Archies & The Alchemist

We woke up on Sunday feeling pretty fresh and excited for our second and sadly last day in Leeds. It was definitely the more relaxed day of the two, which if you ask me is just as it should be. We took our time getting organised and then went on the hunt for brunch. We didn't have to go far at all, about a 20second walk across the square to Archie's.

It wasn't as busy as we'd feared so we managed to get a table straight away. We ordered up 4 cappuccinos, perused the menu and continued our snap chatting tradition of the weekend.

Our food couldn't come fast enough, we were so hungry (it only took 10  minutes) but when it did arrive oh boy was it good.

Once the food had gone down a little we headed back towards the shops to pick up a couple of last minute purchases then headed for possibly the most awesome cocktail I have ever had!

My brother and his girlfriend recommended The Alchemist; they said we absolutely had to go and boy were they right!

With their extensive menu I really struggled to pick out just one cocktail, I managed to narrow it down to 2 but thats where I got stumped. So when the waitress came to take our order I decided to ask for her recommendation based on which one "looked cooler" haha! Well I might as well get a good photo out of it!

It was called 'colour changer' and thats exactly what it did! (I did have a video, but it won't upload properly :( I'll get it up later if I can)

After the colour had settled I was left with a yummy pink cocktail to match everyone else's.

If you're in Leeds looking for a place to grab a cocktail then this is definitely the place to go! They also serve food if you fancy it but we'd already eaten too much at brunch.

After cocktails we had to head back to the flat so the girls could get their stuff and catch their trains home :( We had the best weekend and I can't wait until we get the chance to do it again!

Cocktails & Pizza

Its amazing what a cup of tea can do! After our full day of shopping and couple of hours relaxing we were ready to head back out for dinner with a stop for drinks on the way. We made our way up to the 13th floor of the Hilton to the Sky lounge for pre-dinner cocktails. 

It had been such a cold day that I decided to go for something a bit more summery. 'A taste of summer' definitely hit the spot. 

Unfortunately we didn't have time for another one as we had dinner reservations, but we couldn't leave without nipping out onto the balcony to take in this wonderful view. 

We crossed the square to Livin' Italy excited for some pizza only to find our table wasn't quite ready. 

I'm not complaining though it meant there was time for another cocktail before dinner, I had a lovely mix of prosecco, mint, elderflower & lime.

We finally got to take our seats along with a few apologies from the staff for making us wait and a promise of fast service.

It didn't take long for us to settle on what we fancied, and as promised it was served pretty quickly.

It was a great meal and a perfect way to end our day. By the time we were finished our plans of hitting a couple of bars was the last thing on our mind and we decided to call it a night, excited for or next day of adventures.

Markets & Coffee

Last year was the first time I'd ever been to Leeds and it was only for an hour or so - just a chance for a quick look around although it was enough to make me want to go back. So when the opportunity for a girly weekend presented itself, I knew just the place to go! As hard as it is having my closest friends living far away, it really is the perfect excuse to go all out when we have the chance.

We arrived in dribs and drabs but after Jill arrived at 9 on Saturday morning we didn't want to waste any time so headed straight into town and started with a quick visit to the Corn Exchange.

How beautiful is that building! its always good to see old buildings being reused for something new; its now full with cute independent boutiques and cafe's. 

We continued the theme of the morning on our next stop of the day at the Leeds Market.

It was still relatively early so there were only a few people wandering around as the stalls were finishing setting up for the day.

I mean ribbons, sweeties and flowers all in one place, what more could you want?

Right of course the home of Marks & Spencer, who knew it all started in Leeds?

I think the sweets and the smell of coffee started to get the better of us so we went off in search of some fuel.

Filmore & Union was just the spot! In the Victoria Quarter, where the gorgeous buildings are linked by a glass roof, there are a few tables, heaters and blankets (just incase you're really cold) in the middle of the shops which is where we decided to stop.


Four cappuccinos, and some cake couldn't come soon enough and they were wolfed down pretty fast. You wouldn't even know they were gluten free!

It was pretty quiet for a Saturday morning but I'm not complaining, it started to fill up a little more as we were leaving, I can imagine that later in the day it gets really busy.

We walked on up passed the pretty shops (read expensive, haha) and headed for the Trinity Centre.

On our way we bumped into an Ewok and Stormtrooper, I couldn't resist snapping a photo with them, who doesn't love a bit of StarWars.

We spent the majority of the day shopping stopping only briefly to re-fuel with burrito's and Margaritas - well it would be rude not to right?

A quick stroll around town

It wasn't the nicest of days but I had a few errands I had to run in the city and nearer home. I stuck on my boots, wrapped up with a cosy scarf and went about my business; I couldn't resist a few snaps along the way.

When it got to coffee time I knew the perfect spot; a place I'd been dying to go ever since it opened a few months back; The Milkman on Cockburn street. It was a quiet Thursday morning so there were only a couple of people in there - maybe just as well as its only small. I grabbed a stool by the window and annoyed a spot of people watching before I had to continue on my way.