Sunday 8 November 2009

Plan B

Plan A today was for a very long walk across the moors with a pub lunch at the end, however torrential rain and the constant whinging of a 14 year old boy meant that we switched to Plan B.
Plan B involved calling at Woody's on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield for a Full Monty breakfast sandwich and a quick read of the Sunday papers before deciding that the rain had stopped enough for a quick stroll up to the Botanical Gardens.
We parked on Sharrow Vale Road - which is my favorite area in Sheffield - I'll do you a tour before Christmas. It has some of the greatest little shops, charity shops, Cafes, restaurants etc and has quite a villagey feel about it. We called in here for cupcakes to take home for tea.

We then walked via Ecclesall road and called in here for sweets.
They have the most fabulous little room upstairs called the Butterfly Boudoir where you can partake in hot chocolate, cakes, etc.


We then walked through to the recently restored Victorian Botanical Gardens

We wandered through the Pavilions,

where the exotic plants added much needed colour on this grey day.

I admired a mosaic on the wall.

By this time, the sun had actually popped out briefly and illuminated the lovely Autumnal colours.



The grounds house the fine Victorian bear pit. Apparently, this was closed down after a small child fell in and was mauled to death by the bear.

We recreated this most terrible disaster for you using the whinging 14 year old.


Ive said before that blogging makes me look at things in more detail. The statue of Pan in the gardens has some fantastic detailing around it.







Then it was back to spend the afternoon watching my latest Play.com purchase. I hadn't caught this when it was in the cinema and after my recent visit to Versailles, I was interested to watch it. I have to say that it was a delicious feast for the eyes. Beautiful costumes, jewellery, flowers, cakes, colours and scenery. And yes - we ate cake.


26 comments:

Unknown said...

That's wonderful you went to some of my fave places. However, how on earth do you cross Main St on a sunday without taking your life in your hands? We went to Wingham and had a fab time!

Michela said...

Glad at least your rain has stopped! Here it's pouring down since last night :(
Love the Cocoa shop!

P.S.Now do you want to look like a French?!

Pomona said...

I love the detail on the statue (and the cake!).

Pomona x

Sue said...

Now here's a really weird thing: I have never even been to Sheffield, let alone seen this statue, but LAST WEEK I DREAMT ABOUT IT!!!!

:-0

How very odd is that? The detailing and everything and I even woke up and told people I'd had a strange dream about a bronze statue of Pan with swirly weird details...

My mouth is opening and shutting in amazement.

Lyn said...

Ooh thats a scary story Sue, see Diane you must have some sort of telepathic link (all hum the twilight zone music) Loved the walk, glad it ended with cake, all the best walks do!
Love
Lyn
xxx

Rowan said...

And all on my doorstep! I like Sharrowvale Road too, used to be a great secondhand bookshop there at one time. The cake shop I haven't seen yet but shall definitely be going to inspect it! I haven't been to the Botanical Gardens for years either, that statue of Pan is really beautiful so I shall have to make an afternoon of it I think.:)

andamento said...

A grand day out!

Love the statue details, a full monty breakfast sounds fab, and those cupcakes looked delicious - did they taste nice? The last cupcakes I bought from a bakers looked great but tasted so bad (stale & yucky) that I actually threw them in the bin - takes a lot for me to throw a cake away!

By the way, I posted about your PIF gifts this evening. Thank you again for your beautiful, generous presents, they are much appreciated.

Anne.

walter and me said...

Plan B looks pretty damn good!

Lisa said...

Love the slogan on the cake shop window! I think plan B made for a pretty good day. And just to confirm, no lottery winners here!
Lisa xx

Bumble Bee Cottage said...

Hi Diane, looks like a wonderful way to spend a day. Did you like the movie? I watched it for the first time recently and was a bit distracted by the bizarre choice of soundtrack. I know the director was probably trying to be cool and hip (does saying this make me sound old?) but I thought it took away from the storyline and gorgeous settings and costuming. Right, my rant is done :)

The Girl said...

I've had that dvd for about 2 years and still haven't watched it. Need to find the right cake to watch it with!

Must remember all these places and go with the boyfriend to Sheffield one day. I only associate it with where he works and have never really been for a wander round - I'd feel bad dragging him there on his day off when he has to be there all the time anyway!

Rosie said...

What a fab day you had! I like the sound of the Sharrowvale area and all its lovely shops and cafes. The Botanical Gardens has gone on my list of places to visit. Talking of bears and Paris when we were there last we came across a very sad looking bear in a pit at the Jardin Des Plantes near the Museum of Antiquities. I was upset to see it but I read in the paper a year or so later that due to public demand the bear had been taken to a place in the country where it had more freedom. The statue of Pan is amazing - glad you enjoyed your film with cake:)

...Nina Nixon... said...

Plan A sounds lovely, but Plan B sounds really good!

Have a lovely week,

Nina x

Lx @ Twelve said...

Oooh I love that shop Fancie - I bought 4 cupcakes, took them home, neatly boxed, only to be greeted by a bouncing 8yr old. My cakes were not so 'fancie' after they fell too the floor.... Loved the French posts.

Lx

menopausalmusing said...

I have never been to Sheffield: but you have just SOLD it to me....... wonderful post.

Carol said...

Emmm yummy cake, just what I need.
Your day out looked splendid despite the whinning! I have not been out for over a week now, so reading this post was a breath of fresh air. You are so right about blogging making us look at things in more detail. So true and so good really..I think!
Cx

me, myself, I said...

Such a delightful post - What a great day you had :)

Julia said...

Lovely pics of the Botanical Gardens Diane! :) And you picked some of my own favourite haunts too, such as the chocolate shop...did you, by the way, see the new Chocolate Cafe (further down Eccy Rd on the opposite side?) Its worth a visit, the two women who run it are great and they stock wonderful choc ranges like Montezumas, as well as gorgeous coffees, hot chocolates and sweet treats!

Love Julia xxx

Joanne said...

I like the look of plan b.
I so want to see that film, must see if I can get it somewhere cheap Asda normally pretty good.

Joanne x

Karen said...

Glad your 14-year-old prevailed. What a perfect day you had!

Shabby Chick said...

Lovely post! Love the look of the place "for people who like cake"... Me Me Me!!!!!!

Might have to try and get hold of the Marie Antoinette film though I can't imagine my other half being keen to watch ;)

Mel xxx

noelle said...

Lovely photos Diane, looks like a lovely place. The weather here today is awful, i think i may have to buy a boat, much more rain and the harbour will be on me doorstep!!weather warnings for tonight and tomorrow wind and rain!!!! Great sewing weather though! x x x x

Caroline said...

Diane,

Just read your sweet comment on my blog, yes, I have been away awhile. Not really sure what happened, but I just did not feel like blogging.
I am reading blogs again now though, and am even thinking of posting again today, so there, there is hope yet!
Just caught up with your blog and read your posts about Paris. I am off to Paris end of next week. I am really excited about it, but also slightly apprehensive, as my French is not exactly brilliant.
You seem to have had a great time though, any little tips?

Love,

Caroline

Petit Filoux said...

I love the Butterfly Boudoir, looks so cozy!

JuliaB said...

that boudour is just the thing I need to eat chocolate and fudge in... preferably fed to me by Johnny Depp .. x

Lazylol said...

sounds like a lovely day.