Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
Photo/Greenwich Photography
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
The London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
Photo/avlxyz
Read my complete blog at the CheapOair blog.
London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
The residency offers Vallencillo an opportunity to collaborate with other artists and to rub elbows with a range of art world VIPs such as reps from major institutions along the lines of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, London’s Camden Arts Centre, and the Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin.
Read my complete post at illy’s Espresso Crazy blog.
London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
If you are anything like me you won’t have given a moment’s thought to your Christmas preparations yet, which doesn’t bode well at all for my family! If you’re exactly like me however, since the first whispers of Christmas on TV advertisements and in shop windows, you’ll have known exactly which wine to accompany your tasty turkey on December 25th! No? Good job I’ve got it covered for you then!
This year, I’ve decided to try something a little bit different. Pinot Noir with poultry may not exactly be breaking news but instead of heading to the Burgundy section of Lea & Sandeman, I’m grabbing my Pinot Noir from Patagonia. Yup, Patagonia.
Pinot Noir is a famously fickle grape variety, requiring very specific conditions in which to grow. When it works though, it really works and is notorious for being extremely expressive of the terroir in which it is planted. The cool, gravel plains of the Rio Negro Valley in northern Patagonia suit Pinot Noir perfectly and when coupled with the organic, unobtrusive and un-mechanised approach of winemaker Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (whose grandfather created legendary Sassicaia from Tuscany), it really, really works. The 2011 Barda Pinot Noir by Bodega Chacra really stood out from the crowd at a recent Lea & Sandeman tasting, even when up against some classic red Burgundies. It has tremendous aromas of flowers and raspberries on the nose, with a herbaceous, savoury and earthy depth on the palate.
Providing you remember to take your turkey out of the oven after a few glasses of this beauty (amongst other Christmas tipples no doubt!), the really will compliment your turkey well and is sure to make your day just that little bit more special.
Well that’s all of my Christmas prep done, now time for a glass of wine!
Words and photography by Will Edwards
Jutallrik means “Christmas plate” in Swedish. It’s a mini smörgåsbord of traditional Swedish treats. Available from 20 November to 23 December, priced at £29 per person and designed for sharing groups of five or more, Fika’s Jutallrik offers obligatory Swedish meatballs, reindeer sausage, honey-glazed ham and dill-poached salmon alongside a welcome glass of Glogg (Swedish mulled wine with a choice of almonds and raisins), a selection of gingerbread cookies topped with Gorgonzola and Ris à la Malta, a traditional rice pudding dessert. I had a proto-sample of the Christmas plate about a week ago. The meatballs were an especially savoury winter warmer! If you’re looking to book an end of the year do with your colleagues or such, I reckon a Jutallrik seating would make a nice alternative – but still very seasonal choice – to a more typical turkey dinner.
For an added Nordic feel, keep in mind Fika’s roof terrace which opened this past summer. It’s a good spot for al fresco cuddling, having a smoke and a hot drink or cocktail under the heat lamps.
Fika Bar & Kitchen is located at 161 Brick Lane, E1 6SB. Find out more at fikalondon.com.
London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
I’m heading off soon to Northern Italy for about a week and a half to pursue a self-designed foodie itinerary leading me to some of the region’s best breweries, ham factories, wineries, restaurants, pasta workshops, street markets and even the so called “greediest salami competition in Italy”. To be sure I’m going to have a fantastically gourmand romp across one of the world’s yummiest countries. And that certainly is my aim. But what’s making it possible for me to get over there and have this adventure are a few commissions to write about my experience as well as the prospect of more work to come based on the stories I ‘collect’ while there.
This is going to be a working holiday – or perhaps ‘holidaying work’ might be a more apt description. So I’m going to need to stay disciplined in order to make the most of the trip once I’m back home and carrying on with my writing. As intent as I am to have an absolute blast, I’m going to being making tons of notes, cataloguing hundreds of photos I’m bound to take, keeping track of all the other projects and such back home and juggling what’s probably going to seem like a zillion other concerns. And if all goes to plan, I’ll hopefully be able to blog throughout the journey in addition to posting lots of titbits on Twitter, Instagram and all the other social media sites and apps I regularly use.
Based on a few recent press trips as well as some other ‘holidaying work’ situations – not to mention just freelancing my way through town on hectic agenda-filled days here in London – I’m starting to realise what’s helpful in maximising my travels for writing while not distracting too much from the actual reasons I like hitting the road in the first place.
For making notes, tweeting and posting other social media updates, drafting and publishing larger pieces online, one thing that’s become indispensable to me now (but not so long ago I really only thought of as a nice amenity) is a tablet. These days, I’m to the point that I’m happy to travel without a laptop as long as I’ve got my iPad Mini or Acer Iconia A1 with me. If you’re just looking for something to throw in the bag that’ll get the job done, I recommend having a look at some Acer tablet reviews or even Acer laptop reviews for yourself. A compatible external external drive (which can be a bit of a pain to find for the iPad) and maybe a bluetooth keypad aren’t bad ideas for digital doings on the road either.
There are a few other must-haves and tips I could share. But maybe they’re best saved for future posts. I need to get packing! See you on the other side 😉
Here’s a look at Bedford & Strand’s Christmas menu, which is available now at £35 per person for choice of one starter, main and dessert.
Starters
Mains
Dessert and cheese
I liked all the dishes I tried very much and especially enjoyed the truffle soup, beef cheek and iced Christmas pudding parfait.
This was my first visit to Bedford & Strand, and I found this restaurant and bar with a Victorian vibe to be a cosy spot to keep in mind, whether for a full-on feast or a smart drink (I loved the particularly seasonal and zingy Gingerbread Flip cocktail I sipped during my dine) alongside some charcuterie or other nibbles from the deli-counter.
Conveniently central yet somehow managing to exude a removed from the fray feel about it, Bedford & Strand is located in the basement of 1A Bedford Street, WC2E 9HH (at the corner with The Strand). Given its easy address, commendable bar and most importantly its good food at good value, I think Bedford & Strand would make a smart choice for office Christmas party bookings and such. I certainly would be chuffed to receive an invitation for another Yuletine dine there again.
For more information and to make a booking go to bedford-strand.com.
London’s Secret History of Street Food Tours take place on Saturday mornings and are
available exclusively to guests staying at Presidential Apartments’ luxury serviced apartment suites.
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
Photo/Jacintha Verdegaal
So I shared the invite with Dutch expat blogger Jacintha Verdegaal, whose blog Urban Pixxels is a means for her to “document and share my new London life and my quest to become a true Londoner”. I also knew I would be able to get at least a bit of vicarious joy from Jacintha’s post as she’s an excellent photographer to boot! Here’s an excerpt from her Recipe Kit with a Layer of Awesomeness write up about the event. Enjoy.
… The Recipe Kit is not the first food delivery service. But founder George Kazarian wanted to add ‘a layer of awesomeness’. It might take you a few minutes extra in the kitchen, but as a result you get to learn new techniques, discover ingredients that you won’t find in every supermarket, and explore new cuisines. I mean, how good does ‘candy beetroot salad with lamb lettuce and goats cheese’, ‘sweet potato salad with barberries and tamarind dressing’, or ‘poussin stuffed with couscous’ sound?
Every week you can select 3 recipes from 9 options on their website, and you’ll receive all the ingredients in the exact quantity needed for each dish. And on every recipe card they’ll recommend which drink and what music will perfectly complement your dish. How clever is that?!
Read the complete review and see more delicious photos from the event at Urban Pixxels.
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
Anytime is a fine time to shop at Carluccio’s. But two particularly smart dates to visit are 28 November and 5 December from 6.30pm when Carluccio’s outlets across the UK will offer a 10% discount on the entire Christmas range. Guests will be treated to a complimentary glass of mulled wine as well as festive season canapés.
While you’re there you be sure to make time to enjoy something from Carluccio’s Christmas menu. It’s available now through December with three courses of traditional and seasonal dishes for £22 or four courses with a glass of prosecco for £32.
For one lucky reader though, your visit to the local Carluccio’s will be to pick up your very own free Christmas hamper. The gracious folks at Carluccio’s have offered to give one Piatti di Stagione Seasonal Pasta Hamper valued at £29.95 to one of my readers. For those passionate about pasta, this hamper is an ideal gift featuring four different pastas with delicious sauce pairings reflecting the four seasons, such as cocoa papparedelle pasta paired with wild boar ragu and garganelli egg pasta with spinach and tomato paired with a wild fennel sauce.
To be in with a chance to win the free Christmas hamper from Carluccio’s, simply tweet the following:
Please take a moment to read the terms and conditions before tweeting!
T&C
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
Check out more tikichris competitions.
I met with the owners of the outlet (as explained to me, Kamps is a well established and popular brand throughout much of Germany) earlier this week. They were lovely folks and intent to “get it right” with regards to all aspects of the business. It seemed to me they’re already off to a good start. Hardly the sexiest or flashiest eatery I’ve ever reviewed, Kamps was nonetheless one of the more satisfying I’ve visited in a very long time and definitely offered exceptional value for money.
Stuff I especially liked during my sample session with the owners included an excellent cream cheese and turkey breast sandwich on a grain triangle, a cinnamon delight (franzbrotchen) and an especially nice flatbread with brie, bacon and red currents. Kamps also serves hot dogs, soups, pretzels etc plus juices, sodas, a full range of coffee drinks and more.
It’s worth noting that all breads are baked fresh throughout the day at Kamps with ovens and baking action in full view of customers and people on the street, providing a fun and enticing bit of kitchen theatre for passers-by.
Prices are as inviting as the view. For example, a “Hearty Deal” of a cream cheese and turkey sandwich with freshly squeezed orange juice costs £5.45 for takeaway or £6.35 to eat in. A “Hot Deal” of flatbread with a soft drink is £4 takeway or £4.20 eat in. I’d be pleased paying those prices given the quality and quantity.
There’s free WiFi, plenty of seating and friendly service with opening hours accommodating hectic schedules (Monday to Saturday 6.30am to 8pm; Sunday 7am to 7.30pm).
Kamps is located at 154-155 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7NG.
Keep an eye out for another Kamps opening soon (next month?) in the arcade of the High Street Kensington London Underground station. Visit the Kamps UK Facebook page for more info go to facebook.com/KampsUK.
Heading to this weekend’s BBC Good Food Show at Olympia Exhibition Centre this weekend? Be sure to watch this video for 15% off your ticket price!
I found the British Library’s Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain a refreshing and rather fun opportunity to stroll through an important time in world history.
Refreshing because … instead of laying down a king-by-king chronology of events or applying some broad stroke approach to the major events of the era, the show hones in on the rise of the middle classes in numbers and political power while demonstrating how, to a large extent, the foundations of today’s popular culture were firmly established by the values and interests of the Georgians.
And fun because … the themes of the exhibition are presented via a wide assortment of fascinating and sometimes quirky artefacts such as a deck of playing cards and a full faced mask for a high society masquerade. It’s neato to see how contemporary much of what the Georgians did and had was and how so much of our daily life in 21st London is still quite similar to affairs of that time.
Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain runs until the 11 March in the Paccar Gallery of the British Library, located at 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB. Find out more at bl.uk.
My recent and first time visit to City restaurant, Coq d’Argent, was one of my most exquisite dining experiences of the year. And as 2013 winds down and I think back to some of the finer meals I’ve had since January, that’s really saying a lot!
I was there to have a taste of a limited run seasonal dish of creamy mushroom tagliatelle with a selection of white and black truffles. When booked ahead, the dish is to be served tableside by Head Chef Mickael Weiss himself shaving copious amounts of your preferred truffle over the top of your pasta. In my case, the opportunity to try the dish came by way of a very accommodating last minute booking, and Weiss was not on hand to preside over my plate (I’m not even sure the dish was officially available yet). Nonetheless, my truffled-up plate of umph was gorgeous, yielding long-lasting depth of marvelous flavour.
A starter course of cochon (braised pork cheek, truffle mash, £9.75) set a moreish tone while phenomenal wines (as suggested by sommelier Romero Fernandez – or at least I believe that was this enthusiastic and friendly expert’s name) were superbly paired with my and my dining partners dishes. La Syrah à Papa Stéphane Montez 2010 (£49.00 for a bottle) went down a dream with the pasta. A glass of luxuriantly rich NV Barbadillo Pedro Ximenez sherry (£9.00 for 100ml) was an outstanding accompaniment to dessert.
And let me tell you, dessert was no joke! I’m usually not so impressed with afters on offer at most restaurants. But the crème brûlée I had here was amazing and actually changed my perception of what this dish should taste like. I’ll be less likely to order it at other establishment while keen to return to Coq d’Argent for another go at this fabulous treat.
Beyond the exceptionally fine food and drink, service was to a high standard, and the dining room was lovely and comfortable with nice cityscape views from its fourth storey perch.
Interested in having Coq d’Argent’s seasonal truffle dish? Best call ahead to enquire about availability and when you can get in to try it. I’ve been told you need to give the kitchen up to ten days to order the precious truffles. If you’re a truffle fantastic like me, I can assure you it’s worth the wait!
A fun time to visit Coq d’Argent might be after the launch of its Lodge d’Argent. “Bringing a touch of the Alps après-ski atmosphere” to the Coq’s famed roof garden “with snug blankets, antlers adorning the walls and ski jacket-clad waiters” offering special menu features like fondue and tartiflette as well as drinks such as hot toddies and mulled wine.
Coq d’Argent is located at 1 Poultry, EC2R 8EJ near the London Underground station at Bank. For more information and to book, visit coqdargent.co.uk.
A goanut is a deep fried goat cheese doughnut paired with fruity beetroot compote, salted caramel mousse, caramelised pecan nuts and balsamic vinegar. It’s a really tasty ensemble too, and at £8.50 is pretty decently valued starter as well – especially considering the lovely views of Tower Bridge and the river from the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. According to Head Chef Christian Rozsenich, he and his mostly Austrian kitchen crew came up with the dish as a joke but then realised it was actually very tasty. I certainly enjoyed this well composed medley of sweet and salty flavours as my starter course and am happy to recommend giving it a try.
So an invitation to sample the goanuts got me in the door at the Tower Hotel’s Brasserie – yeah, that big Brutalist hotel on the northern shore of Tower Bridge – but what had me longing to return was my main course of eight hour slow roasted pork joint with sauerkraut, walnut pudding, crackling, thyme jus and Balsamic infused mascarpone (£17). Epic! And perfect for the blustery winter-will-be-upon-us-all-too-soon evening of my visit. As I understand it the goanut and pork joint main are on the menu until January when Chef Rozsenich will turn his attentions to a new range of seasonal dishes.
The Brasserie at the Tower Hotel is located at St Katharine’s Way, E1W 1LD. For more information go to guoman.com/en/hotels/united_kingdom/london/the_tower/restaurants_and_bars/the_brasserie.html.
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
Photo/ M Glasgow
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
Says Greg Shaun at PokerSites.com about playing poker in London:
Online poker might be convenient, but sometimes you want the glitz and glamour that only a London card room can offer. That way you can watch your opponent’s face as you play, learn to gather information, and get even more clued up for the fast-paced online games. It is in these clubs that you can put your skills to the test and show your opponents how important gaining experience at the online tables is.
With that in mind, you’rre ready to step off the virtual felt and into the real world of London poker, here’s a list of some of the best poker rooms around town. All you need to do is get suited and booted and head out for some great cash game and tournament action.
Asper’s Casino Westfield Stratford City
312 The Loft, Westfield Stratford City, Montfichet Road, London, Olympic Park E20 1ET
The closest London Underground station is at Stratford.
Asper’s is the home to London’s largest poker room featuring 300 permanent seats, extended to 500 seats for large tournaments. There are daily tournaments here as well as cash 24/7 cash games at this upscale venue located at Westfield Stratford City mall right next to the London 2012 Olympic Park.
Big Slick
Royal Oak Centre, Brighton Road, Purley, Surrey CR8 2BG
Slightly out of town in the Surrey suburbs of leafy Purley, Big Slick is a private members club offering TV sports, an internet cafe, sporting celebrity receptions, darts, backgammon, chess, Scrabble and, of course, poker.
The Casino at the Empire
5-6 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA
The closest London Underground station is at Leicester Square.
Situated inside the Casino at the Empire, the London Poker Room is located in the very heart of London – Leicester Square. With 24/7 tournaments and cash games and a guaranteed monthly prize pool of £25,000, The Casino at the Empire’s Poker Room is one of the most happening places for live poker action in the UK.
Equal Chance
74-78 St James’s St, London E17 7PE
The closest London Underground station is at Walthamstow Central.
Equal Chance is a family run private members club in the North London neighbourhood of Walthamstow. The place is known for its friendly atmosphere and special activities such as free BBQs and more. For a venue focused more on the spirit of competition and joy of gaming more than glitz and glamour, keep Equal Chance in mind.
Golden Nugget Casino
22-32 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EJ
The closest London Underground station is at Piccadilly Circus.
A Los Vegas style casino in Chinatown? How wonderfully exotic … and oh so very London. Come here for Texas Hold ’em, cash games, three card poker in London’s “ultimate poker pit” and more.
Grosvenor G Casino Piccadilly
3-4 Coventry Street, London W1D 6BL
The closest London Underground station is at Piccadilly Circus.
Roulette, Blackjack, Three Card Poker and two Texas Hold Em’ cash game tables plus slot machines, two bars, wraparound big screen TVs showing the biggest sporting events, a balcony looking onto Leicester Square and plenty of other facilities and amenities make the “G” an excellent venue for gaming or just a night out on the town.
The Grosvenor Victoria Casino
150-162 Edgware Road, London W2 2DT
The closest London Underground station is at Edgware Road.
The Poker Room here caters to the serious player as well as the novice with weekly tournaments and cash games for all levels. Beyond the poker, here you’ll find a range of 24 hour gaming activities with all the expected conveniences and facilities for you to make the most of your time.
The Hippodrome Casino London
Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7JH
The closest London Underground station is at Leicester Square.
Perched above the main gaming floor of this legendary casino, The Top Deck is one of the most sensational spots in town for poker. Renown as a haven for the rich and famous, spiffying yourself up to take a peek inside is a great way to have a fabulous night.
Palm Beach Casino
30 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8EH
The closest London Underground station is at Green Park.
The exclusive Palm Beach Casino in fashionable Mayfair has a strong reputation for some of the best rounds of poker in town. Looking to rub elbows with the international elite? You’re in the right place.
Playboy Poker Club
14 Old Park Lane, LondonW1K 1ND
The closest London Underground station is at Hyde Park Corner.
In the words of Hugh Hefner, “Life’s too short to live someone else’s dream”. See Hugh’s dreams made real, enjoy some of your own and take in a few rounds of three card poker and more at this luxurious club with some of the most beautiful bunny-eared and cotton-tailed croupiers in town.
Whether wishlistingit through a department store catalogue, leafing through cookbooks for seasonal recipes or trying to keep track of important dates in your diary, indexing with Post-it is a smart way to note something in a book which you’d like to return to later – without leaving a permanent mark or otherwise damaging any pages.
Off the page, the same tabs, flags, arrows and markers from Post-it can be used as bespoke gift tags and – depending on how crafty you are – even as decorative elements around the house or Christmas tree. Last minute “merry Christmas” Post-its left at desks and attached to memos can give Secret Santas a hand spreading cheer around the workplace. Yep, the more I think on it, the more fun opportunities to enjoy this Christmas with Post-its come to mind. Indeed, for a loved one or friend who’s particularly fond of keeping things tidy or perhaps for someone you know who might be a bit more spatially challenged than most folks, products from the Post-it Index range actually could prove to be much appreciated gifts in and of themselves!
But what about you? How are you going use Post-It products this festive season? For more brilliant ideas visit the Post-it UK Facebook page.
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As one of only 30 select bloggers in the UK chosen as alpha seeders for the launch of Dayre, I’ll be playing around with the app over the next six weeks, sending feedback to the developers about what I think works (and doesn’t), and trying to determine whether the app will be worth keeping in my ‘arsenal’ once it goes to beta.
After a couple of days tinkering around with Dayre, I have to say it is really easy to post stuff and pretty fun to do as well. Dayre’s look and feel is sort of like a mashup of traditional long-form blogging with a mobile photo sharing app such as Instagram. To be nit-picky, a spellchecker function would be good, and I’m not all that crazy about how my photos are cropped whenI upload them. But I reckon plenty of updates and improvements are on the way. But all in all, so far so good. The location search is notably accurate and quick. It’s cool to see the things I got up to during a day in a concise an accessible format too.
I’m enjoying Dayre and look forward to sharing some of the highs and lows of the next month and a half via my mobile. If you’d like to follow my Dayre activities and eventually get in on the fun yourself, check out my profile at dayre.me/tikichris. With a juicy trip lined up to Italy in a couple of weeks and Christmas on the glittering horizon, I’m sure to have some interesting titbits to share with you. The app is available for free on Android and iPhone. Have a look.
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With the remains of the last Yorkist king, Richard III, being excavated earlier this year in a Leicester car park, the East Midlands and Yorkshire are all abuzz with Ricardian conjecture. Where will The King be re-interred? What can we learn from the archaeological find and subsequent studies of the exhumed skeleton? What was this man really like? Was he anything at all like character portrayed famously in Shakespeare’s celebrated tragedy?
As shared a few days back, I was up in the Midlands recently on Richard’s trail with an itinerary starting out at Bosworth Battlefield where Richard met his end, followed by a tour of Leicester and concluded with a performance of Richard III in Nottingham. In my write up about the day (you can read that post here) I mentioned that ‘the Bard’s words had never resonated with as much relevance for me’. Still whether you’re coming from a day of headfirst Plantagenet immersion or not, this production of Richard III, with Ian Bartholomew as an especially slimy and pathetic Richard, is a pleasure to experience.
Key to me getting so much satisfaction out of the show was the work gone into by Director Loveday Ingram’s creative team. In particular, Designer Simon Higlet alongside Projection Designer William Simpson and Lighting Designer Mark Jonathan worked multimedia magic to enhance the action on the stage – sharpening the plot’s edge without distracting from the gorgeous and fundamental dialogue.
There’s a week left to see the play in Nottingham before it’s off to York for a short run there. If you’re in either area with even an inkling of an interest in live theatre or the history behind Richard III’s fall, I reckon this play is well worth checking out.
Richard III runs until Saturday 16 November at the Nottingham Playhouse (Wellington Circus, NG1 5AF). For more information and to book visit nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk. From the 19th to the 30th of November the play will be staged at the York Theatre Royal (St. Leonard’s Place, YO1 7HD). Go to yorktheatreroyal.co.uk for details.
Nottingham Playhouse
