tikichris

Creatures of the Chesapeake

Posted on 2016-06-15 by tikichris

The Chesapeake Bay is home to an incredible array of species in the water and above it.

Many of these creatures have been endangered but, thanks to the efforts of scientists and environmentalists, are coming back. Some have found a way to thrive alongside the human populations. The best way to explore and understand this massive estuary is on the water. Start with an Annapolis yacht charter and as you sail, stop around the bay to rent kayaks or canoes and see the flora and fauna up close. Here are a just a fraction of the animals you might encounter in different areas. Continue reading →

Posted in Maryland, Travel | Tagged annapolis, boats, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Travel, yacht charter | Leave a comment

Win a Bottle of Red Stag by Jim Beam

Posted on 2016-06-14 by tikichris

COMPETITION IS OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!

Just in time for the 4th of July, my buddy Jim Beam and I want to share a free bottle of black cherry infused Bourbon with one lucky reader.

Imagine: the world’s most popular Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Jim Beam – infused with natural cherry flavour. It’s a tasty libation whether served neat, chilled on the rocks (my preference) or as the prime ingredient in any number of cocktails. Continue reading →

Posted in Competition, Drink, Freebies, Shopping | Tagged #RedStagAndBlue, Black Cherry Liqueur, bourbon, cocktails, competition, Drink, free, freebies, jim beam, liqueur, red stag, Red Stag and Blue, Red Stag by Jim Beam Black Cherry Liqueur, RT to win, Shopping, twitter competition, whiskey | Leave a comment

Recipe: Kimchi Pimento Cheese

Posted on 2016-06-13 by tikichris

America’s so called “caviar of the South” gets some Korean kick with my version of the pimento cheese incorporating spicy kimchi.

For all its piquant flavour, this poor man’s pleasure is super easy and inexpensive to make. And check this out: using kimchi as one of only three ingredients gives it an even bigger boost. Rather than bringing together typical ingredients such as pimentos (sweet red peppers), onions, and whatever else (every grandma in the American South probably has her own recipe) separately just add kimchi for a minimal ingredient/minimal fuss recipe.

With fermented cabbage (which accounts for about 75% of its contents), radish, garlic, onion, chilli powder, salt, carrot and ginger), kimchi work wonders with this classic Southern recipe. Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Recipes, Shopping | Tagged 100% Natural Traditional Korean Kimchi, american food, cheddar, cheese, Food, kimchi, kimchi pimento cheese, kimchi pimento cheese recipe, KOREAN FOOD, pimento cheese, pimento cheese recipe, recipes, Shopping, tikichris recipes, vegetarian, VEGETARIAN RECIPE, Yutaka | Leave a comment

Rustiko Bar & Restaurant, Old Compton Street

Posted on 2016-06-12 by tikichris

Upon invitation to give its new Craft Beer of the Month a go, I paid Rustiko Bar & Restaurant a friendly visit last week. Great beer! And great place to keep in mind whatever Italianate libations you seek in Soho.

Teaming up with Italian micro-brewery, Birrifico del Ducato, Rustiko is running a Craft Beer of the Month special. The beer of this month – Violent Femme – is a real winner. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Beer, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged BARS, beer, Beer of the Month, Birrifico del Ducato, CRAFT BEER, Drink, italian beer, italian food, London, OLD COMPTON STREET, reviews, Rustiko, Rustiko Bar & Restaurant, soho, W1, W1D 5JY | Leave a comment

Great British Cheese Awards

Posted on 2016-06-12 by tikichris

Got a favourite British cheese? Yeah, me too. In fact, a couple of my all-time favourite cheeses are produced here in Britain. Now cheese lovers across the UK can nominate our choices for best British cheese in the new British Cheese Awards.

The awards aim to celebrate the best of British cheese produced and distributed by independent cheesemakers and retailers and to bring together a community of fine food lovers to nominate and vote for their favourite British cheeses and discover the best cheese shops in the UK. Continue reading →

Posted in England, Food, Great British Chefs, London, Restaurants, Scotland, Shopping, Wales | Tagged BRITISH CHEESE, cheese, Food, Great British Cheese Awards, GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, independent cheesemakers, LA FROMAGERIE, La Fromagerie Cafe, London, marylebone, moxon street, Peter's Yard, restaurants, Shopping, W1, W1U 4EW, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

100-Layer Lasagna at The Cavendish

Posted on 2016-06-11 by tikichris

It had been about a year and a half since my last visit to The Cavendish. But I remember my dinner there fondly. So when an invitation to come back to try newly appointed Head Chef Douglas Santi’s “100-layer” lasagna, I was all for it.

I’m pleased to report the restaurant is as lovely as ever with brasserie/pub downstairs and a more formal and rather elegant dining room upstairs. Service is polite and swift. As for that lasagna … Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged 100-layer lasagna, 100-layer lasagne, Drink, Food, italian food, lasagna, lasagne, London, marylebone, New Cavendish Street, pasta, restaurants, reviews, The Cavendish, W1, W1G 9TR, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

London Clown Festival

Posted on 2016-06-11 by tikichris

Life is absurd, and everyone’s a f*cking clown. This is something to celebrate – with top rate physical comedy. Enter the London Clown Festival.

I had a hoot and a half at last night’s press preview London Clown Festival. Cranky, naughty (and occasionally utterly filthy) puppet duo Boris & Sergey hosted the show featuring a range of always wacky and sometimes absolutely brilliant acts. Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Good Cause, Live Performance, London, Theatre | Tagged Ben Target, Boris & Sergey, clown, Clowns, Clowns without Borders, comedy, Eades Road, Entertainment, Flying Seagull Project, good cause, Helen Duff, Inda Perada, live performance, London, London Clown Festival, Manor House, N4, N4 1DH, Omnitorium, physical comedy, puppetry, puppets, reviews, Seven Sisters Road, The Establishment, theatre, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

#DeepSouthFarEast Supper Club | 10X10 with tikichris

Posted on 2016-06-10 by tikichris

Next on the roster of 10 events to mark my decade in blogging, is another tasty team up. This time round, I’m collaborating with one of my favourite supper club chefs, Malaysian Home Cooking superstar Vi Vian Woo! Together, Ms Woo and I have created a menu combining American Deep South indulgence with flavoursome Far East flair. For one night only in sultry July, we’ll proudly present our #DeepSouthFarEast pop-up at one of Clerkenwell’s coolest bars, Ninth Ward.

The exclusive event will be limited to only around 25 guests. Vi Vian and me alongside the staff at the bar will receive each guest with a complimentary Bourbon cocktail before presenting our sumptuous feast, served family style at long communal tables in Ninth Ward’s atmospheric dining room featuring reclaimed wood, repurposed industrial fittings, and an eclectic collection of voodoo accoutrements. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Drink, London, Restaurants, TC10 | Tagged 10 Years of tikichris, american food, banana pudding, BARS, bourbon, Brisket, Clerkenwell, cocktails, Deep South Far East, DeepSouthFarEast, Drink, EC1, EC1R 3BN, farringdon, Farringdon Road, Food, fried chicken, indian food, islington, laksa, London, malaysian food, Malaysian Home Cooking, Ninth Ward, Ninth Ward London, pop-up, restaurants, southern food, supper club, Tabl, TC10, TC10X10, Vi Vian Woo, Vi Woo, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 4 Comments

Recipe: SunGold Smoothie

Posted on 2016-06-10 by tikichris

Have you ever tried SunGold kiwifruit? I recently discovered them at a #BreakfastBling event hosted by New Zealand kiwi brand Zespri and so loved what I was eating that I’ve been adding them to most of my morning meals since.

As the name implies, these SunGold kiwis are golden, not green. Also unlike typical green kiwis the skin isn’t all that fuzzy. So, you actually don’t have to peel the fruits and you can eat the skin quite easily (and get all that extra dietary fibre and nutrition when you do). They’re one of the most nutrient dense fruits. One SunGold has more vitamin C than an orange, contains high levels of potassium, folate and actinidin (a “protease enzyme unique to kiwifruit that helps us to digest several food proteins”). Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Recipes, Shopping | Tagged #BreakfastBling, breakfast, Drink, Food, hemp seed, hempseed, kiwi, Kiwi fruit, Kiwi recipe, kiwi smoothie, Kiwifruit, recipes, Shopping, smoothies, SunGold, SunGold kiwi, tikichris recipes, vegan, vegan recipe, VEGETARIAN RECIPE, zespri | Leave a comment

7 Haunting and Abandoned Places to See Now (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-06-10 by tikichris

Alberto Loyo / Shutterstock

Some people’s idea of a holiday is to fly to a vibrant big city, while others prefer a bit of seclusion on a deserted island or a 5-star beach resort. However, there’s still some of you who swing toward the spooky and out of the ordinary, and would gladly make a holiday out of experiencing an interestingly eerie destination.

Check out these seven haunting and abandoned places on earth that you can actually see for yourself now.

Read my complete post at Going Places.

Posted in Going Places, OneTravel, Travel | Tagged abandoned, ghost towns, Going Places, OneTravel, Travel | Leave a comment

Yard Sale Pizza, Finsbury Park

Posted on 2016-06-09 by tikichris

Pizza party in Finsbury Park? Who wants a slice of that action? Me, and I reckon all sorts of other folks when they find out about the newly opened Yard Sale Pizza sliding onto Blackstock Road.

Yep, every Claptonian’s preferred pizza parlour has set up a second wood-fired oven near Finsbury Park Station. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Pizza, Restaurants | Tagged beer, blackstock road, Drink, finsbury park, Food, N1, N4, N4 2DW, pizza, restaurants, reviews, Yard Sale Pizza, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

10 Years of Musée Quai Branly

Posted on 2016-06-09 by tikichris

Musée Quai Branly – one of Paris’ coolest museums, and one of my favourites (in Paris and the world) – will celebrate its 10th anniversary with two special exhibitions and an anniversary weekend of free festivities 25-26 June.

Musée Quai Branly is home to one of world’s most impressive collections of the indigenous art and cultural artefacts from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.The collection has 450,000 objects, of which 3,500 are on display at any given time, in both permanent and temporary thematic exhibits. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, France, Freebies, Museums, Paris, Tiki, Travel | Tagged anthropology, Art, france, free, freebies, Jacques chirac, Musee Quai Branly, museums, paris, Quai Branly, Quai Branly Museum, tiki, Travel | Leave a comment

Preparing for a Summer Road Trip

Posted on 2016-06-09 by tikichris

When making plans for a summertime road trip, it is usually best to be prepared for all weathers and – at busy times – some delays. Therefore, always have snacks, drinks and waterproofs available, especially if you have children in the car with you.

But what else should you consider? Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged Point-S, road trips, Travel | Leave a comment

Weird and Wacky Laws of Florida City Destin-ed to Surprise You (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-06-08 by tikichris

digidreamgrafix / Shutterfly

In our series taking a look at some of the quirky laws and customs of cities across America, we focus on the idyllic beach destination of Destin. Located on the Florida Panhandle and famed for its white sand beaches, this charming little Emerald Coast town is within easy reach of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport and offers a relaxing retreat for anyone seeking a seaside break.

But before you visit, make sure you’re in the know about some of the more unusual laws that Destin has laid down over the years. Here’s a look at this municipality’s oddest ordinances and wackiest laws (as may be viewed in the City of Destin’s Code of Ordinances).

Read my complete post at Going Places.

Posted in Florida, Going Places, OneTravel, Travel | Tagged Destin, Destin Florida, florida, Going Places, OneTravel, Travel | Leave a comment

Sunset at the Villa Thalia at Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre

Posted on 2016-06-07 by tikichris

Photo/Manuel Harlan

To put it plainly, there’s a lot going on – yet none of it is presented in any sort of convoluted way and all of it superbly portrayed – in Alexi Kaye Campbell’s play Sunset at the Villa Thalia.

Arty, middle class Charlotte (Pippa Nixon) from London and charismatic American – and CIA operative – Harvey (Ben Miles) are frenemies to the highest degree. There’s instant affinity and sometimes even smouldering attraction between them but also deep-seated belief on both sides that one completely misunderstands the other and that the other is absolutely wrong about how the world spins on its geopolitical axis. Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, London, Theatre | Tagged Alexi Kaye Campbell, Ben Miles, Celebrities, Dorfman Theatre, Elizabeth McGovern, Entertainment, live performance, London, national theatre, Pippa Nixon, reviews, Sam Crane, SE1, SE1 9PX, south bank, southbank, Sunset at the Villa Thalia, theatre, theatre review, Upper Ground, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Send in the London Clown Festival

Posted on 2016-06-06 by tikichris

Shrimshanks, one of many acts performing at the inagural London Clown Festival

Checking my phone while coming out of Old Street Station the other day, I received an email inviting me to the press night of the inaugural London Clown Festival. Taking a quick look around, I thought the event was already in full swing and I was amidst its most ardent performers. Nope, that’s just how people bandy about in Shoreditch these days.

But seriously folks, an actual London Clown Festival is coming soon (like this weekend). And yep I’m headed to the press night. But that preview is right on top of other related events. So, I thought I’d go ahead and publish a quick heads up for you all as the festival looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Live Performance, London, Theatre | Tagged clown, Clowns, comedy, Eades Road, Entertainment, live performance, London, London Clown Festival, Manor House, N4, N4 1DH, Omnitorium, physical comedy, Seven Sisters Road, theatre, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Cane to Cocktail: Blue Mountain Bliss

Posted on 2016-06-04 by tikichris

From Screechies (and a pit stop shower break back at the hotel), the Cane to Cocktail tour continued onwards and upwards into the mighty Blue Mountains for a taste of some of the world’s best coffee and sundowner with dinner at a cozy little boutique hideaway.

If your idea of a dream vacation in Jamaica involves little more than frying in the sun on the beach while downing all inclusive cocktail after all inclusive cocktail then spending time in the rugged and lush Blue Mountains might not be the thing for you. However if you’re keen to experience what truly makes this island so special and to introduce a bit of mountain air luxury in with your sea breeze break, you may discover that no stay in the Blue Mountains is long enough. I certainly didn’t get my fill. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Cane to Cocktail, Coffee, Drink, Food, Hotels, Jamaica, Luxury, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged appleton estate, BARS, Blue Mountain Coffee, Blue Mountains, Cane to Cocktail, CARIBBEAN, Chris Blackwell, cocktails, coffee, Craighton Estate, Drink, Food, hotels, Island Outpost, jamaica, jamaican rum, KINGSTON, luxury, restaurants, rum, Shopping, Strawberry Hill, Strawberry Hill Hotel, Travel, UCC Blue Mountain Coffee, UCC Blue Mountain Coffee Craighton Estate | Leave a comment

Recipe: Cointreau Wings with Honey Dijon | #WingingIt

Posted on 2016-06-04 by tikichris

Orange you glad to come across this Cointreau-versial recipes for chicken wings?

Cointreau’s rich citrus flavour makes it an ace ingredient for food as well as cocktails. I cook wings all the time, playing around with all sorts of ingredients. Usually my experiments turn out to pretty decent but fall well short of yummy greatness. But my Cointreau wings with honey Dijon taste awesome, if I do say so myself. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Recipes, Shopping, Winging It | Tagged chicken wings, chicken wings recipe, Cointreau, cointreau recipe, Cointreau Wings with Honey Dijon, dijon, Drink, Food, honey dijon, mustard, recipes, Shopping, tikichris recipes, triple sec, Winging It | Leave a comment

Sideways: The Play at St James Theatre

Posted on 2016-06-04 by tikichris

Sideways: The Play. If you loved the movie, to be sure you’ll love the play adapted for the stage by original Sideways novelist, Rex Pickett, and deftly directed by David Grindely.

Clearly the play is nowhere near as scenic as the film set in the lilting landscape of California’s wine country (and I must admit I haven’t read the book … yet). Still, a spare and smartly crafted set works wonders (or perhaps just doesn’t get in the way of) bringing focus to Pickett’s characters, their relationships and the sharp and deep plunging dialogue between them. I laughed – and cringed – a lot more while watching the play than I remember doing when I first saw the movie (and I really loved the movie). Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Entertainment, Live Performance, London, Theatre, Wine | Tagged Beth Cordingly, books, David Grindely, David Weyman, Drink, Ellie Percy, Entertainment, live performance, London, Palace Street, Peter Mumford, play, reviews, Rex Pickett, Sideways, Sideways: The Play, Simon Harrison, St James Theatre, st james's, SW1, SW1E 5JA, theatre, theatre review, VICTORIA, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Madam Butterfly at ENO

Posted on 2016-06-03 by tikichris

A tearjerker of a show, thanks in large part to a profoundly sympathetic performance of soprano Rena Harms, English National Opera’s staging of Madam Butterfly delights the eyes as much as it moves the hearts of its audience.

Puccini’s sad tale of forlorn love and the consequences of strident and oblivious narcissism (imparted brilliantly by tenor David Butt Philip as young American Navy Lieutenant F. B. Pinkerton) is vividly presented with a display of dazzling costumers (Han Feng, Costume Designer) and dynamically coloured lighting and use of colour (Michael Levine, Set Designer; Peter Mumford, Lighting Designer). Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Entertainment, Live Performance, London, Music, Theatre | Tagged Blind Summit, Carolyn Choa, David Butt Philip, design, english national opera, ENO, ENOButterfly, Entertainment, Han Feg, live performance, London, london coliseum, Madam Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, michael levine, music, opera, Peter Mumford, puccini, puppets, Rena Harms, reviews, ST MARTIN'S LANE, theatre, Video, WC2, WC2N 4ES, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Recipe: Quick and Easy Mapo Tofu

Posted on 2016-06-02 by tikichris

This recipe for the classic Sichuan tofu and meat recipe, mapo tofu, is not authentic – at all – but it is quick and easy. And very yummy. What’s especially nice about this basic recipe is that it uses minimal ingredients but packs a flavoursome and savoury wallop.

The proportions given here are for a couple of large bowl servings or maybe four medium servings to go with a variety of other things to eat. It’s simple to scale up though if cooking for larger parties or to stow for later. Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Recipes, Shopping | Tagged chili oil, chilli oil, chinese food, Chiu Chow, Chiu Chow Chilli Oil, Firm tofu, Food, Lee Kum Kee, Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil, mop tofu, Morinaga Silken Tofu, Quick & Easy Mapo Tofu, Quick and Easy Mapo Tofu, recipes, Shopping, tikichris recipes, tofu | Leave a comment

Taking a Cultural Walking Tour through London’s “Little India” (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-06-02 by tikichris

SharedCity is a new London venture specializing in cultural walking tours in areas with immigrant communities. I tagged along on a recent saunter through “Little India” – aka Ealing Road – near Wembley Stadium in the West London borough of Brent.

If there’s one thing I love about living in London it’s that even after a decade of calling this city home I still find that there’s plenty to see and do. Take Ealing Road for example. Who knew it was such a vibrant place for a taste of authentic Indian culture? Well, thousands of mostly Gujarati immigrants, obviously, as well as the team behind SharedCity and surely lots of other people too. Just not me … until now.

Read my complete post at Going Places.

Posted in Food, Going Places, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged Brent, Ealing Road, Food, Going Places, guided tour, HA0, Little India, London, OneTravel, restaurants, SharedCity, Shopping, Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Travel, walking tour, wembley, Wembley Temple, west london, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Win a Comida Fest Hamper Filled with Brazilian Food and Drink

Posted on 2016-06-01 by tikichris

COMPETITION IS OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!

I’ve teamed up with Latin street food festival, Comida Fest, and Brazilian Products Online to run an especially zesty and generous competition offering one tikichris reader the chance to win a hamper packed full of delicious Brazilian food and drink valued at £60.

Brazilian Products Online specializes in providing the best Brazilian food and drink to UK consumers. Customers can buy online and receive their orders via next day delivery. Products range from regional chillies, tapioca and pão de queijo mix to coffee and typical desserts such as the guava marmalade.

For our competition, somebody out there is going to win big with a hamper laden with the following treats: Continue reading →

Posted in Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Shopping, Travel | Tagged brazilian food, Brazilian Products Online, Comida Fest, Comidafest, competition, Drink, Food, free, freebies, hamper, Latin American food, London, RT to win, Shopping, south bank, southbank, street food, Travel, twitter competition, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Cane to Cocktail: Screechies, Hellshire Beach

Posted on 2016-05-31 by tikichris

My first full day of my Cane to Cocktail tour of Jamaica started with a morning on the beach and a fish and festival feast at Screechies in Hellshire.

A big shack on a small crescent beach, my morning at Screechies lived up to my years of daydreaming about how a lazy day in Jamaica might play out. There was a well stocked bar with a ginormous sound system just a few sandy steps from a gently lapping tide. Fishing boats lined the beach clustered with shelters and shacks made vibrant with hand painted murals depicting island life and celebrating iconic Jamaicans. Friendly folks went about their own business but were happy to cast a cheery smile and say hello. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Cane to Cocktail, Drink, Food, Jamaica, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged appleton estate, BARS, Cane to Cocktail, CARIBBEAN, cocktails, Drink, fish and festival, hellshire, hellshire beach, jamaica, jamaican rum, Joy Spence, KINGSTON, portmore, restaurants, rum, screechies, seafood, Travel | Leave a comment

How To Save Money On Food When You Are On The Go

Posted on 2016-05-31 by tikichris

When we say travelling the first thing that comes to our mind is food. What are we going to eat? Where are we going to eat? Will the food taste good? Ahaaa… the list is endless! Yes, we have a number of questions. But something that strikes our mind frequently is will the food cost us more? People cannot afford to pay more on food, especially when travelling.

So here I have mentioned some tips and tricks, which you can make use to enjoy every meal when you are on the go. Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Money, Travel | Tagged Food, money, Travel | Leave a comment

Asher’s Africana Restaurant, Ealing Road, Wembley

Posted on 2016-05-28 by tikichris

One of the highlights of my recent SharedCity tour of Ealing Road was the last stop of our walk – lunch at local favourite, Asher’s Africana Restaurant.

A minimalist’s dream and a vegetarian’s delight (especially if either is on a tight budget), Asher’s Africana is a smart spot to keep in mind for a tasty and wholesome meal on the cheap. Continue reading →

Posted in Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged Brent, Ealing Road, Food, Gujarati, HA0, HA0 4QL, indian food, Little India, London, lunch, restaurants, reviews, THALI, vegetarian, wembley, west london, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 1 Comment

Rooftop Pop-Up: Santa Monica at SkyLounge

Posted on 2016-05-27 by tikichris

Santa Monica Travel and Tourism is hosting a Santa Monica themed rooftop pop-up bar at the SkyLounge rooftop bar at the top of the DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London hotel.

Southern California sunshine is obviously not guaranteed. However, the sun was shining in full glorious force when I paid a visit during a press preview and couple of days ago – and I could think of few finer places in London to spend my afternoon. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Travel, Wine | Tagged BARS, beer, city of london, cocktails, Doubletree, Doubletree by Hilton, Drink, east london, EC3, EC3N 4AF, Food, hilton, hotels, London, Pepys Street, POP UPS, restaurants, reviews, Rooftop bars, Santa Monica at SkyLounge, See Santa Monica, SkyLounge, SkyLounge at DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London, tower hill, tower of london, Travel, wine, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Beer and BBQ Pairing at Bodean’s Covent Garden

Posted on 2016-05-27 by tikichris

Once upon a time not too long ago, Londoners weren’t as spoiled for choice when hankering for low and slow cooked American style BBQ as they are today. Then Bodean’s came along seizing the BBQ zeitgeist and setting a standard that’s been increasingly upped ever since. So I was happy to accept an invitation to a beer and BBQ pairing at the newest of the now quintet of Bodean’s restaurants in London for a chance to see how they’re doing after a few years since my last visit to a Bodean’s.

First off, I’m pleased to report that the ribs are still awesome. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged BBQ, beer, Bodean's, Bodean's BBQ, Bodean's BBQ Covent Garden, Bodean's Covent Garden, Catherine Street, covent garden, Drink, Food, London, restaurants, reviews, RIBS, WC2, WC2B 5JS, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Cointreau Creative Crew Awards Ceremony

Posted on 2016-05-26 by tikichris

Lily Cole, Naomie Harris and Laetitia Casta at the Cointreau Creative Crew Award Ceremony at Liberty London on May 24, 2016 in London, England.
May 24, 2016| Credit: David M. Benett for Getty Images

Tuesday 24 May saw premium triple sec maker Cointreau give Liberty London department store a makeover for its Cointreau Creative Crew Awards Ceremony with a star studded guest list including the likes of Naomie Harris, Lily Cole and host Laetitia Casta (and even – oddly enough – the not-so-glamorous likes of yours truly).

Adding considerable elegance to my presence, Kemey came with me, and we had a great time rubbing elbows with such a fashionable crowd while enjoying Cointreau-based cocktails (and actually very good canapés – kudos to whomever catered). I was happy to carry on drinking Cointreau Fizzes after my first. Kemey found a bartender demonstrating the versatility of Cointreau and added red chilli pepper to her drink for a kick. Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrities, Drink, London, Shopping | Tagged Celebrities, cocktails, Cointreau, Cointreau Creative Crew, Cointreau Creative Crew Awards Ceremony, Drink, great marlborough street, La Maison Cointreau, Laetitia Casta, Liberty London, lily cole, London, Naomie Harris, regent street, Shopping, soho, triple sec, W1, W1B 5AH, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Sailor Jerry Pop-Up Bar at The Well

Posted on 2016-05-26 by tikichris

Popular Clerkenwell pub, The Well, goes Hawaiian for the summer with a “Hotel Street” pop-up cocktail bar in collaboration with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

Running until the end of September in the basement of The Well, Hotel Street takes its name from the all-but-forgotten red light district of Honolulu where tattooist Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins plied his trade. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged BARS, Clerkenwell, cocktails, Drink, EC1, EC1V 4JY, Food, London, POP UPS, pubs, restaurants, rum, Sailor Jerry, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, st john street, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Fresh Ideas for a New Coffee Break

Posted on 2016-05-26 by tikichris

A coffee break is a relaxation time given to employees after a work session in any organisation with a cup of coffee served to every individual working in that organisation, cell, or department. There are different break perspectives and their implementation ways worldwide. Some countries think that break mitigates the acceleration of the work in a day job, whereas the other school of thought considers the break as a very important and motivational element for having a quality work of their workers.

In the United Kingdom, employees are restricted from working continuously for almost four hours, which state that every employee must have a work break ranging from 10-30 minutes after every four hours of consecutive work. It is mandatory to provide to every individual in the organisation. Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Drink | Tagged coffee, Drink | Leave a comment

Cane to Cocktail: A Tour of Jamaica with Appleton Estate

Posted on 2016-05-25 by tikichris

What? Me? Where? With whom? Really? An invitation to join a Cane to Cocktail tour of Jamaica hosted by premium Jamaican rum producer, Appleton Estate, with its Master Blender Joy Spence as guide for much of the trip was met with a speedy Yes please! and plenty of anticipation about the delicious fun ahead finding out about (and drinking plenty of) one of my favourite rums at its source.

My first time in Jamaica, all expectations and Caribbean cravings were more than met during the tour. Continue reading →

Posted in Cane to Cocktail, Drink, Jamaica, Shopping, Travel | Tagged appleton estate, Cane to Cocktail, CARIBBEAN, cocktails, Drink, Groov-e, Groov-e Solar Bank, hotels, jamaica, jamaican rum, Joy Spence, KINGSTON, rum, Shopping, Solar bank, Solar charger, The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Travel | Leave a comment

Little India Walking Tour with SharedCity

Posted on 2016-05-24 by tikichris

SharedCity is a new London venture specialising in cultural walking tours in areas with immigrant communities. I tagged along on a recent saunter through Little Indian (aka Ealing Road in Brent).

If there’s one thing about living in London it’s that even after a decade there’s still plenty to discover (and I feel I’ve done a considerably better job of routing around this town than most). Continue reading →

Posted in Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged Brent, Ealing Road, Food, guided tour, HA0, Little India, London, restaurants, SharedCity, Shopping, Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Travel, walking tour, wembley, Wembley Temple, west london, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Pall Mall Fine Wine

Posted on 2016-05-24 by tikichris

Pall Mall Fine Wine is the sister site (and older sister at that) of Shepherd Market Wine House (which I visited last month and loved). As its name succinctly suggests, it is indeed a fine place to enjoy wine at a rather well heeled address.

Like Shepherd Market Wine House, Pall Mall Fine Wine is a little laidback little bar and shop in a upscale local. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, London, Shopping, Wine | Tagged BARS, Drink, Food, London, mayfair, PALL MALL, Pall Mall Fine Wine, Royal Opera Arcade, Shopping, st james's, SW1, SW1Y 1UY, wine, wine bar, wine shop, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Creole Kitchen at The Beachcomber

Posted on 2016-05-23 by tikichris

A boozy island paradise awaits your discovery at The Beachcomber, a basement bar just a jaunt away from Bayswater Station. It’s a great destination for rummy cocktails, and with a new menu of “bites and small plates” by Creole Kitchen’s Vanessa Bolosier, The Beachcomber is a tasty place for bar snacks that equal the yum of its tiki drinks.

Tikichris went to a tiki bar. No news there (though I don’t make it out to tiki venues nearly as much as I would like – or nowhere near as much as one might presume given my nom de plume). And yes indeed I enjoyed every aspect of my Beachcomber visit. Continue reading →

Posted in Bars, Drink, Food, London, Tiki | Tagged agricole rum, bar snacks, BARS, bayswater, Caribbean food, cocktails, Creole Kitchen, Drink, Food, London, queensway, The Beachcomber, tiki, Tiki bars, W2, W2 3RR, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 2 Comments

The Chesapeake Bay is home to an incredible array of species in the water and above it.

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Just in time for the 4th of July, my buddy Jim Beam and I want to share a free bottle of black cherry infused Bourbon with one lucky reader.

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America’s so called “caviar of the South” gets some Korean kick with my version of the pimento cheese incorporating spicy kimchi.

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Upon invitation to give its new Craft Beer of the Month a go, I paid Rustiko Bar & Restaurant a friendly visit last week. Great beer! And great place to keep in mind whatever Italianate libations you seek in Soho.

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Got a favourite British cheese? Yeah, me too. In fact, a couple of my all-time favourite cheeses are produced here in Britain. Now cheese lovers across the UK can nominate our choices for best British cheese in the new British Cheese Awards.

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It had been about a year and a half since my last visit to The Cavendish. But I remember my dinner there fondly. So when an invitation to come back to try newly appointed Head Chef Douglas Santi’s “100-layer” lasagna, I was all for it.

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Life is absurd, and everyone’s a f*cking clown. This is something to celebrate – with top rate physical comedy. Enter the London Clown Festival.

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Have you ever tried SunGold kiwifruit? I recently discovered them at a #BreakfastBling event hosted by New Zealand kiwi brand Zespri and so loved what I was eating that I’ve been adding them to most of my morning meals since.

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Pizza party in Finsbury Park? Who wants a slice of that action? Me, and I reckon all sorts of other folks when they find out about the newly opened Yard Sale Pizza sliding onto Blackstock Road.

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Musée Quai Branly – one of Paris’ coolest museums, and one of my favourites (in Paris and the world) – will celebrate its 10th anniversary with two special exhibitions and an anniversary weekend of free festivities 25-26 June.

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When making plans for a summertime road trip, it is usually best to be prepared for all weathers and – at busy times – some delays. Therefore, always have snacks, drinks and waterproofs available, especially if you have children in the car with you.

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To put it plainly, there’s a lot going on – yet none of it is presented in any sort of convoluted way and all of it superbly portrayed – in Alexi Kaye Campbell’s play Sunset at the Villa Thalia.

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From Screechies (and a pit stop shower break back at the hotel), the Cane to Cocktail tour continued onwards and upwards into the mighty Blue Mountains for a taste of some of the world’s best coffee and sundowner with dinner at a cozy little boutique hideaway.

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Orange you glad to come across this Cointreau-versial recipes for chicken wings?

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Sideways: The Play. If you loved the movie, to be sure you’ll love the play adapted for the stage by original Sideways novelist, Rex Pickett, and deftly directed by David Grindely.

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A tearjerker of a show, thanks in large part to a profoundly sympathetic performance of soprano Rena Harms, English National Opera’s staging of Madam Butterfly delights the eyes as much as it moves the hearts of its audience.

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This recipe for the classic Sichuan tofu and meat recipe, mapo tofu, is not authentic – at all – but it is quick and easy. And very yummy. What’s especially nice about this basic recipe is that it uses minimal ingredients but packs a flavoursome and savoury wallop.

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SharedCity is a new London venture specializing in cultural walking tours in areas with immigrant communities. I tagged along on a recent saunter through “Little India” – aka Ealing Road – near Wembley Stadium in the West London borough of Brent.

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I’ve teamed up with Latin street food festival, Comida Fest, and Brazilian Products Online to run an especially zesty and generous competition offering one tikichris reader the chance to win a hamper packed full of delicious Brazilian food and drink valued at £60.

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My first full day of my Cane to Cocktail tour of Jamaica started with a morning on the beach and a fish and festival feast at Screechies in Hellshire.

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One of the highlights of my recent SharedCity tour of Ealing Road was the last stop of our walk – lunch at local favourite, Asher’s Africana Restaurant.

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Santa Monica Travel and Tourism is hosting a Santa Monica themed rooftop pop-up bar at the SkyLounge rooftop bar at the top of the DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London hotel.

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Popular Clerkenwell pub, The Well, goes Hawaiian for the summer with a “Hotel Street” pop-up cocktail bar in collaboration with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

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SharedCity is a new London venture specialising in cultural walking tours in areas with immigrant communities. I tagged along on a recent saunter through Little Indian (aka Ealing Road in Brent).

Share this:

Pall Mall Fine Wine is the sister site (and older sister at that) of Shepherd Market Wine House (which I visited last month and loved). As its name succinctly suggests, it is indeed a fine place to enjoy wine at a rather well heeled address.

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