Fancie by night, Sheffield.

If you read my blog or follow me on Twitter you'll know I love the Fancie shops and eating a cupcake-shaped treat every once in a while. I have visited the shop on Sharrowvale Road a couple of times, and have been for lunch at the new "grown up" Fancie shop on Eccleshall Road which opened recently. I had the veggie breakfast with a huge mug of tea and it was delicious. When I heard that this particular shop would be opening on an evening my friend and I vowed to go back to sample some of the grub.

Last Saturday our party of 4 braved the snow and drove to Sheffield. Fancie had called my friend earlier in the day to check whether we were still able to make it and, not letting a bit of snow put us off the promise of amazing food, we said "yes".

The venue

If you've been to the Fancie at Meadowhall or the shop on Sharrowvale Road you will be familiar with the pink colour scheme and the chintzy mismatched nature of the chairs, tables and crockery. The new shop on Ecclesall Road is much more grown up. Think exposed brick walls, shabby chic touches, mismatching sofas and tables, bench seating and amazing wooden stools like you had in Science lessons at school. It is definitely my cup of tea in terms of the style and feel of the place.

It was quiet when we arrived at 7pm, probably due to the weather, which meant we were seated at our table straight away and received attentive service from the girls who were serving. We were informed that in terms of alcohol it was "bring your own bottle" which most of us already knew, but we all opted for cups of tea or juice (I believe there is a £2.50 charge for each person drinking their own wine or beer). A bottle of water was already on the table and was topped up as we got through it.

Photo pinched from my friend (@katy2811 on Instagram)

As the evening went on custom got a little busier but most people were seated upstairs. Due to the layout of the ground floor with the exposed brick wall in the centre of the space, it felt very intimate and quiet where we were sat, and it was a comfortable atmosphere to chat and enjoy our food.

Starters & mains

Okay, the food. The important bit right? I went for the mushrooms on toast to start with followed by the tomato risotto with deep-fried goats cheese and lemon. The mushrooms on toast were D-I-V-I-N-E. They were definitely the most upmarket mushrooms on toast I've ever had. The gorgonzola cheese gave them a strong flavour and there was plenty of sauce to be "mopped up" with the toast. I could have quite happily eaten it again for my main course. The risotto was tasty but definitely needed the goats cheese element to it to add a bit of variation in flavour. The portion size was just right and I finished feeling full, but ready for something sweet to finish things off (there's always room for pudding).

Other courses sampled by Jonathan and co that I can remember were the fishcake starter, the steak, beef cheeks, and chicken and chorizo stew, and there were no complaints around the table. I know Jonathan particularly enjoyed the beef cheeks and it was something new he hadn't tried before.

Dessert

For dessert Jonathan and I shared a piece of salted chocolate tart and a cupcake from the counter. I opted for the mint-choc cupcake as it's a flavour I haven't tried before. I am, unfortunately for my waistline, trying to work my way through the flavours.

The choice of desserts wasn't huge but you do of course have the cupcakes to choose from behind the counter. Katy was hoping to get a Creme Egg special which unfortunately had sold out, so they went for a slice of salted chocolate tart and a creme brulee to share between them.

The salted chocolate tart was really, really good but I'm glad we shared as I think eating a whole slice would have pushed me into a chocolate-induced coma! The cupcake was, sadly, a little dry perhaps as it was the end of the day. Jonathan only had a couple of fork-fulls which left me with no choice but to polish the rest off!

A nice added touch to the evening was the pretty cup and saucer brought to our table housing 4 cream-filled brandy snaps (I had my own and someone elses... no shame!)

Apart from the slightly disappointing cupcake everything was great and we would definitely like to go back, although from a vegetarian point of view I would need to wait for the menu to change so I could try something new. Although if the mushrooms on toast were on offer I wouldn't complain!

 

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Cocoa Wonderland, Sheffield.

At the weekend my friend and I ventured into Sheffield to visit somewhere we have had our eye on for a while but not found time to visit; Cocoa Wonderland. Sounds pretty fancy doesn't it?

I originally stumbled upon their website when I was trying to find some book and craft clubs in South Yorkshire, as Cocoa run a book club and a knitting club on a regular basis so they popped up in my results. We weren't too sure whether there was the option to sit inside and have treats as well as buying chocolate to take away, but we decided to take a drive up there to find out.

When you walk inside you're met with a small shop area with chocolate everywhere. It's brilliant. It was so busy when we arrived, possibly due to lots of people purchasing last minute Mothers Day presents, that we headed straight through the shop into the small downstairs seating area. Luckily there was a little cosy corner with a couple of free chairs and a table just right for the two of us. There was more seating upstairs, and I'd have loved to go up to have a nosy at the decor, but we stuck to downstairs and perused the menus.

If I ran a chocolate shop/cafe, I would want it to be kitted out just like Cocoa is. Well-worn armchairs, vintage framed postcards and artwork covering every wall surface, and shelves full of pretty items to purchase from giant Easter eggs to fancy photo frames, stripey drinking straws, paper lanterns, and fabric purses.

It can only be described as the Alice in Wonderland of chocolate shops. I only wish I had taken my 'proper' camera instead of having to take snaps with my iPhone, but hopefully you get the gist of it!

What happened next can only be described as a distinct lack of judgement when we placed our orders. We both went for hot chocolate AND a chocolate based cake. Katy had the Rocky Road hot chocolate along with a huge pecan brownie. I opted for the "thick" hot chocolate and a huge slab of double chocolate gateaux.

My chocolate gateaux was delicious and I ate every last morsel of it. The thick hot chocolate was just too rich for me and I utterly regretted not going for a strawberry and white chocolate milkshake, a cup of regular tea, or a normal milky hot chocolate.

Katy polished off her hot chocolate which was topped with "rocky road" goodies but only managed half of her brownie (although I think the other half lasted for about 30 minutes once she got it home...) I had a cheeky bite of the brownie and can confirm it was delicious!

We will be going back without a doubt! Next time we would like to sample one of the tasting platters and I am determined to try a milkshake, as I had complete envy over the other diners who had opted for one.

On our way out we needed to pick up a few bits from the shop for Mothers Day but it was still heaving, with the queue snaking round the shop and nobody quite knowing who was next. The girls behind the counter did a cracking job of serving us all quickly with a smile on their faces, and the time in the queue gave us chance to have a look at the truffles behind the counter and some of the bars of chocolate on display, although it was difficult to get a look at everything. 

We ordered our boxes of truffles, which were wrapped beautifully, and made our way out of the shop and back to the car feeling a little high on sugar but happy nonetheless.

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

On Saturday morning we woke up feeling rather optimistic that it wasn't as cold outside as it looked, so we decided to take a trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park armed with woolly gloves, hats and a bag full of food.

I have been to YSP once before, probably about 8 or 9 years ago, but as it's not far from us and the sculptures are always changing (not to mention I can't remember what I did 8 or 9 months ago, never mind years!) off we went.

The Pugs sat this one out and stayed at home in their nice warm bed, which was probably a wise move. On the drive up there not only had the temperature dropped by several degrees but it had also started to snow ever so slightly. Lily and Lola are very particular about the weather they will venture out in and I'm not sure their little legs would have made it, as it's a pretty big place.

After about an hour and a half, spotting a fair few sculptures and taking a long walk round the lake, we admitted defeat, mainly due to frozen fingers and snowy faces.

We will be heading back in the warmer months (there's that optimism again!) as it would be a great spot for a picnic and a warmer stroll around the grounds.

The exhibition due to start in Spring of this year looks pretty interesting I must say!

Have you ever visited YSP?

Ugg Australia Dylyn boots and Mellow Yellow handbag c/o Sarenza

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A birthday at Beamish.

As I mentioned here we went to Beamish on Sunday for my 28th birthday. For those who don't know, Beamish is a "living museum" in County Durham which is split into different areas such as the Edwardian Town, the Pit Village, and Home Farm, with trams every 20 minutes to take you from one area to the next.

It took a couple of hours to drive there but it was a nice easy route, although a tad hair raising in the strong wind in my little Smart car!

We were hoping it wouldn't be too busy which luckily it wasn't as I think the blustery wind and cold temperatures had put people off the idea of an outdoors museum. Us? We're hard as nails!

The Edwardian Town, where we ended up last, was our favourite bit. You feel like you have stepped back in time and it was so interesting wandering around looking at, and going inside, the buildings, shops and houses. The sweet shop was a particular favourite, as was the dental surgery and the singing teachers home which was crammed full of furniture and trinkets.

There were staff dressed up at every turn to explain a little more about each house or shop. Let's just say, I wouldn't have wanted dental treatment back in those days. Ouch!

It was extremely windy so you will have to excuse my hair which I gave up on. I will say that the weather conditions combined with everything being nicely spread out meant that it was nice and quiet, which meant we often felt like we had the place to ourselves.

We braved the chilly walk up to the top of a hill to see Pockerley Old Hall which represents the home of a wealthy family in the 1800s. After having a good nosy round, warming ourselves up by the many wood burning fires, and trying some oatmeal and cheese(!) biscuits that had just been served up in the kitchen we felt ready to head back outside.

If you haven't been it's definitely worth a visit. We would like to go back when there's a special event on or a theme such as Bonfire Night or Christmas. Our tickets give us entry for one year which is brilliant, so we may well go back.

I imagine it would be lovely in warmer months where you could take a picnic and sit on the picnic area by the Edwardian Town.

Blowfish boots c/o Sarenza

If you've been to Beamish let me know if you enjoyed it. I imagine it's not everyone's cup of tea but I personally love places like this (I'm a fan of Eden Camp too!) so I had a great time.

If you haven't been but you plan to, allow a good few hours for your visit (I think we took about 3 hours or so, but if you look at every little bit of detail it could take much longer) and wrap up warm! It's also worth checking the website for the opening times and days that they're closed, as well as checking the calendar for any special events you could go to!

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Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Last Thursday Jonathan and I visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. We have wanted to go for so long but were a bit put off by the long journey so when our friends said they wanted to visit we decided to make a road trip of it which also coincided with my friend Katy's 30th birthday celebrations.

Due to accidents on the M1 both on the way there and the way home we got stuck in traffic and almost  missed our alloted ticket time and our dinner reservations in the evening, but as we were armed with Revels and Pringles (and a couple of us nodded off on the way home...) it wasn't so bad. We made it in one piece which is the main thing!

I don't want to share too much with you on here as I think it's all best kept as a surprise. I hadn't seen many photos before I visited and didn't really know what to expect so everything came as a huge surprise and it was brilliant. It surpassed my expectations by such a long way and the attention to detail was outstanding. 

So if you want to see a few snippets keep reading. If not, book a ticket and go asap. You won't be disappointed! Promise :)

So what is actually at the Studio Tour you ask? What's not there more like! Costumes, props, sets, masks, inside secrets and tricks of the trade, snippets of information at every turn, how "green screen" works, and if that's not enough for you there's... oh yes, Diagon blimmin Alley and a Hogwarts model! It is like a Harry Potter overdose and we loved every minute of it.

If the inside stuff isn't good enough you then step outside and you will be confronted with food and Butterbeer, before having ample photo opportunities in front of 4 Privet Drive, the Knight Bus, a Ford Anglia and a whole host of other things. And that's all before entering the gift shop!

I love Harry Potter and have done ever since I discovered the books, reading book 4 first then having to go back to the beginning to read them all. The Postman would always grumble when he delivered the new books that all the eager folk had pre ordered from Amazon as they weighed down his post sack! I wore a Gryffindor t shirt to Sixth Form more times than I care to mention, and somewhere in the loft I'm sure there are boxes of old HP jigsaws and teddies somewhere. Also the less said about the jeering I endured queuing at midnight to see the new films the better!

I hope I have left enough mystery for you to plan your visit. If you do, make sure you have a cup of Butterbeer. It's delicious!

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Whiston.

Last Sunday we went for a stroll in Whiston, a village not too far from where we live in Rotherham, before our Sunday lunch. We went to the St Mary Magdalene Church and had a walk round the grounds. It was extremely cold, but we were wrapped up as warm as we could, and very quiet, minus one old lady walking her dog.

The oldest dated gravestone in the grounds dates back to 1696 and the Lychgate in front of the church dates back to 1919 when it was built as a war memorial. We also spotted the stocks which are dated 1786 and are located just next to the Lychgate.

I do love a little bit of exploring on a weekend.

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Sharrowvale Road, Sheffield.

We had a free day yesterday so I suggested a trip to Sharrowvale Road in Sheffield to get a cupcake (or two) and to have a look in some of the shops for potential Christmas present ideas.

There are some great independent shops selling things for the home and framed prints, not to mention the shops that I'd love to receive something from like the vintage shop which sells everything you can imagine from the 20s - 50s. Amongst the treasures I spotted and loved were some 50s aprons, beautiful tablecloths and some old photos/postcards which would look great in a frame.

Jonathan tried on some of the vintage blazers and looked rather dashing, and I spotted the most FABULOUS pink quilted dressing gown amongst an array of vintage dresses and jackets. The prices were really reasonable for such treasures and I could have easily filled my car up to the brim with them.

One of the gift shops came up trumps as Jonathan found something great for his Dad as a Christmas gift. Christmas shopping aside we were also keeping our eyes peeled for things to buy us!

We picked up a framed print by an artist we haven't heard of before, Jim Connolly. We picked a print from his range based on Sheffield which are all brilliant. It took us a while to choose but the one we decided on is very funny. I'll share it on here very soon once it's up on the wall.

They also stocked prints by Jonathan Wilkinson who is one of our favourites (we have one of his pieces hanging up in our kitchen).

As it was lunchtime we were keeping our eyes peeled for somewhere to grab some lunch. We walked past Thelma's Cafe and had a peek through the window only to be enticed by an array of sandwiches and cakes. This was to be our lunch pit stop on our way back to the car.

I had enough stuck in my teeth for another meal!

We got a couple of sandwiches to take away; a New York Deli for Jonathan and a pesto/roasted veg for me (toasted). It was SO good. I could eat it again right now, twice. We will definitely go back next time we're in the area, maybe to eat in and have a cheeky slice of cake too.

Gilbert & Sons is a great place for furniture and pieces for the home. I always walk round with my "shabby chic" head on thinking of what I could do the dressing tables and dining tables. We're on the hunt for a coffee table for our living room but couldn't see anything suitable on this trip.

They had a couple of fabulous typewriters which I stopped to stroke and cabinets stuffed full of everything you could imagine.

After winding our way round the showroom which is situated on a few different floors we stopped off at Fancie to get a cupcake and a whoopie pie to take home, and off home we went feeling a little colder but much fuller than we had done an hour or two earlier.

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