A dining space that sets a high standard for understated elegance and a more than decent menu with a few particularly yummy items make this well appointed eatery with the big name chef behind it (see our interview with Tom Aikens here) an easy one to recommend. A visit here probably won’t amount to the greatest meal of your life but we believe most savvy London diners would leave Tom’s Kitchen more than satisfied with their experience.
From the 17th to the 30th of September, the Sud de France Festival will bring the French Mediterranean lifestyle to Britain, with many shops and restaurants around town and throughout the country displaying special Sud de France food and wine features. Fun events will be organised not only to tease your taste buds with wonderful flavours but also to try out the Sud de France lifestyle where outdoor living in a casual yet elegant atmosphere is the way.
I’ve got this theory that if I write about something I desire, there’ll be a much greater chance of it happening. I make all sorts of lists (upon lists upon lists) all the time about stuff I want or need to do. Sometimes it’s an effective strategy. Other times, it just reminds me of all the things mounting up that I yet or may never get around to doing.
Well, I wanna go back to Paris, stay in one of the hotels in Paris city centre where I’ve stayed before (I particularly like Grand Hôtel Leveque on Rue Cler – and I suppose I owe my ex-wife thanks for discovering that one), see all the pretty Parisian sights, catch up with some friends etc. In fact, I already know how I’d spend a ideal weekend in Paris (I wrote about it here several months back). But in general, I find Paris to be as killer a place as any simply to roam around, gawk at folks and – of course – devour delicious food!
As content as I’d be bumbling about or retracing the steps of past visits, there’s still a lot I’ve yet to see and do. Anybody else keen to discover some new Paris bits? I’ve written it down now – it just might happen!
Social Media Advertising 2010 will bring together leading brands, agencies and marketeers to discuss the latest tools and techniques for running effective, integrated social media advertising campaigns.
Okay. More about me. Here’s an interview the super networky Andy Bargery did with me as part of his series highlighting “fantastic members of the London Bloggers Meetup community“. I’ve worked on a handful of projects with Mr Bargery over the past couple of years and have (as mentioned in my last post) tried to attend his London Bloggers Meetups as regularly as my schedule has allowed. He’s a killer dude and an asset to this town’s online community. Cheers!
It’s Monday morning and that can only mean one thing – I need a strong cup of tea to kick start the week. Ok Ok, apart from that, it also means it’s time to post up an interview with another fantastic member of the London Bloggers Meetup community. This time I’ve picked someone who, as far as I can remember, has been coming to the London Bloggers Meetups pretty much since day one and that’s Chris Osburn …
This Wednesday, The City Tavern (29 Lawrence Lane, EC2V 8DP) will host this month’s London Bloggers Meetup. The theme of this latest networking session that puts faces to blogs will be all thing PR and “how, as a blogger, you should be working with PR agencies”.
Over the past couple of years I’ve been to a number of LBMs and have always found them to be a worthwhile way to spend a few hours of a weekday evening. This time round, I’ll be speaking along with bloggers Cate Sevilla (bitchbuzz.com), Pete Stean (The Londoneer) and PR folk Matt Churchill of Edelman, Stephen Waddington of Speed and Laurence Borel of Mindshare. Neato!
There’s already a guest list of 150 or so people. But if you can make it, I recommend coming along. As I understand it, Edelman’s paying the bar tab. Very neato!
As the steamroller of gentrification and hipster insistence burns its way through Shoreditch, the presence of Lennie’s Snack Bar becomes ever more relevant and imperative. Come here for a real home cooked meal at an affordable price served up with a healthy dose of kindness (and feist) and more than a dash of quirk.
Wednesday September 22nd from 7pm at The Rag Factory in Shoreditch, Circus Bookazine will host what they suppose will be the world’s first ever blog slam, an opportunity for bloggers to read selected posts to a live audience and an independent panel of judges with the hopes of winning some prizes. I’ve been asked to be one of the judges and so will be there criticizing the hell out of anybody daft enough to actually get up in front of people and read. Nah … I’ll be nice, and I’m really looking forward to the event!
As a child, Flori Johnson learned firsthand about “old fashioned” cooking on her family’s farm in Zimbabwe. Add to her upbringing Flori’s first professional gig – working under Heston Blumenthal at his famed Fat Duck restaurant – and you’ve got a nice blend of tradition and innovation. These days Flori is executive chef at upscale grocery shop and kitchen, Melrose and Morgan. With its “range of seasonal foods, hand-prepared with premium ingredients”, Flori reckons she’s found a job where the “enjoyment of cooking” is high. Here’s more about Flori’s love of professional kitchen life …
The friendly folks at Bushmills Irish Whiskey invited yours truly around last week to visit their inn, tour their distillery and (most enticingly) have a sample of their range of triple distilled whiskies. I had a wonderful time (while it was pissing rain back in London, we had nothing but clear, sunny skies over Northern Ireland) and Ild be keen to return or to recommend a Bushmills visit to anyone looking for a quiet weekend away on a lovely emerald stretch of stunning Irish coastline. And if you like your whiskey smooth, well then all the better!
Right tasty fish tacos may now be had at the Market Place location of London-based “Californian-Mexican” restaurant chain, Tortilla. At the moment, these pescatarian friendly comidas are only available Tuesdays from noon to 9pm. But if the tacos prove popular, there’s a possibility they may gain full time status and could be added to the menus at all Tortilla restaurants.
6-7pm: Hot food and Registration
7-7:30pm: Welcome and Opening Pitches
7:30-8:30pm: From Streets to Tweets with Chris Osburn
8:30pm till late: Networking in the Mosaic Bar
Leeds College of Art Blenheim Walk, Leeds LS2 9AQ
Hey y’all. I’ll be back in Leeds at the end of September to facilitate a discussion that’s been dubbed “From Streets to Tweets with Chris Osburn”. The event is part of Leeds College of Art’s Creative Networks series and “will bring to the fore two very exciting aspects of modern life that are often the subject of controversy and debate”. The folks at the college reckon I can offer “an informed and stimulating point of view”. I’ll do me best! When organising the talk, I suggested that I would be comfortable chatting about street art or social media. I didn’t imagine I would have to tie them in together. Even I’m curious about what I’ll have to say.
This event is free to creative, digital, and cultural industry professionals and should be of interest to anyone working within or across the cultural and creative sectors in the Yorkshire region.
For more info about Creative Networks visit www.creativenetworkswestyorkshire.com or contact Bridget March (bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk, 01422 399444).
Don’t forget to make a wish in Leon’s Giant Drawer of Wishes competition! You’ve got until Tuesday the 31st of August. To celebrate the launch of its second cookbook, simply titled Naturally Fast Food, London’s fast but healthy restaurant chain – Leon – has teamed up with Octopus Publishing Group to make one lucky person’s wish come true!
I’m a walker not a driver, and for the most part I’m quite content to have it that way. During the few experiences I’ve had behind the wheel in the UK (I used drive all the time back in the States) and the several times I’ve been a passenger in this country, it’s been evident to me that there’s more than a bit of edginess causing British drivers to be less than pleasant to deal with. And as a pedestrian, I’ve had my share of near misses and unfriendly encounters with cranky, disrespectful and sometimes frighteningly oblivious motorists.
To chill out angry British roadsters, AXA Car Insurance has created a campaign called “Respect On The Road“ to try and bring some courtesy and respect back to British roads. I’ve been ambling about London for about seven years. So, I really have no idea if there ever really was any real courtesy on these mean streets, but more respectful driving sounds like safer driving – and that certainly sounds like a fine idea to me!
For the campaign, AXA has created a Facebook fanpage as well as a several of thoughtfully produced videos. I got a kick out of watching their ‘Road Rage Kids’ video. Acted by five year kids imitating driving behaviour copied from their parents, the clip goes a long way in demonstrating just how childish drivers can be when insulated from the rest of the world in their cars.
There’s also a series of interviews shot from a London black cab called, aptly enough, Cab Cam.
The situation here isn’t nearly as bad as in a lot of other places I’ve visited – the British roads ain’t got nothing on the traffic nightmares of Lagos, Nigeria; Naples, Italy or any big city in China. Still, there’s much we can (and should do) to ensure our roads are friendly and safer.
I’m just back from a few days at the Bushmills Inn and Distillery in Northern Ireland. I had a wonderful time (and don’t worry – there’ll be much more blogging about that trip to come). It was my second time visiting the Emerald Isle. The first was a few years back when I paid a visit to County Kerry in the south. Gorgeous.
The north’s stunning coast (especially the Giants Causeway), the whiskey, the music, the Irish gift of the gab: it all made me want to return (again and again and again). I suppose next time I should go to Dublin … see the Guinness Storehouse, hit the pubs, check out some shows.
There are, of course, plenty of cheap flights to Dublin from London, and many of them are super cheap. So, determining when to go won’t be a problem. And I’m sure there’ll be plenty enough to see and do. I guess I just need to figure out where I’m going to stay. I don’t have a clue about the Dublin hotels scene. I don’t really have a good sense of where in town to stay either. I’d want to be in an area with an edge .. but not too much of one! A bit of history would be cool. And within easy walking distance of decent restaurants, pubs, etc.
Our latest Chefspective interview offers the opinions of a chef with a view: Katarina Todosijevic, Head Chef at the National Portrait Gallery’s Portrait restaurant. With a world class collection of art below her top floor eatery featuring stunning views of many of London’s most noted landmarks, Kat shares her secrets to making a menu that’s equally inspiring.
Got a good shot that you think is representative of our dear island nation’s erratic weather? It could land you £10,000!
Lloyds TSB is running a competition to find the best amateur photographer of British weather. Hot lazy days maybe few and far in-between, but an English summer still offers plenty of chances to capture a glimmering horizon or glittering scenes of summer rain. To enter the competition, participants must submit their photos capturing British weather to the Lloyds TSB website. The overall winner will be picked on the basis of flair, technique and originality. The entries will be judged by a leading panel of meteorologists and photographers.
I think this is a fab idea … and I’d be keen to participate (but I guess since I sometimes actually get paid to shoot, I can’t enter). Oh well, maybe if someone finds out about this competition via my blog and then wins, s/he can split a bit of the prize with me 😉 As much as we’re programmed to moan about the weather, you’ve gotta admit it’s often very photogenic. I love watching storms roll in and out. I think the golden light in this part of the world is enchanting and with all the layer-wearing going on there are always plenty of fashionistas and fashion victims out there worthy of a few snaps. Yay British weather? Perhaps. The Photography Weather Competition runs until September 30th 2010. You must be a UK resident in order to take part in this campaign.
Polo Bar (176 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4NQ) – one of London’s longest standing 24 hour caffs – is to offer freebie bacon rolls (one roll per person, subject to availability) from 7.30am Thursday 2nd September to 7.30am Friday 3rd September 2010.
