Beauty And The Beast Pantomime At The Tyne Theatre Newcastle Review

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Enchanted Entertainment are back at The Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle with this years panto Beauty and the Beast. Geordie panto favourites Charlie Richmond and Lewis Denny return alongside Union J's, JJ Hamblett and Sugarbabe Amelle Berrabah, to bring you a classic Geordie panto with a French twist this Christmas. 

Set in the village of Chateau Du Toilette you are whisked away on a tale as old as time with plenty of laughs, mishaps and panto silliness along the way. Charlie Richmond plays Daveed Granola and is his usual silly self, getting the audience laughing and on side from the get go. Lewis Denny stars as Dame Brenda Brexit and dazzles in some amazing costumes this year (loved the McDonald's one), the on stage chemistry between Lewis and Charlie is evident to see and it just makes the show so enjoyable as you can tell they are just having fun throughout the show. 

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Theatre Shows

Aladdin Panto At Whitley Bay Playhouse 2022 Review

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It wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to the panto and one we look forward to every year is the one at Whitley Bay Playhouse in North Tyneside. Blue Genie Entertainment always put on such an amazing show and the Playhouse is such a great venue, it really is a show that the whole family will enjoy. We have been visiting this pantomime since 2016 when the children were just two and three years old and they love it just as much now as eight and nine year olds as they did then (so do us grown-ups). 

  

Aladdin 

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Theatre Shows

Lunch At Umai Mi Newcastle With Kids

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Looking for somewhere to head for lunch in Newcastle with the kids? Then  I would recommend Umai Mi in Eldon Square, Newcastle. I visited last week with the kids (aged 8 and 9) and they loved it! 

Umai Mi is located within Greys Quarter in the bustling Eldon Square shopping centre in the heart of the city. It is the perfect location for lunch as a family when shopping in Newcastle city centre. Umai Mi is a oriental kitchen serving up yummy dishes such as sushi, dim sum, poke bowls and noodle dishes to name just a few. They have a range of menus such as a main menu, lunchtime menu, kids menu and they also cater for vegans, veggies and have gluten free options available too. 

We visited on a weekday lunchtime during half-term so I dined off the lunch time menu which is £15 for two courses. Children's meals are a total bargain at £5.99 for a main and dessert. Children are provided with menus they can colour and complete activities on, which kept mine entertained whilst they waited for their meals to arrive. 

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Dining Out

Psychopath Event Review

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Do you love a good scare? If so read on to find out all about Psychopath the North East's biggest scream park. If you like scary movies, horror, scares, thrills and want to experience something that will get your heart pounding then read on to find out what all the hype is about. 

What Is Psychopath?

Psychopath is an event held at Lintz Hall farm near Burnopfield in Durham, about a 30 minute drive from Newcastle. It is a Scream Park with several super scary attractions for you to explore that are filled with actors dressed in rather gruesome and frightful costumes. As well as the attractions there are also stage shows, fairground rides and food and drink stalls - meaning you can make a night of it. 

It is outdoors and starts in the evening which adds to the scariness of the whole event. It is not for the faint hearted as it is designed to terrify you and people will jump out on you when you least expect it. But it is good fun and is ideal to visit with a group of friends for a scare-tastic night out. 

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Events

University Ready With Very

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Are you ready for your teenager heading off to university for the start of term? My 19-year-old daughter is about to start her second year of her degree. Her first year at university was a bit of a strange one as it was still mostly online due to the pandemic, so she lived at home and travelled to university one day per week. This year things are back to normal so we have been trying to get her prepared. 

If you have a child at uni then you will probably know that they don't actually get their student loan until after they have started their course. Meaning a lot of the stuff they will need to buy to move into student accommodation or to study will have to be bought beforehand. So we have had to buy a lot of things, stationary, laptops, text books and if they are moving out basic household items such as kettles and toasters. 

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Northumberlandia - The Lady Of The North

 

Did you know that there is a giant lady landform sculpture that you can walk up in Northumberland? Located on the outskirts of Cramlington, you will find her and it is free to visit with free onsite parking too.

 Read on to find out more. 

What Is Northumberlandia?

Well Northumberlandia or the Lady Of The North as she is often referred to is a giant - I'm not kidding she is huge at 100 foot high at her tallest point and she has four miles of footpaths around her. She is set in 46 acres of public park which is lovely with forest areas, ponds and footpaths around or up her. 

It is the world's largest landform sculpture and she has been there about 10 years now. If you see aerial photos of her then you will see she is a giant female, however as she is so big when you are walking around you will only be able to see certain features - her head is very noticeable for example. 

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Days out

Horse Riding Lessons At East Boldon Riding Centre

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*Update 2025 - East Boldon Riding Centre no longer offer riding lessons and it is now an alternative education provision for sen children. *

Ever wanted to learn to horse ride? or maybe you have a child who adores ponies and you think they would like riding lessons. If so read on to find out what we thought of riding lessons at East Boldon Riding Centre, located in Boldon Tyne and Wear. 

We were kindly invited to East Boldon Riding Centre to try out a riding lesson and see what we thought. My daughter aged 9 has been riding for a year at a different riding school and is pony crazy. 

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Days out

Beating Boredom This Summer With A Fun Seaside Game

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 Now my own children are getting older (they are 7 and 9) they get bored a lot easier then they used to and simple games like eye spy no longer appeal to them for long. One thing they do like though is games and challenges as they are very competitive! 

On a day out I don't want to be lugging toys and big games or electronics out with us, I need something small and lightweight that we can pop in a backpack and can be easily transported. So the perfect game is of course a deck of cards. 

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Beauty and the Beast summer pantomime at Whitley Bay Playhouse

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A pantomime in the summer? Oh yes there is! 

Once again Reece Sibbald productions is back at Whitley Bay Playhouse in North Tyneside with a summer panto. Now I know what your thinking pantos are for Christmas, well they are just as much fun in the summer and are definitely not just for Christmas. 

This years production was Beauty and the Beast staring popular regular cast members Reece Sibbald, Cal Halbert and Pippa Smith alongside Ryan Hill as the beast, Leah Cook as Belle and Phil Dixon as Dame Dotty. This year they had a special guest Jamie and Chuck from Britain's Got Talent. 

The show was running from the 3rd to 7th of August 2022 so you have probably missed out on seeing it this year as today is the last day. Hopefully they will be doing another summer panto next year so you can grab some tickets as we have watched the summer panto a few times before. 

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Theatre Shows

The Big Northumberland Gear Change

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Have you heard about The Big Northumberland Gear Change? It is a campaign from Northumberland council that aims to encourage us all to slow down, take stock and adopt more sustainable ways of moving around the county by walking and cycling. 

If you are local you will know just what a beautiful part of the country Northumberland is, with lots of countryside and coast to explore. So slowing down and taking the time to appreciate where we live and what we have right on our doorsteps really appeals to me, that is why I have signed up for The Big Northumberland Gear Change six week challenge. 

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The Hustle Newcastle Review

Update - The Hustle has now shut down. 

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Heading into Newcastle this summer with the kids? If so then I know a great place to head for lunch and the food is rather delicious. The Hustle, it is definitely the place to be this summer. Located just outside of the Gate complex (where Tiger Tiger used to be) is The Hustle and during the day it is perfect for a family lunch in Newcastle city centre. 

We visited at 12.30pm on a weekday during the school holidays for lunch with the kids, the bar was quiet with a few people sitting outdoors enjoying drinks or a meal and a few other people indoors. The interior was fun, stylish and very clean. Service was spot on, we were seated in a booth, handed menus and the server was really friendly and explained the menus to us and the children were giving colouring sheets and crayons. 

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Dining Out

Chummys Bakery Postal Brownie Delivery Review

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Brownies are a little bit delicious and everyone in our house loves them, so when Chummys Bakery offered to send us a box in the post of course I agreed. Who could say no to a box of brownies? 

We were sent the postal box containing six of the best selling Brownies, flavours are Lotus Biscuit, Nutella, Salted caramel, Triple chocolate, Kinder Bueno and Ferrero Rocher. They also offer different brownie boxes where you can select your own flavours, cookies, blondies and rocky road bakes. 

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Reviews

The Great North Museum - Hancock

 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne is home to some great museums, some of which are FREE to visit. One of these museums is the Great North Museum - or the Hancock museum as us locals may refer to it. Located close to the city centre just a few minutes walk from Haymarket bus and Metro station's and Northumberland street. Visiting the museum is free (however donations are very welcome), making it perfect for a low cost family day out in Newcastle. 

The Great North Museum has been in Newcastle for a long time and I remember visiting myself as a child on school trips and with my parents back in the 90's, when it was known as the Hancock Museum. About ten or so years ago it had a bit of a makeover and is now known as the Great North Museum: Hancock. 

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Days out

Lunch At Miller And Carter Gosforth

As it was our third wedding anniversary we decided to visit Miller and Carter to celebrate whilst the children were at school. Week day lunch-times they have a lunch time menu which is amazing value at just £15.95 for three courses. 

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Dining Out

Beach Box Jesmond Family Beach Camp

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* Beach Box Jesmond is no longer open *

Are you looking for something fun to do with the children this weekend? Well read on to see what we thought of Beach Box Jesmond. Beach Box is located in Jesmond, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, there is free onsite parking or it is just a short walk away from Haymarket bus and Metro station in Newcastle city centre. It is a place to go for food and drinks during the summer and is popular with couples and groups of friends, however on a weekend they run a family Beach Camp which is great for a family outing. 

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Events

A Family Day Out In Amble Northumberland

Living in the North East we are spoilt for choice with lovely coastal towns to explore, especially in Northumberland. So when the children had a extra day off school for the jubilee we decided to head to Amble in Northumberland for a family day out. Amble is located on the North East coast near Warkworth and Alnmouth and is a lovely harbour village filled with independent shops, places to eat and beautiful coastal views.

 It is about 30 miles north of Newcastle (about a 40 minute drive up the A1) or you can catch the bus from haymarket bus station in Newcastle city centre - the X18 or the X20 which takes about an hour and half (please check  the Arriva website for details). 

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Days out

Butlins Skegness Review

 

A couple of weeks ago we headed to Butlins in Skegness for the ESF football tournament weekend with my son's football team. So what was it like? Well let me tell you. 

Getting There

We live just north of Newcastle and it took us about four hours to drive to Butlins Skegness,  with a short toilet stop for the kids on the way. You can also get the train but it requires three changes, Newcastle to Newark Northgate, Newark Northgate to Grantham then Grantham to Skegness and it takes 3 and a half hours, so a similar amount of time to driving. A quick look on Trainline has a family of four return at £150-£200 with a railcard. 

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Staycation

Hoover H-Free 500 Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Review

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As a family of five with two dogs and a pet cat in the house, I feel like I am forever having to vacuum and sweep the floors and sofas for crumbs, hairs, and astroturf (if you have a child who plays football you will know what I'm talking about). We have a mix of wooden flooring, tiles and carpets in our home, and despite only being two years old our current vacuum cleaner is just not up to the job and I am always left feeling that the floors are never properly clean. 

So when I was offered to review the Hoover H-Free 500 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner I obviously agreed. Hoover is such a well-known brand that people even use it when referring to other brands of vacuum cleaners, I bet we have all heard people saying "I'm just going to hoover the floors". My dad has a Hoover vacuum that he has had for about 20 years and it is still going strong now, which just proves what good quality products they are.  

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Reviews