My April Days

What a funny old month! We started it bundled up in huge coats and wooly hats and ended it with ice-creams. It's been a pretty busy one for us and here are just a few things that didn't make the blog (there's nothing quite like writing a monthly round up to make you realise that you have perhaps had too many burgers!)

Heatwave!

Being British I obviously need to talk about the weather some more and do a little bit of reminiscing about the heatwave weekend! How amazing was that?  So amazing that I spent the rest of the month forgetting that it wasn't actually Summer and wondering why on earth it had turned so cool. We spent our heatwave mooching up the Northumberland coast without a plan. We stopped the car every time we spotted a beer garden with available seats which lead us to this lush little place - The Coach Inn at Lesbury has the most picture perfect outdoor seating area for a sunny day.  If you have any great beer garden recommendations in the North East make sure you let me know!

Fancy Dress Outfits

We had some giggles on my Instagram this month when I posted this picture and happened to mention that it makes me feel a little like a chimney sweep. We then all got into a discussion about when you accidentally go out in fancy dress - my most frequent unintentional costumes are sailor, doctor and artist! What are yours?

John Lewis Home Design

Who knew that you could get styling advice from your home at John Lewis? I was invited to the store in Intu Eldon Square to discover more about their Home Design service and was amazed to discover that they offer free style advice which includes a 90 minute in store appointment to discuss devising a new look for a room in your home or a Design Consultation (£250 - redeemable when you spend over £1,500) which includes a home visit and personalised design scheme. Simon and I are currently arguing over how to give our living room a refresh so I'm looking forward to a spot of mediation from the lovely team at John Lewis Newcastle!

A Perfect Weekend

We were so happy when our friends Gary and Jenny came to visit us for the weekend. We love when people come up to the North East although it's funny how difficult it is to plan what to do when guests arrive (just me?) In the end we decided to go for a nice stroll from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth. We finished our weekend by starting "Stranger Things" on Netflix, I'd been meaning to watch it for ages and now I'm completely hooked.  It's so good and I can't believe I left it so long!

Eggs Gon' Give It To Ya

You know that I can't resist a seasonal burger at Fat Hippo and, although I say it every time, I think their Easter offering beats them all. When most people were dieting after overindulging on Easter eggs I popped into Underground and ordered a "Eggs Gon' Give It To Ya" - Double 4oz patty, American Cheese, Short Rib Gravy, Fried Egg and Maple Butter Sauce served with Cajun ziggy fries. I've reached the conclusion that every Fippo burger should contain egg and gravy - it's a killer combination!

Durham Distillery Launches

It was an exciting month for Durham Distillery who invited me to a VIP night at the newly opened Hotel Indigo in Durham to celebrate the launch of Durham Whisky as well as announcing their new city centre location. Their new brewery at the Riverwalk development will hopefully be open by the Autumn and will welcome members of the public in for tours (can't wait!). If whisky is your thing you can discover more about the new project here and how you can get your hands on the first bottles of whisky produced!

Sparkle and Shine

After a good year or so of dunking my engagement ring into mayonnaise it was in desperate need of a clean. I can't believe how dull it had got considering I've only had it for a few years! I'd been wondering where to go to get it cleaned for a while and was then introduced to S Murray Jewellers in Grainger Market, they're next door to my favourite place (Pet Lamb Patisserie) and offer a great range of services including jewellery repairs, battery replacements and ring cleaning. I left my engagement and wedding rings with them whilst I went shopping and a few hours later they were looking as good as new. I can't get over how sparkly they now look!

Blazer Days 

Now that Spring is here I'm getting as much wear out of my blazers as possible and I love being able to leave my big bulky coat at home on days when the sun shines. I got this M&S beauty for my birthday and it's the perfect wardrobe addition for Spring, I love the yellow thread that runs through the design - it makes me think of sunshine and daffodils.

Burgers at Lola Jeans 

The hottest day of the year saw us frantically climbing into the car after work to seek out some sunshine which actually proved to be a little harder than expected. Deciding that Tynemouth was the best destination we got there to discover it was heaving with drinkers (who were all a little worse for wear!) and every bar and cafe was rammed. In the end we managed to find ourselves a little spot in Lola Jeans and finally got to try out their burgers that everyone raves about. Winner of the Battle of the Burgers several years in a row, we now understand the hype. Wow! I went for the John Dillinger (Two beef patties in a garlic butter brioche with mozzarella, Napoli sauce and crispy pepperoni. I can't wait to go back and try more!

For more adventures from New Girl in Toon make sure you follow me on Instagram - I post a new photo every day.

I was treated to a complimentary ring clean and polish at S Murray Jewellers in exchange for letting you all know my honest opinion of their service.