A few weeks ago I went to the Gardenbarn, and posted lots and lots of shiny pictures of the lovely stuff and things that could be purchased there.
I did not go to their coffee shop at the time. It was snowy and freezing and although the cakes were tempting, they were not that tempting.
Today, as a reward for cleaning and cooking and Derek wrangling, Jason took us all to the Gardenbarn for cake.
It was a glorious, dare I say it, spring day, and the climate was much more temperate. My finger ends did not go blue once, which was gratifying.
The log burners in the cafe area were blazing, and when we went upstairs, which is where the main part of the cafe is, it was toasty warm to the point where we could all take our coats off.
The staff were really lovely. The staircase up to the main seating area is rather steep, so they take your order, you go off and find a table, and they do the difficult, tray balancing whilst climbing bit for you.
The cakes were delicious.
The coffee was good.
The atmosphere was lovely, and we even stayed after we had finished eating and played cards.
If I had been on my own I would have taken the opportunity to snuggle up on the sofa with one of the glossy magazines they had arranged in an inviting pile.
I have been looking for an alternative to Mrs. Roody’s for a very, very long time.
I think we’ve found it.
A substitute Mrs Roody’s plus splendid retail delights! Following my need for the metal bird from your first trip there I’m adding some stone birds and a flowerpot man or two. Not usually liking the cute I’m not sure where the Bill and Ben requirement is coming from – perhaps the oldtimers disease is kicking in. I really don’t like the feathered bird though, it’s creepy.
Sharon
The feathery bird is creepy. It looks like it has half exploded, which amused me.
Oohh I love looking at pictures of cakes almost as much as I like baking and eating them. Whenever I eat cake I think of one of my son’s friends, Liv and her words a couple of years ago. The children were doing some project or other at school and had to list their likes, dislikes, thoughts on the future etc. They also had to list what they thought they needed versus what they wanted. Liv answered like this:
What do you like?
I like choklut
What do you need?
I need cake
Too right.
Max’s Mum
Those are excellent maxims to live by.