Had a bit of a family weekend with Dad and Marilyn before we all shoot off to different corners of the country. Did everything humanly festive in two days.
Started out on Friday morning at our favourite tea room in Gloucester: Lily's. It's just opposite the Tailor of Gloucester: Beatrix Potter Museum. The café was closed for twelve weeks recently, due to flooding, and has been refurbished. It looks really good in there. Nice little touches like fresh roses (above).
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| English breakfast at Lily's |
Fortified, we went to collect the tree.
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| Sold by B&Q, wrapped by Spider-Man. |
Next stop, we headed down from Gloucester to Farrington's Farm Shop near Bristol. This is a wonderful place of goodness and joy. It started out as a shed, selling farm produce. Over the years it's blossomed into a renowned restaurant and outlet.
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| Udderly in love with Farrington's |
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| Chilli & gingerbread hot chocolate with Malteser cheesecake |
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| See food? |
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| It's friesian up here. |
There's also a tonne of misstletoe, as the West Country is the main area of the UK where it grows. Much of the mistletoe for national and international sale is harvested in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Somerset.
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| Maybe if I stand under here long enough... |
Farrington's has so many endearing qualities. They do an incredible vegetarian (and full English) breakfast, sell tradition sweets (including pear drops and sour apples) and, best of all...
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| Remember this? |
They even had crème de marrons! I almost tripped over myself in the aisle. My aim this winter is to develop an entire spare tyre formed solely from chestnut puree. Sort of like a camel's hump - to sustain me through leaner times. This is one resolution I feel confident in achieving. The other is to seek counselling for what I think may be an unhealthy addiction.
Whilst Farrington's were wrapping their beautiful gift hampers for us, we popped over to Stratton-on-the-Fosse to lay a wreath for a family member.
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| Stratton Church |
A somber break in festivities before driving over to Westonbirt National Arboretum for their Enchanted Christmas. Highlights in the video below.
Did fall in love with Maya Filipič's piano playing along the way, too.
T'was a magical night. Truly enchanting. So as not to get too soppy about it, I leave you with a picture of me holding my nuts.
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