To love living in the North East?

[DrSeuss]

Following yesterday's thread about the "horrors" of living in Manchester and the North in general, what do you love most about the North East? Where do you recommend people to visit? What aspects of life do you like best here? I would nominate Durham, especially the cathedral, the fish and chips in Whitby and the architecture of Grainger Street. Anyone else?

summerbird - I remember the Cooperage well, I spent many a night there, it was very popular for 18th parties at one time.

Did you also go to the Mayfair on a Friday and ??? on a Monday - now racking my brains to remember the name of the nightclub.

I wonder if we were there at the same time - early to mid 80s for me

Hey Charley, I passed through Whitburn on the E2 yesterday on the way to Cosysock's South Shields. :)

I only went to the Mayfair once or twice and kicked myself for not going to the farewell party.

I dont remember other rock clubs although the old Tux2 became Cuba Cuba in the late 90's and Madisons used to do a rock night.

My era was more late 80's early 90's - we may have crossed though!

Did anyone here go to see any bands at The Riverside in Newcastle? I remember seeing The Lightening Seeds there, although I can't remember if it was at that one where there were so many people in there was condensation dripping from the ceiling! :)

Yes!
I saw Oasis there when they were not a big band. One of the crowd punched Noel Gallagher and they stormed off stage after 4 songs.
Also the Blue Aeroplanes.
There was also a similar venue downstairs at Blueberries in Sunderland that had bands on.

I saw Bowie at The Mayfair (when he was in Tin Machine...but still) and I went to a few all nighter Rock nights there too. I had to get first bus back on a Saturday morning with old make-up, black fishnet tights and my huge Doc Martin's. My mum used to watch me walking up the garden path and she called it 'my walk of shame'

We had a long weekend in Seahouses in November and stayed at the Bamburgh Castle Inn.My favourite beach is Low Newton.My grandad had a caravan at Haggerston Castle and we took my dc there every summer.I remember sitting on LN beach in dense fog not letting dc move off blanket until fog lifted as sun warmed up-August 1977 that was.

Ah yes the Mayfair - saw Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and Suede there.

Haven't read it all but ds (1) and I have had some day trips to Newcastle from Leeds on the train (as I have a friend there).

I really love it for the under-5's - The Play Tyne waterplay in the Discovery Museum is fantastic (even if you have to bring a change of clothes!). We also spent hours in the Great North museum and the gorgeous toddler play area in the Laing Art gallery. Then there's Seven Stories - the Children's book museum. Ds still a wee bit young for parts of this but he had fantastic time shouting at the glass jam jars in the Stig's Dump and playing with many floor level exhibits. There's a little urban farm right beside it, too, though it was closed on the day I visited.

Newcastle rocks!

kendoddsdadsdog wow i remember i used to cycle past graffiti in finsbury park saying 'ken dodd's dad's dog's dead'..one of those things i'd completely forgotten about till i read your name..always made me smile

The Mayfair rocked ! I saw The Quireboys, Faith No More, White Lion etc there. Also Scorpio shoes used to be next door, that was such a cool shop.
Also "Phaze" for "metaller" clothes on New Bridge Street and The Hippy Fields outside Eldon Square in Newcastle....ah Saturday afternoon memories of when I was 14 and lusting after long haired lads....

I spent many a happy afternoon hanging aroung Phaze. I loved the big haired rockers who used to frequent there and all my favourite outfits came from there. Most of my mum's most hated outfits too

Scorpio shoes!! I bought my first DMs in there and later a purple pair that I thought were the bee's knees!

Ahh the green!! And what was that shop called, not Hippydrome (think that was in The Galleries Inshops) but something similar?

Scorpio shoes is still in Durham (if that's the one you're talking about)

There's a Scorpio in the Greenmarket I think.

1944girl
Sometimes badly behaved children get in, but the librarians are very good at clearing them out.

At least some can deal with them.

It seems a shame if the old library building is just going to be left to go derelict, it's a nice building, and the community rooms on the top floor were really lovely. We used to be in the one with the kitchen which was also used by the local Sure Start I think, so sometimes there would still be toys out which our kids used to play on/with during the club meetings. :) They really loved the tree house thing.

Ah I must go in for old times sake and admire the DMs. Who knows, I might buy a new pair.

wasnt Scorpio shoes in the Greenmarket the one that sold DM's?

Ah the Greenmarket - totally skanky but lots of good stuff if you hunted for it

valhalla is crook anywhere near catchgate? I have recently moved from catchgate and I must say it was pretty scary at times.

I love durham city , my dh proposed to me on our special bench overlooking the river.

i love Newcastle for a night out , i used to brave the bigg market fearlessly when i was younger but im more of a floritas/perdu girl now.
Rowlands gill is lovely and the views five minutes away from my house are stunning.
i originally come from kenton and ahve very fond memories of a certain very long street as most of my family lived there for a long time and i used to go from house to house seeing my nearest and dearest .
I love the fact that we dont wear coats when we go for a night out(im ashamed to say at the grand old age of twenty seven i now wear a coat and put flat shoes in my bag )

Big @ NametheChange
I used to freeze my butt off in rain, hail, snow & whatever the weather when I went clubbing in Sunderland, just for the sake of fashion.

Second Durham (reading the first 3 posts).
Northumberland
Holy Island
York
Harrogate
Whitby

You can't get Betty's tearoom anywhere outside of Yorkshire.

I like old historic cities and anywhere with an abbey or castle. We're also close to the country side and a drive away from Yorkshire dales.

Plenty of lovely places to see.

On the other hand, I loath Darlington, Newcastle, the Metro centre and some smaller places in County Durham.

Did anyone ever go to the Stage Door nightclub on Stowell Street in the late 80's/early 90,s? It was where I met my other half and my 3 best mates met their husbands!

mincenmash my friend and I were walking along a very windy seafront this afternoon saying that 20 years ago we would have been out in Sunderland wearing very little!