Radical Dining Society Promises a Convivial Dining Future
Great British Chefs, February 29, 2012
Yes, a unique dinner it truly was. Beyond commendable even. And very delicious, but was it radical?
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Radical Dining Society Promises a Convivial Dining Future
Explore More of London with Viator
CheapOair, February 28, 2012
Coming to London and uncertain how, what and where to make the most of your time? Or do you already have plans to hit all the major sights but you’re still hoping to dig a little deeper and wish you could gain access to at least a little bit more than you normally would be able to do as just another tourist?
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Explore More of London with Viator
Free Breakfast Gig Alert: The Drums @ Floridita
Londonist, February 28, 2012 at 14:00 pm
Brooklyn popsters The Drums perform a free 20 minute acoustic set this Thursday morning at 8.15am at Floridita in Soho.
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Free Breakfast Gig Alert: The Drums @ Floridita
In Pictures: Hackney Homemade Food Market
Londonist, February 24, 2012 at 14:00 pm
Home made quesadillas, pickles and sauerkraut (and that’s just the offering from one vendor ), boozed up hot chocolate, freshly made pasta, katsu curry, a delectable assortment of baked goods, meats, and cheeses ranging from ultra sharp to super oozy were on offer and will be again.
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In Pictures: Hackney Homemade Food Market
Jamie Oliver’s New Union Jacks British “Pizza” Parlour
CheapOair, February 23, 2012
Union Jacks is a family friendly casual restaurant featuring a “best of” British menu. The star of the menu is a selection of “flats” – these are essentially pizzas. The flats are cooked in wood-fired ovens and cost around £7 to £12 (roughly $10 to $18). They’re really tasty too.
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Jamie Oliver’s New Union Jacks British “Pizza” Parlour
Celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee
OneTravel, Feb 23, 2012
Doing the same thing (whatever that may be) for 60 years is a pretty big deal, and with respect to being a British monarch, it’s something that’s only been achieved once before by Queen Victoria back in 1897 … So, to mark Liz’s 60 years on the throne, there’s a Diamond Jubilee going on in Britain all year with celebrations centred around an extended weekend of free activities in early June.
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Celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee
London Food & Drink News: 23 February 2012
Londonist, February 23, 2012 at 16:00 pm
Bompas & Parr launch new “food explosion service for weddings” and more London-centric foodie news.
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London Food & Drink News: 23 February 2012
Third Time’s a Charm with Shaun Rankin’s Triple-Cooked Chips
Great British Chefs, February 23, 2012
As a freelancer who works out of my flat, I found these chips a brilliantly low maintenance snack that required not much attention and had my kitchen smelling as if I were a top chef.
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Third Time’s a Charm with Shaun Rankin’s Triple-Cooked Chips
Beer money. Coffee money. Electronic money. Cold hard cash. Liquidity. Spare change. Chump change. A Paypal account. Transferred funds. Current cleared balance.
Money. I’ve got it. Not a lot and nowhere near as much as I’d like. But I’ve got it. And sometimes I feel like it’s spread thin all over the place as if I were trying to make a last pat of butter evenly reach every corner of the butt end last piece of toast from a day old loaf of bread.
I’ve got money on both sides of the Atlantic. In a piggy bank. In my wallet. My change purse. Jangling around in my backpack. In joint accounts. Personal accounts. Accounts for specific purchases. Accounts for general, everyday spending. To meet goals. To keep fears at bay. For fun. For rainy days. For Pete’s sake.
Keeping up with my financial situation sometimes seems like a full time job in and of itself. When the money’s tight, I’m doing my darnedest to figure out how to juggle my funds. When time’s are a little better than they might usually be, I’m scratching my head thinking about what’s best to do with the extra dough (make more bread maybe?).
Managing my income and savings and trying to turn them into a bit of wealth ain’t easy, but I think I’m getting somewhere stable and secure … finally … hopefully. Coming up with ways to have my money work for me more and more is definitely a focus of my attention this year. I think I’ve got a few tasty ideas that, if I follow the right recipe and don’t open the oven door too soon, should result in a plentiful array of some piping hot, freshly baked goods. Now, where’s the butter?
Valentine’s Day came late at tikichris towers this year. A week late actually, on Pancake Day. So maybe next week I’ll get around to doing a little pancake flipping in honour of the belated celebration. Until then, I bring you my latest Wine of the Month: 2010 Berrys’ Argentina Malbec, Pulenta, Mendoza.
My February pick is a drink-now kinda wine (well, probably best to decant it first). Plum, oak, umph … this new addition to the Berry’s Own Selection range of wines is a total tannic Malbec. It’s surprisingly versatile too. As I’m sure you’re already aware, the deep red liquid pride of Argentina makes a perfect default choice for BBQs, steaks and such. It – or at least Berry’s 2010 Pulenta – also works well with smoked salmon … and some chocolate pasta. Huh?
My sweetie and I shared a couple of glasses of this mighty Malbec alongside our meal (and this was the week-late V-Day din-din) of Hotel Chocolat’s “penne cocoa pasta” with smoked salmon and mascarpone. The dish was a novelty really, but intriguing nonetheless. Would I make it again? Maybe. It was really easy to do and provided a fairly cheap way to have a bit of cookery fun on a Tuesday night. I wouldn’t say the wine was a perfect pairing (not sure what would be though – maybe Port?) but it more than proved itself … and tasted quite nice actually with the mascarpone and the fresh basil used to brighten up the dish. I certainly didn’t mind pouring myself some more after the plates were in the sink.
Chocolate, red wine, cooking a new recipe at home … yeah lots of heart shaped boxes were ticked. However, for our ‘official’ Valentine’s Day dinner on the 14th, we were gnashing through some late night, last minute burritos (at Benito’s Hat near Oxford Circus, thank you very much) and winding down a very long day of work-related stuff and very little romance. Not so heart shaped. Come to think of it, I reckon a glass of Pulenta would’ve gone splendidly well with my spicy beef birria wrap.
Hmmm … I wonder if Berry’s Argentian Malbec would go with pancakes … or as they say in Argentina, panqueques! Filled with dulce de leche? Oh yes, please.
The 2010 Berrys’ Argentina Malbec, Pulenta, Mendoza is priced at £10.95 per bottle (£9.85 each in a case of 12 for £118.20). For product details and more, visit Berry Bros & Rudd online at www.bbr.com or stop by their shop at 3 St James’s Street, SW1A 1EG.
Gin & Jazz at London’s Intercontinental Hotel
CheapOair, February 21, 2012
Located in the heart of Mayfair, the Intercontinental London Park Lane is an excellent launch pad for a night on the town. And there are certainly far worse places to wind things down at the end of a long day. Now there’s quality jazz and drink in such fine space? The Gin & Jazz events are but another brilliant reason to visit this elegant hotel and good excuse to soak up its grand ambience even if you’re not a guest.
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Gin & Jazz at London’s Intercontinental Hotel
What’s for Lunch? Obikà, Canary Wharf
Londonist, February 21, 2012 at 11.30 am
Italian mozzarella champion Obikà launched its premiere London restaurant in Canary Wharf back in November. Purportedly Italy’s favourite restaurant group, Obikà’s focus is to offer premium Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP served alongside a typical assortment of Italian artisan products, such as Prosciutto Crudo di Parma DOP, Bresaola della Valtellina (cured beef) and Isle of Ewe smoked salmon along with a mouthwatering list of antipasti, hot dishes, freshly baked pizza and aperitifs.
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What’s for Lunch? Obikà, Canary Wharf
Have an Art Deco Day in Miami Beach
OneTravel, Feb 20, 2012
From sunup to sundown and all through the night, here’s a guide to how to have an art deco day in Miami Beach. Follow fully for a stylized stroll down memory lane or pick and choose as it suits your vacation plans.
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Have an Art Deco Day in Miami Beach
Free Chips If You’re First This Week @ Kerbisher & Malt
Londonist, February 20, 2012 at 16:08 pm
… Shepherd’s Bush chippy, Kerbisher & Malt, are planing to commemorate fried spud week by offering complimentary chips to the first ten folk who fumble through their doors each day.
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Free Chips If You’re First This Week @ Kerbisher & Malt
Free Chips, Best Chips & More Chips for Chip Week
Great British Chefs, February 19, 2012
Next week is Chip Week. Crass marketing ploy or thoughtful celebration of a much loved British traditional? You decide. But no matter how you slice it, the week presents a chance to chat about one of the world’s favourite comfort foods, ye olde humble chip.
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Free Chips, Best Chips & More Chips for Chip Week
Chu-chuhk-a-chuhk chu-chuhk-a-chuhk chu-chuhk-a-chuhk. All through the night. I love sleeping overnight on long train journeys. That is, if I’m in a sleeper car, anyway. The rhythm of the train barrelling down the tracks lulls me into dreamland, and then when the morning comes I wake up giddy as a little kid to peek out the window to see how the view differs to where I’ve come from.
This rail holiday business is the sort of thing I hope I can do more of in the coming few years. The Trans Siberian Railway, the Orient Express, Copper Canyon, the Rocky Mountaineer … Even just writing those journeys down and reading the phrases back to myself wistfully evokes a yearning to go somewhere (anywhere) in a pretty powerful way.
Maybe I’m romanticising it a little bit, but when train travel is nice it’s ideal. Rail feels a bit more adventure-y than hopping a flight and, compared to driving, allows for some relaxation and possibly even a spot of work. I appreciate the two birds with one stone aspect of it too: travel and accommodation all in one.
Looking back over the past few years, I haven’t taken nearly as many “long haul” train trips as I would have liked. And the only overnight train I’ve taken over the past year was just up to Edinburgh (and unfortunately not in a sleeper but in a not quite fully reclining seat) for a city break. Still it was a pretty cheap fare and worth a bit of discomfort. Edinburgh’s a fabulous destination and getting there from London via the Caldonian Sleeper overnight train is a great way to visit.
Hmmm … where next? And can I get there by train?
Chu-chuhk-a-chuhk chu-chuhk-a-chuhk chu-chuhk-a-chuhk.
Hackney Homemade Food Market Kicks Off This Saturday
Londonist, February 17, 2012 at 13:15 pm
There’s a new food and drink market coming to Hackney tomorrow and from then on every Saturday from 11am to 4pm. Held on the grounds of St John at Hackney church (an easy peasy shuffle from Hackney Central Overground Station), Hackney Homemade Food will see artisan producers selling breads, cakes, cheeses, meat, game, fruit and veg, chutneys and pickles set up alongside stalls offering ready to treats such as home made sausages, salt beef burgers, katsu curry and quesadillas.
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Hackney Homemade Food Market Kicks Off This Saturday
Exploring London’s Leadenhall Market
OneTravel, Feb 16, 2012
You can find everything from fashion outlets to stationary shops at Leadenhall Market. But food is the main retail ingredient here. And that makes a lot of sense. Back in the 14th century, a meat and fish market existed here. Similarly, the area served as a site for poulterers to meet and cheesemongers to sell as long ago as the 1300s. More in line with contemporary tastes, visitors these days can expect a global array of dining options from burritos and sushi to sandwiches, tapas, pizza and fine chocolate.
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Exploring London’s Leadenhall Market
I get paid to do some pretty strange things sometimes. I recently explained to someone that much of what I do to make money is sit on my sofa with my feet propped up and my Macbook on my lap. Obviously, that’s an oversimplified and exaggerated way of summing up what I do and only half of the easy peasy hyperbolic equation. The other half is that I run all over London and sometimes beyond having fabulous adventures worth propping up my feet and opening up the Mac to write about and upload photos of – and then via this blog share my words and images with fine reader just like you.
So when I woke up this morning to an email from an unknown sender with the words “sponsored post” in the subject line, I wasn’t too surprised. “Oh cool,” I thought, “a little extra money potentially.” What did surprise me though was that the dude behind the proposal didn’t really seem to care all that much about how, what or even when I published his sponsored content only that …
I would like you to write a post with the title “Innersound speakers.” These keywords (“Innersound speakers”) should also be used through the post (just a few times – nothing unnatural). These keywords should also be a tag and category of the post. “Innersound” should be used as a tag, as well.
The amount of money that was proposed as payment to do this shall remain undisclosed, but obviously it was enough to motivate me to write the post. I can’t imagine my new client is up to anything nefarious or maniacal. He’s just trying to get the word out about Innersound speakers. So say it with me everybody: Innersound speakers.
Anyway, I’m sitting here (yep the feet are up on the coffee table) and wondering, “What are Innersound speakers?” I looked around online and still don’t quite have my head around what they are. Yeah, they’re high end speakers, but anybody own some of these audio bad boys or know anything at all about them? I’m intrigued … and I welcome any comments from folks who can describe Innersound or Innersound speakers to me.
Last night’s Food Photography Workshop hosted by Great British Chefs at Tom’s Kitchen was great. The food provided was tasty and photogenic, and chef Tom Aikens was kind enough to do a bit of a meet and greet and give a little speech to kick things off.
Guiding us through the event competently and thoughtfully (and with enthusiasm oozing through his every action and word) was professional photographer David Griffen. David’s the dude behind roughly 50% of the food shots you see on the GBC website. I like his style, and I like how he presented the workshop.
Part of the hashtag frenzied activities of Social Media Week, the workshop started with an overview for all (about 30 of us in attendance), then a ‘play group’ split with mobile phone photogs in one group and DSLR shutter bugs in another, and then a final thought round up with all of us back together again. I hung with the SLR folks most of the time but eavesdropped a bit on the mobile side of the room as well.
Much of what David taught confirmed that, with respect to shooting with my SLR, I’m doing the right thing – which was very nice to hear. He had some lens, equipment and setting tips though that I really appreciated. He answered questions with direct, practical answers. Soon, I’ll be switching from years as a Blackberry user to joining the throngs of iPhone drones. The advice on apps and how to make the most of mobile photography, made my decision to switch seem like the right choice, a no brainer (at least from a photographer’s perspective).
I take a lot of photos of food, professionally and for fun (and can only assume I’m going to be doing more and more of this over the next year or so). I think my time learning from and observing David will pay off and enable me to take better shots.
Do you take a lot of photos of your food or have some other kind of photo fetish? Great photography related events like this one are going on all the time here in London these days. And with plenty of cheap flights available to get you across the pond, it’s a smart idea to consider heading over to the UK to experience some fun shutterbug activities.
London Food & Drink News: 16 February 2012
Londonist, February 16, 2012 at 15:00pm
Photo by buckaroo kid
Cichetti, Chakra, chips, chefs and more in this week’s foodie news round up …
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London Food & Drink News: 16 February 2012
Eat-Japan in London
CheapOair, February 16, 2012
Hyper Japan is an event dedicated to the love of all things contemporary and Japanese. From food to fashion to film, Hyper Japan offers a glimpse at Japan’s top trend-setters. First held in 2010, Hyper Japan is widely regarded as Britain’s biggest and best celebration of Japanese culture. The third Hyper Japan will be held in West London at Earls Court Convention Centre from the 24th to the 26th of February.
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Eat-Japan in London
