Unfortunately, not all of us have the luxury of returning home for weeks on end in the Summer holidays; having our cooking, cleaning and laundry taken care of by a doting parent, and whiling away the months in a stupor of new-found dependency. No, for some of us, Summer will be spent in York this year, and without the grind of regular seminars or the grinding of regular Gallery nights, what is a poor student to do?
It is with this in mind that we have undertaken the task of providing you with a Perfect Day in York – peaceful, serene, and convenient. This is for those who are shunning the Summer tourist trap (did someone say World Sweetcorn Eating Championship at the York Maze on the 7th August? No thanks.) and are spending the sunny months unwinding – a detox of the mind if you will.
Begin by donning something achingly fashionable (see Style section for details) or, if you are yet to discover that perfect Summer find, take a trip to Blue Ballroom on Gillygate for a one-off vintage piece. Once you are suitably attired, head up to the York Explore Learning centre (the city library to you and me) as it reopened at the end of May. Now complete with wifi, internet ports, and a cafe, it’s a suitably stylish way to indulge in a bit of light reading. Speaking of which, while you’re there give ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ by Kate Atkinson a try. The debut novel from the highly acclaimed author is like a literary family tree set in our own fair city. Enjoy the references to growing up on Lowther Street hundreds of years ago, and get lost in the drama of the protagonist threatening to drown herself in the Ouse.
Take your chosen reads down the street to the museum gardens to fully immerse yourself in local history in the shade of the abbey ruins. If you find your stomach rumbling during all this idyll, why not treat yourself and your partner/friends/geese (they do love leftovers) to a bespoke food hamper from Henshelwoods Delicatessen (No. 10 Newgate). They source food from our local markets, as well as delicacies from all over the world. Personalise your picnic with your choice of (amongst much else) forty different types of cheese, fine pastas and sauces, twelve difference types of olive (who knew?), home-baked cakes and even locally distilled vodkas. If all that choice sounds too daunting, the good folk at Henshelwoods also have a selection of themed hampers to choose from, including The Country Gentleman (featuring Gentleman’s relish and Gamekeeper’s chutney) and Deliciously Decadent Desserts, which does as it says on the wicker! Hamper prices start from as little as £1.95 for a single box.
As the light begins to fade, stroll along the river bank to one of York’s many waterside establishments. Finish off your day of Summery indulgence with an Amaretto Sour in the Living Room (like Mr Kipling made a bakewell tart into a cocktail) , sipped serenely overlooking the river.
Bliss.