In the past few months London has become a haven for burgers; if it’s not your local boozer trading a meaty pie for a patty, then it’s the invasion of giant American burger houses in our smoky capital. I recently visited the newest arrival in the West End, a New York staple now hidden away in the market halls of Covent Garden. I use the term hidden very loosely, as the queues are so elongated that one feels as though they've arrived long before there’s sight of any logos implicit of location. Shake Shack has had the crowds salivating in Manhattan since 2004, when it opened with a welcome r...
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This Must Be The Place, an exhibition by Charlie Warde, forms part of the artist’s 2013 Residency at 2 Willow Road, part of the National Trust’s London Project. Consisting of community projects organised for the residents of North Kensington’s iconic Trellick Tower, Warde’s print-based work, and contributions from soundscapist James Torrance, the show is a celebration of Ernö Goldfinger’s utopian drive to build for a better world. 2 Willow Road is a unique Modernist home, designed in 1939 by architect Goldfinger for himself and his family. With surprising design details that were ground-b...
Read more →In the myriad of shops and stalls in Portobello Road, there is nothing quite like the one situated below the Westway. With its enticing cerise shop front and prêt-a-porter vintage on display, you are immediately transported into a portal of sartorial history. Aptly named 282, after the door number on the iconic street, the shop has recently become a haven for collectors, design houses, dandies, debutants, and everyone else in between; all after that one-of-a-kind piece for all occasions.
Read more →The Park Lane Hotel in London’s Piccadilly is going in to botanical overload with its new take on the old-age tradition of Afternoon Tea. To celebrate the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s centennial, Park Lane Sheraton will be hosting a delectable Flowering Afternoon Tea replete with edible flowers. Naturally, we were one of the first few to sample the horticulturally-inspired teatime treats.
Read more →On a rather somber Thursday evening I went on an excursion to Notting Hill, to the 20th Century Theatre in Westbourne Grove to gaze blissfully at the beautiful self-portraits in a Pop-Up exhibition showcasing the recent works of Russian artist ARINA.
Read more →At It's Rude To Stare, we are very much enjoying Andrew J. Lambie's debut novel, A Carnival of the Flesh. A tour de force of wit, whimsy, and untamable fantasy; precisely what the 'literary doctor' prescribed for your spring mental nutrition. Summary: When a Victorian freak show is shipwrecked on a deserted island, it's every freak for himself - a miserable prospect if you happen to be trapped inside a two-foot glass jar. Luckily for Dirty Boy, Cedric the Dwarf and Ruby the Hermaphrodite enjoy his company, and the three join forces to discover just what the devious Brigadier and his nefari...
Read more →Anti-Slavery Interantional is hosting an amazing evening of art, film and music at Shoreditch's Village Underground. Anti-Slavery International and Village Underground continue their partnership with leading street artists and DJs to produce an exclusive one-night-only event of street art, film, and music to make a stand against global slavery as part of the ‘Follow Your Art’ – Street Art Against Slavery’ initiative. ‘Follow Your Art’ is a new campaign introduced by Anti-Slavery International consisting of multi-art events to raise awareness and funds for the charity while at the same time ...
Read more →From deep within their very own secret world come the cinematic sounds of Little Buddha. Founded by innovative jazz bassist Grant Tyrie and singer lyricist Kat McDonald, joined by keyboard player FerGus Black and drummer Ian Anderson. Little Buddha have a unique bass and electronics led sound with an irresistible groove, topped by an alternately soaring yet intimate vocal delivery, hypnotising the listener. Little Buddha have used their self-imposed isolation from the dull and dismal cliches of the mainstream music business to develop a truly unique, sultry, vision and sound, influenced by th...
Read more →The Piper Gallery, one of Fitzrovia’s most worthwhile art haunts, is exhibiting a new show by artist Neil Stokoe. All Things Must Pass, looks at Neil Stokoe's recent paintings that address acute feelings of pain, despair and loneliness. The work is mostly large scale oil paintings dealing with space and the body, and the mood is often reflective of the colour palette. Stokoe has recently started using black as a predominant colour in his work to invoke ideas of mortality and danger. One of the pieces, Whither From Wither To, is a deeply melancholic monochrome painting detailing a crowd in...
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