My Cardiff

In September 2012 I moved to Cardiff as I started my first year as a Textile Design undergraduate at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Moving to a new city let alone a new country (I forget I live in Wales) was quite daunting not only was I moving into a flat with 8 people I'd never met before but I was starting a new course. Anyone who has been to university knows how crazy the first few months are but no one gives you a guide book when you arrive. Instead they just let you get on the wrong bus that takes you round the not so lovely suburbs for an hour then you realise it doesn't even go past where you live. Or you walk around the shopping centre in circles for 10 minutes because you can't find the exit. St David's shopping centre is MASSIVE before you think i'm ridiculous for getting lost indoors. 

Finding the best places to go in Cardiff took some time so for anyone who's never been to our Welsh capital here are the best places to go....


Waterloo Gardens Teahouse

Situated on the outskirts of Cardiff in the Roath/Penylan area on a quiet street. Waterloo has taken over the retail tea world and had been on my list of places to visit before moving here for quite some time. There isn't much of a scene for good coffee in Cardiff but Waterloo has made it there deal to share the lovely beans of Square Mile and Has Bean amongst other rotating roasters, taking advantage of the seasonal variations in coffee. However its tea you need to get excited about here, which is great because tea is my first love and its so satisfying that the wonderful team at Waterloo are so passionate. They are right though why should we pay £3 for a pot of tea with a PG tip in, it always outrages me going out for a cup of tea and getting an undrinkable cup of dishwater (i know i'm a bit of coffee/tea snob, i'm a barista I cant help it). At Waterloo they have over 50 different varieties of tea from Black to Green to Oolong. The list is a bit mind boggling but you would be sinning if you just went for English Breakfast be adventurous tea drinkers. Some of my favourite are Yunnan Breakfast, Meghalaya Autumn LaKyrsiew - the awakening and Cranberry Fruits. I'm partial to drinking Waterloo Tea at home in my lovely orange stump teapot. Waterloo are also locally famous for there crazy flavoured vegan and gluten free cakes, my favourite is courgette & lime. One of my favourite things about Waterloo though is the mix of clientele from the students in the corner next to the old ladies with their blue rinses, there is something to offer here for everyone. 

Image source: Tripadvisor.com

Fire Island

We visited Fire Island on the hottest day of the year so far (its still March) and like most people when there is a tiny bit of sun creeping through the clouds we all come flooding out. Ive found good weather in Cardiff is almost none existent so I wasn’t going to let a warm night like this pass. Fire Island only opened its doors recently and is the first real bar to sell craft beer in Cardiff, finally. This was my first visit and I was not disappointed, a large space situated in an old grade II listed building in the centre of Cardiff , the tiled bar, padded booths and wall memorial were all as I had envisioned. There was a healthy selection of craft beer on offer, I had a bottle of Flying Dog ‘Raging Bitch’ at £4.10 to start  it was the best way to start the night full of hops, orange and grapefruit notes at 8.3%. I was however disappointed when I asked for a glass I was given a pint glass which for a place that’s specialising in craft was a bit shocking. But I will assume she was a new member of staff and forgive all.  The girls took advantage of the 241 cocktail  deal and sampled the cosmopolitan,  very tasty and strong.

Next I had ½ pint of Tiny Rebel Urban IPA which was being served on tap, its very nice to see them supporting welsh brewerys. Urban IPA wasn’t what I was expecting very easy drinking, citrus fruits again but malts also present . The girls had long island ice tea for their second cocktail which was wayyy rummy but also way tasty. While I was there I checked out the menu, look away veggies this is a meat fest full of ribs, burgers and pulled pork. Reasonably priced burgers starting at £8.65 I will be back to sample the goods.

Fire island is part of Beatbox Bars, involved with Ten Feet Tall, Buffalo and the other cool dives in the diff. I was surprised at how quiet it was even for a Tuesday as everyone knows you can go out in Cardiff any day of the week. I think this is down to it only recently opening and the locals and students are still a bit wary. One thing that did disappoint me on this occasion was the service, hopefully this will not be the case next time. 

My own images

Bunkhouse

I first stumbled across Bunkhouse when someone told me you sit on beds rather than sofas or table and chairs. I needed to check this out. I first assumed Bunkhouse was a cafe in the day time, bar at night but how wrong was I its a HOSTEL. Shocking as the decor is so fabulously done with pretty bunting and cushions galore you would never asume it, they are some lucky backpackers fo sho. My last visit was in search of tea but when I was browsing behind the bar I noticed they had some interesting craft beers I chose a Lindemans Pecheresse which I had tried before, I'm a fan of Belgium fruit lambics such a girly option but who doesn't want to drink something as sweet as a peach tart. It was a rare find so it instantly made me approve of the place. Sarah had tea served with a mini jammy dodger (a lovely touch) and Rhiannon had a hot chocolate which I think was made out of Nutella which cannot be healthy but it was way tasty. The upstairs is full of bunk beds as the eccentric furnishings carries on, a bed starts at £10 for a night. Again service here was a bit wish wash, I think their main concern was the hostel side of the business which is a shame.

 All my own images

 

Other places to visit:
Cosy Club
Ten Feet Tall
Buffalo
Coffee #1
Zerodegrees

Flying visit to London

A day in the CITY

On Thursday I had the opportunity to go to London yee haw, my favourite city. I had an interview for UAL Chelsea college of art, its such a beautiful place right opposite the Tate Britain next to the River Thames. I felt a bit of an odd ball as everyone who goes there is either super hipster or foreign(an accent makes anyone cool). 

In the past I have always visited London with my ex boyfriend it was our 'thing' so it was really strange going it alone. Fending for myself and actually paying attention to which tube line I was getting on 'is this north or southbound?' I have a few favourite places in the capital so with only one day I wanted to crame as much in as possible with most of my day being filled with the interview and travel I could only check into a few places.

Tapped & Packed

After dropping my portfolio off at Chelsea I had an hour or so to myself so I headed to Tapped & Packed No.193 Wardour St, the latest T&P to open in central London. The biggest of the three stores its situated just off Oxford St and like the other two its beautifully designed, I had a flat white and prosciutto, brie and basil baguette (it was lunch time I was hungry). When the barista came over with my drink I thought I'd drop in about their switch from Has Bean to roasting their own coffee, I was intrigued by their new milk blend as I was a big fan of Has Bean 'the cat that got the cream' milk blend, on one trip to No. 114 I think I even suggested it was the 'best flat white ever'. I was fortunate as he was learning to roast himself, he did tell me what was in the blend but it all went over the top of my head (he was quite pretty). I did however definitely notice the natural coming through in the milk, I still think they have a little way to go to meet HB standards but nay to bad on first impressions. 

Image source: http://caffeinemag.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/new-tapped-and-packed/

Illustration by Katie Glover-Price @cody_sunday http://ketandtea.tumblr.com/

http://www.tapcoffee.co.uk/ 

After T&P I returned to Pimlico for my interview it was all done and over in ten minutes, tbh it wasn't my finest interview and i'm doubtful about getting a place but we shall see next week. Fingers crossed.

Fernandez & Wells

My next stop was to one of the most recent additions to the Fernandez & Wells family at Somerset House situated in the west wing its the largest of the five stores with big tall ceiling and light airy spaces. The large David Tremlett painting fits in well to the gallery style space and who doesn't love hanging hams? Here I had a stumpy, F&W own creation named after the stumpy sized glass its served in. I also had some type of Portuguese tart which I couldn't pronounce. The stumpy was lovely and silky and the tart as equally tasty. Again I had a chat to the barista at the bar who was very welcoming he even made a point of enthusiastically waving goodbye as I left. Everyones always commenting about how pretentious and rude baristas are in London and how you have to have an attitude to serve quality coffee. I do think thats part of the attraction however everyone I spoke to on Thursday was delightful and I didn't feel out of place once, maybe its all a myth.

I later returned to F&W in the evening as my chosen venue to 'waste time'. Their customer base is a lot different from the other independent coffee shops in London, that aim their product at young hipsters who know the values of a quality beverage as aposed to the stale espresso roast you'll find in your local Starbucks. The clientele was more business based perhaps they found themselves in there by accident as they visited the latest show but I think this reflected in their prices. However i'm not complaining as I am willing to pay for quality even as a poor student. On returning around 18.00 the place was still jam packed I even struggled to find a seat, on this occasion I had a Camden Wheat Beer and a prosciutto meat plater (I was loving the ham that day). I had tried the Camden Town Brewery Wheat before so knew it was toffee hoppy goodness in a bottle, I like anything that smells of bananas. I soon guzzled that down I think the lady opposite me was in shock at how quickly I consumed it but it was the perfect pairing for my wafer thin stained glass window prosciutto.

Fernandez & Wells Somerset House - My own image

Fernandez & Wells Somerset House - My own image

Somerset House - my own image

http://www.fernandezandwells.com/
http://www.hasbean.co.uk/

In between my second visit to F&W I checked out the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition before it ends on 3rd March. The exhibition showcases the life and work of Valentino show casing 130 of his haute couture designs. Dressing women for over fifty years according to his own vision of elegance beyond fashion. 

"My private world is a simple world. I thank heaven for the life it has given me. I have a great appetite for splendour, but at the same time very simple tastes" Valentino Garavani

I most enjoyed the second part of the show when the exhibition was set up almost like a catwalk with Valentino's gowns either side. I was astonished at how current some of his earliest designs were and the sheer detail and quality of craftsman ship in each garment. You can see why they are couture. I did feel inspired and definitely want to take my textile design down the fashion path there is so much more of a current industry in fashion. Unfortunately you weren't allowed to take photos, something that always annoys me at galleries or exhibitions how the hell are you meant to remember them. So instead I sketched some of my favourite designs now I mean quick fashion illustrations with the only biro I could find at the bottom of my bag, nothing fancy. 

My own image

My own illustrations

My own illustrations

And that was my day in London, after fighting men with briefcases for a seat on the train I headed back to Cardiff and reality.