Last week I went to check out the new afternoon tea menu at the Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!
Autumn has Launched at Katie’s Garden!
Living in Gateshead and working in Newcastle, I don’t often find myself out in Sunderland. Apart from the odd gig at The Stadium of Light, there’s not really been anything to draw me so far out on the metro line. That all changed when I was invited to visit Katie’s Garden, an amazing hidden gem in Sunderland city centre.
Fashion: What to Wear in Cape Town in Winter*
Cape Town is a truly beautiful city. With so much to do there, you are spoilt for choice! It is the perfect place to get adventurous in, whether that means taking a trip up Table Mountain, spotting penguins at Boulders Beach or scrambling along cliff sides at Cape Point. We visited the city on our honeymoon last month, when Cape Town was just coming out of winter and heading into the early days of spring. Coming from the 37° heat of the greater Kruger park, the cooler climes and occasional rain came as a bit of a shock to the system. I had no idea what to wear! So when Thomson asked me to create a fashion mood board for Cape Town, I jumped at the chance.
Travel: Our South Africa Honeymoon Itinerary
There are so many amazing places to go in the world, so how do you pick where you want to go for one of the most amazing holidays in your life? Andrew and I both knew we wanted to go big for our honeymoon. We wanted it to be the holiday of a lifetime. I can’t quite remember exactly how we chose to go to South Africa on safari, but it was a bit of a no brainer. There were a couple of other contenders, but going on a safari feels like a real privilege and is a really exciting trip to plan and book. Because there was so much else going on (planning a wedding takes A LOT of time!) we decided to take the pressure off and enlisted the help of Trailfinders. With their advice, we came up with a fabulous South African honeymoon itinerary.
A Pop Up Thai Restaurant at The Sidegate Gallery
Last week I had the pleasure of trying out one of Gateshead’s best kept secrets and didn’t think I could keep it to myself! Sidegate Gallery, a gorgeous shop and boutique in Sunniside has started to host monthly pop up restaurant. Each month they bring in chefs and offer a three course meal, with a different cuisine every time. This month was the turn of Thai food and Oodles of Noodles were the caterers of choice.
Vegan Pizza at The Bohemian
Ever since I discovered I was lactose intolerant, pizza was one of the huge things I really missed. I was such a huge fan of Domino’s that they recognised my number when I called and texted me to say they missed me when I stopped ordering. That maybe says more about my diet than anything else, but trust me, pizza is a tough habit to break. So it is with great joy to my inner pizza addict that vegan restaurants are having a bit of a moment. Because that means dairy free cheese and LOTS of it. The latest to spring up in Newcastle is The Bohemian so I dragged Andrew along to try the launch of their pizza menu this weekend.
Coffee Tasting at Laneway & Co
If you fancy a coffee in Newcastle, where do you turn? There are tonnes of Starbucks, Costas, Prets and other mainstream chains, which are great when you want something filling on the fly. But how close to real coffee do they actually taste? Let’s face it, a whole load of Starbees drinks are milk, sugar, cream and flavourings with a side of coffee. And sure, sometimes you need a sugar injection, but sometimes you also need a serious caffeine fix. I always associated a strong coffee with a bitter taste, at least until I tried the coffee at Laneway & Co on High Bridge Street. And let’s just say, not all coffees are created equal.
Harissa Kitchen: A Taste of Something Different
Harissa Kitchen is Sandyford’s newest restaurant, occupying a prime spot on Starbeck Avenue. The restaurant is the brainchild of the talented Jamie Sadler, who is the Managing Director of Food Nation. Food Nation is a brilliant social enterprise that encourages people to make healthier food choices. So you just know that anything Harissa Kitchen serves is going to be freshly made, healthy and tasty. I got invited down to check it out and jumped at the chance.
Afternoon Tea at St Mary’s Inn Morpeth
You might have heard people shouting about Jesmond Dene House in Jesmond, a student hot spot just outside of Newcastle city centre. It’s a stunning luxury boutique hotel housed in a fairytale Arts and Crafts building that is set in the beautiful surroundings and greenery of the dene. It’s quite rightly a popular and impressive place to eat and rest your head. What you may not of heard of, however, is its sister hotel, St Mary’s Inn, which is a pub and B&B on the site of the old St Mary’s Hospital, just outside of Morpeth. I must admit, I hadn’t heard of it either, so was more than keen to pay a visit when I was invited to check out their afternoon tea a couple of weeks ago.
Travel: Honeymoon Tech Wishlist*
Straight after our wedding, Andrew and I are heading off into the wilds of South Africa on our honeymoon. I must admit, there’s been so much going on with the wedding that our amazing trip of a lifetime has felt a little bit overshadowed of late. But having just paid off the balance this week (RIP credit card), I’ve been reminded what we’ve got to do to prepare. Oh you know, just make sure we don’t get malaria, buy some appropriate clothing (turns out it might not be that warm in August – WHO KNEW?!) and completely upgrade our tech game. No biggy then, right? We’ve got a tonne of stuff on our wishlist, but here’s what we’ve narrowed it down to.