Tag: Leeds

Visiting Santa in Leeds

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If you’re looking for somewhere to visit Santa with the kids in Leeds this Christmas, then you’ll want to check out Lotherton Hall’s Christmas Experience for something extra special.

This year I’m more excited for Christmas than ever as it’s our baby’s very first Christmas! Of course he’s too young to have any idea what’s happening but as parents it’s important for us too to savour these milestones.

So I was so happy to be invited along to the preview night for Lotherton Hall’s Christmas Experience and to take Findlay to meet Santa for the first time.

What a merry evening it was.

Upon arrival our first stop was of course the North Pole to visit the big man himself. The Santa experience was so much more than I was expecting. We took a beautiful walk through a created frosted forest with elves regaling stories along the way. We designed our own festive candle and made a magical Christmas wish.

Then it was on to Santa’s beautiful wooden cabin for a personal visit with Santa, who maintained his jolly demeanour even when Findlay’s started to wean. We were given a lovely present to take away – I won’t spoil the surprise but when we opened it we were impressed with the quality.

While Findlay is still too young to really take it in, I think the whole experience is something that toddlers and young children would really enjoy.

Beyond visiting Santa there is plenty of other festivities to enjoy across the grounds including exploring the decorated house itself of course, wandering the beautifully lit woodland walk and indulging in some food and drink at the estate cafe and the tipi style bar.

There was also a lovely little craft market where I picked up a gingerbread candle and pretty star wreath.

The Elf Village also offers the chance to meet Mrs Claus and take part in a range of arts and crafts, something we can look forward to when Findlay is a bit older.

We had a wonderful time to kick off the countdown to Christmas and we can see why Lotherton is one of the top places to visit Santa in Leeds.

The event is running until 5 January with more information available on the Lotherton Hall website.

Dinner at Ivy Leeds: Review

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Dinner at Ivy Leeds

Recently, I was lucky enough to complete the Yorkshire Ivy trifecta, with an invite to sample the menu at the elegant Ivy Leeds, in the City Centre’s Victoria Quarter.

The Ivy Victoria Quarter Leeds

Having previously dined at The Ivy York and The Ivy Harrogate, I was excited to see how the Leeds branch would compare, and it completely lived up to the high-class service, food and decor which I’ve come to expect at all Ivy restaurants, having had a wonderful experience each time.

Food Menu at the Ivy Leeds

The food menu at the Ivy Leeds is the same as that in both York and Harrogate, with a varied selection of classic dishes – such as pastas, chicken, steak, fish, burgers and more, served with an extra special je nai sai quoi.

To start I opted for the crispy duck salad, which was very unique featuring watermelon and cashew nuts, topped with delicious Chinese-inspired crispy duck pieces – yum yum!

Creme Brulee at Ivy Leeds
Dinner at Ivy Leeds

For main, I went for the fishcake sat atop a bed of mushy peas and completed with a perfectly runny poached egg on top. A good runny egg is always the marker of a top notch eatery in my eyes!

My friend also started with the duck salad, and chose the roast chicken for main, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Of course, we couldn’t resist ordering a mahoosive plate of courgette fries on the side too!

Dinner at Ivy Leeds
Look how perfectly runny that egg is!!

For dessert I went for my usual favourite Creme Brulee, while my friend chose the signature chocolate bomb which is not only a chocoholic’s dream, but is also a visual spectacle as the bomb melts when you pour over the hot sauce – definitely one for your Instagram!

Cocktail Menu at the Ivy Leeds

As well as the yummy food on offer, the Ivy is also known for its exciting cocktail menu, and if you’re enjoying a slap-up meal here it would be rude really not to have a cocktail.

Well, that’s what we told ourselves anyways as we both sipped our Ivy Royales – the restaurant’s unique take on the Chambord Royale, incorporating gin, vermouth and hibiscus & rosewater sloe juice.

Cocktails at Ivy Leeds

Other cocktails include a Candy Floss Fizz, a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini and the locally inspired Kirkstall Cosmo and Rounday Gardens.

The Extra Special Touches

Now, let’s be honest – The Ivy is not the cheapest restaurant you are going to find in Leeds, most definitely not. It is reasonably highly-priced, but the cost is not only reflective of the quality of the food but also the extra-special touches such as the attentive service which makes you feel like a proper VIP for the night, or the stunning floral and grand art deco interiors which create the perfect setting for a special occasion.

That is exactly what The Ivy offers, somewhere truly extra special to enjoy for a celebration or special treat. It is certainly somewhere I’ll be planning to take my friends and family when they come down to visit me in Leeds, though with a new Ivy restaurant now set to open in Glasgow they might even beat me to it.