Rosie Corriette

Notes from a retired blogger

Author: Rosie

  • Puttshack Brunch Club | Review

    Puttshack Brunch Club | Review

    What do brunch and mini golf have in common? Well quite a lot actually if you ask Puttshack with the launch of their brand-new brunch club offering at the weekends.

    Brnaded beer mat help up in front of a bar

    Ahead of the launch we were Invited to a special preview brunch at Puttshack Bank. Let’s start with the food because let’s be honest it’s pretty important it’s a two course brunch offering. For the main we went for the eggs Royale and the chicken waffle both were amazing and cooked really well.

    chicken waffles and egg on a blue plate

    eggs royale on a blue plate

    For dessert we shared a cheesecake and churros my personal favourite was the cheesecake definitely recommend going for that. Now all too often the mere mention of free flowing ‘bubbles’ invokes an involuntary eye roll from me as you just know it’s going to be really rather hideous; but not this time. The prosecco served with brunch was not only palatable it was really nice, with a good depth of flavour and no lingering acidity – something that really stood out.

    churros and cheesecake on blue plates

    With a resident DJ the vibe is definitely party-esque and fun but it’s not over the top or overbearing, you can still hear yourself think and hold a conversation; it adds to the atmosphere it doesn’t dominate it – I think that’s really good Puttshack have got that balance just right.

    Brunch finished and it was time to tee off – It’s worth noting at this point that I am absolutely atrocious at mini golf and that’s absolutely fine my putting partner stole the golf show and won tremendously I was there to add the humour, as you can see from this hilarious action shot. Honestly it was just an achievement that I hit the ball in the right direction! Mini golf is all about friendly competition and not taking yourself seriously.

    Woman holding mini golf club laughing

    Ticket wise there are two options: a premium ticket will get you brunch which includes 75 minutes of unlimited Prosecco beer or a Mocktail +2 courses and a game of mini golf afterwards for £45 or a standard ticket gives you the brunch and booze without the mini golf afterwards for £40. It was a great day date for us, yet equally would be perfect for larger groups. 

    branded putt held in woman's hand

    Whilst Puttshack itself is open to children it’s worth noting that the brunch is available to 18+ only.

    And if you’re still not done after all that fun, then there’s a bar with a nothing mini about it cocktail menu to keep you entertained.

    two cocktails on black table next to black menu

    Brunches are in danger of becoming a bit stale – so anything that is fun (without being gimmicky) is a winner for me; that’s exactly what Puttshack Brunch Club have done here: a great core offering of brunch with lots of fun that doesn’t feel forced or rushed. 

    Puttshack brunch club is available every other Sunday at Bank and you can book online here.

    Disclosure: We were guests of Puttshack for the purpose of this review.

  • Ely Cathedral

    Ely Cathedral

    The perfect trip from Cambridge, we spent the afternoon in Ely – with no visit to the Cathedral city complete without visiting the gothically imposing Ely Cathedral that rises from the surrounding fens, perched on the hill of Ely.

    Exterior upshot of medieval cathedral

    Ely Cathedral is breathtaking, rendering visitors speechless at it’s scale and intricacy. I have a thing for cathedrals and religious architecture – I think it’s the complexity and nuance of the messaging contained often within what could be mundane structures: windows, pillars etc. The present Cathedral dates back to 1083, with an Abbey church originally being built on the site as early as 672AD.

    Upshot of intricately decorated octagon and lantern ceiling of Ely Cathedral

    Ely Cathedral is open daily (take care to note when events and services are on and be respectful) – as it was a breezy and damp Friday afternoon in March we found the Cathedral quiet with no wait to enter, however it is advised to prebook your tickets.

    Friday afternoons are organ practice so whilst (beautifully) noisy at times we were treated to the most delightful sounds as we wandered round. The cathedral unlike may of its’s counterparts in bigger cities isn’t full of crowds, meaning your visit is leisurely and let’s face it: much more enjoyable.

    colourful stained glass window depicting Noah's Ark

    marble statue of a man laid on his side in front of stain glass windows

    Self-styled as a medieval engineering masterpiece, the description is perhaps the best that could be said about Ely Cathedral – if you can look past the stained glass windows that are some of the best examples (from the Victorian period) with immense intricacy, the marble carvings that are more lifelike than any selfie could every hope to be – what you see is an engineering feat that is magnificent both on a level of scale and complexity. The nave is, well I’ll leave the words to you…

    Up shot of a nave of a cathedral

    As always I’m fascinated by graffiti, not the kind you see tagged on the side of a bus stop but the worn away type -medieval in this instance – that tells a story of the people who lived our their lives within the cathedral.

    Stone slab with medieval graffiti

    This lesser known Cathedral may be off the beaten track but is no less when it comes to beauty and awe. A truly worthwhile addition to a visit to Cambridgeshire and one definitely not to be overlooked. 

    Tickets and tours can been be booked online ahead of your visit. 

  • An Afternoon in Ely

    What better way to extend a micro city break than to add to an easy afternoon out onto it. That’s exactly what we did when we headed to Cambridge for 24 hours. Ely is 12 miles outside of Cambridge. The best way to get there is by jumping on the train, taking less than 15 minutes and costing a little over £3 return.

    We left our bags at the hotel we’d stayed at in Cambridge – I always recommended on ditching the bags if possible, even if it adds a little more time on to your day it’ll be worth it as you won’t be dragging them around and will be free to explore.

    Ely’s skyline is dominated by the imposing Cathedral – read more about our visit to the cathedral here – and no visit to Ely would be complete without a heaven gazing stroll around the magnificent cathedral which dates back to 1083, you may even find yourself recognising parts as scenes of The Crown were filmed there. 

    Exterior upshot of medieval cathedral

    As well as Ely Cathedral, Ely is home to Oliver Cromwell’s House – somewhere I wish we‘d visited; a reminder to plan our next trip as there would have been ample time.

    Thirsty from our cathedral gazing we settled in at one of the many pubs and spent a few hours playing backgammon and drinking beer – a truly indulgent way to spend an afternoon. 

    Pint of guinness next to wooden backgammon board in play

    A cathedral city, Ely is compact and more like a small town – easy to find your way around whether you’ve parked up or walked in from the train station.

    A very late lunch beckoned so we headed to the Royal Standard – a pub and hotel – and the oldest building on Ely’s Fore Hill, dating all the way back to the 15th Century; perfect for a lazy lunch with a great gin selection. There was plenty of seating available, yet it was an off season Friday afternoon so something to bear in mind if planning a trip in the summer holidays. 

    The quaint streets that surround the medieval masterpiece that is the Cathedral offer plenty of exploring with lots of small independent shops – the charm of Ely is you can come just for an afternoon and be satisfied or decided to return with your bags next time for an extended stay.

    Cream shop front of a stamp auction house

    Ely is I imagine just one of the many destinations that I’ve overlooked and will be added to the list of places I’m looking forward to revisiting. 

  • 24 Hours in Cambridge

    24 Hours in Cambridge

    Fancy a night away? Four words that are sure to bring a smile to my face. A few weeks ago that’s exactly what happened and an hour later we were on the train pulling out of London with countryside soon zipping past on our way to Cambridge. No plans, no expectations – I didn’t even know where we were staying – a spontaneous city break.

    upshot of entrance to Kings College University of Cambridge

    Sleep

    Last minute hotel bookings can be a little bit like running the sleep gauntlet but The Gonville was a great find and somewhere I don’t doubt we will return to. A boutique hotel in the truest sense of the word, it’s independence is obvious – and rightly so – from the moment of check in. 

    Outdoor hotel sign of The Gonville Cambridge - gold letting on black

    light blue sofa and armchair in hotel lobby with chandelier

    The digital in-room concierge (via iPad) is a an example of how they’ve the attentive without being intrusive service point just right. We happened to make use of it during the night and were pleasantly surprised that a digital request made at midnight was followed up by a member of staff within minutes.

    We stayed in a standard room with a bath which was perfect for a short stay – with all the amenities you’d expect. 

    bed with grey linen

    Our room overlooked Parker’s Piece, a beautiful open space history – regarded as the birthplace of modern football – for the ‘Cambridge rules’ drawn up at Parker’s Piece were used as the basis for the newly formed Football Association’s rules in 1863.

    Open green space with georgina buildings in the distance

    A regret was running out of time to try the residents bar, which looked fantastic – apparently a must try for whisky lovers, however a long day had us heading straight up to our room when we returned after dinner.

    silver Bentley car outside a hotel entrance

    Breakfast was reassuringly good – a served hot option in a addition to a light self-serve continental option. we both chose the eggs royale, our go to and weren’t disappointed.  

    eggs royale on a white plate

    Drink

    The Lab is most definitely a high-glamour octave cocktail bar but it is by no means style over substance,  the menu is seriously extensive. In the interests of being thorough I opted for a low caffeine option espresso martini something it’s really hard to find and was very welcome and then for my second choice I went for a Sex on the Bench fun to order, a real treat to be served and just as good to drink. A Great destination in the evening be it for a couple as we were or for a big group. 

    two cocktails on a black table

    cocktail with sparkler

    Oh and the funnest toilets for an obligatory mirror selfie…

    Woman holding a phone talking a photo in a mirror

     

    Eat

    Tasked with picking somewhere for dinner (it felt weird that this was the only decision required of me for the trip, can’t lie I could get used to it) I googled ‘best place for dinner in Cambridge’ and The Pint Shop came up almost top and for good reason. A great (take it from the boyfriend) selection of real ales on offer downstairs with a what can only be described as an absolute gem of a restaurant over the two floors above. The food has nothing to do with pints instead think sophisticated well married flavours centred round chargrilled offerings of eastern and middle eastern fusion food. We both had a kebab, the turmeric chicken and deep fried pork belly, both were incredible yet in true Rosie fashion I had plate envy when I saw the burger go past; such is The Pint Shop’s ability to elevate – without overworking – some of the most basic of dishes into the truly sublime flavour combinations. An absolute must if you visit Cambridge. 

    chicken open kebab

    Explore

    Cambridge is alive with history and culture; one one of those compact cities that you will leave with neck-ache from constantly looking up but you’ll be well rewarded.

    See view of narrow road in Cambridge

    Bicycle hire is the ‘thing’ but if like me you’re more suited to using your feet, you won’t be disadvantaged. The various colleges are closed to visitors in the daytime during the week, something to bear in mind when planning your trip – however the kerbside architecture is beautiful and consuming enough.

    Ukraine flag flying from Corpus Christi College University of Cambridge

    Cambridge city centre is compact, friendly and easy to navigate. There is so much to do but equally you can spend an entire trip doing absolutely nothing. We found it an easy walk from the station to our hotel, and into the city centre – but if it’s  bit much or your bags are bit heavy there’s plenty of taxis as you come out of the station.

    We ventured to Ely which is about 15 minutes by train from Cambridge and the perfect place for an afternoon exploring – full write up on our afternoon coming soon; highly recommend carving out a few hours for the off the beaten track cathedral city. 

    This trip to Cambridge was an adult one yet I can easily see myself returning in the summer with Boo; its ease of access from London, its accessibility by foot and general friendliness just makes it the perfect destination for families too. 

    Open doorway to medieval grassed courtyard

    Whilst a punt wasn’t on the cards for us (boaters raised to anyone who decides to punt themselves it looks absolutely exhausting!) although those braver than us were happy to take their chances on the cold March River Cam we instead opted for a few drinks by the river.

    punting boats moored by the side of the river Cam

    24 hours in Cambridge was enough, but not in equal measures – the sign of a great city break. 

    Sometimes last minute plans, relying on google and jumping on a train really are the perfect travel tonic.

  • UK City Breaks – Have I Been Missing Out?

    UK City Breaks – Have I Been Missing Out?

    I like to think of myself as an early adopter, apart from when it’s trendy. Make something trendy and suddenly I’m like a stubborn mule: looking at you UK city breaks. International travel restrictions and all the uncertainty that comes with living and attempting to travel during a global pandemic has seen an exponential (is this not the word to linger from 2020) rise in the staycation – the search term ‘staycation’ increased by 511% in July 2020 alone (Pi-Diametrics July 2020). 

    Love it or hate it the word staycation appears is here to stay. Once seen as a poor substitution for hopping on a plane to the continent, a UK city break has enjoyed monopolising the travel market for the past couple of years; however as international travel is tentatively becoming easier, UK destinations will have to shake their money makers that bit harder in order to compete with their international counterparts.

    But do they have anything to worry about? I’ve been guilty in the past of dismissing UK destinations in favour of heading abroad, and whilst I’m not about to turn my back on jumping on a plane; does a change in pace of travelling have me missing the wood for the trees?

    I’m surprisingly untravelled when it comes to sophisticated UK city breaks – I say sophisticated because I’m not sure visiting friends while at university and sampling the delights of student nights counts! The familiarity of some cities will be welcome but I’m also looking forward to discovering completely new destinations. 

    The undeniable and never ceasing excitement of a hotel breakfast (I refuse to believe I will ever tire of this underrated pleasure of life) and a morning of exploring that lays ahead, all while you have the customary cup of tea in bed. Just me?

    Being London based, I’m particularly spoilt as the Capital’s connectivity, in particular the rail network means city breaks can be as short as one night – or as long as you wish to explore – and still pack a punch when it comes to an itinerary. Whilst I may be taking advantage of the transport to leave London for a few days, I’m not turning my back on the Capital entirely: I still enjoy getting lost in the city I call home, perhaps a micro-staycation without having to leave the TFL network is on the cards too?

    View of southbank from North of the river Thames

    And as much as I love an airport (there’s just something about them) you can’t deny the lure of turning up minutes before a train’s departure as opposed to the hours needed for air travel.

    So yes, I’m late to the UK city break game, but maybe being achingly cool isn’t such a bad thing after all.