I was the luckiest. Ahmad got the short straw a few weekends ago. He stayed in a hotel in Bristol for a meeting about maths papers and I got to stay with Hannah and Bob and explore the Bohemian quarter, Montpelier. Well it was a swanky hotel with a George Clooney Nespresso machine in the bedroom and amazing food...so he didn't do too badly...
Before he left us we explored Leigh woods and discovered totem poles and curious carvings, red deer with full antlers and an art installation 'Withdrawn' by Luke Jerram. A ghostly flotilla of abandoned fishing boats. We peeped inside one of the cabins and spied forgotten objects. A sou'wester and tortoiseshell reading glasses. Lonely possessions...Jilted by some natural disaster? We asked the questions the artist wanted us to ask...and maybe some he didn't...
Saturday whilst Ahmad worked, Hannah, Bob and I had brunch at The Bristolian cafe. It was lively and friendly,so busy we had to wait for food. We didn't mind. We ordered coffees and played board games and were soon served up with massive portions of freshly cooked waffles with fruit and honey, or eggs florentine (they do eggs benedict too,) or baguettes with scrumptious free range eggs. The portions were good for hearty eaters but much too big for me or Hannah...We'll definitely go again, but agreed to share one portion next time.
Bob left for more boyish pursuits and we found la belle boutique. They had the prettiest delicate antique lace and silk blouses that looked as though they would fall to pieces if you as much as breathed on them. It was so hard not to. And there were throws and rugs, soft leather handmade shoes and cute little toy tin boats, powered by candles, or rusted olive harvesting buckets. We could have spent ages there.
Exploring Montpelier some more, we found bargain thrifted dresses. The softest washed out grey cotton one for me. It needs a bit of adjusting a bit too big and I'm not really a frilly person but the fabric is lovely and it only cost £2.50. Sweet Hannah treated me to a 1950's enamel flour tin to store the remainder of my sack of spelt flour in. It was so much fun to spend some time with her and her new city...
...Isn't it good when your daughter is grown up enough for you stay over?
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We've had three lots of visitors over the last couple of weeks...Even Hannah managed to squeeze in a late night visit and stop over on her way to celebrate a friend's birthday in the cutest mother earth eco cottage complete with grass roof in a tiny hamlet nearby.
It was close to our lovely Hay on the river Wye and so we all spent time there rooting around the book and vintage shops, ended up having lunch at Richard Booth's Bookshop like a mini version of my all time favourite Shakespeare & co...
When everyone had gone home we even returned next day to collect a forgotten umbrella and spied two brides dancing to buskers in the street...only at Hay...
These are some of my favourite places to visit:
For really unusual quirky vintage items: The End, 20 Castle street,07779 788520 , only opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday but the owners Marina Rendle and Sally live close by and if you ring may be able to open up for you.
Next door you'll find Great English Outdoors where saddler Athene English makes and sells beautiful hand made leather items, vintage welsh blankets, artisan wooden items...amazing hand stitched utilitarian vegetable brushes, hand-knitted socks, tailored tweed clothes...all sorts of beautifully made items...
The old Electric Shop shop, cafe, new and vintage...live music...
Lots of fun books shops including Hay Castle with outdoor bookshelves and an honesty box or Richard Booth's Bookshop, it's the biggest bookshop in Hay, covering three floors has big old comfy sofas and armchairs to sit and read, an amazing small cinema showing independent films and best bookshop cafe.
ps I'm not advertising or anything...just telling you about some of the lovely places we like to go to...
Do you have any favourite haunts you'd like to share too?
debx
