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Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

Orangegrass Thai VIP Re-Launch

When you’re seeking out a place to try real, authentic Thai food, there’s one sure fire way to pick yourself a winner; look for where Thai people dine.  It’s an easy cuisine to get wrong, and with Thai food having a moment right now there seem to be more and more Asian inspired restaurants, food festivals and pop ups on the scene with only a select few hitting the spot.  When it’s done right, it’s different to what you might expect, there’s no ‘jammy’ consistency, artificially over sweetened sauces or over boiled rice.  That seems to be the British interpretation of Thai food and it seems to be pretty widely accepted as being accurate.  That is until you taste the real thing….

I was invited along to the VIP relaunch of Orangegrass Thai in South Shields and I must confess, I’d never actually heard of the place and when I arrive, it becomes clear why.  Orangegrass Thai is like a secret society, it’s completely off the beaten track and from the outside, it hides in plain sight, like a Thai speakeasy, you’d never know the place was there – unless you knew.  It’s so stealthy in fact, I doubt I’d ever find the place again without GPS; but then I like a place that feels so secret, like you’re part of an elite regiment of diners.

The soundtrack for the evening was provided by North East singer Annabel Pattinson, if you’ve never seen her play then you’re seriously missing out, with a full repertoire of covers and some awesome original songs, she’s another secret I’m spilling and she’s playing a stand alone gig at Newcastle’s O2 Academy on Friday June 2nd.  Finish reading this, then go buy tickets – you can thank me later.

Pixie Tenenbaum Orangegrass Thai Relaunch
Image c/o Annabel Pattinson
Image c/o Annabel Pattinson

I arrived to a champagne reception and an open bar, sadly I was driving but I did sincerely enjoy other revellers getting more and more intoxicated as the night went on.  I shared a table with Luxe magazine and in between courses we were entertained by Ryan Phelps, The British Hustle, who I’m convinced is an actual wizard.  With tricks I’ve never seen before and a cool, calm demeanour, this guy is straight out of Hogwarts with first class honours.

Image by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography
Image by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography
Image c/o The British Hustle
Image c/o The British Hustle
Image by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography
Image by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography

 

So, what you really want to know about is the food right?  It’s good Voyeurs.  Damn good.  Like I said, you can get the measure of anywhere claiming to serve food authentic to it’s origin by the people who dine there, as Orangegrass’ staff is made up almost entirely of Thai people, the food is absolutely authentic.  Everything from the ingredients, the spices and creams, to the presentation – expert chefs carve flowers out of vegetables to top each plate, seriously, the attention to detail is incredible.

Orangegrass Thai Relaunch 1
Images by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography
Images by Chris Ord, XtraOrdinary Photography
Orangegrass Thai Relaunch 3

We were served a selection of the most popular dishes including curry shrimp, green curry vegetables and a divine chicken dish.  Where the menu really shone though was with its beef dishes, there were two available to try on the evening but due to having foolishly filled up on shrimp I only tried the Beef Massaman which was by far the best dish I tried.  Not so spicy that the flavour was wiped out, but definitely warming.  For dessert we were served a traditional Thai pudding of  sweet sticky rice bound with coconut cream and although I ate every last bit, it’s one of those acquired tastes where I couldn’t decide whether I liked it or not.

If you’ve been dining out on ‘mainstream’ Thai food then prepare to have your mind blown.  The flavour that comes through with authentic Thai cuisine is crisp and cleane, Owner Titu tells me that the use of coconut milk and cream in Thai cuisine, cuts through the spice to allow the warming feeling but also preserves every inch of flavour in the food.  Try it, join the secret society, make the trip to South Shields and enjoy a taste of Asia for a fraction of the price of some of these hipster fugazis.

Pixie xo

Orangegrass Thai is at 7 Mount Terrace, South Shields NE33 1PN, to book a table call 0191 455 8555

Categories: Uncategorized

Chez Mal Launch at Malmaison Newcastle

Last night saw Newcastle’s elite strutting down the red carpet to the long-awaited launch of Chez Mal at the city’s iconic Malmaison hotel.  The hotel has long been a feature of the skyline on Newcastle’s Quayside and is a firm favourite amongst visitors to our beautiful city because of it’s relaxed atmosphere and fantastic customer service.

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Recently there’s been a movement of change at The Mal, as it’s affectionately known, and it’s all down to one man, new GM Vince Garrington.  Boasting a CV that any hotelier would be proud to have, Vince and his team have brought the Newcastle Malmaison right up to date with a multi-million pound overhaul to the hotel’s bedrooms, brasserie and bar area.  The hotel has long been known for its dark and ambient lounge bar and making a change this big was a bold move by Vince but boy has it worked.  By opening up the window space at the front of the hotel and moving the brasserie into this area, the change is dramatic, light floods in and the views over the Tyne are spectacular.

As most of you know, I’m the Fashion Partner for The Mal and as the dress code for the event was “Dress To Impress” I wanted to make sure I didn’t let the side down.  I wore a Stella McCartney culotte jumpsuit with my trusty Kurt Geiger heels and some simple jewellery with a cute Mulberry clutch (and my signature pompom).

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On arrival guests walked the red carpet and were greeted with a glass of champagne, as far as receptions go you don’t get much better than that.  There was a dedicated press area for guests to be photographed – all a very slick affair and that’s before we even got up the stairs.

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As we made our way to the top of the stairs, we were once again stopped by paparazzi for our photograph with the amazing Chez Mal light installation in the background.  We were again greeted by two gorgeous girls who advised us of the timings for the evenings events, the cocktail station locations and the beauty zone set up.  This is one of the great things about the Malmaison, they really know how to throw a great shindig and every last detail is covered, with thoughtful extras including a Mini Pamper Lounge with a Benefit counter for make up touch ups, a Toni & Guy pop up salon with stylists on hand for hair styling, manicurists from Le Petit Spa just in case you fancied a little sprucing and even the very simple touches like appointing hostesses to keep the evening flowing.

First up, the bar area is amazing, with more than a little U.S. influence, it smacks of New York cool.  Packed to the rafters with fashionistas, bloggers and North East celebrities and personalities, the atmosphere was palpable and one of real excitement.  Local celebrity ITV newsreader and all-round gorgeous person Rachel Sweeney took to the floor to perform a handful of soulful numbers and man can this girl sing!  Styled to rock and sporting an amazing Twenties inspired ‘do styled by Chris Summerly of North East based award winning celebrity hairdressers Hooker & Young.  Being one of my homegirls, Rachel has told me many times before about her previous singing career but wow, the girl got game!

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Local singer Annabel Pattinson performed a set of 14 songs and she’s definitely one to look out for, she’s such a great performer with a really cool look too, no doubt we’ll be seeing more of her.

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Hot on her heels was Essex boy Mark Wright (formerly of ITV2’s The only Way is Essex) who put on a 90’s DJ set (surely the best era for music, right?!) and was then promptly mobbed for selfies by baying fans – he willingly obliged of course, even pausing to clean someones camera at one point, well if you’re gonna be photographed it’s got to be perfect, am I right?!  Scarlett Moffatt and her family from the hit TV show Gogglebox also attended the event and they’re straight up hilarious.  I can honestly say that I’ve never watched a single episode of Gogglebox, but after meeting Scarlett, I just might.

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Other local celebrities in attendance included the always amazing Ashleigh Money Saver, Katie Cutler, PR to the North East A-List Claire Barber, Anna Harding and Matt Bailey from Capital FM’s breakfast show, ITV Weatherman Ross Hutchinson and Krispian Kardashian who owns an actual vineyard and is about to be knighted (OK, that last part MIGHT not be true).

One thing that sent partygoers into a frenzy was the arrival of Sting, sporting a full beard and looking dashing he posed for pictures with fans and spoke to guests commenting that both the hotel and the party looked great, before slinking off into the night, possibly looking for Roxanne.

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Lets talk about the food, trust me, at the risk of sounding like a cliché, you will have never seen an event with a spread like this!  I get around a bit, covering Fashion Month in London, Paris, Milan and New York and this was right up there with the best of them.  With charcuterie, carvery, fish and dessert stations at various points around the brasserie all tastes were catered for and the presentation was impeccable.  Constantly topped up and never left looking bare, the food managed to look amazing throughout the entire serving period and with over 250 guests that’s no mean feat.  Even Sparky, who’s a tricky customer, said that the food at the Malmaison Newcastle beats any restaurant or hotel he’s ever been to so there’s a big high-five right there.

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In a genius move there were dedicated cocktail bars scattered around the bar area so guests were never far from their next tipple and with several varieties on offer including virgin cocktails for those who were driving, there was literally something for everyone.  In addition to this there was a regular bar serving craft beers, wines and champagne all courtesy of the hotel.  Huge kudos to the barman with the killer dance moves too.

As far as launches go, and I’ve been to a few both in the UK and further afield, in terms of atmosphere, organisation and event planning, this was honestly one of the best I’ve ever been to.  But that’s the thing about the Mal, they don’t cut corners and they don’t do things by halves.  Vince and his team pride themselves on their service and it really shows, that’s not some schmaltzy statement made by the hotel, it’s something that’s evident from the outset and that everyone was talking about.  From the hostesses making sure that everyone had a drink, to the GM personally thanking guests for attending, it’s the little things and the Mal are definitely good at remembering the little things.

As a hotel, everyone from the North East knows The Malmaison but by broadening out into a real destination The Malmaison have increased their brand power and opened up to a whole new market.  With Cafe Del Mar DJ’s providing entertainment the vibe is cool and chilled, there’s no pressure and it’s not stuffy at all.  It’s the type of venue you could arrive at and stay all evening, literally, you could book a room and roll upstairs afterwards.  If you’re thinking of switching up your nights out and your bored with the same old scene in Newcastle, give Chez Mal a try, whether you go there for dinner or for late night drinks, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Also, I heard the goodie bags were to die for but like Cinderella I forgot something on my way out of the party.  However, unlike Cinderella, I left with both of my fabulous shoes…

Pixie x

 

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Pixie Tenenbaum 2024

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People will stare, make it worth their while

Pixie Tenenbaum

FASHION VOYEUR

Freelance Fashion and Beauty Writer
Currently taking review slots
Hire Me: pixie.tenenbaum@gmail.com

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RION Magazine Fashion Editor

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Copywriter/Editor/Proofreader/Journo in fashion, fashion history & language Currently: Fashion Ed @rionmagazine & @so.edited.co Fashion Innovation @shopbyshape

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pixietenenbaum Pixie Tenenbaum @pixietenenbaum ·
7 Feb

Nah bro

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itgirlenergy linda‎‎ @itgirlenergy ·
29 Jan

Angelina Kendall closing the Jean Paul Gaultier couture ss25 show...the bride 👰‍♀

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jacquemusx Kea @jacquemusx ·
29 Jan

To anybody doubting Glenn Martens’ abilities now that he is set to lead a big Couture house, Exhibit A:

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