The Botanist Archives - Fashion Voyeur

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Tipples & Tunes at The Botanist Newcastle

When I was invited to try out the latest additions to the Cocktail and Food menus at one of newcastle’s newest bar offerings; The Botanist, I just couldn’t refuse. After all this bar has had one of the most successful launches the City has seen in recent years and recently launched a Roof Garden off the back of that success, just in time for Summer.

If you’re not familiar with The Botanist, first of all, where have you been?! And secondly, it’s pretty hard to miss given the presence the chain commands on social media. The bar / restaurant occupies the very top section of the old Monument Mall space at the Monument area of Newcastle and is visible from Dean Street. Access is via a pretty understated entrance next door to Jamie’s Italian and begin your ascent up the darkened staircase. Once at the top, the huge space opens out into what feels like a gigantic botanical garden. The centrepiece for the bar is a gorgeous twisted old tree decorated with lights and hanging jars, the bar itself is actually built around the tree trunk. It’s a real destination bar and well worth a visit for anyone who is visiting, or currently living in the glorious North East, even if just for the amazing photo opp.

With the weather looking awful I abandoned my plan to wear a suede frock and threw on a Zara shirt and pants with a pair of classic Manolos and off I went.

I was invited as part of an intimate Bloggers event, the Food, Cocktail and Ale menus have recently been overhauled and there are some new additions that required testing – all in the name of work of course! A small but mighty four of us descended on The Botanist last night and were very well looked after by a hip young bar tender. We were taken through the new menus and then the onslaught of fine food and drink began.

We were served light bites, perfect for sharing, including: Salt and Pepper Pork Crackling, Baked Camembert with Onion and Rosemary, Goats Cheese and Tomato Quiche, Onion Petals, Shrimp Cocktail and Sardines, served in a retro sardine tin, all of which were divine. The Onion Petals – a more petite version of the original Ruby Tuesdays Blooming Onion, are to die for and you’ll be pleased to know that they’re cooked to perfection so there’s no unpleasant onion breath afterwards, perfect for date night! The Quiche was amazing, I’m not usually a lover of quiche but this was perfection, and incredibly light too.

The Cocktail menu boasts four new cocktails; Pornstar Martini with champagne chaser, Watermelon and Sage Sling, Passion Fruit and Basil Crush and an Apricot and Ginger Sling. Now you may think a cocktail is a cocktail and after a few they all taste the same but with The Botanist, things area little different. The Team have added these based on the change in season and each is light and fresh, think Summer in a glass. The Passion Fruit and Basil Crush is a taste sensation, packed to the rafters with flavour, it’s a Summer dream and an absolute must try. Same goes for the Apricot and Ginger Sling, aesthetically gorgeous and packed with flavour, it’s a real Summer drink and is very moreish. The Watermelon and Sage Sling is a long and dangerous drink, it’s so thirst quenching and it tastes alcohol free (it’s not) – beware! The Pornstar Martini is a short drink served in a traditional martini glass, thick and creamy exactly as it should be and delicious.

Whilst we dined and chatted, we were treated to the soulful sounds of Hattie Murdoch, a singer / songwriter from the North East who played an acoustic cover set with some awesome and unexpected tracks thrown in. I’d highly recommend you check her out at one of her many performances across Newcastle, she’s completely aces.

If you’re looking for a bar where you can settle in for the night, you’ve found it in The Botanist. Take in a few light bites from the new menu, swig a few cocktails and absorb the sounds of the live music, what’s not to love?

So, huge thanks to The Botanist Newcastle for looking after us all night and to the amazing gals who also attended for making it such great fun, I’m game for Round Two if you are….?

Pixie x

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Categories: Uncategorized

The Botanist Roof Garden Launch

If you’ve visited Newcastle recently you’ll be hard pushed not to notice The Botanist, the latest addition to the old Monument Mall space opposite grey’s Monument and a subtle presence in the skyline as you head up Grey Street towards the heart of the City Centre. The glass dome houses The Botanist bar and when evening falls it’s swathed in warm light highlighting its existence. Not so subtle however, is the presence of The Botanist on social media. So amped was the buzz about this trendy drinking hotspot that it’s clocked up over 30,000 FaceBook check-ins since its original launch in November 2014. Fast forward to April 2015 and The Botanist is gearing up to add a new string to its bow in the form of a Roof Garden.

The success of roof terrace bars and roof garden bars is evident in London, with Time Out magazine regularly listing them amongst the best places to spot and be spotted, however there’s not a great deal of choice outside of London. Step forward The Botanist; with prime real estate at the top of Grey Street, Newcastle and amazing views across the City, the success of this venture was sealed before it was even launched. With an uber cool vibe and a clientele to match, the addition of a roof garden elevates the status of The Botanist.

The Press Launch was held April 8th and I was invited with the North Easts premier glossy; La Di Da Magazine. Intriguingly the invite stated “6.30pm Prompt” so visions of a communal gathering to watch the sunset down Grey Street flooded my mind. With anticipation, I threw on my best Pocahontas look and hot-footed it through Town Carrie Bradshaw style. At 6.40pm, precisely ten minutes late, I expected to burst through the door into a passionate talk about the origins of the roof garden idea and have to profusely apologise for my lateness, however the reality of the situation was somewhat different, more “Advance Preview Of A Night Out” than “Official Launch Night” I was handed a cocktail and left to my own devices.

Tucked away at the top of (a lot) of stairs, the roof garden is exactly what you would expect from The Botanist. Lots of bare wood, trees decked out in warm light and modern vintage (mintage?) style lighting. despite being largely open and obviously roofless, the space is warm and this is largely thanks to high level infra-red heat lamps. The soft warm glow from these transforms the ambience as dusk falls and suddenly an open space becomes one full of hidden places and intimate zones. A large wooden cabana at the furthest end is perfect for large groups, and as I discovered, a prime people watching spot, it is however, freezing cold as it’s one of the only unheated areas and my posse and I spent the evening with jackets huddled around our shoulders. Throughout the terrace there are semi-private wooden booths on either side, coupled with the open seated areas The Botanist has you covered. Well as covered as you can be when it’s open and you’re up on a city rooftop.

The Botanist roof garden is undoubtedly where the cool kids will be hanging out this Summer and beyond and if you’re reading this from up there then congratulations, you can officially consider yourself part of that set. I’ve no doubt that this place will be the talk of the town over Summer and even with the speight of new bars opening in Newcastle every month, this one still stands out as something unique and cool.

Only one question remains though; why 6.30pm prompt??

Pixie x