Nadon Thai...

So we all have those weak moments when we are in the middle of exams and deadlines, in final year where we just gorge on junk food and takeaways because you feel like you never have enough time in the day to get the necessary work and revision done to succeed or to eat properly. We all resort to what's easiest and the fastest.
So in one my weak moments, I hit up deliveroo online, I really fancied something that was tasty, but not greasy and stodgy and came across the restaurant Nadon Thai.

They have a great selection of dishes on their menu and I was desperate for the red Thai curry and the chilli squid.

I have an issue with coriander in my food so I thought I'd give them a ring to see if the dishes I want have coriander in them. The guy that I spoke too was really really nice and helpful and reassured me that they would meet the requirements for me. I was really impressed.

I then fancied prawns instead of veg curry, but I can only eat the prawns when they are cooked butterfly style, as the digestive tract is cut out making me feel like I'm less likely to get food poisoning. (I have an irrational fear). The guy was so helpful and said they don't usually serve the prawns like that, but he would get the chefs to do that for me. I couldn't believe it, as I've never come across a takeaway service that would do anything like that for their customers.

The food came within half an hour and it was sooooooo tasty.
It hit the spot!!!

I'm hoping to go and try their food in the restaurant soon, as I thought the food was really flavorsome and extremely high quality. Its a rarity to find a takeaway food that is nice as when it cools. It's not as nice and usually it's highly fried and cooked really quickly with no love but this was not the case for Nadon Thai. It's was exceptional service and phenomenal food.

Thank you for making my night Nadon Thai and giving me fuel to carry on with my studies!!!!

 If you're in Newcastle, head to their restaurant and give it a try as it's not to be overlooked. It's really great food!

Alternatively you're at home and want some tasty good quality takeaway food head online to deliveroo!!!





  

The biscuit Factory...

I have lived near the biscuit factory, which is an art gallery, for a year now and I have never gone in for a gander to see what it's like. There's always an influx of foot fall coming in and out of the place at all times of the day, so I've always been curious.
On the off chance the other day, I was working all morning and was in need of some food and coffee to re-fuel. I thought where's nearest and thought instantly of the biscuit factory.

I went in and I was really surprised!
The place inside looked amazing, the art pieces on display as soon as you walk  in the door are engrossing. As soon as I walked in the place I felt instantly relaxed, as the vibes are really chilled and it's a really calm and inviting atmosphere.

I found where the cafe was, and I decided to order a caramel latte and for food I chose the poached egg on sour dough bread and smoked ham with a beautiful dressed salad on the side. I asked for one of the sides to be changed to just a portion of olives and the staff were really great about making changes. I ordered my meal to takeaway as I was determined to have a productive afternoon.

When I got my food it came in a quality brown paper bag which was a really sturdy, good quality brown box. I was delighted when I got home and opened the box. The quality of the food was top notch and I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

It's the kind of place where you can go with your work, or go with friends or by yourself and enjoy the calm atmosphere and get lost in the culture and great food and coffee.

I have since been back to eat in and I had the hot chicken, pesto and mozzarella panini and another caramel latte and my friend got the seasonal veg soup which she said was amazing. I was blissfully surprised about the high quality products they offer at the gallery. It's definitely my favourite place to take a moment to relax and have some down time in the stressful goings on in life.

What really made the place amazing to me, where all the staff there as they were really attentive, kind, helpful and lenient with unusual requests. I'm thoroughly impressed with the place and it's now my regular hang out spot.


I'm just sorry I didn't try it out sooner!!

If you get the chance head on in and try the cafe, I have yet to try the restaurant but I'm really looking forward to seeing what the foods like...

Pleased to meet you...

This is one of THE best spots to dine in Newcastle. It's fancy and it's also a modest restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere.

Whether you want a relaxing lunch with your other half, or a fancy meal with your girlfriends, it's certainly not a place to overlook!!!

It looks like a little piece of Italy inside with a hipster spin, and the menu is exceptional, offering a range of quality dishes.

I would highly recommend the sharing platter as it was one of the nicest starters I've ever tried. The olives were really tasty and the presentation was beautiful, paying attention to the smallest of details.

The staff were so helpful and really attentive, which made the meal really pleasant, the bathrooms were really well kept and the restaurant itself was a great atmosphere to be engrossed in and enjoy fully.

The quality of the food is incredibly high and the background soft jazz music made the experience a lot better.

The steak sandwich accompanied with a side of fries and the duck was exceptional and incredibly enjoyable. This will certainly be a place I will be returning to on a regular basis.

It's a hidden gem in Newcastle, and if you are heading for a night at the Stand comedy club in Newcastle, I recommend you stop at Pleased to Meet you before hand for an luxurious dinner as it's very near and one not to miss out on!

The Bohemian Newcastle...

This is an up and coming new vegetarian restaurant that's situated near the train station in Newcastle City Centre. It replaced the old american dinner and new owners have taken it over.

The menu has a small selection of dishes, however whats available on the menu, is a wide range of different meals and caters for many different tastes.

The sizes of the meals are really big and the vibes of the restaurant are really relaxed and easy going. If you're looking for a regular chill out spot, the bohemian Newcastle is for you.

I ordered the chimmichanga meal and it was so delicious, it was a fried mexican veggi wrap with a side of fries and salad. The flavors were really enjoyable. The staff were really accommodating as well as I can't eat coriander and in trying to ask for the dish to come without it in, was a really simple process and the staff were reasonable about my unusual request.

The decor in comparison to the diner was really modest and a lot better, it made the place look bigger. They also had this really cute little section next to the bar where they sell a plethora of different vinyls. This is a really good touch and was really appreciated!

I had high expectations of the bohemian Newcastle from their facebook and twitter page and all of them were met. I will definitely be going back to this relaxed place as you can't beat a place with good vibes, great food and reasonable prices.

If you get a chance, whether your coming off a train or waiting for one, pop in and try out their new menu. I am looking forward to going for the tapas Tuesday's to try the wide selection of veggi/vegan tapas dishes!

Start you ab workout....

Every morning I try to get through these sets of ab work out's.
It's really hard at first and requires a lot of motivation, however you start seeing results straight away. If you find you have no energy for the gym or cardio, due to a busy life style, start on toning and as soon as you see some results, it will be enough motivation for you to start working on your cardio too!!

Good luck!

Kick start your healthy lifestyle....

We all let our diets slip in winter, layering up and keeping warm, its only natural. However, summer is coming and we need to get in shape and get healthy!

 In Newcastle they provide bikes to rent at really cheap prices.

This is there website: http://www.thecyclehub.org/scratch-bikes/

Scratch bikes enable you to get fit by cycling about town in Newcastle, even has it's own cycle track near the Quayside. You can cycle all the way to Tynemouth!

I've mentioned this previously but by cycling often you are getting healthy and getting nearer to you summer body.

Turtle Bay....

This is the very first time I've tried Caribbean food, and it did not disappoint!!

I noticed this new restaurant in Newcastle, near the gate and felt like trying something new. So I popped in and ordered an alcohol free passion fruit mocktail and a jerk chicken wrap. The wrap was absolutely divine, and and the side of fries were even better as they were spicy fries.

I'm so desperate to go back as I really want to try the Trinidad chicken curry!
The vibes were really great and I enjoyed the music and the staff were really attentive.

 They had this Aunt Mays hot sauce which I thought was going to be like the Nando's medium spiced sauce, however this was not the case. It's made with scotch bonnet chillies and I doused my chips in the sauce and it was amazing. My mouth was numb afterwards but it tasted really nice and went really well with the meal. If you're not a big fan of spice, I would recommend not trying this sauce!

 The coleslaw was really tasty as it was homemade and the chips were amazingly spicy and were so much better than nandos.

 The mocktail was the perfect combination of sweet and tart, the passionfruit was so nice.

I highly recommend this place, I understand its a chain and they have two restaurants in Manchester. If you have a restaurant near you, head on in and give it a try as it's the new Nando's!!!

Creative and cultural days out in Newcastle...

Things to do on a sunny day in Newcastle

I live near the biscuit factory, which is this amazing art gallery, it has an amazing place to eat and the building is really beautiful and at night it’s lit up pink. It’s got a great range of art inside and there’s always really fun and interesting events taking places during the day and in the evening.

The Baltic near the quayside is another great art gallery in Newcastle, it’s surrounded by beautiful views and it’s right on the river. They have a great modern art section in the gallery and a really fun lift to go up as it's made of glass and gives you the biggest butterflies as it's goes up. There’s a long strip where you can walk down the river and on Sunday, there’s an amazing market where you can indulge on some naughty street food.   

The Laing art gallery is another free art gallery; it’s in the centre of the city, which is surrounded by a million pound stone floor pattern.  You have to pay for certain sections of the gallery but if you want a cheap day out, you can look at ¾ of the gallery for free. It has a really lovely café within the Laing, the tea and scones are particularly good.  

I have cycled from the quayside to Tynemouth before, on the cycle track using the hire ‘scratch bikes’ which are situated all around the city for hire for really cheap prices.  It’s a 22 mile rise but it’s really safe and it’s takes you on the route past Hadrian’s wall. I highly recommend the ride, if you find the energy to cycle all day, you feel great afterwards. It's feels like you've really achieved something, and your legs are like jelly when you get off your bike, you really feel the burn in the morning. 

Osbourne farm is another attraction to visit; it’s a farm where you can take you family or friends to pet the farm animals for free. It’s great for children and it can also make a great date with your partner.  They have really cute rabbits there and on the walk down there you pass Stepney Bank inner city horse riding school and some really quirky cafe's and street art. It's right next to Sandyford park, which a lovely walk when the suns out, as it’s a really beautiful park.  

The Great North Museum: The Hancock in Newcastle is free to enter and it makes a lovely educational day out. They have a cafe but I wouldn't recommend you eat there, as at the bottom of the street theirs an amazing coffee shop called Quilliam Brothers tea-house. It's a great chill out spot, with a youthful, hipster and student vibes.  

Another one of my personal favourites...

The Garden kitchen Newcastle 

This is another one of my favourite spots in Newcastle, I love spending my lazy afternoons here enjoying a lovely bite to eat.

They have a wide range of gorgeous cakes and lunches; I especially enjoy the garden picnics. I usually get the children’s version as it’s just as big and it’s cheaper. This place is situated in a really quite spot in Eldon Square shopping centre.

The soups and sandwiches are to die for, especially with a side of sweet potato chips.

I really love the shops around the café too, as they sell premium products, designer clothes, handbags and shoes. It’s a hidden little piece of heaven.

I take all my friends here, on their first visits to Newcastle and everyone seems to love it. I think it’s a chain as I’ve heard of other cafes in different cities. It’s a great spot to take your girlfriends for midday champagne as they have a side bar attached at the side. 

My favourite place in Newcastle...

Olive and Bean

  

I was brought to a little café/ deli in the centre of Newcastle a few years ago and I fell in love with the food and the riveting atmosphere. It was a quirky, youthful, hipster place where you could get lost in the art of people watching for hours.

It’s got to be my favourite spot in Newcastle. I regularly order an amazing Panini, and gorged on a jalapeno, pepper, salsa chicken delight.  I accompany this with a fruity (healthy) beverage which goes really well with the meal. If I’m feeling naughty, I sometimes get a cake for after as they have such an amazing selection of treats. 

I love to come here on a weekend with my friends and spend a few hours relaxing, catching up and enjoying the busy weekends in Newcastle. It's also great for takeout as they wrap everything up perfectly so it still stays warm. 

They have an amazing website, which will show you how amazing the food looks; http://oliveandbean.co.uk/

A little bit about me...

I’m an enthusiastic young woman who enjoys all things healthy and artistic. I’m from a small city called Lancaster and currently live in Newcastle in the UK.
 I aspire to live like a bohemian traveler and to be a female business owner; this has been my dream since I was very little. I’m a bubbly blonde who loves to meet new people and learn new things. I’m a natural blonde, no peroxide nonsense. 

 I love nature and the appreciation of different cultures. I love running, reading, being outdoors and being around people. Being blonde, I first meet new people and they usually already have an opinion of me (dumb, ditsy or in some unfortunate cases slag). Men usually see blonde hair and have a certain opinion as well, but we won’t dwell on that too much.  

Living in Lancaster I haven’t had chance to experience a great deal of new things, as its size and lack of culture hasn’t allowed me to. I think a place where one grows up, limits people as you’re comfortable and used to the area you’re brought up in, but living in the North East of England for a few years has enabled me to meet some amazing new people from all different places in the world, and eaten some amazing food from a range of different places.