Pretentious, but necessary

Today I ventured out to find a farmer's market to buy fruit and veg. I found where the farmer's market is normally located but it was sans market today as I miscalculated on the weekends. Apparently May has 5 weekends, not 4.

The frequently raining weather called for me to wear my newest, pretentious but completely necessary, accessory. A lovely black pin-striped trilby. However, I am assured by my new flatmate that it takes a lot of hard work to look pretentious in the Byres Road area as there is a lot of competition, so I think my hat and I are safe.

I sheltered from one of the rain deluges in a randomly chosen cafe called Tinderbox, there are A LOT of cafes to choose from on Byres Road and it should keep me occupied for quite some time. The coffee in Tinderbox was lovely, I opted for an Americano in my continued bid to drink less milk based drinks. It was smooth, not at all bitter and wonderfully drinkable. Although I didn't buy any food, there was a tempting array of cakes (including a dark chocolate cheesecake which will need to be in my life at some point) and a varied menu of freshly made sandwiches and salads. I will certainly be returning to this cafe, especially as it is open until 11pm which will make it perfect for after work cake related relaxation.

A question of footwear

I find that people forget that footwear can make or break an outfit. I see too many women out and about who are wearing perfectly acceptable clothing and then their shoes just totally ruin it. Running trainers (mostly unacceptable unless you are actually going to do exercise). Flat, square shoes that look like bad mens shoes (comfortable, perhaps. Neccessary? No). Crocs (Never). There are so many shoe shops and so many different styles of shoe that it astounds me that some women can not find a pair which compliments what they are wearing.

A note on wedges. These shoes/sandals are almost definitely unacceptable in almost all situations. Perhaps when you are somewhere hot and foreign and the wedges are subtle and stylish (if there is such a thing as a stylish wedge. Although I'm sure designers such as Christian Louboutin may be, or the late Alexander McQueen may have been, up to such a challenge). Although I am of the opinion that even in a situation such as this, this type of footwear should be a definite last resort. On a bus in Bromsgrove? No. In May? No. With peep toes and tights underneath?? Unacceptable.

Cookies, and sex

Anyone who says that chocolate is better than sex, has never had good sex.

However, this phrase can be modified. Some chocolate, is in fact, better than some sex.

The freshly baked giant cookie that I was privileged to try yesterday was definitely better than some of the sex I have had (and really, some guys are just awful, it just doesn't work). A fresh, sticky, melting chocolate cookie is definitely way up on the sex and chocolate hierarchy.

Pickles and Potter vs. Opposite

On Monday, much to mine and my coffee and cake companions' dismay our usual haunt of Opposite was closed. Therefore, we headed out into Headingley to search for a suitable alternative.

I had often walked into the Pickles and Potter cafe in the city centre, looked at the menus, the delicious looking food fridge and the home made cakes, decided that it was above my price bracket and turned around again. I am severely regretting those many decisions now. In the second of their cafes in Headingley the jacket potato I had was crispy, the houmous smooth, the chutney wonderfully tangy and the side salad a lovely addition to my lunch. The skinny mocha managed to retain a creamy chocolate texture that many coffee shops (starbucks and I hate to admit Opposite) don't. The crowning glory of this coffee has to be the addition of a tiny bite size piece of their award winning brownie. After trying it one can truely tell why it is award winning. It is so chocolatey and smooth it melts in your mouth. Perfection in a bite sized piece. The whole experience was topped off by my choice of desert, lemon cake. The triangular slab of cake was light and spongy as well as zesty and tangy.

I am disappointed in myself for not going to this cafe earlier in my life. I only spent 3 and a half years in Leeds! The food, rather than the coffee and cake, is more expensive than my ranking Leeds favourite, Opposite, but it will definitely be on my list of places to go when I am visiting friends.

A quick note on Opposite. I couldn't leave Leeds without a visit here. The coffee was strong but smooth, my houmous, feta, roasted peppers and spinach sandwich was on delightfully soft brown bread and the sweetness of the peppers still combines wonderfully with slightly sour but soft taste of the feta. It will take something truely extrodinary to replace Opposite as my favourite Leeds cafe (although it gets many points from sentimentality).