Day trip to Brighton

Last weekend me and Papa Shepherd travelled to Brighton for a spot of lunch and vintage shopping. 

We began our day by looking around a vintage fair in a small church near the town. I tried on a lovely dress which unfortunately didn't fit properly however my Dad was more successful and bought a little ginger pot.

Next up we went for a wonder around The Lanes, a well known spot home to beautiful vintage jewellery, homemade sweet shops and of course Choccywoccydoodah!

I squished into the packed infamous chocolate shop and was in awe of the masterpieces, especially the 'All You Need Is Love' cake which I fell in love with after seeing it in a magazine about 4 years ago! I was tempted to buy some treats for Christmas presents, however I don't think I could have resisted having a sample!

We then had a look for somewhere to rest up and refuel. We ended up in Food For Friends, a vegetarian restaurant with rave reviews. After studying the delicious sounding dishes we opted for the three course set menu.

We began by sharing three mezze dishes. First up was goats cheese, sweet potato and basil arancini with a tomato relish. I love anything with goats cheese so this was a particular favourite! 

Next was a fresh fig, basil and smoked ricotta salad with pickled ginger crisps and toasted pine nuts in a honey mustard dressing. YUM!

Lastly I tried a few triple cooked chips with truffled mayonnaise. Attempting to resist eating the whole bowl was very hard!

Our main meals then arrived, looking equally delicious. My Dad opted for the coconut curry with fried aubergine, courgettes and garden peas served with split pea and sesame dumplings. It also came with a papaya, mango and cashew salad which was a nice touch.

I chose the marinated roast aubergine stuffed with bulgar wheat, Persian barberries and pistachios topped with crispy sumac potatoes. On the side was a spicy tomato relish, some wilted spinach and tahini remoulade. I loved the aubergine combined with the remoulade however the crispy potatoes added a strange crunchy texture that felt a bit out of place. Otherwise a beautiful meal.

To satisfy our sweet buds we chose a sharing dessert that looked and sounded like something from Masterchef. It combined three mini desserts that were just the right size. 

First was a rich dark chocolate truffle torte with a hazelnut base and berry coulis, which hit the chocolatey spot. Next was a coconut and black sesame arancini with fresh coconut, black sesame and a trio of mango (sorbet, gel and diced). This was just perfect... refreshing, fruity and unique. Lastly was a mini carrot cake with cinnamon carrot crisps, the latter being the highlight!

Overall I was incredibly impressed by the food and would really recommend Food For Friends to anyone, vegetarian or not!

With our full and satisfied tums, we continued our mission to find some vintage treasures beginning in Snoopers Paradise, a place that fits it's name! This two storey shop was stuffed with everything and anything from vintage curtains to taxidermy seagulls. 

There was also a few items that made me very distressed to find in a vintage shop... Am I really that old?!

Despite feeling ancient after discovering my childhood toys, I was able to begin my hunt for my vintage tea cup and saucer collection and boy were there hundreds to choose from. I went for a very cute floral set and one with a unique country house design.

I also found a beautiful silver pearl brooch that is going straight on my coat!

The last part of the day was spent exploring Sydney Street, packed full of vintage shops. Along with a grey cashmere scarf, I came across a Christmas jumper that I just had to have! I can't wait to be all cosy in it on Christmas Day!

We finished up with a cup of tea in Cafe Nero, avoiding the torrential rain outside before returning home to an unfortunate power cut! However we made the best out of a bad situation by having a cheese and wine evening surrounded by a million candles.

 Thanks again Papa Shepherd for a lovely day out!