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: Fashion, North East

Exploring Steve Messam’s Hush

Because we made the decision to paint our Batcave and I’m an absolute shocker when it comes to ruining gloss paint.  Seriously, I can’t resist slapping a hand down in wet gloss, or at least a finger, I have to be removed from the area completely for a period of at least eight hours – we took a family trip out to Upper Teesdale this weekend to Bales Hush on the recommendation of my friend Laura from Pop Up Studio.Bales Hush is an old lead mining site on the Raby Estate in County Durham and it’s quite a site to behold anyway – it’s feature within the landscape created when miners worked the hillside by hand to expose a mineral vein, after which the land was flushed with water to reveal what was below.

Now Bales Hush is a huge gouge spanning over 400m in length and up to 20m deep in some places.  It’s an amazing natural feature that you can hike up to and through at any type of year, providing you can manage the terrain.  On Sunday we managed to catch the final day of environmental artist Steve Messam’s ‘Hush’.  A large scale, temporary outdoor art installation which occupied Bales Hush for jus 17 days over the Summer.  Inspired by the landscape, geology and mining history of the area, Hush fills the space with 5 kilometres of recyclable yellow fabric formed into hundreds of sails which flow through Bales Hush in the breeze.

Steve Messam's Hush, a large scale temporary art installation at Bales Hush in Upper Teesdale. Pixie Tenenbaum stands in Bales Hush under the saffron coloured sails. Image taken by Pixie Tenenbaum for Fashion Voyeur

We arrived at Bowlees Visitor Centre having done some advance research into the hike, there’s a much closer carpark at the foot of Bales Hush but we were looking forward to being outdoors and killing a full day with some exploring.  The hike from Bowlees to Bales Hush is around an hour (1.8 miles ish) and is over varying terrain.  None of it is particularly difficult but there are walls to climb over, a river to cross and hills to ascend and descend, so depending on your fitness levels, it may take more or less time.

The views throughout the hike are spectacular.  It’s one of those hikes that looks like it’s been pre-filtered.  There’s a section which opens up on to Christmas Trees which is just breathtaking and every now and again I spot a tiny house in the distance and wonder whether Amazon Prime deliver there.

When we reach the river, I’m tempted to just plough straight through it, then I’m reminded by Bo that I’m only around half way and still have the return journey to do in the same shoes – plus, there’s a very clear and pre-determined rock path set out for people who don’t want to get wet.  We opt for that and power on up the hill to the farm on the other side.

As we exit the farm we get our first glimpse of Hush from a distance.  The sails look like spun gold and the people like ants crawling towards it from here.  The banks either side of the gouge don’t look steep but as we get closer it’s clear to see that it’s an optical illusion.  You can approach Bales Hush from any direction, either the left or right bank, or you can walk straight through the bottom of it and then come back down on of the bank sides when you reach the end.  We did all of the above.  We walked up the left side and then explored through the middle of it – we actually spent quite a few hours up there exploring over different terrain and got caught in rain and some blistering heat too.  If you’re heading up that way, make sure you take a decent pair of shoes and something you can layer up with in case it’s cooler when you get to the top.

The installation itself is just beautiful.  It’s serene and peaceful up there despite being busy with people.  You can’t really get a sense of the scale of it in a picture suffice to say that it’s huge.  You keep walking thinking you’ve reached the end of it and it unfolds its golden sails further and further.  Another thing that’s impossible to convey is the sound; from the top you can’t hear it but once you step into the void and you’re underneath the sails you can hear the rippling of the fabric all around you like a whispering.

A large scale temporary art installation by Steve Messam occupies Bales Hush in Upper Teesdale in County Durham for 17 days over Summer 2019 photographed here by Pixie Tenenbaum for Fashion Voyeur. Large saffron coloured sails fill a natural gouge in the landscape

The hike itself was really enjoyable.  Given that I had hip surgery in April which hasn’t gone entirely to plan this felt like natural rehabilitation and it was great to be outdoors as a family doing something fun and moving around – that’s not something I’ve been able to do for a while.  Even Plankton enjoyed it and it takes a lot to motivate him to do anything, even getting him to put clothes on and leave his room is a chore.  The installation was breathtaking, I found it calming and soothing and loved being above and below the sails, Bo quite enjoyed getting in amongst them and straightening them all out and unravelling them so they could flow properly in the wind and making people’s photographs look nice – well if it keeps him happy right?

Pixie

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

Victoria’s Secret Metrocentre Opening Date!

Ok Voyeurs this is the one you’ve been waiting for, you’ve been to Intu Metrocentre, you’ve walked past those goddamn boards in the Red Mall one million times and you’ve thought to yourself, when will this Victoria’s Secret store just open already!  Well, I’ve been sitting on this one for a while but I was told that my face would be punched clean off my head if I told you early so true to my word, I zipped my lip.  Until now…

Victoria's Secret Logo

The North East’s first ever Victoria’s Secret store is opening on November 14th!  Yes it’s that soon!  We know that it’s big, it’s 10,000 square feet all on one level so its accessible and it will house PINK as well as well as the brand’s mainline lingerie and Victoria’s Secret Sport collections.  We’re promised the usual makeup and body lines that all stand alone stores have too so if you’re already planning stocking fillers or are stuck for gifts then this is an absolute sure thing.  Victoria’s Secret lipglosses, liquid lips and body sprays are all divine, I can vouch.

“We’re delighted that Victoria’s Secret has chosen to expand their UK presence at intu Metrocentre, taking advantage of our 21 million annual footfall. It’s the latest brand to be attracted by the combination of affluent style-conscious shoppers with an eye for premium brands.”  Kate Grant, Regional Managing Director, Intu

So, will it be busy?  You bet!  The annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is filming tomorrow so expect it to be buzzing and you may even get to see snippets of it on the big screen whilst you shop, who knows.  If it’s anything like the other stores (here’s a closer look at London) then expect to see previous Fashion Shows on repeat and you may even get to see some show outfits up close and personal as they do tend to travel from store to store.

No matter what, expect glamour, glitter, long lines and lots of pink!

Pixie

Categories: North East, Uncategorized

Scream Factory Halloween Nights 2018

Frights are in fashion and terror is trending, it’s most definitely the season for haunt couture and with that comes the obligatory Halloween walk through experience.  We brought you the preview of the chilling Psycho Path yesterday, and last night we were invited along to the press and blogger preview night of annual scare-fest Scream Factory where we were given a tour of your favourite horror films old and new, with a few terror cliches thrown in for good measure.

Lead Image of Scream Factory 2018 Halloween Experience featuring killer clowns for Fashion Voyeur Blog

On arrival at Kirkleatham Nursery in Redcar, we make the walk down the tree lined drive papered with posters for missing neighbourhood kids, a prelude to what might be coming our way and a huge clue to the movie Scream Factory 2018 takes its inspiration from.  Once inside it’s a similar set up to Psycho Path, there’s a holding area serving food and drink, in this case pulled pork sandwiches and hot chocolate, Prosecco or poisoned lemonade.  We’re called forward in groups of ten and given a safety briefing before being given once last chance to back out.

Rounding the first corner we’re faced with an impressive set piece called the ‘Tates Motel’ (named after the family behind Scream Factory) and our first, very unexpected scare which literally makes me throw the nearest person in front of me as a human shield and it’s not even a person who arrived with us.  We’re off to a great start and Scream Factory just gets better from there.

It’s literally a roller coaster ride of scare after scare after scare, think hidden doors, windows, curtains, pop ups, anything that gives that dramatic fast scare that makes your heart race and your pupils flare; Scream Factory has it all.  The team behind this annual Halloween Horror Night attraction work all year round building each set piece by hand and dreaming up new horrors to terrify guests with in the hope that you’ll make the journey to Redcar just so they can get your pulse racing.  Let me tell you, it’s worth it.

It’s a different attraction all together to Psycho Path, where Psycho Path is a slow and atmospheric build that plays on its surroundings, Scream Factory draws on everything that is associated with horror.  Haunted houses, fun fairs, clowns and every fan favourite horror movie out there, its deliciously satisfying when it comes to the re-telling, if you make it out that is.

The set pieces throughout Scream Factory are amazing, there are some which have been designed to deprive your senses and are so effective, you come out the other end so disoriented that you actually need a moment before moving on.  Whether it’s the thrill of the funfair and it’s tilted floor, strobe lit rooms or optical illusion rooms, you’ll leave there feeling like you’ve been upside down and literally chased through a live action horror movie.

The section which pays homage to your favourite horror movie including the Jigsaw series (which left me feeling haunted yet again by the time I broke that guy’s nose in Florida), Nightmare on Elm Street, IT, Halloween, Psycho and a couple of other cult movies is spectacularly terrifying.  It’s the type of haunt that’s filled with fast scares as well as those spooky re-enactments including little Georgie’s super softly spoken and uber chilling “Have you seen my boat?”

I don’t want to fill this post with spoilers, it would be so easy to do with this one, because of how much they’ve managed to cram into Scream Factory.  There’s no huge space between scares, you pretty much leave one clear scare zone, before progressing into the next ‘themed zone’ and telling you what they all are would just ruin it for you.  What you do need to know is that it’s definitely worth a visit.  I travelled from Newcastle to Redcar with my sister which is around an hours drive and we felt it was easily worth it, parking is free once you’re onsite and very close to the venue itself.  We talked about it all the way home and loved the references to the horror movies, although if you haven’t seen those movies it definitely doesn’t detract from the experience, you’ll still be utterly terrified in the moment no matter what.

Our advice, go, it’s here once a year, it’s the first year we’ve done anything like this in the UK and we were really impressed at the standard of the acting, the sheer scale of the production and the set pieces and the commitment to the themes.  It’s such a fun night out and it absolutely lives up to the hype.  With tickets starting at just £20 screams really do come true.

Pixie

Follow @pixietenenbaum