Tag: London

‘Tis the season of goodwill: ways to share and care this Christmas

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Ah Christmas!  A time to welcome all the excesses of the season with open, slightly flabby arms and settle into a uniform of elasticated waists while proffering friends, loved ones and sworn enemies ‘just one more mince pie’.  While it’s a wonderful time for families to come together it’s not without pressure and it can be easy to feel torn between wanting to splash out and not being in the position to do so financially without getting into debt.  It’s also a time when hundreds of charity letters come through the letterbox, each cause every bit as deserving as the last but it’s not always possible to support them all financially at this time of year.

There are still ways we can celebrate and share the joy without breaking the bank.  Here are just a few ideas I’ve come across

* Support your local food bank

The Trussell Trust is an organisation which operates throughout the UK though I’m sure there are equivalents all over the world.  Why not have a hunt through your cupboards and donate any cans of soup or vegetables to your local food bank.  We all have a few tins lurking at the back of the cupboard that seemed like a good idea at the time – (tinned ratatouille anyone?) – but we’ve never quite got around to eating.  Our local food bank is currently on the lookout for cereals, pasta, tins of fruit, veg, soup – basically anything that’s non-perishable that could make the next few days a little less stressful for people in need.  If you’re in the UK click here to find your nearest food bank.

* Get knitting and help older people combat the cold

It’s no secret that fuel companies do very well out of the cold weather that Christmas ushers in but older people are especially vulnerable at this time of year.  With pensions only stretching so far Winter is a potentially dangerous time for older people in the community.  Age UK Lambeth – a London-based branch of the nationwide charity which supports and empowers older people – is encouraging nimble-fingered folks to Get Their Knit On by knitting squares which will be sewn together and made into blankets which the organisation will distribute to people who need them in the New Year.  The charity has partnered with the Southbank Centre so if you’re local to London you can pop in and knit in a social setting on a couple of dates.  If you’re a little further afield but would still like to help you can knit a square or two and send them in to:

 Louisa Pestell, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX, UK

* Support your local animal shelter by clearing out your closet

Santa's little helper, Bob, is a fan of this idea

Santa’s little helper, Bob, is a fan of this idea

Christmas is one of the busiest times for animal shelters with the novelty of receiving a puppy for Christmas wearing off when new owners realise that their gift of choice while amazing is a LOT of hard work.  Animal shelters and rescue centres are always crying out for bedding to make the animals feel comfortable at what can be a scary time for furbabies.  I don’t think the condition is all that important so if you have some old blankets that have acquired a few holes over the years or bedding that’s now a bit worn or out of fashion shelters will make great use of these and you can free up some storage space at the same time.

* Lend a hand at a free Christmas dinner

Last year I made a wee film featuring a coffee shop called Common Grounds Cafe who host an annual free Christmas dinner for anyone who would otherwise be alone on December 25th.  Common Grounds is an amazing place that encapsulates the true spirit of the festive season and while they have sufficient volunteers to man the turkey and peel the spuds this year I’m sure there are plenty more of these kinds of events who could do with an extra pair of hands  – especially when it comes to washing dishes.

* Call in on a neighbour who lives alone

Loneliness is rife in darker months and the older we get the less mobile we can be making this time of year very isolating for some.  If you need a hand whittling down your waistline before squeezing into your New Year’s party outfit consider joining Goodgym which partners runners with coaches – older people in the community.  The runners have to call in on their coach once a week and the two motivate each other for the week ahead.  A great idea for both mind and body!

So there you have a few ideas that will soothe your soul without breaking the bank.  You might just make a friend for life out of a small act of kindness.  Is there anything special happening in your community this Christmas?  Comment below and share the joy!xx

Five Star Theatre Review: The Play That Goes Wrong

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the play that goes wrong

December has been, by all accounts, a fairly cultured month.  I recently saw a great play and who better to share it with but you!  My mum was coming to visit for a few days and we wanted to take in as many sights and sounds as we could cram in to the space of a weekend.  Enter my friend Danielle who recommended The Play That Goes Wrong which is currently playing at The Duchess Theatre.  Danielle and I met when we worked in a theatre up in Scotland and her passion for the arts has led her to the bright lights of the West End where she now works.  She’s seen the play a thousand times and still gets a belly ache from laughing at the gags which, in my books, is a sure fire sign we’re onto a winner.

The play itself is the first presentation of  newly expanded Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society.  For the first time in the society’s history the troupe have secured sufficient actors to reach for the stars with the premiere of ‘Murder at Haversham Manor’.  Boasting an all-star wannabe cast of amateur actors – half of whom appear to have been strong-armed into participating in the show – the play has a constant spell of bad luck from the off and despite the best efforts of Duran Duran megafan and chief electrician, Trevor and put-upon director Chris, the spell fails to lift despite the cast’s best efforts to keep calm and carry on.

The humour is completely farcical and it’s impossible not to laugh at the thespians’ misfortunes as they bravely battle to ensure the show must go on.  Anyone who’s ever been in an am-dram society will recognise the characters from pseudo-saucepot Sandra who’s convinced it’s first stop Cornley, next stop Hollywood (provided she doesn’t collapse under the weight of her own ego.) Then there’s serious veteran ac-tor Robert who rates himself above all others and poor old Dennis who valiantly tries to remember his lines with only the very occasional glance at the notes he’s written on his hand.  My personal favourite has to be stage manager Annie.  An underdog of sorts we witness something of a metamorphosis from the shy and retiring behind the scenes troubleshooter as she blossoms into the leggy love interest all the boys are after – much to Sandra’s disgust.

I heartily recommend a trip to see this play.  We laughed from start to finish and even though, as the title suggests, you know things can’t possibly end well I still spent the entire show willing the hapless troupe a little more in the way of luck.  We sat in the stalls and had a great view. I can’t speak for the rest of the venue but there is no restricted view in the stalls area, even from the back row which is great.  You can pick up tickets via the Duchess’ website (linked above) or, if you’re planning on booking before 23rd December head here to bag a ticket for a tenner for selected performances as part of lastminute.com’s 12 Days of Christmas offer.  In the meantime, whet your appetite with a behind the scenes teaser from the actors themselves.  Break a leg chaps! xx

Stepping back in time with a trip to Spitalfields

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When you head away from the hustle and bustle of Liverpool Street station, in the direction of London’s famous Spitalfields market, it’s hard to imagine you’re about to step a century or two back in time but that’s exactly what lies behind the heavy black door of number 18 Folgate Street.

18 Folgate Street was the home of American artist and anglophile Dennis Severs who dedicated two decades of his life to marrying his passions for history and mischief by restoring the house to it’s 18th and 19th Century glory days.  Settling in London in the late 1960s Severs spent a number of years running carriage tours before purchasing the Georgian property and making it his life’s work until his death at the young age of 51 in 1999.

Before he passed away the artist sold the property to the Spitalfields Trust who have lovingly upheld Severs’ creation in a manner the artist would no doubt have loved.

We arrived at the house shortly before our allotted time and knocked on the door.  Seconds later we were greeted by one of our hosts who kept us in the cold a little longer while he explained the evening’s proceedings.  As the artist intended, tours are self-led and conducted in silence.  Photography is not allowed so the above picture is all I was able to capture on the evening I’m afraid!  I have to confess I loved this because you could totally switch off and concentrate on your surroundings and I really did feel transported to another time and place.

Once inside we began our tour in the basement.  As we opted for a Christmas candlelight tour we got just that.  There is no electricity in the house, (at least there was none that candlelight guests were privy to although I’m told Mr Severs did have two electric lightbulbs installed when he moved in), so the flicker of the various flames dotted around the house made the tour quite atmospheric.

Each floor in the house pays homage to a fictitious family of Huguenot silk weavers – the Jervis family – who lived in the house from as early as 1724 right up to the beginning of the 20th century.  The idea is that as you arrive you enter the house as an unexpected guest forcing its inhabitants to vacate while you are there.  As their time in the house has been interrupted nothing is tidied away.  The food and wine you see are real, as are the fires and, although I didn’t notice it during our tour, I’m told that the chamber pots in the bedrooms are filled with urine as well for authenticity’s sake.  If anything Mr Severs appeared to be a stickler for detail!

As we made our way through the property we could hear noises alluding to the inhabitants who had hastily exited as we arrived.  Horse hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestones outside; grandfather clocks chiming; the remnants of a party and the tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge relayed in the attic.  The house is crammed full of things – even more so at this time of year with the Christmas installation in place.  Nonetheless, Severs’ hope was that visitors would look beyond each individual item and absorb the sights, smells and sounds of each room to get an overall picture of the scene that took place before they arrived.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking round the house and would recommend this tour to anyone with an active imagination who fancies catching a glimpse of what life in Spitalfields may have been like in times past.  The candlelight tours are currently sold out but it is possible to visit on Sunday between 12pm and 4pm and Monday lunchtimes between 12pm and 2pm  – (the price is also reduced during this time, coming in at around at under £10 per person.)

For more information on Dennis Severs’ house along with booking availability click here.  Keep an eye out for a couple of pictures of the artist himself dotted around the place and enjoy your visit!xx

Homage to the Yorkshire Pudding

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As the nights draw in that wee bit earlier and pumpkin spiced lattes have reappeared on every Starbucks menu so my hankering for hearty comfort food has returned.  Salads are all well and good in the summertime but when the air begins to cool and you find yourself having to plan your outfits around warmth and potential rain showers you need something a little warmer ahead of, dare I say it, Winter!

But Autumn’s only just arrived.  Let’s enjoy her company and settle into Sunday walks, kicking leaves in the park and indulging in that quintessentially British meal: the roast dinner.

There are so many bars and bistros in London boasting how their culinary efforts in this department are unrivalled but if, like me, you’re far from an expert it can be a bit tricky to sort the bravado from the brisket, so to speak.  Fear not!  Help is at hand!

Waaaaaay back in the Summer I won a competition with London’s newest lifestyle magazine, About Time, to enjoy a roast dinner with a twist at Harvey Nichols’ newest pop-up restaurant, Hereford + York.  Rather than competing with every other bistro on the block the team identified the thing that sets the British roast dinner from its counterparts around the world and created an entire menu around the one and only Yorkshire pudding.

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Sophie and I called in one balmy Summer’s afternoon – not your typical roast-dinner-eating weather but with our bellies empty we hopped up to the bar in eager anticipation of what was billed as the best roast in town.

The lovely team behind the pass were Brandon and Iria who recommended the salmon filled Yorkie but I couldn’t be tempted to stray from the original – and arguably the best – roast beef.

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I’m clearly delighted at the prospect of a free meal

Our supersized H+F christened ‘Yorkies’ were piled high with succulent roast beef, onions and cress before being drizzled with a peppery horseradish sauce.  A word to the wise: this is not date food unless you really want to showcase how good you are at getting cress stuck in between your teeth!  Our Yorkies were delicious, if a little heavy for the season but definitely the perfect Autumnal warmer after a day out enjoying the fresh air.

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Sophie adopts the ‘two hand’ approach to her lunch

I caught up with Michael Vivian – one of the restaurant’s three co-founders-  to find out what makes the perfect roast dinner…

Preparing the perfect Roast Dinner is about two things: quality ingredients and timing.  

“Meats have been roasted in the Britain dating back to prehistory and it is probably the technique for which we are most famous (don’t forget the French call us “les Rosbifs”!).  However it’s the Yorkshire pudding which is probably the king of our kitchen.  It’s lighter than a sandwich, more succulent than a wrap and far tastier, and it was that which inspired us to show how versatile it can be!

The name Hereford + York comes from the origins of the ingredients – Hereford Beef and Yorkshire Puddings.  We always make sure that our beef is British and farm assured – we’re passionate about being able to track all of our produce from field to service.

Each part of the meal is relatively simple and therefore the quality of the ingredients should always really shine through.

As the techniques involved in every part of the dish are not too complicated, the skill comes in making sure everything comes together at the right time – there’s no shame in having a timetable stuck to the fridge!

Of course the great thing about a roast is being able to share it with family and friends along with a tasty red wine!”

Hereford + York’s time at Harvey Nichols has now come to an end but judging by their social media pages it looks like a new pop-up home has been found.  Keep an eye to the team’s Twitter feed for updates on their relaunch and make sure you’re at the head of the queue when they do.

Thanks to About Time and Hereford + York for a lovely afternoon – it’s definitely one for every foodie’s bucket list!  I’d love to know if you have any weird and wonderful foods you’d like to try.  Maybe you’ve tried a great modern twist on a classic dish?  Feel free to share comments in the section below, I’m always up for trying a good recommendation!  Bon appétit!xx

Let’s do lunch

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Boring lunches be gone! Image courtesy of The Guardian

When I began working in Soho my eyes were opened to the culinary delights of this bustling part of town as I dashed about the streets collecting lunch orders for clients. Here are some of the most popular places I’ve been to recently – worth a visit, especially if time isn’t on your side.

* In at number 5 is Wasabi. Super popular for sushi you can eat well pretty cheaply here. A word to the wise though: it’s more expensive to eat in. The Wasabi on Wardour Street isn’t very big and on a nice day there’s no point in spending more money for no reason. Why not take your lunch across to Soho Square, pitch yourself on the grass and catch some rays. If you’re feeling sporty you can play ping pong with a pal there, too.

* Next up it’s Itsu. Also specialising in sushi – in my humble opinion it’s a better option than Wasabi – better value, great for fans of simpler fayre, (you can get a sushi or sashimi box with just salmon or tuna if that’s your favourite). Half an hour before closing they also slash their prices by 50% – pop in and pick up a bargain. And it’s not just sushi – if you fancy something a bit heartier they do noodle and rice pots guaranteed to hit the spot.

* Not a day goes by without lunch giant Pret‘s profits swelling. Known for being able to make the fastest skinny latte in town you can pick up delicious salads and soups here, with the soup menu changing daily.  If you are tight on cash but need a quick fix you can buy some miso soup for £1.50 at the counter and half a sandwich if you are still hungry.  All in all, you should be sated and with some change from a fiver.  It’s worth keeping an eye to their Twitter page as well: a couple of Friday’s ago they ran a promotion across their London stores offering customers free smoothies between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

* Number two on my list of delectable dinners comes courtesy of Chipotle – (Belfasties think Boojum) – where you can load up on carbs and cals with a speedy trip along the production line heading Mexico way.  Choose from veggies, pork, chicken and beef and pile your plate high with your choice of pinto or black beans, rice and all the usual burrito goodies wrapped up in an easy to eat – and carry – tortilla wrap.  Just don’t forget to take plenty of napkins.  This could get messy – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

***UPDATE*** Chipotle are giving away 14,000 FREE BURRITOS this week.  Click on #BurritoWatch to find out how you can claim yours.  ¡Ay, caramba!

* Claiming the top spot is Crussh.   Popular with health conscious diners in a rush they offer a wide range of tasty soups, smoothies, juices and salads.  You can tailor your juice to suit your needs – fat burner, skin soother with extra wheatgrass should you so desire.  My only gripe is their juices aren’t very cold.  That said, they still deserve their place at the top as they hold the secret to eternal youth.  Right after drinking a Crussh juice I got ID’d buying a nice bottle of wine in Tesco.  Now if that isn’t a ringing endorsement of Dorian Gray’s elixir of choice I just don’t know what is.

Bon appétit!xx