• Home
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

Cocktail Tasting at Tapas Revolution

Almost a year ago to the day I was invited to the launch of Spanish restaurant Tapas Revolution in the newly revamped Grey’s Quarter of Intu Eldon Square.  Since then, Grey’s Quarter has become a destination for those seeking quick, easy access to great quality food and drink in Newcastle and it’s not just Spanish food on offer either.  The addition of The Alchemist has ensured that Grey’s Quarter stays open long after store closing time and has meant that surrounding outlets have had to seriously up their game when it comes to their drinks menus.

Fast forward to a year after an evening of tapas tasting and I’m back at Tapas Revolution for the intimate launch of their brand new cocktail menu which aims to offer something for everyone, along with a flavour of Spain…

Bo and I arrived at Tapas Revolution fresh from another launch event and were a little flustered.  We were greeted by our Bar Tender Marco and shown through to a private booth in the bar area of the restaurant which looks out over Old Eldon Square – it’s only a little thing, but it makes eating or drinking in the shopping centre a way more attractive prospect when you can actually see outside.  Once we were seated and decidedly less flustered, we were given a menu and asked to select three cocktails each which we decided to drink in rounds, rather than have on the table all at once.

Blogger Pixie Tenenbaum wears vintage tartan pringle golf pants with a faux fur coat to Tapas Revolution at Intu Eldon Square Newcastle
Pixie tenenbaum Cocktail tasting at Tapas Revolution

First of all let’s address my awesome outfit, I wore vintage Pringle golf trousers with a topshop tee and a super cosy faux fur tee, might not sound like much but these are literally my current favourite trousers so any excuse I get to talk about them, I’m taking it.

On to the drinks.  The menu has had a significant revamp and it’s split into the traditional Spanish style Gin and Tonic menu which I was thrilled to see included two of my most favourite and difficult to find gins, Larios and Xoriguer (if you haven’t tried Xoriguer gin I urge you to find it, you’ll never look at a bottle of Hendricks again) all served with Fevertree tonics of varying flavours. Next to that you’ll find the cocktail menu, there are eight Spanish inspired cocktails to choose from and a selection of three Sangrias.  Cocktails vary from short to long and each has a strong vacation vibe in that you could easily imagine yourself sitting on Sant Tomas Beach watching the waves roll in sipping on one of these bad boys.  Even though the menu is concise, it’s difficult to make a choice because they’ve managed to select drinks that are very different from one another but you know, in the name of duty we managed it.  We went for:

ESPRESSO BLANCO MARTINI £8.50

Espresso Blanco Martini, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
ESPRESSO BLANCO MARTINI £8.50

Served in a traditional Martini glass, this smooth drink comprises Veterano brandy shaken with cold brew espresso, milk, dark chocolate liqueor, Kahlua and Frangelico.  Basically all the sugary alcohol that tastes like no alcohol at all.  It’s super easy to drink because of the added milk which makes it smooth and not as bitter as some Espresso Martinis you’ll find in Newcastle.  This was my favourite and truth be told, I ended up having three.

PASSION FRUIT & MARZIPAN BATIDA £8.50

Passion Fruit & Marzipan Batida, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
PASSION FRUIT & MARZIPAN BATIDA £8.50

A blend of vanilla and marzipan flavoured vodkas, condensed milk (yes really), tigernut milk and passionfruit juice shaken with pimento dram and Disaronno amaretto to create heaven in a glass.  This was Bo’s favourite and listen up Voyeurs, they should rename this one Lethal Weapon, it’s stealthy because it’s like sippin’ on a more-ish shake.  Creamy yet refreshing.

PIMENTO & MANDARIN DAIQUIRI £8.50

Pimento & Mandarin Daiquiri, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
PIMENTO & MANDARIN DAIQUIRI £8.50

A short cocktail served in a short stem class with a blend of Bacardi rum, mandarin, melon and pimento dram, shaken with caramelised pineapple and lime.  This one tastes as it sounds, it’s a little bitter and whilst it’s less exciting than the two above, it’s still a refreshing cocktail.  What you won’t expect though it the crunchy pieces that sit in the liquid, those tiny pieces of caramelised pineapple and lime give this drink some much needed bite.

BLOOD ORANGE & CHERRY ROYAL £7.50

Blood Orange & Cherry Royal, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
BLOOD ORANGE & CHERRY ROYAL £7.50

Another short cocktail vibrant in colour and topped off with fresh mint which I couldn’t help nibbling on.  this one has Larios gin, blood orange, aguardiente de cerezas, pimento dram all shaken up with lemon and topped with cava to cut through the sweetness and add a touch of fizz.  If there’s a drink that tastes like vacations by the sea then this is it, refreshing to the core and definitely one that looks as sophisticated as it tastes.

After we were cocktailed out, we opted for a jug of Sangria, the menu offers a choice of four typical Spanish Sangrias and one Skinny Sangria with 30% less sugar than the others.  We opted for a Sangria with a rose wine base.

BLOOD ORANGE ROSE SANGRIA £16

Blood Orange Rose Sangria, Tapas Revolution Newcastle

Made with rose wine, blood oranges, grapefruit, lemon, orange and lime, this offered a lighter, fresher, more citrus alternative to the traditional Sangria which is made with pineapple, strawberry and other fruits.  Not sure what to expect after conjuring images of drinking Sangria to excess in our high school days, Marco arrived at our table with a jug, a wooden spoon and two tumblers.  As you no doubt know, Sangria gets way stronger the further down the jug you get, no matter how much you stir it.  I stuck to the top of the jug whilst Bo demolished the bottom half.  As a Sangria it’s very unexpected, it’s light and refreshing, where some can be very dark and quite difficult to detect the alcohol, this one had a citrusy top note with a definite rose taste to it.  Pleasant and most definitely Spanish.

When it comes to pricing, the drinks are at the cheaper end of the scale for cocktails and that’s most likely because the primary function of tapas Revolution is as a restaurant.  However, you can visit just for drinks without buying food and even better, if you visit between 12-7pm Sunday to Friday jugs of Sangria are half price, cocktails are 2 for 1, and Larios gin and tonic is also 2 for 1.  That’s way more than a Happy Hour, that’s a Happy Day, and you can’t say fairer than that.

Pixie

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

The Alchemist comes to Newcastle

It’s been a long time coming but The Alchemist is finally ready to open its doors to the people of Newcastle.  Taking up residence in the newly revamped Grey’s Quarter of Intu Eldon Square, The Alchemist has certainly had a buzz about it for what feels like a very long time.

I got the chance to have a snoop inside of this gorgeous (very dark) venue to find out exactly what you can expect from Newcastle’s latest, and most hotly anticipated bar….

The Alchemist 6

The dark, gothic surroundings are par for the course with The Alchemist, the Newcastle opening marks the ninth Alchemist in the UK and each follows the same design plan.  The Alchemist’s strong selling point is the magical cocktails its molecular mixologists create.  Claiming to be masters in the dark arts of mixology and demons in the kitchen, each cocktail is prepared with presentation in mind and a devilish dash of theatre.

Screen Shot 2017-03-21 at 17.37.20

The 6600 square foot space will operate as an all day venue offering food, drink and their famous alchemy cocktails to visitors to the city of Newcastle.  You’ll already know that The Botanist  has seen huge success since its opening in the city and Living Ventures Group, the former parent holding company of The Botanist and current parent holding company of The Alchemist, are hoping the new addition can capitalise and improve on that success.

The Alchemist 1

Inside theres a nod to the secrecy of the prohibition era, but not like a traditional speakeasy, more like a den of iniquity.  The Alchemist explores everything that is dark and mysterious and invites guests to relish in this enchantment.  With its Deathly Hallows-like logo hanging above the door on the external entrance, it certainly looks magical.

The Alchemist 4

Inside it’s much the same, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped inside the Ministry of Magic with its huge skull and butterfly mural and floor to ceiling back bar filled with curiosities.  It’s a huge space divided in to zones; there are booths for cosy dining and tall bar tables for cocktail nights.  Swathed in dark walnut wood and gold all bathed in soft, dim light, The Alchemist is certainly a destination bar for the city.

The Alchemist 3

Ahead of The Alchemist’s official launch, magical invites were sent out with a secret panel which had to be heated with fire to reveal details of the launch event – a great indication of what’s to come no doubt.  Capitalising on the unknown, the people behind the Alchemist have generated a buzz only seen in Newcastle before the launch of The Botanist.  I have no doubt that the Alchemist will be inundated with visitors from the city and further afield – I’ll be at the official launch event next week to bring you more from the place when it’s in full swing!

The Alchemist 5

With so many awesome bars and restaurants opening in Newcastle, it looks like this already awesome city just got better……. and a little more magical.

Pixie xo

Internal images by Head Photography.

Categories: Uncategorized

British Street Food Festival comes to Newcastle

The finest traders in Britain (and beyond) have been cooking up a storm to win the British Street Food Awards since 2010, but this year they’re being joined by live music curated by Universal Music, street food crazy golf, live reviews of the food pages from some of the best journalists in the country and the world’s first aroma DJ – at the British Street Food Festival. 

The British Street Food Festival will be setting up shop in some of the country’s most perfect ‘found’ places. Whether it’s under a circus tent in Cardiff, by a barge of fireworks on the docks in Leeds or a mystery location on the Cornish coast, they will all be spectacular parties, with food and live music at their heart.  The most exciting part is that this year the Food Festival will hit our very own Boiler Shop in Newcastle!  Already known for it’s monthly Steamer events which are often sold out, the Street Food festival will see the hottest culinary talents from the UK all under one (amazing) roof in the glorious North East.

11312851_1038527822825392_6844247986947534338_o
11313115_1017987598212748_6921424637839214563_o
11145071_1017987641546077_5044195478436053529_o

2015 is proving to be an exciting year for British Street Food, as they continue to grow the movement – franchising street food brands for London’s Euston Station (opening this spring), as well as running the world’s first street food mall at Leeds’ Trinity Kitchen.  This year will also see organisers driving a street food roadshow across Scotland and the North of England with British Land, and later this year, taking over the country’s pub kitchens.

But the British Street Food Awards is where the exciting grass roots level stuff happens, it’s where we get to see new and  emerging talent in this constantly growing arena.  So, as well as new kids (like The Cake Doctor, who bakes and decorates his sponges in an ambulance, and a man who makes pizza on a bike), you can expect to see the very best from previous years.  Including the overall winners of British Street Food Awards from the past four years who are back this year in an attempt to reclaim their crown.

“Everything about this year is a step up. The music will fold around everything that we’re trying to do. There’s new holes on the street food crazy golf, and the entertainment – from a beer/food matching experience to a high-end food quiz – will blow your mind.” – Richard Johnson, British Street Food Founder

_R139648-1280

If you’re not based in the North East then fear not, the British Street Food Festival will be touring the UK eventually stopping in London for the final in September.  Each location will be fed by the best street food traders from Britain and beyond, competing for the British Street Food Awards. The public will be able to buy sharing plates from each of them, and then vote for their favourites on the British Street Food app. (available now in the App Store and Google Play)

……. And if you are in Newcastle, I’ll see you in the line for The Rib Man!

British Street Food Festival Locations and Dates 2015:

CENTRAL AND EAST HEAT: Oxford 1-4 May

WALES AND THE WEST HEAT: Cardiff 5-7 June

NORTH AND SCOTLAND HEAT: Newcastle 18-19 July

SOUTH HEAT: Cornwall 28-31 August

THE FINAL: London 25-27 September

Pixie x

Categories: Uncategorized

Cocktails at The River Bar

I was invited to the launch of the new cocktail menu at The River Bar in Washington this week and having fond memories of the place from back in my school days, I was keen to go along and see how it had changed.

Seeing as the launch day was pretty blinking gorgeous, I threw on a pale pink tulip wrap skirt (recently gifted to me by a rather fabulous designer), a Topshop tank, a simple Mulberry clutch and my worn to death (but still my favourite) KG by Kurt Geiger shoes.

IMG_3019 IMG_3013

I rounded up Mama Tenenbaum and off we set.  The River Bar is in Fatfield Village in Washington and sits right at the side of the river Wear, when we arrive I’m amazed at how much the place has changed.  It’s a dual business venue (same owners) with The River Bar occupying the downstairs space and Fiume, an Italian restaurant, on the first floor.  The building itself has real presence, there’s a huge outdoor terrace area to the front and side, part of which is covered over and there are lots of exotic plants, first impressions are great.

IMG_3023 IMG_3120

Once inside, we’re directed to a private function area where we’re handed a Gin Genie and a well presented, US inspired cocktail menu, we’re told to order whatever we want, in whatever quantities we want and to simply “get tasting!”  It has to be said that the cocktail menu is impressive, it houses the widest selection of cocktails I’ve seen under one roof since I was last in Miami, all US inspired and each with a description of what to expect and some great Deep South styling and photography.  The Gin Genie for example: A sophisticated mix of Gin and Cointreau, lengthened with apricot & mango juices.  Sounds pretty awesome right?!  Bingo!  It was every bit as good as it sounds and came topped with an edible flower and an Alice in Wonderland type straw, how’s that for presentation?!

IMG_3024

The interior of the River Bar is achingly cool, railway sleeper walls give it that real laid back modern feel and there are semi private booths on the left as you enter.  There’s a resident DJ who plays from here most nights and the chillout music is great, even Mama T approves and trust me, she’s hard to impress.  The bar is split level and there are several ‘zones’ throughout, it’s a pretty big place and we’re told that there’s a huge refurbishment planned for the outdoor area to bring the aesthetic in line with the speakeasy inspired interior.  The area that we’re in is roped off and there’s a huge table designed to look like the lid of a grand piano, above it is a huge light feature made from trumpets, it’s a real centrepiece and looks amazing.  From this area guests are able to walk out to the rear terraced area and as we look out, there are plenty of people sitting out in the sun enjoying cocktails and nibbles.  There are steps down to a smaller, more private bar area here, the front of which is decked out with wood to great effect and there’s a tiled area just around the bar area, i’m a sucker for eclectic tiles, especially in bars.

IMG_3103 list_sh0b7392 list_sh0b7380 list_sh0b7395 IMG_3133

On the other side, in the main bar area, there’s one long bar (great for packed nights) and ample seating and standing room, there’s also a little snug area further through towards the restrooms and all of this looks out on to the river, it’s a pretty amazing setting actually and it’s easy to see why the place is so popular amongst all age ranges.  There’s also a US inspired food menu which was launched in February to great success and we’re treated to various different kinds of burgers throughout the night.  Personally I detest burgers but I ate three of these ones and would definitely go back for more so they must be out of this world if they passed the Pixie Test.

IMG_3060 IMG_3041

Back to the cocktails.  When you see the menu, you’ll understand why we weren’t able to try every single cocktail on it, but we gave it a good shot and between us we sampled;

A Bubbleberry Daiquiri: Raspberry vodka, Chambord, raspberry puree and bubblegum syrup, topped with popping candy, we all agreed that this had a great crisp clean taste and was very easy to drink.

IMG_3113

The Twister One: Wow, this one is perfect for a warm Summer day, it’s exactly as it sounds, a Twister lolly turned into a boozy cocktail.  A mix of raspberry vodka, Midori liqueur, Kwai Feh lychee liqueur, lemon and raspberry, served in a jam jar with a mini Twister lolly on top!  This was gorgeous, it looked great and tasted better and once we ordered one, everyone else followed suit – yes, it’s that kind of drink.

IMG_3045

Rhubarb and Custard: Home made rhubarb syrup shaken with vodka, raspberry liqueur and cranberry juice topped with custard cream foam.  Named and flavoured after the childhood favourite sweetie, this tastes EXACTLY like it.  An absolute must try.

Cookie Monster: Chocolate cookie syrup mixed with vanilla vodka, Baileys and cream, topped with white chocolate flavoured whipped cream.  This arrives looking just like a traditional American Sundae and looks just like the picture in the menu.  If you’re a fan of Baileys, or Cadbury’s liqueur then this is definitely one for you but be warned, it barely tastes alcoholic despite being laced with the stuff!

Smoked Gingerbread Manhattan:  Now this is a real spectacle drink, Woodford Reserve, Martini Rosso and gingerbread syrup all smoked with whisky soaked woodchips.  Delivered to the table in a bottle with a kiln type lid, the amber coloured liquid sits in the bottom half while smoke swirls around the top half, I’m advised to leave it for a moment or two before pouring over a gigantic ball of ice in a hi-ball glass.  It looks awesome, it tastes divine.  I’m a fan of a smokey old-fashioned and for me, this was better.

IMG_3074 IMG_3088

Texas Zombie: The clue is in the name, this one’s a killer!  Laced with rum, rum and even more rum, The River Bar Mixologists use their Secret Zombie Mix along with pineapple, cranberry and citrus juices to ensure this really packs a punch.  It arrives with a flaming passion fruit on top, yep, literally flaming.  It’s delicious but I advise Mama T to maybe give this one a miss, after all, she does have to go to work in the morning……

IMG_3117

Rum Runner: Santa Teresa Orange Rhum mixed with Passoa, watermelon and tropical juices, served in a half coconut mug and garnished with edible flowers.  A twist on the classic Pina Colada, this has the wow factor when delivered to the table and if you close your eyes, you can almost hear the waves lapping at the shore….

IMG_3056

Raspberry Mojito:  The old classic re-mixed for a new audience, fresh raspberries and Chambord are combined with Havana Club Rum, lime wedges, fresh mint and brown sugar to give a fruit cocktail bursting with fresh zinginess.  come Summer, this will be the staple diet of many a River Bar goer and rightfully so.

Mississippi Mud Pie:  Damn this is good!  Another one that looks like a classic Sundae, with crushed Oreo’s and whipped cream, vanilla vodka and Baileys are blended with vanilla ice cream to give a cross between a cocktail and a dessert.

IMG_3072

Obviously this is just a small selection of what’s on offer at The River Bar, and you may be surprised to learn that we did all of this without even a hint of a hangover, but then we’re seasoned professionals at the old cocktail drinking game and we do it all for you!  If you want to get in on the act, and why wouldn’t you?  The River Bar run Cocktail Club every Thursday where all cocktails are half price which is a great way to get in and work your way through the menu to choose your favourites! The launch itself was a pretty slick and well put together event with mixologists and bar staff on hand to make recommendations based on preferred tastes and guide you through the menu, and with service like this, there’s no doubt the place will be jam packed throughout Summer.

I know I’ll be back for more and next on my hit list to try list is the Hoochie Mama, according to staff it’s probably “the best drink we’ve ever created.”  sounds perfect, I’ll take two…..

Pixie x

N.B. No Mama’s were harmed in the making of this feature.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

People will stare, make it worth their while

Pixie Tenenbaum

FASHION VOYEUR
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Subscribe to Fashion Voyeur to get the scoop via Email

HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs
HIBS100

Follow

Pixie Tenenbaum (@PixieTenenbaum) - influencer profile on Dealspotr
dealspotr.com

Categories

  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
  • Models
  • North East
  • Pixie
  • Uncategorized

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

POPULAR POSTS

Blogger Pixie Tenenbaum wearing a dusky pink Gunne Sax dress at Beadnell Towers Hotel

What I Wore: Gunne Sax Prairie Dress

Introducing Muse by Berta at Si Bridal

What I Wore: To Boost My Inner Body Confidence

Follow @pixietenenbaum

David Koma reminding me that Neon Nights are the b David Koma reminding me that Neon Nights are the best nights 💙
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#lfw #dk #davidkoma #neon #bfc #fashionweek #fashionmonth #lindonfashionweek #londonfashionweekrelaunch #ss22 #aquaticcentre #fashionvoyeur #pixietenenbaum #neonnights
Cher giving simplicity style king vibes. In a time Cher giving simplicity style king vibes. In a time when Studio 54 reigned supreme, the music was great & the fashion was better 🖤
.
.
.
.
.
#cher #simplestyle #studio54 #styleinspo #fashioninspo #fashionvoyeur #longhair #blackandwhite #fashionshoot #pixietenenbaum #jeans #jeansandanicetop
Remember the 90’s when fashion was simpler? It w Remember the 90’s when fashion was simpler? It was all@about rebellion & thinking that you weren’t following trends (even though we know that everything we wear is almost programmed into us from the runway - whether we accept that or not).
Here’s Cameron Diaz at the Cannes Film Festival when Instagram didn’t exist & the fashion was insane
.
.
.
.
.
#90scool #90sfashion #fashionmonth #camerondiaz #cannesfilmfestival #lfw #nyfw #pfw #mfw #fashionista #style #effortlessstyle #00sfashion #00sicon #fashionvoyeur #pixietenenbaum #themask
Fashion Month incoming…. It’s the time that I Fashion Month incoming….
It’s the time that I revisit all of the icons, all of the best, most amazing images in fashion history.
Spent hours today poring over images of Kate Bush today for an article about her style, how fashion influences her many personas in music, her performance art & how she pretty much moulded the career of Tori Amos. Just phenomenal.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#babooshka #katebush #thiswomanswork #toriamos #fashionicon #iconic #style #musicicon #fashionmonth #fashionweek #lfw #londonfashionweek #wutheringheights #pixietenenbaum #britishicon
Moody skies over The Witchery today. I don’t kno Moody skies over The Witchery today. I don’t know about you but I think it looks pretty special with storm clouds swirling above it…. 🖤
.
.
.
.
.
.
#thewitchery #mynortheasthome #northeasthomes #northeast #mynortheast #beautifulnortheast #fashionvoyeur #pixietenenbaum #stormyskies #stormclouds #magnoliatree #sashwindows #mygeorgianhome #georgianhouse #copperroof
JLo making a strong case for capes over everything JLo making a strong case for capes over everything this Fall. 
.
.
.
.
.
.
#jlo #jenniferlopez #brocade #cape #dolcegabbana #fashion #style #fashionvoyeur #fashionover50 #ageless #jlofashion #altazurra #altamoda #italianfashion

Copyright © 2022 · Theme by Blog Pixie