Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: The Archives, The Glorious North East, The Lifestyle Edit

The Experimental Diner at Newcastle Castle

The Experimental Diner is a dining concept with the best North East culinary talents at its heart.  It’s a unique way to dine in unusual locations, with taster dishes cooked right in front of you by top notch chefs from around the region.  You know those experience days you can buy?  Well it’s a little like that, if that was region specific and food-centric.  The only way to find out exactly what The Experimental Diner is all about is to go along to one of their hosted events, so that’s exactly what I did…

Newcastle Castle

I was invited to dine al fresco on the roof of Newcastle Castle as part of The Experimental Diner’s Summer offering and I jumped at the chance as it’s not very often that an opportunity like this rolls around.  The castle itself, or what’s left of it, is on the outer edge of Newcastle and we’re left with one perfectly maintained building that’s actually pretty easy to miss amongst the stunning architecture of our city and serves as a reminder to look up once in a while.  Steeped in history, the Keep and Black Gate which make up Newcastle Castle are a rugged reminder of Northern England’s turbulent past.  This was no baron’s stately home.  The Castle was a grim symbol of royal authority, where armies gathered and criminals were imprisoned and executed.  It’s where the story of Newcastle began; the reason it got its name, and the rooftop has some of the most commanding views across the city and the River Tyne.

On a sunny but very windy evening I set off for the castle (in sensible and amazing footwear, as instructed), and was greeted on arrival and taken down into the basement Gaol of the castle for a champagne reception.  Guests had the chance to chat to historians who shared stories about the castle’s rich history (in costume no less) and informed us that this reception room was actually a former prison.  I could think of worse places to be held captive.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

Sadly due to the weather conditions which persisted all evening, al freso dining was deemed unsafe and we were moved to dine in the Great Hall rather than on the roof, still a remarkable setting and decorated beautifully with fresh flowers, lanterns and tealights.  As we took our seats in the U shaped setting, we were introduced to The experimental Dining concept and our chefs for the evening.

The concept itself is simple, a pop up chef’s table that can be moved from venue to venue providing a kitchen environment and essentially turning any venue into a restaurant for the evening.

“We want to bring out The Experimental Diner in everyone by launching our very own pop-up chefs table, bringing this to brand new locations and venues for a truly outstanding culinary experience. With so many beautiful and unique places all over the North East, we want to combine this beauty with some stunning food and give people an extraordinary dining experience that they will never forget; from castles and landmarks, to inside city structures, we want to bring out the best of the North East for all to see!”  The Experimental Diner

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

With Troy Terrington, Chef Patron of Dobson & Parnell commanding the chef’s table for the evening, we were in pretty solid and very steady hands.  One of the great things about The Experimental Diner approach is that you get a chance to see the food being prepared, dished up and served, you get to observe the effort that goes into the presentation and uniformity of each dish and literally experience the heat of the kitchen.  Troy talks us through not only the ingredients of each element of the four course set menu, but also the history of the ancient sourdough used to make the bread that’s provided for the tables, and the buttercream blend used to create the perfect tasting butter.  Sure at £125 per person the tickets are expensive but when you see what goes in to putting one of these events together, it suddenly doesn’t seem quite so bad.

The Experimental Diner Menu

We dined on four courses, engineered to make up the perfect tasting menu.  Not too big but not too small and we were plied with the best sourdough bread I’ve ever tasted for the duration of the evening.  Because I’m a super VIP (or maybe it’s because of my nut allergy), I was treated to my own special nut free versions of the dishes above.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

First up, North Country Beetroot.  Now I gotta be honest here Voyeurs, I really hate beetroot and not just a little bit.  I mean I find it gross and every time I’ve eaten it it’s tasted like freshly ploughed mud.  Bleurgh.  I knew in this situation I’d have to eat it and pretend to like it but actually found myself really enjoying it, it had a fresh earthy taste and paired with the goats curd it was actually pretty damn delicious.  Surprised?  Yeah, me too.

Next Charred Day Boat Mackerel which was caught fresh that very morning, served with heritage tomatoes.  I don’t know what goes into Heritage Tomatoes but damn Troy, they be amazes.  It’s worth mentioning here that despite being a four course menu, these are small enough portions that you’re left satisfied, but you’re not so full that you can no longer ‘taste’.  also, I was on a cleanse programme when I accepted the invite to this event and it met my calorific intake perfectly.

Now for the jewel in the crown of this particular Experimental Diner event, Rare Breed Pork; if this is on the menu at Dobson & Parnell then go try it Voyeurs, it’s divine.  Every single aspect of this dish is perfect, from the uber tender, melt in the mouth pork (something else I’m not usually a fan of) to the darling blue cheese and the potatoes.  Everything combines to compliment each other perfectly, this one really is something special.  The mashed potato is prepared with buttermilk and lemon which has to be tasted to be believed, if you have a favourite place for mash then prepare to have your mind changed.

Lastly, we were treated to a Dark Chocolate ganache, mine was served with, yup, you guessed it: more chocolate.  Whilst it might look like the poop emoji, let me tell you, it was a joy to eat.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

After dinner aperitifs were served which we were took up on to the roof for a little surprise entertainment in the form of a historical re-enactment sword fight!  See Voyeurs, we made it up on to the rooftop eventually and in actual fact, it was the perfect time as the sun was just beginning to set and the light over our gorgeous city was just perfect.  The Experimental Diner is an experience, it’s more than just food.  It’s about being able to access unusual venues to create special experiences with friends and this one was definitely a night to remember.

Fancy checking out The Experimental Diner for yourself?  Sign up to their website or like the FaceBook page to find out about exciting new venues and events, I’m dying to tell you what’s coming next but I’m sworn to secrecy, just trust me, it’s a doozie!

Pixie xo

Categories: The Fashion Closet, The Glorious North East

Glitz & Glamour with Meridith Towne at Q Festival

Gateshead’s inaugural Q Festival is well underway, taking place in a traditional spiegeltent structure that’s been erected right in front of The Baltic on the Gateshead side of the Milennium bridge, perfectly positioned for some epic photographs of some of the best North East landmarks

The timetable for the festival is brimming with awesome and unusual activities for the whole family to enjoy and I was invited along to a fun fashion session called Glitz and Glamour with Costume Historian Meredith Towne.  Admittedly I didn’t know a lot about what to expect from the session or what it might entail, but as a fellow Fashion Historian, I was definitely intrigued.

 

I arrived ahead of schedule to get my first proper look at the spiegeltent and true to Deutsch tradition, it was a solid structure with mirrors all around the outside.  Guests were treated to a popup shop from vintage reseller Trendlistr and crafty goodies from The Crafthood.  One thing it’s worth telling you early on is that the light in the spiegeltent was geared up for a performance so not that great for taking photographs, hence the poor quality of my images.  Bloody bollocks.

Costume Historian and Dressmaker Meridith Towne took to the stage in a 1920’s style dressing gown with her hair pinned in low rolls and from the moment she first spoke I was riveted.  Speaking eloquently and confidently about fashion through the decades in a way that demonstrated not only the fashion that you would typically see, but also the circumstances and social and financial climates.

Towne’s collection of original vintage and hand made gowns is impressive to say the least.  Personally collected, found, and rescued, her vintage wardrobe includes beautiful original pieces such as Juliette caps, flapper dresses and original stilettos (by their intended and true definition).  Towne offers the audience a chance to get up close and personal with the collection at the interval answering questions and making tongue in cheek jokes about her charismatic “glamorous assistant” who doubles up as her mum.

We’re guided through each decade from the 1920’s to the 1970’s with precision, detail and even a little audience participation with Towne’s signature panache.  It’s hard to describe just how incredible this ‘show’ is because I don’t really know how to categorise it.  Somewhere between a talk, a history lesson, a performance and a play, it hits the spot when it comes to getting an insight into how fashion was used to express femininity throughout time and you definitely leave feeling like you learned something, albeit in a super fun way.

From the rebellion of the 1920’s to the end of rationing in 1947 and into the 50’s, Towne’s Glitz and Glamour show includes every major fashion trend synonymous with the decade it appeared in and even a few more.  As a speaker she’s fantastic, engaging from start to finish and very well informed, her ability to pull together a complete, era specific outfit is astounding and the part she plays when on stage only serves to add artistic flair and aids delivery superbly.

I was kindly gifted to tickets to the event because the organiser thought it was right up my street and she wasn’t wrong.  With a face value of £15 per ticket, if you’re a fan of fashion, whether vintage or modern, it’s well worth that and I’ll definitely be looking out for the next in Towne’s series of shows on vintage fashion.

Towne tours the U.K. With History Wardrobe delivering ‘shows’ on a range of topics within the vintage fashion genre including The Art of Power Dressing, 100 Years of Hats, Victorian Lady Cyclists, A History of Shapewear and lots more.  If she’s coming to a town near you then buy a ticket Voyeurs, I promise you you won’t be disappointed, this was one of the best events I’ve been to in a while.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet, The Glorious North East

M.I.A SS17 Campaign Shoot

I’ve been a fan of North East accessories brand Mirror Image Accessories since I discovered it around two years ago, the distinctive llaser cut, Art Deco shapes had me hooked at first sight.  I’ve bought a few Gatsby style pieces from M.I.A and have been lucky enough to have been gifted some too, all of them are vacation staples for me because of the awesome way they reflect light.

Each style is designed in house by owner and designer Ellie and sold via her Etsy store before being packed up and shipped.   Each style is produced in small numbers meaning that whilst you’re pretty unlikely to bump into someone wearing the same item, but also that if you see something and fall in love with it, you’ll need to act fast.  These pieces are a good shout at a family wedding and an M.I.A accessory is always a conversation starter.

Loving the brand as much as I do, I was ecstatic to be asked to front the M.I.A SS17 accessories campaign.  Ecstatic, and super surprised to find out that Ellie is a fan of Fashion Voyeur, if that isn’t the perfect fit then I don’t know what is.

We set about creating campaign inspiration boards and ideas of how we’d create the perfect look to fit the theme of the latest collection.  With an 80’s glam vibe in mind, Ellie pulled together an awesome all female team to shoot the cocktail inspired collection in a Gatsby-esque waterfront cocktail bar in South Shields.

Styling on the shoot was a real homage to the 80’s with huuuuuuuge hair and super colourful paintbox style makeup, think Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting crossed with Young Jenna in 13 Going on 30, and you’re on the right track.  We even worked in some experimental lip stripes to to give the first part of the shoot a modern twist.

With fun pin badges, hibiscus chokers & cute mismatched wooden studs, the SS17 collection is kitsch and adds another dimension to the brand, expanding on M.I.A’s usual 20’s style pieces.  The Flamingo choker is a vacation essential and the smaller pin badges are a dream on oversized denim.  My favourite piece though, is a laser cut deco style necklace that Ellie tells me was born out of an experiment.  Needless to say it came home with me to compliment the other pieces in my M.I.A collection.

The full collection launches in the M.I.A Etsy store very soon but for now you’ll have to make do with my behind the scenes shots from the set.  With a distinct Summer vibe, the SS17 M.I.A collection is full of vacation must-haves, I’ll be wearing the pin badges on a denim pinafore and the mismatched wooden earrings with braids while I’m sunning myself on Sant Tomas beach.

Keep your eyes peeled for the full campaign Voyeurs, it’s due to drop any time!

Pixie xo

Categories: The Beauty Cupboard, The Glorious North East

Makeup Forever Arrives in the North East

If you’re a makeup lover then you’ve undoubtedly heard of pro makeup brand Makeup Forever.  Once a pro only brand used backstage at some of the biggest runway and theatre shows of the 80’s and 90’s, in 1995 Makeup Forever hit the mainstream and became accessible to anyone and everyone who celebrated colour and individuality through a love of makeup.

It’s taken a while Voyeurs, 22 years in fact, but the North East finally has a Makeup Forever concession in Debenhams at Intu Metrocentre.  You’ll find this haven for colour lovers on the ground floor right next to the Kat Von D makeup counter and it’s usually mobbed with cool, edgy peeps looking to grab a slice of the action. Makeup Forever is a brand that most streetwise people will recognise, similar to NYX in confidence and street savvy – it’s quick to respond to the ever changing beauty landscape – but closer in price to MAC.  It’s not your average high street beauty brand.

Makeup Forever is pitching its pan-market suitability with the launch of its 4k Ultra HD makeup range which aims to give a flawless base.  From primer to foundation and concealer, Makeup Forever is working hard to make sure that customer needs are top of the agenda.  I can personally vouch for the primer, there’s a whopping range to choose from depending on your specific skin needs, and if you have dull skin in one area and fine lines in another, fear not; you can purchase all of the primers available in half sizes for around half the price (14.20) of a full sized product.  Meaning that if you need two, it costs you only slightly more than one full sized product (£25.50), leaving you with more cash for a super bright lip paint.

I was invited along to the Makeup Forever concept counter to discover a little more about the brand and get up close and personal with the products and boy did I take advantage…..

With the full counter at our disposal for the evening and an interactive demonstration of how to use the core products to create a flawless (and poreless) base and bright lip, we were invited to try the products on our own skin and find out which was our Hero Product.

As a purveyor of Heroine Chic and a cool purple lip, I’m championing this Acrylic Lip Paint in shade 500 (£17.50) which is a bright lilac, a little goes a long way, it has great colour pay off and amazing staying power.  Topped off with a chalky lilac Ink Liner (£17.50) which is quick drying and long lasting, everything you want in a liquid liner.  The flexible tips in these liner pots are great for creating feline flicks and you can vary the pressure to create thick or micro lines depending on the look you’re going for.

On my list of things to try as soon as I’m out of my current Tom Ford stash, is the Ultra HD Concealer (£20.50) and Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer (£25.50) and that’s mainly because I find concealer to be one of the most tricky products to buy.  Too thick in consistency and it hurts my eyes and too far the other way leaves me looking almost transparent.  This one is thin, but buildable, it seems pretty stable when dry too so none of that weird peeling away you sometimes get with concealer when you try to layer it.

I came away with the Aqua XL Liner in jet Black (£17.50) and the Excessive Lash Mascara (£19.00) but I’ll be back for some Artist Acrylic Lip Paint to add to my collection of luscious lip brights.  If you’re a fan of bright lip colours then you’re most likely in one of two camps: 1. Cheap and cheerful – before NYX, Urban Decay and Makeup Forever became widely available on the high street this was the best option as blue, black and purple weren’t easily found, however, sacrifice quality and can often end up with colour bleed.  2. Quality over cost – Buying a more expensive product often (but not always) means more pigment, better glide and staying power.

These days, you can be somewhere in the middle, with high street and pro brands recognising trends and turning them over faster than regular season collections, it’s never been easier to tap into metallics, high gloss, low sheen, matte, or anything else that filters down from the runway or via a key Influencer’s Instagram.  Fancy trying it for yourself?  Makeup Forever is a good bet, it’s mid way between budget and high end in terms of pricepoint.  If you’re a teenager looking to tap the colour trend then head to NYX for your fix, if you can afford a little more then Makeup Forever is a great place to start.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Glorious North East, The Lifestyle Edit

Afternoon Tea with a Twist

Afternoon Tea has made huge gains in popularity in recent years.  No longer the sport of Sloanes, Afternoon Tea has become something of a regular affair amongst Girl Squads and it’s no longer enough for hotels and restaurants to simply offer it as a menu option.  These days competition is rife and there are some real doozie offerings out there, from themed Afternoon Teas to Tipsy Teas, it’s now about who can offer the best, and most Instagrammable spread.  After all, did it even happen if you didn’t put it on your Instagram Story?

You’ll have read my post about the recent launch of alcoholic tea NovelTea so you’ll be familiar with the concept: Two blends of alcoholic tea, one made with rum, the other with gin, both of which can be served hot or over ice.  It was only a matter of time before they tapped up the thriving Afternoon tea market in the North East and their chosen partnership is one that might leave you a little surprised.  It’s not The Malmaison, or The Vermont, or any other stylish hotel that doubles as a trendy hangout, the guys behind NovelTea have teamed up with Lumley Castle to bring you a Tipsy Afternoon tea with a twist.

I was invited along to the launch event to find out what you can expect from the latest Afternoon Tea offering to hit the North East.  First up, it’s so refreshing to be out of Newcastle for an event like this; the market is overcrowded with restaurants, cafes, hotels and tea houses offering Afternoon tea packages.  Flooding the market in a small area means that quality doesn’t have to be as sharp and so it’s hard to find somewhere in town that does a really amazing Afternoon Tea offering.  Secondly, Lumley Castle is a pretty amazing setting.  Yes, it’s a real castle and with the strapline “No Ordinary Castle” I was keen to find out just what set it apart.

There’s free parking onsite which already puts it in the top half of my table, although it can be tricky to find a space if there’s an event on (I won’t even tell you about the tantrum I had in the carpark).  the castle doubles as a hotel and golf course and once you’re inside it’s easy to see why it’s different to other similar venues up and down the country.  Unmodernised, Lumley Castle celebrates the old.  Staff wear full medieval regalia including headwear and the corridors and staircases are the original stone and iron work, complimented by swathes of burgundy velvet and gold.  As you might imagine from a castle, the place is huge, there are secret corridors and halls that give off Hogwarts vibes but as I was running late due to the tantrum I’m not talking about, I headed straight to the suite reserved for Afternoon Tea.

We were treated to an assortment of finger sandwiches, freshly baked fruit scones (still warm) with clotted cream and jam, and a selection of mini cakes.  All served with NovelTea’s signature blends, The Tale of Tangier, and The Tale of Earl Grey, as well as traditional tea and coffee.

“Afternoon tea has always been very popular here at the castle and as soon as we tried the NovelTea products we knew our customers would love them. As a unique and historic 600 year old venue, we pride ourselves on being no ordinary hotel. Customers love a tipple with their afternoon tea and NovelTea provides the ideal opportunity to enjoy a brand-new experience. With the option to serve the beverages both hot or cold, they are also a versatile product that can be enjoyed all year round. The only difficult decision is deciding which is your favourite!”  Claire Mitchell, Sales Director, Lumley Castle

As far as the quality of the Afternoon Tea goes, it’s a pretty standard offering and has everything you would expect to see including those miniature cakes that everyone goes gaga for.  Served on a three tier plate cage, with vintage flatware, it’s perfectly Instagrammable and the addition of NovelTea only serves to enhance this as it’s served from the bottle – which is included in the price.  I’m no Afternoon Tea connoisseur but in my opinion it’s the NovelTea that you buy this package for.  The freshly baked scones were amazing, I knocked back three slathered in jam and cream, everything else was fine – not amazing and not awful.

In terms of appeal, it’s sure to inspire envy on your Instagram Story, from the regal surroundings to the NovelTea factor (see what I did there?), this “No Ordinary Tea at No Ordinary Hotel” package is pure escapism and makes a nice change to some of the more run of the mill offerings that have become standard Sunday fare in Newcastle.  Plus, who doesn’t want to go exploring in a castle right?!

Pixie xo

Images by Marion Botella

Afternoon NovelTea is priced at £23.95 per person, based on 2 people sharing and will be served with a small bottle of either the Tale of Earl Grey or Tale of Tangier.

To celebrate the launch of their new package, Lumley Castle will be offering the first 20 customers a special 20% discount off a NovelTea Afternoon Tea. To book, email events@lumleycastle.com or call 0191 389 1111

Lumley Castle Afternoon Tea Menu

Assorted Finger Sandwiches:

Ham & Dijon Mustard

Poached Salmon, Cream Cheese & Cucumber

Cheese Savoury with Vine Tomato

Roast Beef & Rocket with Red Onion Marmalade

Scones:

Fruit Scone served with Butter, Fruit Jam and local Clotted Cream

Cake Selection:

Nutmeg Egg Custard Tart

Chocolate Caramel Cupcake

Blueberry & Lemon Cake with Lemon Icing

Rhubarb, Raspberry & White Chocolate Fool

Strawberry Macaroon with White Chocolate Ganache