Been away - pt 1

Just got back and boy, did I miss my knitting. My darling fella took me away to Belfast for the weekend for our 3rd anniversary and it was great. We arrived on Friday afternoon and were starving so thought that we'd wander along to the amazing Crown Liquor Saloon - it's stunning to look at and they serve a very decent pint, but do not eat there. Greasy nastiness and a big disappointment. Anyway we wandered along to our hotel the Tara Lodge and found the room to be lovely and clean (a huge plus for me) but with a wierd buzzing noise. The lovely lady at reception came and tried to work it out, the manger came up and she tried to sort it and then it struck that we were above the kitchen and someone had left the fan on. Problem sorted and we went exploring up to the Botanic Gardens.

The Palm House is lovely and was full of daffodils in one end and palms in the rest - which was good as it is a PALM HOUSE. We then thought to wander to the Ulster Musen but that is undergoing building work and was completely closed so we wandered back and found a place to eat.

That place was Beatrice Kennedy's and it was fabulous. The food was excellent and the waiting staff a dream. They were wonderfully attentive but not so much that you just wanted to be left in peace. I started with smoked salmon with crab and advocado, followed with saddle of pork and finished with a simple selection of ice cream. Blokey had the slow cooked duck tortellini to start with, scallops with black pudding and finished with . . . something that was sweet. Anyway all of it was grand and I'd heartily recommend it.