Newcastle In The Sky: Bucket List Experience

So, most people have a bucket list, right?! A list of things they wanna tick off before they 'kick the bucket shall we say. So when I heard Newcastle In The Sky was heading to Gateshead again, I had to oblige when they invited me along. For those unaware of Newcastle In The Sky's concept... it's basically a dining experience suspended 100ft up in the air. The sun was just setting as we were arriving, making out for a beautiful evening!

Okay so here's how it went down. Myself & Ruth (Pretty Little Gym Addict) arrived at the hospitality tent and were greeted with a glass of champagne. Good for those with a fear of heights... take the edge off. We were both really excited and not frightened of the height aspect which was fun. There was already a flight taking place so we watched from the tent. As you can see, we opted for the evening flight. Each flight is hosted by a different North East Restaurateur or Cocktail Bar and ours was hosted by Livello with 2 cocktails served in the sky. 

When it was our turn, our group was gathered together and talked through the safety instructions. No bags, hold on tight to all possessions for obvious reasons etc. By this point I was itching to get in my seat. Seating is a very organised affair as there is a certain way you need to be harnessed into you seat for safety - always good news! Once we were fastened in, another safety check by another member of staff happened which was very reassuring. We were one of the first to be seated so it seemed to take a while and the anticipation was building... 

Once all safely secured in our seats, the platform slowly began to move off the ground and we felt weightless. As we floated above the ground, our compare talked us through the staff serving the cocktails and that we would rotate after the first drink so we would all get both views of Gateshead & Newcastle. Not going to lie, some people were clinging on and I overheard someone say "dont look down" and I stupidly though pfft why not?! Heart in my mouth moment. Turns out 100ft is higher off the ground that you think. And from the ground doesn't look far at all. I took a few gulps and prayed my cocktail would be in my hands soon. After a swift talking to myself (in my head of course) I soon adjusted.

I was sat right in front of the bartender making our cocktails, which was fun to watch with the view of the river tyne over her shoulder. 

Once drink number 1 has been finished, this is the half way point so they rotate the platform. I managed to get some shots of the Millennium Bridge lit up and there is something magical about the quayside at night time. Twinkling lights in the velvet black sky...

Pinched this gorgeous shot from Ruth! A moment we'll not forget... 

The first drink went down a treat and do it was on to the 2nd which was aptly named the Blushing Geisha. Blush pink, flowered with berries and topped with crushed ice. 

Once the 30 minute slot was over, we were lowered back down to ground level. Which surprisingly seems to be quicker than going up! We were allowed to finish our drinks in the refreshment tent and the staff were very welcoming.  This truly is the experience of a lifetime but not for the faint hearted. The cocktail night time flight lasted half an hour and costs £75.00 pp which is fairly reasonable given the uniqueness of the experience, friendly staff, drinks on entrance etc. If you're after an unbeatable dining experience, Newcastle In The Sky have got you covered. 

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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Kiehl's Bloggers Event

Situated on Blackett Street in Newcastle, I had been meaning to try Kiehl's Skincare for ages... and then as if by magic I was invited to their bloggers event. Perfect opportunity to be introduced to the brand. 

On entering the store, the staff are dressed in white coats which instantly gives you a chemist/science type vibe which makes sense as the brand was founded back in 1871 by a pharmacist in Brunswick, NYC. The company has seen a change of different owners introducing new ranges for men, oils and even introducing generous samples in the 1970's. The brand has had quite a prolific existence in the skincare world and even launched a product in collaboration with Andy Warhol in the sixties. The staff were full of information for all of the products, the brand history and all were passionate about skincare. But first things first, we got tucked in to a slice of cake. Because.... cake. 

I had a mooch around the store to see what type of products they have on offer and a reoccurring theme were very fresh ingredients like orange, cilantro, jasmine. The Cilantro and Orange extract smells divine btw. I had heard amazing things about the Midnight Recovery Concentrate so that was on my list to check out up close and ask questions.

So after speaking to the staff about the Midnight Recovery Concerntrate, and doing some reading online this comes highly recommended. A lot of the staff tagged this as their 'fave' product in the whole range. This is a midnight recovery cream that works its magic while you sleep, it has an oily consistency and comes in an iconic blue glass dropper bottle. It's key ingredients are some of the reasons this helps skin appear fresher, brighter and repaired. Primrose oi, lavender oil & squalane (from olives) are some of the natural ingredients helped to boost skin recovery whilst you get your all important sleep. 

I've noticed from browsing their website that a lot of the glass packaging is recyclable and the cardboard packaging comes from recycled sources. In the world we live in where mass production and the throw away concept seems so evident, I think this is a great concept to hear from big brands and I wish more would follow! 

As an addition to the cake and skincare, we were treat to cocktails by the lovely staff from The Alchemist, Newcastle. They served up the Bubblebath cocktail which, let me tell you... it's so delicious and a dream to watch being made! 

I thought the collaboration of The Alchemist and Keihl's was genius, these 2 brands are built on alchemy so it was a perfect match! If you're around Newcastle craving a cocktail, I totally recommend this as a sweet cocktail and instagram worthy too!

Sipping cocktails and eating cake (AND learning about skincare) I was asked if I would like a skin assessment. I was totally up for this because I'm a little bit obsessed with skincare and always wanting to understand my skin more and how to look after it. So I had a skin test with a little swatch - you can request these at your store (no need to remove make up).... and from the swatch they recommend the best products and treatments for you. 

So my skin was slightly dehydrated (I do moisturise every night and have a skincare routine) but I was advised to drink more water and to try using a combination of oils and serums to help moisture reach deeper into my skin. This is a free service they offer and would recommend it to any skin lovers out there! 

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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A Taste Of Sunderland: Restaraunt Week Preview

So if you read my last post about Sunderland Restaurant Week you'll be familiar with what is to follow. If you missed it (you can read about it here), let me fill you in. Last year, Sunderland hosted their first ever Sunderland Restaurant Week which celebrated what the city has to offer in eateries. sprinkled with offers and deals giving people the opportunity to try lots of different dishes. So it's up again for year number to, and to show you all what they're offering I got to test out a few of the establishments involved. Just like last time, we started off at Café Purple - which is a 2 minute walk from the metro station for people travelling by public transport. We started off with an array of cocktails, if you're looking for insta shots, this is your place!

 

 

 

After the delicious cocktails, we were presented with an antipasti sharing board. This had a selection of cheeses, meats, fruit, dipping sauces, carrots & nuts. I didn't know where to start but their last cheese board was amazing so I dove in! I would recommend this if you're looking just to snack with the girls over a few drinks or if you're looking for a lovely sharing starter before a main dish. The blue cheese is so moreish and paired with the fruit and dips this has something for everyone...

 

 

 

 

 

Moving on from Café Purple, we then headed to Royale Thai. A restaurant which we did not visit last time round so this was a new experience. We were brought wine to the table - I love a glass of red when eating. We waited for the food to arrive which were sharing platters with a little of everything including spring rolls, chick satays, fish & golden dumplings.

 

 

 

 

My personal favourites were the spring rolls and the chicken satays!

 

 

 

After scoffing starters we gallivanted to next on the agenda. City Bistro which is ran by Sunderland College's culinary students. On entering, the scene is set with low lighting, tables set beautifully with wine glasses and cutlery and ambient music playing in the background. For me, this was a lovely setting to dine in. It truly felt like a top restaurant and you wouldn't even think this is ran by student. We were presented with a menu and we got to pick from a selection. I went for the cod with cauliflower, fondant potato, herb crumb & parley cream whilst others opted for a chicken breast or vegetarian leek option.

 

 

 

 

The cod was cooked to absolute perfection, a little over seasoned on the skin side for my liking but I that's just preference. The fondant potato and parley cream were the perfect accompaniment for the cod. A dish I would recommend hands down and also would recommend taking a visit if you've never ventured there yourself.

 

 

 

If you're loving the look of this place, it makes for a lovely venue for special occasions as they do taster menus from 5, 7 or 10 courses. 5 courses is £30, 7 comes in at £38 and then a whopping 10 courses for just £45. Considering the quality of the food, paired with the setting and attention to detail I think the prices are superb for an alacarte style menu. I think this seriously is a hidden gem in Sunderland if you're looking for fine dining in a city setting, City Bistro is one to watch.

 

 

 

Moving on from City Bistro, we went to Port of Call. This was visited last time around but not for desserts. I ordered a black coffee after all of the food I needed a little caffeine kick! Then with pancake day on the horizon we ordered pancakes with a selection of toppings. I opted for the traditional lemon & sugar.

 

 

 

 

Whilst waiting for pancakes to arrive, a dessert board arrived - basically a sugar overload! This included cakes, missispi mud pie... I think?? And an oreo jar filled with Oreo goodness. I tried the chocolate cake which reminded me of the cake from fave childhood movie, Matilda. Chocolate cake. Needs no explination, good and chocolatey. I didn't dare try anything else but temptation crossed my mind! I awaited my pancakes but after a long day and then the clock ticking late in the evening with slow service I had to leave before they arrived. Which was a shame considering the dessert board but it had been quite some time...

 

 

 

 Until next time...

 

The Original Redhead

 

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