One Fine Day

Monthly catch up with Holly yesterday afternoon. We originally went to Baby E on Dale Street but we didn't like the food so just ended up having a hot drink there.

It was dead when we got there but got busy after we left. It was freezing in there as well as they don't have a door just have a velvet curtain which wasn't keep the heat in and when people were walking in they were just bringing the cold in. There wasn't any atmosphere in there. On their Instagram it says they have daily specials but the counter was empty with nothing there just a couple of cakes.

We decided to go to One Fine Day down the road on Old Hall Street as the food menu was better.

Was debating the House Made Crumpets - Poached eggs, hot smoked salmon, asparagus, duck hollandaise. But I don't like crumpets so was going to get it swapped for normal toast. Ended up getting the Roast Chicken Salad...

Avocado, sweet potato, charred corn, pre-served lemon dressing.

We both got the same which was boring but it was actually really nice. We both liked it apart from the lettuce with the curly ends which I'm not a fan of. Glad I ended up getting it.

It was nice in there thinking of going back. It was so much nicer than Baby E. They even do matcha lattes and a matcha smoothie which I would have got if I didn't get a drink from Baby E.

It might have been called one fine day - shame the same couldn't be said about the weather. So over these storms. Can't remember a day when it wasn't windy and pouring down... Is it summer yet?? I'm so glad I'm not marathon training this year as I wouldn't be getting any runs in and be having a breakdown. We got lucky last year when we trained with the weather.

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Bloom n Bean

Went to Bloom & Bean will Holly for our catch up. We've been wanting to go for a while as it's all over Instagram and they had a competition where if you followed them on Instagram and sent them a DM you could be a cake taster just before Christmas. But neither of us won and we would have been perfect for it.

When we walked in it wasn't what I was expecting. It's really small, there's just a bench across the wall with 3 little tables attached to it so you can't move it. Only really works if there's 2 of you to sit next to each other and then 3 high chairs looking out the window. The interior is very Instagram with flower lights on the ceiling but a very weird set up.

We went at 2pm and it was empty no on there then as we sat down more people came in and it got full where there was no space for anyone else and this group came in but they got take outs. It was a very strange atmosphere - empty fridge with only 1 girl running the place. The girl said she had no receipts so she took our order on an iPad then completely forgot what our order was as she didn't write it down and had to keep asking what we ordered.

I got a matcha and vanilla latte with coconut milk. Holly got a hibiscus and dragon fruit latte with coconut milk - she had no oat milk with a slice of rainbow cake.

We were trying to work out what the flavours of each colour of the cake were - think the top was lavender, the blue - blueberry, green - just plain vanilla (should have been matcha) yellow - lemon and the orange - chocolate orange. The cake was actually really nice.

My latte was really nice. Was nicer than the one I had in Leaf on Smithdown. Holly's one was nice as well but I preferred mine. They were both glittery as well not sure what she put on it.

  

Holly's a better photographer than me taken with her iPhone S10.

It was cute but it was just a really weird place like it was empty with only 1 girl running it. She didn't have a lot in when people asked for things and the toilet you walk right into the kitchen and it was right at the back. Didn't like how the chairs were set up and everyone facing the counter - definitely would have preferred a proper table with chairs instead of both being squashed together with a tiny table. There wasn't many cakes to choose from and when I asked the girl if they had any macarons because I seen them on Instagram the girl was like we haven't got any, I think they will bring them back in the summer which was strange how she didn't know. But they were offering 20% student discount so it was reasonably priced after discount.

After we walked down to Queen's Avenue. Liverpool's version of Diagon Alley.

Love this painting but it's £1750. But pricey. 

The street is really cute and looks nice but was dead. There's only 1 restaurant with no one in it. It's a shame but it's quite out of town off Castle Street so most people don't even know it's there. I only know it's there as I walk past it to go to and from work otherwise I wouldn't have known.

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Sunday Walks

Catch up with Holly we thought we would do something different from the usual lunch as we were both feeling fat and sick of eating we thought we'd do something a little more active. We decided to go to Sefton Park and rent a bike to ride around the park. That plan completely failed as when we got to the park there were no bikes on the bike stations! We checked the website and there were no bikes close by and no-one had returned any but then we didn't see anyone with them so not sure where they all are. We didn't think of checking the website before we got there.

 I rented a bike a couple of years ago with Kelly and rode around the park but it was in the summer and a lot nicer.

I wasn't dressed for the weather at all I was freezing as I was dressed to be riding a bike so would have been warmer. If we were just going to walk around the park I would have fully wrapped up for it. I went for a run this morning and it wasn't that cold. The weather did drop loads. We did a little loop then went to Lark Lane to Pippins Corner to have a hot drink.

We both got a green tea to warm up.

We just did a couple of laps around the park admiring everyone's dogs wishing we had a dog. We need to do this more often make the most of the parks as Liverpool has a lot of nice parks that we never go to visit. If I had a dog I would definitely go to them more often but there is no reason to go to the park now when I don't have one. The last time I went to Sefton Park I was running through it for the marathon. Definitely a lot more relaxing this time round. Back to work tomorrow which I'm dreading.

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Leaf on Smithdown Road

Catch up with Holly this afternoon to the new Leaf on Smithdown Road. There's already one on Bold Street which I've been to a couple of times before. We got there about 1:45pm and it was super busy. We got the last table, the only other seat was a sofa seat but as we were eating we wanted a proper table. 

I got a matcha latte - which was a risky move as I wasn't sure whether I was going to like it or not...

It was nice I liked it! It was milky and tasted like the green tea kit kats. So this may be my new hot drink.

It was suppose to be the Halloumi and avocado - tomato, 2 poached eggs, sumac and sourdough toast

I changed my halloumi to smoked salmon as I said I don't eat cheese. She did try to charge me for it but I said the extra charge for either smoked salmon or halloumi is the same price so just did it for me. But it does say on the menu.. "please note, we don't allow the swapping of items on our menu (excludes toast)". Which I think is a stupid thing to say as I don't get why you can't as it's not hard to change things and if you have the ingredients anyway it's not going to cost more really. Places are usually fine with you changing things as people do like different things and it is annoying when you see stuff on the menu but's not put together how you want. I don't get why places never really have smoked salmon with avocado together as an option it's always one or the other or as an extra. But I did manage to get her to change it for me for no charge.

Holly got the same but as the menu with halloumi.

It had sumac in which we didn't know what it was but it's a spice with a kick. It gave the food a kick which we didn't like and Holly said her mouth was on fire. I was ok with it but just thought it ruined my food like it wasn't needed and I didn't like it. Should have asked for it not be added but we didn't realise!

The portion size was good you got loads of avocado. I'm just not a fan of sourdough as it's so hard to cut. I would rather just normal toast.

The food was better than what I got last time when I went to the one on Bold Street as I did say Leaf is better at brunch food rather than for dinner.

It was really busy and the Tavern across the road was really busy too which I was surprised as I thought with Leaf opening that would be big competition with the them. But then again Tavern do more full English breakfast and Leaf is all about the speciality teas, coffee and brunch food. It was a nice little afternoon catch up.

This amazing piece of art work appeared at the bottom of China town as well this week by the park and Chung Wah supermarket! Don't know who did it but I love it.

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