I've been very inactive since my 21st birthday party. After a couple of months solidly planning and crafting for the party, I suppose doing anything whatsoever was the last thing I wanted. So, I spent my time lounging on my sofa reading whatever novel I could get my hand on and devour, or watching Animal Planet marathons. Neither sloth-like activity is blog-worthy but today definitely was.
I'm very fortunate to have a group of friends that share my passions for the creative and new, so when I offered the idea of a crochet lesson in a nice tearoom somewhere, everybody clamoured to get involved. Luckily, at the same time we stumbled across a fairly new place in Newcastle called Tea Sutra, tucked behind the Magic Box.
Boasting over a hundred different types of tea and the promise of a cosy, relaxing atmosphere, it seemed absolutely ideal for our woolly gathering. So, we climb the stairs and are instantly greeted with sitar music and a beautifully scented room, clad with the usual sofas and tables but featuring the area we were instantly drawn to: the shoes-off area. This platformed area beckoned us with tiny sit-at tables and soft furniture. We were definitely in the right place.
The staff were friendly, unassuming and very helpful. A man passed us menus listing the many, many available teas. My mind boggled trying to pick one out but I went for a green flowering tea whilst my friends picked out all sorts of enchantingly scented varieties.
We started on the crochet lesson. I must say, I'm not so terrible at teaching though it is a
little hard trying to show right handed folks how to crochet when I've learnt as a leftie! In exchange, Ellen introduced me to the basics of knitting and it doesn't seem as daunting as I once thought so I must invest in some needles. After a while, we decided to give the food a go. I opted for a falafel, chutney and hummus wrap (also known as a few of my favourite things). Needless to say, it was heaven for my mouth.
Since Tea Sutra didn't close until seven, we didn't feel the need to rush or leave quickly which is definitely rare for most places in town. Our group crocheted/knitted away, giggling and chatting away whilst indulging in some magnificent food and tea. I went for another pot of tea (this time a rooibos variety) purely because too much of a good thing does not exist in my opinion. We also tried out the various cakes which we all rated as delicious, the one Aine picked in particular - I even keeled over after a bite in adoration!
One of the nicest days I've had in a very, very long time. I just wish I knew about this place sooner, it feels like a home away from home.
