reetsweet's occasional guide to what to do in leeds when reetsweet isn't on...

so we understand at reetsweet the heartache of going to your nearest city centre (for many of our fans: Leeds) and finding that 1) there's no reetsweet on and b) half the shops you used to like have vanished....so we present to you reetsweet's occasional guide to what to in leeds when reetsweet isn't on...a guide for the stylish and crafty girl/boy about town that's looking for something fun to do!

(mad elizabeth vintage)

vintage shopping
love it or hate it, there are many little vintage haunts to go see in leeds if you like to stay away from the highstreet - may i firstly recommend 'pop boutique vintage', mainly because the staff don't look at you like you just spat in their eye if you ask for help, and it's reasonably priced. i hate rip off vintage. also well worth a trip is 'mad elizabeth vintage' upstairs in our spiritual home - the corn exchange, run by two lovely brummy lasses they won't rip you off either, and they have a great denim selection! the charity shops in headingley by the arndale centre are also well worth a browse...but i prefer to get to know the lovely people in some vintage shops, and let them do the legwork for me in sourcing the stock!

(shaky jakes)


(marvellous tea rooms)

sweet treats
if you are in headingley aka studentville, there's 'shaky jakes' milkshake bar* - a place which takes a bit of milk, and a bit of chocolate, whizzes it together under various recipes and make a little bit of heaven for £2.50. cannot argue with that. there's also the rather fabulous and newly opened 'marvellous tea rooms' in the town centre, just down the road from the corn exchange - housed in 'birds' yard' - an independent shopping hangout (will get to that in a moment!) this is leeds' newest (and only i believe!) tea room! afternoon tea for two is just £18, and you will get to enjoy the crazy vintage decor (look out for the tea cup lamp) and chat to donna and angie - the marvellous tea ladies! cakes start at £2. the brownie is like crack, go carefully my friends...

(candy candy)

independents
sadly in leeds, an endangered species...there's 'bird's yard' home to a veritable treasure trove of vintage, handmade, local designers and also a hair salon! this place is like a maze of cool, they stock tatty devine exclusively in leeds - go and drool! and well worth a look is 'candy candy' in the corn exchange - a burlesque girly girl's dream - 50's style clothing, makeup and toiletries - it's all pretty lovely. upstairs in the corn exchange for the boys i'd highly recommend the award winning 'kiosk78' home to a great selection of understated men's labels such as APC, Carhartt and Folk, they also stock 'kitsune' tees which are amazing.

(yorkshire's best kept secret: ilkley lido)

random places you should know (but keep it to yourself yeah?)
on a sunny day, get out of the city and head to ilkley lido - they have a lido people! - an outdoor pool! it's about £5 for adults to get in and it's just gorgeous vintage day out - it does have to be pretty warm though folks...but on the two days a year it gets warm enough - it's worth the drive! also, i highly recommend saltaire - yorkshire's most vibrant arts town - it boasts salts mill home to david hockney (he has a studio there and still has regular exhibitions there), the amazing saltaire arts trail, and a wealth of cool vintage homeware shops including the house of rose & brown.

(the house of rose & brown)

now don't say we don't look after you! june 2nd is our next fair, at leeds corn exchange on the jubilee weekend - previews will start here shortly!



*i wish i owned a milkshake bar although i may grow 5 dress sizes as i would live off milkshake but at least i'd get my calcium intake up!