Wednesday 30 June 2010

Summer has arrived!

Last Thursday I had plans to meet the ladies for pizza in town but we decided to scrap that idea last minute and make the most of the lovely sunshine (before it starts snowing again). A quick trip to the supermarket later and we had ourselves an impromptu garden party! Any excuse to put up the bunting....





Lynne & Chez

On the Friday I headed to Lossiemouth to visit my friend Claire and her two kids... love them! Like the day before, it was another glorious evening so we headed to Roseisle Beach to walk the dog.....and Faith!















A lovely weekend and I've even got a bit of colour in my cheeks, it must be summer!?

x

Monday 21 June 2010

In the garden..

Been getting stuck into the garden of late and its really starting to take shape..... all I'm waiting for now is the bloody sun to show his face!! I want to be putting up our parasol for the shade.....not to shield us from the driving rain! Please God, I don't ask for much, just a couple of weeks of uninterrupted sunshine, morning through to night. Yes, ALL day, not that couple of hours in the morning crap that lures us into this false sense of security..... spurring us to go stick the washing out before dumping a gallon of bloody rain on it while we're at the shops!?! Two weeks during my holiday is all I ask...then you can hit us with another one of your crazy-ass winters, I won't care, just show us some Summer first, eh!?


Ok, rant over, I'm back in the room.....we decided to give the garden fences a facelift...


Before...


...and after...








Amazing what a lick of paint can do!



Got these pots from the kitchen department at IKEA



Lanterns also from IKEA





Our wee herb garden

Next project...to buy this boring tool shed and give it a beach hut makeover....add some window boxes and some bunting and it will be the coolest shed on the street!



On Friday the postie came to the door with a massive box of loveliness from Cath Kidston. I bought one of her dresses a few weeks ago, loved the fit so much I ordered another one in a different pattern...











...along with some other bits and bobs for our hollibobs, including this ace basket to carry the picnic stuff...



An essential, I think you'll agree, haha! Ok so yes, we haven't got a tent yet (a minor detail)...but we do have nice flowery plates, cups and baskets so we'll be ok! (well, you DO have to set the scene, eh ladies!?) ;-)

I'll leave you with some recent photography....







Love LOVE Peonies!






Sunday 6 June 2010

Yum!

One of my favourite things about Paris are the patisseries, or more so, the quintessential Parisian Macaroon! These small but perfectly formed morsels of pure joy seem to be everywhere you turn in this amazing city. Stacks and stacks of brightly coloured circles, in every flavour you can think of - Rose Petal, Raspberry, Hazelnut,  Blackcurrant Violet, Chocolate, Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom....to the downright wrong....Olive Oil and Tomato!?! Gadds!



They are housed in opulent 'boutiques', with rows of rainbow 'jewels' behind glass cabinets....a set-up more on par with a high-end Jeweller than a dowdy bakery! Two of the most famous Macaroon patisseries being the original Ladurée and the equally amazing....if not slightly better Pierre Hermé. 




And packaging to die for, beautiful boxes with foil blocked logos, tied with ribbons and tissue. God, I just LOVE that patter! A little affordable luxury...


Anyway, I thought Harrods in London would be the nearest place to sample these again....until I discovered somewhere a little more closer to home. My sister-in-law told me about Betty's, a famous Yorkshire bakery/cafe that she visits every time she travels to Harrogate for courses. I discovered they made their own Macaroons so she very kindly brought me home a box, thanks Jude! They were so yummy, and not only that, a great subject matter to photograph....




With such a posh treat I had to break out the fancy cups...this one being my new fave, I picked it up at a local antiques shop a wee while ago...








After seeing these pics I've been inspired to dig out my watercolours, think this would make a lovely painting!



On the subject of food...we have been getting stuck into the garden these past couple of weeks...and with that, have visited possibly every garden centre in the North East of Scotland (much to my husband's joy, not!). The thing is with the garden centre nowadays is that sells just about everything else too....cards, wrap, cushions, clothes, bread, meat....a total nightmare if you are only nipping in for some bedding plants and a bag of compost! You could lose a few hours of your life in there, easy! My husband had to literally drag me from the Emma Bridgewater corner!! 

Then there are the food halls......sooo much £5 jars of chutney to choose from!! I really think making chutney for a living could be the key to wealth and prosperity.... honestly £5 for a jar of jam!?! Crazy! But to be fair, it was nice and I keep buying it. But seriously...pickles - a license to print money?



Picked up a jar of my favourite Fig Jam. They also do Quince, Gooseberry and Damson, all sooo yummy with cheese, which we also picked up.....a nice Isle of Arran cheddar with Stem Ginger...



...which I used to make toasted cheese and sliced fig sarnies. Yum!

All this food, cakes and pretty crockery makes me think how amazing it would be to run a wee tearoom! A little idea of mine and something that Aberdeen is sorely lacking! Have I found a niche? Probably not but there's no harm in dreaming!

x