Quest for the perfect Danish pastry

Couldn't you just eat this right now?

Oh noes!  I haz been recognised.

You know you've been frequenting the local baker's a little too often when the lady behind the counter reaches for the cherry Danish before you've even opened your (drooling) mouth to order.




I love Danish pastries* like the one in the photo (baked to perfection by my local baker's).  Mountstevens Bakeries used to make 'em (with coloured gelatin bits sprinkled on the top as well as the cherry), but they sadly went bust several years back.  Since then, I have been on the hunt for the perfect Danish pastry.  A chain of bakeries down in Cornwall do a rather delicious one, but that's rather a long way to drive to satisfy a craving, so I shall just have to start donning disguises instead.

Quest: successful!  Thanks, local baker!

Have you been recognised when visiting a local shop?  What's your particular downfall?

*Other types of pastries are available, and are quite tasty too!

Quest for a Magical Birthday Adventure

Doesn't this look magical?

I decided I'd get out of the house and Have An Adventure for my birthday this year.

Here's me outside my ramshackle abode - the hole in the roof has worsened with all the rain we've had this summer.

The covered bridge to the bus stop was looking wonkier than usual, but the floorboards held (& the bridge didn't collapse), and it kept me dry when the rain hammered down around me.

The bus was waiting when I arrived at the bus stop.  I was a little surprised to find it was a triple decker (and purple!), but it was very cosy inside.

As we were wending our way through a quiet residential area, this giant spider attacked the bus (I think it was intending to set up base on the top deck in its quest for world domination of purple triple decker buses), and we all had to evacuate (or run screaming in terror in the driver's case).

The people living at this house let us use their facilities (under duress, it has to be said).

But time was a-ticking, so I took my leave.

As a book lover, I couldn't resist stopping off in this quaint little shop.

This was the book I bought with some of my birthday money.

Trouble is, it keeps snapping at me, and I've no idea how to get it to open.

Afterwards, I stopped off at the bank and deposited the rest of my birthday money in a high interest savings account for talented writers (they said I passed the application with aplomb, which surprised me as I thought a high interest savings account was a myth these days).

Whilst I was there, an earthquake struck and the foundations of the building shifted dramatically.

This elaborate door appeared in the bowels of the basement, and I ventured through - on a quest at last!

What mysteries would I find?  What secrets would be revealed?

Ah, a badly damaged tapestry.  Someone should sack the housekeeper.

This door led through to...

This corridor, which took me through into...

Rather a posh hall, laid out for my birthday banquet.

I was in chocolate heaven!

Not sure this was on the menu though.

If you haven't guessed, this was where I ended up:

Have you been to Leavesden for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour?  What was your favourite part of the tour? If you haven't been, have my pics enticed you to go?

'No story lives unless someone wants to listen' - J. K. Rowling

Quest: successful!  Thanks for a magical birthday, Warner Bros.!