Potager Garden is probably one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I’ver ever had the privilege of having lunch. Created from an abandoned plant nursery, Potager Garden is made up of a series of greenhouses and out houses situated amongst beautiful gardens. The cafe has some of the best vegetarian food I’ve tasted, and all the fresh produce is sourced locally or on site! Continue reading “READING PLACES: Potager Garden”
Falmouth’s beaches are something to be proud of, and I know the summer is technically over but they are worth a visit all year round. Gyllyngvase beach (lovingly known as Gylly beach by locals) is a place I didn’t spend as much time as I would have liked to when I was at university. Through first and second year I was suspicious of the outdoors and that meant no beach for me. Last year I made up for it. Gylly is the perfect place to read when the sun’s out, but it’s not just a place to sit and relax. It’s also home to a number of water sports (which I won’t embarrass myself by trying to name). Not only that, it has an amazing café with the softest blankets to wrap yourself in if you fancy sitting outside summer or winter and great food. If you don’t like watching the sea roll in, curled in blankets with a hot chocolate or a Cornish Rattler then clearly you haven’t been doing it right!
If you ever take a trip down south to the magical land of Cornwall, then you need to visit Falmouth. It’s one of the places I feel most at home and although small it has the most amazing collection of independent bars, restaraunts and shops. Beerwolf could be my favourite. It’s a bar and bookshop combined, and if there was ever a mix that could beat tea and books, it would be books and cider. I’ve spent many afternoons and evenings reclining in the benches, settle on repurposed cinema chairs, wistfully watching other people play ping-pong and lamenting at my lack of hand-eye co-ordination.
The dolls suspended from the rafters might seem a little off putting, but they are easy to ignore. There’s an extensive collection of beers and ciders on tap, but if you’re not interested in a pint they do a mean cappucino as well.
The only downfall for me is that having left university I live so far away.
Calderstones Mansion Park is a very special place, particularly for book-lovers and literary enthusiasts. Not only does it have woodland walks, picturesque ponds and a comerant I tried to befriend (he wasn’t having any of it) but it is also the home of The The Reader , a charity that aims to help those who need it most through shared reading groups. There are plenty of quite corners in the grounds to hide away with the next big read but there is also an on-site cafe to refresh the avid reader and The Reader also hold shared reading groups at the mansion and in the Storybarn for children.
Lark Lane has become one of my favourite haunts around Liverpool. I haven’t spent enough time there frankly, but then if I could I would probably spend the majority of my week traipsing around all the lovely eateries and do nothing else. My waistline wouldn’t thank me and neither would my workload! My sister and I visited a few weeks ago and noticed that Alison Appleton had opened a new Tea House on the street and (after popping next door and splurging on a scarf which would be any textile enthusiasts dream and an essential new purse, oops) we decided to pop in.
If you like cheese, ham, or cheese and ham then Fifty-Eight Deli is the place for you. I say ham, but really that’s not good enough a word for all the delicious freshly sliced deli meats this cafe and deli has to offer. There are an amazing selection of mouth-watering sandwiches to try as well, but I went for a cheese board which along with three scrumptious cheese, came with some delightful chutneys.
Situated in Oxton Village, it’s the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon, regaining your energy before moving on to the next big read!
Sweet Pea Cafe is a cosy little find situated in West Kirby. They offer a range of sweet and savoury pancakes as well as other delicious delights. I visited on a lovely sunny day, and along with the mandatory cuppa, I had a delicious brie and bacon open sandwich, which was heavenly.
If you need to walk off your feast its only a short distance to the waterfront. It’s so peaceful there you might be tempted to visit anyway!
At Ziferblat time is literally money but nothing else is. I’ve wanted an excuse to slip in for a while and today it seemed like the perfect place to unwind after an interview this morning. Ziferblat home is Liverpool’s Albert Docks, a port in the storm for gallery visitors, tourists, shoppers or someone simply looking for a good place to curl up with a book.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WORD MAKES 