Leeds by the Sea

Some blokes who call themselves http://www.testspaceleeds.com/ run various events where they provide spaces in the city for "events" . 

Leeds by the sea was one we went to this Saturday night.   It was in the deteriorated but slowly recovering remains of Templeworks in Marshall Street Leeds www.templeworksleeds.com .

The events  started on arrival by being offered the opportunity to buy a bottle or two of French wine, which we did, and playing some games of chance.      You will see here the dice and the small shot glasses.  6 glasses, one roll of the dice.  I rolled 3 which won me a shot glass full of coloured water. Gail rolled 6 which won her a shot of neat bacardi, made light blue with a drop of food colour.  

On we went to the Roulette, I threw a 33, won a nice looking puff pastry savoury treat.  It was stuffed with deadly chilli seed paste, near killed me.  Gail threw 28 and got a lovely seafood cracker with prawns, a delightful sauce and mouth popping delicious salmon roe. I detected a trend n the events but persisted. Next was a short stroll to the adapted coconut shy. 

 Gail threw three balls and won a cup cake, I missed everything and won nothing.   I didn't want to play any more.

So we sat and had our first bottle of Cuvee de Richard 2009 wine and shared Gail's cupcake while......

The room filled up.  No heating in Temple works yet so coats inside was the attire du mode.

A meter-high knickerbocker glory was expertly prepared and presented to the group for later consumption, together with two large rock candy tubes with the text "Suck my Rock" &  "Leeds by the Sea" embedded on each end...

 Which was of great interest to the folk as we queued to get our fish and chips from the "Fish&" people who cook their fish in various flavoured batters.

There was a bit of time to muck about while waiting for the fish to cook, and a friendly Indian Mango Ice Cream man giving away frozen Mango delicacies on sticks. 









 Eventually we returned to our table to enjoy our fish and it was cooked in a wonderful Lemon batter, quite nice, and the chips were excellent.  Rather pleased we didn't get the raspberry batter....

 And similarly pleased we didn't say yes to the invitation to eat as much Jelly as we liked....
We had thought there would be a trap to that. 
We were right. 
The lass second in from this end won the competition and got to take home a candy rock.  It wasn't real candy rock.  It was real Jelly.

As we had missed out on the jelly we took advantage of the Knickerbocker Glory being shovelled out and accepted two huge plates containing, cream, cupcakes, wafers, M&Ms strawberries, peach slices, jelly, and so much other stuff we couldn't get through it nor catalogue it.

For the during/after dinner entertainment there was some interpretive dance, with fairy floss or cotton candy if you prefer, as the muse.  I still don't get interpretive dance.  Really, I just don't.  Sort of pole dancing without the pole as near as I can figure it.  Pretty girls I suppose.  Attracted lots of photos.

Anyway it went on, and on, and on, and eventually, as the so called music being forced through the speakers was a bit , well,  not to our taste, we left .

Would I do it again? 
If there was a band, then without doubt yes. 
I mean,  where else are we going to get this fun sort of thing I ask you?


Other than in  Wetherby, every October,  perhaps..  But .....
we do like Leeds.