Some post-summer reads

Autumn is my absolute favourite season, and there is no better time to curl up with a cosy blanket and a book!

Here are some reads that I have had on my Kindle, or that I'm about to tackle. Let's see if any of you can beat me to it...

A Pocket Full of Shells by Jean Reinhardt

The Irish Potato Famine doesn't have much fiction written on it, and so when I saw a Pocket Full of Shells I jumped at the chance to read it. I was however, quite disappointed. The book is very short, and the story never really goes anywhere. James and Mary are a very likeable couple, and the start is exciting with the prospect of going to Liverpool to escape the famine, but not much happens overall. Worth a read to find out about this area of history, but don't expect too much!

This House is Haunted by John Boyne

I'm not normally a fan of ghost stories, as they can get a bit silly and unrealistic. I saw this in a bookshop at King's Cross on the new reads shelf, and thought I'd give it a go (it's written by the man who wrote The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas). Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. Set in Victorian England, the book follows a newly orphaned governess who is employed at a grand house in Norfolk. Strange things start to happen....and where are the parents? Spooky fun for a cold day!

The Island by Victoria Hislop


Wow. To say this is a must-read is an understatement. I loved every minute of this very popular book, and found the changes between present day and the past very well done. The book focusses on a girl trying to discover her family history which revolves around the mysterious (previous) leper colony on the Greek island of Spinalonga. Warning: nothing else in your life will get done while you are reading this!


On the horizon.....

The Wedding Gift by Marlen Suyapa Bodden


A young slave is given to her younger 'sister' as a wedding gift. Although the two grew up together, their different backgrounds and social standing seems to be key to this story. It reminds me of the recent film Belle, and I hope it is just as good!





The Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Written by an American woman who went over to Afghanistan, this story is about a group of women who come together in a beauty salon in Kabul. Rodriguez's first book The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul had rave reviews as it tells the stories of many incredible women and brings them together through friendship. I always like to stay clear of 'raved about' books as they rarely live up to the hype (The Island is a rare exception!) so I thought the second one by this author was a safe bet.

The Silent Lady by Catherine Cookson

A Catherine Cookson classic that was one of my mum's favourite books as a child. I love the TV adaptations of her books, and they are always based at the turn of the 20th Century in the north of England. If I like this one there will be many more!






Finally, for those of you who love snuggling up with a book like I do, Dunhelm Mill is definitely the best place for some gorgeous (and not ridiculously priced) blankets....with 20% off at the moment? Yes please:

http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/decor/blankets-and-throws/

Any Autumn reads on your list I've left off?

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A few hours in Bath

As you might have guessed from my previous gift posts, I love Jane Austen.

So when my cousin wanted to go to the University of Bath open day, I jumped at the chance to spend a day in the city!

Bath has been around since Roman times, and since then has been famous for its waters that were meant to be good for the health. Its popularity as a spa town meant that Bath became one of the most fashionable society places in Georgian times, hosting events much like the balls and gatherings in Jane Austen's books.

I had a maximum of about 4 hours to spend in this city, on a Saturday. So as you can imagine, there wasn't much time to queue for the big tourist hot spots, but I hope to give you a bit of a flavour!

Excitingly, we stumbled from the famous Royal Crescent into what turned out to be a record breaking event...

The annual Jane Austen festival!

The people of Bath take this tradition very seriously, and people from the whole county will join in the walk around the city in period dress. The costumes were out of this world!

Bikes and prams were even in keeping with the event:

My favourite? The military outfits.
I do love a man in uniform...

The streets of Bath themselves were so pretty and all made out of the same Bath stone.

The previous history of the buildings is proudly displayed for all to see.

As well as little markets tucked away in corners...

...and wide open squares full of bustling crowds.

The one place I really wanted to see was the old Roman baths. It used to be a public bathing house and over the years some amazing things have been found there. But as you can imagine, on a Saturday during the Jane Austen festival, it was a no-go zone! Instead I took a picture of the outside, as well as the Pump Room restaurant that is right next door:

Finally, as the clock was ticking on, we made our way to Bath Abbey.

I am such a fan of massive cathedrals/abbeys/minsters. They are always full of beauty and have a real sense of peace. Often photos are banned and it can cost money to enter, but thankfully Bath Abbey was neither!

On the way back to the Crescent, I took a quick snap of the Museum at the end of the row as a reminder to visit it next time.

So, who's up for visiting the festival and Bath with me next year?!

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Review: The York Cocoa House

Chocolate. A love-love relationship if there ever was one.

I recently took a trip to a wonderful little cafe in York: The York Cocoa House. For those of you who don't know, York was home to both Terrys and Rowntrees chocolate houses, and the city certainly makes the most of this part of its history.

The cafe opened in November 2011and Sophie, the creator, wanted to set up a place that would celebrate the personal connection people can have with chocolate. What a lovely idea!

On with the review....

The York Cocoa House celebrates chocolate by using it in EVERYTHING, even savoury dishes:

It's not a unique concept, but I think this little cafe was full of charm and certainly takes chocolate-making and chocolate history very seriously!

The main draw after a heavy day's shopping was the hot chocolate here. We sat down in the little cafe section which is to the right of the entrance (central is the gift shop, to the left is where the workshops take place...more on that later!)

The boyfriend ordered a caramel hot chocolate and I got a "moderate" dark one, as I didn't have the courage to go for the 96%! Yes people, that exists!

I was desperate, so I glued my eyes on the little counter to watch them make it. I wasn't disappointed, and was treated to every chocolate lover's dream: a generous handful of chocolate buttons being stirred into hot milk....

Is there any better way to make it?

We ordered a chocolate biscuit alongside (as well as the samples provided with the drinks) and within seconds it was gone!

Creamy, chocolatey and delicious. I can't recommend it enough! As you can see they have all kinds of flavoured chocolate, or you can have a shot of liqueur in to warm up on a cold day.

The rest:

The walls are covered in vintage signs and postcards of old chocolate bars and companies, which gives the whole place a retro feel.

I loved the cash register in particular:

Here is a list of the workshops they have going on a regular basis:

But, if you're just passing through, then you can make your own chocolate lollipop almost every day. 

The gift shop is a great place to hunt down some unusual flavours...

We got to try this. It is the first time my boyfriend hasn't eaten the second half of something...and definately not for me! These aren't the only flavours though, and the gold and silver dusting gives the truffles a delightful sheen:

So, why am I doing a review of the York Cocoa house? 

- Firstly, I am in the process of moving to York, so get ready for lots more local reviews! 

- Secondly, it is a really unique little cafe. It's a great place to stop off during a day of shopping for a simple drink. I often find if you don't want a pub or a meal then it can be difficult to find somewhere that isn't Costa!

- Finally, it celebrates a part of York that is one of the many things I love about it: the history!

Have you ever been to the York cocoa house? Or even come across another chocolate cafe?

www.yorkcocoahouse.co.uk

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