fabulousplaces.co.uk will be out about over the Summer at the following events…we’ll be promoting all things fabulous and also selling the magazine:

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May 2011
Derbyshire Food & Drink Fair
For full information about the event please click here.  This year’s event will be held at Hardwick Hall.

Saturday 4th June 2011,  9am – 2pm
Wirksworth Farmers Market

Saturday 26th June 2011, 1pm onwards
Duffield Carnival
Eyes Meadow, Duffield
Click here for a location map.

Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd July 2011
fabulousplaces.co.uk Food & Gift Fair
The Roundhouse, Pride Park, Derbyshire
Click here for full information.

I’m super pleased to be holding an event at one of my most favourite venues…Blackbrook House!  If you came along to the fabulousplaces.co.uk Summer Fete and Christmas Market in 2009 at Blackbrook I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a gorgeous venue and driven by a passion for amazing food and service like no other.

The evening will offer you an opportunity to enjoy some Blackbrook hospitality whilst broswing over 20 fabulous stalls.  Entry is free and doors open at 6.30pm.  You’ll be offered the opportunity to enjoy a bite to eat and a glass of something lovely in the Blackbrook restaurant.  The event will be the perfect introduction to Spring and also offer you an exclusive opportunity to browse new products from the fabulousplaces.co.uk places and makers!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the event.  If you would like to be kept up to date with event information please join the club and you’ll receive email updates…don’t worry, your email will be kept safe with us and we only send emails when there’s lots of fabulous news to tell you!

I thought I would let you know about some great events I’ve heard about…

Guy Fawkes Extravaganza
Friday 5th November
Save The Date Magazine & Shottle Hall are holding a Guy Fawkes Extravaganza on Friday 5th November.  The event will be the perfect bonfire night celebration with delicious food from Jack Rabbits, fireworks, a huge bonfire and a shopping area…I’ll be there!  Hope to see you there too!  Click here for full information.

fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Food & Gift Market
Sat 20th & Sun 21st November
The Roundhouse, Pride Park, Derby
The second fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market is taking place at the stunning Roundhouse on Pride Park.  With over 70 food and gift stalls offering everything you need for the festive season!  Jack Rabbits will be offering delicious food in The Engine Shed Restaurant and Polly’s List are offering little ones the opportunity to take part in lots of festive activities.  An event not to be missed!  Click here for full information.

Rudd Moncrieff Christmas House Party
Thursday 25th November 2010
Festive food workshops, Inspiring floral demonstrations, Stylish Gift Wrapping,and Christmas shopping.
Click here for full information.

Looking for a bonfire event for all the family…look no further!  Shottle Hall & the lovely ladies from Save The Date Magazine are bringing you a Guy Fawkes Extravaganza on Friday 5th November from 6pm – 10pm.

There’ll be lots of traditional fun fair games, stalls and children’s entertainers will keep the little ones amused until the fantastic fireworks finale.  The fabulous Jack Rabbits will be offering an array of winter warming food to tempt you.

Tickets for adults are £4.50 and children can attend for free.  Click here to get your tickets.

Here are a selection of photos from the fabulousplaces.co.uk Autumn Fair on the 26th September.

A HUGE thank you to the fabulous Red Square Photography for taking some gorgeous pic!

The next event will be the fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market at the stunning Roundhouse on Pride Park.  Click here for more info.

Deb

With the sunshine comes the urge to get out into the garden and what’s better than getting family and friends together for a garden party…vintage style!

fabulousplaces.co.uk features a great Derbyshire based company called Vintage & Cake who offer you the opportunity to hire stunning vintage crockery in addition to having scrumptious homemade cakes made just for you.  Julie from Vintage & Cake has very kindly offered her advice, and a yummy cake recipe, to help you enjoy your own garden party.

The Perfect Afternoon Tea

Requirements:  flowers, vintage china, vintage cutlery, vintage vases, bowls and vintage cake stands plus some pretty bunting… its essential!

Traditional Afternoon Tea…
A selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches.
Warm scones with clotted cream and preserves.
A variety of home made cakes.
Your choice from a range of teas.

Here are some of the more common teas, but of course there are so many to choose from out there:

Darjeeling
An aromatic and astringent tea from India, with a hint of almonds and wildflowers.
Earl Grey
A blend of black teas scented with oil of bergamot named after Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834.
Lapsang Souchong
A Chinese tea fired over smoking pine needles, which produces a striking smoky odour and flavour.

A recipe for the perfect Coffee & Walnut Cake

Sponge
250g butter
250g soft light brown sugar
4 eggs
300g self raising four
200ml strong coffee
50g walnuts chopped (roughly)

Buttercream
100g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar sieved
3 teaspoons strong coffee (dissolve the coffee in just enough water to make a paste)

Method
Beat the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs and flour in one go and mix well.
Add in your walnuts and half of the coffee and mix until completely even.
Pour into 2 8 inch round tins and bake for 25-30 mins at 180c (160c fan oven).
Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 mins, then empty them out onto cooling racks.
Mix the remaining coffee with 4 tbsps of light brown sugar and sprinkle 2 tbsps each over the sponges.
Leave to cool further

Buttercream
Cream the butter, icing sugar and coffee for 5 minutes until it resembles a whipped creamy texture.
Spread liberally inside your sponges and then on top.
Decorate at you please with walnuts
NB:  Always lick the bowl
You will be left with a ridiculously light and delicious cake to share with friends and family!

Here’s some information about the fabulous Vintage & Cake…

Julie, the owner of Vintage & Cake, says the company was borne out of a love of ‘doing things properly’ like her gran always did.  It’s about indulgence, enjoying life’s treats and celebrating a bygone era.  Vintage and Cake hires out beautiful vintage tableware for tea parties and tea dances and bake delicious cakes for all occasions, from lovely classic Victoria sponges to elaborate wedding cakes and cupcakes.  Individuality is very important to Julie, so each of her customers are more than welcome to pop round for a consultation, where you can eat cake, drink tea and chat about your ideas.  Click here to go to their page on fabulousplaces.co.uk.

Vintage & Cake will be exhibiting at the upcoming fabulousplaces.co.uk Summer Fete.

Here are some events taking place over the next couple of weeks, so if you have a spare day with nothing planned take a look below for some inspiration….

Oliver’s Organics – Jamie Oliver Kitchenware Open Day, Tuesday 23rd June
Call by Oliver’s Organics in Allestree from 12 onwards on Tuesday to browse the truly wonderful Jamie Oliver range & also sample his range of yummy food.  The event is open to everyone…I’ll be calling in to have a look.  To have a sneak preview of his range visit: www.jamieoliver.com/jme

Gifted, Duffield
20% off EVERYTHING until the end of June!  Visit Gifted’s page on the website for directions.

Open Studios at Rachel Helen Designs
Saturday 27th, 10am – 5pm & Sunday 28th, 10am – 4pm.  Click here to view the FP page for Rachel Helen Designs.  

NEW   The Old Schoolhouse, Stanton-by-Dale
Recently opened by Ali Lycett, The Cake Sculptor, in May, The Old Schoolhouse is a wonderful new place to meet for coffee, homemade cakes and lunches and cupcakes of course!  Visit www.theoldschoolhouse.moonfruit.com/ for full information.

Saturday 27th June, 12.00 onwards
Duffield Show
I’ll be there promoting the website!  Pop by & say hello!

Sunday 28th June
Derbyshire County Show, Elvaston
A truly great day out for all the family…visit www.derbyshirecountyshow.org.uk for more information.   I’ll be there promoting the website in the farmer markets area. 

fabulousplaces.co.uk Summer Fete

A traditional fete with a fabulous twist!

I’m super excited about the website’s next event…the Summer Fete.  I’ve found the perfect venue and I have lots of fabulous places and producers from all over Derbyshire coming along.  From artisan bread and cupcakes to art and eco products….there will be something for all the family.

Blackbrook House
Sunday 26th July 2009
11.00am – 4.00pm 

If you would like to come along, join the FP Club and I’ll keep you up to date with all the latest developments!  Also, if you are a fabulous place or producer and would like to come along and exhibit, please contact me.

Anyone who has a dog or two will agree when I say that I’m delighted to see the signs of spring….slightly warmer, snow drops, sunshine….and the dogs don’t get caked in mud, well not all the time anyway! The weekend showed us some lovely sunshine, so what could be more perfect than getting out in Derbyshire to visit some fabulous places!

New fabulous places!

Receiving the Stamp of Approval recently are:

	Bluebells Dairy, Locko Road, Derbyshire   If there’s ever a good reason to eat ice cream in March it has to be the delicious ice cream they make on the farm at Bluebells Dairy. Bluebells is also a cafe and farm with great facilities for little ones. I recommend the bacon and poached egg on toast, yum! Click here to view Bluebells Dairy fabulous places page.
	Helen Meakin   Helen Meakin is a textile artist who produces some truly beautiful items ranging from framed pieces to cards and candles. Click here for more information about Helen Meakin.

Join us on our fundraising Crocus Walk!

I’ve decided to organise a Crocus Walk and would love for you to come along too! The walk is open to everyone and please feel free to bring your dogs, I’ll be taking my dogs, Molly and Toby.

Click here to be taken to the Crocus Walk page.

fabulousplaces.co.uk events

With the success of the website’s first event in January, my task this month is to start working on the next one. I have lots of ideas, but the first step is to find the perfect venue, so I’ll keep you posted!

The events are always planned with the website’s users in mind and I would love to hear your feedback regarding the first event and any thoughts on what you would like at the next one? Click here to contact me.

Coming soon…

fabulous places to stay in Derbyshire!

Do you know a B&B, hotel or self catering accommodation worthy of the FP Stamp of Approval? Click here to let me know all about it. Thank you!

Well, it seems I’ve been given my orders……

off out to walk the dogs….bye!

What can I say! The evening was a huge success and I’m now enjoying some much needed rest. Well, I’m sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and biscuits with the laptop typing this blog, that will do for now!

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to the Showcase – guests travelled from all over Derbyshire, Sheffield and Nottingham! I hope you had a fabulous time and enjoyed the opportunity to browse so many fabulous products in one place. I hope you all liked your goody bags too! You’ll find some really great goodies in there… a Teapigs sample, Weleda products, a packet of Crips, a Dorset Cereals bar and flyers/offers from some of the fabulous places featured on the website.

Below are a selection of photographs taken at the event. To view a larger image, please click on one of the thumbnails:

I have a few people who I would like to say a huge thank you to:

Firstly, thank you to all the fabulous businesses who took part in the event. I’m sure you’ll all agree, every stall looked fantastic!

Lucy….thank you for all your ‘fabulous’ help leading up to and during the event – you’re a star! )

Lastly, thank you all for coming along to the event and supporting the website. I would love to receive your feedback on what you thought of the event… please take a moment to enter your comments below.