March Days

Hurray Spring is here, and I'm on a 6 month countdown to my wedding.  Something tells me the time's going to fly by now.  It's been yet another busy month over on my Instagram - here's what we've been up to.

Meet and Treat

If you didn't already know I write for Wow 247 Newcastle, which I love.  It's a lot of hard work and requires a fair bit of research but I'm not really grumbling about that when I have the perfect excuse to try new places.  This month we discovered  Meet and Treat whilst I was writing a piece on new cafes in Newcastle.  Hidden away near China Town it's a great little place for a coffee and does lovely food.

Mother's Day

I didn't see my Mum for Mother's Day this year but instead we had a really lovely weekend in the North West taking Simon's Mum out for the day to Tatton Park (you can read all about it here).  I did share this photo of me and Mum from back in the 80s to celebrate the day.  I absolutely love it.

Transformation Tuesday

 

Once a month on Instagram I take part in "Transformation Tuesday" posting a before and after photo of my weight loss.  The photo on the left was taken in Amsterdam in May 2011, a few months after my 30th birthday.  If you've read my weight loss story then you'll know that it was my 30th birthday that made me realise I needed to do something.  A month after my trip to Amsterdam I finally joined Weight Watchers.  I loved Amsterdam but I do remember being very uncomfortable with painful feet from all the walking.  My poor feet were really suffering carrying all of my extra weight.   The after photo was taken in October 2012 at my friends wedding.  Simon and I had been together for about 5 months and I danced the night away in my heels with pain free feet!

Long Play Café

We finally ticked another place off our epic food list this month when we made it to Long Play Café on the Quayside.  It's the perfect place to get brunch at the weekend with a fantastic menu of cooked breakfasts, stotties and pancakes.  I went for the LPC Breakfast and we had a lovely morning listening to all of the tunes being played on the record player.

Shirt Obsession

I really don't buy that many clothes nowadays.  I think I'm getting fussy in my old age as every time I go shopping I really struggle to find anything that I love and it seems pointless buying clothes for the sake of it.   This shirt was a recent Primark find and I'm obsessed.  It's stylish yet really comfortable and baggy (perfect for overeating at weekends!)

A trip to Northern Goldsmiths

We were very excited to head into the iconic Northern Goldsmiths store in Newcastle this month to pick up our wedding rings.  It all seems so real now and seeing my future husband trying on his ring gave me a tummy full of butterflies.  Unfortunately when it was my turn to try on my ring things were a little less romantic.  I managed to get my wedding ring completely wedged onto my finger.  A combination of being hot from shopping and frustration meant it took a good 5 minutes for me to get it off.  Let's hope we don't have problems on the big day!

Spa Life

This month Simon and I took a much needed day off for some rest and relaxation at the Garage Spa in County Durham.  It's somewhere I've been wanting to visit for the longest time and we had a fantastic time, if you want to read all about our experience I did a blog all about it earlier in the week (here).   I was pretty impressed by how well I co-ordinated my outfit with my spa bag a complete happy accident!

Wedding Celebrations

Our friends got married last weekend and we had a lovely time down in Milton Keynes celebrating with them.  The Groom passed on the baton to Simon at the end of the night after a particularly enthusiastic session on the dance floor, but we do actually have one more wedding to go to before our own. I had some really lovely comments on Instagram about my dress,  I decided to treat myself to something new and this gorgeous mint green princess dress is from Chi Chi London, such a great place to get wedding guest outfits.

Easter Treats

We were away this Easter Weekend which was probably a good thing as we were away from the temptation of overindulging in too much chocolate.  Perhaps we're a bit mad but we started our pre-wedding health and fitness routine just before Easter, definitely more difficult when you have a cupboard full of Easter chocolate to get through.

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

The Garage Spa at The Morrit, Greta Bridge

The Garage Spa! Out of all the places on my North East Bucket List, the Garage Spa has been up there at the very top since before I relocated.  I've read dreamy reviews, seen endless blog posts and have frequently lusted over the website.  I've been wanting to go for the longest time!

Last week my dreams came true, and as a little post-birthday treat Simon and I did the hour drive from Newcastle to the Garage Spa for a day of pampering, chilling out and enjoying each others company without the constant buzz of phones.

The Garage Spa is hidden away in the little village of Greta Bridge, just outside Barnard Castle in County Durham.  Attached to The Morritt  Hotel, it's a rural heaven and the perfect place to go to escape from the stress of every day life. 

It was Simon's first ever trip to a spa and I was a little nervous to see how he would find it and, not wanting to pile too much pressure on him, but only a day earlier we'd booked ourselves a romantic luxury spa minimoon after our wedding in September. 

Any worries I had immediately faded the moment we walked through the door of the Garage Spa.  We were given a lovely warm and friendly welcome and shown to the Relaxation Lounge to fill in our forms.  The beautiful light room was full of huge comfy armchairs and squishy cushions, and I knew that we were in very good hands.

I've been to a fair few spas before but none of them have made me feel as relaxed and comfortable as the Garage Spa.  After a brief tour we were shown to our lockers where we both had a giant sized fluffy white dressing gown to snuggle into, warm soft towels and flip flops.  I was really impressed by the changing facilities where you get a private little room complete with shower and toilet to get changed in.  No scrabbling for space or having to take your clothes off in front of strangers - brilliant!

We arrived at the Spa just after 9:30 am and there were only a handful of other couples in the spa. I'd definitely recommend getting yourself there first thing to enjoy some uninterrupted peace and quiet.

The Garage Spa is small but there are plenty of experiences to explore and it's the perfect size to enjoy a gossip filled day with the girls or some romantic time with your other half. 

Our first stop of the day was the Shepherd's Hut Log Sauna.  It was pretty romantic sitting in the snug little hut and we had a lovely time dreaming about our minimoon whilst relaxing in the warmth.

After glugging lots of refreshing cold lemon and cucumber water that is available throughout the spa things got hot again with a visit to the Steam Room before cooling off in the Car Wash - four different shower experiences (including a rather suspicious looking giant bucket to tip over your head that we weren't brave enough to try!)

There are four indoor wine barrel hut tubs to enjoy with a hydrotherapy tub, hot relaxing bath tub and, if you're feeling very brave, a plunge tub.  There was no way I was going to be dunking myself into cold water but Simon was a great sport and climbed in, giving me a little giggle at his shocked face when he resurfaced.

Our favourite part of the Garage Spa was the Secret Garden.  We were blessed with a beautiful sunny Spring day and it was just about warm enough for a little lounge on the hammock chairs.  I can imagine that in the hot Summer months the Secret Garden must be very popular.

As a birthday treat Simon booked me a treatment in the Body Shop so that I could get the full Garage Spa experience.  The Treatment Menu is extensive with plenty to choose from.  The facials sound fantastic and there are also wraps, body scrubs and polishes to enjoy.  If you're at the spa with your other half then the Rasul Mud Treatment sounds very tempting.

Simon booked me a 40 minute Indian Head Massage and I was thrilled with his choice.  My treatment cost £45 and was so much more than I expected.  As well as a lovely head massage the treatment also included a back, shoulder and neck massage.

Our Spa Day included lunch with was booked at the next door Morrit Hotel at 12:00 pm.  If you do book a package that includes lunch I'd definitely recommend taking it early as the spa is pretty quiet straight after lunch so you can take advantage.

No need to get dressed we were escorted across to the Morrit in our fluffy dressing gowns, but don't worry there was no embarrassment as we were in our own separate room of the hotel. 

I had been a little worried that lunch at a spa would consist of lettuce leaves and fruit salad but I needn't have feared, there was a great choice including loads of our favourite dishes.  I was quite tempted by the fish and chips or lasagne, although in the end I decided to pick something a little lighter and chose the Omelette (don't worry it was served with loads of chips!)

We were able to pick two courses but the starters never got a look in as for us it's always about the dessert.  Vanilla Cheesecake was the winner of the day and we both ordered the same which we hungrily devoured in seconds.

We both agreed that the food at the Morritt was gorgeous and far exceeded our expectations.  Know that if food is included in your spa package you will be in for a treat!

The highlight of our visit to the Garage Spa was the outdoor hot tub in the Secret Garden, so after lunch we decided to spend a little time together there before heading home.  Lounging about in a giant tin bath enjoying the bubbles and feeling the nice cool breeze on our shoulders was bliss.  We would have stayed in there all day if we weren't beginning to go wrinkly!

Our last trip of the day was to the Ambient Light Salt Room where we sat for a good while hoping to feel the benefits to our asthma.  Natural salt therapy is clinically proven relief for asthma and eczema which I suffer from.

From inside the Salt Room we could hear that the spa was beginning to get a little busier so we decided to call it a day.  I'd definitely say that come the afternoon there were a lot more people about so I highly recommend doing a morning session if you can.

We booked our idyllic day through Red Letter Days with their deal of a Spa Day and Lunch for Two for £99 but there are also some great Spa Packages on the Garage Spa website including overnight spa breaks, half day packages, evening packages and even an afternoon tea package with packages starting from just £35 per person.

All photos in this post were taken with my iPhone and I was very careful not to disturb the peace and quiet of the Spa! 

An Ode to the Gusto Burger

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Gusto on the Newcastle Quayside and so they've appeared on my blog a fair few times.  I'm afraid I have been keeping something from you though, and I thought it was about time that I shared.

I LOVE the Gusto Burger.  It's my latest obsession and at the moment my record stands at two in one week (it might be greedy but I have no regrets!)

Poor Simon has had to listen to me going on and on and on about how fantastic the burger at Gusto is and so it seemed only fair that he should get to try it for himself, after all he does fancy himself as a bit of a professional in all things burger.

So last week we took ourselves off to Gusto with our friends North East Family Fun so that Simon could finally understand why I've been obsessively day dreaming about the burger ever since I first had it.

Before we carry on I should probably point out that I'm not usually that fussed with burgers.  Whilst Simon will quite often order one when we're out and about, they're usually at the bottom of my list and it's very rare that I choose one off a menu. 

It takes a very special burger indeed to get me singing from Simon's hymn sheet so I think you'll perhaps understand why I have dedicated an entire blog post to a burger!  It's that special that I decided I just had to share it with you all.

It took me a while to even consider ordering the Gusto Burger. I don't know about you but if I'm in a restaurant with a menu that's crammed full of delicious pizza and pasta dishes a burger is the last thing on my mind.  In fact, for a good long time I didn't even realise the Gusto Burger existed.

At first glance you might not think that the Gusto Burger is anything special, there's no special secret recipe, no weird and wonderful fillings and no gimmicks.   It's just hidden away in the middle of the menu, minding its own business and is so easy to miss between all of the other delicious dishes that Gusto has to offer.

You're probably left wondering why on earth I'm so obsessed with the burger?  Well, let me tell you!

The Gusto Burger comes in a perfect brioche bun with melted mozzarella, crisp fresh lettuce and a gorgeous tangy sauce along with a generous portion of fries.  I always order mine a little pink as this is when the Gusto Burger really comes alive, it is literally heaven and the meat is just so juicy!  Believe me if I was any good at burger poetry I'd be writing one right now.

Imagine how confusing life is for poor old Simon.  He's so used to me insisting that we order different dishes when we're out and about so I can get a nice variety of food photos that me encouraging him to order the same as me almost made him fall off his chair. 

He was one very happy co-blogger getting to tuck into the burger that I've been raving so much about. 

And what did New Girl in Toon's resident burger expert think?   Well it was two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

So there you have it, one of the very best burgers in Newcastle and one you may not have thought to try before.

Make sure you give it a go next time you go and let me know what you think!

The Birthday Daffodil Diva

At the weekend I celebrated my birthday and, after closely examining my face in the mirror for any signs of wrinkles, I'm very happy to report that this 35 year old isn't looking too awful.  Hurray for great genes!

I tend to spend my birthday parading about like a Diva (Mariah Carey has nothing on Birthday Chloe!) and eating a silly amount of food - you have been warned.

The day began with a croissant smothered in Cadbury's Chocolate Spread and a very indulgent Cherry Bakewell pastry.  I may have also made poor Simon stand over a hot stove making me a milky coffee in a saucepan - Diva demands!

I was a very lucky lady this year and had a nice pile of gifts from Simon, family and friends to dive into. 

Having developed a keen interest in makeup over the last year I have to say my presents were dominated by beauty products with so many things that I've been wanting to try for ages.  I'm particularly excited about finally trying out the By Terry Ombre Blackstar and the Becca Jaclyn Hill Highlighter in Champagne Pop.



I also got this gorgeous pair of white and rose gold headphones which I plan to wear when I'm hard at work at my blogging desk and am desperately trying to block out the sounds of Simon on his X Box behind me.



Having spent most of his birthday shopping having to chat to the ladies at various beauty counters across Newcastle, Simon was a little worried that the geeky girl he fell for was long gone but he needn't have feared as two of my favourite presents were these cute little Pop Figures he got me for my desk.  I'm obsessed with Felicity Smoak from Arrow and Hayley Atwell who plays Agent Carter is one of my biggest girl crushes.



Simon won himself fiancée of the year by buying me four cupcakes from Pet Lamb Patisserie instead of a birthday cake.  You can probably spot there are two identical cakes, I think he was hopeful that I might let him have the other salted caramel one!

After presents had been opened and I'd taken my obligatory cupcake shot for Instagram (priorities!) we climbed into our rental car and did a 2 hour drive to Farndale in North Yorkshire to do the world famous Daffodil Walk.

I mentioned in my Easter Guide earlier in the week that I love Daffodils so for me the ultimate birthday treat is skipping about in them for hours.  After a little research I discovered Farndale  and so a plan was made.

Daffodils can start to appear at any time in the run up to Spring and planning a time to go and see them in advance is a little tricky.  I spent the weeks running up to my birthday obsessively watching out for local daffodils in bloom, whilst frantically stalking North York Moors National Park on Twitter and putting them on "Daffodil Watch".  Imagine how poor Simon felt getting a daily update on daffodils!

Unfortunately despite my best efforts we had a completely wasted journey.  The 3 mile walk from the car park in Low Mill through the daffodil dales were completely fruitless.  There wasn't a daffodil in sight.  I think we actually have more in our back garden than we saw on the daffodil walk.

Whilst you can't really hold it against Mother Nature I was gutted that the North Yorkshire Moors National Park hadn't been a bit more forthcoming with their information and warned me that our daffodil adventure was a bit pointless.  I tweeted them only a few days earlier and from the complete lack of flowers they would have known they weren't going to appear.

I'm not going to lie, I had major daffodil rage walking back.  I stomped the miles back to the car trying not to cry.  Melodramatic maybe but when you've wasted your birthday afternoon doing a 4 hour round road trip for no reason it's hard not be a little disappointed.  It felt like a waste of a car hire, a waste of time and a wasted birthday afternoon.


Simon was very sweet and was desperate to cheer me up and luckily had a surprise up his sleeve with a table for dinner booked at Horton Grange, a beautiful country house in Northumberland.  It was our first time and we fell for the romance of the building - so much so we almost regretted not looking round it as a potential wedding venue.

I'm afraid there are no photos from our meal, we were enjoying a nice peaceful evening and I think it would have ruined things a little to be worrying about positioning our food into nice light.  You'll just have to use your imaginations and believe us when we say that our Steak was absolutely delicious and the Rhubarb and Custard Cheesecake was just as good as it sounds.

My special day was over as quickly as it had begun and despite the daffodil disappointment I had a lovely day.

Anyone else got any funny birthday stories?

Enjoying Easter Weekend in the North East

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"

For my March guide there was only one thing I wanted to talk about, Easter!  

Easter is one of my favourite holidays of the year, not only do most of us get to enjoy a lovely long weekend but we also see the arrival of lighter days whilst eating our body weight in chocolate.

I have always celebrated my Easter Weekend properly by filling it full of traditions that guarantee to get me in the mood.  So this year I thought I'd share with you how to have the perfect Easter Weekend here in the North East.

Chocolate

Of course I can't talk about Easter weekend without mentioning chocolate, I'm sure I'm not the only person who's already filled their belly with Mini Eggs, Malteaster Bunnies and Creme Eggs.   

As much as I love all of these goodies it's fun to put a little local spin on things by enjoying chocolate treats that have been produced right here in the North East.

A visit to Tynemouth is great any time of year but Easter Weekend is an ideal time to visit Gareth James Chocolatier who'll have luxury large filled eggs on sale (I have my eye on the 70% Dark Chocolate Egg filled with Sea Salted Caramels!) and cute Easter hampers that will make the perfect Easter gift.

Daffodils

I am obsessed with Spring flowers and Daffodils are by far my favourite.  They're a very welcome burst of sunny colour after months of dark Winter weather and as soon as I see them popping up I can't help but smile.

Easter Weekend is a great time to go Daffodil spotting, especially if it involves putting on your wellies and stomping about in the mud with your loved ones.  

Being pretty new to the North East I'd love your recommendations of the best places to see Daffodils but having asked my followers on Twitter a lot of votes went to Warkworth Castle in Northumberland which becomes a sea of yellow over Easter with the most beautiful Daffodils scattered across the grassy hill underneath the castle.

Lambs

When I lived in Norfolk it was a tradition to travel to a farm to enjoy Lambing Weekend.  If you're lucky you can spend a beautiful sunny day over Easter watching lambs being born and believe me it's a fantastic way to enjoy the weekend.

My recommendation for Easter Weekend in the North East is to head to Wallington Hall where you can take a short tractor trailer ride to Broomhouse Farm to enjoy an up close and personal experience of lambing on a working farm.  Tour the lambing shed, visit the lamb hospital, bottle feed the lambs and if you're really lucky you may get to see one being born.  The event runs Good Friday to Easter Sunday and costs £6 for adults and £5 for children.  Make sure you book in advance.

Photo by Rachel Kershaw from lifeingeordieland.com

.. and that's it!  Your ingredients for a perfect Easter Weekend really is that simple - Chocolate, Daffodils and Lambs!

I'm off into a corner for a little sulk now as I'm away Easter Weekend so won't be able to enjoy any of these activities this year (and I REALLY want to go to Broomhouse Farm!)

Let me know if you have any ways you love to enjoy Easter and if you have any recommendations of your own.

Tipsy Tea at 97 & Social, Jesmond

We all know that I am the self confessed queen of afternoon tea and am on a bit of a mission to sample as many as I can in the North East.  One that's had my interest for a while is the Tipsy Tea at 97 & Social in Jesmond so when my friend Katie asked me if I'd like to try it out with her she didn't need to ask me twice!

Tipsy Tea is different to any of the other afternoon teas I've had, it's quirky, colourful and boozy - absolutely perfect for a catch up with one of my best friends.  Served on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon I recommend taking a leaf out of my book and booking a table with one of your favourite people - just make sure you clear your diary for the afternoon as things may get a little fuzzy.

Tipsy Tea takes you on a unique trip around the world, all from the comfort of your cosy booth at 97 & Social.

Our experience began with a look through the atlas of  teapot cocktails.  It was a tough decision deciding where to go.  Maybe India for "the Limited Darjeeling", Down Under for an Aussie Iced Tea or possibly a trip to China for the "China Dynasty" (the lychee and rhubarb bitters in that one made it very tempting!). 

In celebration of Katie's recent return from the Caribbean we opted for "It's a Jamaica 'Ting".

It's a Jamaica 'Ting was the perfect boozy teapot for us, a classic Jamaican combination of Appleton white rum, Velvet Falernum, sorrel squash and a sparkling can of Ting finished off with a little drizzle of pomegranate syrup.

As our teapot arrived we were told how to make our cocktails but in all honesty I was barely listening as I was so excited about how beautiful it looked.  This resulted in me pouring way too much cocktail into our teacups! Oooops!  When you go yourselves make sure you leave enough room in the top of the cup to top it up with some Ting or things will get a little bit tispy far earlier than anticipated.

Each tipsy tea comes with the all important cake stand, and this one is dressed to impress with plenty of sandwiches, colourful cakes, macarons and a few hidden surprises.

We were really happy to be asked what sandwich fillings we wanted on our stands. There were plenty to choose from and it was great to have the opportunity to pick out what we wanted.  I've had a lot of afternoon teas with fussy eaters which usually results in complicated sandwich swaps so it was great to be able to pick out our favourite fillings.  I decided on Salmon and Cream Cheese (always one of my favourite sandwiches on an afternoon tea) and Katie opted for Cheese and Pickle. 

After sandwiches comes scones and we enjoyed perfect fluffy scones with a choice of strawberry or raspberry jam and a silly amount of cream.

Being a nut allergy sufferer the guys at 97 & Social were great at accommodating me and I got my very own plate of cakes to enjoy.  One of the perks of having a nut allergy is definitely not having to share with someone, does anyone else get stressed at the idea of someone pinching one of your cakes when you're sharing a stand?

The cakes were so colourful and the presentation was just stunning.  You'll be pleased to know that they tasted just as good as they looked and we stuffed ourselves full of chocolaty brownies, fresh fruit, cream filled éclairs and multi coloured macarons before having to admit defeat.

Tipsy Tea is a great alternative treat and gave this afternoon tea expert plenty to smile about!  If you fancy trying it for yourself, Tipsy Tea for one is £9.95, Tipsy Tea for two is £15.95 and if you're having a Tipsy Tea Party for four it's £29.95.

I'll definitely be back for another try, after all I have 5 more teapots to work my way through!

Never Have I Ever ... Newcastle Confessions

I sometimes wonder if there'll come a time when the name of my blog no longer makes sense.  At what point do I stop being the "New Girl in Toon" and become a proper fully fledged resident of Newcastle?

In a few months time I will have been living in Newcastle for 3 years and at the moment I definitely still feel like a newbie.  I add to my Geordie vocabulary every day and still have to Google some expressions to understand what people are saying to me.  The Newcastle Bucket List on my iPhone is a constant reminder that I'm still the new girl, and there's a shocking amount of things I'm yet to do.

So I thought it was about time we play a game of "Never Have I Ever".  You may be familiar with the game from your youth, but don't worry I'm not going to start downing shots as it would get very messy by the end!

Never Have I Ever ...

Watched Newcastle play at St James Park

I loved football in my teenage years.  I'd attend every Norwich City home match, would dress myself in yellow and green and knew the words to every song from the terraces.

Newcastle is crazy passionate about football and every weekend the Toon Army turns the city into a sea of black and white.   Everywhere you go people are talking football and I feel like I really need to get myself to a Newcastle United game at St James Park before I can call myself a fully fledged honorary Geordie.

Been for a Night on the Toon

Sure I've had plenty of nights out with friends where we all drink too much Prosecco and I start talking rather loudly, but I'm yet to have a proper night out on the Toon.  Sometimes after one drink too many I like to declare that I want to head straight to the Bigg Market but it's yet to happen!

Getting "mortal" on the Diamond Strip, a cheeky dance in one of the clubs and a kebab on the Bigg Market - can I really call myself a Geordie if I haven't been there?

Had a meal at Cafe 21

My restaurant wish list get longer and longer by the week but there are definitely a few in there that I should have tried a long time ago.  Cafe 21 is one of those.  I hear nothing but great things about the  bistro and can quite often be found drooling over photographs on social media, so why haven't I made it there yet?

Been on a boat under the Tyne Bridge



I've been over the Tyne Bridge loads but I'm yet to go under it.  I'm not sure if it's really a Geordie's right of passage but every time I see the very posh boats lined up along the Newcastle Quayside in the Summer I'm reminded how much I want to cruise the Tyne, even if it is on River Escapes tour boat rather than a luxury yacht.

Seen a show at the Theatre Royal

I love the theatre and when I lived in London I'd quite often pick up cheap tickets to West End shows and head out for solo theatre trips after work.  So why haven't I been to the Theatre Royal in Newcastle yet?  The building is gorgeous and I walk past it daily and admire how beautiful it looks but I haven't even stepped foot inside!  I need to change that this year.

Drunk Newcastle Brown Ale

It's no surprise that I'm yet to try the broon stuff.  You're far more likely to find me with a glass of prosecco or a fruity cocktail than a pint of ale, but Newcastle Brown Ale is such a great part of North East history it feels wrong that I've never tried it.

Climbed Grey's Monument

I'm obsessed with aerial views and I have already enjoyed seeing Newcastle from above at Newcastle Castle, Six at the Baltic and the Sky Lounge at the Vermont Hotel.  The one climb I really want to do though is Grey's Monument. A handful of times a year Monument is open for the public to climb up the 164 steps to enjoy views across Newcastle.  It only costs £4 and the next opening is in a few weeks.  Someone make me book a ticket and go!  If you fancy it yourself, ticket information is here.

Been on the Newcastle Tour Bus

I'm sure most locals have no desire to go on the Newcastle tour bus, but being new to these parts I have huge gaps in my Geordie history that I need to fill.  How can I be a proper resident if I know nothing about how we came to be the greatest city on earth?  Having not gone to school in the North East I missed out on local history lessons and that makes me kinda sad. 

Enjoyed the EAT Festival

The Newcastle calendar is always full of amazing events, in fact the range of social activities was one of the things that really attracted me to relocating to the North East.  The festival I promise myself I'll get more involved in every year is EAT!, a fantastic celebration of food.  Yet other than blogging for Gareth Kyle during the festival last year, I'm yet to attend any of the events.  This Summer that needs to change!

Seen the Northern Lights

We are very fortunate here in the North East to get the opportunity to see the aurora borealis from time to time.  Every now and again my Facebook feed fills with gorgeous photos of green swirly skies taken by friends who've bothered to wrap up warm and head out to find them.  I've lost count of the amount of times I've said I want to see them for myself and last week I realised they'd appeared very close to my house - doh! 

Anyone else got any "Never have I ever" confessions to make?  Please don't tell me I'm the only one with a big local bucket list!