My First Time: Ground Espresso Bar, Belfast

My friend and fellow blogger, Sera McDaid, always tweets about her favourite coffee spot, Ground Espresso Bar. She lives up North Coast way, where the family owned business first sprouted, and until now I hadn't had a chance to taste the delights she always raved about.

Manager Dermott invited me up to their Next branch in Belfastcity centre to see what makes Ground different to the chains of coffee places elsewhere in our towns. 

The second floor cafe is spacious, bright and even has a little play section for kids who need a break from being dragged round shops. I had a white mocha & little Michael chose a strawberry milkshake & Aero muffin.

Crazy face

The coffee is proper coffee. Not the sickly sweet, sugar-laden stuff you'd get in certain places. Their new exclusive Purple Dragon blend is selling very well, and after one mocha I felt like I was buzzing on caffeine- something that never happens usually! It was smooth and delicious.

The tea that Ground Espresso serve is another local product, Suki Tea, made here in Belfast. They pride themselves on ethical, local sourcing of food, drinks and even the wood used for the interior design.

The traybakes are hefty and rich. Dermott kindly gave us some to nibble on our train journey home too. They launch their Christmas drinks soon, which includes a Snowball- a white hot chocolate with coconut- which sounds like my dream drink. So why not mark Ground Espresso as your shopping break spot when you are in the city for Christmas shopping?

My Seven Year Old Son Gave Me a NYC Cosmetics Makeover

Products we used- NYC 5 in 1 BB Creme in 01 Light.

Before

Big Bold Curl Mascara in 855 Extra Black

City Proof Twistable Intense Colour Crayon in 040 South Ferry Berry

What do you think?

Interesting mascara beauty spot he's given me!

See the full range online and compare prices. NYC is priced very reasonably.

Yardbird Belfast has given me Chicken Fever!

Yardbird in Belfast is a restaurant who have taken to heart the culinary advice of, 'do one thing, but do it really well'. They serve chicken, and that's that, but they are bloody amazing at it.

Nestling just a stone's throw from The Merchant Hotel, Yardbird can be found inside & upstairs of The Dirty Onion pub. 

The cosy, first floor eaterie is family friendly, with kids eating free at the weekend (one free child's meal per full paying adult). Their menu is straightforward, well priced and can all fit on one table mat.

The main question is 'how much chicken can you handle?', then it's a choice of sides including skin on fries, corn cobs with garlic butter, coleslaw and an avocado salad to die for. I also went for a quarter chicken, and should you visit on a weekend you can try their lunch special of 1/4 plus side for only £5. They are also trialling a chicken burrito, which we are coming back next Saturday for, we loved Yardbird so much.

A whole chicken straight from cooking. Yardbird only serve free range birds, sourced from Crossgar here in Northern Ireland.

The free kid's meal- not bad at all!

Golden corn cobs with hot, liquid garlic butter poured over them at your table.

Two stuffed and happy boys.

They also have their own special sauces, a hot version and a BBQ one. You can buy bottles of them to take home too.

We also had the chance to try the dessert menu. Leave room for these because they are out of this world. Apple pie, lime cheesecake, or a hot brownie with fresh cream or icecream.

As I said, we are going back this Saturday for another chicken feast. Maybe we will see you there?

eBay Has a Tonne of Anthropomorphic Taxidermy at the Minute, & it's Too Weird Even for ME.

There are about half a dozen eBay sellers listing some really weird anthropomorphic taxidermy at the moment. I'm trying to find something for my husband to buy me for Christmas.

This is my favourite. 

Heisenberg??

Dear god, no.

Volpe & Volpe's Batty Dinner Plate

A creative collaboration between Volpe and Volpe Founder Trish Scorgie and renowned ceramic artist Robert Dawson, the Last series re-imagines traditional British china designs adding a curious and contemporary twist to create modern day collectibles.

Highlighting the fragility of nature and drawing on traditional British ceramic manufacturing techniques, the Last series of four preservation plates blend old natural history prints of animals and birds with a floral design from a long forgotten dinner service creating designs which make them relevant for today.

The Last series of four designs is available at £45.00 each or £160.00 for the set of four (one of each design).

Volpe and Volpe will make a donation of 5% from the sale of each plate to the corresponding supportive charities:-

Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats

Bat Conservation Trust www.bats.org.uk

The Last series of Preservation Plates also includes Cuckoo, Hedgehog and Wolf designs - available from www.volpeandvolpe.com

Donations from the Cuckoo plate will go to - B.T.O (British Trust for Ornithology) http://www.bto.org/uk

Donations from the hedgehog plate will go to - British Hedgehog Preservation Societywww.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

Donations from the Wolf design will go to - John Muir Trust www.jmt.org

Personalised Party Invitations from TinyMe.co.uk

Tiny Me have taken the hand cramp out of writing dozens of birthday party invitations for me this year. I featured their smartly designed school name tag labels two years ago, and the illustrations to choose from are similarly crisp, clean and professional.

There are dozens of templates to choose from, boys', girls' or unisex, as well as options to include your own photograph within the design.

Once you choose the perfect template, you then have a choice of colour swatches to pick, to further customise the invitation.

Invites are sold in packs of eight, with the option to add envelopes and/or magnets to your order for a little more. They really do look smart and you can avoid the hand cramp of writing out the party address and RSVP telephone number a dozen times.

My son chose this monkey print design, which matches his school stickers & labels which he loves. Turn around for us was around a week from ordering, so bear this in mind when judging when to place an order. What design would you choose? Check out the Tiny Me full party range online now.

IKEA Spoofs Kubrick's The Shining in their New Commercial

Nicely done, Ikea, Singapore!

The Hello Kitty Collection at The Pet Hut

My lovely friend Laura invited us over to the huge new Poundstretcher and Pet Hut store that opened last month here in Bangor. She helps manage the quite frankly gigantic superstore, and Michael & I called over to check out the bargains.

We loved the Hello Kitty collection they have for your own little kitty cat. I want to buy the bed for Mrs Meow.

The collection also has pet bowl mats for just £1.99 to help keep your kitchen floor clean, as well as scratching posts and boxes.

There are lots of other designs if you want something more chic....

... or seafaring.

Or just silly.

The Pet Hut also has bargain pet foods, treats, and basics for all types of animal, even princess hamsters.

The Poundstretcher half of the store has a massive selection of groceries and homewares as well as toys, stationary, clothing, and seasonal products. Here are some fun items we spotted.

Lots of gorgeous, chunky wool as well as other crafting supplies.

A whole row of kitchen brights. Great to jazz up your parlour this dull autumn.

We found tonnes of great Christmas present ideas at super prices. These cuddly cushions were just £3.99

And these flapping slippers are only £4.99 compared to the tv advertised ones which cost at least twice that.

Cute reindeer print bobble hats, I wouldn't mind one myself but I have a notoriously huge head that doesn't fit normal person hats. Shush- it's a seriously ailment!!!

Super cute stocking filler hot water bottles. Perfect present for grannies. Reduced to £3.99

Very Cath Kidston without having to spend £25

There are lots of little gift sets too at great prices. Good presents for teachers, Sunday School leaders, aunties etc.

Put a fox on anything and I'll want it. These felt bags for £2.99 are a steal.

Lastly some kitschy Christmas decorations. They've a whole aisle of your usual tinsel, baubles etc at great prices, but these couple of items stuck out as I've never seen them elsewhere even at a higher price. 

In love with these candy cane solar lights. Going to get myself some for the front garden and four of them for £5 is grand.

Lastly these 3D decorations caught my eye as they are so tacky and kitsch (sorry, Laura!) but in the best way. Proper, old school 1970s' style over the top Christmas. I love them.

Happy, shiny Santa.

Opening times, latest products and store finder all online at their website.