Joffers Grand Opening

There's been a buzz in the air for a while now about a new fine dining brasserie and bar opening in Whitley Bay - and last night I finally got to check it out at Joffers' VIP party. I know Whitley Bay very well having previously worked in the area and living at the coast, so naturally I was thrilled to hear that somebody new and exciting was setting up shop in the face of 'turbulent times' and on a 'dying high street'. 

We arrived shortly after 6:30 to an intriguing and cool black exterior, bustling bar and glass of Prosecco with our names almost etched in the icy chill. Scanning the busy seating area for a seat, Lauren and I slipped into a cosy booth towards the back and sipped our drink excitedly. Chatting to the table next to us, we mutually agreed that Whitley Bay, and indeed Whitley Road could certainly do with somewhere stylish yet intimate to meet for a drink or light bite. Furnished with sumptuous booths, chandeliers and smart wooden tables, Joffers certainly oozed style and sophistication. So far so good. 

Food was soon announced, so we slowly made our way to a huge table filled with gourmet goodies such as antipasto, olives, melon salads, cheeses, homemade bread and tapas. Popping a little bit of everything on our plates we returned to our seats to tuck in (for research purposes y'know). The scallops were amazing, as was the bread smothered in molten butter, cheese and charcuterie meat. Washed down with a few more glasses of prosecco we chomped and chatted happily, certainly feeling very relaxed in our sumptuous surroundings.

The calm before the storm...

It wasn't long before a fire breather arrived and took our breath away with her death defying stunts on the street outside (Lauren and I applauded from the safety of our seats and close proximity to the dinner table...) After chatting to former journo Jon, I couldn't believe that Joffers was actually a former charity shop, it was unrecognisable and bordering on cavernous inside! Being something of an afternoon tea connoisseur (at 22, a bit sad I know), Lauren and I quizzed Jon about Joffers' afternoon tea, which apparently is amazing. Lauren and I promised we would return during the day and see if it was up to our standards (watch this space).

Joffers is now officially open, so get down there this weekend and have a drink for me! For more information on their British-inspired menu/late opening hours, check out their website here: www.thejoffers.com 

Thank you for having us Joffers! 

Give It A Grow

Before my recent promotion to Gardening Editor, my forays into the world of gardening were shall we say, short and sweet. My gardening skills went as far as growing cress in pots at primary school, or seeing who could grow the tallest sunflower between my brother, sister and I, and inevitably getting bored after a week. Writing about different plants every month and actually understanding how to grow/prune/propagate them has really made me want to start growing my own. One of life's simplest pleasures for me is a bunch of freshly cut flowers, if I could I'd have a vase on my desk every day to cheer me up and let a little nature in. Growing up with only a backyard to play in, I didn't really have many opportunities to practise, until now!

May I present to you... ALLOTINABOX

After stumbling upon these guys on twitter, I contacted the company about potentially featuring them in my gardening section in Living North. The lovely Lorraine answered my query and told me more about her boxes. Two days went by and I received a very beautifully wrapped surprise in the post (my favourite kind of surprise in case anybody was wondering...)

The Urban Gro Box is perfect for people like me who want to grow their own produce but have very little space/gardening know-how. It has been said that I take after my mother, who could kill a cactus from lack of watering... so I was curious to see how I got on with this. Inside my box were five small beautifully packaged seeds, some twine for measuring, some handy plant labels, and ALLOTINABOX's brilliant grow wheel, telling me what to plant and sow when. A one off seasonal box starts from £15.99, but you can order annual subscriptions, browse their range of gardening goodies and even liven up your lunch with some of their homemade jam. 

What I love most about ALLOTINABOX apart from the brilliant concept and quirky packaging, is that the company was started in the midst of  'the worst recession in the history of the world', or so people keep telling us. Admittedly the climate isn't great right now, but what we need are more people to start up new businesses so people can start investing both financially and emotionally in our economic climate and ALLOTINABOX are helping us dig our way out of this doom and gloom (terrible pun, I know). Their brightly-coloured boxes really put a smile on my face when I received it in the post and I can now save myself a bit of money by growing my own fruit and veg (my guinea pig will be thrilled). 

So I just want to say thank you to ALLOTINABOX for my little box of joy, my seeds might not be much to shout about yet, but I'm doing well! Rocky the guinea pig might have to wait a little longer for his carrots, but I bet when he does get them, they'll be great! 

So go on, fill your up your barrow and get growing! 

www.allotinabox.com