I made my usual bank holiday pilgrimage to Hornsea for the Nostalgia weekend and huge sale of pots. Lovely to catch up with society members and see the fabulous range of pots they bring to sell every year.
There's always plenty of information posters to read up on rare, unusual or popular pieces in the Hornsea range.
I love the cruet sets from the 1960's and I didn't realise until I read this poster that they were sold through Boots the chemist.
Whilst looking and drooling over the lovely pots, I took the decision to only buy something if I wanted it, needed it and would use it. So I bought a couple of the slightly more rare lidded soup dishes in the Contrast range, I make a lot of soup and it seems to make more of a meal when presented in a lidded container.They are beautifully designed, they wash well and seem very robust.
And these 2 pin dishes which are in a muramic style with the high gloss decoration. I have none of these in my collection and I shall use them as olive dishes.
After admiring the pots it was such a nice sunny day that I went for a look at the former Hornsea railway station. It struck me that all the times I go to Hornsea and I never knew if the railway station (which was one of the many closed in the 60's) was still standing or derelict. I think this idea to go and look was prompted by a recent photograph I saw of it but it wasn't clear if it was a picture from the past or present so I had to investigate.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the station very much in tact, looking quite lovely and I believe some or all of it is now housing.
This is the main Station House
Here's the rest of the station building
Some information boards about the Trans Pennine route
Most interesting and a nice day to start the bank holiday weekend. Shame the weekend ended with a day full of rain!
The end of an era looms as my favourite veggie cafe in Bridlington, The Little Organic Bakery (formerly Bean There), is closing sometime in September. My friends who own it are going in to semi-retirement and looking forward to doing other things now they have their first grand child.
It's a real shame but nothing stands still and I have some lovely memories of happy times with friends and food from my trips to the cafe over the years.
Today was such a day, I met up with two dear old work mates and we went for one last pig out with Bob in tow too. We basked outside in the garden for a while until it got a bit breezy and then moved inside for food.
A delicious black olive tart with salad was munched through at great speed and washed down with dandelion and burdock.
Followed by a chocolate slice and a few things to take away in a bag for supper!
The good news is, the cafe is being taken over and going in to safe hands with a couple who are going to carry on with veggie food so I will probably get to try that before the year is out.
The bank holiday is nearly here and I have the annual Hornsea Pottery Nostalgia day to attend tomorrow. All weekend rows of tables piled high with vintage Hornsea will be for sale, I can't wait to see if any rarities appear.
Shocked to see Christmas fabrics have already appeared in our local Boyes shop, actually I think I've seen a few Christmas things popping up in the shops this month.
Lastly, we had a fox visiting recently, this was my best picture looking out of a grubby window at him, he usually comes when it's a bit darker so I never manage a shot but I got a really good view of him this time, looks in great condition. Hope he survives with all the idiots round these parts shooting who would probably take pleasure in putting an end to him.
Keep safe mr fox and have a good weekend everyone.
Bob and I had the pleasure of going to Hornsea on Monday as I had a dental appointment, I like going to the dentist as he's good fun, although it's tricky laughing when your mouth is clamped open!
We then went for a stroll on the prom although it was rather chilly and windy and difficult to believe it's late May. Some brave souls were on the beach with ice creams but we had a car picnic instead.
I hadn't been to the north end for a while so these were new to me, some sort of compartments with sensory gardens in them and wildlife information boards, I imagine quite nice on a sunny day.
Monday finished with our monthly networking group of ladies at the pub in Bishop Burton, lots of new faces so good to see numbers picking up.
Tuesday I went to the opticians, I don't like going to the opticians, not because of the optician who's different every time at Specsavers, I just don't like the eye tests, that puff of air gets me. It turns out I hadn't been for 5 years as they'd forgotten to send my reminder and I didn't think it was quite that long but it was.
I also find it very difficult to get used to new glasses, last time I opted for the second pair of sunglasses and another pair and basically I didn't wear them. I was convinced the prescription was different in the extra pairs although they said not when they tested them after I couldn't get used to them. It just means lots of money was wasted with 2 extra pairs I never used.
Anyway I spent almost 3 hours in there yesterday choosing frames, I wanted pretty much the same as I had got used to in shape so that I didn't have to spend ages choosing but things have changed such a lot and I've finally picked 2 fresh sets of frames. This Red or Dead one is going to be the main pair and then I went for a second pair of reactions.
Fingers crossed they are going to be ok.
Met an old work colleague for lunch yesterday and had a nice few hours shopping & catching up as we didn't get to meet at Christmas what with the weather putting stop to it.
Anyway I had a lucky find in one of the charity shops in Beverley and scooped up these Hornsea cups & saucers from the Concept range in dove grey & cream. There were just 3 cups and 4 saucers but in immaculate condition and Concept is something new for my collection.
Concept was produced from 1977 - 1991 and was designed to succeed Contrast. It used the same vitrified technique as the Contrast pots to give it that highly polished look which the glaze alone does not capture.
Concept was so successful that it won many design awards and was in huge demand around the world during the 80's.
It is still relatively easy to find and now I just need to find a single cup to complete this set.
Should look really nice if I can do a coffee and some latte art in the cup!
I was in Hornsea at the dentist yesterday which is always a fun day out, my Scottish ex-army dentist is as mad as a box of frogs!
Following that I visited the shop of one of my networking colleagues, she has a wedding cum gift shop with some lovely things in.
http://www.andallthingsnice.net/
I then visited 2 shops I hadn't been in before, recommended by friend, and one was a florist cum antique shop which was an interesting mix with lovely curios in. Followed by a few doors along, the Southgate Studio, a place with the most unusual handmade gifts from crafts people around the country and they do bespoke framing services. It was the sort of place you looked around and wanted stuff in every direction you looked, lovely people passionate about their business so well worth a look if you are in Hornsea.
I restrained my purse strings on this occasion and came away with a couple of jolly seaside greeting cards by a local artist.
http://www.thesouthgatestudio.co.uk/
I had a quick whiz around the charity shops and found a pair of 1965 Hornsea egg cups in the Gourmet range, a snip at £1. Also found some vintage floral barkcloth and a 1970's M&S quilt cover in a groovy geometric pattern in lovely condition so will probably remain a quilt cover and not get chopped up.
The day was complete with a visit to Freeport for some new walking boots which I found in Hawkshead.
