My October Days

This post contains collaborations with Scone Drops, Little Confetti and South Causey Inn

I know every month flies by but for some reason October seemed to pass faster than most, how on earth is it November tomorrow? When I look back at all of the things that I got up to in October I realise how much I packed in, it really has been a month of brilliant adventures and great discoveries. The ultimate obsession has definitely been A Star is Born (who's seen it?), I'm obsessively listening to the soundtrack and am beginning to think I need to go and see it again!

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

A View from the Bridge

How can you have lived in Newcastle for six years yet never taken a stroll over the Tyne Bridge? Sounds a little daft doesn't it, but somehow that happened to me. Last weekend, with a spare few minutes to kill I decided to go for a wander and was greeted by the most spectacular views across the Tyne that truly took my breath away. It was a special moment, and for a few glorious minutes it was like I was seeing Newcastle for the very first time. If you haven't admired the views from the bridge for a while go and take a walk soon, the views are incredible.

Solo in Sunderland

Last month I declared my love for solo adventures in Newcastle and this month I decided to go it alone in Sunderland. With Simon housebound with man flu I couldn't stand sitting indoors on such a beautiful sunny Saturday so decided to go and explore Wearside. I walked for miles, got chatting to so many lovely people (an advantage of being on your own!) and discovered some of Sunderland's very best offerings. I sipped a coffee at Holmeside, got lost in the jungle at the Winter Gardens and enjoyed a G&T at Bonded Warehouse. I enjoyed my adventure so much that I've decided to start working on a blog post about the very best bits of Sunderland so if you have any recommendations make sure you send them my way!

Scone Drops

Having enjoyed a lot of afternoon teas you could say that Simon and I are scone experts so when we discovered that local bakers Scone Drops make homemade bite sized scones that you can get delivered to your door it felt like Christmas had come early! Ideal for Bake Off Night (I always get SO hungry when I watch Bake Off!), taking round to a friend's house or creating your own afternoon tea - we enjoyed ours warm from the oven with a huge dollop of cream!  There are 12 flavours to choose from including Chocolate & Toffee Fudge, Sweet Cherry and Strawberry & White Chocolate or if you prefer savoury Feta & Caramelised Onion, Simple Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes & Parmesan. They are seriously delicious and if you fancy trying some for yourself you can order yourself some from their website here - and if you live in Tyne and Wear you should be able to get some delivered to your door so you can enjoy them in your PJs!

Let's Run Away!

When it comes to decorating our home (which we've now lived in for three years but never really finished!) I am so lazy! With my interior flair somewhat lacking I rely heavily on framed prints to add a bit of personality and style to our home and this new one from local hand lettering experts The Little Confetti Co has taken price of place in my office. It's very me isn't it? A reminder that the promise of exploration and adventure is the very best way to pull you through even the dreariest of Mondays.

Picnic Bench Treats

Some afternoon teas arrive and are so overwhelming you really don't know where to start. That was exactly what happened to us at South Causey Inn this month when we were presented with picnic benches of treats that filled our entire table and were packed so high we couldn't actually see each other over the top of them (to be fair I'm sure my husband would much rather gaze at a pile of cakes than my face!) If you want to enjoy an afternoon tea packed full of fun and so much food you'll take half of it home you need to check this one out!

Coffee at Relish 

My friend Kelly has been going on and on about the amazing coffee at Relish in Whitley Bay for so long now I thought I'd best meet her there for a coffee date just to shut her up! Well, let's just say the girl knows her coffee because this little spot at the coast is real gem and make the best mug of hot coffee, the perfect fuel for a brisk stroll along the seafront. They also happen to be the friendliest bunch of people you could ever meet so I highly suggest you all pop by soon to say hello!

Instagram Friends 

Writing this blog has lead to some wonderful new friendships and this month I met my lovely Instagram pal Melis for the first time. Having followed her adventures in Singapore on Instagram for some time I was excited to finally meet her in person when she moved back home to the North East this month. We stuffed ourselves silly in Kiln (their brunches are so good!), exchanged life stories and gossiped until we realised the entire cafe had filled up around us. It's not always easy to make new friendships as an adult which makes me so thankful I live in such an openly friendly city! I like to think that the warmth of the north is beginning to rub off on this southern girl!

Pumpkin Ice-Creams

Now I'm all about the pumpkin spice lattes and the pumpkin pies, but pumpkin ice-cream was a pretty new concept to me so as soon as I heard that Scoop and Bean were serving up delicious pumpkin ice-cream on their counter I had to get myself to South Shields to try a cone. Oh wow, it was so good! Suddenly eating ice-cream on a freezing cold day at the coast was the very best idea, I can't wait to go back for more.

For more adventures from New Girl in Toon make sure you follow me on Instagram. I posts a new photo every day and you'll find video diaries from all of my favourite North East adventures in my highlights.