Author Archives: tikichris
HipStar: Collapsible Hands-Free Travel Cart
Designed to ease the load of moving heavy items over any terrain, HipStar can be used as a cart, backpack, or bike trailer. Indeed, inventor Igor Koshutin reckons his creation has the potential to revolutionise how people travel for work and pleasure. Continue reading
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Posted in Design, Shopping, Travel, Video
Tagged Art Matrix, Art Matrix LLC, design, HipStar, Igor Koshutin, Shopping, Travel, Video
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Trattoria da Ivana & Secondo | #FVGFlavour
One of the more delectable moments of my visit to Friuli Veneza Giulia (not to mention one of the best meals I’ve had this year) was my lunch at Trattoria da Ivana & Secondo. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Food, Italy, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged #FVGFlavour, Drink, Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Food, Friuli Venezia Giulia, FVG, Italy, Ivana & Secondo, Ivana and Secondo, restaurants, reviews, Tagliamento, trattoria, Trattoria da Ivana & Secondo, Trattoria da Ivana and Secondo, Travel, wine
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Great Jamaican Cuisine at Rudie’s in Dalston
I don’t go out for Jamaican or Caribbean food all that often in London. It’s not because I don’t love the cuisine but because (save for a short list of awesome places) I tend to find most of what’s on offer doesn’t live up to my expectations of how good the food can be. So I’m pleased to report my recent dinner at Rudie’s in Dalston turned out to be such a tasty treat. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged BBQ, Chef Vernon Samuels, cocktails, dalston, Drink, east london, Food, jamaican food, jerk chicken, London, Mai Tai, N16, N16 7XB, Rudie's, Stoke Newington, toke Newington Road, Vernon Samuels, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia | #FVGFlavour
Located in the far northeast corner of Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia borders Austria to its north, Slovenia to its east and the Italian autonomous region of Veneto to the west. It has a long stretch of Adriatic shoreline, is home to the mighty Dolomite Mountains, and boasts a fascinating and culturally complex history. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Food, Italy, Travel, Wine
Tagged #FVGFlavour, Drink, Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Food, Friuli Venezia Giulia, FVG, Italy, Travel, wine
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Cooking with a Wood-Fired Oven with Manna from Devon
Holly and David Jones of Manna from Devon Cooking School in Kingswear, Devon came north to London earlier this summer for some wood-fired oven demos at The Swan pub in Chiswick. I was wiser (and fuller) for having dropped by for a session. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, England, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Travel
Tagged Acton Lane, chiswick, cooking school, devon, Drink, england, Evershed Walk, Fir Mount House, Food, Higher Contour Road, Kingswear TQ6 0D, Manna from Devon, Manna from Devon Cooking School, morso forno, morso forno wood-fired ovens, pubs, reviews, The Swan, W4, W4 5HH, west london, wood-fired ovens
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#RutteRoute Round Up
My route to discovering the Dutch origins of genever and gin was a fun and flavoursome chance to enjoy some of the best food, drinks, sights and nightlife in Rotterdam and Dordrecht. Indeed, quaint Dordrecht was completely off my radar … Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Netherlands, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, De Kuyper, Dordrecht, Drink, Genever, gin, holland, netherlands, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel
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#TCTalks | Episode 1 | Hey Y’all
Hey y’all. This is Chris Osburn, aka tikichris, and I”m here with a quick message. Continue reading
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On the #RutteRoute at the Rutte & Sons Distillery
In the heart of picturesque Dordrecht, the historic Rutte & Sons Distillery still operates in the same tiny townhouse where founder Simon Rutte started creating his distinctly flavoured spirits back in 1872. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Netherlands, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, Celery Gin, De Kuyper, distillery, Dordrecht, Drink, Dry Gin, Genever, gin, holland, netherlands, Old Simon Genever, reviews, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Celery Gin, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Dry Gin, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Old Simon Genever, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel, Vriesestraat
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Something’s Brewing: Chemex (espressoCrazy)
Continuing with my Something’s Brewing series about brewing methods and equipment, I’m staying in filter coffee mode but getting a bit fancier with it by pulling out a Chemex. Continue reading
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Posted in Coffee, Design, Drink, espressoCrazy, Food, Shopping
Tagged coffee, Coffee Brewing Methods, design, Drink, espressoCrazy, Food, illy, Pour over coffee, Pour over coffee maker, Shopping, Something's Brewing
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On the #RutteRoute in Dordrecht
The opportunity to stroll about and get a sense of the tiny island town that Rutte has called home since the 19th century was a lot of fun and worth the trip in and of itself. Continue reading
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Posted in Bars, Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Netherlands, Restaurants, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, BARS, beer, Bellevue Groothoofd Hotel, CAFES, cocktails, De Kuyper, Dordrecht, Drink, Genever, Gert Jan da Kaasboer, gin, holland, hotels, netherlands, nieuwe haring, Old Simon Genever, Poffertjes, restaurants, reviews, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Old Simon Genever, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel, Viskiosk, Viskiosk Plexat, Visser’s Poffertjes
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Recipe: Rooibos Ribeye
Playing around with the rub I tried it on three different cuts of beef: fillet, sirloin and rib eye. It was tasty with all three. But I reckon it went best with the ribeye Continue reading
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On the #RutteRoute in Rotterdam
First stop on my journey to the Rutte & Sons Distillery in Dordrecht was Rotterdam, where a phenomenally crafted meal was followed by a top secret nightcap and a solid sleep in a historic setting. Continue reading
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Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Netherlands, Restaurants, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, BARS, Chef François Geurds, Chef Patron François Geurds, cocktails, De Kuyper, Dr Rotterdam, Drink, FG Foodlabs, François Geurds, Genever, gin, holland, Hotel New York, hotels, Katshoek, Koninginnenhoofd, luxury, netherlands, Old Simon Genever, restaurants, reviews, rotterdam, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Old Simon Genever, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Scheepvaartkwartier, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel, water taxi, watertaxi rotterdam
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Ted’s Grooming Room
For a shave and a haircut (and a chance to relax) head to Ted’s Grooming Room. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Luxury
Tagged barber shop, berwick street, Cut a Dash with Ted, London, luxury, men's grooming, reviews, soho, Ted's Grooming Room, Turkish Barber, W1F 8RZ, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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#RutteRoute | Win a Bottle of Rutte Old Simon Genever
Before continuing too much further along my path to discover the history of gin and genever, perhaps I should talk about the differences between these two related spirits – and maybe even offer one lucky reader a taste of genever with a chance to win a bottle of one of the best, Rutte Old Simon. Continue reading
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Posted in Competition, Drink, Freebies, Netherlands, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, competition, De Kuyper, Dordrecht, Drink, free, freebies, Genever, gin, holland, netherlands, Old Simon, Old Simon Genever, RT to win, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Old Simon, Rutte Old Simon Genever, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel, twitter competition, win genever, win rutte old simon
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Which Caribbean Island Should You Retire to? (Going Places)
If you’re starting to plan ahead for retirement and wonder just how far your money can go in the Caribbean, then this list is for you. Continue reading
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Posted in Going Places, Money, OneTravel, Travel
Tagged CARIBBEAN, Going Places, money, OneTravel, Retirement, Travel
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The #RutteRoute to Discovering the History of Gin and Genever
A little over a month ago I tagged along on a mini tour of The Netherlands en route to the Rutte & Sons Distillery on the tiny island of Dordrecht in South Holland. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Netherlands, Rutte Route, Shopping, Travel
Tagged #RutteRoute, De Kuyper, Dordrecht, Drink, Genever, gin, holland, netherlands, Rutte, Rutte & Sons Distillery, Rutte & ZN, Rutte Distillery, Rutte Genever, Rutte Gin, Rutte Route, Rutte Spirits, Shopping, the netherlands, Travel
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Reducing Food Waste with Maille and OLIO
A recent event at the Maille Boutique on the Piccadilly highlighted delicious ways to reduce food waste compliments of Harry Lalousis – the world’s first and only mustard sommelier – and the free food sharing app OLIO. Continue reading
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Posted in Apps, Food, Freebies, London, Shopping
Tagged Food, free, freebies, Harry Lalousis, London, Maille, mayfair, mustard, Mustard Sommelier, OLIO, OLIO app, piccadilly, Piccadilly Arcade, Saasha Celestial-One, Shopping, st james's, SW1, SW1Y 6NH, vinegar
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Jose Gordon’s El Capricho Menu at The World’s End Market
King’s Road restaurant, The World’s End Market, has launched a new “Jose Gordon (El Capricho)” menu offering select cuts of extra mature ox meat reared and aged by Spanish grill master, ox farmer and Chef Patron of acclaimed El Capricho restaurant (and Netflix star), Jose Gordon. Continue reading
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Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, London, Luxury, Restaurants
Tagged BARS, chelsea, cocktails, Drink, El Capricho, Food, Jose Gordon, king's road, London, luxury, Old Fashioned, ox meat, restaurants, reviews, steak, SW10, SW10 0LR, The World's End Market, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Why You Should Retire to Thailand (Miles Away)
About to take the leap into retirement and thinking of doing so overseas? Your options are many but the argument for putting Thailand at the top of your list is strong. Continue reading
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Posted in CheapOair, Miles Away, Money, Thailand, Travel
Tagged cheapoair, Miles Away, money, Retirement, Thailand, Travel
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Bottomless Brunch at The Vincent
The Vincent near Hackney Downs has launched a weekend brunch menu featuring bottomless coffee, cocktails and prosecco alongside a yummy assortment of breakfast and otherwise brunch-able dishes. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged Atkins Square, bottomless brunch, breakfast, brunch, cocktails, dalston lane, Drink, E8, E8 1FN, east london, Food, hackney, hackney downs, London, restaurants, reviews, The Vincent, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Good Stuff #69
Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip, savour and more – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
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Posted in Chocolate, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Shopping
Tagged 31Dover, 31Dover.com, chocolate, good stuff, iro, iro Vegan Ice Cream Pop, iro Vegan Ice Cream Pops, japanese food, My Healthy Kitchen, Nairn's Gluten Free Super Seeded Oatcakes, Nairn's Oatcakes, Pierre Marcolini, Pierre Marcolini Casse-Noisette, ramen, rum, vegan, vegetarian, Westerhall Rum, Westerhall Rum No. 10, Yutaka, Yutaka Instant Ramen
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Use the Power of the World Wide Web to Book Your Next Vacation
If you’re ready to do some traveling, now is the time. There has never been a better time to cure your traveling blues by making tracks across the globe. The power of the world wide web has made it easier than ever to book the vacation of your dreams. Continue reading
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8 Amazing Cities Not Yet Overrun by Tourists (Going Places)
To help you hit some of the world’s most awesome cities before they’re mobbed by everybody else, we’ve compiled this list of eight of the best that are definitely worth checking out. Continue reading
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Win a Pair of Tickets to Foodies Festival with Feeney’s Irish Cream
I’ve teamed up with Feeney’s Irish Cream to offer the chance for one lucky tikichris reader to win a pair of tickets to the Foodies Festival at Alexandra Palace in London or South Parks in Oxford. Continue reading
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Posted in Competition, Drink, England, Food, Freebies, London, Shopping
Tagged #WinFeeneysFoodies, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Lower Field, Alexandra Palace Way, competition, Drink, england, Feeney's, Feeney's Irish Cream, FESTIVALS, Food, Foodies Festival, free, freebies, Headington Road, irish cream, London, N8, N8 7HP, north london, OX3 0EB, Oxford, RT to win, Shopping, South Parks, twitter competition, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Last-Minute Trips You Should Take Before Your Kids Go Back to School (Miles Away)
Taking advantage of the last days of summer to get away with the whole family before school gets back in session can help ease the pain of adjusting to the daily rigors of an early start, tight schedule and demands of homework. A family trip before the school daze is a fun way to bond and make memories to last throughout your children’s academic year. Continue reading
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Posted in CheapOair, Miles Away, Travel
Tagged cheapoair, family travel, Miles Away, Travel
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The London Pop-Up Guide
Here’s the lowdown on some of the best pop-up dining experiences starting this month. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged Drink, Food, London, POP UPS, restaurants
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New Cocktails at Great Northern Hotel
GNH Bar Head Bartender Harry Nikolaou’s brilliant creations beguiled as much as they refreshed, enticing as they intoxicated. Continue reading
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Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Travel
Tagged cocktails, Drink, gnh bar, Great Northern Hotel, Harry Nikolaou, Head Bartender Harry Nikolaou, hotels, king's cross, King's Cross St Pancras, king's cross station, London, N1C 4TB, Pancras Road, reviews, Snug Bar, Travel, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Llamb’s Day Dinner at Tom Simmons – Tower Bridge
Chef Tom Simmons of MasterChef – The Professionals 2011 fame has opened an eponymous restaurant (his first) at the south end of Tower Bridge, showcasing his admiration of British and French cuisine with an emphasis on his Pembrokeshire heritage and on sourcing high quality Welsh ingredients. Continue reading
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Posted in Celebrities, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged Celebrities, Chef Tom Simmons, Drink, Food, Llamb's Day, London, masterchef, masterchef; the professionals, restaurants, reviews, SE1 2RA, Still Walk, Tom Simmons, Tom Simmons - Tower Bridge, tower bridge, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Official J&T of Juliette’s Interiors
So remember that Ginspiration Challenge I wrote about a few weeks ago? Well check it out: I won it! Continue reading
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Posted in Competition, Drink, London, Luxury, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged chelsea, Cocktail recipes, cocktails, competition, design, Drink, Drinks Trolley, furniture, G&T, gin, Gin & Tonic, gin and tonic, Gin and tonic recipes, Ginspiration, Ginspiration Cocktail Competition, Juliette's Garden G&T, Juliettes Interiors, king's road, luxury, Most Perfect Modern Trolley, Pickering's Gin, Pickering's Gin Original 1947 Gin, recipes, Shopping, SW6, SW6 2DX, tikichris recipes, Trolley, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Jazzgir, Canary Wharf
Jazzgir near South Quay brings Mediterranean cuisine with jazzy flair to the Docklands. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged canary wharf, cocktails, docklands, Drink, E14, E14 9GE, east london, Food, Harbour Exchange Square, jazzgir, London, restaurants, reviews, seafood, south quay, wine, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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The Dayrooms Cafe
The Dayrooms Café – an “Aussie inspired café” in Notting Hill – is a pleasant spot for a casual meal and top quality coffee. Continue reading
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Posted in Bars, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged BARS, coffee, Drink, Food, Kensington Park Road, London, notting hill, restaurants, reviews, W11, W11 1NR, west london, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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The Art of Traveling With Your Girlfriend (Going Places)
Going on a trip with your girlfriend can definitely prove to be a challenge. I mean, you do want to her to have a good time, but it’s also got to be balanced with some amazing experiences that the BOTH of you can share and enjoy. Continue reading
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Jinkx Monsoon of RuPaul’s Drag Race at Leicester Square Theatre
Season 5 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jinkx Monsoon returns to the London stage this October with a short string of nightly shows at Leicester Square Theatre as part of the drag performers UK tour. Continue reading
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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Live Performance, London, Music, Television
Tagged Celebrities, comedy, Drag, Entertainment, Jinkx Monsoon, Jinkx Sings Everything, Leicester Place, leicester square, Leicester Square Theatre, live performance, London, music, RuPaul's Drag Race, television, theatre, WC2, WC2H 7BX, west end, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Win a Free Copy of Gesmay Paynter’s The Secret Life of Bananas Cookery Book
Gesmay Paynter’s recipe book, The Secret Life of Bananas, features a bunch of delicious recipes with bananas as the main ingredient. I’ve certain found it to be an a-peel-ing read, and I’m sure you will too. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged #WinBananaCookBook, Banana cookery book, Banana recipes, bananas, books, competition, Cook books, Cookery books, Food, free, freebies, Gesmay Paynter, Recipe Books, recipes, RT to win, Shopping, The Secret Life of Bananas, twitter competition
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Free Wine Pop-Up in Soho: The Grand Cork Experiment
Multi-sensory experience designers, Bompas & Parr, have teamed up with the Portuguese Cork Association to launch a corker of a pop-up running today and tomorrow in Soho. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Wine
Tagged "Neuroenological Tasting: The Grand Cork Experiment", "Neuroenological Tasting", #RealCork, #TheGrandCorkExperiment, 100% Cork, Bateman Street, Bompas & Parr, BOMPAS AND PARR, cork, Cork Report, Drink, Food, free, freebies, POP UPS, Portuguese Cork Association, Real Cork, soho, The Grand Cork Experiment, W1, W1D 3AQ, wine
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