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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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.

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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!

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