A Sunday date in The Philharmonic

 

As you can probably gather from previous post's I've been having a bit of a love affair with Liverpool of recent. So were better then to continue this affair then in one of the cities most famous pubs! The Philharmonic was built around 1898 and has a reputation for being one of the most ornate pubs in the UK.

Designed in the style of a Gentleman's club the pub really does live up to the hype. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the pleasure to drink in.

The surroundings are sumptuous with beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, ornate coving and mahogany clad walls. And I had the double luck of having a pretty incredible date to show me around so both the company and surroundings were special.

Sipping on a lovely glass of red and whiling away a Sunday afternoon discussing art, food, travel and life in general ..... what a perfect evening.

If your interesting in visiting the Philharmonic it's situated on Hope Street, just a short walk from Central station and is where the famous Shiverpool Ghost Tour's start from. This is the next thing to do on my list for my Auntie Jean's upcoming birthday - it should be a scream!

Mexican Street Food @ Lucha Libre

 

Mexican food is one of my favourites and after working up an appetite across the way at FACT we headed next door to Lucha Libre for some much needed grub.

 

I first noticed the restaurant when I went for a drink with a friend in the bar below - Maya, which is also worth checking out.

 

 

I'd heard great things about Lucha from locals and via Twitter & Facebook so thought we'd give it a go. Due to the time they were still serving the Brunch menu which had an impressive selection of scrummy sounding Mexican delicacies.

 

 

While perusing the menu Riley tricked me into buying him a mammoth Oreo Milkshake. Mmmm just look at that beauty!

 

 

There was no Children's menu and Riley (being a true foodie like his mum) is pretty game for trying anything he can put in his stomach. With that in mind and rumbling tummies we ordered a 'Street Food Tray' with a selection of the best breakfast fare on offer: Chorizo Rancheros; Bacon & Maple Syrup Churro's coated in Cinnamon and Chorizo and Bacon Quesadillas.

 

 

The tray also included a selection of three different types of taco. The one above was a combination of mushrooms, chicken, salsa and sour cream.

 

 

A Morcilla Taco: Black Pudding, with Apple Relish and topped with creamy scrambled eggs.

 

 

And my personal favourite the Bacon Taco: Maple Glazed Pork Belly topped with perfectly seasoned scrambled egg.

 

 

The food was top notch though I do admit we over ordered. The Sharer plate is the perfect amount for two adults but rather a lot for an adult (all be it a greedy one) and a child who has filled up on Oreo Milkshake!

 

It was great value for money though, coming in at under £20 and the staff are incredibly friendly, efficient and great with kids. Luch Libre have a sister restaurant in Manchester so if you're ever up North and after some gret grub this place comes highly recommended.

Interactive @ FACT, Liverpool

 

 

I am incredibly lucky to have a selection of excellent cities on my doorstep. Liverpool is one of my favourites: there's always lots going on, they have an excellent selection of restaurants and bars and I think Scousers are some of the friendliest people you can meet.

 

So I often jump on the train and head down for the day to check out the galleries and see what's going on. I like to get Riley involved in some of these trips and expose him to the art that I love.

 

He's slightly obsessed with Wrestling and John Cena at the moment hence the defaced train ticket!

 

 

If you are ever in Liverpool I'd recommend checking out FACT (Foundation for Art & Creative Technology) down on Wood Street. Combining a love of art and cinema FACT has an ever changing selection of exhibitions, a great café/bar and cinema screens showing a range of art house and commercial films.

 

 

At the moment FACT is showcasing Type Motion, 'an exhibition featuring over 200 outstanding examples of text and typography being used alongside the moving image'.

 

 

In the second gallery this exhibition continues with interactive stations so you can get involved. Riley particularly liked the station where you use your hand to fly over a virtual city landscape.

 

 

Outside of the exhibition space they have a 'Development Lab' where kids and adults alike can create a masterpiece of their own on the wall, enter a virtual world and even Tweet from a Vintage typewriter.

 

FACT is somewhere I would recommend to anyone with kids as it's so 'hands-on'. Riley absolutely loved it. They also show a range of child friendly films, including a weekend 'Kids Club' screening and run a selection of workshops.

 

 

 

I can't wait to go back when the next exhibition arrives at the end of February and really want to check out the cinema aspect of the venue. A great few hours can be spent in this place, check it out.



Lisa, the Cape and her Wardrobe

 

I'm running low on blog content at the moment due to too much work and not enough play so thought I'd do a post with a twist today.

 

I read quite a few blogs and I love it when you get a sneak peak into bloggers wardrobes and top tips of cool places to shop. With this in mind I thought I'd show you a few of the things that I've incorporated into my Winter wardrobe to give it a bit of a lift.

 

 

First up this rather gorgeous cape that I just had to have when I saw it. My hunt for a cape at a reasonable price has been ongoing for some time now so I was thrilled when I found this for a mere £30.00 in Affleck's Vintage Emporium.

 

Affleck's is one of my favourite places in the UK. Located in the Northern Quarter just a stones throw from Piccadilly Gardens and with floor upon floor of gorgeous independent retailers along with vintage shops it's a fab place to have a look around. WARNING: you will inevitably end up spending a lot of money!

 

 

I love quirky jewellery so I picked up a couple of cute costume rings for a few pound each. I gasped with delight when I saw the Mickey Mouse-esque one. It was from a small, independent jewellery store called Doll Season that specialises in off the wall designs. I'll definitely be perusing their website soon for some future buys.

 

 

I recently purchased this cool Egyptian style brooch in the Topshop sale. God know's what I'll wear it with but for £3 I couldn't leave it there.

 

 

As you may or may not know I have a slight Hat/Hair Accessory obsession and have been feeding this addiction rather a lot recently. I bought this cute Minnie Mouse headband from ASOS. Again not sure where I'll wear it, especially when I spend most of my time in the Welsh hills but I will wear it!

 

I bought the Camel cap from Affleck's and the Cat beanie from H&M. The Cat Hat as I like to call it is one of the best things I have ever bought and it has been firmly planted on my head for the last couple of months.

 

 

Finally I snapped up this cool melted Chanel logo necklace. I'm not sure where this take on the Chanel logo came from but I love it and it goes with everything. Again this was purchased from Affleck's. See I told you if you go there you buy a lot.

 

So that's just a little peak into my wardrobe and some of the things I'm loving at the moment. I'm going back to Manchester next month so this collection is bound to grow. I hope my purse is ready!