Afternoon Cuppa at Number 29

Tom and I decided to take a break from uni work this afternoon to check out the recently opened coffee shop in the Barbican, Number 29. I've always thought the only thing the Barbican was in need of was a place to spend an hour or so enjoying a coffee and some cake, and this place fills that gap perfectly.

We ordered mugs of tea and coffee to warm us up - despite the fact that Plymouth seems to be the only place in the UK that hasn't seen snow, I can assure you it's still freezing here!

The drinks came with yummy buttery biscuits on the side, a lovely little extra.

A range of cakes are also on offer, including a coffee cake of which we couldn't resist ordering a huge slice.

Number 29 also sell a variety of deli goodies, including jars of chutney, olives and chilli sauces, as well as bags of chilli hot chocolate which I'm very tempted to go back and try. The owners were happy to point out the different products on sale, and their friendliness combined with the cosiness of the café made the time away from our desks the relaxing break we needed.

Now it's back to work I suppose!

Cake and Cocktails

I'm officially a year older now and spent the day getting thoroughly spoilt by my amazing family and friends (thank you!). I let myself have a day off and a bit of a breather from recent madness, starting off with a delicious home cooked breakfast.

This cardigan is a present from my bestest, I love the length of it and it's so comfy.

Safe to say I spent the day all snuggled up and relaxed wearing this and my new Boux Avenue slipper boots. Normally I slide all over the place in these kind of slippers but these fit perfectly and I'm love with the design.

And then there was cake... lots and lots of cake. Which is never ever a bad thing, birthday or otherwise.
My fiancé spent the evening before baking cakes to surprise me with when I got home from work. To say these were the first cakes he'd made, they look and taste pretty damn good!

My family couldn't get down to Plymouth to come visit but surprised me by sending some gorgeous flowers and getting a box of cupcakes delivered from Choccacino. How brilliant do these look?!

I have been after a leather jacket for ages now and finally came across the perfect one in Superdry a few weeks ago, so this was my present to myself. I don't normally splash out on stuff but this jacket ticked all the boxes of what I've been looking for, it fits gorgeously and the leather is so soft, I just couldn't walk away.

After a pretty lazy day, we got dressed up and headed out to The Village, a lovely little Greek seafood restaurant in the Barbican. We indulged in tiger prawns and scallops in garlic butter, pitta bread with taramasalata, crab and calamari, followed by a plate of lemon sole and john dory accompanied by chips and Greek salad.

A wander towards the sea was in order after the extravagant amount of food - one of my favourite things is seeing the sea in the dark with just the twinkles of the boats further out, everything around so calm and quiet.

We then headed to Annabel's to check out the music and burlesque acts on for the evening, while hanging out in the cabaret-esque bar, sipping on strawberry daiquiris (poor quality photo I'm afraid).

I drifted home, sleepy and happy, and above all for grateful for the amazing people in my life who always put a huge smile on my face.

Monty's, Plymouth

Watching Pulp Fiction always makes me crave breakfast. Towards the end of the film, when John Travolta is tucking into a huge plate of pancakes, bacon and maple syrup = instant craving for my own plate of sticky fluffy pancakes topped with crispy bacon. Ok, so I'll admit that's probably a bit weird, and not the reason why I love Pulp Fiction (if you have yet to get round to watching this film, do it!).

I've always found American-style breakfasts a bit strange, and I couldn't understand what the attraction was of putting bacon on to one of the sweetest breakfast dishes you can get. So obviously I had to try it.

I first popped into Monty's for just a quick coffee break while out and about in the Barbican during my first couple of years studying in Plymouth, and checked out the menu while I was there to see if it looked good to revisit. Monty's is a modern cafe serving breakfasts and lunch all day, along with a selection of drinks and cakes. And among the numerous tempting breakfast options they also offer pancakes, bacon and syrup - I had finally found somewhere I could try the dish that had intrigued me for so long. I dragged Tom back a few days later and we indulged in an amazing, beautifully presented breakfast. I must admit pancakes with bacon is pretty damn good, and I'm slowly coming round to the whole mixing sweet and savoury thing.

We started off last weekend trying out some of the other options on the menu.

I had a bagel topped with bacon, cheese and poached eggs. The bagel was soft with a lovely toasted crunch, perfect for soaking up the runny yolk oozing out of the fluffy eggs.

Tom had the breakfast bap, a huge floury cob encasing thick rashers of bacon, sausages and mushrooms.

Monty's is great if you want something a bit different from fish and chips or pasties that are everywhere around the Barbican, either for a coffee and cake break while exploring or a tasty lunch somewhere more modern and distinct.

Plymouth Seafood Festival

Waking up to a beautifully sunny Saturday morning, the bustle I could hear from the street outside reminded me that this weekend is the Plymouth Seafood Festival, taking place on the Barbican. It's a good weekend for it: students have been flocking back to the city this past week, settling in before freshers starts on Monday. Plymouth has been full of excited young people getting ready for life away from home and their next stage of education, with their parents around assisting their move. This kind of festival displays why Plymouth is an interesting place to live: in my case it seemed vastly different when I first moved away from the city life in Nottingham, where the sea seems infinitely distant.

Tom and I decided to have a stroll around and see what was happening: surprisingly this is the first seafood festival Plymouth has had, so we were intrigued to see what was on offer.

The street next to the harbour was clustered with stalls, selling fresh fish, hot food, and handmade gifts. Little pots of cockles and prawns were available, plump and fresh with a subtle tangy seawater taste. Delicious.

Cooking demonstrations filled the air with incredible smells as chefs showed how to make the best of fresh fish. One involved topping a fillet of fish with a sauce made from garlic, chorizo, mushrooms and white wine, and finished with mussels and parsley; the only let down was there not being enough to go around!

With our mouths now watering, we wandered back through the crowds in search of crab sandwiches. The one we chose was amazing: thick white bread with a perfect crust, spread with a generous amount of crab mayonnaise sprinkled with spring onion (the photo doesn't do it justice!).

Before heading back, we checked out the cheese stall that's there, a reprieve from all the seafood. Both of us, Tom in particular, love cheese and couldn't resist trying a few samples. The brie was the nicest I've ever had, perfectly creamy. We chose a sundried tomato and a smoked garlic cheese along with more of the brie to take home with us. I have a feeling that they won't last long!

The festival is also on tomorrow (Sunday 16th) from 10 'til 5, so if you're around Plymouth I definitely recommend having a wander round and a taste of some of the food that's available: you won't be disappointed. I'm even tempted myself to go back tomorrow for another of those crab sandwiches!

Any other interesting things going on this weekend?


*All photos courtesy of Tom (@MechanicalTom11)

Blues Bar and Grill, Plymouth

Being back in Plymouth for a few days while flat hunting, after not being here for over a year, would be a crime if we hadn't treated ourselves to a meal here. One of my favourite restaurants, the Bar and Grill is located down in the Barbican, the historic, quaint part of Plymouth next to the sea, and a bustling hotspot for food, drink and music. I fell in love with the tourist frequented part of Plymouth from my first visit. While my feelings for the rest of the city have waxed and waned during my first two years of university, the Barbican reminds me why I originally chose to move to Plymouth.

The Bar and Grill is slightly apart from the rows of restaurants and bars that line the length of the Barbican, next to the harbour. Inside awaits two floors - the main bar downstairs with tables and sofas, and a corner allocated to the night's music act. In the evening the upstairs is opened, extending the restaurant capacity.

The wood-panelled walls are adorned with photographs of blues legends - Billie Holiday, Robert Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan - complementary to the choice of music. There are also live acts playing most evenings, including regulars such as Vince Lee and Al Wallis (a.k.a The Wildcards), Jill Cole and Thomas Ford. My fiancé, having a huge love for blues music, is in heaven in this place, and being introduced to local musicians is definitely a highlight of living in Plymouth.

And now onto the most important part. The food is, quite simply, amazing. Everything I've tried here has never failed to impress (and believe me, that's a fair few meals). Lots of the dishes are American inspired (think Cajun spices and Tex Mex sides) and there is plenty to choose from - pasta dishes including huge homemade meatballs; nachos smothered in salsa, sour cream and guacamole; and seafood dishes making the most of the restaurant's fantastic location.

But the must-try part of the menu is the burgers.

Juicy, thick homemade burgers chargrilled to give an incredible smokey taste, served in buns with chips and quite possibly the best coleslaw I've ever had. And if that wasn't enough the burgers come with a variety of toppings to choose from.

On this occassion, Tom went for the bacon, cheese and barbecue burger.

I opted for a burger topped with a generous helping of perfectly spiced chilli and sour cream.

Much needed and appreciated after a day trawling through Plymouth looking for our new home for the year!