November 2018 Archives

This year and for the first time, the Beaulieu Motor Museum has joined in the Christmas fun with an illuminated Christmas trail. The Christmas trail at Beaulieu is located at the Motor Museum in Hampshire's New Forest, and it features a mile-long illuminated trail with immersive installations. I visited the trail on Sunday evening, and shown below are just some of the illuminations. The Motor Museum's gift shop and restaurant also stayed open for the evening, and a fun fair with food trucks and rides was also present. Overall, the trail was not too busy and certainly not as busy as I expected it would be.

Many areas, such as trees, were illuminated on the trail, and snowflakes lit up the trail in some areas. The buildings also made a canvas for illuminations with patterns and snowflakes projected onto them. The trail also featured a Tunnel of Light with over 100,000 lights, sparkling colour-changing LEDs in synchronisation with Christmas hymns, a wishing tree, Alice in Wonderland illuminated tea party, additional light tunnels with Christmas songs playing, a tunnel of icicle lights, and illuminated illustrations set to the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Throughout the trail, filtered-spotlights adding colour to statues, trees, and architecture at Beaulieu and stars and fairy lights hung or were displayed along the path. Many stops along the trail provided great photograph opportunities.

One of the best displays was the Scented Fire Garden with lit ruins of Beaulieu Abbey, which projected a pattern onto the side of the abbey. This included the Fire Garden Cloisters, designed with flames and a Christmas-tree shaped structure with flames as the centrepiece. The arches and brickwork of the medieval abbey were lit up.

Santa Claus also made an appearance with one of his helpers with a short performance.

Half the way through the trail was a marshmallow pit with fires to enjoy toasted marshmallows over. The marshmallows could be purchased and toasted separately or with a unique take on the s'mores with ginger snap biscuits, a slice of dark chocolate and your choice of flavoured marshmallow.

Probably my favourite illiminations of the evening were the projections onto Palace House with colour-changing and illustrations of lights, all set to classical music. The sequence was a few minutes long and then repeated.

The finale of the trail included several small pine trees and a larger pine tree. These pine trees were sequenced to Christmas music with the colours of the lights changing and flickering along with the music to create patterns and different colours. This was a repeating sequence and was colourful.

This is the first year that Beaulieu have put on a Christmas trail, and I think they did a good job of creating interesting and immersive areas. This is certainly much better than the "Christmas at Kew" (Illuminated Kew Gardens at Christmas) illuminated trail that I visited in 2014, which only included a few illuminations with a wide area of dark trails without anything interesting in between. It was a fun evening out.

At the end of October, I visited Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, Ohio. I completed three short trails to Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave before heading to Logan for a late lunch. I was recommended to eat at Millstone BBQ in Logan, so I stopped here to have lunch before heading to Cantwell Cliffs in the late afternoon. I am glad I did stop as the food was very good here.

Millstone BBQ is a restaurant that sells American BBQ food, and it is located just outside of Logan and on the fringe of Hocking Hills State Park. We arrived in the middle of the afternoon for a late lunch; we were hungry from walking around the trails all morning.

The cornbread muffins, which were provided as a starter, are the best. I was looking forward to having cornbread, and this type of cornbread is the best as it tastes sweeter instead of very salty/savoury. It went well with the butter. 

After the cornbread starter, we had our main meals. The bloke got three pulled-meat starters with different types of meat (pork, chicken, and something else that I cannot remember), and his was served with fries. I had a mixture of pulled chicken and pulled turkey with broccoli and mashed potato. All of the food was very good. The turkey was recommended to me by the waitress as she said that was her favourite, and it was very tender and had a very nice flavour. I preferred the turkey to the chicken, but the chicken was also very good.

For dessert, I had the Andes Mint pie. (Andes Mint is a brand of mint with a thin layer of mint and a thing layer of milk chocolate; it is usually provided as a sweet end after a meal.) The pie had a moussey consistency and was topped with Hershy's chocolate sauce and had a crispy cookie crunch crust. I enjoyed it, but it was too much and too sweet that I could not finish it.

After eating, we headed to Cantwell Hills and I walked down to the "Fat Lady's Squeeze", a group of narrow walks with steps between them. Cantwell Cliffs is a trail that contains a lot of steps along various places of the hill. After eating such a big meal and feeling very full, I didn't want to get stuck between the rocks! I didn't go further because the time was late by the time I arrived, and I thought that the trail would look nicer with more autumnal colours. I decided that we could walk this trail another day someday. In the photographs below, you can see just how steep and narrow the passageway is.

Cantwell Cliffs is a clifftop trail, so be careful when walking in this area. I don't think it would be suitable for dog walkers or small children because the cliffs have drops. This will be a trail to complete the next time that I am in Hocking Hills. For inspiration of what I got up to the other days, take a look below:

A Walk to Ash Cave in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)
Wine Tasting at Hocking Hills Winery (Ohio, USA)
Visiting Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)
A Walk to Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)

I need to share with you a really fantastic cabin resort that I had the pleasure to stay at over a long weekend. I stayed at Cedar Grove Lodging in Hocking Hills, Ohio at the end of October. The cabin resort is located roughly twenty-five minutes from the town of Logan and is located in Hocking Hills. It is located near Old Man's Cave, which is probably the most famous and biggest attraction at Hocking Hills. I spent the first day exploring the different trails, caves, waterfalls, and woodland on my doorstep. Cedar Grove Lodging is owned by the parents of my cousin's husband, and their wedding reception and breakfast was held here. I will be posting some photographs of the wedding in a different post, but I really wanted to add some photographs and a write-up of the cabins as we had a lovely visit. The only downside was that we had to leave and we need to go back to explore more!

All of the cabins are pet-friendly, but this is with prior agreement from the guests. I thought this was a nice touch as not all places allow pets to stay. We stayed at Stillwater Lodge, which is the newest luxury cabin at the resort and sleeps up to 19 guests across five bedrooms. It is next to the "catch and release" fishing pond. This cabin is built over three floors with the kitchen and main lounge on the ground floor, a separate lounge and game room downstairs, a break-out area upstairs and bedrooms on each floor. 

Visitors could make use of the outside barbeque grill, which overlooks the fishing pond. Or, they can use the fully-furnished kitchen in the warm indoors. Pancake mix, a little pot of oil, and jar of maple syrup greeted us so that we could make American-style pancakes. 

On the ground floor, guests can use the outdoor swing on the wrap-around porch, use the fire pit below, or enjoy the views over the fishing pond. We saw a few deer in the forest here.

The cabins came with Wi-Fi Internet and cable television with DVD players. There was also a gaming system, and guests can borrow board games and films from the guest house across the road. There was a large selection of films and board games to choose from. Ironing board and washing machines are also located here.

There were four bathrooms with two of these being en-suites. One of the en-suites had a massive double-shower, and two of the other bathrooms also had large showers.

The upstairs was a partial-upstairs with an open area with views below to the lounge.

The lower floor had three bunk beds and the separate lounge with a pool table.

And, the hot tub was on this level. I will confess that I have never used a hot tub, and I still have never used a hot tub. We did not have time to use it.

Here are some more lovely views, just in case you are not won over...

Last, but not least, the event lodge is the newest edition to Cedar Grove Lodging resort. This was just finished in time for my cousin's wedding in October, and it will be hosting other weddings and events in the many years to come. It is a very spacious venue with its own kitchen and other areas, including its own fire pit at the back.

We had a fantastic stay and wanted to tell you all about it. If you need a reason to go to Hocking Hills, check out some of the posts that I have written already. Also, there's more to come! There is quite a lot to see and do in this part of Ohio. The university town of Athens, where I went to university, is near-by and is worth a visit too. There's also quite a lot of places to explore and shop at in the area. There is something for everyone. To get a taste of what Hocking Hills has to offer, see below:

A Walk to Ash Cave in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)
Wine Tasting at Hocking Hills Winery (Ohio, USA)
Visiting Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)
A Walk to Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills (Ohio, USA)

For the past few years, I have made an effort to celebrate Thanksgiving in London, even though it is a totally American holiday. Explaining the holiday to my British friends and colleagues is always meant with bemusement, although they are aware of "Black Friday" and associate it with that, and this is one aspect of the holidays that is unwelcome to me and paints a poor image of America. I think most people have heard the stories about greedy people fighting over sale items and waiting hours outside the shops for them to open so they can grab bargains. "Black Friday" has never been of any interest to me, and I am sad that it has taken over more of people's minds whereas Thanksgiving Day, a holiday worth celebrating, seems to be forgotten. I love Thanksgiving for many reasons; I love that it brings people together and it is a time to reflect. As a child, I also loved watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (please allow us to watch this in the UK, television networks!) Thanksgiving ushers in the Christmas season.

Of course, we do not get the day off of work, so most of my Thanksgivings have actually been spent working. This one was also spent working, but I had lined up Thanksgiving dinner in the evening after work. This was arranged and organised through the Benjamin Franklin House, named after the man who lived here, who was one of America's founding fathers. I'm actually going to see the house in a couple of weeks, so keep on checking back for photographs and a write-up.

The Thanksgiving Day feast took place in the Clothworker's Hall, one of London's famous livery companies or guilds. These companies were set up to ensure that standards, fairness, and consistency were maintained in the different areas of expertise. The halls tend to be lavishly decorated, as you can see from my photographs. Clothworker's Hall is located near Fenchurch Street station.

On entering, each guest received a glass of mulled wine, which was then topped up for the next twenty minutes while we waited to sit inside the main hall. I do not generally care for mulled wine, but this one was sweet and did not taste much like red wine, so it was good. I met a couple new people here - New Jersey and my home state of Ohio.

The table accommodated a large number of guests, and there must have been about seventy people. I wasn't able to capture the full length of the table, but you can get an idea above and also see how lavish the main hall looks.

We had flattened leaves on our placemats!

Then, the turkey arrived, and it was followed by all of the sides. Each "area" of dishes served six to eight people. The sides included cornbread (the good sweet kind as opposed to the more savoury kind), a mixture of roast carrots/sweet potato, green beans, mashed potato, roasted baby onions (I've not come across these before), stuffing, and the turkey. Gravy and cranberry sauce were available to have as well.

The turkey came out with a miniature American flag, which was a nice touch.

Overall, it was really nice to meet new people. I met people from New Jersey, Ohio (my home state), Illinois, Mississippi, and Texas. Most had been in London a short time or were just visiting. Topics of discussion ranged from travel to music to auctions to food to work. Just like that, the time flew!

For dessert, we had pumpkin pie and then seconds of more pumpkin pie. This was served with whipped cream, and it was a good traditional American pumpkin pie. After pie, we were treated to coffee (or tea) and a chocolate.

On the way out, I captured the beautiful little room on the side at the top of the staircase, which contains an old stained glass window.

The window is dedicated to Samuel Pepys, who was a member of Clothworkers. Pepys was an MP, naval administrator, and was famous for having a diary that has proved important historical use. He wrote about the Great Fire of London, the Plague, and many more events and details about London that would have been lost forever if he had not written them down.

Overall, Thanksgiving Day this year was fun, but it was over so quickly. I had such a nice time meeting new people and enjoying the good food that the time flew! (Also, it did not help that work was busy and I rushed across London.) This was the most traditional Thanksgiving that I have had in London, and I recommend it for American visitors/expats and also for British people who want to experience a traditional American Thanksgiving. With that said, Happy Thanksgiving (or belated Happy Thanksgiving)! 

Previous Thanksgivings that I have eaten at various venues in London are below:

Thanksgiving Lunch @ Jackson + Rye, Chiswick
Thanksgiving at The Jones Family Project
Thanksgiving at Balthazar (Covent Garden)
Thanksgiving at Christopher's Restaurant in London (Covent Garden)

Ash Cave is Ohio's largest stone recess cave, and it is located in Hocking Hills. The walls of the cave stretch 90 feet high, and it is 700 feet wide. This stone recess and the others that I have posted about in Hocking Hills (Old Man's Cave) were created from water eroding away at the rock over thousands of years. Ash Cave was my favourite attraction in Hocking Hills State Park. There are two trails to get to it; one trail goes on the high ground and the other goes through the middle of the gorge. Although it is not advertised on the trail map at the entrance, the clifftop trail contains a number of steps and hill climbs with some uneven steps, so I do not recommend it. Ash Cave is located about a seven-minute walk along the gorge (lower) trail and does not require any steps, so it was perfect for people with mobility issues, small children, and dog walkers.

We actually went to Ash Cave twice within a couple of days. On the second visit, my parents and two brothers with their wives and small children turned up in the area for the wedding (covered in a later post), so we went as a group. This visit happened after two days of constant rain, so the waterfall at Ash Cave noticably had more water.

We visited in late October, and the trees should have had their autumn colours, but the unusual weather in Ohio this year meant that the seasons were a couple of weeks behind. I did catch some glimpses of yellow.

On the first visit to Ash Cave, the water trickled off the cliff edge and into a pool below. The cave is actually massive, and the people in my photographs help to scale just how big of an area that it really is.

Archeological finds at Ash Cave include arrows, pottery fragments, flint tools, corn cobs, and animal bones. This area was once the home of the Wyandot native American tribes. Through these finds, it is known they hunted black bear, elk, deer, turkey, squirrel, duck, and rabbits. In the 1790s, settlers started to come into the area and claimed the land for farming and mining gunpowder. Hocking Hills was largely preserved due to the number of cliffs and gorges, which makes it impossible for farming.

Ash Cave also has wonderful acoustics, so it was used for public meetings in the early 1800s. The cave got its name for the ashes inside the cave floor. The ashes would have been from campfires of the native Americans, and the ashes could be seen as late as the late 1800s.

The ground around the cave is actually formed of white sand.

On the second visit, I got some family photographs and caught beautiful glimpses of the sun shining through the trees; the sun was a rarity during the end of October and particularly after two days of solid rain.

Ash Cave is such a beautiful place, and it was my favourite attraction to visit in Hocking Hills. If you're interested in the other attractings at Hocking Hills, please see my posts below for what to do here and in the immediate area.

Cedar Falls

Hocking Hills Winery

Old Man's Cave

Pizza Crossing

Cantwell Cliffs and Millstone BBQ

This November marked 100 years since the Great War (World War I) ended, and an art installation by Rob Heard was brought to the Olympic Park for two weeks. The art installation features 72,396 shrouded figures laid out in rows, covering 400 square meters of grass land next to the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture. Each shrouded figure represents a British person who was killed at the Battle of the Somme. Most of these have no known grave in the battlefield because they were never recovered. The shrouds have all been hand-stitched so that they appear as though they are sleeping. Some visitors have put poppies and painted rocks on or near the figures. The installation hopes to bring about some individuality to each and every Briton who perished at this battle.

The list of names is from the Thiepval Memorial in France. These names were read out in the upper part of the installation; the area was so vast that you could not hear the names read out (and on speaker) at the other end of the installation. According to an article by the BBC, around 700,000 Britons died during World War I, so image how much ground that would cover if each one was laid out (1). 

The Battle of the Somme took place in July of 1916 when the British soldiers stormed out of the trenches to attack the German forces in France. The battle actually lasted for 141 days with massive casualities on both sides. Because of the nature of the battle and the battle making the bodies unretrievable, the soldiers who fell were never identified and left to remain buried in the mud and trenches. To equally commemorate all of these soldiers, the War Graves Commission built the Thiepval Memorial. This was built in France above the battlefields and lists all names, role, and where they were from.

The art installation is moving and really brings to light the scale of the Battle of the Somme by putting it into a unique perspective. The artist made up to 200 of these shrouds a day and started the task in 2017.

Four years ago, several different art installations and events took place throughout the country to mark the 100 years since the start of World War I; the most popular of these turned out to be Tower of London Poppies (also covered here: Tower of London Poppies Commemorate The Great War and #LightsOut). This year, to mark the end of World War I, we have had fewer events. The artist who brought the popular poppies installation to The Tower of London has returned with The Tower Remembers @ The Tower of London (Beyond the Deepening Shadow) as one of the key events, which was only on for a week. Both art installations are equally moving in their own ways.

Visitors to the "Shrouds of the Somme" art installation could also purchase a shroud. The shroud was either given a soldier's name who fought in the battle or can be ordered to include a random name from the battle. (This was similar to the poppies where the public could purchase one of the poppies that made up the display in the Tower of London.)

In addition to these two events, the wave of poppies toured the country for the past four years to give others who could not make it to the Tower of London the chance to see them. They became one of London's most popular art installations in more recent years. The wave of poppies ends this month with the final installation climbing up the Imperial War Museum in south London. (Photographs will follow of this in due course.)

The "Shroud of the Somme" was available to view in the Olympic Park from the 8th to the 18th of November. 

1) Viewpoint: Ten Big Myths about World War I. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25776836 [24 February, 2014].

The huge wall of the Village Underground in Shoreditch has now had a new mural painted onto it. The new mural, painted by Spanish street artist Sr X (Senor X), was finished only a couple of weeks ago and features graphic illustrated vintage-style expressions with Chinese or Japanese text and imagery. The new mural is titled "The Rapture" and really grabs attention.

Previous work that I covered by Sr.X is located on the following links:

Sr. X (Señor X) "The Itching" Street Art off Brick Lane
New Sr X Octopus on Hackney Road
Sr.X Paints Village Underground Wall
Sr.X "Buy Shit!" Sign on Village Underground
Sr X Collaborates with Zabou

After work today, I visited the Dominique Ansel Bakery to pick up a Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie and to try one of their popular cronuts and hot chocolate. Dominique Ansel Bakery started in New York City and it is a young company and actually has not been in London very long; in fact, the London branch of Dominique Ansel Bakery opened in September 2016. Dominique Ansel is a French-born pastry chef who opened his first restaurant in New York City at the end of 2011, and the restaurant became very popular and successful and has contributed to the pastry and bakery world with some new creations, which I will discuss below. The London bakery is located near Victoria Station, and it is actually between Victoria and Sloane Square.

Dominiqie Ansel is credited with creating the cronut (a cross between a doughnut and croissant), the cookie shot (a cookie-shaped shot glass with warm milk inside), frozen S'mores, blossoming hot chocolate, and other unique pastries. He was won many awards and has been successful in a relatively short time and now has a branch of his bakery in London and Tokyo. The London bakery has taken on the very trend of decorating its cafe and storefront for the seasons and holidays. Currently, it is decorated for autumn, and this will probably switch right after Thanksgiving Day because it's just wrong to miss out on Thanksgiving and decorate for Christmas before that!

Dominique Ansel Bakery creates a different cronut flavour each month, and this is available to purchase. This month, to tie in with autumn and Thanksgiving, the November flavour is pumpkin and toffee. I've previously had the cronut (called the crodough in other places because of a copyright on the name 'cronut') from London's Rinkoff Bakery (also see Rinkoff Bakeries, London) and DumDum Doughnuts. I was not actually that keen on them, but I thought that I must give this one a try as it was from the creator of the pastry. This one tasted nice with a creamy pumpkin-toffee filling and a crispy sugar-coated crust, though I am still not won over by them.

The other unique item from Dominique Ansel that I tried was the blossoming hot chocolate. It is called this because the hot chocolate comes with a marshmallow, which is shaped like a closed flower bud. When placed into the hot chocolate, the flower blossoms and fills the top of the cup, and a small chocolate is revealed. The blossom expands because the outside contains a thin layer of white chocolate, which melts when the flower is placed into the hot chocolate. I found the hot chocolate much too sweet personally.

The main reason I went to visit the bakery was to pick up the Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie that I had ordered. I am looking forward to trying this out. I will let you know what it is like, but it was described as having a silky pumpkin and custard consistency and a gingerbread crust. It does look very pretty with several dollups of whipped cream!

While I waited in the queue to pick up my pre-ordered pie, I looked at some of the other offerings from Dominique Ansel. They have afternoon tea on offer too, which is set in their private garden. There are also many different unique types of pastries available, many of which are for a limited time only. I am sure that there is something here for everyone. Oh, and I thought the eclair looked cute with the little corgis and queen on the side.

On a Friday early after work (I arrived at 4:00pm), the bakery was actually pretty busy. I am sure that it is even busier at the weekends, though there are quite a few areas to sit but visitors in groups may need to wait awhile to get a seat. Dominique Ansel Bakery is located at 17-21 Elizabeth Street in London's Victoria (Belgravia) area. The postcode is SW1W 9RP.

This year, the now-annual "Wild in Art" snowdog charity sculpture trail visits southern England. The character behind the sculpture trail is based upon the story by Raymond Briggs called "The Snowman and The Snowdog". It all started with an animated short "The Snowman" in 1982, a story about a little boy and a magical snowman. In 2012, a sequel was aired with the return of the snowman and the introduction of the snowdog character. This year is the 40th anniversary of the publication of the story. 

Bagdogg - Peter and Emily Firmin

The past two years have brought the snowdogs in creative variations to different parts of the UK, and they are now in their third year. In 2016, the snowdogs went to the north of England (Newcastle) and Brighton. In 2017, the snowdogs could be found in Cardiff. This year, they are in the south of England again in Ashford, Kent. The sculptures raise money for local charities, and I believe these are put in place to start communities in raising more money for charity and having new sculpture trails in the future.

Vincent Van Pooch - Beverley Fisher

Patch - Phillippa Goddard

Snowbrador - Ruby Cooper

Pow-wow - Jenny Leonard

Give a Dog a Bone - Oliver Winconek

Doodle Dog - Mr Doodle

Bark Kent - Victoria Robbins

Goldie - Lois Cordelia

Pawberry - Leah Pendleton

Lest We Forget The War Dogs (1918-2018) - Lois Cordelia

Stripes - Deven Bhurke and Pastel Harlequin - Catherine Digman

Made in Ash-Hound - Danielle Williamson-Tinybeegle and Wildflower Meadow - Deborah Woodward

This week is the final week of the snowdog trail in Ashford, Kent. The sculptures will be auctioned on the 3rd of December, but visitors have one more chance to see them on December 1st at a farewell event where all of the snowdog sculptures will be put together.

I recently visited Hocking Hills Winery in Logan, Ohio. Hocking Hills started out after the original owners of the land moved on from farming and gave the land to their children. In 2007, a vineyard was planted on this land; it then became a winery and opened to the public in 2013. Some of the wine has won awards, and I managed to try a selection of white and red wines and wine slushies. These were accompanied with a cheese and meat board, which I also paid for. I've never been to this winery before, but I've been to other wineries in Ohio. Ohio has become increasingly popular for wineries in the past twelve years, although many of these are family-owned and operated small businesses.

Hocking Hills Winery provides eight wine tastings for a set price. The wine was poured into four glasses at a time, numbered and started from the top glass of the four. 

Trillium was the first white wine I tried, and it is a blend of local and Californian grapes. It was a 2018 Bronze medal winner. The next one that I tried was Vidal Blanc, and all of the grapes in this wine come from Hocking Hills. The third dry white wine that I tried was Sauvignon Blanc, which is made of grapes harvested in California. I wanted to try the Chardonnay wine, but it was sold out.

I am not a fan of dry red wines, so I went straight to the sweet white wines. The first one that I tried was the Reisling made from Northwest coast grapes and tasted subtle and fruity. The second that I had was the Moscato, and I really enjoyed this one; it was my favourite of the wines that I tried. The third one that I tried was a Sweet Chardonnay, which is marketed as their sweetest wine but I thought that the Moscato was sweeter and tastier.

I tried one sweet red, and that was the Hocking River Red wine. It is a blended wine and is marketed as being a perfect winter drink after hiking in the trails at Hocking Hills. I really enjoy wine slushies, which are wine and fruit mixtures and something that seems to be available in Ohio but not here in England. (Read my post on Buckeye Winery in Newark, Ohio: A visit to Buckeye Winery). I had the choice between peach and raspberry, and I had the peach as I love the flavour of peach. The wine slushie tasted really nice, and I would actually say that I preferred this one to Buckeye Winery, which I visited again during my visit this year.

Petite Sirah was a dry red wine that was the favourite of the visitor with me, so we got three bottles of wine. The Petite Sirah was the most expensive of the wines on offer. Buying three bottles of the wine will remove the cost of a wine tasting.

Cedar Falls is a popular attraction located in Hocking Hills, Ohio (USA). The waterfall is located on the Buckeye Trail, which goes through the Hocking Hills, but there are separate parking places near the waterfall for those who want to have a shorter walk to see the falls. I visited Cedar Falls at the end of October, and the leaves should have all changed into beautiful colours, but the weather has been strange in Ohio so the season was about two weeks behind.

There was one place to park directly above the falls, but it only had a few spaces and they were full. There is a larger parking area with a paved and stepped walkway that winded down the hill via steps with a short walk through the gorge to the waterfall. 

Cedar Falls is the largest waterfall in Hocking Hills State Park, and Queer Creek cascades down it. The falls are named such because early visitors mistook the hemlock trees around the falls for Cedar trees. An early picnic area was here at the falls from the early 1800s, and a grist mill was built above them to use the water power.

I spent a few moments enjoying this beautiful waterfall in Hocking Hills, Ohio.

Old Man's Cave is located in Hocking Hills, Ohio (USA). When I was much younger, I visited this cave and walking trails with my parents and brothers. It was one of the few places that we got to visit when I was younger as we did not get to take days out. The "cave" is part of a nature trail, which can be explored in the immediate vicinity or serious hikers can walk to other parts of Hocking Hills State Park. This area of Ohio is known for its hemlock forests. The cave is actually named after an old man.

The old man that the cave is named after was Richard Rowe. He made his home in the recess caves after moving from Tennesse in 1796. He lived there with his dogs and established a trading post. After him, two others lived in the caves. All are said to be buried by local Indians near the entrance to the cave.

Hocking Hills was named so after the Wyandot Indians, and the name means bottleneck in reference to the creek narrowing here. The area of bedrock was carved out over thousands of years by water eroding away the rock, forming gorges and recess caves.

The trail consists a walk from the parking to the Upper Falls and then to the Lower Falls. The start of the parking (furthest from the visitor centre, which is currently being rebuilt) contains the Upper Falls, which cascade down into the gorge. The waterfalls are beautiful. We visited at the end of October when the colours of the trees should have changed, but Ohio has had a very strange year with the weather and the seasons seem to be two weeks behind.

However, despite the lack of colour (it would have been much prettier with autumn colours), the waterfalls still looked stunning.

A little further along on the trail is "The Devil's Bath Tub". Here, the water falls into a deep pool with erosion in the rock. A small stone bridge is placed over this little waterfall. In many years, this waterfall will grow and a cliff will be made from the erosion. For now, it is just a deep pool.

Part of the trail narrowed above the gorge here, and then we got closer to Old Man's Cave. Lower Falls were on the other side of this tunnel, which is carved under the rock.

Again, more beautiful views of waterfalls and some yellow leaves were in view.

We walked to beautiful stone recesses here with cliff climbs. The climb was actually quite steep with some nice views, and the trail went through a carved tunnel up to the tops of the cliffs. 

From the cliffs, we walked along the top until we saw a sign that pointed down to Old Man's Cave. (We could have gone to the cave first before continuing the trail as it was in front of us, but we waited to catch it on the way back.) 

The scale of the size of the cliffs is amazing here, though I don't think I would have wanted to live here. It must have been cold, even though it does look pretty.

After seeing the cave, we were on our way. The visitor centre is being rebuilt, so some of the trails have been closed off at the time of writing. I found the way back to the car okay, but others seemed to struggle with the signage. The cliffs had some great views, but do be careful around the edges as there are sheer drops (keep and eye on kids and pets). 

That concludes my little walk around Old Man's Cave! Keep checking back for more visits to attractions around Old Man's Cave, such as Ash Cave and Cedar Falls.

The moat of the Tower of London is lit with 10,000 flames for a week leading up until the 11th of November, which marks 100 years since World War I finished. This is an exhibition called Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers. Visitors can see the flames in the moat for free from the Tower of London concourse or with tickets purchased in advance (now sold out) to see the flames from the moat. Each evening is started with a trumpet blow with the flames being hand-lit from 5:00. Readers of this blog may remember four years ago in 2014, which marked the start of World War I, of the poppies (Tower of London Poppies and Tower of London Poppies Commemorate The Great War and #LightsOut). For the best tips on seeing this exhibition, please continue to read on.

After the Tower of London, a 'wave' of the poppy installation went on a tour of the United Kingdom so that as many people as possible could see them in their local area. I saw the wave when it visited Lincoln Castle, which you can read about here: Poppies at Lincoln Castle. The final destination of this wave of poppies is at the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, south London. The wave of poppies will be on display there until the 25th of this month.

This is a fitting end to the 100-year commemoration of the end of World War I. The flames continue to glow from the time they are lit at 5:00, and they start to flicker off at 9:00. Although the number of flames do not match the number of fallen soldiers, like the poppies did, they could represent the lives lost or the devestation that was brought on Europe. The art installation could mean many things to many people.

Tom Piper, who brought us the poppies four years ago, also brought us Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers. Sound artist Mira Calix was also involved in the installation, creating a soundscape based on choral work "One lighted look for me" with words from Mary Borden's "Sonnets to a Soldier"; Borden was a poet during the war. The lines are sung in different languages and creates a haunting and spiritual effect to the installation. At times, I felt as though I were in a cathedral and not in the Tower of London moat.

At the start of my evening, I was led with the rest of the group for my time slot on my ticket to the grounds of the cathedral. We were given information by a Yeoman Warder (beefeater) about the art installation. We could go around at our own leisure to enjoy the exhibit for as long as we needed. I spent an hour inside the moat. One of the facts given to us was that the moat was actually used as a training ground for soldiers. The Yeoman Warders made part of the display and stood around to answer any questions that we had. Other volunteers were part of the display with their own sound speakers emitting the different choral parts of the soundscape.

This was a fitting tribute to all of the lives affected. For me, it felt like a huge memorial to these people. It felt like being in a cathedral of spiritual place, seeing the flames lit and listening to the choir.

I am sure many of you have not yet been to see this moving tribute and want to know some tips. I had tickets, but I think I can still help. First of all, if you have tickets for an earlier slot, get there early. My ticket entry was earlier in the evening at 6:20. The volunteers helping to move the pedestrian traffic did not know where to guide people with tickets. The vast amount of people going to see the installation made it impossible to see/read any signs. I am glad that I did not listen to the volunteer who gave me the wrong information and to "get in queue like everyone else". So, if you have tickets, do not follow what the paper said when you booked them as it will lead you into the wrong queue; go to where you cross the road to the tower concourse and inform the volunteers in high visibility jackets. Keep asking until one can help you. They will let you through the barriers as long as you can prove you have your ticket. Once inside, go down to the normal entry where the staff are; if you're more than 10 minutes early, you will have to wait.

What if I don't have tickets? My advice is to either get there very early to get in the line (which should hopefully be shorter) and watch the first lighting and procession at 5:00. I would get there much earlier, as it will be busy. I arrived at 5:20 and it was already packed. People were being herded into a chaotic system, and to be honest, this was not managed well at all. When you exit Tower Hill tube station, there are a couple of people telling everyone to turn right. The queueing happens along the main road between Tower Hill and the Tower of London. Part of the station entrance is shut off. There are one-way systems in place, and the majority of the area is not accessible. I would actually aim to arrive toward the end of the evening (before 9:00 as the lights start to fade out and the installation ends).

Since this event is only on for a week, expect large crowds, particularly later in the week as the press has picked this up more. Expect the crowds to be just as large or larger than the poppies because of the short time that this is on. Again, try to aim for later in the evening. Grab dinner and then go. A lot of people will attempt to see it earlier because they have just finished work or want an early night. Also, do expect to wait awhile. I did notice that there were fewer crowds on the east side of the Tower of London with plenty of spaces to peer over the railings to get a view of the flames below. However, the most photographic area is what the queue was for, and that is the west side. If you are going, I hope you enjoy it.

Good morning; I have to share with you the exciting news that the November edition of the UK Glossybox that was put through my postbox on Tuesday morning. This month's box features five sample and full-sized makeup, beauty and skin-care products with an extra product, and it is all set to make subscribers ready for the party season that begins this month. It also has some products to help with the increasily-cooler weather. Pictured are the items that I received below.

Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick in 'Girlfriend': This is a silky matte lipstick that glides right on the lips and helps to keep lips hydrated in the cooler weather. It's a brown shade, perfect for autumn and great colour for my skin tone. What is even better is that this product is vegan and cruelty-free.

Context Micro-derm Regenerator: This is a cleaner and exfoliator that helps to purify and protect skin. It is cruely-free and free from fragrance, so it may be a product for those with sensitive skin.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Original Solid Formula: November is when the air gets cooler and drier, so this product helps to moisturise and protect dry skin and lips. It can also be used to soothe scars and marks and help dry hair.

StyLondon Eaton Eyeshadow Palette: This eyeshadow palette contains several autumn-inspired shades from neutrals to bronze. The palette contains a mixture of daytime shades as well as some glam darker shades for office-to-party.

Wetbrush Pop Fold: I wish I had known that I was going to receive a foldable hairbrush for my handbag, and I wouldn't have bought the one that I purchased this past summer. This brush is perfect for putting into the handbag, and it folds up. It's best to help detangle hair.

Chloe eau de parfum: (This is the extra gift mentioned above.) This has actually been my staple scent for the past couple of years, and I absolutely love the rosey smell. Plus, the perfume is long-wear. I love it! I just finished up my large bottle of it and was very tempted to purchase another bottle of it in duty free but talked myself out of it as I have a small hoard of perfume that I need to use up before I buy more.

Have you received your November Glossybox yet? What did you think?

Despite living in Bath for a number of years and walking past this restaurant twice a day for most of the time I lived there, I had never visited Sally Lunn's restaurant nor tried her famous buns, which attract many tourists a year. I will say that just over ten years after leaving Bath, Sally Lunn's seems to be a lot more popular than it used to be and had queues at 11:40 mid-day on a dreary Sunday at the end of September. I am sure that many of my readers follow the same pattern of not visiting a museum or restaurant in their area while living in that area, prefering to wait until "later", but "later" sometimes comes once moved out of the area! Such was the way with me and Sally Lunn's.

So, who is Sally Lunn, and how did she become famous through her Bath bun? Sally Lunn became a resident of Bath around 1680; she had fleed France during the persecution of the French Huguenots. In fact, many French Huguenots had come to Britain, with a large number setting up lives around Shoreditch and Brick Lane in London and starting silk weaving businesses. They were welcomed for their excellent skills in that trade.

Sally started to work for a baker in Bath on Lilliput Alley in Bath, near the famous Bath Abbey. She introduced the baker to a style of French bread. The bun became popular and was served for breaskfasts and afternoon teas, which grew in popularity in Bath. Her original recipe for the bun was found with the house deed in a secret area behind a fireplace on the first floor in the 1930s.

The success of Sally Lunn's buns enabled the baker to change the wood burning oven (dating from the 1100s) to a coal-burning oven. This oven can be seen in the basement of the Sally Lunn restaurant, which is also a museum. This oven was used until the 1890s! The museum in the basement shows the making of the buns (with a mannequin) with the oven.

The museum in the cellar also contains remains of a Roman building (possibly an inn where travelers could stay) that stood in this place from around 200AD. Of course, Bath dates from before Roman times and was an important Roman town with Roman baths, which are located not far from this building. The site was later a monastary, which was re-purposed after Henry VIII dissolved the monastaries. In fact, the kitchen of this restaurant appears to be the kitchen of the old monastary. In short, this is a very old building.

The cellar would have actually been the ground floor at one time, but flooding of cellars made the ground level rise up. One room at the back of the cellar is for cold storage and is a little cave with stalagmites and stalagtites forming on the floors and ceilings. There is also a pump here.

Moving on now to the restaurant itself, I did state earlier that the restaurant is now very busy compared with what I witnessed daily over ten years ago. Back then, I did not often see a queue of people waiting to eat, though tours would always stop by here. I arrived at Sally Lunn's at about 11:40, and I had to wait a good half an hour to get a table for two. The building is a narrow one that rises up, and I was shown to a seat on the first floor, but there were two floors above this.

How can I describe a Sally Lunn bun / Bath Bun? The Bath Bun is not a London Bun, and others have tried to replicate it. It is probably best described as a brioche-style bread, but it is much lighter that a brioche and isn't really a heavy soft roll of bread. It is equally good as a savoury or sweet item in a meal. I tried it in both circumstances. The first was covered in butter and with a bowl of carrot soup, which accompanied it very well. The second was as a cream tea with a sweet cinnamon butter spread on top. Both versions were equally delicious.

While eating, one of the large group tours visited to stop to chat about the restaurant and the bun. Even the tour groups in Bath are much larger than what they were just over years ago!

After lunch (and tea for dessert), I took a detour near Putney Bridge in Bath. This is one of my personal favourite most picturesque views in England. Bath always looks lovely in the fall, though it looks even more stunning in the sunlight and (in particular) the evening sun when it turns to a golden hue against the Bath stonework.

And that concludes my visit to Bath. This post dates from September, when I went to see Minerva's Owls of Bath Goodbye Event in the city. Do note that Sally Lunn's is open for breakfast and dinner, and in case the queue is too long, the basement (museum level) does have a little shop where visitors can buy the famous Bath Bun to take away in souvinir boxes, and a selection of spreads for it are included. According to the shop seller, the best way to serve the buns is slightly toasted on the grill.

Bonfire Night is November 5th, and that falls on Monday this year. Many bonfire and fireworks displays took place at the weekend, and I went to my local one earlier tonight in Ruislip. An annual fireworks display is hosted at the Ruislip Rugby Club, which charges a small fee, and this is the second time that I have been to see it since I've moved into this area (three years but four Novembers). On the first year, I picked up my Merlin kitten (now no longer a kitten) and remember the fireworks going off while I was arranging to collect him the following day.

I love a good fireworks display, and Ruislip did not disappoint! But, the thing is, I can't believe that it is really November already. Where has this year gone? It's been a busy year for me, but it does not feel like it should be over yet!

I just got back from the states at the end of last week, so I spent the last couple of days last week getting back into work and a new project. It looks as though that it is going to be the start of another busy period for me. In addition, I have quite a few photographs of my trip to look at, edit and post about when I have a moment. The main reason for my visit to the states was to go to my cousin's wedding, and I ended up doing a lot of things that you may have already seen some posts about, such as The Circleville Pumpkin Show, "Wine Your Way Out" Corn Maze, and A Tour of the Velvet Ice Cream Mill in Utica, Ohio (USA). Keep checking back for more posts! I hope you are also enjoying your autumn.

Many weeks ago, I went to Bath to see Minerva's Owls, a sculpture trail of over 80 painted owl sculptures available to auction to raise money for different charities local to Bath. The weekend that I visited them was a wash-out, so I did not get to see many of the sculptures and vowed to return if they had an event showing them all in one place, which they did. The owl sculptures, which were on display until the 10^th of September, were brought together at the Bath Rugby Grounds for their final public event at the end of September before the auction.

Oswold by Charlotte and Claire Self

Below are photographs of the owls during their final public event before the auction. All 82 owls were auctioned in mid-October, and the owls raised nearly £140,000 for charity. 

Nocturnowl by Annabel Menheneott

The Owl and the Pussycat by Jane Veveris Callan

Forest Stump by Jane Robinson

Forest Stump by Jane Robinson

Basanti by Elysia Paterson

Cosmos the Owlstranaut by Tony Hitchcock

Spokes by Perry Harris

Octavius by Joanna Dewfall; Cosmic Allen by Cheba; Speculo by Bath Aqua Glass community project; Street Wise Owl by Laura Fearn

Golden Civetta by Josie Bahar

Emma the Community Rail Owl by Keynsham ArtSpace/Joe Tymkow

Emily by Vera Carbin

JK Owling by Jo McCarron

Digitowl by John Gould

Owls

Lumin15 by James Aveling

The owls that fetched the highest prices at auction were the mosaic 'Octavius', which received £7,500 and JK Owling, which made £5,500.

Bristol-based street artist Jody has been painting Bristol's streets since 1987 and has painted along with other famous local artists, such as Banksy, Cheo, and Inkie. Jody's work primarily features female subjects in highly emotive states and designed to stop visitors in their tracks to examine the work. I recently visited Bristol and discovered one of Jody's murals for Upfest2017 in the Bedminster area of Bristol, just off North Street. It features a woman with a large flower in her hair and while silhouettes of birds in the foreground.

For more information about Jody's work on this blog, please have a look at the below links:

Jody Paints "Little Gold Riding Hood" for Upfest 2018

It is the time of year when we start to think about Christmas and advent calendars, and there are a lot of options on the market right now. I opted to go for lookfantastic this year as their advent calendar contained a lot of products that I have not sampled before. And I was not disappointed with the purchase. This post contains spoilers, so only read on if you're curious to see what is inside!

First of all, the advent calendar comes in a sturdy red box with a simplistic design, highlighting the lookfantastic brand. Each little compartment pulls out into a box. The boxes are also well-made, and this advent calendar box is built to last. All of the products were wrapped in red tissue paper.

HD Brows (High Definition Beauty) Contour and Colour Pro Palette, lookfantastic exclusive: Well-defined brows are 'in' at the moment, and this is the most expensive item in the box, retailing at £60.00. There is a generous amount of product, and it comes in a case with mirror. Thoughts? I'm a little less excited about this product because I don't really spend effort on my brows, which are normally hidden a bit by my hair anyway.

Filorga Anti-Ageing Micellar Solution: This make-up remover doubles up as an anti-aging product. The product should be used with cotton balls to clean off the make-up without using water. Thoughts? I am excited to try this out and am looking for a good make-up remover that isn't harsh on skin.

Percy & Reed Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm: This hair balm is a leave-in product to add style and volume to the hair. It also protects hair against humidity and adds shine and keeps hair soft. Thoughts? I am a fan of this brand as I've enjoyed their past products, so I will be looking forward to trying this one.

Glamglow GravityMud Mask Firming Treatment: GravityMud is the latest from the Glamglow brand, and it leaves skin firmer after use. Thoughts? I am interested in this one having tried and enjoyed another similar product from this brand.

BBB London Ultra Slim Brow Definer in Indian Chocolate: This is a smudge and waterproof brow liner that has a creamy texture and ultra-slim tip to glide on. Thoughts? The colour is too light for me to use, and it is another brow product, so it doesn't excite me.

Emma Hardie Brilliance Facial Oil: This facial oil is a blend of oils and plant extracts combined to soothe and brighten skin while protecting it against dehydration. It helps banish dry skin. Thoughts? In winter, skin has a tendancy to dry out, so I am looking forward to trying this out to see if it helps keep away the dry skin.

Eyeko Mini Black Magic Mascara: Mascara in a tube allows the product to be used, and this helps give the definition of thicker and curlier lashes. Thoughts? I own this product already and am currently using it. I like that it is in a tube as it doesn't tend to clump and dry out like other mascara.

Molton Brown Jasmine and Sun Rose Body Wash: Molton Brown is known for their shower and body care products, and their soaps and shower gels are amongst the most popular products. This body wash comes in rose and jasmine scent, which is floral and fruity. Thoughts? I enjoy this brand and have used their body washes in the past, so I will enjoy using this.

Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste: This product claims to recreate and repair enamel, but that claim is not correct because you can not re-grow enamel. What I think it actually does it to protect enamel from further erosin, which is should be marketed as as it's misleading and false advertising otherwise. Thoughts? Well, fizzy drinks and sugar have hurt my enamel. I tend to use products that help to protect enamel, but I don't agree with the misleading marketing for this product.  

Omorovicza Moor Cream Cleanser: This is a skin cleanser that helps remove dead skin cells and rejuvenate skin. It is created with mud from a European thermal lake. Thoughts? This is in slightly different branding, but I already own the product or a similar cleanser product from this brand. It does help purify skin and remove dead skin.

Rituals 'Ritual Of Sakura' Body Cream: This body lotion smells of cherry blossoms and is a light fragrance that blends into skin without feeling greasy or clumpy. Thoughts? I love this brand and have used some great products from them. I don't tend to use body creams a lot, so I am sad that it isn't in a soap or shower gel.

Grow Gorgeous Mud Mask: This product is a mask, and it promises thicker hair and a nourished scalp after use. Thoughts? It comes in a cute little tub, and I love the design of it. I can't wait to try it to see what it does to my hair and scalp.

Balance Me Tan Drops: Using two or three drops of this product with moisturiser will help give a tan, and the product claims to not have a foul smell or leave streaks on skin. It also allows the gradual build-up of tan for a natural look, and it can be used by vegans. Thoughts? I don't use tanning products, and when I have had samples, they've not tended to go well with me. I will try it, though.

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick: This bright green lipstick actually changes to a unique shade of pink to match the wearer's skin tone. It will look different on everyone. Thoughts? This is a unique product, so I cannot wait to try it out. I also love the design of the product.

Sleek Mineral Based Eyeshadow Palette in 'A New Day': This eye-shadow palette contains several natural day-time shades for a subtle effect. The case is made well and contains a mirror. Thoughts? This is a nice set to carry around without fearing that it may open up in my bag and coat everything in powder.

Doucce Fierce and Fine Graphic Pen: A waterproof eyeliner pen that comes in an ultra-fine line, this promises some stunning and long-lasting wear. Thoughts: I don't often use eye-liners, but this sounds like a good one, so I will see if it is.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum: This product promises more radiant and glowing skin, and it is made from grape seeds. Thoughts? I've previously used this product, but I am not keen on it.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: This product hydrates and protects skin, and it is safe to use for people who have sensitve skin. Thoughts? I will use this as a moisturiser, but I do not have problem skin, so I am slightly less enthused about this.

ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy: Another moisturising and skincare product, but this one is marketed to leaving on overnight for results. It helps purify skin and make it more radiant. Thoughts? I have previously used this product, and I suppose that this is more suited to winter use.

This Works Relax and Breathe Stress Check: This roll-on product promises to help the user sleep better by removing stress. It contains a blend of scents to aid in stress removal. Thoughts? Sometimes, I do have difficulty sleeping, so I will see if this product works. I've used this brand's other sleep aids, but I did not find them to work for me.

Mane and Tail Shampoo & Conditioner: This shampoo and conditioner duo promises to clean hair without stripping it of natural oils. It is also marketed for children's hair. Thoughts? I can't wait to try this product to see how it affects my hair.

Lookfantastic Fan and Highlighter Brush: This is another product from lookfantastic, and this time it is a highlighter and fan brush. Thoughts? I can always use more make-up brushes.

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oil: Aromatherapy uses bath oils to help soothe, de-stress, and relax. Taking these with a bath will help the user sleep better. Thoughts? I've previously used this product, and it was a mess to clean off the tub as it's thick oil. I will not use it until I have a new bathroom because the current bath is too small to submerge myself in and doesn't create a relaxing environment.

Erno Laszlo Eye Serum Mask: This under-eye mask helps reduce wrinkles and puffiness; it adds vitamins to the skin to help moisturise the area. Thoughts? I've never used an eye mask product, so I can't wait to see what this is like.

Illamasqua Beyond Powder in 'Deity': This highlighter powder from cult favourite Illamasqua creates a luminous effect to the skin. It should be applied on top of foundation as a highlighter. Thoughts? This comes in a wonderful little case and is perfect to take away and apply or touch-up. I can't wait to try it.

And, that's it for this year's lookfantastic beauty advent calendar. What are your thoughts, and which product are you most excited about?