North East Archives - Page 2 of 12

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Pixie

Hadrian’s Tipi Returns to Newcastle

Hadrian’s Tipi is back in the Toon for the 2017 Christmas season! If you visited the festive Tipi on the Central Station site in Newcastle in 2016 then you’re in for a real treat this time round, it’s back on a brand new site and it’s bigger than ever!

I visited with Plankton for the official launch night and let me tell you, it’s nothing like last year! Hadrian’s Tipi can be found on the infamous old Odeon site at the bottom end of Northumberland Street, right in front of Commercial Union House. This year it comes with a whole Street Food village attached to it all lit up with festive fairy lights.

First up, access for the time being is a funny one, part of the site is still a working demolition zone so to access the tipi we had to walk down Pilgrim Street on one side and then back up the other. Plankton has been psyched about visiting the tipi for days, he’s called it the tutu and the pipi which has made things a little confusing but needless to say, when he saw it all lit up in the dark, I think he almost cried.

We were greeted on arrival with hot cider and mulled wine and before we’d taken two steps Plankton spotted a German bratwurst street food stall and his eyes lit up. We stopped to eat at a long picnic bench where the people either side were in great spirits and chatted to Plankton about his night, he told them he’d only just arrived but was planning on getting very drunk. Yes, he seriously said that. The bratwurst was good, at £5.50 it’s on the expensive side for a hotdog but in line with what you’d expect to pay for festive street food and he ate every last scrap of it so definitely worth it.

The tipi is marketed as child and pet friendly and we saw a few other families taking advantage of the large outside seated area at the back, and in the tipi itself watching the live music, as well as lots of people with dogs. We spotted my lovely pal Imogen from Newcastle fashion label Fash1 so Plankton took the opportunity to pet her adorable pet dogs by the open fire. The majority of people there were there for a night out but don’t let that put you off taking kids, we still had a great time during our visit and I’m biased of course, but the people in Newcastle are the friendliest people you’ll meet.

Launch night at Hadrian’s Tipi was busy. I took Plankton along not really knowing what to expect but the atmosphere there was great, and very festive. From the fir tree garlands inside the tipi to the decorated tipi poles, every effort has been made to ensure that it feels like Holiday season whilst you’re in there. There’s different live music on inside the tipi daily and there are wooden benches and crates to sit on and barrel table tops, if you manage to get in there early enough then be sure to grab a seat by the open fire pit to stay toasty and to create the perfect Instagram capture.

Plankton Tenenbaum drinking R Place White Hot Chocolate at Hadrian's Tipi — Plankton enjoying his White Hot Chocolate

Plankton and I wandered instead of staying static, and enjoyed trying out different foods from the street food sellers, we loved the white hot chocolate from R Place coffee and the American burgers from Fat Hippo and we’ll definitely back for more during the tipi’s 2017 stint. The new location makes it easier for families using the tipi on a weekend too, in fact it’s perfectly positioned for a hot chocolate after viewing the brand new Fenwick Christmas Window.

In or around Newcastle between now and Christmas? Then it’s definitely worth a visit if you want to amp up your festive-ness! Want to know Plankton’s views? His official review: “I thought it was going to be crap but it was actually awesome and I loved it!” Yeah, he’s got a real way with words this one…

Pixie xo

Categories: Beauty, North East

John Lewis Beauty Retreat

If you’ve visited John Lewis department store in Newcastle you’ll know it stands as a flagship shopping destination in the city. Along with Fenwick it offers shoppers everything from fashion and beauty to kitchenware and appliances. What you might not know is that hidden in plain sight, is the Beauty Retreat.

You’ll find this urban sanctuary hidden behind smoked glass at the back of the Beauty Hall and I’ll admit, I thought it housed only the Clarins beauty rooms. What’s actually back there is a little more exciting than that….

I was invited along to the inaugural store specific blogger event aimed at discovering the beauty offerings from the department store giant. You guys know already that I work with John Lewis on a national scale already and my ongoing love for inhouse denim brand AND/OR, but the beauty rooms are actually something that despite being right there in plain sight, are actually pretty easy to miss. I’m here to tell you why they’re worth a visit.

I arrived to a super warm welcome from staff and a live performance from Music Newcastle’s David Ball (seriously, look him up, he’s young, hot and uber talented), our coats were whisked away and we were treated to a champagne reception and canapés that looked way too pretty to eat. Well, I say that but I ate about twenty so maybe not strictly true, anyway, after an introduction from Spa Manager Claire, we were divided into two groups to explore on and off counter products and treatments.

With Taster Treatments on offer from Decleor, ESPA, Liz Earle, Elemis and Clarins we were spoilt for choice but managed to indulge in almost everything going. The Retreat is a calming environment, despite being just yards away from the busy shop floor, it’s easy to find peace and tranquility in the soundproofed rooms. So, what’s back there to aid the stressed out shopper in Newcastle?

DECLEOR

I hotfooted it to Decleor to try out a condensed version of their signature deep tissue massage on back and shoulders and as usual was told that my body is like a block of concrete. Saying that, this girl almost had me sleeping, her firm touch was perfectly pitched for my aching shoulders and had me mentally adding her to my list of Fashion Voyeur approved Massage Therapists.

LIZ EARLE

Next up I headed to Liz Earle’s dedicated beauty room to hear all about the latest limited edition Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish. This cult product introduces a limited blend to its fragrance line up each holiday season, it doesn’t stick around and is always worth picking up, if you’re not familiar with the product then basically it does what it says on the tin. it’s a eucalyptus blended cleanser that you ‘polish’ into wet skin using a muslin cloth and it removes ALL traces of grime, dirt and makeup without drying out your skin in the process. The beauty room offers bespoke Liz Earle treatments that can be discussed and booked on counter in the Beauty Hall.

CLARINS

Clarins monopolises the upstairs space with a large counter and treatment spa which looks out over the store through smoked glass. Therapists were on hand to give pressure point massages in those weird massage chairs that you can never quite get comfortable in. The space upstairs is clinical, contemporary and quiet, despite being right in front of the busy department store. With several treatment rooms at their disposal, the Clarins team have a suite of face and body treatments available to book as solo treatments or as a discounted block.

JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA CLARINS FRONT

ESPA

ESPA are a spa specific brand I know and love, much like Decleor, their focus is on the power of aromatic blends which work deep into the muscles and surrounding tissue. Their friendly Therapist was on hand to provide short massage treatments on the neck and shoulders and talk through the ethos behind the brand in the best smelling treatment room I’ve ever been in. There’s also an Elemis beauty counter in the Beauty Hall with all of those candles you’ve come to know and love (Mama Tenenbaum buys me one every Christmas).

ELEMIS

Elemis was the last treatment room I visited and personally it’s where things unravelled for me, lack of attention to detail meant I was left with muscle cooling gel in my left eye causing blurred vision and if I’m honest, a pretty scary amount of pain, I wasn’t given any water or anything to try to clean it out, just a cotton pad. Unfortunately my eye and the skin around it swelled and was left bloodshot meaning I couldn’t participate in any of the beauty hall counter action and this lasted long after I’d left the Retreat and arrived home. If you’re booking in, maybe specify no muscle cooling gel on the eye area in advance to avoid any mishaps.

Needless to say, the Beauty Hall itself has some great cult brands represented such as Sisley and Creme de la Mer – if you haven’t tried the Creme de la Mer Tinted Moisturiser then hit up the counter for a three day sample pot straight away, it will change your life. Bobbi Brown gave Influencers an exclusive preview of the new 2017 Christmas Collection ahead of its official launch and Chanel were on hand to give lip makeovers with their signature Rouge a Levres shade collection. Something else you might not know about John Lewis Newcastle is that the GHD counter actually offers hair demonstrations with GHD tools; so if you’ve been wondering how the GHD Curve might work on your hair, or how to create the perfect curl with a flat iron, then pay them a visit on the ground floor, the girls on counter are always happy to help.

All in all it made for a pretty awesome night actually, except for the eye mishap which left me flustered and headache-y. The event itself was very well organised and the staff who man the retreat are friendly and knowledgable when it comes to their specialist areas – especially the team manning the Decleor room.

We were given a programme of events on arrival meaning everything ran to time and we were given ample exploring time, the added bonus of us all being entered into a pretty epic beauty prize draw was the climax of the evening and saw one lucky lady take home £300 worth of Charlotte Tilbury goodies, swoon!

Basically Voyeurs, go check it out, the fact that it’s a separate entity at the back of the store shouldn’t put you off, the team are lovely and they might just manage to revive you if you’re running out of steam during the festive shopping season.

Pixie xo

To book an appointment or enquire about the range of services on offer, email BeautyRetreat_Newcastle@johnlewis.co.uk

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Newcastle in the Sky 2017

Back in March I told you about Newcastle in the Sky, a dining event brought to you by Events in the Sky and the same company behind The Experimental Diner. Newcastle in the Sky is something you can’t effectively explain without experiencing first. When I was booked for the event, it felt so far away in the future that I didn’t really think about it until the day rolled around

Newcastle in the Sky is back on the Gateshead Quays for its second year. After a sellout residence in Performance Square in 2016, round two is bigger and better with more award winning chefs from across the region on board to make the experience unforgettable. The concept is this: a purpose built dining table suspended 100ft in the air whilst you’re served your choice of meal. Simples.

I was invited on to the press table to experience the inaugural flight and the culinary delights of REDS True Barbeque, translation: All The Meats. I arrived early for my flight – guests are asked to check in 45 minutes before their flight – and was greeted with a champagne reception in the Sky Lounge. All guests are given a full safety briefing prior to flying, there’s a free cloakroom available to store bags, coats and whatever other loose items you might have, and there are toilets on site for that all important emergency wee.

After I soak up two double espressos and a glass of fizz, we’re walked over to the table for our safety briefing and I manage to convince myself that it’s not as high as I maybe first thought….

The seats swivel out and have a super sturdy 5 point belt system to make sure that you’re strapped in tight. once we’re all fastened in and have our feet firmly on our A4 sized foot plates, we’re hoisted (pretty quickly) up into the air. My first feeling is one of absolute terror, I’m overwhelmed by how quickly we get into the air, and by the fact that the whole contraption moves in the wind. However once I’m up there, within a minute I’m completely relaxed.

The location of Newcastle in the Sky offers amazing views up and down the Tyne and over the famous curved architecture of The Sage. The weather conditions dictate the height at which you’re able to safely dine; as the weather is on our side, we’re up at the full 100ft with spectacular views of our awesome city. There’s a perspex roof over the table in case of rain, but we’re in luck, we’ve got low wind and cloudy skies but very warm weather. We’re served a selection of typical BBQ meats including pulled pork and slow cooked ribs, with coleslaw, side salad and a rum cocktail to wash it down. Usually at food events everyone digs in straight away but this time people are more interested in the views on offer from this awesome height.

To give you some perspective, we’re way higher up than the Tyne Bridge and we’re able to look down on The Baltic and The Sage; Newcastle in the Sky is way higher than you’ve probably imagined. Half way through our 30 minute flight our table is turned 180 degrees to give us the alternative angle and I notice the network of railway lines that run out of Newcastle and towards London, something I’ve never been able to see until now. Being up so high allows you to see things in your city that you’ve never noticed before, things you’ll likely never see again.

Image by Chris Ord

The food we’re served is good quality American diner style food. It’s served in airline style strays (for obvious reasons) and it’s laced with REDS famous BBQ sauce which has a delicious tang. If you like meat then the Afternoon BBQ flight is a feast but this is more about the experience and the views than anything else. If like me you’re nervous about the thought of being suspended from a crane 100ft up in the air with a bunch of strangers then don’t be. The nerves vanish once you’re up there and you’ll make friends with the person next to you in the first 30 seconds, in fact they’ll become your best friend for the duration of your flight. The chefs talk you through the food you’re served on a microphone and the whole atmosphere is very informal, so much so that it’s completely suitable for single diners who also feel nervous.

Image by Chris Ord

The whole Newcastle in the Sky experience from start to finish is just that, an experience. It’s only around for six days and I’d urge you to try it Voyeurs. I was nervous – so nervous in fact that last year I cancelled at the last minute – and this year I’d jump at the chance to do it again. The selfie potential is epic, the views over the Tyne are unrivalled and you’ll talk about it fondly for ages after. Yes it’s pricey (tickets range from £50 to £150 each) but it’s worth it for the experience alone, if you’re on the fence about it just do it. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, it’s literally been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.

Pixie xo

FANCY TRYING OUT NEWCASTLE IN THE SKY?

Select the sitting you fancy, click here to make your booking, you’ll have to be fast though as several dates are already sold out…

Breakfast sittings – start your day with a healthy four course breakfast from up high.

Lunch sittings – sit back, relax and enjoy a stunning three course lunch and two glasses of sommelier selected wines.

Afternoon sittings – enjoy a sumptuous treat with champagne high tea whilst relaxing in the summer sun, alternatively enjoy the American-style BBQ dishes from REDS for meat lovers.

Dinner sittings – enjoy sunset views with a spectacular four course dinner and two glasses of sommelier selected wine.

Night sittings – see the Newcastle nightscape from a different view whilst sipping on cocktails in the sky.

DATES

24th – 29th August 2017

VENUE

Performance Square, Sage Gateshead, NE8 2JR

DAILY SCHEDULE

Sitting	Price	Times
Breakfast in the Sky	£50.00 pp	08h30 – 09h00 & 09h30 – 10h00
Lunch in the Sky	£125.00 pp	12h30 – 13h15 & 14h00 – 14h45
Champagne High Tea	£65.00 pp	15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
BBQ in the Sky	£65.00 pp	15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
Dinner in the Sky	£150.00 pp	18h30 – 19h30 & 20h15 – 21h15
Cocktails in the Sky	£75.00 pp	21h45 – 22h15

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

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…

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

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

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.

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

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

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: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

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