Roving Rothbury Reporter, Day trip to Beijing!

Saturday had me closing the door early at Coccuveda, 4pm to be precise. I did have a very good reason it wasn't just a case of me wanting an afternoon nap. I was heading over the border to Beijing, or The Beijing Banquet just outside Edinburgh. http://www.beijingbanquet.com/

There was the rare opportunity for me and all my siblings (there are 5 of us) to get together, we don't get this chance very often as two of us live outside the land of our birth now, but we managed a brief rendezvous for a nice relaxing Chinese Banquet.

The food was absolutely delicious, it was served buffet style so filling your plate as often as you could manage with all the colourful aromatic dishes was actually very good value for money. The restaurant had a friendly atmospheric buzz to it, families with young children and groups who were having a celebration, it is definitely a restaurant which is a popular choice.

For my brothers, sister and I The Beijing Banquet is so far removed from our childhood memories as it is possible to be. We were brought up just a 2 minute walk round the corner from here and this establishment was the local pub " The Maulsford". The pub was a typical working mans pub, i.e a pie and a pint place with the odd bout of Friday night fisticuffs! Definitely a no frills needed pub with darts and dominoes the only entertainment required with a pint or a rum and pep!

To see the old pub transformed into a Chinese Restaurant with style and serving such quality fare seems almost miraculous. So if ever you are in the Edinburgh area and in need of some good food with a reasonably priced menu and Chinese is what you are looking for then head just a few miles south of Edinburgh to The Beijing Banquet. It is very very popular so I would recommend booking before hand, it also has the added bonus of having plenty of parking!

Rothbury, X Factor?

One thing I have heard a lot of recently from all the lovely visitors coming in to Coccuveda, is how wonderful Rothbury is, There is the usual question " is Rothbury a town or a village?" I say that we probably still think of Rothbury as "The Village"
What pleases the visitors the most is the fact that Rothbury as a fantastic array of good independent shops, shops like Coccuveda where they can buy quality locally made gifts, the bakeries are also well appreciated. Alderson's the hardware shop is a visitors favourite as is our lovely Rothbury Deli Tully's. A couple the other day, who I suggested have lunch there (Thursday, a Harleys closed day) enjoyed their lunch platter so much they came straight back to the shop to thank me for suggesting they go.
 So all in all people like Rothbury for its unique independents which make it different from any other towns/villages. So I suppose you could say that Rothbury has the "X Factor"

Inspired by Lordenshaw!

Lordenshaw in Northumberland National Park is one of those peaceful and scenic places that is oozing with history and has one of the largest collections of rock art in Northumberland.
As Lordenshaw is one of my favourite places that is nearly on my doorstep it is not surprising really that my pliers and wire were inspired by the cup and ring markings there, and they helped me make my latest earrings and pendant. I just added a few crystals and colourful gem stones and magically a wearable Lordenshaw set emerged!

Christmas preps on a Saturday

Saturdays are a day that I look forward to as I have nominated Saturday as Christmas preperation day. Preperation as in festive things for selling in the shop as opposed to for our own family Christmas, that doesn't happen until well in to December.
First off the festive fancy production line are some pretty bead and wire icicles, all with a jingle jangle bell at the bottom. Felt festive fancies are always a favourite of mine, felt is so lovely and forgiving to work with, little birds are first to be completed but hopefully reindeer, stockings, robins, westie dogs, bells and ginger bread men should follow soon (ish).

Beach makes way for a Woodland

The Coccuveda beach window has now made way for an Autumnal themed window .Seaglass, sea shells and summery seaside prints have gone with the memory of a lovely summer, in their place are some of the lovely handcrafted wooden pieces and squirrel cards as well as new Tweeters bird brooches and my felt squirrel Tuftys.