TRAVEL

TRAVEL: VISITING ILLFRACOMBE

I don’t recall visiting Illframcombe as a child, it is one of the top UK holiday resorts for families but we always spent time in places like Borth and Anglesey (not complaining as they were the best holidays EVER!) but I’ve wracked my brains and just don’t ever remember going. A couple of weekends back I got the chance to visit and thought why the hell not.
When arriving we stumbled upon this quaint marmalade shop ‘ The Proper Marmalade Shop ‘ which was decorated adorably, the most photogenic shop I had been in, in a very long time, it was like being in marmalade heaven!
9 Belgrave Promenade, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe EX34 9AS

The Proper Marmalade shop Launched in 2014 and all of their goods are handmade which I love, they have also won many awards in their time, cool huh? We tried numerous different flavours from Blood Orange to Orange and Cranberry but ended up leaving with a Whiskey flavoured one and a Lemon and Ginger, both I can report back are DELICIOUS!! They also did tubs of ice cream which I wanted to go back and try but unfortunately ran out of time, so if you’re ever in there, try it out and let me know what i’m missing!

After moseying around town for a couple of hours and scoffing our faces full of Fish & Chips, Tea and coffee was in order, ‘Love From Marjorie‘ stood out to me like sore thumb, their simple, monochromatic exterior drew me in like the insufferable, cliche Instagram user that I am, I had to check it out. I kind of wish I hadn’t filled up on Fish & Chips beforehand because their food looked incredible not to mention the juices.The first thing i’ll be doing if I visit Illfracombe again is heading straight for breakfast at Love From Marjorie…(and then maybe Fish & Chips for lunch) 😉

You can’t visit the seaside without getting your feet in the sand, right? Well,to be fair it was more like chinese torture walking on this rocky beach but nonetheless it was lovely getting the sea air and giving the dogs a run, I didn’t manage to get a photo of Burt because he decided he would rather stalk seagulls and swim in the sea (trying to keep him still is a nightmare when it comes to photos) but Betty & Charlie(Paul’s Parents’ dog) were more than happy to be snapped, bloody posers! Oh and this was followed by a cheeky slice of cake and yet another hot drink, it’s tiring work this travelling lark!

Another focal point of Illframcombe is the Landmark Theatre, it was built to replace the Pavilion theatre which was damaged by a fire in the 1980’s, some don’t like these power station looking lumps of concrete but to me, there is something quite pleasing to the eye, especially with the surrounding greenery and bandstand, I think it’s quite a nice spin on the old seaside town but hey, you can’t please everyone.Our last stop was WINE!! Wine plays a very important part in our weekends back home so to see a place dedicated to wine and food excited us very much, however, I think we went too early in the day as ‘ The Antidote Wine Room ‘ wasn’t actually open which was a great shame, but nevertheless we gorped through the windows and appreciated the decor, we will most certainly be calling in next time for Tapas and a few beverages, they also do accommodation so if you want to get pissed and head straight to bed (hell yes) then this is the place for you!
20 st James place, Ilfracombe EX349BJ

Have you ever been to Illfracombe? What are your favourite UK towns to visit?

STAYCATION: ROCK, CORNWALL

TO DO
Rock is the tiniest of towns but has
everything you need from Butchers, Deli’s, Restaurants, Fishmongers and gift
shops but most importantly, the fabulous beach. We have visited plenty of
beaches in our time but Rock beach is breathtaking and only a 10-minute walk
from Meadowside. The dogs ran for hours in and out of the sea chasing balls and
sticks and we walked for miles. Want to explore further?You can get the sea taxi straight over to
Padstow which takes all of 5minutes and is a must do if you are staying in
either towns.

TO
EAT
Rock has a few hidden gems when it comes to
food; St Enodoc Hotel is our favorite for a slap up meal. We first discovered
it when Nathan Outlaw had his restaurant there (which was bloody amazing and
the food was divine) but now has been handed over to Michelin starred chef
James Nathan, we have eaten there numerous times now and it has never failed. If
you want to buy food and take it home for a feast then Lewis’ the Delicatessen
is the place to go and has everything you need for those Spring BBQ’s.

Have you ever been to Rock before? If you are looking for the perfect holiday in the UK, give it a go, you won’t be disappointedMuch Love

 

DINING AT W AMSTERDAM

If it’s food you are looking for in Amsterdam then the W Hotel should be your first port of call. I am a greedy bugger when it comes to food and my first job when I go travelling is to check out the local “foodie” joints, however as soon as I set eyes on the restaurants and menus at W Amsterdam I knew I wouldn’t have to go far to get my fill of delicious grub.

W Amsterdam is spilt in to two parts, the Bank Building and the Exchange Building, in both buildings reside two awesome restaurants, The Duchess and Mr. Porter and let me tell you, you wont be disappointed with either.

The Duchess is the most beautiful restaurant I have ever stepped in to (and I visit a lot of restaurants) The décor is breath taking, it almost made me feel posh and incredibly well off whilst scoffing my eggs Royale and sipping my perfectly blended tea! (I can assure you I’m far from it) The Duchess offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, I sampled all three and it’s a bold statement but I would eat there everyday of my life given the chance. If you are visiting I highly recommend trying the salted baked sea bass, the green risotto and for desert the chocolate explosion, trust me, you won’t want to leave.

Mr porter is a unique concept that artfully blends qualities of the modern steakhouse with the buzz and experience of a chic lounge. I spent one of my mornings in Mr. Porter whilst in Amsterdam and the breakfast was to die for, everything from Yoghurt pots to fresh juices and fry ups, they also offer a Mediterranean style buffet for breakfast which is incredible, if you like something out of the ordinary to start the day then Mr. Porter is the place to be.

Have you been to the W Amsterdam? What was your favourite meal?

PHOTO DIARY || CORNWALL

OUR BEAUTIFUL HOME FOR THE WEEK

I don’t really have a lot to say about this holiday other than It was absolutely amazing and I didn’t want to leave,I think the pictures say it all.

The sun was shining,we filled our faces with delicious food,walked miles upon miles visiting new places and spent hours tiring out the dogs,We have been doing this same holiday for a couple of years now and it never gets boring.

It’s safe to say that i’m smitten with Rock in Cornwall (where we stay) We fall deeper in love with it each time we visit, along with its surrounding towns and views,it has the  ability to keep us coming back,who says the UK isn’t beautiful? You don’t have to go abroad to find graceful places,try looking closer to home,I find the UK quite charming.

Much love

PHOTO DIARY || TATTOO FREEZE

A Few Sundays back,Paul and I hopped in the car and headed to the Tattoo Freeze in Telford,our Sundays are usually spent apart so it was nice to spend some quality time together doing what we love most,looking at Tattoos.If you have followed me for a while you will know that Paul is actually my Tattoo artist and my other half,its definitely an awesome bonus having your boyfriend as a tattooist.

The convention was full of awesome work and great artists,equally there was some god awful shit that people pile together and call a “nice tattoo”,whatever floats your boat I guess but the majority of artists were brilliant at what they did and created really good stuff.

We wondered back and forth for a good few hours,had lunch,bought some artwork and Paul bought some new needles,ink etc for work.

We didn’t get any tattoos while at the convention purely because most artists were already booked up for the day,I did contemplate the unalomes for my fingers but chickened out last minute,I go through stages of wanting my fingers tattooed and then hating the idea of it so I think its best that I steer clear for the time being…watch this space!

Overall it was a lovely day out and if you are into tattoos,art in general or just people watching then a tattoo convention is a must for you.

PHOTO DIARY || LONDON

On Tuesday, Paul and I hopped on the train and headed to the big smoke to visit my brother and his girlfriend,the weather was stunning,the food was delicious and we had a wonderful few days just chilling and mooching about.

More often than not,when I go to London I end up in Oxford Circus and to be quite honest it gets boring so it was nice to visit some of the outskirts of London and peruse around shops,bars and restaurants that we hadn’t been to before.

We visited the Cutty Sark,bummed around Greenwich,trekked up to the observatory(the view is stunning if you haven’t done this you need to) boarded the boat to Embankment,walked around Hackney,Brick Lane,Soho and had a snoop around spitalfields market (an absolute must for antique lovers).

It was a much needed/deserved break,although the tube strike was a bit of a nightmare and came at the shittest time possible,we still had a laugh.

I love little getaways they break up the mundane everyday routine and are perfect for a change of scenery.

Have you been anywhere worth visiting recently?

Much Love

FOOD FESTIVAL || GLOUCESTER

On Sunday we bounced into the car and set off to Gloucester,some friends of ours were attending the food festival so we decided to tag along.

Food festivals have become one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend (as you have probably guessed from previous posts) I love delving in to an array of different samples and trying new things,we left with a hefty piece of blue cheese,some beers and numerous  tasty delights.

It was my first time visiting Gloucester,It’s beautiful,full of lovely shops,great places to eat and a graceful view of the Quays,an extremely pretty place to laze in the sun.We have decided to go back next week and explore further.

Feeling inspired,we decided to rustle up some tea, Pollack with Chorizo,Butterbeans,Spinach and Goats cheese)then ended up guzzling a bottle of wine followed by falling asleep on the sofa.

A perfect way to spend a weekend!

What did you get up to at the weekend? Also if anyone has any recommendations of what to do in Gloucester please let me know

Much Love

LUNCH & A MOOCH || LUDLOW

Most weekends, Mum and I head out to our local town for a mooch about and a bite to eat.Mainly because she needs to go to good old Aldi and I tag along because I lead a very exciting life.

This time round we stopped off at a local produce show to look at yummy cakes,flowers and vegetables (see it gets even more exciting).

Then we trundled off to our favourite hot chocolate spot where I also decided on a huge serving of garlic mushrooms on toast…it was divine.

I love little outings with the mother,even though it might be looking at farmer giles’ courgette…we always have such a laugh.

Much Love

MY HAPPY PLACE || BORTH

Last week I took a trip to the seaside,it has become a bit of a family ritual where each year we all hop in the car and head to the beach for the day to soak up the rays and beautiful scenery.

We’ve been coming to this beach ever since my brother and I were little and my parents have been shown the beauty by their parents and so on. I have so many memories from this beach/town and thats why I call it my ‘happy place’ Never have I had a bad day here and still to this day I get super excited about going,even if its raining!!!

Luckily this time it was piping hot,and there was hardly anyone on the beach which is always nice,nothing worse than screaming children running around throwing sand and splashing water on you!! Instead we just had a relaxing paddle through the waves and up the sand dunes.

(photobombed by my dad)

We then headed back into town and sat on the beachfront in a lovely old fashioned pub and had lunch while overlooking more stunning views.

Overall it was an awesome day out,wish we could of stayed longer but nonetheless everything was perfect.It goes to show you don’t have to fly miles to a beautiful beach or for boiling weather,I’m a huge fan of Britain’s coastline and our summer in general,I think if you pick your days correctly and the company you’re in,you are guaranteed a lovely day out without the jet lag or the realisation…”whoops,you can’t actually afford this holiday”

Much Love

LOCAL PRODUCE MARKET || LUDLOW
Last weekend the mother and I headed off to our local produce market,it was busier than usual with lots of tastiness to offer,the sun was out and it was a perfect day for mooching around.

As soon as I set eye on this chalkboard with griddled courgette on, I put on a slight sprint,I would never of thought bacon and courgette would taste so amazing together,turns out its insane and I will definitely be trying it in my next bacon sandwich.

After filling our faces and drinking copious amounts of tea we headed back through the market,stopping at every flower stall possible (mum is obsessed),checking out some local crafts(this bloke was awesome at carving kitchen utensils and bowls out of wood) and obviously perving on some more food stalls.

I had to photograph this gorgeous alleyway,I have a slight obsession when it comes to pretty alleys and quaint shops.

Let me know if you would like to see more lifestyle posts on my blog

Much Love