Day Trip to Manchester

On the Sunday after Lincoln Zine Fest, Sam and Jac and I went across to Manchester. Sam bought me some vouchers for Afflecks Palace for Christmas last year and I hadn't yet had chance to use them, and they ran out on 1st November! So we decided to head across. 

It was throwing it down when we set off over Woodead Pass, so I took it slowly, but we managed to get there fine and park near Afflecks. We had booked a table at The Crafty Pig for food, so we headed there even though we were a bit early. Cocktails were on two for one so we went for two each. I had tapas - halloumi skewers, vegetable gyoza, and jackfruit tacos. They were all really nice. 

We walked across to Afflecks and went in. I didn't realise there was Grin in there - I used to buy all my clothes from Grin in Leeds when I was fifteen, I loved it. I decided to buy a "We are the weirdos mister" t shirt from The Craft. We went upstairs but discovered that the top two floors weren't open, which meant we couldn't go in the bookshop, which was a shame because I probably would've bought some books with my vouchers. We took photos in the photobooth though which was fun. We were trying to fit us all in the booth, it was hilarious! 

We had pretty much done with Afflecks but Sam and Jac had booked a train for 3.30pm so we went into a coffee shop and sat there for an hour just chatting. It was nice! But I still would have liked to have seen more of Afflecks. I spent the rest of my vouchers on a necklace and a black cat sticker.

I was wearing my new What Would Dolly Do t shirt, I saw an advert for it on instagram and went to buy it! I'm finding t shirts really comfy and easy to wear at the moment, so have been wearing them lots. I pulled out this Joe Browns skirt that I wore on holiday, because it's the same colour as the top. It's really more of a summer skirt but I pulled on slate Snag tights to wear underneath and it was fine. I also officially put my trainers away and put my Dr Marten shoes on again for the winter. They're much better when it's raining!

Because I was asleep in the back bedroom, Poppy was very excited to find me there on Sunday morning! The cats are shut out of our bedroom at night so usually they have to wait, but instead I was woken up by Poppy sitting on me

I just love this t shirt, it's so much fun

Cocktails!

Me and Jac

Sam, who did not overly want her photo taken

Jackfruit tacos

Halloumi skewers

Vegetable gyoza

This was on the table in the coffee shop we went into - it's a Libertines lyric so Sam and I liked it a lot!

Frothy coffee!

Slate tights and Dr Marten shoes

My outfit

Jac took this of all of us in the cafe

And here's our photobooth photos!

Day Out in Derbyshire 21st of February

Lee's company gave him a Monday off towards the end of February, and I wanted to go on an adventure, so I asked Sam if she wanted to join us to go to Derbyshire. I had three places planned - High Peak Bookstore, Bakewell, and Matlock. Everyone agreed, so we set off from Penistone around 9.45 and headed through the countryside to get to High Peak Bookstore. However, this was only the day after Storm Franklin, and there was a LOT of water on the roads, and debris everywhere. We didn't go through any deep water, so it was fine, but a lot of the roads had water streaming down the sides of them and spouting out of the most random places, too. We took it steady but I was very glad to get to the book shop!

I've been before - Sam and Jac and I went when we were staying nearby a few years ago. I bought one book then, this huge vegetarian cookbook that is such a great resource. But they sell all kinds of books so I was excited to go back. I still have money to spend from Christmas and my birthday, so I knew I could treat myself. 

I picked up three books - one about Women in Rock which was a bargain at £9.99, the Val McDermid one cos I like her stuff, and Charlotte Says, which is the sequel to a book I read a while ago. The shop has a TON of different genres of books and a lot of them are at outlet prices - the two paperback were only £2.99 each!

About 11.30 we set off to Bakewell, fortunately on better roads. We parked and went for lunch in the Rutland Arms. It's a chain, the same as where Lee and I recently ate in Thirsk, so I knew there were decent vegetarian choices for me. They were operating a limited menu as they hadn't had a delivery, but that was still fine. I went for the Moving Mountains plant based burger, which came with goats cheese and onions, and fries and coleslaw and a salad. I was impressed! You can make this vegan too, which is good. Sam and Lee both had fish and chips and said it was nice.

After lunch we went in a few shops. Lee bought a record and Sam bought herself some real ales. I got back in the car looking very wet and windswept. I'm on some new meds which can cause nausea, and I did feel a bit sick so Lee bought me a bottle of water. I bought the Agatha Christie book in a charity shop for just £1.50!

We set off for Matlock where we had planned to go to a couple of bookshops, but thanks to some roads being closed it took us a whole to get there. I wanted to go to Scarthin books, which isn't in the town itself, so we headed there. A friend of mine recommended it to me ages ago. As we got close, I didn't realise that it's close to Cromford Mills, where I've been a few times and where Lee and I visited last May. So we decided to go to the book shop first then go back to the mills. 

The bookshop is so cool, it has three floors and is crammed full of books! I didn't go upstairs as I was in pain, but I definitely want to go back and explore more when I'm not so tired. I bought one of the Heartstopped graphic novels, which I've heard so many good things about. It was £3 so perfect for me. We also met the shop cat, bless him. 

After the bookshop we went back to Cromford Mills and had a hot drink and an ice cream in the cafe. The sun had come out, but the water that comes through the site was really high and making such a torrent! I bought some cheese and crackers in the cheese shop. Lee was feeling rough by this point as he was still ill, so we set off home not too long after. We got home about 5pm! 

It was a really lovely day out and I'm glad we did it despite the weather. I am happy I bought books! I wore a plain black t-shirt, my netted Scarlett & Jo skirt that I've been wearing quite a lot recently, and striped Snag tights with my Dr Marten shoes. It was a nice warm outfit for wanering around! (With a hoodie too, obviously!)

Setting off on our adventure just as we picked Sam up 

I liked this sign in High Peak bookstore, at the entrance to the cafe

My veggie burger for lunch

The river in Bakewell was really high, you can't usually see it like you can here

Wet and windswept. My earrings are laser cut balls of wool, they're so cute!

The canal at Cromford Mills, it isn't usually as full as this

My outfit when we got home, the sun was coming right in from the living room windows

Tights and shoes! I love these tights, they remind me of being sixteen

The books I bought, I'm looking forward to all of these

Two Trips out in July

Towards the end of July I made plans to meet up with my friend Sarah. We always used to like going to Yo Sushi in Meadowhall, but since Covid it's not been open in the same way, and Sarah had been to Meadowhall before restrictions lifted and said no one was wearing masks or keeping their distance then, so we decided we would try another sushi place in the middle of Sheffield. We had decided on one but then it turned out it didn't open until 4pm so FINALLY we decided on Mr Myagi's Revolving Sushi Restaurant on Division Street. I booked a table but I needn't have bothered, although it isn't huge inside and would be busy later on I bet. I know there's parking just off Division Street and I managed to get it which was good. There's usually some on Division Street but they've pedestrianised some of it so that restaurants can have outside spaces, which is annoying, but I'm glad I got parked all the same. Also, the city was setting up for Tramlines festival so roads off Division Street were closed... but it was all okay.

I was impressed with the size of the restaurant's vegetarian and vegan selection - there's LOADS. They have excellent sushi choices and fake meat dishes, so I went for Korean BBQ mock popcorn chicken which was delicious and sticky and amazing. Sarah went for pulled beef bao buns, I think, which were bigger than we were expecting! We shared a veggie sushi platter which was yummy. I was so happy they had marble soda, too, as I really like it. I got lychee flavour which was really nice.

We had considered ordering more sushi but there's a dessert place across the road so we went there. We had a chocolate shot each and a dessert. I had a crepe, it was pretty nice. Baby Robyn was very good throughout the whole thing and we had a good cuddle and look at her book. 

Lychee soda

Really good Korean BBQ "chicken"

This sushi platter was so nice, I could've eaten it all myself

The bestest chocolate shot

And my crepe!

The day after this, Lee and I went to Manchester to a Publisher's Fair held in the Central Library. We had breakfast sandwiches and then set off, as I'd bought tickets to go in between 12.30 and 12.50 - they had it staggered which worked out well. There weren't tons of stalls, but I bought some books, and my friend Vicky of Pen Fight Distro was there with books and zines so I bought some of each of those from her. We were done quite quickly so we had a drink there and then wondered what to do next. We went down to Revolucion de Cuba where we got some bar seats with a proper seat which is good for me, it's not painful. I had a Flamingo Collins cocktail which was delicious and came in the most amazing flamingo mug.

Then we tried to find food to eat... and failed. NOWHERE was serving food, because they were all just operating as bars. There was a Polish restaurant with no veggie choices, and somewhere else with ONE vegan choice... which I did not want! I wanted vegetarian food! We walked round and round and it was hot and tiring and eventually I just said let's go home. It was frustrating. 

On the way home we decided to go to Glossop as there are pubs and stuff there. I had it in my mind there was a Pizza Express and I think there used to be, but it's gone now. But there is a Pico Lounge - I don't know if you've been in any of The Lounges but I think they're franchised. I've been in ones in Swansea and near us at Fox Valley. I know they have decent veggie choices so we went in there. I had tapas and a Long Island Spiced Tea which was lovely. Lee had a huge buttermilk chicken burger which he really liked. It was past 4pm by this point and we were both hungry and tired, but I'm glad we finally managed to get something. It was a nice day but I paid for it the next day and was in a lot of pain. 

In Central Library having a drink 

My utterly ridiculous flamingo cocktail

Lee's finally cottoned on that I always need a photo of myself with a fancy drink. I was wearing this bardot neck Yours dress and there was a girl in the place wearing a really similar dress only it was longer and had broderie anglaise in it - it was so pretty and I told her she looked really pretty 

Long Island Spiced Tea looking a little tired, but ok

Day Out in Cleethorpes

In the middle of September Lee and I went to Cleethorpes for the day. We had a free weekend and I wanted to go to the seaside, so we decided to go there as it's one of the closest seasides to us. We've been before - we went with friends and we went camping there with my mum and stepdad - but we hadn't been for ages. We set off nice and early and managed to park along the seafront, which is only £5 for the whole day, which is good. We then went straight to the crazy golf course.

We've played it before and it's a cute one. There was a big bottle of hand sanitiser and paper towel, so we wiped everything down again (I'm sure it had been done before). We set off playing but were behind two families and kids, meaning it took a bit longer. But it's fine, we had fun. Then we went to the hut next door and got a strawberry whipped ice cream each. 

We then went into some amusements. Again, there were hand sanitiser stations all over. We played a couple of machines but then decided to play bowling. There were hand sanitisers on each of the lanes, which was really good. We made sure to use it and to not touch our faces in between. We both did quite well at bowling, it's something I did a lot as a kid and find a lot of fun. 

After that it was lunchtime so we walked along and on to the pier. When we first went to Cleethorpes the pier was closed and the restaurant on it wasn't open. But now it is! It's a fish and chip restaurant but I had checked beforehand and knew they had vegetarian options. There was a bit of a queue for a table, but plenty of space to wait in the bar area, so we got drinks. We hadn't been there very long when a staff member said there was a table outside and would anyone like it. Yes! Yes I definitely wanted it! It was lovely sunshine outside and about twenty degrees, which was perfect. I couldn't understand why people DON'T want to sit outside.

We had a lovely view of the beach and the sea. Lee had fish and chips and bread, and I had battered halloumi and chips. It was really nice! I love battered halloumi. Plus it wasn't very expensive. 

After lunch we headed into a different amusement arcade. This one had one of the Pacman 2p machines, which are my absolute favourites. You put the 2p down, but you get chances to get an arcade game playing too, and more coins will be put in by the machine. You can actually make your money back, but what's the point in that? At one point I got 5 chains in the arcade game, meaning I got 112 coins put into the machine! It's ridiculous! It had to do it in three lots! I won loads back, and I played until there was nothing left. I'm not joking when I say I played for the best part of an hour for the £1.50's worth of 2ps I had got! Such a lot of fun. Then we played Mario Kart and I beat Lee, he wasn't happy. 

It was almost 3pm by this point and we considered going on the road train along the front, but weren't sure how long it would be, and we needed to get back for the kittens. We had already given them breakfast and lunch at the same time and knew they'd be needing tea soon. Kittens eat a lot! And often! It's one of many things we've found weird after having an older cat who was only fed twice a day for so long. So we got donuts fresh from the oil and drove down the seafront a bit before turning to go home.

It was a really lovely day and I'm glad we bothered to do it, it was lovely to spend the day together. We were careful to use the hand sanitiser and be careful generally, which is all I'm bothered about currently.

The sea was really far out when we arrived

Playing mini golf

Strawberry ice cream after!

Playing bowling. Lee beat me, which is unusual, I usually beat him!

Apparently this is true!

Lee took this of me and him sitting outside waiting for lunch

And I took this of him against the railing - pretty nice view for lunch!

Battered halloumi, chips, and mushy peas - gorgeous!

Playing the Pacman machine, look at my winnings!

Lee got blue slush on the way home

And I got some longed for donuts!

Day Out to Scammonden and Holmfirth

On one of Lee's days off in August we headed to Scammonden reservoir for a picnic. The weather wasnt' great but it managed to stay dry long enough for us to eat overlooking the water (and the M62! which forms part of the dam), which was nice. We got in the car just as it started raining and drove across the moors to Delph, where we then turned on to Saddleworth Moor to drive across to Holmfirth. We stopped a couple of times to take in the view, which was lovely. There were rainclouds but it was moving fast, and by the time we arrived in Holmfirth it was nice and sunny.

We decided to go get a drink and a piece of cake in Sid's cafe, which starred in Last of the Summer Wine, if you remember that. It's almost ten years to the day since I was last in there - I had an American friend visiting and my mum and grandma and I took her to Holmfirth to show her the sights. 

We went in a couple of charity shops and then came home, back to hungry kittens! We're not used to how much they eat and how much they need to be fed, I'm sorry girls! 

Since Blogger "upgraded" it's absolutely terrible, I can't get the photos to go in chronological order so here, have them backwards instead.

I bought this wax burner in a charity shop, it was only £1.49! And you know me, I love burning wax melts

My ridiculous hot chocolate in the cafe. The menus were on the table under glass, which worked quite well I thought

Refrigerator cake - basically tiffin!

The river through Holmfirth

The bridge and beyond - Sid's cafe is in that alleyway between the church and the ironmongers

Looking down from Saddleworth Moor

Look at all that gorgeous heather

Not entirely sure what this reservoir was called. It was just below a look out point and I walked a little way down. The ground was really spongy!

A flock of birds over Scammonden

Why are big bags of Hula Hoops also full of BIG hula hoops? It blew my mind. Also yep, these are vegetarian

Scammonden water

It is very pretty