a saturday out: maling road, part two

Yay. it's almost Friday, so it's practically the weekend! What have you got planned? I have got a three day weekend – yes! – to enjoy. I'll be taking my new black and gold shoes out for their first wear, which I will post, of course. Remember that amazing day on Maling Road I was happy to be involved in a few weeks ago? Here is part two!

After a stroll through the area, our next stop was Bambaleros, a cafe and family-owned coffee roasting business. We were treated to more good coffee and great information from the owner, Alfonso. Apparently, once roasted, the coffee flavour continues to change and improve in the bag. We also had cake to celebrate Calvin and Iolanthe's birthdays. Nice! All perked up, we went to visit Candice DeVille at her beauty salon, and Iolanthe had her hair and makeup done – a perfect surprise for the birthday girl! I love the plaits and swirls hairstyle. Also, notice a familiar face..? Candice also gave us a master class in classic winged eyeliner, with Cheryl as the model. It looked fantastic with Cheryl's vintage hat! No rest for the wicked! And I'm not complaining. We then went to Darriwill Farm for some cheese and wine tasting. I can cope with that on a Saturday afternoon, how about you? I had some of the most amazing blue cheese I've had in my life. And as if we weren't fed enough, our last stop was chocolate tasting! I have to confess, I was starting to flag a bit at this point and considered skipping this to go home. How much do I really like chocolate, anyway? Well ok, I like it a lot, but I had no idea how glad I'd be to stay on for this one. At the charming Xocolatl we met Chris and his daughters who work together creating the most incredible chocolates. We were taken through the different ingredients that go into fine chocolate, where it comes from – and about the unexpected but fantastic combinations they have put together. Gorgonzola and mango? Sounds so wrong, but it was beyond beautiful. Like a cheesecake, but better. Magic. We also got to taste quite a bit... lucky us! It was a wonderful way to round off such a great day out. I can't wait to go back!