The Book or the Film?

Or both and for free!!!!

Hubby and I went to see the film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" this morning for free - courtesy of See Film First via Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website. I was thrilled when we got to the cinema to discover that we also received the book of the film for free too! Brilliant!

The film (due for release on the 20th April in the UK) is wonderful - go see it, you will just love it. Its sort of a romantic comedy with a totally feel good factor attached. All the actors play brilliant parts, the styling and scenery is draw dropping and Ewan McGregor is just divine. Kristin Scott Thomas is my new role model! I aim to look like her by Christmas!

The audience loved it too - there were a lot of laugh out loud moments. I'll be letting you know how the book compares.

The screening was at 10.30am, and so afterwards we decided to treat ourselves to brunch.
One of my fave little cafes is 22a on Norfolk Row in Sheffield. Hubby chose the Potato Rosti topped with bacon, cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes, whilst I picked the cheese and onion toastie with a cup of home made potato and leek soup - both delish.
I savoured my cheese toastie as I am starting a "diet" of sorts tomorrow for 2 weeks (i'll be telling you but not boring you - dieters are the dullest people on the planet!) and there is no wheat or dairy on it.

The Girls Can't Help It!

Hubby and I ventured to the right end of town today - Ecclesall Road/Sharrow Road. I've mentioned before that this end of town still boasts lots of lovely independent shops, cafes, restaurants etc (although some of the chains are starting to pop up here now sadly). We had a special mission, but firstly, where should we eat?

There are so many really lovely cafes around here, its hard to choose.

I have to say, that this is one of my favourites and on this occasion it won again!!
I could eat the Grilled Haloumi Pitta Wrap every day - it is so tasty!
After lunch, we headed across to Pete Mckee's "Month of Sundays" Gallery to the opening of his new exhibition "The Girls Can't Help It". Once again the originals and prints are fabulous. I urge you strongly to head down and take a look if you can.
Pete had kindly laid on cup cakes (by the Fancie team - totally delish!). Each depicted one of the paintings. This was my hubby's fave . A Sheffield Wednesday fan has discovered that his girlfriend is a Sheffield United supporter!
A fabulous way to spend a cold rainy Saturday ! x

Paradise Square

My final date on Saturday evening was with my handsome fella. I picked him up from work, and we went into Sheffield. Its Sheffield's food festival for the next 2 weeks, and the Wig and Pen restaurant/Bar was hosting a barbecue/mini music festival in Paradise Square which it backs on to. I LOVE paradise square. It is a perfect little Georgian Square which lies behind the Cathedral.

The music had started at 12 noon, and a different band was on every hour. Sheffield is a fab place for live music - of every kind. Paradise Square on a summers evening was perfect for it. The atmosphere was really lovely. Why can't it be a summer's evening every evening?
Of course, the many delights of the Barbecue were a big draw - a steak sandwich for me and the fella were in order! Well done the Wig and Pen for organising such a brilliant event.
I was also interested to discover some of the very interesting former inhabitants of this gorgeous little square.
After our food and some very welcome cool beer, we decided to have a wander around the city. The whole of the city was basking in evening sunlight and people were so enjoying the heat and the fabulous atmosphere.

Too true!!!
You get the same shot of the town hall later - it wont delete!!!
Contrast and compare the new and the old architecture - both fab and both very welcome in our lovely city.
Told you!!
Can you spot Mr Heartshaped and I?
Anybody who has been to Sheffield in recent years will know that we just love our water features.
Since Ive been a blogger, and hubby tags along with me, we spot things that we might only spot if we were on holiday. So I suppose blogging makes me feel like I am on holiday in my own city - which I felt that we were - which is a great feeling.


It was wonderful to stroll around the city on such a perfect evening.

Buy I still hadn't done. I had made you a promise, that I had to keep - so where did we go next?

Hardwick Halls

Hubby and I ventured to Hardwick Hall - a few stops down the MI - as they were having a Food Festival. We spent a very tasty couple of hours in the tents trying morsels of everything! It was very crowded though. We didn't take advantage of the 2 for 1 admission fees at the hall as we decided to a walk around the lakes instead (to walk off the calories), but I managed to take a few photographs of the 2 halls that stand at Hardwick.


The "new" hall was built for Bess of Hardwick in the 1590's
It is a lovely building and visible from the motorway - you may have seen it. I like the gardens at Hardwick as they grow lots of herbs.
The older hall still stands and you can wander around this magnificent building too.

You can peep through the windows and see some of the magnificent features that remain.

Sad to report that the little bird didn't make it. I think its mummy couldn't find it as it stopped cheeping. I haven't seen the 2nd little one, so I am hoping that this has survived the night. I hope the others don't try and get out of the box as it's blowing a gale here at the moment.

Northern Meal Times

To clear up any confusion that I and my northern blog commentors have caused to Michela (and any true "southerners" who may never have ventured this far north, let me explain our mealtimes.

Breakfast - eaten when you get up. Dress code - either still in your pyjamas, or whatever you have put on to wear for that day.

Can consist of Cereals, toast, eggs, porridge etc if you are in a rush. If you are lucky, a bacon buttie or full English breakfast starts the day off very nicely.

Nice cup of tea (or coffee in this case) and a biscuit - and a sit down. Eaten around 11am Dress code - whatever you are wearing in your everyday life.

"Elevenses" is a bit of a fancy title not usually used around these parts
Dinner - eaten between 12 noon and around 2.30pm . Dress code - still your work clothing.

Ideally this would be your main meal of the day, but for most of us, this usually consists of a sandwich, salad, cuppa soup or similar eaten at a desk. Whatever you eat after your savoury, would be called "a pudding" not "dessert". We don't use the word "lunch" (remember, Lunch is for wimps!!). In Yorkshire, this type of light dinner is sometimes referred to as "snap" and taken to work in your "snap tin".
Tea - eaten when you get home from work. Dress code - You will have taken your work clothes off and slipped into something more comfy.

If you only had a snack at dinner time, then you would have "a big tea".

If you were going out to a restaurant for the evening, you would be going out either "for a meal" or "for an evening meal".
Supper - served around 9pm but only if you had a little tea, or if you are a teenage boy. Dress code - ALWAYS in you pyjamas.

Teenage boys pile an arrangement of food on a plate at this time - toast, yogurts, apples, sometimes a couple of bowls of cereals - whatever they can make easily themselves. Hubby and I sometimes have cheese and biscuits (and pickled onions!!)
When I was little, we used to have a couple of Ritz crackers and a glass of chocolate Nesquick in summer, Ovaltine or Cocoa in winter . In Stuart Maconies book "Pies & Prejudice" he tells an hilarious story about when he moved from Wigan to London and a producer friend invited him round "for supper". He couldn't understand why they wanted him to go round to their house in his dressing gown for warm milk and digestive biscuits in front of their telly.

I know this may sound strange, and I laughed at myself for a good 10 minutes when I typed "big tea"!! But this is how we roll in the north.