Bella Vista - Wedding reception coffee

On Saturday, I was shooting the wedding photographs for Toni & Stephen at the Bella Vista Italian Restaurant in Milnrow, Rochdale.
I have been there a few times to photograph weddings, and normally partake of a coffee whilst there.
This time, however, I happened to notice that every guest at the wedding, when coffee was served at the end of the wedding breakfast, received a rather splendid frothy coffee. No mean feat, considering there were around 80 guests. The waitresses ran a cracking little production line of trayfuls of cups, each with a coffee shot in, being topped up from a large jug of freshly foamed milk, then whisked out to serve to the tables. Very impressive!
The coffee was smooth, tasty, with a typically Italian-style blend.
As a wedding venue, the Bella Vista is one of the best around, with lovely places to take photos, and stunning views across the Pennines and surrounding hills. For me, as a wedding photographer, it is a local venue (5 minutes drive from my house), and one of my favourites for photo locations. To reinforce this, it is also where my son held his wedding reception a couple of years ago.
The food is always excellent, service very thorough and efficient and, bearing in mind the purpose of this post, it is probably worth calling in just for a cappuccino!
To have a look at some of my photogrpaphy work, please have a look at my photography blog, Facebook page, or website. 
Thanks for reading!

 

Tags: Manchester Oldham, Milnrow rochdale wedding photographer

Tasty Illy coffee at Macaroon in Bamford, Rochdale

Passing by the row of shops going into Bamford this morning I happened to notice a little coffee shop selling Illy coffee. Not being able to resist one of the tastiest coffee blends I know, I was duly tempted, and succumbed to the coffee urge.
The Illy cups are a little on the small side, compared to another cafe I know which has chosen to retain its own, larger cups, which are (in my opinion) much better suited to enjoying a reasonable sized cuppa.
However, coming back to the cappuccino in question, I have to say that it was an almost perfect cup of coffee with good strength, smooth foam and a generous sprinkling of chocolate powder on the top.
It still amazes me that some coffee shops still ask if you want chocolate on your cappuccino.....it wouldn't be a proper cappuccino without chocolate powder on top, would it?
All credit to Alison for a lovely little coffee shop, with a nice menu, and some lovely looking cakes (maybe some other time...).

Tags: Howard Wilkinson photography rochdale Manchester Oldham wedding photography

Feel Good Cafe now serving Illy Coffee

A little update to the post about the Feel Good Cafe in Rochdale. Click on the link to go to their Facebook page.
They are now serving Illy coffee. 
Not that I would complain about their previous coffee, but the Illy blend is rather nice.
Here's a quick pic of an Illy cappuccino.

Tags: Illy coffee, cafe in rochdale, Feel Good Cafe, cappuccino, frothy coffee.