. We were having so much fun, it really made my heart sing. I am so honoured to know and love all these women so much and I'm glad we've been friends for so long now! 

Sarah headed to bed about 10.15 and the rest of us followed about an hour later. It was not a late night, we're old now!

Balloons all ready to go 

Some of the balloons had confetti in too which I really liked

Of course there was themed tableware

Here we all are in the living room in the afternoon before we went and got party ready

Sarah had drawn a non AI doll for each of us and mine came now with more kittens! It's too cute, I've put it on my bulletin board

I got a chocolate cake in Asda too

Here's the total spread - fancy teacups borrowed from my mum, sandwiches, crisps, dips, and a bunch of other stuff too. I love being away with friends because they all put the kettle on way more than I do so kept making me cups of coffee

Partying like it's 2005 with my polka dots, pearls, glitter, gems, and temporary tattoos

Here is R making herself look beautiful too

My gorgeous Sarah and I, I am so proud of her

So there's a Libertines lyric about gin in teacups so we did indeed drink the cocktail out of teacups which I had borrowed from my mum

I also had this very classy tattoo on my arm where I do actually still have a gap

Later on, a bit drunker and with all my glitter wearing off

The cocktail that was made of.... whatever. It tasted fine

And finally an army of Blueys lined up in front of the TV

Weekend with Friends - Day 1

Over the Easter weekend I was away with friends. It was the twentieth anniversary of me getting into The Libertines, who as you will know are my favourite band and I love them so much. Many of my close friends are those I met directly through The Libertines and the online fandom, and even others have only come into my life because of a place I was thanks to the band. So I wanted to celebrate with these five gorgeous girls, so we organised it. We obviously had to bring R too, Sarah's daughter. And as I didn't want them to have to travel far, I booked us into a house near Retford. 

On the Thursday morning I worked, and Sam and Jac did too, and then they travelled over to me and I packed the car, picked up cupcakes, then picked them up at the station before heading south. The car was packed to the gills! It was ridiculous! We arrived at the house just before 3pm, which was too early to check in, so we went to Asda nearby to get supplies. The Asda wasn't huge but it was bafflingly laid out, so we ended up wandering around quite a bit trying to find everything on our list. Once we were done it was 4pm so we checked in to the house.

It was really oddly laid out. First of all on the right hand side was a living room, which led into a bedroom, and then to a teeny tiny kitchen and a bathroom. Then there were huge stairs and upstairs was a big kitchen with dining table, and four bedrooms. Three of the rooms had a double bed and a single bed in them, and the fourth was just a double. It was bizarre! But we hefted everything up to the kitchen and chose the rooms we wanted and then we got changed into pyjamas and most likely cracked open a bottle of wine. 

We had decided to get a takeaway for the three of us so we ordered Indian. We were watching TV but then went upstairs when it arrived. Unfortunately it wasn't that nice. I had veggie korma and the sauce was nice but the vegetables were a bit crap, and the onion bhajis were absolutely terrible so I ended up getting my money back for them. But it was fine, we didn't worry too much.

We went back downstairs to the living room and watched TV. The TV also had LED lights and we faffed about with those for a bit which was hilarious. We had cupcakes which I had got off a baker close to my house, I've had them from her before and they're always delicious and really good value for money. 

We were not late to bed at all because we were all tired. I read for a bit but soon fell asleep. The mattress was stupidly soft and I wasn't sure if it would cause me pain, but actually it was fine. 

Wondering if we had enough alcohol... 

Plus the bread and crisps and god knows whatever else

Cupcakes with nautical toppers that I bought off eBay

And finally, experimenting with all the flag lights later, haha

Lunch Out in Sheffield

On the 13th of April we went into Sheffield to meet up with my cousin K for lunch. She has been travelling so I haven't seen her for months, and she wanted Vietnamese food so I obviously suggested Saigon 68 on London Road. We picked her up from the station and drove round. It wasn't busy in Saigon 68 so we easily got a table. K was overwhelmed by the menu which is not a surprise because it is huge. 

I went for vegetarian "duck" spring roll and vegetarian "chicken" red curry with egg fried rice. I brought some of the curry home because there was a lot! K enjoyed her food which was the main thing. 

Afterwards we walked back to the car and happened upon a little festival! It was so cute! It was to celebrate both Easter and Eid, and there weren't tons of stalls, but there was music and then a dragon dance, and there was a stall doing free henna. So K and I sat down and had some henna patterns done, it was so cool! She does it quite a lot, but I've only had it done once or twice in my entire life. I made a donation for the privilege. 

After that we set off home and ended up bringing K to Barnsley station so she could get a train fgrom there as there were cancellations from Sheffield. I then fancied some ice cream so Lee and I headed to Locke Park. It was glorious sunshine even though it had said it would rain, so we got ice cream each and sat at a picnic table to eat them. I had toffee fudge and strawberry flavours. We got home about 4pm. I had been wearing the same pink top as the day previously, underneath a black pinafore dress which I have only worn once before I think. I had my pink zebra print cardigan on, too, and ended up wearing it in the restaurant because I was under the air conditioning and I was freezing. Cute outfit, I was very pink! 

All three of us in Saigon 68

"Duck" spring rolls, they were so good

Curry and egg fried rice

One of the musicians as the fete was kind of getting going

Our henna when it was done

Mine didn't last massively well but it is a gorgeous pattern, this was as it was drying on the way home

Ice cream in the park on a sunny day is so lovely

And finally my outfit when we got home