Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Fashion, North East

Grey Goose Ice Bar at STACK Newcastle

The Ice Bar slid back into Newcastle this week for its second term at STACK, this time with a shiny new sponsor in the form of Grey Goose Vodka and making its grand entrance with a New York theme.

That’s right, everything inside has a nod to the city that never sleeps and it’s just fabulous.  From the huge to the very tiny, there’s something to capture your attention for every single one of the twenty minutes you get inside and it’s all been painstakingly carved out of, or encased in ice.

New York Nicks Basketballs encased in ice in the New York themed ice bar at STACK Newcastle in January 2020

We were invited along on launch day to check it out.  When you arrive you sign in at a welcome cabin and you’re given vouchers dependent on which package you’ve booked – we were there for the basic entry deal, a simple entry to the Ice Bar, shot of something from the bar and a hot chocolate after leaving.  After signing in you’re given gloves and a faux fur hooded cloak to keep you toasty once inside.

You enter the Ice Bar in groups which are pre-booked online so it’s never overcrowded and the numbers are controlled in order to maintain the temperature inside.  Once you get in there you’re immediately faced with ice, and a lot of it.  You  round a corner into the bar and it opens out into what’s actually a pretty big space.

Inside the New York themed Grey Goose Ice Bar at STACK Newcastle

The bar itself is completely carved from ice, as are the glasses the shots are served in.  The toffee Schnapps served as the drink included in the entry fee is simply divine, it’s made fresh on site each evening by the bar staff specially for the event to a recipe they “just came up with”.  There’s also a non-alcoholic apple version available for kids (or adults who just fancy it) and I have it on good authority that that’s pretty amazing too.

Shot glasses made of ice at the Ice Bar in STACK Newcastle in Jan 2020

So what can you expect to see inside the Ice Bar and is it worth going back if you visited last year?  Well, yes actually.  It’s better.  I’d say it’s a lot better.  Firstly, this time everything is tied up with a theme so it makes more sense, secondly there’s a designated seating area and it’s decked out with rugs so if you want to just sit, you can.

The main focal point is the Friends set piece and sofa, it’s the definite Insta zone of the Ice Bar and the lighting around it is so much better than it was in there last year so make a beeline for that if you get in there this year.  There’s some sporting memorabilia in there too in the form of the baseball bat with which Babe Ruth scored his first ever home run and it’s fully encased in ice.

The famous blue Manolo Blahnik pumps given to Carrie by Big in Sex and The City are in the ice too as well as some Tiffany jewellery and there’s a Yellow cab carved out of ice which looks really slick.  Oh, and it just wouldn’t be NYC without Lady Liberty in there now would it?

The Statue of Liberty carved entirely from ice on display in the Grey Goose Ice Bar at STACK Newcastle

After twenty minutes are up, and trust me you’ll be feeling it at sub zero temperatures, you’re ushered out in your group and directed to the end of the bar where you’re served hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows and given the option of mingling with the masses at STACK or heading to the Warm Room at the opposite end of the DJ stand to defrost fully.

Overall, it’s a fun activity, doesn’t take up a huge amount of time and doesn’t cost a fortune.  Check it out while it’s here, it’s not around for long.

Pixie

TICKET PRICES

Mon-Thurs (Off Peak) / Fri-Sun (peak)

STANDARD ADULT — £10.00 off peak /£15.00 peak

Includes Entry
Jacket and Glove Hire
Ice Shot (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
Hot Chocolate

PREMIUM ADULT — £15.00 off peak / £20.00 peak

Includes Entry
Jacket and Glove Hire
Ice Shot (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
Hot Chocolate
Glass of Prosecco or Bottle of Beer

CHILDREN — £6.00 per child

No Under 7’s are permitted in the Ice Bar

Includes Entry
Jacket and Glove Hire
Ice Shot (non-alcoholic)
Hot Chocolate

FAMILY TICKETS — £30.00 off peak / £38.00 peak

A family booking can be made consisting of 2 adults and 2 children.  More children can be added for £6.00 per child.

Includes Entry
Jacket and Glove Hire Ice Shot (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
Hot Chocolate

Categories: Lifestyle, North East

Boojie Burger at Stack Newcastle

Stack Newcastle has firmly established itself as one of those ‘must visit’ places in the city centre.  The double level container village with its imposing black facade is a lot more welcoming than the initial plans may have led you to believe.  Strung with modern bare bulbs and industrial scaffold style seating, it’s a little bit of Shoreditch right here in the centre of Newcastle.  It even has a roof (of sorts) fitted now so you can revel in the elements as long as you like.

an image showing the front of Stack Newcastle pop up container village in newcastle Upon Tyne

At Stack it’s downstairs for dancing and upstairs for er, eating – so a little different to that age old saying your granddad taught you.  On the top deck you’ll find a smorgasbord of eateries and owners Danieli Holdings have tried to fill units with independents from all over the region providing something for every taste.  There’s one ‘restaurant’ style closed unit in the corner called Cluck Cluck Moo which works in a similar style to Nando’s (except the food is better), you can read my full review here.

When we were invited back to review the latest vendor to the top deck, Boojie Burger, we jumped at the chance.  Now, this isn’t our first visit to Boojie burger.  It’s not even our second.  It’s actually our third.  We’ve visited twice previously (as paying customers) during press events at Stack where we stayed behind afterwards to eat, this was before they’d fully refined their menu so this visit was the first time we’d tasted anything from their brand spanking new menu, which they feel is their best yet and has been developed specifically for Geordie tastebuds.

The servinge hatch at Boojie Burger Stack Newcastle

We arrived to a warm welcome and a reserved table with a lovely lightbox on it displaying my name – a really nice little touch I thought, something that would be great for kid’s parties, bachelorette parties or other similar events.  What we also quickly realised is that Boojie Burger has prime viewing for entertainment at Stack, no matter where you sit, you get a great view of any music or performance acts on down below – top tip alert.

So, what about the food?  Well the menu is short and concise and very easy to follow, however don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easy choice.  The guys behind Boojie Burger think they’ve sussed out what the people of Newcastle want from a burger which is why they’ve cut out the lengthy menu options and tried to simplify things.  We opted for a Saucy Pig £7 (Bacon, Cheese and BBQ Sauce), a Mexican £7 (Guacamole, Chipotle Sauce and Cheese) and a simple Cheeseburger £6, all of which come with lettuce and tomato as standard fixings.  The seasoned fries £3 were our choice of sides, although there is Halloumi £3 on the menu (which was sold out when we arrived) – we were advised that this is a firm favourite in the Toon so don’t all rush at once!

All food is prepared fresh to order and you’re given a buzzer which lets you know when to return to the hatch to collect.  The burger patties are packed with flavour, juicy but not fatty or oily and satisfying enough to leave you full but not uncomfortable.  The Saucy Pig was Bo’s favourite – topped with bacon and a lick of tangy BBQ sauce to cut though the meatiness.  I loved the Mexican, dripping with avocado and lashings of Chipotle which gave it that temperature and texture difference throughout, not spicy but an absolute joy to eat!  Plankton loved the good old fashioned American style Cheeseburger and despite having an adult’s appetite, a burger and a portion of fries was easily enough to finish him off!

An image showing the full menu of burgers and sides served at Boojie Burger in Stack Newcastle

Food at Boojie Burger is served in recycled cardboard trays, and wooden flatware is available if required although we were more than happy to go at everything with our hands caveman style.  Prices are standard fare for a freshly cooked burger from an independent provider right in the city centre, especially one this good.  In terms of taste, Boojie Burger is easily on par with Meat:Stack who were recently voted the best burger in Newcastle.  It’s still a relatively undiscovered gem with it being hidden in the upper walls of Stack.

I was on crutches at the time of our visit and despite it being incredibly busy, staff were more than happy to assist and help which I think really added to our experience.  We left happy and with full tummies and there’s not much more you can ask for than that.  We’d highly recommend Boojie Burger, especially given its advantageous vantage point in terms of entertainment and yes, there’s even a vegetarian option on the menu.

Pixie

Categories: Fashion, North East

Skull Decorating at Moth Studios

If you know me in real life then you’ll know I have a love of skulls, beetles, bugs and a general interest in the macabre.  Call me weird (I kinda like that), my aunt is a witch and I guess a little of that weird shit rubbed off on me.  I like to think of my back story a little like Maleficent’s, but cards on the table, I’m way darker.

I’m constantly scrolling taxidermy websites and looking to Pinterest for decorated longhorns and roe skulls, if you haven’t looked, seriously, you can find some amazing hand carved, real animal skulls on there if you’re willing to stump up for the extortionate shipping charges.  In America these were common place, we could walk the malls and find these in TJ Maxx and nobody would bat an eyelid, you could go to cattle farms and buy this kind of thing with your food shopping, as long as you were prepared to go through the clean up process yourself.  Here in the UK however, things like this are a little harder to get hold of, unless you know where to look.

I came across Moth Studios as part of the Breeze Creatives group in Newcastle.  This group of creative souls from the North East is housed in a rabbit warren of super cool studios at Bamburgh House.  Owner Sherene has a love and an insane talent for taxidermy and entomology.  Her studio is lined with bugs, spiders, posed anthropomorphic mice, birds and collected animal skulls.  We’ve become friends over the years that we’ve known each other and support each others businesses, it’s a most excellent relationship.  Moth Studios have a pretty unique way of coming up with the goods so to speak, with a massive number of suppliers from all over the UK and further afield, Sherene regularly travels to pick up dead animals, insects and skulls that people have either found, or have had living on farms.  It’s an odd conversation the first time you have it, now it’s just standard; this morning in fact we were chatting about how there’s a robin in the freezer that will make a perfect Christmas themed piece.  Everything she uses has been collected, found or donated and died naturally, that’s the first hard and fast rule of Moth Studios.  Nothing produced in the studio will ever have come from hunted or deliberately killed livestock.

So, after spending time out in the States and seeing this type of thing in American ranches, I promised myself that when I finally got round to overhauling my sitting room, I’d hang some sort of skull in there.  The best part?  With Moth Studios I’d get a hand in create the final product myself.  I booked myself on to one of their Skull decorating workshops and got more and more nervous as the weeks and days ticked by until my class.  What if I wasn’t creative enough?  What if I couldn’t rise to the challenge?  What if I was freaked out by having to actually hold a real animal skull??

I needn’t have worried.  The class is super relaxed and the studio is equipped with everything you need.  From pinned butterflies and peacock feathers to moss and bark, there’s pretty much everything imaginable for decorating your chosen skull type.  Classes are set up for a maximum of 7 people so you get enough time with Sherene if you need specific help with ideas, or anything else.  On arrival you choose one large skull (usually from a roe deer or fox) and one small (normally from a squirrel or bird) then everything else is down to you.

Skulls in hand, I took my seat and pretty much spent 30 minutes just watching what other people did.  After I decided I was going for a flowers and moss kind of vibe; I grabbed some fake flowers, moss and gold foil and set to work.  It’s quite an intense class, especially for someone like me who’s not that visually creative outside the arena of fashion, but once you get in the zone, it’s incredibly therapeutic.  Sidebar, I live with an incredibly challenging disabled child (Sherene will vouch), life gets tough, things get in your head and escaping that is hard.  This class?  Pure bliss for someone who lives their life minute to minute owing to reasons way beyond their sphere of control and influence.  It’s a chance to unwind and the level of focus required means that you have little time for other thoughts to creep in and take over.  Some people take up pottery or knitting, me?  I’m out here painting up skulls and loving every minute.

A decorated roe skull in Moth Studios designed and created by Blogger pixie Tenenbaum at a skull decorating workshop with Sherene Scott in Newcastle. - Fashion Voyeur Blog

Three blissful hours later I’m the proud owner and creator of a pretty awesome roe skull.  Decorated with flowers, feathers, moss, a little barkflower and painstakingly applied gold foil.  I’m proud.  Real proud.  The small skull I left in its natural state, I had an idea to create some kind of bio-zone type thing inside a kilner jar along with some moss, sticks and bark with a pinned butterfly and I was pretty impressed with the fact that I did this within days of bringing the stuff home, rather than leave it sitting, like I’ve done with my gym kit for the last six months.

Next up, bug pinning, I have a feeling I’m going to be a regular here…

Pixie

Categories: Beauty, Fashion, North East

Novellus Aesthetics Clinic Expansion

Fresh off the back of his ‘Highly Commended’ accolade at the 2018 Safety in Beauty Awards, Dr Steven Land is working on his next big project; a clinic expansion for Novellus Aesthetics and a brand new arm of the business for new and existing patients and clients, but more on that later….

For those of you who don’t know, Novellus Aesthetics is a North East born business providing doctor led aesthetic treatments such as Botox, dermal filler and lip filler, alongside results driven facial treatments.  The important part of that sentence?  Doctor Led.  You no doubt already know the potential dangers of seeking injectable treatment on the high-street and I can’t stress how important it is to make sure any aesthetic treatment is carried out by a medical professional, if you want to know more about why, or how to select a practitioner then read this post.

Ok so, the Novellus Aesthetics expansion…

After 12 months of working from a small clinic room in 1 Benton Terrace (a hub for small businesses in Jesmond) and a year of perfecting pouts new and old, Dr Land is taking Novellus Aesthetics to new heights with the addition of a brand new, bigger and better equipped studio clinic; and the launch of Novellus Beauty.  The new clinic is a self contained studio room in the same building, which has been designed to give you the perfect experience from start to finish.

Presented in shades of grey and white, it offers a consultation area which doubles up as a waiting area for patients who come prepared with chaperones to hand hold.  In a nod to the industry, the sofas are decked with cushions in the shape of plump red lips.  It’s a big, spacious room that feels as stylish as a medical environment can.  Because the room has been designed for purpose by Dr Land himself, you’ll find all of the things associated with aesthetic clinics up and down the country, a fridge to keep product fresh, a cupboard to hold stock, a sink because hygiene, a cabinet filled with recommended home use products and obvs THE CHAIR.  Aside from the necessary equipment to do the job to the highest standard, the room itself is minimalist and uses every aspect effectively, the seating area is in front of the window and fragranced locally produced candles.  Painted on the wall and bathed in natural light from the window, is a huge set of angel wings which, on closer inspection, are tinged with silver glitter through the tips.  As far as photo opportunities go, this one is pretty damn good and patients are encouraged to unleash their inner Victoria’s Secret Angel and share their pictures to Instagram following treatment or review appointments.

So, does a better clinic room mean better treatment?  Well, no.  You get the same five star treatment that Novellus Aesthetics have always offered patients, but now you’re in a fresher, more comfortable environment.  In a time where people literally live their lives through Instagram and FaceBook, it makes sense for Novellus Aesthetics to cater to that; the room is undoubtedly slick and current.  It’s definitely clinical, but it’s clean, confident and welcoming, and that’s about as much as you can ask for from someone who’s about to stick needles in your face; that, and a giant pair of angel wings.

In addition to aesthetic treatment, the business will offer beauty treatments in the room next door.  Novellus Beauty, delivered by Beauty Therapist Lucy Adair, will offer a suite of treatments requested by Aesthetic patients over the years including lash extensions, facials, deep tissue massage and HD Brows.  It just makes sense to offer the surface treatments which compliment the superficial treatments and with hair, beauty, aesthetic and personal training businesses all operating out of the same hub, 1 Benton Terrace is becoming something of a mecca for self improvement.

Pixie

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.

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

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