City Delights

I am very much enjoying having J at home with me this week, it's a treat for us to have so much child free time together and we're having fun going out and about. Today we went on the train to The City to do a little bit of Christmas shopping which is something of an annual ritual for me at this time of year. Having the Mister with me made it a different experience altogether, and also made me remember that we are both completely different when it comes to shopping.

Our first stop was a new shopping arcade which only opened in October, and wowsers, what an impressive thing it is. I wished that I had taken more notice of the outside of the building as it looks incredible from the pictures I've seen (have a look here to see what I mean). Inside was quite overwhelming, everything was just soooooo shiny!! So much gleaming, reflective, shiny materials, my eyes felt like they might just pop out of my head trying to take it all in. The floor completely did me in, those reflective zigzags made me feel like I was going to trip over any minute. The shops were all incredibly posh too, and were a little bit over the top for me, but then again I was kind of expecting it to be that way. Aside from wanting to just experience all the shiny new-ness, we actually needed to visit the new John Lewis store to pick up a particular gift.

I do have a soft spot for large department stores, there is something rather exciting about having access to so much beautifully displayed stuff on such a large scale. And I happen to love love love riding up and down escalators, it greatly pleases my inner child which I suspect is very much more giddy than is normal for my age.

I left J in the technology department and wandered across to the christmas department to gaze in wonder at the vast displays of ornaments. I had an urge to go and stroke household textiles on the floor below (I am inexplicably drawn to the shelves of fluffy towels arranged by colour), but J was having none of it. He shops like a missile - knows his target in advance and goes straight to it, acquiring it with the minimum of fuss and not a millimetre of diversion. I am the complete opposite, I am a browser and a wanderer and am so very easily diverted it's ridiculous. I have secretly decided to go back to this amazing store at another time and spend an age wandering and stroking, riding up and down through all the levels as many times as I can.

The older shopping arcades in Leeds city are just incredibly beautiful, and I love strolling around here.

I didn't see anyone else really taking in their surroundings, but to me it was impossible not to stand still and gaze about.

We were passing through this arcade so weren't shopping here as such....

.....but I couldn't resist taking some photographs of it looking so glorious and festive.

Ahhhh, gift shopping.....what can I say? I don't enjoy it all that much, and I'm not very good at it either. I picked up a few things from favourite shops for friends, and some small bits for the Little People. But ultimately, after going at it for 3 hours I felt drained and as if I'd failed somehow. 

J suggested we use our last hour in the City to sit and have a drink rather than traipse around more shops, and I was so happy about that idea. 

He took me to a place that he sometimes visits with friends - it's actually a hotel bar, but the fact that it's on the 13th floor makes it rather special.

The views from up here in the SkyLounge Bar are spectacular, so different from my green rural Attic view, but stunning all the same.

We ordered drinks and decided to sit outside on the narrow terrace which runs along the whole length of the thirteenth floor. Despite it being winter and the fact that we were so high up in the air, the terrace was sheltered and warmed by outdoor heaters above each table, and it felt absolutely lovely to be able to sit outside.

I was a bit naughty and ordered myself Hendricks gin and tonic to take the lingering edge off the shopping experience, gosh I really, really enjoyed that drink!

We had time before our train to have a little wander around this area which is a curious mix of historical and new, residential and commercial. It was interesting to see the canal boats here, and it suddenly occurred to me that this is the very same canal (the historic Leeds-Liverpool canal) that runs through my town.

Walking home from the train station along my own familiar stretch of canal this afternoon, I felt a surge of relief to be back. I do enjoy the occasional city visit and a change of scene every so often, but oh it is so so so nice to come home again.

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 More little snippets from the Attic....

Seasonal

Up Hill and Down Dale

Dorset Summer 2015

Comments

[Winifred Waite]

What a great building. It's modern but has such character. I love the arcades too nice they have been retained as so many disappeared.

Haven't been to Leeds for about 15 years. Maybe time for a trip! Thanks for the post, really enjoyed it.

[Rachel]

Oh it's been SO LONG since I was in Leeds. I need to go back!!

[Karen]

I used to live in Leeds and love the city. These photos bring back many memories. Thank you for posting them. I now live in a much smaller city in the North West of England. I miss the buzz of city life

[Ali Whale]

I also love the John Lewis dept store and can't believe it has taken so long to come to Leeds. When I walked down that shiny floor I was glad I wasn't wearing a skirt. It was so shiny I felt it could reflect your knickers!!
From that hotel bar you can see the fan lights of Temple Mill. It is a brilliant and distinctive building and worth picking out in the landscape xx

[Asa-Marie]

Oh I love your blog, I love your blog! I am an expat living in Australia for almost 11 years now and being able to see all those wonderful buildings is such a treat! There's not that much like that in regional Australia. And to see it all so festive and cheerful! I still find Christmas in Summer hard to get my head around...

[CJ]

I love old shopping arcades too, so striking. Cities are really hard work and draining aren't they. But as you say, lovely to have the occasional visit. I like to see EVERYTHING in John Lewis as well. The cushions! The kitchen stuff! The china! And all of that tempting stuff they put out just inside the doors. Happy sigh. That gin was very well deserved I think. There's something about city walking that is more exhausting than country walking. That sit down at the end is utterly blissful. CJ xx

[Sue Plant]

I was in exactly the same place yesterday. The buildings old and new are truly beautiful, and I, like you , looked around in awe at them. The only difference was it was raining whilst I was there. Loved shopping with my mum though, It's something we don't do often so it's a treat for us both.

[Melissa]

What GORGEOUS photos! I am a very focused shopper... I know how what I want, and how much I am willing to pay... and if I don't see what I want at about my price... I leave. :-)

[Winwick Mum]

I'm generally a missile shopper too (I call it SAS shopping - get in, get it, get out) but every now and again it is nice to have a look around. I spent a bit of time in a bookshop today and it made me realise just how good it is to see things in real life rather than online - and how much more money you spend when you browse! :-) xx

[Lorraine lloyd]

We have a couple of old arcades in Sydney Australia too, they are a delight to wander in but like you I look up more than where I am going. I like a city trip but always glad to get on the train home to the peace and quiet.

[Warsash wife]

What stunning shopping centres! It's such a treat to have a day out just the two of you, hardly happens in our household but I'm sure it'll come! I too love to dip my feet in the city now and again, but love to come back home to the coast and breathe in the sea air! I often wonder how people cope living in the centre of London, as exciting and alive as it is, I wouldn't last more than a day! Home sweet home ❤️