A guide for the modern gent who likes good living. You'll find tech, travel, cars, TV, music and everything else all us guys are interested in. Whether it's watches, the best TV and films or tech, if it's to do with life and it's popular, it's here.
I am getting quite geeky when it comes to astronomy and taking pics of the moon these days 😉 The moon looked so weird tonight, so I had to take a photo…
It looks like 2 things in the sky right?! No, it’s just the moon After I had a Google of what was going on, apparently this is called a waxing crescent, and you can see the whole dark moon with a crescent because of earthshine; That’s light reflected off earth. Now you know 😉
It’s that time of year again, it’s the day (and night) of love, Valentines Day!
This year it’s on a Sunday which is pretty rubbish, and I expect if anyone is doing anything, they’ll be doing it on the Saturday, or maybe having a Valentines Weekend rather than one day (that’s a winner for the girls!).
I have come up with a couple of gift ideas, for him and for her…
So if you’re looking for some ideas what to get her I have some; Or if you’re a guy looking for ideas for her then I have some for you too. And if you’re single like me, here’s some ideas for yourself
You may have noticed a new option on my menu in the last week or so, called Street Style. That’s because I have created a whole new section called…Street Style! Last year I took quite a few fashion photos of outfits and clothing, and they didn’t really have a good category to fit in. The men’s fashion category is usually for writing about brands and what’s going on in the fashion world; Lifestyle is about guys lifestyle or what I’ve been up to, so it sort of fits in there. But I think the best way to categorise this type of post is street style, so I have created a brand new category, where you’ll find all these types of shots.
Of course a few years ago I did experiment with my look book category, which was as much of a technical exercise as anything else. It was good to try out and create a section on the blog which only had images with no text so people could just have a browse, and then go in depth with the photo by clicking it; I still have that page on the blog but I don’t really promote it as much as I used to, but it does still exist 😉
I thought I would kick it off in 2016 with this look…It’s actually from last year but I was too busy with other stuff on the blog and couldn’t fit it on. I am in Newcastle down the Quayside which is such a cool place. I am wearing Nudie Jeans along with a Gant cable knit jumper, a white shirt, Kurt Geiger boots and a He By Mango suede jacket.
Having some Hard Rock merchandise has been a bit of a tradition of mine, it all started several years back when I got one of the tees as a present from the Edinburgh one, and since then I have been to a couple of Hard Rock Cafes in different cities, and I have always bought a T-shirt.
When I was in Copenhagen I had to go and check out their Hard Rock, and it’s a really cool place. I got myself a tee as normal, but since it’s Winter and a cold country, I had to grab myself a hoodie too.
On Saturday night it was my first weekend night out in 2016, I have been hibernating and I think I should go back to hibernating for a few more weeks! The proper Winter weather is now setting in, we seemed to have had endless rain for weeks, and now it’s becoming icy cold with sub zero temperatures. It’s definitely a time to layer up, which I actually love from a fashion point of view, if it could only warm up just a little and never rain 😉
On Saturday night I wore this blue cardigan which I got a while back from Mango which I love. The crisp white shirt is from Jaeger, after I got one I liked it so much I had to get another. The leather jacket is a piece I really like, and it’s actually a really light jacket which is better in the Spring or Autumn but is fine to wear as long as you layer up. It’s from Selected Homme and I added this to my collection around this time last year.
I’d actually love to wear my suede jackets, I have a couple and I really love them, but they are no good when you know it’s going to rain. Hopefully I will get my wear out of them this year, and we’ll have some cool but dry days and nights. You can check out the rest of my looks on the street style blog here.
On Saturday night we went to places like The Long Bar, The Union Rooms, The Milecastle (that’s a lot of “the’s” haha 😉 ) Revolution and Mimo, and it was really good as it always is in Newcastle. It started off quiet in the town, which you’d expect straight after New Year and Christmas, but then picked up a bit later on. In Revolution the tunes were amazing! The DJ was really good, playing a proper mix of everything from Tinie Tempah to The Jackson 5, the track selection was so good, and that’s what a DJ is about, playing music! He had his name on his laptop, so If you wanna check him out (or maybe you’ve heard him in Newcastle before) it was DJ LKP
As you know I visited the beautiful city of Copenhagenjust before Christmas for a short break, and loved the city. I stayed in The Square hotel, which is a 4 star hotel located very central, in Rådhuspladsen.
I was looking around for a couple of week’s to find a hotel, and I found this one pretty fast. I did search for other hotels, but after contemplating a few things which I will go into below, I settled for The Square, and I am fairly happy I did 🙂
2015 has been a cool year for my lifestyle blog at Michael 84. There’s been a few cool things which has happened in 2015 which I have covered on the blog.
From natural phenomenon to a plain old great night out, I have covered quite a bit over the past 12 months on the blog. Here’s a look back at just a couple of things in Lifestyle which I’ve loved.
Take Me Out is back, so in the words of Paddy McGuiness: Bring on the girls!
Series 8 will start in January 2016 to kick start the new year with the flirty thirty being beamed into your living room for you usual Saturday night viewing. Saturday nights aren’t the same without Paddy, the girls and the love lift, and ITV2’s Take Me Out: The Gossip also returns with Mark Wright and Laura Jackson. Michael 84 wouldn’t be a men’s blog if it didn’t cover this, so you’ll find more right here.
Enough of that, you want to meet the girls right? Here you go!
Ever since I started writing my Newcastle Bar reviews I have had an amazing response from local people who go out every weekend, and those who live outside the city, some even the country, on what bars are the best, which they should go to, and which bars in Newcastle would I recommend. But what makes a good bar? If you ask 10 people in Newcastle, you’re likely to get different answers. That’s because Newcastle has a hugely diverse drinking scene; The more popular of recent years has been the Diamond Strip, but there’s also The Gate, The Quayside, The Bigg Market, Grey Street area, The Central Station and more. There’s also different styles of bars too, from pubs to cocktail bars and late night music bars, traditional party bars and modern gastro late night establishments.
This is my take on the top 10 bars in Newcastle, and they all have to meet a certain criteria. First of all the drinks; It’s why we’re there in the first place. Do they have a good range, and do they do them well? Then there’s the price, is it worth the money? The style of the venue is next, and of course customer service and staff is paramount, nobody wants to go out for a good time and be met with horrible staff. So here they are, the best bars in Newcastle, in no particular order.
Top 10 Bars In Newcastle
Alvino
Why? – Alvino is a cool, chilled out place in Newcastle, on Pilgrim Street which is not overrun by people, and although it can get really busy at peak times, you’re unlikely to have to queue. They play a mix of cool background style music, there’s a good selection of drinks including cocktails and beers. I really like the layout of the place, over 2 floors there’s plenty of seating, then there’s the terrace. This is super cool and a great place to go and chill on a Summer night.
Why?Revolution sell alcohol, and when I mean alcohol, I mean they don’t skimp on it. Their specialities are cocktails, pitchers of cocktails and racks of shots, and when you buy one, you get exactly what you want. If you’ve ever had a cocktail in here you’ll know it, because you can taste the alcohol, unlike some places in the town which you have to wonder where the alcohol actually is. They do sharing pitchers, you can get a rack of vodka shots which they do a huge range including plenty you’ll not find anywhere else. The building, a former bank, is amazing, there’s simply nothing like it in Newcastle. The music is good, and there’s a nice mix of people too.
Why?Jalou specialise in cocktails, but they are cocktails with a difference, and they’re so good too. They do the Cookie Monster and Poppin Candy, both really nice and you’ll not find these anywhere else in Newcastle. The music is good, there’s a bit of a dance floor if you like to dance, booths and seating areas inside, a seating area outside, and there’s also a nice selection of the usual alcohol you’d expect to see in any bar. Free entry, it’s a late bar open until 2AM at the weekends, with last entry at 1AM.
Why? Tokyo is another cool cocktail bar in the town, with quite a small bar on the ground floor which is usually good to just chill, with a bit of random house music usually being played by the DJ. Upstairs is where the place really opens out, literally. The small bar area is met with quite a grand terrace, perfect in the summer, and also not bad in the Winter with the heaters on too. They seem to be selling a bigger range of the usual bar drinks you’d expect to find in a bar along with their cocktails. It can take a little bit of time to get served here on occasions, which is a slight let down.
Why?Bonbar is a newer bar, located in the Old Assembly Rooms. It’s geared up towards more of a late night crowd, with good music and plenty of drinks. When you go in you’re greeted with the bar right down the middle of the room, with plenty of seating and cool booths all around. It looks and feels quite grand, with an outdoor area to relax and chill, and a VIP room called the 467 Club if you want to spend a fortune in peace. You won’t want to, the main room is cool and you can spend a few hours here with friends, and it’s open until 4AM.
Location – The Assembly Rooms, Fenkle St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5XU | Twitter | Website
The Quayside Bar
Why? As the name suggests, The Quayside Bar is right on the Quay which is a really nice location in Newcastle. There’s a huge courtyard at the front with seating, great for the summer and there’s plenty of tables and seating around the back with views overlooking the River Tyne. Inside there’s a couple of small nooks to chill out with your friends in, so you’re covered in terms of space. It’s a Wetherspoons pub, so it’s not expensive, and a great bar to start in down the Quayside.
Location – 35-37 The Close. Quayside | Twitter | Website
Tiger Tiger
Why? When Tiger Tiger is fully open, it’s huge. There’s the whole downstairs which is big in itself, with brand new VIP style seating. You’ll find 7 different rooms over three floors, the place has everything you could want and more; With an 80’s themed room complete with disco ball, VIP karaoke, pop, and beyond the curtain is what we used to call the club, now called the white room. If you want a taste of every kind of club under one roof, this is the place. You can be here for hours and you won’t get bored.
Location – The Gate, Newgate St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5RE | Twitter | Website
Union Rooms
Why? The Union Rooms is a Wetherspoons pub, which means it’s cheap, but it’s far from nasty. In fact it’s nice, it’s usually always busy, and they do a large selection of drinks. It’s close to the Central Station and close to so many bars, which makes it a perfect meeting bar.
Location – 48 Westgate Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 1TT
The Town Wall
Why? The Town Wall, aka The Toon Waal is a bar for friends. It’s like your traditional local pub, but it’s a large city centre bar, with large seating areas and a smaller snug style room. There’s an extensive list of beers including their own Toon Waal Ale, as well as all the drinks you’d expect to find in a pub.
Why? Tiger Hornsby has a bit of history to it; I remember when this was Julies 2, Newcastle Quayside was the cool place to drink, and this establishment was the place to go. I never actually went when the bar was Julies 2, since I was only 17 😉 It became Blue and I loved the place, we went all the time, probably not enough, and then it closed. It is now back, with a cool, more chilled out vibe, while keeping that Saturday night feeling.
Why? The Bacchus is a favourite among beer drinkers and has been voted the best bar in Newcastle on numerous occasions, primarily because of the sheer number of beers they have available, from all over the world including the best name for a beer, Hadouken! (Yes, it lends it’s name from Street Fighter). If beer isn’t your thing they do a large selection of spirits, so there’s plenty on offer for everyone. It’s another bar to go to with your friends, sit down with some good alcohol and chill in a grown up setting.
Location – 42-48 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1EW
That concludes the Top 10 bars in Newcastle. I have included the best of all worlds; From the best cocktail bars Newcastle has to offer, to the establishments which take beer to a new level. There’s places to party and let your hair down, and neighbourhood style bars in the middle of the city to relax in with your friends. Remember if you’re looking for a bar crawl, you can try my Newcastle Diamond Strip Bar Crawl, which will definitely give you a great night out 🙂 If you’re a guy, remember to check out my what to wear on a night out guide, which will give you some tips on how to dress when out in Newcastle. Newcastle has well over 100 bars just in the city centre, so condensing them down to a top 10 is obviously no easy task, and there’s plenty of other brilliant establishments which aren’t featured here.
A Stag Do is all about that last night of freedom, out with the lads for one last big night. However the stag night is now changing, we used to have a big night, and now we’re having big weekend’s away, some are even going away for a week for their stag do. Going away for the weekend means packing, so you need to know what you’ll need to take with you and make sure you don’t forget anything.
Here is my handy checklist and essential guide to how you should prepare for a weekend away.
