A few of our favourite things ...: Bournemouth

Showing posts with label Bournemouth. Show all posts

Friday, 17 May 2013

Truly Scrumptious - Deli Rocks, Bournemouth, Dorset

Southbourne is developing a café society with new coffee outlets appearing almost monthly.

Deli Rocks offers a touch of Italy in an English suburb. Owned and run by Giovanni Dora, an Anglo-Italian from Parma, Deli Rocks is a combination of café and delicatessen with a lively atmosphere and interesting décor.

Deli Rocks offers a range of coffees as well as light lunches, which include pizzas, pasta, platters of cold meats or cheeses and foccacia – all served by a friendly staff.

The ‘deli’ section has a good range of products by well-known Italian manufacturers and at Christmas there are many gift wrapped food items. The porcini paté is exceptional.

All images (c) Deli Rocks

The ‘Rocks’ in the name seems to relate to the music which, while not being intrusive, adds to the character of the place.

Saturday, 4 May 2013

Boutique and Unique - Stanwells, Lymington and Bournemouth

You don't need to be in London to enjoy designer labels and stylish independent boutique shopping.

Not too far from us in Lymington, you can find Stanwells, where new edgy brands sit alongside classic or cult labels, including Victoria Beckham denim, Alice Temperley, Diane Von Furstenberg and Joseph.

They have another store in the increasingly trendy Westbourne, in Bournemouth where staff are friendly and knowledgeable and you can browse at leisure.

And if you can't make it to their store, you can check out their website and do some online shopping instead.

All images (c) Stanwells.com

Thursday, 25 April 2013

On your bike - Bournemouth Promenade

If, like me, you like cycling, but don't like to exert too much energy, being able to find somewhere that doesn't involve hills has got to be a good thing.

So the cycle from Sandbanks to Boscombe along Bournemouth's sea-front is ideal.

As long as you don't cycle during the day in July and August, you are free to ride along the prom at any time, being mindful of pedestrians, of course.

You can take it at whatever pace suits you, stopping along the way to take in the views, cool down with an icecream or pause a little longer at one of the various eateries along the way.

Do let us know if you have a favourite cycle route we can share. Can't guarantee I'll be trying the hilly ones! Wonder why I went on a cycling holiday in Norfolk!

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Truly Scrumptious - Urban Reef, Bournemouth

The UrbanReef caters for all tastes! Sorry, couldn’t resist, but it is a bar, café, deli and restaurant after all. But I love it because it's a great place to relax and watch the rest of the family as they surf or train to be lifeguards.

You can find it at the Overstrand on Boscombe prom and sit out on the sun deck where you can soak up the panoramic views over the stunning Bournemouth Bay and to the Purbecks and beyond.

With the summer refusing to play ball, they’ve been keeping everyone cosy with their open log burning fire.

Pictures of Urban Reef - Restaurant Photos

This photo of Urban Reef is courtesy of TripAdvisor

To check out their menus, take a look at their website.

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Days Out - Hengistbury Head, Dorset

As wonderful as the Jurassic Coast is, my favourite beach in Dorset has always been Hengistbury Head, near Bournemouth. Less popular with sunbathers, probably due to the pebble beach, it's loved by dogwalkers and anyone wanting to breathe in the sea air.

We like to walk along the beach towards the Isle of Wight and skirt round the Head to Mudeford Spit, with its pretty beach huts. Rarely up for sale, they can exchange hands for silly sums of money, but with lovely views of Christchurch harbour it's easy to see why they are so popular.

Continuing the circular walk along side the Site of Special Scientific Interest twitchers may be rewarded with sightings of some of over 300 species of bird. I've also seen adder, natterjack toads and the land's diversity within such a small area is quite amazing - woodland, heathland, coast, saltmarsh, scrub, ponds and watermeadows.

As I've been visiting since childhood, I remember when the Beach House Bistro was just a cafe and though many will probably love it's more contemporary design, I now prefer to wait until the end of the walk when I return to the car park and reward myself with coffee or bit to eat at the Hiker Cafe.