The Perfect Day Out......

Hello everyone, I'm finally getting down to writing about my faboulous day out on Saturday, so with a litlle word of warning, go grab yourself a cuppa (and a cake) and come with me on a Jolly Jaunt. [Insert warning sound here - Beware photo overload, Beware photo overload]

The sun was shining, the forecast was very good and both myself and Sarah are bright a breezy looking forward to our day in London.  We made the journey in good time from Earley Station to Paddington within 45 minutes!  Don't you just love the fast train?  I've been doing a lot of planning over the last couple of weeks and have everything all finely tuned, so with map in hand off we go to the tube and over to High Street Kensington to our first stop Buttercups

Sadly in all our excitement we were there very early and the shop was not open. I think it needs a lick of paint too, all the other shops and houses in the area were smart and newly decorated.  Oh well, never mind, we decided to go and have a little look around the neighbourhood, and a fine one it is too:-)

It must be really lovely to live here

you even have a porter to look after you - I was tempted to go and ring a bell or two!

After our little wander we went back and waited for the shop to open.  When we approached and looked in the window this is what greeted us........

Not very tempting is it?  However, giving benefit of the doubt we went inside to find a delightful young man called Steve who happily served us and answered a few questions about Buttercups. (shame his apron was so dirty considering the shop only just opened)

at least when we left there were a few more cupcakes on offer (but not many).

I am going to rate the shops as I go along, so for Buttercups

Shop = 4 - tired, small and lacking atmosphere
Staff = 4 - his apron was dirty and he didn't clean his hands from one pot to the other whilst decorating the cupcakes

Total = 8

And you see that lonely cupcake in the first picture - it came home with me as it was a Vanilla Bean cupcake, so packed safely in our cool bags off we went for another delightful stroll to our next establishmet - Hummingbird Bakery.  All the walking made me feel rather peckish and I was needing my sugar levels increasing so we found this wonderful Bakery selling the most delicious Pain au Chocolat -  Fait Maison

Rude not too really :-)

It was lovely to see the shops decorated ready for the Jubilee celebrations this weekend.  I adored these crotcheted cupcakes and have now found a wonderful pattern to make my own.  Another on the 'to do' list for the cold winter evenings.

I was a little excited to finally get to The Hummingbird Bakery as this is where my baking fasination all started.  Who would believe that buying a book would lead me to learn to bake :-)  The shop did not dissapoint me one bit.  The staff were friendly taking time to chat to us about our little tour, it was spotlessly clean and the array of goodies available to buy was superb. Just look at that Red Velvet cake.

My choice from Hummingbird was the vanilla cake again, 1. because I need to make comparison and 2) because I've baked them many a time with great success and just wanted to see if mine are as good as theirs.

scores on the doors for Hummingbird

Shop = 9 - cute, relaxed, clean and well stocked

Staff = 10 friendly and even the manager took an interest in our tour

Total = 19

Waving goodbye with goodies neatly packed in the cool bags again off we go to our next stop - the one place where we really really wanted to visit - Peggy Porschen. Catching the tube for one stop to Sloane Square, which was very busy as The Chelsea Flower Show was taking place, we were greeted with a lot of Rick Shaws offering us lifts, but we decided to walk so not to miss the beautiful area of Balgravia.  My oh my, both myself and Sarah nearly hyper-ventilated when we caught a glimpse of the pink building at the end of the street.......

Yes, we are here :-)

I am in love with this Parlour

It is the most divine, girlie environment I have been into in my life, it is everything a little girl could dream of to play shops in and every big girls dream to work in.  It was tidy, clean, elegantly dressed with a good supply of cakes and cupcakes.  This is where we decided to take tea and cake.  We didn't have to wait long before the table inside became available so I ordered the Lemon Limoncello cake (which I baked the other week) and Sarah ordered the Typsy Orange cake and our plan was to have half of each.

and guess who came to Tea? 

Well, not actually sitting down to tea but who arrived at the shop - Yes, the one and only

Mrs Peggy Porschen 

This made our day the most perfect day. And do you want to know something?  Peggy recognised both myself and Sarah from The Squires Kitchen Cake Show we went to in March.  Out of all the 1000's of people she must meet I feel honoured that she remembered us.  This woman is the most wonderful person you could meet, polite, friendly, funny and beautiful.  Not only did she have a big interest in our day she openly suggested other bakeries around the area for us to visit.  Both myself and Sarah could not believe how lucky we were to have a good chat and giggle.  Thank you Peggy :-)

I think you know what's coming here for the scores for Peggy

Shop = 10 how perfectly pink and devine can you get

Staff = 10, Patience (the waitress) was the most polite and happy waitress you could possibly want to serve you afternoon tea

Total = 20

We knew nothing could top that so after taking a comfort break we made our way to the bus stop to go to Bea's of Bloomsbury

But not without having a cheeky little stop in Piccadilly

and a visit to Fortnum and Mason to buy some tea for my Jubilee Afternoon Tea.

This is a special blend for the Diamond Jubillee.  I purchased 7gms (about 6 teaspoons)

which cost me £7.50!  my little treat of the day. We also popped a cupcake into our cool bags for taste testing too. 

I chose a Jammie Dodger cupcake as it looked so cute :-)

Scores for Fortnum's

Shop = 9 who could not like being inside a shop selling so much tea

Staff = 9 even though this is an upmarket shop the staff

are not snooty one little bit and make you feel as special as a millionairre

Total = 18

Leaving Fortnums with my special blend tea (I can't wait to make a brew) and getting back on track, just outside the bus stop was Laduree who sell Macaroons.  We were not allowed to take photo's inside the shop so we didn't part with our money to buy any.  Back on the number 38 bus and a lovely ride through Piccadilly and the Theatre district we arrived in Holburn at Bea's.

Sadly this is what greeted us which we thought was rather shocking.  We felt the shop was tired, dirty and the staff unfriendly making us feel more like a number than a customer.  We quickly made our purchases and left.  I will admit feeling a little sad about this shop as I have read such great reviews, especially about their chocolate cake, I have even contemplated buying the book which I may still do, but not once did the staff approach us asking if we would like to have afternoon tea and their display was lack lustre and sparse.  I chose a cookies and cream cupcake which was a shame as I wanted to take home a slice of chocolate cake.  Oh well, as least the lighting was cute and decorative.

Scores for Bea's of Bllomsbury

Shop = 3 (and that's only because I liked the lighting)

Staff = 2

Total = 5

Next on our list was Lola's which is situated in Selfridges Food Hall.  We took the tube to Oxford Circus and took a stroll down Oxford Street enjoying all the decorative window displays and bunting.

 Makes me feel very proud to be British :-)

We were doing great for time so took the opportunity to go and do a little clothes shopping along the way to Selfridges. 

I fell in love with this dress and Fasinator.  It had a netted petticoat and all I could think of was, 'this would look great in Peggy's Parlour when I go for afternoon tea again'. Sadly and regretfully I did not buy it.  I am now thinking of catching the train and going back to get it!

SO onto our last stop of the tour - Lola's

Looks promising with those cute boxes don't you think?

but sadly another commercial chain store riding off the fame of Sex and The City (did you know that's how cupcakes became so popular?) Look at that display, have you noticed the fallen cupcake and all the crumbs at the bottom of the display cabinet, you wouldn't get that in Hummingbird!

I realised I did not have a lemon tasting cupcake so that is what I chose from this last shop of the day.

Scores for Lola's

Shop = 4 nothing special even though it was in Selfridges Food Hall which I love

Staff = 2 what staff?  they did not have the time of day to smile only ask what we wanted!

Total = 6

We were getting a little tired and in need of food so we walked to The Gourmet Burger Kitchen near Baker Street for some eats and drinks before finally making our way to Paddington and home.

Our day was fantastic.  Would I do it again? Too right.  I am already planning tour 2 for the summer holidays.  It was surprising to hear both Hummingbird and Peggy talk about Primrose Bakery so that will definately be on the list to visit and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

I will be back with the results of the taste testing tomorrow as this post has been rather long.  Thank you for getting this far and hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did.

Toodle Pip

Lynetta Xx