Sleeping in style

My first stay in Newcastle and my first night in a Malmaison hotel. Malmaison have 12 boutique hotels across the UK. I had never come across them - and I'm glad I finally did!

The hotel is located at the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in the Quayside area and a short taxi ride from the train station (probably a 15 minute walk). Everything is quite dark (corridors, wallpaper, furniture) and our room was massive! I'm always torn between being depressed and delighted about staying in hotel rooms bigger than my flat. Beds were comfortable, the shower was great, the breakfast buffet had a great variety (I know - I even had breakfast!) and the service was very friendly. I would definitely come back and will try to check out their other hotels.

Hotel lobby

I loved the toiletries (250ml!) which came with the invite to take them away

Finally the weekend

What a week it has been. So much fun and so much stress. And so much time wasted on nonsense... Why would people ever think that hurting someone's feelings could be justified in order to achieve a certain objective? In a professional environment!

Anyhow, bring on the weekend! And I will hopefully have time to update my blog with all the fun stuff I've been doing!

Misty

Words of advice

I recently saw these statements posted on Facebook. Allegedly they are falsely attributed to the Dalai Lama, when they are apparently from the book Life's Little Instruction Book: 511 suggestions, observations, and reminders on how to live a happy and rewarding life (1991) by H. Jackson Brown, Jr..
It doesn't really matter who wrote them though; most of them make a lot of sense to me. Don't you think?

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
13. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
14. Be gentle with the earth.
15. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
16. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
17. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
18. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Call me pet, pet

My first time in Newcastle - and despite torrential rainfall on Friday - I absolutely loved it! Not least thanks to Alex and Paul from the Newcastle Gateshead Convention Bureau who had put together a great programme and were just so lovely.

Photos and more details to follow.

Oh, and while I was struggling a little with understanding some of the hardcore Geordie accent, I totally loved being called 'pet' - so adorable!

City living

The Barbican Centre have just re-opened their Garden Room and Conservatory. I'm not a big fan of the Barbican for conferences, but I do love their Conservatory which I think works really well for receptions and networking events.

On my way back to the tube, I stumbled across the terrace at the back of the centre. I am always surprised about the little oasis of calm and quiet and that can be found all over the city of London. And I loved the apartments with the roof terraces. I don't even want to know how much they cost... But it must be great to have a little house in central London, with a big park at the back of the house, and the tube station just minutes away.

Conservatory at the Barbican

Lovely for enjoying the last sunny days

Balcony AND roof terrace?  I want, too....

8:15pm

And this dark already?