There has been a lot of hype about the Botanist since it opened its doors last year, with friends and acquaintances talking fervently about the bar with a full sized tree AND a roof terrace overlooking the Monument.  Whilst the chilly weather of late may, or may not, have kept people from the roof terrace, it certainly hasn't kept them from the bar.  Arriving on a wet Wednesday evening, the bar was buzzing and the atmosphere inviting. 
  

The Botanist are proud to introduce some new summer additions to their food and drink menus and invited me along to try them, as part of an intimate bloggers gathering.  We were shown to our table and treated to some new cocktails and a delicious array of food for our tasting pleasure.

While we waited for our party to arrive we had a look through the new menus including the Anthology of Ales which was so aesthetically pleasing and ornate that it was hard to remember it was a beer list; definitely one for the beer enthusiasts, an extensive offering of beers from near and far.

We sampled four new summer-ready cocktails, each as fresh and fragrant as the one before.  I enjoyed my Watermelon and Sage Sling, which was a little too easy to drink, and would be perfect for someone wanting a cocktail without too much of a punch.  The Botanist Pornstar, with Prosecco Chaser was fruity with a good kick and the Apricot and Ginger Sling was spicy and sweet, but for me, the Passionfruit and Basil Crush really hit the spot.

We tried a selection of food from the Starter and Nibbles section, all of which were great to share.  The highlights for me were the Goats Cheese and Tomato Quiche (sooo tasty, light and crispy), the Baked Camembert (always a winner in my cheese-loving eyes), the Salt and Pepper Onion Petals (light, crispy deep fried onion segments with a cool dip) and the cute little Sardines in a Tin (served warm with bread and hot sauce).
 

The Botanist offer live music evey night and to top it off we enjoyed an acoustic set from Hattie Murdoch, which was absolutely fantastic.  She performed mostly acoustic covers, with a flawless voice and unique twists, which made for thoroughly enjoyable listening.  I will definitely be planning my next visit for when she is in session!

Fresh food, summer inspired cocktails, world class music and fantastic company with these three lovely bloggers... what more could I want?  Thank you to the Botanist for having us!

Why not pop in to the Botanist and try for yourself.  There is (supposedly) good weather on the way so make the most of the terrace and the summer additions to an already fantastic cocktail menu!

P.S. For some annoying reason my hyperlinks are covering the whole sentence in this post?!

To me (the parent of twin toddlers) the absolute luxury, the be all and end all, the ultimate treat is a day at the spa! OK, maybe an overnight stay at a spa hotel, but a spa day comes second best.  When my friend text me to see if I fancied a spa day I immediately said yes and we started looking for deals and inspiration.  Neither of us had visited the Serenity Spa at Seaham Hall before and we found a great midweek deal, including a massage or facial and two course lunch for £85. 

We arrived at the spa just before 10am to have our treatments first.  The staff were professional and welcoming and served us a cold drink while we registered.  We were given a tour of the facilities before being encouraged to relax in the Zen Lounge and await our treatments.  The Zen Lounge featured reclining, heated chairs, magazines, water and herbal tea.  It was soon time to go to one of the treatment rooms, all of which had a shower and toilet and were tranquil and beautifully finished.  

I had the 50 minute Serenity Wellbeing Massage; a full body massage, with a little extra attention to the knots in my back, as requested.  It was a lovely treatment and I didn’t want it to end.  My friend opted for the skin specific facial and really enjoyed the products used.  After the treatment we returned to the Zen Lounge for a fruit plate before heading to the spa.  We were able to get a lounger by the pool; the staff keep an eye out to ensure the loungers don’t get reserved by people for too long. We flicked through some magazines for a while before trying out the facilities.  I really liked how many facilities the spa had to offer including inside and outside hot tubs, steam room, sauna, sanarium, hammam, ice pools (avoided!) and warm swimming pool.

We headed to the Ozone restaurant for a Pan Asian lunch, upgrading to the full three courses (obvs!) and a glass of wine.  The food was delicious, and they brought us a bowl of prawn crackers to stave off the hunger while we waited.  We both had the duck pancakes, then I had a delicious steamed sea bass, with pak choi and noodles, and my friend had oyster chicken.  We finished with an Eton Mess and coconut panna cotta.

We ventured into the outdoor hot tub after lunch and after a slow lap of the pool (post-lunch swimming was difficult) and another relax on the heated beds it was time to go home.  Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!  The day flew over and we were tempted to forget the kids and book a room!

I can’t recommend the spa enough.  The whole experience was effortless and professional.  The Spa and Hotel were refurbished in 2012 and the facilities were clean and well maintained.  The changing rooms were stocked with towels and robes and the were lots of staff on hand keeping the place immaculate.  I think I’ve found my new favourite North East Spa (I still love you Rockliffe, but you are a bit further from home!) and I can’t wait until the next time we can fit in a spa day.

The Cookhouse first caught my eye when I read about a then upcoming butchery demonstration on the blogosphere and hence stumbled upon the beautifully executed blog of Cookhouse owner Anna Hedworth (The Grazer).   Since the discovery, and my subsequent visit, I have heard numerous reports from friends and acquaintances singing the praises of Anna, both personally and professionally.  Fellow Ouseburners are pleased to have a new and quality eatery and those who have visited are excited and expectant at what the Cookhouse has to offer.  Located on a quiet street in the Ouseburn, the Cookhouse has been open since last Autumn and boasts a pot belly stove through the winter months and plans for al fresco dining during the upcoming sumer.  The Cookhouse cafe opens on weekdays only but Anna is passionate about food events and providing unique dining experiences to meet your requirements so there are lots of opportunities to sample what’s on offer.

The menu is concise but considered and changes regularly.  We couldn’t help but try one of nearly every item on the menu, each of which was accompanied by a salad.  The food was homemade and tasty, the salads delicately flavoured.  Clearly a lot of thought and expertise had gone into the balance of flavours.  I have to apologise for the quality of my photos but it was one of those times that i wanted to enjoy the experience rather than record every moment.  We drank spicy homemade ginger cordial and finished our meal by sharing a slice of homemade cake and a pot of OCC coffee.

Take a day off and visit for yourself on Ouse Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PF or alternatively plan an extra special supper with Anna at the helm…

www.cookhouse.org

Anyone who has children will know that life after children is somewhat different to life before.  I have some distant memory that life was a social flurry of events, dinners out and parties, where my only decision was what to wear.   When I first had my twin girls, now three, I knew things would have to change but expected that 'mummy friends' were a given and, by popping along to some baby groups, my new support network would just click into place.  Although I had a few friends with children, they were mostly different ages and I realised it wasn't going to be as easy as I first assumed. After some time, I basically had to infiltrate an established group of friends by inviting myself along for coffee.... and (phew) it worked :) 

Yesterday I stopped by Brentwood Avenue in Jesmond for some lunch and a browse in the shops.  Due to the tail end of hurricane Gonzalo it was a very windy experience and we practically ran from shop to shop to shelter from the gusts.  For those who subscribe to My Little Box, I nearly lost my DVF scarf in the wind as it blew off me and I had to chase it down the street!  

Brentwood Avenue is a small row of shops and businesses in West Jesmond, and is my first destination if I need to get a wedding, christening or birthday gift due to the gorgeous little gift shops, cook shop and delis.