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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Sabel @ F.Cooke

Newly local and already sucked in, Broadway Market is rapidly becoming a favourite weekend hang out. And what better place to hold a sweet little foodie pop-up than the hundred year old institution of F.Cooke just up from the canal. So when bookings for Sabel, the 'sociable eating' brainchild of a chef with Michelin star experience and an events organising guru opened, I was straight online and in line. 

And we weren't disappointed - it was an afternoon of pure culinary delight in the lovely setting of this historic site.

Ever the indecisive, a simple menu suits me fine, especially when each dish on it looks as delicious as the next. So sharesies it was and it was one of each of the starters for the table.

Sabel: Lamb scrumpets and Heirloom beetroot salad

Mains became trickier with both the slow cooked beef cheek and pork belly leaving us smacking our lips but it was the stinking bishop macaroni that swung it for me and pork belly it was.

Sabel: Pork belly, chaps and black pudding, stinking bishop macaroni cheese

This was some of the best food I'd had for a while - the combination of tastes and textures invoking moans of pleasure from round the table.

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon of food and friends - I can't recommend it highly enough. Not only for the gourmet delights but also the friendly team running it and the general positive vibes. It's a couple of weeks back that I went now, when London was freezing, the space could have been warmer but with Spring finally sprung this should no longer be a problem.

There are only a couple more weekends in the run so you'd best be snappy but, having said that, I shouldn't think it'll be the last we see of this little gem.

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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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Killer Combo: Yoga, Art, Music & Food

What better way to overcome the Monday evening malaise than a bit of art, a bit of yoga and a lot of food?

Well, that's exactly what the lovely Gabrielle has gone and done, holding a weekly class in a great space: the Eb & Flow Gallery. So last Monday, my yoga-licious pal Lew and I went to check it out.

Current Exhibition: Gemma Anderson's lovely etchings

And what a treat it was. The hour long class (for all levels) was nicely challenging, ending with a little meditation, accompanied by singing and a delicious supper from Trullo's Tim Siadatan.

Whilst the supper part's not a weekly occurrence the art, yoga and music is. So if you're looking for a pick-me-up after just another manic Monday, go get involved.

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London Eye Eye Eye

With the Shard's opening claiming 'the best view in town', this week's Timeout magazine draws our attention back to the dear old London Eye. 

Now just another part of the London skyline furniture it's sadly often overlooked. But just before Christmas, with our lovely Semma leaving for a stint in the Middle East, the gang needed a treat to see her off and what better way to bid London al wada' than a little trip on the wheel?

And so we booked a capsule and filled it with her friends - 25 of us cosied up and ready for the ride. Our dreams of flowing fizz slightly scuppered by a no food or drink rule, we managed to pull off a couple of bottles and as we reached the top raised a toast to our darling friend.

The views were spectacular, the lights of the city twinkling beneath us. A pretty amazing back drop for a little hang out with our friends.

I'm sure I'll make it up the Shard at some point (probably once the Groupon deal hits), but if it's a treat with a view you're after, have a think about the Eye again... Less expensive than you think for a bubble of your own - endless possibilities (not involving nudity, much to Harry's disappointment). And a nice little snap for our Sems' Middle Eastern wall...

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The Rain Room

An installation that requires a 3 hour queue must be worth it. Surely? Surely. And so, yesterday afternoon, Em and I settled down on the Barbican's floor to wait our turn into The Rain Room. 

An installation by contemporary art group Random International, the Rain Room is quite something. True to it's title it is, essentially, a room full of rain... but controlled by you. Entering the 100 square metre area, the rain magically stops falling wherever you step - just don't walk too fast or wear dark clothing.

With a focus on behaviour and interaction, the Random International collective have certainly captured our attention and for good reason. The sensation as you walk through is truly weird - surrounded by pouring water, the sound of the splashing droplets reverberating around the room, you stay (nearly) completely dry.

Our initial trepidation quickly forgotten, we were soon prancing around, punished once in a while with a light spray for too quick a step (or too wild a jump). Lit by just one harsh spotlight from the corner of the room, it was hard to make much out through the deluge and despite there being up to 10 other people in the installation at one time, you felt quite isolated in your own little bubble.

Open until 3rd March, it is definitely worth a visit. But if you just can't face the queue, whack your earphones in and watch this - then go and queue.

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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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Street Feast London @ Camden Town Brewery

I love hanging local, so I was happy to see Street Feast London back at the Camden Town Brewery this Saturday for a nice day of good food, good beer and more 'lympics.

After a mega swim at Parliament Hill Lido just up the road, I had the hunger of a teenage boy and the thirst of a donkey (thanks Kath?!). But by god I'd come to the right place...

In a nice little nook just by Kentish Town West overground, the brewery offers up the perfect place for a spot of street food and a beer in the sun. Joyce and I nabbed one of the brewery's classics, Hells lager - the cold crisp liquid slipping down like a sweet sweet nectar.

To eat, I jumped on the Bhangra Burger band wagon. My first experience of Baba Gupta's magic, the lamb burger folded into a wrap filled with salad, spicy goodness could not have hit the spot more. I should think it will be my first of many.


Street Feast London is ordinarily Dalston based and takes place each Friday. I've no doubt I'll be headed back to the Camden Town Brewery, however, a nice one to add to the list of 'locals'.

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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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Sofar Sounds

You may remember my waxing lyrical about the new music movement Sofar Sounds in a post some time ago. So it was with some excitement that I received my invite to another magical evening of music, this time in the home of a nice girl called Alex out in the depths of Stokey. 

And by the sounds of things, this movement is really taking off with last night being the 152nd event, the 153rd happening simultaneously in Manchester and the 154th kicking off in Mexico as our evening drew to a close. No mean feat. 

As always, the effervescent host, Ralph, welcomed us - encouraging us to listen with open minds to the acts who were set to perform. The audience listened like a cult to their leader.

Joe Innes & The Cavalcade

First up were Joe Innes & The Cavalcade, a nice looking line up with a babe on violin (I love bands with violins). Their lyrics were hilarious, the humour of front man Joe carried through the songs with the audience participation required for album title track The Frighteners having us howling to the moon.

Ali Warren

We were then treated to an impromptu performance from the angel-voiced Ali Warren. Bare footed and bearded, the sound that came out of this unassuming man was truly beautiful. He lulled us into a smiling revery.

Hedoniac

After a stretch (and another glass of rosé), the heavy metal band Hedoniacs were up. I have to say, heavy metal is perhaps the one music genre that I would make an effort to avoid listening to, but the pared back set that the band played last night was incredible - the shouting and screaming replaced with softly sung harmonies. 

Emily and the Woods

Another surprise treat followed, with the Emily of Emily and the Woods tugging on our heart strings with her husky, almost whispered, tones. Just a girl and her guitar, she was very sweet, playing both songs stood on tippy toes. 

Pearl and the Beard

The final act of the night was the Brooklyn born Pearl and the Beard - an amazing trio with a babe on cello (I love bands with cellos). I can't really describe how great they were - the combination of their voices in their faultless harmonies sending tingles down my spine. Their presence was just overwhelmingly 'feel good' with funny chatter between songs and their clear love of performing spreading smiles throughout the room. The encore only left us wanting more - I had no idea you could even do those things on a cello. I need to see these guys again. 

And so another amazing Sofar evening drew to an end and we traipsed back down from cloud 9.

Running on donations, Ralph's hat was filled with crisp notes - testament to how much we'd all enjoyed the night. 


I've told you once, I'll tell you again - get yourself signed up, you'll never look back.

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Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Set off the inner circle of my favourite of London's parks the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has become somewhat of an institution, with this year marking its 80th season. But still I had never been...

And so, last week, as a treat from Tommy, he and I made our way through the rose gardens, champagne in hand, ready to lose ourselves in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

And lose ourselves we did - walking into the auditorium, we were confronted not by a fairy lit woodland, but more of a construction site, burly builders and all. Matthew Dunster's take on the romance resembling more an episode of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding than a Shakespeare classic.

But it worked. Surprisingly well. Twists to the relationships provided a new perspective - with Theseus portrayed as a wife-bashing lout and Titania a softer and more vulnerable (sewer)fairy Queen to her (sewer)fairy King Oberon. 

And it was funny. The climactic performance before the wedding party more of an operetta culminating in a dance routine to the likes of Beyoncé. The contrast of style and script strangely brilliant.

It was just very cleverly done, from the elaborate, gaudy wedding dresses to the effective yet simple set design. Despite both Tommy and I being zonked, we were gripped from beginning to end.


The theatre is open until early September with A Midsummer Night's Dream running 'til then. Definitely worth a trip.

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Saturday Night Fever

Last night saw the opening night of Saturday Night Fever at the Old Vic Tunnels and Hydes and I headed down for a little 70's flava.

I'd never been to the tunnels before and as I walked, a little nervously I have to say, down Leake St I was excited to see what I'd find.

I mean this place is cool - all brickwork and winding passages. All the cooler for the rumbling sounds of trains overhead, reminding you that you're just metres below one of London's busiest stations.

Dry ice was pumped out to give the impression of downtown New York and the lights of pin ball machines flashed gaudily, reflecting scenes from the film. Sadly the set design and detail just didn't quite hit it. The overall effect underwhelming, failing to convince us or immerse us in the disco dancing world.

I heard that the pizza served at Lenny's wasn't even up to much, though the Pussy Parlour wasn't so bad - offering a little Veuve on the menu, along with hourly pole dances.

The Everyman cine set up was sweet - rows of deck chairs lined up under the dramatically curved ceiling. But, as the film kicked off, it quickly became apparent that the levels needed tweaking - the voices of the New Yorker characters sounding garbled and at points the dialogue completely unintelligible.

Sadly, Hydes and I didn't even make it to the disco dancefloor room, where the audience were due to be led post film - our keenness to catch up outweighing our enthusiasm to stay.


I feel a little bad for my scathing review  but, if I'm honest, it felt like nothing new and certainly not even a patch on productions of the same ilk (ahem, Secret Cinema). We left feeling a bit ripped off - the tickets aren't cheap and we'd even nailed the deal for under-25's.


My advice - DON'T go to this show. DO, however, get yourself down to the tunnels to the next halfway decent thing going on there. I'm hoping for a gig - the acoustics in that place would be unreal.

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