team NotLeafy

@teamnotleafy

Lovers of fine vegetarian food. If we're not cooking or eating it, we're reading, talking or writing about it. Messy eaters, we wear our food with pride! Faithful servants of feline overlords. Based: Cardiff, Wales Writing at: blognotleafycardiff.home.blog

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Bluesky

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team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 4d

Post the best picture you have ever taken of your pet (if you feel like it) Feral in the neighbourhood for 8yrs, before deciding to move in with us. FIV+, our best friend for another 10 and who could read humans like a book. This was Mr Wilkes. #catsofbluesky #caturdayeve

A grey-blue cat with a white chin and front sits on a chair and peers over a table. He has green eyes and a steady, intent and engaged expression. His left ear has a nick in it, a remnant of his street years. The chair is black metal with uprights, its top has a line of tiles in blue and green triangles. The table has tiled yellow squares in the centre, a line of dark blue rectangles is round those, red and green triangles surround the edge. There is a pale wall behind.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 7d

But there were other lifeforms around. A friendly me-and-my-shadow cat and a resting insect (think it might be a damselfly but don't know, M NotLeafy wishes he'd better than a quick snap of a phone camera).

A ginger and white cat stands on a stony beige and grey soil path. It's shadow reflects its shape in front perfectly. The cat's yellow eyes are part open to the bright sunlight and it has a pink nose. It's tail is curved in mid-swish.

A (what we think might be) damselfly is resting on green fern foliage. It has copper coloured wings and dark green body and head. A blue sky is behind.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 7d

Another day, another Brittany big sky, big sea, big brassicas and a big beach with absence of humans (we two aside).

A view from a footpath through a gap in trees and undergrowth reveals a field full of dark green cabbages, with blue sea with a large brown rock in the distance. A paler blue sky is above.

A pale sandy beach curves from in front of the camera and right round to left. A darker layer of rocks and some dark green algae is close to the sea. Behind the beach, natural vegetation with wind- and salt-tolerant plants. There are trees and houses on the horizon. Above, a sky of shaded blues.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 8d

Impossibly beautiful Brittany's big sky, big sea, a big beach and more sea vegetables than we could shake a stick at.

The view as we left the access path and reached the beach area proper. In the foreground, pale sand with a few of Brittany's typically large rocks and wind and salt tolerant wild planting. The pale sand continues towards a blue sea, where it becomes darker and peppered thickly with brown rocks. Two people (the only other humans present) are walking towards us. Behind them, an island with a private house surrounded by trees. Above, the bluest of blue skies.

Walking along the beach, we're nearer the island. In the foreground, a stretch of beige sand lies between the sea and a parallel stretch of rocks. The island is in the distance, the private house surrounded by trees and a blue sky above.

Round the corner from the island, blue sea in the distance. The beach continues in the distance too with large brown irregularly shaped rocks behind. In front, a swathe of sea purslane and samphire with thin sandy runnels visible among it. Yes, the sky's blue above.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 10d

Feet up, books, patisserie, Brittany's big beautiful sky. More holiday boxes ticked.

A view from the sunbeds under a big bright blue sky. A stone building with a slate roof, shrubs against it and a partly hidden grey garden parasol to the left, a tall flowering shrub to the right. In the middle, from the front: the end of two sunbeds placed close together, a white woman's feet in sandals on the left, a man's to the right. Beyond that, a sundried and parching lawn. In the near distance, pink hydrangeas plants, a gravel path and a hedge. In the far distance, trees in full leaf.

A millefeuille sits on one of the gite's vintage side plates. It's plated as bought with vertical, as opposed to horizontal, layers. Three laminated pastry layers, piped cream in between. There's piped cream, caramel and caramelised pecans on the top. The plate's white with thin red lines round the rim and a pink rose with green buds in the centre (mostly under the cake).

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 11d

Vivace did it again. Complex, yet harmonious, and unique cooking. After a mouthful or two there's a sense of, yes we've come to know this dish - and then, bang, there's another unexpected flavour pop. Chatted about it with our server, she told us a regular likens it to eating nested Russian dolls.

M NotLeafy's starter at Vivace. An uneven round pale blue plate patterned with white and blue droplets houses the dish in its centre. A mixture of raw, cooked and pickled summer vegetables with gomasio and seaweed lies under pale aïoli.

Mme's starter at Vivace. An irregularly shaped white bowl contains spelt risotto with tomato, peanut, chilli and lemongrass hidden under a creamy foam and topped with red and yellow cherry tomatoes and herbs.

The vegetarian main course at Vivace. A round white bowl with a deep rim contains sauteed and pureed aubergine topped with buckwheat, pieces of goat's cheese, sage cream, herbs and nasturtium flowers.

Dessert at Vivace might have had limited availability but not for us! An irregularly shaped round dish contains a choux bun with craquelin, its top removed and placed by its side. The bun's filled with caramel sorbet hidden under whipped cream and caramel drizzle, caramelised hazelnuts are scattered around.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 11d

Excited to be back lunching at Brittany's Vivace. Had the best veggie meal in France ever there last year and returning was a no-brainer. It's Bib Gourmand and a relaxed, inclusive place. Enjoyed amuse-bouches while anticipating the flavours lying ahead & perusing some of their eclectic literature.

Outside Vivace in Brittany. The photo shows one side of the building, stone built up to window height, painted cream above with two windows set in below an apex roof. There are planters roadside in front of the main window with fragrant herbs and sea-wind tolerant foliage.

A blackboard with a chalk-written menu at Vivace. It reads (French first, scroll down for English translation):

-le midi chez Vivace

ENTRÉE+PLAT
+FROMAGE ou DESSERT
à partir de 29€

ENTRÉE+PLAT
+FROMAGE+DESSERT
à partir de 37€

LÉGUMES D'ÉTÉ CRUS, CUITS, ET PICKLES, GOMASIO, ALGUE, AÏOLI
UO
EPEAUTRE EN RISOTTO, TOMATE, CACAHUÈTE, PIMENT, CITRONNELLE
-----------------------
VG AUBERGINES SAUTÉES & EN CAVIAR, SARRASIN, CHÈVRE FRAIS, CRÈME À LA SAUGE
OU
POISSON, COURGETTE, MENTHE, AJO BLANCO, JUS D'ARÈTES
+5€
-----------------------
CHOU, CRAQUELIN, NOISETTE, CRÈME MONTÉE SORBET
! DESSERTS LIMITÉ
OU/ET + 8€
ASSIETTE DE FROMAGE LOCAUX & MESCLUN

MERCI DE NOUS INDIQUER VOS ALLERGIES LORS DE LA RESERVATION
---------------------------
-lunch at Vivace

STARTER + MAIN
+ CHEESE or DESSERT
from €29

STARTER + MAIN
+ CHEESE + DESSERT
from €37

SUMMER VEGETABLES, RAW, COOKED, PICKLED, GOMASIO, SEAWEED, AÏOLI
OR
SPELT RISOTTO, TOMATO, PEANUT, CHILI, LEMONGRASS
-----------------------
VG SAUTÉED AUBERGINE, PUREED AUBERGINE, BUCKWHEAT, FRESH GOAT'S CHEESE, SAGE CREAM
OR
FISH, COURGETTE, MINT, AJO BLANCO, FISH STOCK
+€5
-----------------------
CHOUX BUN, CRAQUELIN, HAZELNUT, WHIPPED CREAM, SORBET
! LIMITED DESSERT AVAILABILITY
OR/AND + €8
PLATE OF LOCAL CHEESE & MESCLUN SALAD

PLEASE INFORM US OF ANY ALLERGIES WHEN BOOKING

Amuse-bouches rest on a thin, rectangular slate. At either end, irregular shaped small bowls filled with warm lettuce broth and lettuce foam. Between them are two crackers topped with salad and capers.

A tall glass filled with some white wine sits on a blond wood table. To the right, a large window with lush green planting visible outside. On a pale wooden windowsill used as a bookshelf lies feminist literature. The wall around the window and shelf is painted white.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 12d

Small French town, big market. Lots of lovely veg to be lusted after in Brittany. Started by nabbing those oignons nouveau en botte and a chonk of a fennel.

A view of a market in progress in Brittany. The street has been closed to traffic and stalls set up along it. To the left, Brittany's black and white flag - Gwenn ha du - and stalls selling clothes. To the right, a stall selling fruit and vegetables. The stall has a long section under green and white awnings and another in parallel laden with artichokes and other produce. People are perusing both. There are stone buildings behind the stalls and at the end of the street.

Part of a market stall laden with, from the left, lettuces, rhubarb and bunches of what look like giant spring onions but are listed as oignons nouveau en botte (young onions harvested early and sold bunched). In the background, a seafood place selling oysters and more.

The fruit and veg stall's counter. Five staff members in black t-shirts are behind the stall's display and serving customers. In front of them are wicker baskets with produce including shallots. In front of the baskets, a range of veg including, from the left: yellow courgettes, dark aubergines, pale green peppers, speckled cream and deep pink aubergines, fennel and yellow beans.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 15d

Artichokes done, raided the freezer for dessert. Behold Picard's Mini-éclairs délicieux. Three of each: passion fruit and mango, raspberry and blackcurrant. pistachio praline, and hazelnut gianduja chocolate.

A pack of Picard's Mini-éclairs délicieux readied for eating and presented on the gite's retro white and orange floral serving dish. From the left, three of each: passion fruit and mango, raspberry and blackcurrant. pistachio praline, and hazelnut gianduja chocolate.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 15d

Delicious artichokes fresh from the Brittany farm's field. The only dish we know where it looks like we finish our meal with more than we started with. Eaten with a lemon-mustard-mayo dip.

Two large globe artichokes sit on a table covered with a blue cloth patterned with white spots and bird shapes.

A large beige plate sits on a grey-blue garden table. It's covered completely with artichoke leaves and hairs from the choke.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 17d

Relaxing with a book when a young cat emerged from the gite's hedge and made a break for it across the garden. Not the best photo, granted, only just managed to swap to the phone's camera in time #Caturday

A small grey and white tabby is caught in mid-dash, running from right to left. They've an intent "you ain't seen me, right" expression.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 19d

Lovely things happen when you're staying on a farm in Brittany. Veg fresh from the fields and polytunnel, nothing like it.

A brown paper bag spills its fresh veg contents onto a table covered with a blue cloth patterned with white spots and bird shapes. In front of the bag are, front to back, two large globe artichokes, a shiny green pepper, a slender cucumber with flower still attached and three large red tomatoes.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 21d

First things first in Brittany, home of Brets. A visit to the crisp aisle.

A photo of supermarket shelves, seven high, packed with varieties of Brets' crisps. The shelving to the right carried on the theme with other brands.

As well as the usual crisps, bagged these earmarked to take home. From the left: Chips de crêpes beurre citron, Chips de crêpes fruits rouge and Chips de crêpes nature. Sadly Chips de crêpes caramel au beurre salé weren't in stock.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· 21d

This is what happens on your 47th anniversary, when you open your cards (yes, food and drink came later)🥂🍾🥖

Two greeting cards sit on a wooden windowsill. They both feature drawings of a cat against a botanical background. To the left: a black cat sits centre and looks out with a steady gaze from tropical green and orange-red leaves, almost in the style of Henri Rousseau. To the right: a grey cat peers out crazily from a riot of flowers.

The aforementioned cards sit on a garden table behind two part-filled champagne flutes and a plate of PIcard's bouchées apéritives aux légumes - semi-dried cherry tomato, grilled pepper duo and mozzarella bites, beetroot hummus and diced vegetable tartlets, rolls with courgette, goat cheese, and pine nuts, avocado, malted bread, onion chutney, radish and sesame bites.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 27

Charles Rennie Mackintosh braving the heat and our poor luck with roses.

A soft lilac-pink, cupped rose in full bloom. The flower's smaller than normal and less tidily cupped but, hey, he made it!

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 27

Mme heard a scuffled creaking noise from the next room and went to investigate.... "I know this box has only been on the floor for less than a minute but it's mine, human. You didn't really want to reuse it, did you?" #Caturday #Catsofbluesky

A fluffy grey-blue cat has squeezed himself into an empty wine box and has a slightly puzzled, distant expression - avoiding eye contact with the human who's just spotted him.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 26

It's bins. As ever when the lorry rolls along the street, LC's run from wherever he was and is watching intently with a mixture of horror and fascination.

A photo of a fluffy blue-grey cat's head, left side. He is looking out of the window. His ears are pricked at the crew's convo and the whirring, clanging and engine sound of the bin lorry, as it advances slowly down the street. His intense stare is one of horror and fascination.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 25

Not been anywhere but indoors, so it's a fridge dec dinner. A sidelined pot of labneh, lurking IoW cherry tomatoes & brown bread crusts standing in for sourdough became @nigelslater.bsky.social's grilled tomatoes & labneh on toast. The Aleppo pepper & sumac asked for a za'atar sprinkle. #foodsky

A serving of grilled cherry tomatoes & labneh on toast sits on a brown speckled and edged blue plate. The classically red-orange tomatoes are in the centre of the labneh, olive oil is drizzled around and za'atar sprinkled atop.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 24

Round ours, earlier. Yes I'm asleep in your cool, cast iron bath. And, no, I'm not getting out so you can use the shower.

A fluffy blue tortie tabby is sleeping in the bath, on her back with paws in the air and tail akimbo. She is resolute in her occupation. The bathroom's shady, as the blinds are drawn.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 23

Just after the result, Mme's Austrian cousins sent her this cartoon from their newspaper.

A cartoon cut from an Austrian newspaper. A small stone built castle with union flags flying sits on an island as small as its footprint. A wooden drawbridge is in the air and disintegrating. Musical notes and the words "For he's a jolly good fellow" are at the top of the castle where light shines through one window. At the bottom of the cartoon are the words "BREXIT: My home is my castle".

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 21

Déjeuner sur l'herbe After perusing Tafwyl's food vendors, plumped for: Dirty Gnocchi's Dirty Veggie - a satisfying crispy, smokey and cheesily gooey combo Meet & Greek's Halloumi Wrap - a fresh tasting classic with fries, salad and yoghurt dressing

A round, beige card dish filled with fried gnocchi, cheese, veggie facon pieces and more cheese. Two wooden forks are poised in the dish, mid-feed.

A halloumi wrap, wrapped in Meet and Greek branded paper sits in a beige card tray. A view from the top shows halloimi fries, potato fries, red onion, tomato and yogurt dressing with a rolled flatbread.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 21

Bus to the city centre & Cardiff castle today, Tafwyl 2026 is hot! Bws i ganol y ddinas a chastell Caerdydd heddiw, mae Tafwyl 2026 yn boeth! Tafwyl is a free, non-ticketed festival of Welsh language, arts, culture & music for all, with live performances, multiple stages, street food & stalls.

A view of Cardiff Castle's grounds with mulit coloured flags and bunting in the foreground. Tafwyl's tents can be seen in front of the main building (background left), the Norman keep is on a mound to the right.

A takeaway dish of Dirty Gnocchi's Dirty Vegge sits on a weathered wooden picnic table, a wooden fork is sticking up on its left and a white paper serviette to the right. In the background, grass and a path in front of Cardiff Castle.

We found some shade to sit in under a lovely tree. The image shows our view from behind a concrete block holding a light's post across a grassed area of the castle grounds filled with tents, food vans, a stage and people. The Norman keep is on a raised mound to the left.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 21

Wednesday's weather prediction looks, er, interesting (the Met Office doesn't do Roath, so Tremorfa it is).

A screen grab from today's Met Office site showing the temperature in Tremorfa, Cardiff, on Wednesday is predicted thirty seven degrees centigrade and feeling like thirty nine degrees.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 18

..and, not to be outdone, @sundownerstudio.bsky.social's princely boar has also been framed, aimed for a way that'd allow the lovely paper he's been printed on to shine.

A lino print of a black boar on rather special cream paper sits against a brown background within a white passepartout and a black frame. There are green plants just visible in the background.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· Jun 18

The quest to find a frame for @sundownerstudio.bsky.social's handsome Ganesh went on - only to be found under our noses (mango wood, lighter than in the photo).

A gold lino print of Lord Ganesha sits in a mango wood frame. There are green plants in the background.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· May 30

Sunpuddled floof #Cat #Caturday #CatsofBluesky

Despite the heat, a very fluffy blue tortie tabby is asleep in a sunpuddle. She's in her customary position, flat on her back on the sofa. She has an extremely fluffy peach coloured underbelly and her paws are raised but relaxed. Her head is to one side and eyes closed in repose. The sun shining on her face through patterned glass makes it appear orangey (ditto the admittedly worn grey sofa throw in front of her).

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· May 28

No, DPD, it wasn't "left in safe place". You dumped it on the doorstep in full sun and ran. We know because we were at home, retrieved the parcel and yelled "Thanks a bunch" as you drove away. Oh, and we didn't provide you with any safe place instructions either.

An image of a screengrab from DPD's parcel tracker. The text reads:
Parcel No.
Your parcel is waiting for you at home (left in safe place) at 13.06 on Thu 28 May 2026

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· May 28

She came to see what we were, settled on mostly harmless and ambled off with her lambs in tow.

A Devon Longwool ewe and her two lambs are walking away from the person taking the photograph. They're in a green pasture with wild flowers scattered through the grass. In the distance, green hedgerow and trees. The sky is mid-blue with vague cotton wool clouds.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· May 28

Crisp, just off-dry and chilled, this went down well over that hot BH weekend; alcohol free but certainly not flavour or pleasure free.

A crown-capped bottle of Wild Coast Cider 0%. The bottle's clear glass, showing a light amber coloured drink.

team NotLeafy@teamnotleafy· May 27

‘Catnomics’: how Japan’s feline fixation has become an industry worth billions" Cat bait? Never mind the short piece, want those plates! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...