Good morning, Newcastle. Welcome back

Apologies for the typo in last week’s trivia question; I am sure that left a few people confused. Last week, we hosted the first Newcastle Digest Dinner Club. Thank you to everyone who attended. A brief recap is below.

Have a great rest of your week!

My ongoing attempt to eat my way through Newcastle brought me to the Cruising Yacht Club on a weekday lunch.

Harbour views, a big open space and a mixed crowd, everyone from people on their lunch break to families. Self-service ordering at the bar with friendly staff.

I went for the chicken schnitzel, hand-crumbed, $28, and it was genuinely one of the better ones I've had. The menu has a good mix of classics, specials and a few more unique options, and everything coming out of the kitchen looked the part.

It sits at the higher end price-wise, but the location and quality back it up. I'll be back.

Last Thursday, we had the first Digest Dinner Club at Parry Street Garage. Thank you to all of those who came. It was a great night, and feedback has been positive. Definitely excited to run more of these and other events in the future.

I was too caught up in the moment to remember to take photos, but here is a snap I got at the end of the ‘Garage Girls’, who were all matched to a table and seemed to have really hit it off.

Shrek JR. – Young People's Theatre, Hamilton | Monday 13 April – Saturday 23 May, various times Everyone's favourite ogre leads a cast of fairytale misfits in this fun, family-friendly musical with a big heart. Tickets $28. More info.

Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things – Newcastle Museum | Until 19 April
A major exhibition of models and miniatures celebrating Newcastle’s history, creativity and community through hands-on displays and local stories. More info.

ARTEXPRESS – Maitland Regional Art Gallery | Until 19 April
An annual exhibition showcasing outstanding HSC Visual Arts projects from students across New South Wales. More info.

Mega Creatures – Hunter Valley Gardens | Until 26 April
A large-scale family attraction featuring dragons, dinosaurs, unicorns and themed zones across the gardens. More info.

Mega Creatures Night Safari – Hunter Valley Gardens | Until 19 April
An after-dark experience featuring illuminated creatures, rides and fantasy-inspired garden displays. More info.

Stardust Circus – Richardson Park, Hamilton North | Until 26 April
A traditional circus under the big top featuring trapeze, wheel of death, animals, clowns and magic. More info.

Sail Port Stephens Street Party – Magnus & Stockton St, Nelson Bay | Wednesday 15 April, 5pm – 10pm Music, food, drinks and late-night shopping kicking off three weeks of sailing action in Nelson Bay. Free entry. More info.

Digitales: Storytime and Art – Multi-Arts Pavilion mima, Speers Point | Wednesday 16 April (+ Wednesday 21 May) A magical digital storytime followed by art-making and shadow play for kids aged 2–5. Free. More info.

K-Pop Icons – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | 16 April, 3pm & 7pm Sing, dance and party with the UK's first virtual K-Pop band on their world tour. Tickets from $39. More info.

Bike School: City Riding – Tighes Hill TAFE, Tighes Hill | 16 & 19 April A free class helping high school students ride safely and confidently around the city. Free. More info.

Hunter Valley Steamfest – Maitland Station Precinct | 18 – 19 April, from 9am Steam trains, live music, heritage walks, market stalls and gourmet food across a big heritage weekend in Maitland. Free entry to precinct; rally ground $5. More info.

Coffee and Claytime Workshop – Grounded By Designs, Carrington | 16, 23, 25, 30 April, 10am – 12:30pm Slow down with a coffee and make your own hand-built pottery in a calm, supported workshop. All materials provided. Tickets $120. More info.

Guy Sebastian: 100 Times Around the Sun Tour – Newcastle Entertainment Centre | 16 April, 7pm Guy Sebastian brings his biggest hits and new tracks to Newcastle on his massive national tour. Tickets $105–$167. More info.

Wine Club Night: Wines Above the Equator – The Press Bookhouse, Newcastle | 17 April, 6pm – 7:30pm Eight Northern Hemisphere wines, light bites, regional storytelling and good company. Tickets $70. More info.

Twilight Fridays at MAP mima - Multi-Arts Pavilion | 17 April
Continue the free Friday night series with live music, food, and creative activities. Fun, themed nights for the whole community. More info.

FABBA – Shoal Bay Country Club, Shoal Bay | 17 April A glitter-filled ABBA tribute night on the bay. Tickets $39.80. More info.

My Brilliant Divorce – Royal Exchange Theatre, Newcastle | 17 – 19 April A warm, witty one-woman comedy that'll keep you giggling throughout. Tickets $28. More info.

Autumnal Garden Party – Customs House Hotel, Newcastle | 18 April, 12pm – 4pm
A premium garden party for Newcastle Food Month with live food stations, flowing wine and gin, DJs and live bands. Tickets $129. More info.

All British Day – Newcastle Foreshore Park, Newcastle East | 18 April
British vehicles from across the decades on display by the harbour, with food and drink vendors on site. Free. More info.

HMC Multicultural Fiesta – Hunter Multicultural Communities, Waratah | 18 April, 10am – 3pm Over 20 cultures represented across two live stages, global food stalls, markets and activities for all ages. Free. More info.

The Farmers Wife Mid-Autumn Festival - The Farmers Wife Distillery | 18 April
Kick back under the trees and soak up the ultimate festival atmosphere with live music, delicious food, great friends, and a bar stocked with beer, wine…and our fabulous Farmer’s Wife Gin cocktails. More info.

NEWY DAY CLUB – Over 30s Day Party – Bar Romeo | 18 April
Newcastle’s best over 30s day party. This one is for all the veteran party people who love a boogie but still want to be in bed at a reasonable time for a full 8 hours sleep. More info.

APRIL BIRTHDAY PARTY with Lounge Room Groove - Thirsty Messiah Brewery | 18 April
April birthday babes … it’s your turn to party! Come along and enjoy a complimentary beverage and cup cake and the smooth sounds of Lounge Room Groove. More info.

Abundance 6.0 – The Lass O'Gowrie Hotel, Wickham | 18 April, 7pm – 2:30am An immersive club night built around community and the dancefloor, featuring selector Mash across house, techno and deeper club sounds. More info.

Ten for Ten Weekender - Hamilton Station Hotel | April 18 + April 19
A two night live music extravaganza, night one is an all-Newy lineup, headlined by hardcore punk band Boudicca. Night two is headlined by the one-two punch of Western Sydney rock 'n' roll band Amends, and emo banjo duo Pinch Hitter. More info.

TSUKIMAMA x First Creek Sunday Beach Club – Merewether Surf Club, Merewether | 19 April (+ 26 Apr), 4pm – 7pm Korean street food, First Creek wines, ocean views and easy Sunday vibes. Tickets $30 (includes a glass of wine + $15 food voucher). More info.

Collector Con – Newcastle Entertainment Centre | 19 April, 9:30am – 2:30pm 180+ stalls of toys, comics, cards, LEGO, POPs and more, plus cosplayers and gaming. Tickets $10–$25. More info.

Hornet – The Wickham Park Hotel, Wickham | 19 April, 6pm High-energy retro rock with a modern twist. Free. More info.

Warners Bay Markets - The Esplanade, Warners Bay | 18 April 9am to 1pm.

Homegrown Markets - Speers Point Park | 19 April, 10am-2pm
The Hunter’s biggest handmade & design market! The perfect place to shop local-made, enjoy an array of street food & soak up your local community. More info.

Newcastle City Farmers Markets – Broadmeadow Showground, Griffiths Rd, Broadmeadow | 19 April
Shop direct from local farmers and makers in a classic community farmers market.

Do you want me to share an event in the Newcastle Digest?

A tough one for the Knights, who were outclassed 42-22 by Wests Tigers on Sunday. Newcastle's left edge was repeatedly targeted and exposed throughout, with the Tigers running in eight tries.

After a promising start to the season, the next two weeks don't get any easier, Roosters and then Penrith up next.

Newcastle grabbed a point in dramatic fashion on Saturday, with Daniel Wilmering equalising in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw against Adelaide at McDonald Jones Stadium. The Jets had looked set to drop points entirely after the Reds took the lead late, but Wilmering tapped home from close range to keep Newcastle three points clear at the top with two rounds remaining.

It wasn't pretty, but the point could prove crucial. Melbourne City away on Friday, then Central Coast at home on Anzac Day, two games to secure the club's first ever Premiers Plate.

Five games, plenty of highlights. The Entrance defeated Western Suburbs 25-4 in the standout result, Central Newcastle accounted for Kurri Kurri 34-8 in Chad O'Donnell's debut, Maitland ran riot over Macquarie 60-6, South Newcastle upset Cessnock 40-12, and Northern Hawks edged Lakes United 18-16 in a tight finish. Strong start to the season.

If you've walked Bathers Way, you've walked past it. That old stone building perched above King Edward Park with views over the ocean and coastline, that's Shepherds Hill Cottage, and it's being transformed into a café.

The building has been around since the 1890s. WWII coastal defence post. The only site in Australia manned simultaneously by the Navy, Army and Air Force. Then a Marine Rescue HQ. Then the 2015 superstorm hit, and it sat empty for years.

City of Newcastle has put $850,000 into the refurbishment. An operator has been selected and fit-out is underway. This might be the most scenic spot for a coffee in town when it opens.

Every Friday and Saturday night until 28 July, a free hop-on, hop-off courtesy bus runs through the Newcastle CBD from 7pm to 2am, stopping at nine bars, restaurants and venues across the city.

The stops: The Lass O'Gowrie, The Albion, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Bernie's Bar, The Commonwealth, The Delany, Tower Cinemas, Crystalbrook Kingsley, The Koutetsu and the Mad Poet.

No bookings, no cost, no waiting on a rideshare. Just hop on.

More info at @midtown.newcastle