#33

FOR THE LOVE OF FUN & VINTAGE

For years Karen Firth, traveled around and obsessed over vintage traveled some more and obsessed about vintage, and while living in Manchester developed (what some might call an obsession) for mid century furniture, decor, clothing anything really from that era. Eventually she brought that artistic sensibility and eye for a certain style back home to the north east, Wallsend as a matter of fact.

While putting down roots and turning to her erstwhile hobby in to a business, in short two years has joined forces with a like minded lot.

Now an emporium of the quirky world of stylish retro her business encompasses, To here from eternity, Vintage room by room, Smoking Cat and Glamour girl vintage.

As if this wouldn't be enough to tickle your fancy, they have now turned their hands to live music events, we sadly missed A J Potter Blues last week, but we won't do that again in a hurry, I hear it was a triumph.

Mooch some great vintage, find a great piece for your home, something glamorous to wear, buy some art, maybe just go for a vino and some laid back vibes.

Whatever you do keep an eye on Skiprat, we think you will be hearing a lot more about these guys in the coming months l

94 HIGH STREET EAST WALLSEND

AJ POTTER BLUES BY ALAN GATENBY

EDITORS LETTER

HELLO NE LOVERS

It’s so, so GOOD to be back.

I think I saw the sun this morning and flowers and OMG, I can smell summer.

I am beyond excited about this edition, it’s about as upbeat as it can be, jam packed with photos of you our gorgeous readers. We have been trying not to think about those dark cold days, trapped inside. No dancing no hugging, I almost forgot what it was to smile and have fun.

I just want to thank you all for being,,, well, lovely and for making it possible for us to resurface.

Man Power for the great interview and Faber for sending me “Dance your way home” it’s made my favourite reads list, and reminded me of the times I have done just that.

But this isn’t about looking back its about looking forward, because you know what?

BRIGHTER DAYS ARE COMING :)

Smile: it’s contagious!

LOVE PASS IT ON JUIN X

CONTRIBUTORS

WHAT SONG WOULD GET YOU TO THE DANCE FLOOR?

KELLY FLOOD SET ME FREE - N TRANCE

KAREN BIZARRE INCPLAYING WITH KNIVES

DARIN I TRAVEL BY - SIMPLE MINDS

JUIN TALKING HEADS - SLIPPERY PEOPLE

TANYA BROWN EYED GIRL -VAN MORRISON

LISA CLUB TROPICANA - WHAM

JENNY EXPRESS YOURSELF - MADONNA

GEOFF KIRKWOOD (AKA MAN POWER) MICHAEL SEMBELLOMANIAC

RACHAEL FLEETWOOD MAC - GO YOUR OWN WAY

CONTENTS

TEN LETS DANCE

SIXTEEN MAN POWER

EIGHTEEN DANCING IN THE STREETS

TWENTY2 DON'T STOP

TWENTY4 TOWARDS THE LIGHT

TWENTY8 LETS FACE IT

THIRTY2 LOOKING FOR LOVE?

THIRTY4 BREAKFAST PLEASE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER THE RIGHTS EXPRESSED IN NE LOVE ARE THOSE OF THE RESPECTive CONTRIBUTORS AND NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY THE MAGAZINE STAFF PUBLISHED SIX TIMES A YEAR NE LOVE IS DESIGNED BY kelly flood creative, www.kellyflood.co.uk WWW.NELOVE.CO.UK

DANCE YOUR WAY HOME

A LOVE LETTER TO THE WORDWIDE DANCE COMMUNITY

Below is an exert from, very very early on the gem of this book about dancing, dancefloors and the kind of people that frequent them.

I have spent years trying to explain to people, exactly this: I love music I love to dance, I feel free in this type of an environment, because somewhere in the region of 90% of the people there are exactly like me, there for the same reasons and haven't accidentally walked in to the wrong club. And soon as I read that part I was hooked.

Juin :)

Dance is somehow hard to value or take seriously, at least in some quarters of British society. Partly because people equate dancefloors with hedonism and sex-places to get trashed and pull a partner. Some of the places I have been have been hedonistic and some have led to love, sex and partnerships. However I would say that 'Music and dancing were the primary attractions for most of the people found on the dancefloors you will encounter in this book, people on the pull congregated elsewhere"

It's a fast track in understanding the secret formula that brings on a collective euphoria through music. It's brilliant l Giles Peterson

ONE FOOT IN THE

RAVE

I/We recently had a big anniversary the likes of which I never thought I would see.

The big 30, Yes, it's been thirty years since we all met one night: young, sweaty, smiley and hopeful, on the dance floor at Sunderland’s now legendary Blue Monkey.

One night in the very early 90’s when the “I’m a VIP" card counted for nothing at all and you probably would have been embarrassed even to say it, I like thousands of others, across the UK and in fact the world, found our tribes.

The music scene was ablaze, Oh and so were we! Thousands of like minded people sharing a night time slightly naughty playground.

It's worth a mention also at this point, that there were no smart watches or mobiles, no need to spend hours arranging and rearranging, because you were obviously going be there, It was unthinkable that you wouldn’t show.

So picture the scene, you show up; you know 100% that your mates will too, in hindsight smart watches might have been fun if only to inform you that you had done half a million steps that weekend, no one I knew then (with the exception of the Destroy

Let's dance!

wearing, body sculpting hot guys) ever: and I mean ever, saw the inside of a gym. Why would you? you had to spend the whole week carbing up for the energy you would need the following weekend, once again in to the fray and utter the immortal phrases. “What’s your name, where you from, what ya had? To complete strangers. Of course to your already friends, “Front right” which was where you would always find them, week in week out, all there, your shiny happy pals.

None of this… I will text you my live location… No, there was real connection, people everywhere so in tune with each other that it was almost telepathy.

If all this reminiscing is making you sad LISTEN UP… we have had a tough time we have been isolated from one another that made us sad and afraid because thats not a natural state for a human being. About the time the world fell on our heads, I started to feel maybe it was time to hang up my dancing shoes, and I don’t think I was the only one. It seemed that if you did dare to step in to a club that played the type of music you were in to, you would feel incredible out of place because the average age at the club was foetus.

ENTER 2022 exactly thirty years since those heady ravey days, and OMG new clubs are opening up??? the Cross in London have reopened, here up north we are seeing a similar trend, with people like Geoff Kirkwood putting on nights… In North Shields of all the places where you can find incredible DJ's and pure music quality, not to mention an atmosphere of which I haven't felt for years. Yes sir, we are taking back our rave, back off kids, it was ours, it's still ours.

The Cross said recently “TikToc ravers will not be welcome at the club, its not so much an AGE thing as a phone thing! Big up the Cross.

So dust off your dancing shoes, put your mobile phone down, go out and get hugging and talking, get dancing get sweaty and live in the moment.

If you do happen to be twenty something, remember you didn’t invent this dance culture, we let you borrow it, but I guess if we must, we can be grown up about it, and share it too :) and once again Saturday night may be shining in our Sunday morning faces

See you down the front!!! l

Actual stats from NE Love

LIVES LOVE WHERE

Jimi Hadfield @ Zerox

Lynsey and lew @ Glastonbury

Gem, Pete and co @ Magaluf

Bianca @

Sally @ Lost Minds

Holly @ China White

HOUSENATION

Jenny & Hannah @ Powehouse

Belle & lynsey @ Glastonbury

Lewis @ Forwards Festival/Bristol

Paul & Gemma @ Shindig

Darren & Juin @ Shindig

Harry & Kassi @ Burning Man

Lisa Jones @ Dc10 Ibiza

MAN POWER FAN POWER

Once again NE Love catch up with one of our faves, so we don’t have to ask all the usual, when did you start DJ’ing? or who were your influences? cos we know all of that; so let's go.

Here we are with the interesting stuff, and what he gets up to not only here in the north east but out on tour. Where he probably is for this interview, on a train, or a plane heading to somewhere exotic maybe!

Hey Geoff, let’s get straight to the stuff the people on the dance floor wonder about shall we?

J. One of the particularities of DJing is that takes people outside their own little box for a few hours, without the option of switching channels, changing the song according to their own

taste or remaining within their virtual circle. How do you, as a DJ, make use of this freedom?

MP. I think there's a big trend to over intellectualise everything we do now, but DJing for me is really just a case of tapping into how I feel and trying to use music I love to express that. Hopefully the people on the dance floor are in synch with that and we have a really fun shared experience. Sometimes they aren't though, which I think is also fine, and the thing that separates me from just being a walking talking spotify algorithm. I really love music and I probably have a broader music knowledge than a lot of people who aren't DJs, so that permits me a bit of a broader musical "vocabulary" to express the things that I'm feeling in hopefully a more explicit and specific way.

J. What are currently your main challenges as a DJ? What is it about DJing, compared to, say, producing your own music, that keeps it interesting for you?

MP. Following through with the vocabulary analogy, making music is prescriptive. It's a statement. DJing is a conversation and it's informed by the people in front of you. At its best its a collaborative experience.

J. What do you usually start with when preparing for a set?

G. It really depends on the circumstances. Sometimes I'm parachuted in to just takeover from whoever is playing before me. Other times I get the opportunity to play from start to finish and really dictate the flow of the night. I usually have a look at the situation I'm going in to and try and figure out what music within the spectrum that I play will be most well received by the people I think I'll be playing to. After I've locked in to that I'll start trying to challenge the audience if I feel like they're open minded enough to follow me to the places I want to take them musically.

J. How important is building a real relationship with the music you're playing for your own approach? There's so much music out there, is it even possible to build meaningful long-term relationships with a particular track or album that isn’t ‘yours’ or that you are involved with in some way?

MP. I'm sure for a lot of people its really not essential, but for me it's something that I really need to do to ensure that what I'm presenting is coherent (even if it's only coherent to me).

J. What makes you decide to play a particular record during one of your sets? Is there a criteria other than pure subjectivity, for selecting what to play at a gig?

MP. Context, or trying to completely remove context. Some things really explicitly achieve what they were created to achieve, other things can be devastatingly effective if you present them in a new context that subverts how people may have initially felt about them.

J. Now that there's more music than one can possibly take in, it is becoming increasingly hard to know what constitutes an original and a remake. What's your opinion on the importance of roots traditions, respecting originals and sources?

MP. I think everything is fair game. At its best this thing tears down social norms. Just because a lot of us are now in our 40s and 50s doesn't give our feelings anymore sanctity than the generations before us whose culture we rejected in our time.

J. Developments in the realm of software, DJing, playing live and producing have moved closer together than ever before,

allowing DJs to change a track down the tiniest detail. How has this effected the way you play?

MP. I guess it has, but not deliberately so. The capabilities of the Decks we us now are far broader, so over time you can't help but lean in to it. I definitely sound very different playing off vinyl to how I sound playing from a digital collection.

J. Is a crowd actually able to appreciate the intricacies of complex DJing, if they don't actually know what, precisely, is happening behind the decks?

MP. I don't know but I'm not sure I care about people knowing how technical I'm being personally. It's about the experience more than the method I think.

J. What makes a strong transition from one track to the next from your point of view and how do you see the relative importance of establishing a flow versus creating tension through suspenseful breaks in continuity?

MP. Everything is push and pull. Without meaning to sound like Swiss Tony there are obvious parallels to love making. Teasing. Satisfying, frustrating and exciting people based on the interplay between yourself and the other party (or in this case parties). I guess with so many others involved it's quite orgiastic in a way. (I think I'm joking here. But god knows).

J. A strong set can be truly be more than the sum of its parts. How, do you feel, is the music transformed in the hands of a DJ? In which way are you actively trying to create an experience that is more than just stringing together a few excellent records?

MP. Again, I try not to over think it and just have fun sharing music with people. It's very much the individuals response to how I do that which matters. My take on what I'm doing is only as important as the way it's received and perceived by the dancers

J. You have recently returned with your family and put down roots in the north east again, we have briefly touched on the Social Club “Are you affiliated” nights you are putting on now in North Shields along with Gabriel Day, ME ME ME records, in the Lets Dance pages. There’s a great atmosphere and without getting to sentimental, a sense of belonging I haven’t felt on a dancefloor anywhere else for a long time, not least because of the great crowd has it’s success surprised you at all? And where do you go from here? Where and what can we expect for summer 2023?

G. As with everything, I'm just making it all up as I go along and then pretending there was a master plan if anything turns out to be successful l

DANCING IN THE STREET

the biggest birthday party ever!

Some would say that it's the 10th birthday of the Whitley Bay Carnival although others might say it's their 100th since the first was in 1923.

Professional artists team up with the local community local to create the carnival, working months in advance, carnival clubs\ hubs are formed to help come up with costumes, music, dance and parade structures. Artists and locals share skills and have master classes with carnival artists, it really is a team effort!

Salto Arts Productions, Carol and Richard aim to bring communities together in celebration, making meaningful things happen by building on tradition.

This year North Of Tyne Combined Authority awarded them a substantial ‘Scale up grant’ matched by Arts Council England plus donations from local people and businesses means that this year it can run for 3 days. The three day event starts on Friday with a welcome event at the Royal Hotel to thank volunteers and contributors.

On Saturday the Carnival opens on the Spanish City Plaza at 10am with DJ Sista Soul and North Tyneside Steel Band heralding the arrival of the carnival parade at 12 with an extravaganza of bespoke costumes and parade pieces representing birthday

treats, bursting with everything from French fancies and trifle to birthday candles and magic tricks. The parade takes centre stage gathering crowds through the shopping streets from the metro station to the sea for an afternoon of picnics, party games, sack races, egg and spoon and tug of war. The bands will echo through the streets to the roar of the crowds and you will probably see someone you know in costume carrying something obscure! Carol says "We try to showcase new and emerging performers and local artists who rarely perform on home turf"

At 6pm there will be a ticketed Carnival Ball on the seafront with the amazing Bagdaddies, a cocktail of Balkan melodies, ska and latin grooves really getting the party going!

Sunday brings circus performances (10-5) and a family Ceilidh with the finale at 4.

Three whole days of fun Whitley Bay with lots of live street music, entertainment, a children’s fairground filled with amusement park rides, trade stalls, delicious food vendors, craft ale, themed art installations and so much more be there to support the local talent, eat your heart out Notting Hill! l

WWW.WHITLEYBAYCARNIVAL.CO.UK

ETSY SEARCH SHOPS

CONTAINING ‘DALAMGB’

DARIN LAMBTON

VINTED SEARCH ‘DELJO1958’

EMAIL: DARINLAMBTON@YAHOO.CO.UK

NE LOVE’S DALAM

Q. What is you background in art, qualifications etc..?

A. I am actually totally self taught, as I was advised by a careers officer at school to take building studies instead of art. So never learnt any techniques or anything from school. But I always liked doodling, especially when I should have been working while doing my boring office job.

Q. So musicians…is there anybody you wouldn’t paint on style, musical taste differences?

A. Definitely a few, I would always like to say I appreciate the music of the people I paint in the first place. Though that said I have done a painting of cliff for an auntie, which definitely challenged my integrity and a k-pop group for a family member. So I can be persuaded to be mercenary I guess.

Q. And the gas mask features heavily on your clothes designs, where did this spring from?

A. Not 100% sure where the fascination started but it definitely isn’t a fetish thing, honestly. Trust me googling gas mask images takes you to some weird places. I do think it must emanate from my love of HR Giger (creator of the alien in the film), whose imagery is very dark and often masked. So I think it must of stuck with me

somewhere along the line. But I do love the image of a gas mask and enjoy trying to introduce it into the day to day poses of people.

Q. So we have noticed in 23 our front cover (fat boy slim), is your first finished artwork of the year, but you have been very productive with gas mask designs. Does this signify a change in direction .?

A. I still want to paint but I’m now choosing my subject a lot more carefully, mainly when I see a image that I absolutely love, which is what happened with the fat boy photo, such a great picture. But I have been designing a lot of gas mask imagery for clothes and I also might do some one off T’s of musicians, if I have enough patience.

Q. And what does 2023 hold for you?

A. Well I have an ongoing display at Heroes coffee shop in North Shields. I have an exhibition at Whitley bay library in April and North Shields library in September and attending my first market stall at the Cluny art flux event on April 16th, so excited about that opportunity. Get some strangers feedback on the gas masks l

DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH

I must admit I go to the gym, but it's not something that excites me, so I'm always on the lookout for something a little more fun but that's still going to make me sweat, otherwise it's pretty pointless or maybe thats just me! So when I came across FITnight I thought, boom there it is, a night of fitness and clubbing, I'm in.

Les Mills fitness instructors Beckie Burns and Jennie Rosby have teamed up the The Lofts in Newcastle to deliver a night that combines fitness and clubbing. I must admit I wasn't really sure what to expect, I turned up a little sweaty already as I had to run from the car park, yes I was running late!.

Whats great is the ambience, its dark, so you can hide if you're feeling a little unsure or not in the right gym attire!

The night is split up into two parts, the first is Body Attack - best described as a high energy sports inspired cardio workout that builds strength and stamina.

It was challenging and fast paced, the live DJ definitely helped banging out the tunes, so felt I could push it a little further. Beckie and Jennie were really encouraging and offered simpler versions of the moves if anyone was struggling.

I have to admit I was pretty knackered after the first class and wasn't sure whether I'd do the second one but everyone else stayed so the competitive side of me kicked in.

The second class was Body Combat - a martial arts-inspired workout, think punching and kicking. For me body combat felt slower and more manageable with feeling a tad weary, plus I was surrounded by others, so you catch there enthusiasm and push past what you thought you were capable of. It was a mix of people, I actually assumed it would be all women, but there were a few men there too. TIP! bring a yoga mat (I didn't) think plank… hard floor :(

After a busy week it did the job, I was buzzing on the way home and it set me up for the weekend, I'm already rounding the girls up for the next one l

BODY ATTACK 6.15 - 7.10PM

COMBAT 7.30 - 8.25PM

FITNIGHT_UK

THE MIDAS TOUCH

Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. It can also help to reduce your risk of injury in the future. It takes a holistic approach that involves the patient directly in their own care.

Physiotherapy is as a very personal thing, You need someone that you can talk to easily, someone you trust and someone you are confident around.

Enter John (with his Midas touch) I was really interested in what John had to say about misconceptions about physio, we tend to think the this type of therapy is mostly for the athletes amongst us and while of course John works with his fair share of those, he is just as interested in us mere mortals. It was great to be able to spill my secrets about being crippled after thirty thousand steps (recorded on a night out dancing while wearing my Fitbit) after not seeing the inside of a gym for about 14 months.

Suffice to say John works with anyone from the general population regardless if they are athletes or not and he does it with empathy and professionalism.

Take a look at some of the recommendations on his FB page where there are comments from people that visited him with all kinds of ailments. We're not going to say it miraculous, but John's as near as it gets, he's the guy with the Midas touch! l

GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT

THIS INTRIGUING BRAND IS IN GREAT FETTLE

Fettler Design is a creative studio working out of Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Fettler's primary focus is feature lighting, influenced by Japanese and Scandinavian patterns and interiors with a touch of post-modern inspiration, resulting in bold and visually striking works that are the centrepiece of any space they occupy. Currently Fettler is ran solely by designer/owner Mike and his partner Ashley who keeps everything afloat.

"It's an exciting time for us for sure, as we take on more stockists, explore our capabilities & perfect our method. We've only been going a short time, so I can't wait to see what we create over the coming months." - Mike Dand (Designer)

Fettler's work can currently be found in the Biscuit Factory Gallery (Ouseburn, Newcastle), Bibelot Nook (Ouseburn, Newcastle) & the soon to open Ormus Gallery in Aberdour, Fife l

WWW.FETTLER.CO.UK

Photography: Blind Johnny

RECHERCHÉ - CAREFULLY CHOSEN, RARE OR EXOTIC

So sweet the blush

Deciding to for an all over lip blush is quite a commitment but 100% worth it provided that you choose very very carefully where you have it done. Exactly why I headed straight to Ruth at Ruby Reds, new premises on Foyle Street in Sunderland. I have been to Ruth for procedures in the past and she has 10 years of experience in cosmetic tattooing so it was a no brainer really.

After filling in the usual paper work and having a little chat about what I hoped to achieve (a natural looking more asymmetric lip)

She explains, Lip blushing is a semi-permanent method of tattooing skin-deep make-up or colour pigments into your lips, designed to boost their natural colour and shape. It’s like having a flattering lip combo on forever—or a year or two in this case— without needing to care about smudging or reapplication. As we age, we begin losing the natural pigment and definition in our lips, which is especially common in women. This is where lip blushing comes into the picture, and where Ruth absolutely excels so I asked her to choose my colour for me.

Numbing cream applied, and about twenty minutes later we are off. The result is a colour that looks natural and healthy, with an enhanced lip shape and size. Today, the procedure is performed by aestheticians like Ruth rather than traditional tattoo artists. Using organic pigments and advanced, digital tools with various

needle configurations instead of just one single harsh setting. I’m not going to say it was completely pain free, but I can say that the numbing cream did its job and while there was some slight burning sensation I had expected much worse. My perfectionist professional :) had me under the needle for more than an hour.

I’m delighted with the result already although I have been warned about what to expect

Ruth says,In the first 10 days after your appointment, your lips will go through several stages of the lip blush healing process. You can expect some swelling, followed by peeling. Be prepared for some discomfort like tenderness, dryness, and itching, but it’ll end quickly. Follow the prescribed aftercare routine to make sure your permanent lip color healing process goes smoothly and your results turn out great. This implies regular cleaning and moisturization, avoiding certain activities, and protecting your lips from contamination l

RUBY RED

Basement, 23 Foyle street Sunderland, SR1 1LE 07599141312

www.rubyredaesthetics.co.uk

LETS FACE IT

If you are looking for a discreet house visit to help you kiss goodbye to those fine lines or thinning lips look no further than Rachel.

We have seen it all over the years and we know first hand that she will tell you it like it is. Too much and you will look unnatural but the right amount will help you look fresh and youthful. Obviously if you want extremely pillowy lips she can do that too, but on the whole we have always marvelled at how natural she can make it look.

After all you wouldn’t hand a paint brush to just anyone and expect the Mona Lisa would you? & Rachel is an expert aesthetic injector.

Give her a call, she will come to you, she will tell you exactly how it is, what's possible and what’s not, then let you decide.

So if you really don’t want to be seen going in to a salon and be able to say ‘I woke up like this’. We won't tell and neither will she.

Discreet, friendly and fantastically talented Rachel’s your girl l

Want to have a dazzling smile to show off that sunkissed summer look?

Try Laser teeth whitening at home. Yes you read that right, We bring the laser to you so we have minimal overheads and best of all we pass on that saving straight to you.

2023 NOT SO NAUGHTY NUDES

BARELY THERE

No-makeup make up has been a trend for years now Elizabeth pictured here totally gets it but according to Lisa Jones 2023 we will be taking it a step further with barley there makeup. People don’t want caked-on makeup, they want it to look like their actual skin she says. Look for lightweight foundations and concealers in radiant, skin like finishes. The secret is to find the middle ground between dewy and matte, it a difficult balance so if you struggle, ask and pro and dare to bare (or better still fake it ´)

NAILED IT

This years all about the ‘natural look’ this includes nails.

The tried and tested DIY manicure is absolutely perfect if (unlike me) you have decent nails, a simple ten minute soak followed by pushing back the cuticles with on orange stick, might suffice. Although if you tap away at a keyboard constantly like moi you will probably need to invest in some decent strengthener and cuticle oil. Just take it from one that has learned the hard way, anything more elaborate just leave it to the experts. There is some brilliant nail tech out there these days.

LOOKING FOR LOVE?

Making 'old-school' speed dating de rigueur!

Tired of Tinder? Bored with all of those other dating apps then let's get out to one of NCL Dates speed dating events and meet some actual people.

Yes: Like in real life…not the best photo ever filtered to within and inch of its life and taken 10 years ago…Ben Mellor founder of NCL DATES had a light bulb moment after a successful blind dating trial with fellow students at uni.

It was important to him from the word go that when he started the company, that his goal was going to be inclusivity, in terms of gender identity, sexuality and age. And to make it fun, fast and friendly in a safe and controlled environment. Ben, says "When I was single, I was sick of going on Tinder and having a conversation one evening and then not speaking for a week."

Experts say up to 93% of communication is nonverbal so body language and tone of voice are very important in determining if you’re attracted to someone, and that’s only possible by getting yourself out there and meeting people the old-school way. Our events really take the hard work out of that, as nowadays people don’t really approach other people at the park or the supermarket like they do in the movies, at risk of seeming weird, and most people don’t have the time to sit in a bar and wait to see who comes in that takes their fancy. At our speed dateing events, you know that everyone is there for the same reason , so it’s really a lot easier to forge those connections.

So I'm intrigued so I ask…how does it work? Once you’re settled after your initial chat with one of our team and a maybe some `Dutch courage in your hand, you’ll be asked to take a seat at your table. Ladies are normally sat down while guys move around unless we need to make special accommodations. For our same-sex event, it works slightly differently but the same principle applies. You’ll then get around five minutes with each of your dates to get to

know them and determine whether they’ve got your interest –we’ve found that this is an ideal amount of time because it’s long enough to know whether you want to speak to them again but short enough that if you’re not feeling that spark it’s just a brief friendly chat. Each person has a sheet where they can write things about their dates to help them remember a few things about them, and you just have to put a tick next to your date if you’d like to speak to them again. If you’ve ticked somebody and they’ve ticked you back then you’ve matched and we’ll exchange your contact details the following day, it’s then up to you to keep things going from there. We run about 6-8 events per month at the moment, covering various age brackets and demographics. Over 3000 people have been to one of our events in the past year. The next step is a 50+yrs, Neurodiverse Event, and also Double Dates for 18-25yrs.

So! any big success stories you would like to l tell us about? Ben assures us there is but thats confidential, AND reminds us "its not all about dating, its about coming together and having fun, you may not have found 'the one' yet but meeting people in a different and exciting way and forming friendships"

And we agree it's win win, 3000 people can't be wrong l

UPCOMING EVENTS

25-35YRS - SUNDAY 16TH APR, 7PM AT LEAVE ME ALONE, LISA

30-49YRS - TUESDAY 18TH APR, 7PM AT LEAVE ME ALONE, LISA

LGBTQ+ - THURSDAY 27TH APR, 7PM LOCATION TBD

18-25YRS - SUNDAY 30TH APR, 7PM LOCATION TBD

NCLDATES

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE EVENTS

Make real connections you won’t find on dating apps

THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE.

PICK ME UP BREAKFAST? OH YES PLEASE

What do you need after a good party? A good breakfast, thats what. Where? Somewhere that you can take your pooch, killing two birds with one stone, dog walk, great food, home, sleep…Perfect!

Café 1901 West Jesmond, in the sunshine,,, devine.

Gone are the days when your only option was a greasy spoon, although I hear that they do a mean full English too. Nevertheless we were feeling slightly more adventurous so I ordered a flat white while I perused the menu, doing my usual, I want everything.

I eventually went for Corn Fritters, homemade sweetcorn fritters, poached eggs, smashes avocado, charred corn, pickled chillies, marinated Feta and chilli jam, and yep it is a good as it sounds, an explosion of colour on my plate and flavour in my mouth. I prefer

my poached eggs a little more runny if I’m honest but I guess thats a matter of taste and I should have said, but otherwise is was a delight as was my flat white.

Kelly opted a Breakfast Brioche and English tea, 5oz of Block and Bottle sausage pattie, Applewood cheese, bacon jam, scrambled egg and crispy onions all served up alongside a portion of Tater Tots and home made Ketchup. Wow it almost almost gave me food envy, but you don't have to have it. You can even have a lie in and still go because these incredible breakfasts are now served all day.

Abracadabra, hang over gone like magic Smile l

BISTRO 1901 ST GEORGES TERRACE WEST JESMOND.

NATHALIE IN HER OWN WORDS

Hey there everyone I am Nathalie and come from a village near Lyon in France. I’m a 36 year old single mum of a 7 year old so I’m always busy but in 2018 when I was having a hard time financially. I decided I had to learn about business.

I had an idea for a great business but I had to be realistic: no bank would ever lend me money knowing my situation . I went to visit France, spending time with my family. And after explaining, my dad had the idea and said: "why don’t you sell crêpes from a foodtruck /van?"

I laughed, I didn’t take it seriously, it was only after few days the idea took shape; the start-up cost would be small and I knew all there was to know about crepes. I headed back to England and in just 2 months I was at Tynemouth market. It has been a wonderful experience bringing very happy customers thanks to whom , I am about to start my new venture in Whitley bay.

My dad has sadly past away since then, and I am very proud, in a way doing it for, him, and thanks to him.

People have been so kind, we are a small friendly team and will try hard to give you a smile (and a full belly ;) We have gluten free and dairy free crêpes and galettes (all our batter are ) and we have a huge choices for vegans. The new place will be dog friendly and have a litle menu especially for them.

The heart of the business will always be the market stall while this new shop will be the head.

I am excited about this whole new adventure. And look forward to seeing you all there. We are very grateful for all the support we received during the crazy times, and its because of this we have been able to open the shop.

We are really happy to have a window take away and we will be open 7 days a week from 7.30 am maybe later in the summer months.

We are delighted to offer freshly pressed orange juice and real milk shakes and smoothies made with real fruits and no artificial taste or colour.

We want to be healthy and high quality and bring you and your four legged friend a little bit of France, right to the heart of Whitley Bay.

BON APPETIT

OH LA LA La CRÊPE

If you like crepes you will love Nathalie Ballets new venture in Whitley Bay. You name it Nathalie can, and does come up with the goods, beautiful traditional French food, they are gluten and dairy free with lot of vegan options. Nathalie has been working her magic at Whitley Bay market for some time now. Frankly we are as excited as she is about the her new venture. Sweet or savoury these are mouth watering treats you will go back for time and time again.

Go on: Be more French l

234 WHITLEY ROAD, WHITLEY BAY NE26 2TA CREPERIENATHALIE CRÊPERIE NATHALIE LTD

BEST OF BRITISH

A TWIST ON TRADITION

Peruse menus of fine fare and sharing boards, vintage cocktails, an abundance of Rhums, generous selection of gins and tremendous Tipsy Teas! Huzzah! Lol just try and stop us!

I have to give Colonel Porters a big thank you and shout out for amazing customer service. The attention to detail by the staff is unbelievable.

We have done photo shoots previously in this place so I don’t think I need to spend to much time telling you all how gloriously quirky it is.

It’s not just that people love this place. I have had friends who I think really understand food tell me that this is indeed the place to been seen in. Such a great experience and quality great British products to boot.

Delicious award winning handcrafted with love British meat pies as well as many other British favorites. I had the fish and chips and it was fantastic! Pan fried cod, crushed potatoes and buttered leeks my fish was crispy yet light. This is seriously posh fish and chips. Colonel Porter loves his home comforts. Especially after having travelled the world distributing his Newcastle Brown Ale. (There’s a great story to be told there too) This is the perfect place

for hearty helpings of Sunday lunch with all the trimmings and plenty of proper gravy. Tip top!

The sharing platters are legendary, perfect for the likes of me, that wants well…… everything!

Porters is one of those seemingly quiet, understated places that whacks you between the eyes. With cookery to take on any of London’s food temples.. Main dishes are written up on the tiled wall, but the real excitement lies with the printed menu, which is a collection of beautifully considered dishes. At Colonel Porters you can build a killer meal from a bunch of gastronomic accessories. Start with one of their killer cocktails which are some of the best I’ve ever come across. They will leave you draining the last of your glass, hopelessly.

Colonel Porters is hopelessly, traditionally patriotic and uber cool, a real classic l

Get on the old blower 0191 2617600 COLONEL PORTERS EMPORIUM, GROUND FLOOR, MILBURN HOUSE, DEAN ST, NE1 1 LF

SPRING 2023 TAROTSCOPE

Aries

The Easter bunny is bringing a huge dose of magic your way. Opportunities will come out of the blue, so get ready to make a move quickly as something or someone could come in which will literally sweep you off your feet. Get your glad-rags ready as an invite you get during this time could change your life and open doors you didn’t even know you wanted to skip through.

Taurus

Grief is golden this Easter Taurus. You may have to let something go which may feel heavy at first, yet bravery is always rewarded and whatever it is you let go of will be replaced with something beyond your wildest dreams. Keep your heart and eyes open as every ending is actually a beautiful new beginning. Know that blessings often come in disguise, you are about to be surprised!

Gemini

Love is in the air as these coming months see you making commitments and signing contracts. Union is promised as your heart feels light, fuzzy and fulfilled. Wedding bells may even ring as a special someone is set to take your hand and lead you swiftly towards your fantastic future. This may be quick, you could even elope as the stars align. They say love is all you need and you are about to be showered with it.

Cancer

Easter was originally a time of great fertility and many of your dreams are about to be conceived or born. Life wants to love you, so let it. The birth of a child may be prominent as I hear tiny feet pattering. You may embark on a new business idea or meet someone special. Spend time in nature and see the wonder in the simple things. Life is about to get beautiful for you.

Leo

Don’t let that Leo pride get the better of you, if you are looking for a fight you will likely get one! Someone’s words could annoy you and get you caught up in an ego trap, use your lion heart instead of your head. Choose peace not war and you will thank me later. Stay clear of gossip, loose lips sink ships…

Virgo

Get your Easter bonnet ready as it’s your turn to be in the spotlight! Your optimism and inner sparkle will catch the attention of anyone who comes into contact with you and there may be offers of creation or collaboration. Whatever it is this is a time to celebrate, your magic is back and like Midas, it will affect everything you touch. You are golden, you are stardust. So Shine, shine, shine!

Libra

Worry will get you nowhere, it feels like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, yet none of it is real! You may encounter analysis paralysis as you are thinking the worst in any situation. Remember when Chicken Licken thought the sky was falling in and it was simply an acorn that had hit him on the head… Take a breath, step back and bring yourself back into balance, you will see the world will follow suit. Focus on the solutions and your problems will disappear.

Scorpio

And you think to yourself, what a wonderful world… You are about to enter a phase of pure abundance, my Scorpion friend. Yes, money will flow to you, yet it is the richness of your life that you will see as the most precious. Self-care and nurture are top of your to-do list and your spiritual growth will flourish. Spend special time with loved ones and share your attitude of gratitude.

Sagittarius

Be prepared for some big changes coming your way, it could be plans, work, relationships or even your attitude. Fate and destiny are working in cahoots to place you on the path to your destiny. Pieces of the puzzle will all start to fit together and even if you can’t see the bigger picture yet please know that

everything that happens is for your highest good. Trust the process and let karma lead you where it wants you to go and grow.

Capricorn

Please don’t cry over spilt milk, things may have not transpired how you expected them but nothing has really been lost. Things sometimes have to fall apart so other things can fall together. Your happiness lies in your future, not the past. So dry your eyes mate and know that better days are coming. It’s always darkest before dawn, and it won’t be long before you’re feeling better than you have

in a long time. Good things are just over the horizon, keep your focus forward and you’ll see the light soon.

Aquarius

Let there be light! This is the dawning of a new way of being for you. Resurrection, regeneration and sunshine are shown. Your ship is coming in so swim out to catch it. You are entering a phase where you feel turbocharged, luck is on your side and it feels like a literal rebirth for you. You’re about to live the good life, laughter, parties, and more play than work. Let your inner child bask in this glorious energy.

Pisces

Scream if you want to go faster! Life is about to get super speedy for you. Any obstacles that have been in your way will miraculously vanish as the road ahead is cleared so you can achieve your goals. Communications bring good news, you may even decide to book a trip. You can finally see your future opening up and it’s about time. Make the most of this momentum as it peaks around August. Whatever you have been dreaming of can now be accomplished. Dream big and hit the ground running. “Arriba, Arriba… Andale, Andale!!”

www.kellyflood.co.uk