Northumberland Connections

06/07/2024

We had a great time at the evening bistro at Nanna Pat's Cafe and Bistro LTD! 🌟 Currently, they're featuring an Italian theme and it's BYOB while they await their alcohol license. 🍷

I started with the tasty cheesy arancini stuffed with spicy sausage and mozzarella - absolutely delicious! 🤤 Then, I enjoyed the arrabiatta pasta, which came with a really flavourful tomato sauce🍝 For dessert, I couldn't resist the vanilla panna cotta with a raspberry compote - the perfect sweet ending to a fun evening 🍮

Can't wait to see what the next theme will be... 😍🍽️

And if you visit between 5pm and 6pm then they’ve a great set price menu.

11/05/2024

The best display for 20 years and I’m in southern Spain 🤦‍♀️ This is definitely the best capture I’ve seen and is over Church Hill in Alnmouth 👏

Quite literally, a biblical Aurora Borealis display tonight. I really hope you all got to see/photograph this once in a lifetime event.
[Church Hill - Alnmouth, Northumberland]

Note: It's the first time the aurora appeared south from Northumberland in a very long time. Usually it is to the north/north east and on the horizon. This was such an amazing event. Also, I make no apologies for the fact there will be more photos to come ....

Prints available here ... https://paulapplebyphotography.zenfoliosite.com/northumberland-aurora?ct=2&mediaId=76e33b71-9002-4a22-85ab-b6f40f6b6eed

03/05/2024

Had the most delicious pancakes with caramelised banana and mascarpone at the new Notes Cafe in Alnwick yesterday! 😋 Couldn't resist grabbing a freshly baked chicken pie for dinner too—so tasty and convenient! Can't wait to go back for more!

22/03/2024

Exciting times - can’t wait to see the future bistro menus 👏

An Alnmouth cafe is under new ownership and there are mouth-watering plans for the future.

18/02/2024

It was a great hour. We loved it. We are so lucky to have a festival like this on our doorstep 👏

Everyone loved this session about the secrets of writing crime fiction with our illustrious panel of crime writers Thank you for lighting up our stage ⭐️🎉⭐️

16/02/2024

Just love this 🌈 ❤️

From the air, some rainbows are round ... who knew!
Tonight from Seaton Sluice, Northumberland.

03/02/2024

As we were in Amble we had to pop into The Hummingbird for a cocktail or two 😉 I had the amazing Hummingbird Smash followed by the Mexican Water 🍸 Lovely to see you as always Chris and Becca 😊

03/02/2024

After a long walk from Alnmouth to Amble we needed this today! I had a starter from the special’s menu - burrata and palma ham - you might be able to see my husband’s bruschetta in the background! Then I had the fillet stroganoff for my main. Lovely food and lovely staff. Thank you to Amble La Famiglia 👏

03/02/2024

Enjoying a gin in The Lounge Bar Amble which is back open again after their little break 😊

02/02/2024

Who is watching the 6 nations later and where will you be watching? Sport and fish & chips - sounds perfect 👌

Six Nations Special tonight only from 4pm
Sit in:-
Any pizza and pint £12
Fish and chips with pint £18
Take away only:-
2 pizzas £15
2 fish and chips £20
2 bottles of selected wines £14 #
sixnations2024

31/01/2024

Have you checked out the amazing list of events at the Alnwick Story Fest yet? There’s so much to choose from. I’m booked to go to the crime writers panel 😊👏

We've made life a little easier this year and decided to keep all events at the same price! 📚

Want to learn how to write a memoir? £9! Fancy exploring the inner-workings of crime fiction? £9! Desperate to get whisked away into a world of history, mystery and magic? £9 ✨

Head to alnwickstoryfest.com to explore the full range of events and see what best suits you 📗

31/01/2024

I’m gutted that I was on an early train this morning so could only see this out of a grimy train window 🙈

29/01/2024

I love this shot showing the frost over the village 😍

Goodbye January. Amazing shot of our village by .eyler during the recent frost.

28/01/2024

The arrival of the haggis accompanied by Nick the piper.

28/01/2024

What a fun evening last night at The Burns Supper & Ceilidh. Great food, amazing bar staff and energetic dancing courtesy of North East Soiree. We hope everyone who came had a lovely time. Thanks to Sarah Jayne Davies and Iain and all the rest of the team from The Market Tavern Steakhouse who were phenomenal as always.

18/01/2024

The annual debate about the origin of haggis which means we are on the countdown to Burns night. Don’t forget it’s the last few days to get your tickets for Burns Supper & Ceilidh in Alnmouth on Saturday 27th January. Hope to see you there!

Did you know Haggis could actually be Northumbrian?

The natives of Scotland won’t accept it, but we all know that Haggis definitely originated in the kingdom of Northumbria, which used to stretch from Edinburgh right down to Humber as far back as 700AD where the dish will have originated.

Leading food historian author, Peter Brears, claimed that Haggis originated in the Northeast of England, and describes it as a “fine English dish” which was made throughout the country from as early as the 15th century.

Peter said that “the modern whisky- soaked image has been manufactured and owes more to romantic patriotism than historical reality”

Listing recipes that would have been common on coalminers tables of Northumberland, he made a claim which may have every true Scotsman take up arms — or at least his knife and fork. “Haggis is an English dish that the Scots decided they would take on when they decided they needed a national identity"

Another food historian, Catherine Brown, also found references to the dish inside a 1615 book called 'The English Hus-Wife' The title would pre-date Robert Burns' famous poem ‘To A Haggis’, which brought fame to the delicacy, by at least 171 years...

The true claim to Haggis is still up for debate. We’re just having a little fun with our neighbours ahead of their Burn’s Night celebrations – whether you’re north or south of the border the one thing we can agree on is that Haggis is a fantastic dish and if you’ve never tried it you’re missing out!

15/01/2024

Great new menu - perfect for cold winter days. I love the tacos and the penang curry and I really want to try the Biscoff waffle! 😉

Opening hours at the Sun Inn for January:-
Monday - Closed.
Tuesday to Sunday bar open from 12.
Wednesday to Sunday food served from 12.
Thursday from 8 Shelley’s famous fun quiz £1 entry (booking essential)

15/01/2024

Can’t wait to see what the plans for Bertrams are. I do hope they keep the cafe feel for the daytime and bring back the evening bistro 🤞

This year marks a new chapter for Bertram’s as we say a fond farewell to Samantha and Lynda and welcome new owners. Some may already know the familiar faces of Richard Sim and Tom Leslie who own The Potted Lobster Bamburgh and The Whittling House in Alnmouth. They are very excited to take on this new venture and hope to continue with the warm customer service and delicious food packed with local produce which has being produced at Bertram’s over the past 10 years!

We would like to wish Sas and her whole family the best of luck in their big adventure ahead of them. We have some exciting new plans lined up for 2024 but for now it’s business as usual, open 7 days a week from 9am – 5.30pm.

13/01/2024

Only 2 weeks to go to the 2024 Burns Supper & Ceilidh at The Hindmarsh Hall in Alnmouth. Come along for a full evening of entertainment - the only celebration with a live ceilidh band in Northumberland! It was lots of fun last year and we can’t wait to do it all again.

6.30pm - Doors will open
7.00pm - Address of haggis accompanied by a piper, followed by a two course haggis dinner catered for by The Market Tavern (alternative to haggis and dietary requirements catered for by pre-order)
8.45pm - After dinner toast and poems by including a wee dram
9.00pm - The ceilidh will begin accompanied by a live band
Please wear something tartan if you can!

For any dietary requirements / request for alternative to haggis please email [email protected] by the 23rd January at the latest.
Paid bar to be operated by the caterers from The Market Tavern, Alnwick.

Tickets on sale at Alnmouth Post Office or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/northumberland-connections

Any questions just drop me a message 😊

13/01/2024

Have you seen the new tasting restaurant in Alnwick that’s opening next month? What do you think of the concept? 14 courses!

We are please and proud to share with everyone that we are opening the doors in the beautiful town of Alnwick.

Looking for something special for valentines- bookings are now open.

Follow the link to the website

All About Alnwick Everyone https://sonnet.restaurant/reservations/

03/01/2024

Have you been watching the second series of Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes? It showcases the wonderful Northumberland. Episode 1 features the amazing Soul2Sand with her fantastic sand art and episode 10 features Scuba Steve and snorkelling in Beadnell, an activity that I tried and loved last summer. Give it a watch!

Robson meets actor Kevin Whately for some North Sea rowing, pipe playing and sand art.

03/01/2024

Thanks to Jane Coltman Photography for the great photos. I’m no. 8 entitled ‘lobster’ 🦞 🤣🥶🌊

Dozens of people blew away the festive cobwebs by taking part in a New Year’s Day dip at Alnmouth.

29/12/2023

Beautiful double rainbow this morning over Alnmouth Beach 🌈

19/12/2023

We enjoyed a delicious meal this evening at White Swan Inn We both chose from the seasonal menu - I opted to start with the tempura king prawns and monkfish bites with a chickpea curry and raita. My husband had the venison, pigeon and pheasant tagine served with plum and chilli jam. He then went for the more traditional turkey, while I had the confit of duckling leg glazed with grand marnier and spiced orange served with red cabbage and pomme anna. The food was amazing as always and the colleagues were welcoming and friendly. And it's always nice to get a compliment when you visit the ladies; although I felt he needed a touch of Christmas 😉 We were just too stuffed to squeeze in dessert this time!

17/12/2023

Experiencing Christmas in Alnwick 🎄🎅
We started with The Alnwick Garden Winter Light Trail which we have been coming to for the last 7 years and just love.
Then we took a short walk, passing the fabulous Robinson’s window, to enjoy a cocktail at Adam & Eve Alnwick🍸
Finishing with a delicious dinner at The Cookie Jar

06/12/2023

Well deserved. Well done 👏 👏👏

03/12/2023

I went with a friend to the Sycamore Gap site on Friday as the sun started to go down. We were lucky to be blessed with the Northern Lights. And if you look in the photo of the gap just before sunset, you can see the glow of the aurora even before it was dark. A magical experience, but heartbreaking that the tree is gone. Photos aren't the best due to ice on the camera lens in the -5 temperatutes!

02/12/2023

I had a fun evening this week making my first ever wreath with Polly's Petals Floristry in Alnwick. It kicked off with mulled wine and mince pies. What more could you want? Polly was so lovely - very patient with us beginners - and she explained it all so well. There was a huge array of greenery, flowers and much more to use. I loved using dried limes on mine. And I was super excited to see she had some hydrangea flowers as the wreath now ties in with my front garden. The setting was amazing too with a fab gift shop. You should definitely pay her a visit or order some flowers from her!