Christmas Shopping in Leeds with My Mum

My mum and I went Christmas shopping on the first of December to Leeds. We've been a few different places over the past decade or so, but decided on Leeds this year. It meant we could both get the train and have some alcohol too. We met at the train station in Leeds at just after 10am and then got a taxi up to the Merrion Centre so that we could start from there and work our way back to the station. 

I wanted to go to the LGBTQ+ bookshop in the Merrion Centre, so we started there. I got two books for presents. Then we went into St John's Centre, where we had a coffee and went into a few shops including HMV and Yours. Then we walked through a couple of the posh arcades, looking at things we couldn't afford and spelling all the Jo Malone scents. We went through Harvey Nichols and then when we came out on Briggate we noticed that there was a Thor's Tipi there. It had fires going in the middle and a bar, so I had a mulled wine and my mum had a glass of prosecco and we sat by the fire for a while, it was lovely.

Then we walked into Trinity and went into a couple of shops there, before going to Trinity Kitchen for some lunch. There's about 8 different places to eat, so my mum chose a burrito and I went for Japanese gyoza on sesame rice. It was perfectly nice but nothing special - sometimes when we go Christmas shopping we have a fancy meal, but this was fine instead. We went in a few more shops and then decided to have a cocktail in the Alchemist. 

I can't remember exactly what mine was but it came with a shot of jelly too, and it was really nice. We sat at the bar as it was quite busy. We then decided to go for a train only about fifteen minutes later, so we rushed out of Trinity and across to the station to walk all the way across to Platform 17 for the Kirkgate train. We go back to my mum's at about 4.30 and waited for Lee to come and pick me up. Then it turned out we were all hungry so we decided to order a takeaway - I had a mushroom pizza which was nice. We didn't get home until much later but it had been a really nice day. I had walked many thousands of steps and was exhausted, but I always enjoy my shopping trip with my mum!

I was wearing my navy Scarlett & Jo dress, it was nice and warm to walk around in and I love it. I was also wearing leggings as they were warmer than tights, and because I had had a new tattoo done just two days earlier and thought tights might rub it. It's Hello Kitty as a mermaid, I love it! 

I think this is Thornton's Arcade, with a famous clock at the end behind me

This is Victoria Arcade, it's very posh

My mum and I thought this tree and reindeer decoration was cute though

Pictures of both of us

In Thor's Tipi 

Drinks! I do love mulled wine

The fire itself

Lunch - like I say there was nothing wrong with it, just not that exciting

My cocktail in the Alchemist, I do like it in there

I had been asking my mum if I could have a copy of Rumours by Fleetwood Mac - I think both she and my dad had a copy so decided I could have one. She also gave me Tusk while we were about it

And here's my outfit, much later!