Weekend Treat - Number 2

I've being trying to pack in lots of lovely treats before I go back to work fully, because I'll probably be too tired then, to go gallivanting at weekends.

Our first treat was Paris last weekend ... this weekend I wrapped up warmly, and caught an early train to Newcastle, to spend some time with my lovely girl. The weather was cold and wet but the North Eastern welcome was so warm it didn't really matter what the weather was doing. Everyone is so friendly there, (but I think that's a northern thing generally!)

We needed to be indoors but didn't want to spend all our time shopping as it was so, so busy! I think everyone had suddenly realised that Christmas is coming and had headed to the High street.

We went to look at the superb new library, where you could spend hours reading the windows in the viewing gallery at the top of the building. When it was being built they asked the local people four questions:

What makes you happy?
What would you change?

What do you fear?
What gives you hope?

Their answers are now displayed on butterflies on the windows! I could have read them for hours ... it was fascinating.
I might pinch that idea for a school display or even a blog post!

We then headed across the road to the Laing Art Gallery. I love provincial art galleries ... you don't get exhausted wandering around and they often have hidden gems. This one had a number of lovely Pre-Raphaelite paintings that I hadn't seen before. Lovely!

Next stop, Fenwicks Food Hall. Now, we don't have a Fenwicks locally, and I know there's one in York, but this Newcastle store is a treat.... especially the Food Hall. We loved the bottles of oils and dressings that you could decant into fancy bottles.

I've seen wine and olive oil sold like this in France, but never here.

It is traditional to visit Fenwicks window display at Christmas time, and sure enough there was a huge queue to peep inside the magical scenes. ... we couldn't get near but much later that evening we were passing and there wasn't a child in sight! The downside is that the animations had been switched off ... so the photos are dark ... but it gives a little flavour of a traditional approach to Christmas. We used to have similar displays in a large department store in Liverpool, but they're long gone now!

Apologies for the poor photos

Much later, we scared ourselves silly watching the new Harry Potter film at a lovely independent cinema with the comfiest seats ever!

Seriously, we found the film really frightening - definitely not one for little ones!

Next morning we visited the Tynemouth Station Vintage market and spent a pleasant time wandering round looking for treasures ... except it was truly freezing!!!! I did manage to find a few pretty things but they're tucked away for Christmas!

Another Tynemouth treat is the Land of Green Ginger, which is a converted church filled with lovely little shops ...

My lovely girl fancied this striking hat, to go with her 'fur' coat which used to be my mum's in the 1970's.

I enjoyed this place ... a shop which sells everything you might need for cake making ... edible glitter, cupcake cases and so on. I want a dresser like this!

All too soon it was time to leave, but not until we'd had a tasty snack to fortify me on my four hour journey!
Mmmm ... this was just the thing!

I'm looking forward to another treat next weekend!