The Stylist's Rail @ BIRTHDAYS

I'm a bit of a wheeler-dealer at heart, a wannabe-white-van-man always looking to make a bob or two. So when my friend Hydes suggested getting a stall at The Stylist's Rail clothes sale at BIRTHDAYS I was IN.

Run by a sweet girl called Plum, on the first Saturday of each month, this is one pimped up jumble, with great 'pre-loved' items from the likes of Topshop right through to Moschino - all at bargainous prices. Needless to say, having gone with the aim of selling my clothes (and streamlining my life), I wound up replacing each sale with a new item from someone else's rail. 

The next sale is on 4th May, so book your spot now if you're looking to sell. Otherwise, just head on down, grab a beer from the bar and tuck in - I doubt you'll leave empty-handed.

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Butchery Bingo - The Shoreditch Butchery

With a strong competitive streak and a sucker for a prize, bingo has always held huge appeal for me - add a stiff cocktail or two and a hot dog and I'm in heaven. So when Enni-the-babe invited me to the soft launch of Butchery Bingo at The Shoreditch Butchery a couple of Monday's ago, I jumped right on board.

Hosted by the delightful Boogaloo Stu the evening is a raucous affair of 'do me 'til I'm raw number sixty-four' set to the finest nineties tunes.

The Butchery, XOYO's little bar-next-door, has it's own grungy charm and provides a nice diner back drop to the bingo, with us all squeezed into booths to tuck into our 'dawgs and sliders.

With a round of shots for the table on each full house, we were soon flying high - maybe a little too high for a Monday night...

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Cocktails and Curry

As rafiki would say: '(S)he's ALIVE!' 

6 months of silence and not even a particularly ace story to tell now I'm here. But with a new year and top intentions the flamingo will go a-waltzing again. Starting with... 

...Cocktails at the less-elusive-than-it-sounds The Bar With No Name (or 69 Colebrooke Row for the more conventional amongst us), tucked away just off Essex Road in Angel.

This place takes it's cocktail mixing seriously - with bar staff dressed in lab coats and a list of ingredients to make your eyes water.

Richie Rich claimed it was the best Bloody Mary he'd ever had... I had one sip of my Woodland Martini and nearly passed out - these drinks aren't for the faint hearted (or dry Jan bores). 

Playing to the speakeasy trend of being impossibly hard to find, and almost dangerously dark, this cozy and intimate bar is definitely worth a visit if you're in the 'hood. 

Slightly rosier of cheek we tottered down the road to the new Naamyaa Cafe for food. From the guys behind Busaba Eathai, the rave reviews are already stacking up for this slick little number. 

We ate at the bar and boshed through some pretty awesome spring rolls (I love spring rolls), baby calamari, stir fried prawns and chicken laksa noodles. It was good, not amazing, but a very solid GOOD - perfect for a can't-be-bothered-to-cook kind of supper.

Now onto the other resolutions... bugger.

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Frank's Café and Campari Bar

Now in its fourth year, the Peckham based car park bar Frank's Café is not waning in popularity. And now I can see why...

With incredible views and some of the most reasonably priced cocktails in London, it provided the perfect place for my bestie Giz' birthday. It felt criminal that I'd never been before. 

Arriving on Friday evening, the list of campari-based drinks lured us swiftly into the weekend vibe, our selected Negroni Sbagliato (Campari, Vermouth & Gin) packing a welcome punch.

  

The uber-urban location makes for a surprisingly beautiful spot, the concrete glowing pink in the evening light. There's also a lovely sense of comradery between the drinkers, maybe from the shared glee at being in such a great place or maybe just the smugness at having made it there at all (don't underestimate the trek).

As the sun set and the view faded, pretty festoon lights came on and the vibe turned merrier still. It was only after the bell for last call had rang, and been obeyed, that we tottered back down to pavement level. Birthday girl and gang good and campari-ed and ready to dance.

With priorities elsewhere, I didn't check out the sculpture, but the Bold Tendencies Project #6 will just be one more reason to go back. 

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Netil House

I'd been wanting to go to Netil360 for quite some time now, so what better way to spend the opening ceremony of the Olympics than roof-based with a glass of wine in hand watching it all on a big old screen.

The space is cool, a massive decked area looking out over the east end, space enough for a fair few London mincers and tee-pee or two.

Drinks are reasonable, with a nice mix of coctails - including the delicious alco-freezie-pops from Icely Done. So refreshing.

Access to the roof is usually only reserved for members, so to get yourself up there you'll either need to sign up, find yourself a member friend to sneak you in or go to their next party. I would suggest the Hot Tub Cinema - a movie night with hot tubs and waiter service... winner? Winner.

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Wyndstock Revelry

'Ill met by moonlight proud Titania', Oberon greets his fairy queen, and oh what a chat up line that would have made at Wyndstock's dreamy Midsummer Night's Ball last weekend.

Houghton Hall

Pulling into the grounds of the amazing Houghton Hall, the tone of the evening was immediately set - one of glamour, decadence and a nice touch of the debauched thrown in. 

The party opened with lunch (running inevitably late, we sadly missed this), followed by lawn games and tea. There was even a yoga lesson for those wanting to get their stretches in.

A girls affair, Jessouin, Em and I wandered the gardens, glasses of fizz firmly in hand, soaking up the atmosphere. It felt more as though we were at a friend's wedding than ticketed soirée and this lent the evening a lovely intimate feel.

An amazing swing band and accompanying tap dancer soon got us on the dance floor and swinging our legs like goons, working up our appetites for supper.

At 9pm we sat down to eat, long tables laid out, fellow revelers mixed and matched and ready to tuck in.

The food was good - simple, but hearty, the venison stew warming us as the night cooled.

Darkness fell and the bonfire was lit. The hot tubs nearby were opened for dipping and a fair bit of nudity ensued - not by me (somewhat uncharacteristically).

As midnight struck, we hoarded into a small nearby tent for ghost stories told by the mesmerising Giles Abbott. I'd forgotten quite how lovely it is to be told a story, and the still silence of the tent suggested that everyone else felt the same.

Fireworks called us back outside and marked the real start to the night, the impressive display perking us up and pulling 'ooh's' and 'ah's' of appreciation from the crowd.

The ultimate Fourth Wall

As the night danced on, the party moved to the woodland, where this week's Fourth Wall bar had popped up. The best saved til last, Elderflower cocktails and some neatly mixed 90's hip hop had us dancing 'til dawn. 


It was only when the sun was up that we finally traipsed back to our tent, giddy from the night's magic and wrapped in our Midsummer dream.


'Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time...'

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Weekend Wonders

There is a list the length of my arm of fun things to do in and around London this weekend... but how to choose?

It's the last night of Camden Brewery playing host to Street Feast this Friday, so go fill your boots with the finest foods and fresh-brewed beer. 

For a bit of pop up art, catch the The Horsebox Gallery's Best of British exhibition in the beautiful Blewcoat school. I'm yet to go to one of this team's event, but they're doing a whole load of great stuff, including touring this Summer's Polo, racing and country
events with their gallery-in-a-horsebox. Nice.

Forzawin launches this Saturday, a new rooftop supper club serving three course Italian meals (including Pizza Pilgrim's delicious pizza), specially chosen drinks and a nice bit of mystery entertainment all set against a view out over our fair city.

The Garden of House of St Barnabas - pic from here

This Summer, the Lexi Cinema presents The Nomad, a travelling cinema with screens popping up all over the city for some magical viewing. This weekend sees them set up shop at Greek St's House of St Barnabas (one of my favourite places) for a Baz Luhrmann extravaganza. Tickets are still going for the burlesque-dream Moulin Rouge on Saturday night, with a drink and nibbles thrown in.

Wilton's - the auditorium

On 2nd July, the lovely Wilton's Music Hall closes for 6 months worth of repairs. Head down for talks on the plan for this amazing building on Saturday and Sunday followed by cocktails in the newly opened upstairs Mahogany bar to say your farewells until 2013. 

Sunset at Frank's Cafe - snap from here

Frank's Cafe re-opens this Saturday for another year of car-park coolness. I hear the opening party is always a good one.

What I See in Her (Quello che vedo in lei) - Gianluca Capaldo

For cheap (free) and cheerful entertainment on Sunday, go check out this year's BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery. There are some lovely pieces this year. I had a weird double take situ at the private view last week as the naked girl above wondered past me (fully clothed).

Wyndstock

I, meanwhile, will be bailing on London tomorrow to head up to Norfolk for the lovely Wyndstock. So, if you fancy escaping the city, come join - it seems that there are still tickets going. It all kicks off with lunch on Saturday followed by lawn games, back to the manor (tent) to tart and onto dinner and dancing under the stars. 


Let me know if you make it to any of the above... I've got serious FOMO.

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The See Hear Club

Three weeks ago (popping up for breath from a whole world of work pain), I finally made it down to the amazing Dalston Roof Park. 

With Brangelina amongst their patrons - this place is becoming one of the hottest rooftops in town, not least for the likes of The See Hear Club and their lovely nights of music and film.

Two weeks ago the club played host to the single launch of my much-loved Alpines, with a special set followed by their choice of film.

As the sun set, the audience settled down to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet - the girls audibly sighing at Di Caprio's fresh faced beauty.

Tomorrow night sees Landshapes (aka Lulu and the Lampshades) take to the stage. Same set up: music and a movie. So simple, but so bloody good.

See their FB page for tickets, but be quick - they go fast.

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Pop Up Friday

The Friday feeling is near impossible to suppress at the best of times, let alone pre a mammoth 4 day weekend. And so, as home-time struck last Friday for our Queen's Jubilee, me and my work pals were nearly tripping over ourselves in our haste to leave the office.

First stop was The Fourth Wall's pop-up bar in Bedford Square. A little underwhelmed by my last visit, the leafy square setting made for a much better venue and we quickly sunk a Re-Bourne, hugely restorative in it's gin and elder flower zing - yum.

It was a one-cocktail-wonder, however, as we had tickets booked for the 7.20pm seating at the much-talked about God Save the Clam. For those that aren't spoilt, tickets were steep at £40 for 3 courses. So it was with high hopes and a hearty hunger that we arrived at what looked little more than an office block just off Hackney's Richmond Road.

Four flights up, we were greeted with mugs of punch, laced with José Cuervo's Tradicional Tequila (double yum), and  a nicely decked out space with bunting and beach huts perking up the grey London sky.

Sitting down at a long gingham clad table, our starters were served. The dish was unsurprisingly meaty, the main event,  Pitt Cue Co's links, served with a deliciously salty anchovy salad cream and paprika spiced croutons. Round 2 of the Tradicional magic only serving to whet our appetites further.

And so onto clam-time good and proper and Rock Lobsta's take on the bake. Our table was presented with a collection of coloured kids' beach buckets filled to the brim with steaming shellfish, samphire and seaweed; the seafood impressive in it's variety. We got stuck in.

If I'm honest, it was quite a lot of hard work, the devilled crayfish offering up little meat for your painstaking peeling and the crab claw smashing giving somewhat hit or miss results. Having said that, there were some delicious morsels that made the battle worth it and the accompanying potatoes in smoke dripping, BBQ leeks and charcoaled corn on the cob were dangerously good.

Fingers licked and shells cleared it was time for pudding, and despite the now glacial temperatures there was no way I was missing out on an ice-cream sundae called the Fat Elvis. Sweet mama was it go-o-o-od. With a peanut butter ice-cream base, sprinkled bacon pieces and a maple-syrup drizzle - whoever Glyn is, he's a bloody genius and I only hope to visit his Screwball Sundae Bar again. Fat Elvis could very soon result in Fat Rox.

The Fat Elvis - So wrong, but SO right

Sadly the arrival of the rain forced us down from the roof top and into a nearby pub. A shame, because the DJ's were just warming up and we were starting to get a taste for that tequila... I only hope that our friends at Pitt Cue Co. and  Rock Lobsta  hold another; with a few small tweaks and a little more sunshine they'll have nailed it.

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Queenie's Diamond Jubilee

Yippee! Thank you your Majesty for your 60 years of reign and the mega long weekend it affords us. 

Lightness of Being - Chris Levine, 2007. Currently on show as part of the The Queen: Art and Image exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery

London is coming to life this weekend and it feels like we're spoilt for choice in things to do and see in and around the city. Here's what's on my hit list, not all of it as patriotic as p'raps it should be...

Friday night I'm off to God Save the Clam, a big seafood cook up on a rooftop out East organised by Rock Lobsta & Pitt Cue Co. Tickets for Friday's clam bake are sadly already sold out, but they're open for lunch and dinner over most of the weekend so try your luck. With DJ sets and an inevitably fun vibe, you could even just head over to sip a drink and tap your feet at the Banshee cocktail bar.

Saturday, I'm BBQ-ing at my darling Rosie's but, if I wasn't otherwise engaged, I'd be right on board the Field Day bandwagon. As festivals go, it's a good'un and this year's line up looks sweet as (mate). There are still tickets going, and if you fancy making a festi-weekend of it, you can get a good joint-ticket price that'll get you into Sunday's The Apple Cart too.

Sunday's main event is obviously the river procession that will be taking place from 2-6pm. But if boat's aren't your thing, there's a whole load of other delights to take you from day to night, starting with Bourne & Hollingsworth's Her Majesty's Party in the lusciously leafy Bedford Square. With a whole lot of bunting and a swing dance or two, this will be a perfect quintessentially British way to spend the afternoon. This week's Fourth Wall will also be resurrecting itself in the square for Friday and Saturday night.

If you're after a more rough and ready affair, The Book Club will be hosting their own Jubilee Street party which, whilst the priority wristbands are out, they're saying they'll get everyone into. Could be fun for a quick knees up with the fab Guilty Pleasures DJ's on the decks. 

Later on, I think I might head to the Secretsundaze Jubilee Bank Holiday Special at the House Club & Terrace in Greenwich. A neat way to see the boats go by without the mad crowds that will inevitably line the riverbanks. 

Monday will be delightfully un-manic, a long lunch leading nicely into an evening of live music at the Cable Street Electric Open Mic. It seems an elusive event, but I'll give the goss once frequented. Sounds a bit Sofar Sounds. In a good way.

If you're still going, however, and looking to keep the party alive, check out Coppafeel's Festifeel. Curated by Fearne Cotton, it's happening at The Queen of Hoxton and has a pretty impressive line up (Lianne Las Havas has just been announced). All proceeds from tickets go towards the worthy work of the charity, ensuring early diagnosis of breast cancer.

This will definitely be going in my cupboard.

Tuesday is the day of rest, and it's home time for me to see my beautiful Mamie. Good thing she's French, think I may have had my fill of our right royal Britannia by then.

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