Sadlers Bistro - The TeaHouse Trail.

Well, it has been a while, hasn't it? My last term at university has been nothing less than hectic, but I can happily say that I am going to be graduating with a 2:1 and I think that's definitely a good enough reason to begin blogging about cake again, or it is for me at least anyway. I started my blog as I wanted to do something creative with my spare time and, recently, I have totally lost touch with that. It took a while for me to convince myself to return to blogging but I'm definitely going to give it another go and hopefully mix up my content a bit, so, watch this space.

On a very sunny Tuesday morning, Faye and I went to Sadlers Cafe & Bistro in Stokesley, to celebrate in the aptest way (for us anyway). This place is lovely, offering a selection of homemade cakes, delicious lunches and lots of hot and cold drinks. I can't go as far as to comment on the food as, like always, we stuck to cakes, but it all looked and smelt delicious. They offer both a daytime and evening menu, whilst also serving drinks and cocktails over the weekend. I have to admit, Faye and I were eyeing up the huge gin and wine lists... classic.

We both ended up opting for a hot chocolate, with Faye choosing a Belgian chocolate marble cake and I (pretending to be healthy) went for carrot and sultana. They were delish and were a great treat to go alongside our weekly catch up.

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, considering I am totally out of the swing of everything blog related. I am keen to get back into it though and will hopefully be updating often ... or at least without an eight-month break between posts!

See you soon,

Autumn Adventures

These past few weeks have been some of the best this year. The changing of the season brings with it bright, crunchy leaves, cold weather and big knits. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it.

Although life has been pretty hectic with university, and I haven't done anything particularly interesting recently, I wanted to write a blog post condensing all the lovely bits and bobs that I have done, making this Autumn the best one yet. 

Starting off with a trip back home, and a stroll through Guisborough Forest Walkway. 

Coming home during winter time is my favourite. I get to fill up on Sunday roasts, spend time with my family and, most importantly, keep toasty by the fire without any worry of student house heating bills ... *if you know, you know*.

Guisborough Branch Walkway is a perfect place to go for a winter dog walk. With it being so accessible and right near home, I couldn't think of a better place to start my weekend. So I pulled on my wellies and off I went. 

I honestly don't think we could have picked a more perfect autumn day to go for this walk. A cool sun was set high in the sky, and the crisp air was cold enough to be cosy in a hat and scarf. Jubes and Buckley had the time of their lives getting up to mischief in the mud and stopping to make friends with every other dog we passed. Once they'd had a good run about, we warmed up with a coffee in the cafe at the end of the trail.

 All in all, it was a very lovely morning. 

Fast-forwarding to a little later in the day, we bundled up in some more layers and made our way to Whitby.

With it being the run-up to Halloween, the Abbey had been illuminated for a dramatic retelling of Dracula that was being staged within the grounds. Now, I've been to Whitby Abbey a number of times, but this night it looked particularly grand. The illuminations lit up the whole hillside and made everything look a little magical and eerie. Really setting the scene for a Halloween tale.

We grabbed a cup of coffee, and some amazing pulled pork fries from an American food van and took a wander around the craft stalls whilst we waited for the show to start. Unfortunately, when it did there was a problem with the microphones, which was a bit of a bummer, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The bitter cold didn't ruin the evening one bit. I'd totally go back again next year!

Jo's carved pumpkin on our Halloween night.

My last day at home was spent scouring around a few of the best garden centres in our area. This is such a 'granny' thing to do but I absolutely love it, and I managed to pick up a few cute plants and storage boxes for my room.
We visited Cherry Hill (the best GC ever) and spent ages admiring all their beautiful decorations and displays, even managing to fit in some lunch and a slice of cake afterward. If you live anywhere near Cherry Hill and haven't managed to visit around Christmas time, you are honestly missing out. Go! Go! Go!

Luckily I didn't have to be too sad about leaving home, as I had plans to carve pumpkins, watch Halloween movies and eat snacks with my besties back in York. It was absolutely amazing, as all my time is when spent with them, and I went home particularly content (and smelling of fresh pumpkins).

The next week was spent drinking copious amounts of coffee whilst trying to get an essay done. I even ended up spending bonfire night, with my head in a book, watching fireworks through the library window. Luckily, with our essay due Monday morning, I managed to catch a  display around the corner from my house that night. The smell of bonfire smoke was set deep in the air and being wrapped up in multiple layers really got me feeling festive.

I always say that once November 5th has passed, its time to get into the Christmas spirit... What do you think?

Me & Mrs Fisher - The Teahouse Trail.

I made a promise to myself that, in my last year of university, I would visit all the places in York that I have always said I would go to. After over two years of walking past Me and Mrs. Fisher, ogling at the decor and delicious menu, I finally went in.

My friend Alexandra, who has also always wanted to pop in here, informed me that they had recently updated their menu, making all the food they serve either vegetarian or vegan. As a lactose intolerant (who really doesn't know, or stick to, her limits) I was incredibly excited to have a meal that I could enjoy without stomach ache inducing consequences. 

The way they have chosen to style this place is honestly encapsulating, it has such a great vibe. With calming, retro tunes, cosy sofas and ambient lighting, this couldn't be a better place to grab a bite to eat, bask in the warmth of the cool, Autumn sun and enjoy the Minster views. Which is exactly what we did. 

After a long morning of lectures, with another few hours to go, I couldn't wait to shake myself up with a hot coffee and something filling. I chose a double shot cappuccino, with Alexandra similarly opting for a latte. It is so nice to go to an eaterie that offers more than one kind of dairy-free milk option, and with Oat being my favourite, this was such a great pick me up. 

They had such an extensive menu, filled with absolutely delicious sounding veggie/vegan options, it was so hard to choose. I ultimately favoured the tomato, basil and avocado sandwich on sourdough over everything. Served with a green salad garnish and salted crisps, it was truly delicious! They also had a special of vegan macaroni cheese which Alexandra liked the sound of, by the looks of her clean plate I'm assuming it was just as tasty.

Enjoying a good catch-up and the chilled out atmosphere of Me and Mrs Fisher, we snuck in one last coffee, and a slice of chocolate and banana cake, before scarpering off to our lecture. 

All in all, this was a totally worthwhile trip and I would 100% recommend a visit. I'm sure this is the kind of place that everyone can appreciate, vegan or not. 

The Sitting Room - The Tea House Trail.

Back to one of my favourite places, with one of my favourite people. The second edition of The Tea House Trail comes straight from The Sitting Room, Guisborough. A long time beloved cafe of mine back home. A trip to the North is simply incomplete without a coffee and cake catchup with the lovely Faye, and thus, I made it priority in my two days back for us to do just that.

The Sitting Room has always been one of my favourite cafes. With their large selection of delicious alcoholic drinks; delightful cakes, teas and coffees; and locally sourced, homemade food, you can't go wrong with taking a trip here. It is such a treat to have such an amazing establishment so close to my doorstep. With absolutely fabulous, retro decor and amazing artwork, it is the coolest and cosiest place to stop for a drink. I couldn't be luckier!

Despite taking many a trip to The Sitting Room, Guisborough (some of which have been included on my blog previously) this was the first time I have been for a non-alcoholic beverage. However, I have sampled the cakes (one too many a time) in Saltburn and they are truly divine. We were certainly not disappointed today either. 

With their new seasonal drinks menu catching my eye straight away, I chose a rose hot chocolate, a huge treat for me seeing as I tend to avoid dairy like the plague. Rose is one of my favourite scents and flavours and this was such a scrummy combination. Faye opted for the caramel hot chocolate, as well as two hefty slices of chocolate and Guinness cake, which we ate every bite of.

I can't wait to be back, and to hopefully attend one of their upcoming events, such as the Secret Cinema which I think is such a wonderful idea. (Faye, if you're reading this, please can we go)? If you'd like to check them out their Instagram's are tagged here and here. I would totally recommend taking a trip, it truly is as great as I say!