miss b loves.........giant Easter eggs in Manchester

A couple of weeks ago as we were walking through Manchester City Centre we came across some beautiful giant Easter eggs. They were part of The Big Egg Hunt sponsored by Lindt chocolates raising money for Action for Children, a UK charity.      

101 eggs designed by leading artists had been dotted about the city centre. The range of designs was fascinating and I was on a mission to track them down even though this was meant to be a shopping trip!! It was a cold, wet day but we still persevered although we certainly didn't find them all!! 

As it's Easter Weekend I thought I would show you a few of our favourites from cute.....to quirky.....

Butterfly Catchers by Rheannon Ormond

Equinox by Barbie Harrison

miss b loves .......a trip to London (Part Two)

Day 2 in London started with a  visit to Selfridges on Oxford Street and I couldn't resist taking a couple of photos of the new Mulberry Willow Collection...

Then it was off to St Paul's Cathedral and the beautiful 'Young Lovers' statue.......

and round the corner to another Paul's........

 .......for a taste of France......

...before walking across London Bridge......

miss b loves ......a trip to London (Part One)

We are so fortunate to live just over two hours away from London by train and last week I managed to spend a couple of days there..... Day 1..... a mild day with gorgeous blue skies...

The hotel was in a perfect location opposite Marble Arch and two minutes from Oxford Street and the tube station......

 

First port of call, my favourite department store......

....cute cushions........

and a trio of warm pastries in Café Liberty...

miss b loves..... Burj Al Hamam Lebanese restaurant, Dubai Marina

We first discovered Lebanese cuisine in Dubai a couple of years ago. I'm always impressed with the variety of food and the freshness of the ingredients, so when we spotted the new Burj Al Hamam a few weeks ago we decided to give it a try even though we hadn't read any reviews.

I've since found out that the original Burj Al Hamam restaurant was established in Lebanon in 1958 by Fayez Elias Khoury and now his sons carry on the tradition of serving the freshest authentic Lebanese cuisine in a number of branches across the Middle East.

We liked the interior....bright and airy in shades of white, beige and pale gold with crisp white tablecloths and a feature wall of empty picture frames........

...but we opted to dine al fresco overlooking Dubai Marina (always a treat in the middle of winter with freezing temperatures back in the UK!)

The waiter brought us menus and the freshest almonds we have ever tasted and they were presented in a bowl of ice.....

....then complimentary appetisers including bowls of olives and pickled turnip (I believe they are pickled with beetroot which gives them this gorgeous hot pink colour!)