Powder Butterfly Journal

My review of NE1 Newcastle's new lunch club offer. Local businesses get involved in the new Tuesday Lunch Club offer. Find out where I went and what I thought. Following on from the resounding success of NE1's Newcastle Restaurant Week, this is a great way of trying new places at lunchtime in Newcastle on a Tuesday.

Moving back to Newcastle has proved to me that it isn’t really about the place itself; it’s about where we are as people, and the places we call home leave an indelible mark on us that we carry wherever we go. Where we call home, or Hyem as they say in the North East, is a personal journey of discovery, and my journey has only just begun.

The most common question I get asked about Sycamore Gap is “Why do you think they did it?”. And maybe the people who did it don’t really know. What seems to be clear is that the level of outrage that came in the wake of the felling took them by surprise. As a creative person, I can’t understand why someone would simply want to destroy something, unless it’s perhaps born from a desire to make the rest of the world as miserable as you are.

You might be wondering what Hygge is, and how you can create a sense of Hygge in your own home. Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian concept that embraces a sense of cosiness, wellness, comfort and connection. The idea is that on the dark, cold days, in order to feel more connected with loved ones, warm and cosy, you would use low light like candles to encourage a sense of closeness and togetherness. Enjoying food, a warm brew, conversation, and each other's company. But how is it pronounced, Corinne? I hear you ask, well, this is how you say Hygee (Hurgah). Go on, give it a go!

Moving to Gateshead in 2002 felt like a step into the unknown. I was heavily pregnant, feeling a bit overwhelmed, and to some of my friends moving south of the Tyne seemed to mean I was now unreachable. This felt a little isolating at times. But one of the benefits of coming here was that I discovered wonderful new places to visit, places that many people who lived over the water never knew existed. Luckily for me, the terraced house that we had moved into was just down the hill from the beautiful Saltwell Park. 

Newcastle Restaurant Week is next week, 12th-18th of January. And you may have missed out, but if you are lucky enough to get a table booked, you are in for a treat. Please don't worry, though, as there is one more restaurant week this year coming up in August. Although I do hope my top tips will help you, no matter when you visit the city and experience its culinary delights. So read this blog now and save it for future reference too.

A friend of mine once told me that his dad had a ritual every time they drove back over the Tyne Bridge. As they crossed the river in the family car he would let out a huge sigh of relief and say “Aaahhhh…. that’s better!”. Having survived the ordeal of a visit to Hartlepool, Sunderland or even, God forbid, Gateshead (where I live), the family had managed to return safely to civilisation and could now breathe easy. Even though they lived some way north in Gosforth, I think, the Tyne Bridge marked the point of return to the place his dad called home.

Many of you will know that I have been designing products to commemorate Sycamore Gap since last year.

I went to visit this iconic landmark in the North for the first time in the summer of 2023. Little did I know that this would be the first and the last time I would visit. 

You can read more about that here.

If you have followed my creative journey as an artist and designer for a while, you will know that Powder Butterfly has always been a monochrome brand except for a flash of colour on my puffin collection, Whitley Bay Bag, Red Kite mug, Durham Mug and now my Sunderland mug.