List of Joy #1
(Even in the rain)
I used to write monthly about ten things I discovered that added value to my life. I love it so much! I also love reading other people's posts on it. You know it is good because it is something they've done and valued.
After moving to Windermere, there are things that we keep doing over and over again, especially when the weather is terrible for walks. I mean, it's more uncomfortable for the baby, heh. We will stick to our locals since A was still a baby.
Here is what we guarantee to do when it rains: cat and dog. (mainly running errands)
Windermere
Brunch at Bandito, Homeground, or Toast—we eat at these three places on repeat. We have tried other places, but we always return to these. My now 2-year-old has eaten at all three of them when she was smaller. None of them are that baby-friendly. However, they can help customize the food you ordered if you ask.
Lovingly Artisan for sourdough bread. Rinaldo’s for coffee! It is their roaster, so we get fresh coffee beans from them. These two are in the same area. We were delighted when we discovered both the bakery and roaster within distance. (Not really in Windermere but if you are on A591, it is worth dropping by before driving to Windermere)
We go grocery shopping at Booths for fresh seafood. If it is on the weekend, we will treat ourselves to oysters or whole fish to cook a storm at home. Ohhh, the best thing about booths is that they are big with fresh local produce, delivered daily (including Sundays). Windermere and Kendal’s Booths also stock Lovingly Artisan's bread daily.
Base Pizza for dinner! We tried everywhere in Bowness for dinner, but we are always back at Base. It is a treat for our tummies and weight, so we tried to stick to it once a month. (We used to have Base every two weeks 😅 ) Whoever stayed at ours would have a feast from them. Base staff always accommodate our needs. When my family was here, they made three to four different types of vegetarian pizza for us.
Rebel+Rose. I don't know why it is so hard to find physical kids' clothes nowadays—at least good ones. I am always joyful when I pick A's clothes, especially when I manage to gauge the quality before buying them. Rebel+Rose stocks many cute and quality clothes; sometimes, it is hard not to leave the shop without buying an item. Plus, the owners are local and very friendly.
The last one is taking the Windermere ferry to Windermere's west shore. The journey in the car ferry is a minimum of 3 minutes. We then walk to Joey's cafe for pre-walk coffee and cakes, sometimes pasty or soup. After that, I will walk by the lake or picnic on good days. I used to do this twice every week during my early days of postpartum. It is a nice escape as Bowness can get very busy in Summer. However, the ferry is not working when it is very windy, so check their social media if they are closed. They are also usually closed for an hour break at 10:10 am and 6:10 pm.
Staveley
Brunch at More? Their sourdough bread is fantastic! I love that they do almost soft white sourdough; some days, I prefer those rather than the fancy ones, haha. Their sausage roll is out of this world! They also have the best coffee from True North. Another good coffee roaster is Mr Duffins Coffee.
Lastly, browsing at inov8. We always ended up buying one of the sales items. I recently bought myself trail running shoes. I love it so much as it is wide on the toes and super comfortable. I use the shoes for everything, even a trip to the grocery store.
I love going to Staveley because there is a playground around the corner. Playground + coffee + sausage rolls. That’s all we need to make our sleepless night joyful.