April Days

Another busy month for us and my Instagram is so full of pictures that I found it difficult to pick out which ones to share in my little roundup!

Here are just a few things that didn't make the blog this month!

Kate Spade

I have always lusted after a designer handbag but have never had enough pennies to make a purchase (one day!) So when my friend told me she was off to New York it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to finally dip my toe into the world of designer.   I decided to go for a Kate Spade as I love her use of fun colour and girly style.  I chose the Cedar Street Lacey Wallet in this gorgeous mint green colour.  It's love!

I love sushi!

I have blogging to thank for many wonderful things in my life, but perhaps the most surprising is a new found adoration for things I used to dislike - namely Prosecco and Sushi!  I think my love for Sushi happened at an event I was at that was catered by Sohe in Jesmond, their Sushi is SO good and there began my love affair.  We went on a road trip to the North West this month and picked up these goodies from Tescos.   We have a double date planned at Japanese restaurant Osaka next week with Sam and Steve - I can't wait!

New Dress

Remember my "March Days" post last month when I decided to treat myself to a new dress from Chi Chi London?  Well, it may have happened again!  This beauty is called "Amber" (I promise that's the name of the dress, I don't go around just naming my clothes for fun!)  I'm planning on saving it for my friends wedding in September.

A Cheeky McDonalds Breakfast

What is it about road trips that make us eat naughty stuff?  Simon and I have been down in Manchester this month at his nephew's Christening and on the way home we somehow talked ourselves into popping into McDonalds for a cheeky breakfast.  The inspiration for this photo was taken from Little Miss Katy who has an amazing Instagram account - make sure you check her out.  The white tables in McDonalds are perfect for flat lays for Instagram, I honestly think this could become a thing.

My Skin Care Routine

People are pretty shocked to discover that I've never had a skin care routine.  I wash my face in the shower and then tend to slather it in whatever cream I can find whilst I'm getting ready.  Quite often it's some kind of body butter rather than a face cream.  After attending a bloggers event at the Clarins Counter in Fenwick I realised that with the wedding only 5 months away, it might be a good idea to find a better routine, especially as my face has been feeling particularly dry recently.  I got some great recommendations and now I'm very proud to say that I cleanse, exfoliate, use oils and have invested in some proper face creams.  Am I finally a grownup?!

Huge Scones

When we road trip to Manchester I always have a one track mind.  Cake in Bents!  Call me old but I love spending time in the garden centre and their cakes are epic.  I usually end up getting the same each time - a scone packed with jam and cream.  It's probably a good job we live so far away, it'd be a bit dangerous if we were able to pop in every weekend.

But First, Coffee

I found myself in desperate need of some more lightweight jumpers this month to tackle the ever changing weather.  I found this one in Primark and I love it!  It was only £5.00 and there are a few more slogan tops that I have my eye on too - watch this space.

Snapchat Obsession

For a while now I've been thinking about dipping my toe into the wonderful world of vlogging.  Whilst the North East is full of bloggers there's very few making lifestyle videos and I'd love to give it a go. For now I'm posting daily videos on Snapchat, just as a test run really to see if I enjoy it. So if you want to follow my adventures in the Toon make sure you find me at "newgirlintoon" and add me. If, like me, a few weeks ago you have no idea how to use Snapchat I recommend finding some tutorials on Google, once I'd discovered how it worked I quickly became hooked!

Breakfast at Deli Espresso

We tried out the breakfast at Deli Espresso in Gosforth this month.  You may be thinking that eating a full cooked English breakfast isn't healthy but this fry up was actually grilled, making it far healthier than a breakfast covered in grease.  Deli Espresso is tiny but it's well worth the effort to get a seat, the food is delicious.

Transformation Tuesday

What would a monthly update be without a Transformation Tuesday photo?  The first picture was taken when I was at my largest (around 19.7 stone and a size 20) and the second photo was taken about a year after I lost 9 stone to get to my goal weight.  Next month is my 4th year anniversary of getting to goal and I have a rather special blog to share with you so keep your eye out for that.

For more adventures from New Girl in Toon make sure you're following me on Instagram, I post a new photo every day!

Honeymoon Planning: Destination Europe

Our mini moon is planned and booked which means that we've now turned our attention to the big one, our 2017 Honeymoon.

When it came to planning our holiday of a lifetime we allowed ourselves to dream about whatever destination we fancied.  So it may come as a bit of a surprise to hear that we're turning our back on some of the more popular long distance Honeymoon destinations and have instead focussed our attention to Europe.

Although I've visited Belgium, France, Italy and Holland over the last few years these have all been trips with girlfriends and for the longest time I've been wanting to experience more of Europe with Simon.

Nothing beats the romance, history, people and culture of Europe.

Yelloh! Village are Europe's finest open air hotels with a choice of great camping experiences across Europe.  Perfect for a couple like us who love a bit of adventure on our holidays, camping in Europe is something that's definitely on our "must do" list for the future.

Yelloh Village! asked me to share my dreams for travelling Europe.  So here's a little wish list of places in Europe that I'd love to Honeymoon, let me know your favourites.

Austria

There's a bit of an embarrassing reason behind this one.  I am obsessed with the Sound of Music and have been since I was a little girl - so much so I used to make friends act out scenes from the film in the playground.  I'm desperate to do the Sound of Music tour and Austria looks like such a beautiful country to visit.

Santorini

Ah, this is a bit more what you'd expect for a honeymoon wish list, somewhere warm and sunny with plenty of beaches.  I have heard so many great things about Santorini and it looks picture perfect, it's certainly crept up my wish list since direct flights from Newcastle got announced!

Switzerland

There's something so romantic about Switzerland and I imagine it to be a snow topped beauty where the air smells of sweet hot chocolate.  I'd love to say that I'd be up for some ski-ing but I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to any type of adventure sport so I think we'd probably give that a miss.

Spain

I can't believe I've never been to Spain!  When you consider the amount of time I spend eating tapas it seems kinda crazy.  Barcelona is somewhere that's been on my wish list for the longest time and is a definite contender for honeymoon destination.

Let me know if you've visited any of these places and if you'd recommend them.  I'd also love to hear your European wish list - is there anywhere else that I should add?

This post was written in collaboration with Yelloh! Village

Botanicals & Blooms: Cocktails at the Botanist

When you're stuck in the office all day with the sun teasing you through the window there's only one place to head as soon as the clock hits 5:00 pm, the Botanist - home to the best cocktails in Newcastle.

The most popular cocktail bar in the Toon, the Botanist in Newcastle have just revamped their cocktail menu for Spring and opened up their Roof Garden, a sure sign that long evenings of sunshine are just around the corner.

I was invited up to the roof last week for an evening of Botanicals and Blooms.  With the promise of an introduction to the new cocktail menu, I dug out my sunglasses and my favourite Spring mac from a forgotten box under the bed and headed outside for an evening of fruit and flowers.  

Those of you familiar with the Botanist's cocktail menu (please don't tell me it's just me who spends way too much time studying it) will notice that over 60% of the menu is brand new. 

Don't worry the old favourites are still there (believe me I was very relieved to see that the Passion Fruit & Basil Crush is still on the menu) but some of the most loved drinks have also had a bit of a revamp with fresh new ingredients and flavours.  In fact, nearly all of the cocktail menu is now made with fresh fruit rather than syrups and purees - which means that you can probably convince yourself that the Botanist cocktails are part of your five a day!

The terrace was looking gorgeous in the Spring sunshine and had been decked out with colourful blooms by the talented ladies at Katherines Florists to celebrate the new cocktails.  

I'm not exactly skilled when it comes to flower arranging, if I'm ever lucky enough to get a bunch of flowers I stick them in a vase and hope for the best.  Katherine's Florists gave us a flower arranging demonstration that made my jaw drop to the floor.  Arranging beautiful seasonal flowers in an oversized cocktail glass full of kiwis and strawberries, their centrepiece looked stunning and would be beautiful for a Summer wedding.

Of course spring cocktails aren't just about the florals, they're also about gorgeous scents and fruity flavours and Jo Malone were visiting from the counter in Fenwick to show off some of the lovely fragrances they have to compliment the Botanist's cocktails.  

Blackberry and Bay will forever be my favourite but I loved learning about layering scents and will be visiting at some point over the next few months for their bridal consultation service.

I don't want you to think that I was just swanning about on the roof having a great time, I took my study of the new cocktail menu very seriously and so have a great recommendation for your next visit.  The Plum and Thai Basil Mojito is a gorgeous cocktail of plum, thai basil, cranberry, fresh lime juice, Bacardi Carta Oro and Cherry Mariner.   I actually think it could be this years "The Botanist".  I can't really take the credit for discovering this beauty for myself, the Botanist cocktail list is so huge I quite often ask for recommendations and the friendly lads and lasses at the Botanist pointed me in the direction of this one.

The Botanist's new cocktail menu is available now and we've had a fair few decent sunny days recently so what better excuse do you need to head up to the roof of the most popular bar in Toon?

A Guide to North East Bus, Metro and Train Adventures

Welcome back to my monthly guides to the North East. If you missed my previous guides, then make sure you check out "The Most Romantic Dates in the North East" and "The Best Afternoon Teas in Newcastle".

This months guide is dedicated to all those people who, like us, have to rely on public transport to make their way round the North East.

A few months ago we went on a Pop Pay As You Go Adventure with Metro that got me thinking about how much we've relied on public transport in the North East since my arrival three years ago.   Although desperate to buy a car we've been very much focussed on saving money meaning that buying our own wheels has taken a backseat for the moment.

Being a lady that likes her adventures I was never going to let the lack of a car stop me getting out and about exploring the North East and it's amazing the amount of places that Simon and I have managed to get to without a car. 

Using a geek like knowledge of the Metro system, studying bus timetables and analysing maps has seen us adventuring in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland and here are just a few of our recommendations of where to go and, most importantly, how to get there from Newcastle without a car!

Morpeth

The gorgeous Market Town of Morpeth in Northumberland is a great trip for a Summer's day.  Stroll around the pretty Carlisle Park, take a boat out on the lake and finish your day with a potter about the Town which is great for people watching, dog envy and tasty cake shops.

How to get there: Northern Rail run direct trains from Newcastle Central with a journey time of only 20 minutes.  The journey is included in the "Duo Ticket" rail scheme meaning that you can purchase your tickets at a 25% discount if there are two of your travelling.

Tynemouth and Whitley Bay

We can't get enough of the North Tyneside coast and one of our favourite things to do at a weekend is go there for a potter.  Explore Tynemouth with its amazing weekend market, delicious little cafes and coastal views; eat ice-cream at Beaches and Cream in Cullercoats or walk along to Whitley Bay to climb St Mary's Lighthouse and indulge in amazing local dishes at Hinnies.

How to get there: The Metro runs all the way out to the coast making it easy to visit all of the seaside towns in North Tyneside.

Durham

When I first started travelling from London to Newcastle to see Simon I was so intrigued by the little glimpse I got of Durham from out of the train window, it looked so beautiful!  Luckily when I finally got there for an explore it completely lived up to my expectations (and then some!).  Go for a peaceful walk along the river, climb Durham Cathedral for amazing views, feast on cake in one of the many tea rooms and if you have any energy left make sure you hit the high street for a shop!

How to get there: Virgin East Coast, Crosscountry and Transpennine Express run trains run regularly from Newcastle Central Station to Durham with a very short journey time of only 10 minutes.

Saltwell Park

One of our favourite places to visit is Saltwell Park in Gateshead, in fact Simon and I enjoyed one of our very first North East dates there messing about on the lake in a swan boat.  It's easy to spend an entire afternoon at the park, especially in the Summer when long lazy picnics are best followed by a stroll round the lake and, if you can fit one in, an ice-cream cone.

How to get there: Go North East run the No. 53 and 54 buses from Newcastle City Centre or Gateshead Interchange with buses running up to every 10 minutes.

Corbridge

Another great train adventure is a trip to Corbridge in the heart of Hadrian's Wall country.  With plenty of pubs, a ton of history, loads of pretty gift shops (including the quirky RE) and the all important collection of tea rooms there's plenty to do to fill your day.

How to get there: Northern Rail run direct trains from Newcastle Central with a journey time of 30 minutes.  The journey is included in the "Duo Ticket" rail scheme meaning that you can purchase your tickets at a 25% discount if there are two of your travelling.

The Northumberland Coast

I will admit we've only made it on the bus as far as Alnwick and that was a bit of a long journey but the countryside is absolutely beautiful and if you're able to get up early enough it's actually possible to journey by bus from Newcastle all the way up to Craster, Bamburgh and beyond (just prepare yourself for a very long trip!).  The Northumberland Coast is absolutely stunning and the bus trip offers you some fantastic views and some great little places to hop off and explore along the way.

How to get there: Arriva run the X18 bus from Newcastle all the way up to Berwick upon Tweed via Warkworth, Alnwick, Craster, Seahouses and Bamburgh.  Make sure you plan your trip properly and get up early as the whole route takes hours.

Angel of the North

The iconic Angel of the North has its very own bus service making it easy to get to and a great place for some selfies.  Although there isn't much else to do at the Angel itself, it's worth ticking off your North East Bucket List and the nearby Saltwell Park means you can turn it into a day trip.

How to get there: Go North East run the 21 Angel Bus which runs frequently from Newcastle or Gateshead Interchange and takes you almost to the foot of the Angel!

Travel Links

To help you on your way here are a few of my favourite travel handy websites that we use frequently:

Traveline North East - a very handy website to plot out your routes using every mode of public transport!

The Trainline - essential for looking up train times and prices

Metro - It's always a good idea to check your journey before you travel as there are sometimes closures.

Let me know your favourite adventures in the North East and how you manage to get there without a car.  We're always up for new places to explore!

This post is part of the #LoveNorthEast linky

Gusto, Newcastle - The Spring Summer Menu

Spring at last!  For me the arrival of Spring doesn't just mean warmer days and brighter evenings - it also means that some of my favourite restaurants launch new dishes, giving me a great excuse to adventure round the city stuffing my face with far too much food.

It was only a matter of time before I started working my way round Newcastle trying out all of the new menus for Spring/Summer and first on my list was one of my favourites, Gusto on the Newcastle Quayside.  I made a plan with my friend Sam and we settled in for a night of delicious food and juicy gossip.

I was determined to try something new so I studied the menu, picking out all of the changes (you know you go somewhere too much when you can instantly spot everything new on the menu!) 

Believe me, it was hard telling myself I wasn't allowed my usual (the Gusto Burger) but it was exciting to think that I might find a new favourite for Spring.

Important business first, deciding on drinks.  I don't know about you but at the first sign of sunshine you can usually find me buried in a cocktail menu.  I love something with a bit of fruit and fizz to toast the arrival of Spring.

It's hard picking a drink from the Gusto cocktail list cos there's just too much choice.  I usually ask for help as the waiters are always spot on with their recommendations.  This time, after a little bit of advice, I decided to go for the Grape and Cherry Spritz and Sam opted for the Strawberry and Vanilla Martini.  I loved that the bottom of my glass was full of fresh grapes, it was so refreshing and I was quick to count them as part of my five a day!

There are a few additions to the Starter menu for Spring, each one promising some exciting new flavours.  I opted for the Cold Smoked Salmon with Spiced Avocado, Red Pepper Puree and Capers.  Like a lot of people I'm pretty obsessed with Avocado at the moment and this was the perfect start to my meal, really light yet packed with flavour. 

Sam ordered the Asparagus Spears with Dolcelatte Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Peppers.  Unfortunately I was too focussed on my own food at the time and completely missed the opportunity to dip my finger into her Dolcelatte Mayonnaise which looked (and apparently tasted) amazing!  What a waste! 

With both plates wiped clean it was time for the main event.

Amazingly I managed to resist ordering the Gusto Burger and instead went for a new addition to the menu, the Smoked Haddock Risotto with Baby Spinach, Peas and Poached Egg.   The Gusto Burger was soon forgotten as I tucked in, it was so good.

One thing I love to see on a Summer menu is plenty of lighter options.  As Sam is currently on a mission to live a healthier life she decided to order the new addition to the salad menu.   The Smoked Duck Salad with shaved fennel, orange and radish looked so good. 

If you're anything like me you're probably thinking who on earth would want to order salad in a restaurant but believe me the salads at Gusto are far from boring, they're packed with so many flavours and always really generous and filling.

There are also a few new sides on the menu and I'm seriously regretting not ordering some Polenta Chips to share, what was I thinking?  Someone please go and try them out and give me a full report!

I will admit I cheated a little when it came to dessert and ordered an old favourite, although in my defence it has had a bit of a Summer makeover.   The Chocolate Mousse was just as delicious as ever and I really loved the new addition of the Shortbread and Orange Chantilly.

Sam went for the ultimate Summer dessert, Summer Berry and Prosecco Jelly with tropical fruit salsa and Eton Mess ice-cream.  Literally Summer on a plate, I definitely have my eye on this for next time.

My first taste of Spring was a very happy one and I think it's safe to say that if anyone's looking for me over the next few months I'll be in Gusto, working my way through the rest of the new menu.

My Ultimate Newcastle City Guides

I've been writing for Wow 247 Newcastle since last Summer and have managed to write over 25 articles sharing some of my favourite things about the Toon.

I love putting the guides together and thought it was about time I shared a few of my favourites on New Girl in Toon as there are loads of great recommendations that you should check out.

Just click on each title for the full article and enjoy!

Fantastic Free Things to do in Newcastle

It feels like Simon and I are constantly saving for something!  Houses and weddings don't come cheap so we've become pros in filling our weekends with fun free things to do in Newcastle to keep ourselves out of mischief.   I put together a list of 25 things to do that are not only free but also offer a great day out in our beautiful city.

The best places for Street Food in Grainger Market

Eating my way round Grainger Market is one of my favourite ways to spend a Saturday and in this guide I share my favourite places in the Market for street food.  From savoury lunches at Pizza By the Slice to delicious homemade cakes from the ladies at Pet Lamb Patisserie.  There really is something for everyone.

The best coffee shops in Newcastle

I love the coffee shop culture - finding a peaceful corner and snuggling up with a book and a cup of something delicious is the best way to spend a lazy afternoon.  We're very lucky in Newcastle to have some of the very best independent coffee shops and here are just a few of my favourites.

The best breakfasts in Newcastle

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and in an ideal world I'd ditch the traditional three meals a day and instead have Brunch and Afternoon Tea every day instead (heaven).  There are so many places in Newcastle that do amazing breakfast so picking out the best breakfasts was hard work!  I hope you agree with my choices.

The best pizzas in Newcastle

Simon was very happy when we went out and about researching the best pizzas in Newcastle and who can blame him!  We have a lot of absolute gems in Newcastle with the Gusto Peking Duck Pizza being my personal favourite.

The best Winter Warmers in Newcastle

I hate being cold so I was more than happy to run about Newcastle trying loads of gorgeous hot dishes to warm myself up for this article.  With pies, soups and hot dessert recommendations - the answer to warm bellies and snuggly toes are right here!

Things to do on a Winter's Day

Anyone else struggle to make plans when the weather is a bit pants?  Well, your days of trying to come up with ideas of what to do are over as I have plenty here with loads of indoor things to keep you warm, dry and entertained for hours!

Newcastle Foodie Secrets You Need to Know

The Newcastle foodie scene has so many little secrets that you may not know about.  Quirky places to grab a bite, hidden restaurants and exclusive food experiences. I let you into all the secrets that will keep you busy for the rest of the year.

I'm sure I've missed out plenty of Newcastle's gems so please do let me know if there's anywhere that didn't make my guides that I need to check out.

Home Comforts with Ringtons

I'm not sure it's normal to fill up your hire car up with tea bags and biscuits when you're going away for the weekend.  Simon is more than used to me appearing with bags upon bags of shoes and clothes to stuff into the boot, but I think he thought I'd finally lost the plot when he caught me struggling to the car with a huge box of Ringtons goodies.

Allow me to explain!  Whenever I'm away from the Toon for more than a day I get seriously homesick.  I miss the silliest things - the Tyne Bridge, Geordie accents and, of course, all of my home comforts. 

Easter weekend saw us travelling to Milton Keynes for a friend's wedding and the thought of being away from Newcastle for so long made me feel a little sad so I decided to take a little piece of the North East down south with me.

My friends at Ringtons recently sent me a box of their delicious goodies to try and nothing makes me feel more at home than Ringtons so, clinging onto my cardboard box like it was a comfort blanket, I decided to sneak it into the boot of the car when Simon wasn't looking (mwah ha!).

Ringtons is, of course, available across the country but it's particularly special to us in the North East as the family run company started out selling tea from a horse and cart in Newcastle back in 1907.  Now, more than 100 years later, Ringtons deliver door to door to over 260,000 customers across the UK as well as their goodies being available in restaurants, hotels and cafes.

Arriving at our hotel after a long drive we were excited at the prospect of a decent cup of tea to remind us of home.

As a Southerner I'm not afraid to admit that folk in the North really do know how to make a superior cup of tea.  I can never get it quite right, but lucky for me I'm marrying a Northerner and when Simon announces he's off to "make a brew" I know I'm going to be getting a cracking cup of tea.

Ringtons Extra Fresh Tea Bags make the perfect full bodied and rich cuppa and we enjoyed chilling out with our lovely hot cups of tea whilst watching the wildlife out of our hotel window.  Just what we needed after tackling the Bank Holiday traffic.  Bliss!

Of course no tea party is complete without biscuits and delving into our box we found Hand Baked Ginger Snaps and Creamy Shortbread Rounds to enjoy.

With wedding outfits to fit into we only meant to have one biscuit each, but as we all know a newly opened packet of biscuits is impossible to resist!  Before we knew it we'd devoured an embarrassing amount.  They were just too good!

Now they're all gone I've obviously been eyeing up the Ringtons website to see what I'd like for our next tea party and the Lemon Meringue Biscuits have my name on.

Many of my friends who grew up in the North East have told me about their childhood memories of Ringtons.  I've been pretty jealous hearing their tales of getting baskets of Ringtons goodies delivered direct to their doors.

The good news is that Ringtons offer their Traditional Doorstep Service across the country with more than 200 vans out delivering.  You can check if you're eligible here and if you are you can enjoy fortnightly or monthly visits from Ringtons free of charge with no obligation to purchase.

If you prefer you can visit their online store which has a full range of tea, coffee, biscuits, cakes and beautifully packaged gift sets with free UK delivery if you spend over £30.00

All this talk of tea has got me gasping for a cuppa so I'm off to the kettle, followed by a desperate hunt of the biscuit tin to see if I can find any Ringtons biscuit crumbs!

Let me know if you have a special Ringtons memory from your childhood and which biscuits  I should try next!

Barburrito: Metrocentre, Gateshead

Eating at the Intu Metrocentre is about to get a lot more exciting with the addition of over 10 new restaurants as part of the mall's £17m redevelopment.

One of the very first new restaurants to open is Barburrito, Gateshead's first burrito bar.  As you may know I am a huge fan of Zapatista who have two restaurants in Newcastle and have been serving up burritos to Geordies for a while now, so it's nice to see that Gateshead are now in on the action.

I was invited along to a preview night so took my trustee sidekick  Simon along for an evening of eating ridiculous amounts of Mexican food whilst trying not to get lipstick all over my face.

Our evening began with a good look at the fillings Barburrito offer in the form of tapas style help yourself.  It was a great chance to try all that Barburrito offers and we loved delving into the different colourful pots of food.

Grilled Chicken, Pulled Pork, Spicy Shredded Beef and a range of salsas, cheesy sauce and guacamole to dip our crunchy tortilla chips into.

Just as we were beginning to feel a little tired and lazy after all of that delicious food we were pulled to our feet for a spot of hands on fun with a quick lesson in wrapping our own burritos.  Definitely harder than the pros make it look we began by wrapping up rice, trying to perfect the complicated technique of where to put your fingers to create a nice tight roll.

Once we were all happy with our technique it was off behind the counter to put our new skills to good use by creating our own dishes.  

Wrapping a burrito fully loaded was far trickier than our rehearsal and I definitely had a lot of help with mine to ensure that my food was actually edible at the end, left to my own devices and I fear most of my meal would have ended up on the floor.

As with most things in the kitchen Simon was far better than me, which just confirmed to me that appointing him Chef of our house was the right decision.

Happy with our efforts we took our food back to the table and hungrily ate the whole lot even though it was absolutely huge!  With salsa running down our chins and hands covered in meat and guacamole we left with very happy tummies.  Although Zapatista will always be number one for us, it's great to see a similar offering for Gateshead and Barburrito get a big messy thumbs up from me and Simon.

If you're at the Metrocentre on a shopping spree then make sure you check out Barburrito in the Qube, for an added bonus head to Barburrito's  Facebook page for a special Buy One Get One Free launch voucher which is valid until 14 April 2016. 

You'll be very pleased to know that I wont be behind the counter serving you!