the ethicurean & barley wood walled garden

Last Sunday the sun was shining so my boyfriend and I went on a little road trip to the Ethicurean  restaurant and Barley wood walled garden near Bristol. We've wanted to visit for ages and as you can see it's a pretty amazing place. We spent the whole day wandering around the gardens and through the cider orchards, taking photos and drinking tea on the lawn and then enjoyed a delicious long lunch in their restaurant.

Love this idea of vintage cutlery hung up with brown string.


The best welsh rarebit...I could eat one right now..

2 north parade produce store

Here's my lovely boyfriend Pete, looking very proud outside his new shop, which he has opened just a few weeks ago with his business partner Jojo. It's a produce store selling local bread, seasonal vegetables, Cotswold charcuterie, homemade cakes, British cheeses, wines and amazing coffee!

It's been really exciting going to flea markets finding old crates, tables and light fittings for the shop. It was once a butchers and the white tiles still remain now with veg prices written on. I think it looks amazing, but I probably would...

Pete and Jojo are really passionate about working with all these great local farmers and producers. You can just pop in to the store, get recipe ideas and have a chat about where the produce comes from. It's a lovely little shop with a friendly atmosphere. So if you are in the area, check it out.

2 north parade produce store, oxford, OX2 6LX. 01865 552311
northparade2@btinternet.com
follow them on twitter @2northparade.

jj

in the garden

The weather has been lovely over the last few days, so we finally get to be outside in the garden. I could spend a fortune buying pretty flowers and plants. I have just bought a flowering thyme and some white Veronica, their flowers smell like vanilla and when it's warm the smell drifts though the house.

My mum bought me this Better Homes and Gardens book, which has some great retro pictures from the 1950's. Maybe I can get a few gardening tips...

We have been eating lots of salad from our veg plot, I can't wait too pick some French beans and Courgettes, they still have a while to go yet.

What nice things have you been up to in the sunshine?

 

trip to france

Just got back from a family holiday in France. We stayed in a wonderfully quirky old house in a small town called Senonches, which is in the Eure-et-Loire region. We were visiting my sisters, partners parents for one week, i'll add some pictures of the house later.

Yesterday morning we went to the weekly market that runs through the town's main street.

There was stall after stall of vegetables, fruit, cured meats, cheeses, flowers and honey to name a few. I wanted to bring a lot more home, but I did manage to buy a few things on the trip.

This haberdashery stall was over flowing with ribbons, buttons, lace and beads.

I bought a selection of these embroidered fabric hems. Not sure what I will do with them yet, but they were so pretty.

We bought some things from the market to eat on the journey home on the Eurostar.

I brought back some other bits and pieces too. I love these packet designs

I always bring back a Paris Vogue

We also went to a bric-a-brac shop and found a flour jar to add to my collection and a little glass salt and pepper pinch pot.