Weekly Musings

2018 - Week Twenty Two

'I don't have goals I have fantasies. They're exactly like goals, but without the hard work.'

 (Emily Levine)

I have been lucky enough to be off work this week. It started with a beautiful little trip to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with Chris and the dogs. He was meeting with the owners of a corporate wellbeing company that he occasionally works for, so we all bundled into the car and joined him. I found a gorgeous secluded glen for a walk with the dogs whilst he was busy, and took full advantage of noone being around by snapping some self timer shots whilst I had a pretty backdrop. Afterwards I went for a cup of tea at Square One Coffee Company which was in a cute paved area where an acoustic duo were playing. 

Once Chris had returned from his meeting we walked all the way along the canal (Mr Whippys in hand), stopping for a cider as it was unbearably hot. The landscape around there is so lush and rural, it was such a lovely way to spend a Bank Holiday Monday. We ate tea at a mediterranean restaurant called Rendezvous where we shared a few mezze style dishes - houmous, halloumi, olives, pitta, tsatziki, garlic green beans, feta and salad, and then drove home for an evening of Netflix; we finished Safe which I would really recommend, such a juicy twist at the end!

On Tuesday Chris surprised me with some tulips for looking after him whilst he was ill over the last couple of days, such a cutie, and especially well received as I had had a gynae appointment that morning, which I don't think any woman enjoys! I headed over to check out my mate Timna's new gaff in the afternoon as she is renovating a place in Levenshulme, bit of inspo/ a reality check for when I finally get in mine. That evening we started a new Scandinavian drama series called The Rain; we absolutely smashed it, watching four episodes that night. 

On Wednesday I arranged to meet up with Chris' mum Christine and his niece Izzy at Coffee Fix in Gatley. Christine looks after her during the school holidays, so I thought it would be nice to get together for a girly brunch. I had eggs Benedict, and one of the baristas showed us some of the latte art he does, he did a teddy bear for Izzy, which she was very impressed with. That evening I went for tea at my parent's whilst Chris felt sorry for himself on my sofa, and we finished The Rain once I got home.

On Thursday after a few errands and getting my nails done I drove to Leeds to stay with my friend Bex in her new flat. She cooked halloumi fajitas for our tea and then we walked into the city centre for a some drinks. We started at a new cocktail bar called Cuckoo that was like Alice in Wonderland meets Glastonbury - very up my street! We had salted caramel espresso martinis before moving on to a secret bar called The Domino that was cleverly hidden behind a barbershop front; downstairs was a prohibition style bar where a live jazz quartet were playing. We ended the night in Blind Tyger, a steampunk themed bar that served flights of different gins and mixers, fab idea!

On Friday after a lie in whilst Bex did a market research study, we went for lunch at Sylva in Roundhay Park. The location was beautiful, a treehouse like building set in rolling parkland, but our overall experience wasn't the best. Firstly after a half an hour wait, we were told they had forgotten to process our order, and then that the dish I had ordered was now unavailable. Then when the food finally arrived, Bex found a hair in her sandwich! In all fairness, the staff were very apologetic, giving us a free slice of cake each due to the wait and then wiping both of our sandwiches off the bill after the sold out / hair debaucle, so we literally only paid for our coffees, winner!

That afternoon we went back into the city centre to meet Lucy, who despite originally being Bex's friend from the Meetup scene in Leeds, we actually realised a while ago went to my high school, her mum lives around the corner from where I work, and my friend Tasha was the estate agent that sold her the flat she now owns in Ancoats, such a crazy small world! We had a cocktail in Be At One before I drove straight to the boat for a barge sleepover, and we started watching The Handmaid's Tale, which is depressing as hell but very gripping!

Yesterday I had a chilled one, hitting the gym and pottering around before heading to Ellie's with Chris for early joint birthday celebrations. There was maybe 15 of us, including a few I hadn't seen for a while, and we sat in the garden nattering and drinking sangria until about 11pm when it seemed to be dying down. Never one to stop the party, I suggested we head to Dulcimer in Chorlton where Chris had left to DJ; most wanted an early one, but me and my mate Africa moseyed on up, and had a couple more bevvies before catching a lift home when Chris had finished his set.

Today I have mostly been... VERY hungover! I just about managed to get Africa back to the met stop around midday, before heading back to bed for another couple of hours. I am now tucked up on the boat, after a rejuvenating afternoon sprawling in the sunshine before walking into Poynton for a Pizza Express, which was the nail in the coffin for my lurking alcohol withdrawal. FYI track of the week above is by the gorgeous Lykke Li who I have recently discovered and she is rad!