Monthly Archives: April 2014

London Daily Photo: Untitled

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The New London Cleaners!

If you haven’t heard about the brand spanking new way to find a cleaner in London you’ve really messed up! Two ex-city guys, Pete and Tom, set up Mopp last year to make it quick and easy for busy Londonders to book … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Langham Place

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Cookery School Pop-Up Cafe at Handmade in Britain

Just a head’s up to let you know Handmade in Britain’s “Spring Edition” is coming soon to Chelsea Old Town Hall. Of course, the event will be a fantastic showcase of contemporary fine crafts across a range of disciplines. It will … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Regent

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Adam Gray Nursery School Cookery Demo (Great British Chefs)

Skylon Executive Head Chef, Adam Gray, is a family man with a four year old son in nursery. Keen to pass on his passion for food to a younger generation, Adam recently dropped by his son’s south west London nursery, … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Self Portrait

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Richard Wilson’s Slipstream at Heathrow Terminal 2

Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2 – The Queen’s Terminal – isn’t to reopen officially until 4 June when a United Airlines flight from Chicago is scheduled to land at the new building in the early morning. Most striking of its features is Slipstream, a 77 tonne, 78 metre twisted aluminium sculpture by British artist Richard Wilson suspended in the air 18 metres above ground in the entrance court of the terminal. Continue reading

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Infinity Brunch at Aqua Kyoto

Upscale and great value in an elegant and easy to reach locale, the Infinity Brunch at swish Soho eatery, Aqua Kyoto, would be a wise addition to your bucket list of must-do London brunches. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Circus

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Every Angel has a Dark Side: Julian Schnabel at the Dairy Art Centre

Every Angel has a Dark Side, Julian Schnabel’s first major solo exhibition of paintings in the UK for nearly 15 years, opened today at the Dairy Art Centre in Bloomsbury. The show’s on for a couple of months and if you get a chance to swing by, I reckon you shouldn’t pass it up. I certainly considered the press preview I attended Thursday morning to be the first of hopefully a few more visits at least to see this excellent and brass-necked exhibition. Continue reading

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Win a Journey of Discovery Hamper Worth £40 from Bart Ingredients

From the sunny shores of Portugal through to North Africa, India and Thailand to Indonesia, the chefs at Bart have been on a Journey of Discovery to source delicious regional ingredients for an exciting new series of spice blends, which quickly and easily add character to everyday dishes. Here’s a chance for one lucky reader to win a Journey of Discovery hamper worth £40 and have a taste of these blends without even having to leave the kitchen. Keep reading to find out how. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Station

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Theatre Review: Let the Right One In

Soon after its release to DVD, I saw (and loved) the original film version of the Swedish romantic horror story, Let the Right One In. What I enjoyed most about that movie was its moody tone and even moodier lighting. I don’t what it was like to watch in the cinema but it made for ideal at-home viewing. Newly adapted for the stage, LTROI is on now at the recently reopened Apollo Theatre (with refurbished ceiling) for a “strictly limited season” run. How does the stage adaptation compare to the movie and is it worth seeing? Well … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Soho

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5 Local Orlando Blogs to Read Before Your Trip (OneTravel)

Want to make the most of your next visit to Central Florida and “do” Orlando like a local? Be sure to check out these local Orlando blogs for up-to-date details and the latest scoops on what’s awesome (or awful) before … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Maximum Height

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Portugal Please: Até Logo

If you’re into engaging with friendly salt-of-the-earth folks in a beautiful and largely rural setting, Portugal should be at the top of your list of destinations. Continue reading

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Wandering Round Walthamstow, Northeast London (OneTravel)

At the northern end of the London Underground’s Victoria Line lies the quaint and quirky Walthamstow. Wedged between the ancient Epping Forest (yeah, a real forest in London), the River Lea and some of East London’s more ‘authentic’ (read edgy) … Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Comporta Comfort Food at O Zé

One last lunch, one last chance to take in all the yummy hospitality I’d come to expect while travelling through Portugal – a stop in the seaside town of Comporta en route to the airport in Lisbon yielded one of the best meals I had during my stay in the country. With an emphasis on serving traditional dishes from Alentejo using fresh, local, sustainably sourced, and mostly organic ingredients – the family owned O Zé Restaurante Lounge pleased my palate and ensured I headed back London satisfied to be sure yet already longing to return for more festive feasting. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Untitled

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Portugal Please: Padaria Joana Roque, Traditional Alentejo Bakery

Instant Grandma! That’s what I got my final morning of my Portugal Please road trip when I dropped by the a traditional home bakery in the village of Vidigueira where Joana Roque’s been baking the same bread in the same method for more than 40 years. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Welcome to God’s Own Junkyard

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Portugal Please: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova

My Portuguese adventure coming to a close, I was left with only one more night to savour before flying back to Blighty. Good thing my last night was in an absolutely fantastic setting! Otherwise, I might have started to doubt for a second the hospitality show to me throughout this lovely little country as well as the foodie expertise that’d gone into the execution of my Festival of Food itinerary. As the trip unfolded though, I never once questioned the restorative benefits of my adeptly planned week-long ramble through Portugal. Indeed, I arrived back home eager to share the stories of my time abroad. The story I’m sharing today is one of a luxury homestead that’s an easily recommendable destination: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. Continue reading

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SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Cooksister Blogger, Jeanne Horak-Druiff (CheapOair)

Jeanne Horak-Druiff is a South African who lives in London. Her delicious and photo-rich food and travel blog, Cooksister, is held in high regard among London’s eclectic mix of bloggers and foodies. The blog for Jeanne is a side project, … Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Evocative Evora

Leaving the Almojanda farm, I hit the open road for an afternoon in UNESCO World Heritage city of Evora. The hour and a half drive was pure scenic joy. I’d been to Evora before years ago and getting to go back there was a treat – and something I’d be happy to repeat several times over. Indeed, when talking with the Sunvil folks about the design of my Festival of Food itinerary I specified that I was especially keen to stop in Evora. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Untitled

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Portugal Please: Delicious Diterra and Tasty Terrius

Another day, another delicious opportunity to have a taste of the Festival of Food offerings in the Alentejo. Before leaving the Portalegre area, I spent my morning at the family-run Almojanda farm sampling a variety of products from its own Diterra range (under the brands of Almojanda and Fadista) as well as items from Terrius, another food producer from up the road about 20 kilometres in Marvão. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: … Bunny

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Portugal Please: Eggs-cellent Time in Portalegre

Next on my Portugal Please road trip itinerary was the southern and sunny region of Alentejo where the appetising promise to “road test” the new Festival of Food offering from British tour operator, Sunvil, lay ahead. First stop in this gorgeous land of cork farms and vineyards … of ancient Moorish ramparts and prim churches hiding grandiose interiors … was the hilltop border town of Portalgre where I arrived just in time to attend the annual and eggy Feira de Doçaria Conventual for a taste of traditional sweets from the region and more. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Purple

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Portugal Please: Coimbra

Capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages with a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site university established in 1290 (making it the fifth oldest in the world), Coimbra is a city steeped in age old tradition yet imbued with a youthful spirit. Continue reading

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Win Dinner for Two at Notting Hill Kitchen – Courtesy of Zomato

In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been blogging a good deal about a recent trip I took to Portugal, especially about how much I enjoyed all the great food and wine while I was there. Well, thanks to a team up with online restaurant discovery guide, Zomato, I’m offering one lucky reader the chance to have a taste of some of the best Portuguese cuisine in London with a free dinner for two at Notting Hill Kitchen. Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Suckling Pig Paradise, Bairrada

From Aveiro, I drove south to the town of Mealhada for a meal that had me squealing with piggy delight. Mealhada and its region of Bairrada (still within the greater region of Centro) seem to be the suckling pig capital of the world, where the main drag through town is lined with restaurant after restaurant boasting leitão à Bairrada (as suckling pig is called there). For my feast, I paid a visit to one of the most popular and best established eateries, the rather prosaically named Restaurante Típico da Bairrada. Continue reading

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Ai Weiwei at Lisson Gallery, London (OneTravel)

Just announced are the details of an upcoming exhibition by firebrand artist, Ai Weiwei, at London’s renowned Lisson Gallery. The show will be the Chinese conceptual artist’s third solo exhibition with Lisson Gallery, and for the show he has created … Continue reading

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