Botanico

Went to Botanico in Woolton Village for brunch this afternoon with Holly. It's only just opened - it was previously Crust then changed to Il Ristorante by Crust which didn't last long and now Botanico Brunch & Bistro, Bakery, Afternoon Tea. Still has the Italian vibe as it does woodfire pizzas and pasta from 12pm. Brunch is served all day till 5pm. They have a bakery at the back with baked goods, cakes and gelato.

The interior was great with all the plants - the new thing now. A lot of places are going for this vibe.

It was really busy and we booked for 12:15pm and was 15 minutes early. The host girl didn't know what to do - so the manger who was running around had to deal with the situation.

Holly got a Soy Cappuccino and I got a Matcha Latte. Holly said her coffee wasn't great and really bitter. My matcha didn't look great and wasn't made properly. They didn't give me a spoon to mix it and it was really bitter. I only managed to drink half of it.

On the menu they do Buttermilk Chicken & Waffles and Pancake stacks. But no other waffle option so I asked if I could get the waffles with one of the pancake toppings

Waffles with forest fruits & lemon creme fraiche - £9

The fruit was really sour and I wished I went for something savoury. It would have been better if it was American waffles and I wished I asked before ordering it!

Holly got Smashed Avocado on Sourdough - Topped with crumbled feta, toasted seeds, roasted cherry tomatoes, green salsa and added 2 poached eggs - £10

The interior was nice and the menu looks good and we want to go back for dinner but the service was awful. There was a lot of staff but most of them didn't have a clue what they were doing. Our drinks went to the table next to us. They didn't bring us the jug of water we asked for. We got our food, finished it and had our plates taken away then our waitress came over to ask if we had our food! We asked for the bill and paid on card, then as we were putting our coats on, our waitress came over to ask if we needed the card machine. The host girl was just useless was watching her as people were coming in and she just had no service and just didn't want to be there at all. She wasn't greeting people and didn't know what to do. We were early by 15 minutes but that shouldn't have thrown her off as she had the screen up with all the bookings so should have just went ok let me just check if your table was ready and she just stood there like "I don't know what to do" until the manager came over to sort the situation out.

Considering the awful service we do want to come back and try dinner - they also do afternoon tea. The food did actually come quick and hopefully given a bit of time the staff will find their feet and know what they're doing - so we hope anyway! I hope this is just new place nerves and they do find their feet as this is definitely something we've been after in Woolton village and hope it does well.

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

The Polar Express

Our annual Christmas day where we go to the cinema and have food. We were back at Woolton Cinema this year to see The Polar Express. We went to the 11:30am screening which was full of kids and families. Me and Hannah have never seen the film before. I can't say I'm a fan of it and when it started I didn't get how it was a kids film as it was a bit creepy and wasn't that christmassy but did end up being christmassy towards the end.

After the cinema we went to The Coffee House pub as we had time to kill before afternoon tea at Coast. 

We exchanged our secret Santa gifts. This year everyone had a theme of what they wanted so their person had to buy them stuff from that theme they picked.

My theme was The Killers and or Bastille. David got me and this is what he got me...

He decided to go out the box and got me a book on serial killers and french themed things - French Fancies and a giant French baguette as Bastille the band is named after Bastille day which is France's national day which also happens to be the same day as lead singer Dan Smith's birthday - 14th July.

Not what I had in mind when I picked my theme and the baguette was a nightmare to carry round and needed explaining to people when I had it with me around the village.

I got Danielle - her theme was narwhal so I got her a narwhal mug which had a teddy in it from Dunelm. Danielle had Hannah - her theme was alcohol and holiday so Danielle got her a luggage tag and a green lime margarita cocktail set but didn't have enough in the budget to get her tequila. Hannah got Kelly - her theme was sloths so she got a mug, notebook and blanket that all had sloths on them. Kelly got David - his theme was alcohol and he wanted a pack of cards so Kelly got him a bottle of alcohol from Lithuania where she was at the weekend and a pack of cards. She also made him flapjacks which was an in joke we have.

Afternoon tea at Coast

We got a mix of smoked salmon and cucumber, egg mayonnaise, ham and mustard and cheese and pickle sandwiches.

Got scones with jam and clotted cream, Victoria sponge and we weren't sure what the other cake was. Like a sticky toffee/syrup cake.

Afternoon tea was nice. I wasn't fan of the ham and mustard sandwich - definitely don't like mustard. The cakes were alright too.

After we just went to the loft pub to have a drink. Our Christmas day is always a nice catch up where we're all together and is a tradition now. Hopefully see them again after Christmas before the new year before they head back down to London! I also got the best Christmas card off Kelly.

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

Patisserie Valerie

Afternoon tea for four (3)

For Danielle's birthday we got her afternoon tea at Patisserie Valerie as they had an offer on Groupon for £25 for 2 people. It was something different than the usual gifts we would get each other. (Yes her birthday was in July).

Kelly unfortunately couldn't make it as she's living in London but we had her fair share of the food.

It was the first time I'd been to Patisserie Valerie, I have had the macarons that Gabby got me for my birthday a couple of years ago. Sadly it wasn't a good one. 

We walked in & was told there was a 30 minute wait for a table. Told if we wanted afternoon tea it would be an hour wait or anything from the kitchen would take a while but drinks & cakes from the counter would be quick. People were asking if they could book & come back later, the guy said they weren't taking any bookings & that you would just have to wait. There's nothing he can do. The place was full & there just wasn't enough staff to go around which was why the service was so slow.

 It turned out to be a 15 minute wait which was ok. We were seated at a table that hadn't been wiped or cleared & got no service. There's a 15 minute rule of if no-one comes to you, you can go up to complain luckily for them the girl came at exactly 15 minutes from when we sat down. (Hannah was keen to time them). Took out drinks order & food.

Cappuccino 

An eyelash on my milk jug when things were already awful. 

Our tower came around 30 minutes after we seated.

Savoury

Cucumber on white bread

Smoked salmon & cream cheese on brown bread

Egg mayonnaise & cress on brown bread

Ham, spinach & mustard on white bread

Chicken, pesto & sunblazed tomatoes on brown bread

Mini vegetable quiche

Patisserie

1 x mini Victoria sandwich

2 x mini chocolate eclairs

1 mini carrot & walnut cake slice

1 x mini mixed berry mouse slice

1 x mini chocolate mousse slice

Scones

2 x fruit scone

2 x plain scone

Strawberry, apricot & blackcurrant jam, clotted cream & butter

Savoury food were fine apart from the ham mustard sandwich we didn't like them. Found it really weird that you only got 2 slice of each of the cakes between 2 people. The tiniest slices you could eat in one mouthful so not much to share between two. But yet you go 2 chocolate eclairs? Luckily for Danielle & Hannah I don't like them. 

I've turned into a scone after that think I had 4 scones or at least 3/8 of them. Effort in the gym this morning has gone...

Wasn't a great experience at all really disappointed, would not recommend or go again. Service was awful they just can't handle the afternoon tea when it was busy before they even started doing it. The idea of not taking bookings for afternoon tea clearly doesn't work. They really need to have a think over how they are running the shop. I'm sure I could do better!

Hopefully the service does improve & if you plan on going it's a lot better than it was for us today! If you're looking for somewhere to have afternoon tea in Liverpool I would recommend Cuthbert's which I have been to 3x & have blogged about them. Just search Cuthbert's or afternoon tea in the search bar down the side of the page.

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

Cake Overload

Reunited with my partner in crime today! 

We went to Cuthbert's Bakehouse to have afternoon tea today for Holly's birthday (her birthday was yesterday).

It was my third time there so knew what to expect. Being honest I didn't really want to go & did tell Holly she should've done something else but it's her birthday so it's her choice! 

I didn't even eat everything & I felt sick afterwards that I'd eaten too much even though I was starving before cos I didn't have breakfast, my stomach was growling at me! One of the cakes the creme pastissiere on the almond cake wasn't that nice a bit disappointed! I was that full that I couldn't face having my dinner, I just had lettuce & the ribs & cut the rice out. Had enough carbs for the day!

Green Tea

Gabby's veggie option

Smoked salmon cream cheese, roast beef & horseradish, coronation chicken & turkey with cranberry sauce

Almond custard cake, Victoria sponge, macaron, chocolate cake & fruit scone

I didn't eat my chocolate cake or Victoria sponge so they went into a box to take home which was probably the worst idea as when we left it was pouring down & was a nightmare holding the box & an umbrella!

Biker Coat - H&M

Blanket Scarf - New Look

Bag - Zara

Necklace - New Look

Dress - Zara

Cut Out Boots - Zara

I'm such a Zara mannequin but I can't help it! It's the only shop that has nice stuff in! This dress was what they call a "special prices". It was only £12.99.

I came home & my Topshop jacket came!! I only ordered it yesterday & was trying to use the tracker but it wouldn't work. Was not expecting it to arrive already. I am in love it's the best coat ever. Unfortunately as I got back at 4pm it was already dark! You'd have thought it was 9pm! So the photos aren't great since it's black but don't worry I'll be living in it so you'll be seeing plenty of it, be sick of the sight of it!

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

Afternoon Tea

Take 1 the girl didn't know how to use my camera...

Scones, almond cake, chocolate cake, Victoria sponge, macarons, smoked salmon on crispy bread, roast beef on crispy bread, cranberry & brie sandwich & coronation chicken sandwich

Today I went for afternoon tea for the second time at Cuthbert's Bakehouse. It's one of them things where I feel I've done it before so I don't need to go again but I went along as Kelly's American friend Maddie was visiting so she wanted to do British/English things with her. She'd already done all the touristy stuff with her as she's been her since last Sunday & they went to Barcelona from Thursday - Sunday night. 

We got the same things as the last time I went with Holly & Gabby the only different was we got Victoria sponge's instead of bake well tarts which I would have preferred. I ended up boxing the chocolate & Victoria sponge as I don't like chocolate or cream. The scones last time were also nicer.

Kelly thinks she's hilarious

My postcard wall off Kelly is looking good (not really a wall but the side of my wardrobe). We have a thing where if she goes away somewhere she will get me a postcard & if I go away somewhere I'll get her one which is a pretty good deal as I've actually got more from here than vice visa. The London one isn't from her though but from David when he left for London in first year of uni 4 years ago now!

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Last.fm