My new blog!

Hi everyone..long time no see! I started a  new blog, about fun,non-touristy things to do in Newcastle Upon Tyne:

http://thingstodoinnewcastle.wordpress.com/.

Check it out an show it some love! 🙂 My first post if for all tea lovers, as I go on discovering  the perfect place to enjoy a  tasty cuppa. Here’s a little sneak peek:

Tea Sutra Teahouse, 1st Floor 2 Leazes Park Rd

I’m really excited about this place because I “discovered” it only a few days ago and I fell in love! Here’s why…

Tea Sutra  is the ultimate tea heaven – with an ‘Oriental’ twist! It’s a tea house, so expect an amazing choice of tea –  they serve over 100 teas and infusions (plus a selection of vegeterian, gluten-free snacks to go with it)! Interestingly, Tea Sutra also offers wellness therapies such as acupuncture, hot and cold stone massage and reiki, so it’s a bit like a spa and tea house in one!

Even though Tea Sutra is in a central location, I felt like I left the everyday hustle and bustle behind the moment I walked through their door. Everything about this place is relaxing and soothing – the light, specious, Japan-inspired decor; the subtle music, comfortable cushions…and the amazing smell of tea filling up the entire floor! It might sound like a weird comparison, but the peaceful, almost meditative atmosphere remained me  a bit of a yoga studio.

It took me a while to decide, but I eventually ordered Persian tea (£2.70) – which is black tea with flowers and spices.  Tea Sutra has a nice selections of books and magazines, so I was sipping my tea while reading haiku – how relaxing!

Rediscovering Newcastle

Here are some snaps I took today – I bought a new Nikon D3100 so I had to try it out! 🙂

Newcastle  is famous (or infamous, depending how you look at it!) for wild nights out involving a flurry of fake tan,  skimpy outfits and cheap drinks, and it’s pretty much considered the drinking capital of the UK. To be honest, I don’t think many people outside of the North East  realise that the city has much more to offer than bargain booze and fancy dress nights out. One of my favourite things about it is the architecture – Newcastle, especially the city centre and the Quayside (riverside), is a lovely mixture of 15th-19th century houses, crooked  Medieval-style streets and modern  buildings.  PERFECT for taking photos! :

Quayside [click photo to enlarge]

Quayside in colour 🙂

Grainger Town, Newcastle City Centre