Review: Marco Pierre-White Steakhouse

Cambridge is full of new and exciting places to eat and I love discovering somewhere new whenever I dine out. When I was invited to review the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse at Cambridge's Doubtletree by Hilton hotel, I jumped at the chance to try something new in Cambridge. I have been to the stunning SkyLounge in the Doubletree in Leeds a couple of times now, including a fantastic Great Gatsby poker night, so I knew the hotel was sure to be great quality.

The Doubletree Hotel is hidden away near Fitzbillies towards the river but once you enter the dining room, you are welcomed by fantastic views of the river. I loved watching the cows calmly walk down the riverbank from our table; it really was a stunning location for dinner.

I opted for the Town & Gown cocktail to accompany my meal, a 'Cambridge spin' on a Pornstar Martini, and it was fresh, zingy and refreshing. To start, I chose the rarebit, topped with two poached eggs, whereas my brother chose the calamari. My eggs were perfectly poached and a delicious addition to the rarebit on sourdough. 

However, the meal was always going to be all about the steak. I couldn't wait to try my sirloin steak, simply accompanied by salad, vine tomatoes and chips. My steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly as ordered - and my brother proclaimed that his T-bone steak was the best steak he'd ever tried. For me, the best steak needs no accompaniment to distract from the great cooking and Marco Pierre White's ethos is clearly the same. 

To finish the delicious meal, we both chose the chocolate brownie and ice-cream. Personally, I would have liked the brownie to be warm but I loved this rich and indulgent end to the meal. Cheese, steak then chocolate is pretty much my dream meal! I can't wait to head back to the Doubletree by Hilton to either the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse or just for some cocktails by the river. The location was stunning and the food more than lived up to its environment. 

Have you tried Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse? Where was the best steak you have ever tried?

Jess

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Review: Whites Cafe Bar, Headingley

I recently popped up to Leeds to visit my brother and, of course, I used the opportunity to tick off another new place to eat in the city. Whites Café Bar in Headingley is a trendy café-cross-bar on Otley Road which grabbed my attention thanks to the beautiful images of food on their website so I was excited to check it out with my family:

Whites does a little bit of everything, from coffee to food to alcohol. The range of drinks was surprisingly broad and my Dad was impressed to see a variety of unusual beers on the menu, including his favourite Meantime Porter, and my Mum and I had a glass of wine alongside our delicious coffees. I liked that the deli was a great spot for a variety of situations; a simple coffee, a brunch or lunch date or, in the evening, a spot for drinks.

We decided to share two sharing boards - although I was seriously tempted by the whole menu, including a range of healthy brunch options, such as smashed avocado on sourdough toast, and flatbread sandwiches. However, we settled on the Italian meat board and the vegetarian mezze which was the perfect amount for three people to share at lunch. The meat platter had a variety of meats, including parma ham, prosciutto and spicy salami, accompanied by a tasty salad and slices of artisan bread. It was tasty but the vegetarian platter really stood out. Simply put, it was the best vegetarian platter I have ever had. The hummus, made with lentils rather than the traditional chickpeas, was incredibly smooth and it was delicious with the brown bread. We were also treated to some tasty falafels, a vinegary bulgar wheat tabouleh and grilled halloumi. The platter was fresh, vibrant and like I say, the best vegetarian platter I've had as I find that the veggie option is often overlooked and becomes very cheese focused - it was refreshing to be able to choose such a tasty non-meat mezze busting with flavour.

Whites Deli is a hidden gem in the generally very student-y Headingley but it's well worth seeking out for its delicious fresh produce and tasty coffee. Have you ever tried Whites Café Bar? Where else would you recommend in Leeds' outskirts to eat?

Jess

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A Week in Yorkshire

I like to say that I am an adopted Yorkshirewoman. No, I’m not actually from there, but after spending three years at university in York, I fell in love with God’s Own Country and my dream is to move to Leeds and work there. So when I’m From Yorkshire got in touch, I decided to overlook the fact that this isn’t technically quite true and share some of their products, alongside my most recent stay in Yorkshire:

Tshirts: Both from I'm From Yorkshire* Skirt: Primark. Jeans: American Eagle. Boots: Clarks

I spent the October half term in a beautiful holiday cottage from Sykes Cottages. I discovered Sykes Cottages thanks to my first bloggers’ holiday but their dog-friendly cottages are perfect for a UK break as a family. We always head to the Sykes website when we are looking for a UK cottage break and they have a huge range of options across the country. This time, we had a fantastic cottage called 1 Fell Side, located a few miles from Todmorden in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales with a stunning view of Stoodley Pike from our garden.

Our cottage was the perfect base for our week in Yorkshire. Stoodley Pike was either an extremely steep 25 minute climb or a slightly more sedate but longer walk to the top of the hill, resulting in stunning views of the surrounding area. We could also walk to Todmorden along the canals or drive further afield. We spent one day visiting Ilkley, a favourite of mine which I wanted to introduce my parents to. We treated ourselves to a couple of fat rascals from Bettys before heading to Friends of Ham for lunch, as they are now dog friendly - a huge bonus for us! We then wandered around Ilkley and the surrounding rivers before heading back with a very tired dog! 

Another day, we headed to Haworth, which I have wanted to visit for years. I love Jane Eyre and I was fascinated to visit 'Bronte Country.' The Bronte Parsonage Museum was fascinating but morbid, when you realise quite how many members of the Bronte family have died in the Parsonage, and I was excited to see the 'little books' which the Bronte sisters are known for - they really are miniscule! Finally, we had to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, especially the poppies. We had missed the chance to see the poppies in London so we were glad to get the chance to see them in Yorkshire. They really are a stunning tribute to World War One and will be staying at the park until January.

Throughout the week, I couldn't resist wearing my I'm From Yorkshire tees. I love the Little Miss and Mr Yorkshire ranges, and picked out this L'il Miss Flippin Eck t-shirt* as soon as I spotted it. I've been feeling particularly clumsy recently and I think the Little Miss figure represents me rather accurately! I also couldn't resist the Eeh Bah Gum t-shirt* although, I have a confession - I have no idea what eeh bah gum actually means! Can any real Northeners help me out? I really like the fit and they are great quality; something I don't always expect from 'novelty' t-shirts. Coming up to Christmas, there are a brilliant gift idea for any Yorkshireman, woman or fan of Yorkshire!

Where are your favourite spots to visit in Yorkshire? Where should I go next?

Jess

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Shop In York

I've been meaning to write a guide to shopping in York for ages. As part of my internship in my hometown, I've been writing a lot of guides to Cambridge, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds and although I will be using these to inspire some future local posts, I wanted to switch to a different part of the country to write something entirely new. York is sometimes overlooked as a shopping destination, as it is so close to the much larger and more commercial Leeds, but it really has some fantastic gems:

I love the Zatchels store on The Shambles and was lucky enough to attend its opening last year. It's a lovely little store, full of their gorgeous satchels and well worth a visit. They often have some brilliant instore promotions as well as lots of limited edition satchels and backpacks. The Shambles is always worth a visit as it is packed full of fascinating and unique shops - and it looks like Diagon Alley!

York Does Vintage regularly visits the city, bringing a huge array of vintage clothing, accessories and homeware. It's always a great event, offering new and exciting items each season and the next fair is on the 29th November - check out all the future dates here. I always find something at these fairs and I love rifling through the racks to find that perfect vintage gem. Bowler Vintage (formerly known as Purple Haze, if you're an oldie like me) is one of the permanent vintage shops in York and full of both vintage and replica clothing. You can browse their replica clothing online but you need to head into store on Fossgate to browse their vintage goodies.

If you want brands, Monks Cross is the place to go. It's full of loads of high street brands, from New Look to River Island, as well as lots of places to stop for coffee.There is a huge M&S Simply Food hall as well as Rodgers of York for all your furniture dreams. There's even a Thomas Holiday Superstore with thousands of holidays under one roof, if you want to get out of York for a weekend!

The Imaginarium is worth visiting just for the experience. The shop is full of all kinds of curiosities and is full of Victorian style treasures. It's full of Pinterest-worthy decorations, props and prints; for example, I absolutely love the glass potion bottles. It's part of the Yorkshire Soap Company, so it also smells gorgeous! Unfortunately, you can't take any photos inside so you'll have to go take a look for yourself... Opposite, you will find one of my favourite discoveries in York. For me, a day out shopping is as much about the food as the clothes and I can never spend the day in York without a trip to Mannion and Co. The deli board is a wonder and it's the first place I recommend to anyone visiting the city. If you want to read more, check out my review of the sausage roll and deli board.

I love finishing a day of shopping with something to drink from Evil Eye Lounge. The famous bar is known for its strong and unusual cocktails, as well as its interior including double beds on the second floor. Traditionally rumoured as 'Johnny Depp's favourite bar in England,' it's trendy enough for this statement to hold the ring of truth. Certainly, if Depp has ever tried any of these cocktails, he would be a fan - the huge list is sure to have something for everyone. Evil Eye are also less well known for their excellent hot chocolates, so if you don't fancy a cocktail, I love finishing off a day of shopping with a Candy Swamp, a hot chocolate full of actual Malteasers and Minstrels as well as marshmallows and cream - perfect for these Wintry days!

York is a brilliant shopping destination which, as I've mentioned, I feel is often overlooked. The independent shops are simply fantastic, there are always interesting pop-up fairs and markets and the city is full of hidden foodie gems. Where would you recommend in York?

*This post was written in collaboration with Rodgers of York*

Jess

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24 Hours in Manchester: Sleep Well, Shop Well

Last weekend, I attended one of the most exciting events I have been lucky enough to be invited to. I feel like so many of my posts start like this at the moment, but I’ve been fortunate enough to receive some amazing opportunities over the last few months. This time, I was invited to Manchester for a dinner with The Front Row Society, followed by a relaxing stay at a Premier Inn and a day of shopping - what more could a girl want?

As I previously mentioned in my post about my weekend away in Birmingham with Travelodge, when I head on a UK city break I almost always stay in Travelodge. I have never actually stayed in a Premier Inn before, but I was excited to give the chain a thorough test drive with a stay in one of their king-sized beds. The Manchester City Centre Piccadilly was the perfect base for the blogger event, just two minutes from Piccadilly station, and so easy to find. Overall, I was really impressed by my room; the bed was massive and so comfortable, the room was really spacious and well-designed and the free WiFi was a huge bonus. I settled in (ie. I threw my bag down and changed my top, before running downstairs) and went to meet my fellow bloggers.

I hadn't met any of the other bloggers before who were at the event but I was so excited to be heading to a meal hosted by Megan, a blogger who I love reading. We were then treated to one the best meals I've ever had the pleasure to eat. Fumo is a San Carlo restaurant which produces incredible Italian food, and I have never eaten so much in my life. We were treated to plates and plates of food, including duck salad, goat's cheese, gnocchi, spaghetti bolognese and seafood linguine... Then we were told that the main courses were on the way! Nobody could believe it, but we were then presented with delicious pizza, pork belly, steak and perfectly cooked sea bream. Finally, we finished off the meal with huge piles of ice-cream, smothered in Nutella - perfection. 

The next day, we helped ourselves to breakfast at the Premier Inn, which I was pretty impressed by as there was a huge range to choose from, including a full English, various fruits and even muffins. I think I must have truly been in a blissful state thanks to my Premier Inn sleep, as I didn't take any photos of my shopping travels around Manchester. However, you can check out Megan's guide to the vintage shops we visited. I then headed to the Arndale where I picked up some knee high boots from H&M and a cute pinafore dress from New Look - keep an eye out for the outfit post!

Overall, I had a fantastic weekend thanks to Premier Inn, Propellernet and The Front Row Society - I'm looking forward to heading back to Manchester soon for some vintage shopping and delicious Italian food!

Jess

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A Weekend in Birmingham with Travelodge

As I mentioned in my recent weekend travel post on Southampton and London, I love any excuse to get away for the weekend, whether it is in the UK or abroad. I have only visited Birmingham once, many years ago, so when I was offered the chance to head there for a weekend to Travelodge with my parents, I couldn't wait to explore. We spent two nights and two days in Birmingham, so I wanted to put together a mini guide on what I'd recommend for a city break weekend - it's a pretty big post full of information, so grab a cuppa and have a read:

Where To Stay

I was invited to stay in Birmingham by Travelodge, but as a family, we always stay in a Travelodge anyway. I stayed in a Travelodge in Southampton and my parents always used to stay in one of the York Travelodges whilst visiting me at university. For me, Travelodge is the perfect budget-friendly option; you know exactly what to expect - a clean, practical room with good facilities and a convenient location. My parents and I were booked into a 'family room;' a king sized bed and two pull-out beds. The pull-out beds were really impressive - my parents actually chose to sleep on these beds, leaving me with the king sized bed (which I wasn't complaining about at all!) The room was really spacious and clean and the shower was hot and powerful, which for me is always a deal-breaker. Our room was impressively quiet and we definitely appreciated the small TV on the wall, which meant we could catch up with the rugby! I always recommend Travelodge when booking a UK break away, especially as they can easily be forgotten as they don't show up on sites like Hotels.com. The Birmingham Central Newhall St Travelodge was one of the more modern offerings and the location was an easy 20 minute walk to the city centre; close enough for ease of exploring but far enough away for some peace and quiet.

What To Eat and Drink

On the Friday evening, we arrived fairly late in the evening at our Travelodge and settled into our room. We wanted to eat somewhere close to our room so we chose the Handmade Burger Co, a short walk from the Central Newhall St Travelodge along the canals. The walk was such a lovely experience and so peaceful, contrary to my expectation of a city as big as Birmingham. Handmade Burger Co unfortunately hasn't made its way to Cambridge yet so although it was a chain, we didn’t feel like we were eating somewhere we could go to at home and it was a great start to the weekend.

The following day, I was determined to try some local Birmingham restaurants. For lunch, I would definitely recommend Purecraft Bar and Kitchen. Their Scotch Eggs are known as being some of the best in Birmingham and they didn’t disappoint; the picture alone makes me hungry. Purecraft had an impressive array of beers and ciders, as well as their tasty tapas-style pub dishes. I was really impressed with both the presentation and quality of the food we chose, and we had a very enjoyable lunch.

Birmingham is famous for its Balti curry so we knew we wanted to spend the Saturday evening in one of their curry houses. I'd research the Balti Triangle using this great local guide, so we jumped in a taxi to Ladypool Road, the main street in the area. I'd read some great reviews online about Al Frash so we decided to give it a try. The reviews were right; the curry was brilliant. We had a selection of starters, including some tasty chicken pakoora and I opted for the simple chicken Balti as my main. It was fantastic; served in a red hot pot and bursting full of heat and flavour. My only negative was the location as it was far less touristy than we were expecting and we felt a little bit lost – and if you want to drink alcohol, don’t forget to bring your own as most curry houses are unlicensed.

Of course, I managed to find some time for gin and I was excited to discover The Jeykll and Hyde bar, complete with a Victorian Gin Palace. This was one of my favourite bars I have visited in a long time, from the formal portraits of dogs in uniform, to the sign about gin and happiness. There was an extensive and fascinating cocktail menu, including sharers served in a gentleman’s bowler hat and cocktails in teacups. The sweet-flavoured cocktails were my favourite, and were extremely popular with everyone else in the bar too. You could choose from lemon bon bons, strawberry laces, chocolate éclair, pear drops and parma violets, all served in cute jam jars. I would definitely recommend taking the short walk from the centre of town for a few drinks in this curious and creative bar.

What To Do

Birmingham is well-known for its shopping, so a trip to the Bull Ring Shopping Centre was a must. I even braved Primark on a Saturday afternoon and bagged an amazing faux fur coat to add to my growing furry wardrobe. If you enjoy shopping, Birmingham is a great place to go for the weekend to treat yourself to some retail therapy.

Personally, I like to explore as well as shop when I head away for a city break. Whenever I head away for the weekend, I like to check for local festivals and events and we were lucky to discover the Emergency Poet at the Arts All Over The Place festival. My Mum had heard about the Emergency Poet on the radio earlier in the week, so when we found out that she was to be in Birmingham the same weekend as us, it felt like fate. We headed to The Bond Co to visit her and it was a really unique experience; I sat in an ambulance and answered the Emergency Poet’s questions, before she ‘prescribed’ me a poem to read. I really love the idea of taking the time to sit and simply read a poem in moments of self-reflection and enjoyed the fascinating, if wacky, experience. Birmingham seems like a great city for the arts, so if you are visiting, it’s a good idea to check out The Bond Co or The Custard Factory to see what’s on.

We also tried to visit the Back to Backs Museum but didn’t realise that it was vital to book a slot for this National Trust museum – if you are heading to Birmingham, I’d recommend booking a space on this tour to learn more about the history of Birmingham. However, we had already planned to spend our Sunday at the Black Country Living Museum, so we still got our history fix. The Black Country Living Museum is a huge site, full of historical houses, a school and shops. For me, the most interesting aspect was the opportunity to walk through part of a mine. My great-grandfather was a miner and it is a part of our family history which is very important to us, so it was both fascinating and emotional to glimpse a small insight into his experience. I really enjoyed exploring the Living Museum because I love the interactivity of these kinds of museums. I ate the best fish and chips I have ever had at the on-site fish and chip shop – I would recommend a visit on my lunch alone!

Have you ever spent a weekend in Birmingham? Is there anywhere you would recommend?

Jess

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A City Break in Southampton and London

As you many know, two weeks ago I finally completed my Masters’ degree and handed in my dissertation. It’s something I’ve been working on all Summer and I feel so relieved, but admittedly slightly lost, now this huge part of my life has been completed. I celebrated the end of this chapter in my life by heading to Southampton and London for a weekend and although I documented a lot of it on Instagram, I wanted to share some of my highlights in a more detailed post.

As soon as I had handed in my dissertation, I headed briefly to Southampton for dinner and drinks – I didn’t get much of a chance to explore but I loved the docks and would definitely recommend Banana Wharf if you are looking for somewhere for a special meal. For breakfast, I had a huge and delicious ice-cream from Sprinkles, then I travelled to London for the weekend. I loved having the time to play tourist and explore some places I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time. Cocktails at the Aqua Shard bar were definitely a highlight; I’ve been ticking off my panoramic skylines throughout the world and although I have headed to the top of tall buildings in to New York, Paris and Rome, I hadn’t yet got a chance to get a good view of London’s skyline. The Aqua Shard is free entry, as opposed to the £30.95 fee to get to the top of The Shard, although if you want to drink, a cocktail is a pricey £16, plus a service charge. However, the views were incredible, particularly at sunset and I loved admiring the skyline as I sipped on a luxurious cocktail.

The following day, I spent most of my time in Shoreditch, pretending to be hipster and trying out some places I’ve wanted to visit for a while. First on my list was The Blues Kitchen, an American blues restaurant known for its food and fun events. I chose the Pig ‘n’ Biscuits for brunch, which you can see above, and it was amazing; pulled pork, eggs, hollandaise and bacon bits on top of traditional Southern ‘biscuits,’ a scone-like base for the perfectly cooked eggs and delicious pulled pork. Then, I headed to a rather unique café; the London Cat Village. Now, I am most definitely a dog person and if a puppy café ever opens, I will be the first one there. However, I actually surprised myself by how much I enjoyed the cat café. For £4, I got to spend an hour playing with cats and I have honestly never felt more relaxed. There were a huge variety of cats and even adorable kittens, and every animal was alert, friendly and loving the attention. I’ve spent the last few weeks showing everyone I can the huge amount of photos I took on my phone and if you head to London for the day, I would definitely recommend it as a fun and relaxed thing to do.

I recently discovered the YPlan app, which is great for seeing what’s on in London that evening, the following day, or at the weekend. London is so huge that I can often find it so overwhelming I end up doing things I could do anywhere, like heading to a chain for lunch or shopping. Thanks to YPlan, I not only discovered the London Cat Village but I found out that the London Festival of Heat was on and I headed there for a taste of chilli and culture. Although it was frankly overpriced for a food market at £8, as it would have certainly been free up North, I still enjoyed myself and had fun challenging myself to try the hottest sauces on offer (in as small a quantity as possible of course). Now, whenever I head to London, I know to check YPlan to see what’s on and make the most of my time there.

I really enjoyed my weekend in London and having the time to explore the city. I packed so much more in than I was expecting and I can’t wait to carry on making the most of the capital whilst I work there part-time and get used to the commuter life. I love UK city breaks for a weekend of travel without the need to hop on a plane and I'm excited to share my recent weekend in Birmingham with you all too!

Where would you recommend to visit in London?

Jess

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Cornish Treats

My travel posts have been full of breaks abroad recently - and there are plenty more to come. However, when Parkdean got in contact to offer me a luxury Cornwall themed hamper, my thoughts turned to the UK as a holiday destination:

I had to try both the Devon and Cornish ways of eating scones ... *for science*

Sometimes I honestly find that a city break in Europe is actually cheaper than a weekend away in the UK. For example, I have a three day break to Cologne next month which cost just £53 for flights and hotel; you'd definitely struggle to get anywhere for that price in the UK. However, this doesn't mean I don't love exploring my home country and I'm looking forward to spending a weekend in Birmingham to celebrate the end of my Masters degree next month.

The hamper was absolutely wonderful; filled with scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam, tea and biscuits. The scones were really tasty and I am a complete sucker for some unhealthy but delicious clotted cream! I hadn't tried Cornish Fairings before and I loved the spiced taste with a cup of tea. The strawberry jam was really tasty, full of large chunks of sweet strawberry, and of course the presentation was gorgeous. Hampers are a bit of an addiction of mine and I think they look so cute; I love the idea of reusing this for a romantic picnic.

I would absolutely love to go to Cornwall and was on the verge of booking a trip with a boyfriend a few years ago. However the 5 hour drive completely put me off and shortly after we broke up, making me glad I hadn't made the trip with him! I've always wanted to try surfing and Cornwall is known to be a great location for it. I'd love to walk along the coastal paths and I would also love to try 'coasteering;' navigating the coast by climbing, jumping, swimming and diving. After all that exercise, I would head to one of Cornwall's adorable tea rooms to scoff some scones (jam first, then cream the Cornish way of course), eat clotted cream fudge and drink plenty of tea. A visit to the Eden Project is a must, as well as Land's End and the fascinating Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Parkdean are offering a great competition to win a holiday worth up to £499 in either Cornwall or Devon by entering this fun quiz. It turns out I'm pretty terrible at knowing the differences between Cornwall and Devon - how do you fare?

Do you have any UK holiday memories or posts about Cornwall to share?

Jess

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Day Trippin'

As I'm sure you know if you are following me on Twitter and Instagram, I am currently in New York! However today I want to talk about the UK original, York, which is one of my favourite places after living there for three years whilst at university. I recently received a box of goodies from CityConnect and was challenged to test out their new free WiFi in the city. Obviously, I couldn't resist a chance to revisit one of my favourites cities so I headed back to my beloved Yorkshire:

CityConnect WiFi is a great new service for free WiFi throughout the city centre. When I visit York, I normally use The Cloud where I can but it doesn't provide great coverage everywhere. To use CityConnect, you have to set up an account linked to a social media page - I used my Twitter - and then provide some basic information, including your date of birth, postcode and an email. Once this is set up, which only takes a few moments, you have an account. The WiFi wasn't infallible and I did have to sign back in a few times, after it dropped out, but free WiFi is nothing to be sniffed at! I also thought it was great that after signing in, you were taken straight to the Visit York website - a huge positive for any tourists visiting the city.

I spent the day visiting some of my favourite places and showing off the city to my friend who had never visited York before. We wandered around the streets, browsed the local shops and couldn't resist nosying at the Easter themed window at Bettys! However, I knew where I wanted to go for lunch - my absolute favourite place in York, Mannion and Co. They offer the most delicious, gigantic deli board you have ever seen, full of great quality local produce. Their staff are so friendly, the cakes are unbelievably tasty and they also offer a huge selection of quality teas served in cast iron teapots. We then took a trip down the Shambles and circled back round to gaze at the impressive York Minster. Finally, we ended our day trip with a couple of cocktails in Evil Eye Lounge - another must-visit for any tourists in York. It's allegedly Johnny Depp's favourite English pub and offers an extensive range of tasty cocktails; one of my favourites being the Evil Spring Punch. 

Where are your 'must-sees' in York? Have you tried CityConnect WiFi?

Jess

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Get Connected in York

After graduating from York last summer, this lovely city and its neighbouring Leeds seem to be going from strength to strength, with fantastic new bars and restaurants opening which I am very sad to be missing out on! York has now gone one step further and CityConnect have introduced free WiFi to the city, and although I was jealous to discover this, I was excited to receive an amazing Christmas box of local goodies from CityConnect and an invitation to try out the new scheme.

I will be heading to York for a day out in a couple of weeks but I have certainly enjoyed my treats in the meantime. The first exciting thing I spotted was a tin of Bettys' shortbread. It's become a bit of a tradition to visit a Bettys for a fat rascal or pastry whenever I am near one, but I have never tried the shortbread before. It was delicious - buttery, moreish and perfect with a cup of tea, just how good shortbread should be. I now want to steal Simone's idea to use the empty tin to store my makeup brushes - genius!

The other food delights included some delicious clotted cream fudge, one of my favourite sweet snacks, from the Yorkshire Museum and a chocolate bar from York's Chocolate Story. I haven't visited York's Chocolate Story yet but I have eaten at the cafe and the chocolate fondue is amazing! I also enjoyed a couple of Benefit samples from Browns, which offers lots of great beauty brands - as well as a mean full English breakfast.

Finally, I have also been enjoying the coffee from Vincent's Coffee. I was excited to discover that the owner of Vincent's Coffee is a fellow York graduate and also a blogger. I love a cafetiere of 'proper coffee' and this ground coffee is rich, deep and excellent quality - great with the shortbread!

I'm excited to make use of the tickets which were also included in the box. I somehow never managed to visited the York Dungeons or the Jorvik Viking Centre during my time at York, so I am excited to return to York as a tourist and tick off these attractions. Students and tourists alike will love the new free WiFi and I'm looking forward to giving it a proper test run soon, once I head back up North.

Have you tried York CityConnect yet? Where are your 'must-visits' in York?

Jess

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