Category: LONDON

Boozy summer slushies are in London at Mr Fogg’s Tavern

Mr Foggs Tavern

Mr Fogg’s does holistic experiences and drinks well. There’s a lot more about walking into one of the globetrotter’s venues that makes them memorable, too, but this summer, it’s the spiked slushies that are worth raving about. Mr Fogg’s Tavern in Covent Garden, right in the centre of London, is celebrating summer with an elaborate floral display and Cointreau slushie cocktails. As the world gets hotter – thanks, climate change – the bar’s partnered with Cointreau and Mount Gay Rum to install a floral explosion alongside the new additions to the menu, on ’til the end of September. You literally can’t miss it. The joint’s been swathed in a blooming floral display featuring a striking door garland comprised of vivid sunflowers, orange and red roses and intertwined with foliage. To that end, warm up your senses with the floral arrangement and then knock ’em dead with cocktails like Caribbean Ice-Land (£8) featuring Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, Angostura Bitters, sugar syrup, coconut and pineapple. If tequila’s your thing, be tempted by the Cointreau Row Row Your Boat (£8), made up of Cointreau, Cabrito Blanco Tequila, Bobb’s Abbots Bitters, sugar and lime juice. Get them – and the whole Mr Fogg’s experience – at Mr Fogg’s Tavern, 58 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4EA.

Ways to celebrate Food Month at London’s Seven Dials

Seven Dials

Seven Dials, right in the heart of London is turning up what it means to be apart of their Food Month this year with secret menu trails, special events, promotions and more. The secret menu trail is about offering anyone who’s keen the chance for a food and nibble at any one of the area’s find drinking and dining establishments. Some of the best joints for a meal in London are participating, like: Tredwells by Marcus Wareing will be offering an exclusive Summer Dial Menu, featuring classic seasonal British ingredients the menu includes 3 courses and a ‘Gunpowder Gimlet’ summer cocktail for £29. The Barbary will offer a special drink, the ‘Rose Blush’ especially for Food Month; a delicious homemade lemonade blend infused with rose.   Jacob the Angel is a coffee house that’ll be launching an exclusive sweet pastry – drop in to discover their innovative Chocolate & Tahini Slice. Chick ‘n’ Sours will preview their August specials exclusively in Seven Dials, savvy diners who say the secret word “fabulous food month” will receive a scratch card… where everyone is set to be a winner. St JOHN. Bakery will be featuring guest donut flavours all inspired by their wonderful neighbours; including sweet goats curd honey and marc de Bourgogne brandy inspired by Neal’s Yard Dairy. Flesh & Buns is the Japanese izakaya restaurant and bar that is serving up an exclusive Seven Dials Food Month cocktail ‘The Manga Martini’. Inspired by the colourful and cult Japanese manga comics, this cocktail is finished with a shot of delicately sweet sparkling Sake on the side. Redemption is a vegan restaurant… Read More

Coming to Buckingham Palace: the Art and Spectacle of George IV

George IV feature

George IV: Art & Spectacle is at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace from 15 November and it really is one to see. He’s the man who turned Buckingham Palace into a Palace, built the residence in Brighton and amassed collections from around the world in such great volumes that he’s almost like the patron saint of the Royal Collection. What sits inside the Palace owes a lot to the late King (1762–1830), renowned for his Bacchante ways and art promulgation. He was hated by many, but sat at the throne for a long time and for good reason, casting the reach of Britain further in the creative realm than any other. From 1811, George ruled as Regent, due to the decline in the mental health of his father, George III. By the time he came to the throne in 1820, aged 57, he was intensely disliked by a nation tired of his extravagant lifestyle. Today he is perhaps best known as the rotund, gout-ridden, drunken buffoon lampooned by the satirists of the day for his acrimonious marriage to Princess Caroline of Brunswick and his many mistresses. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, and a period of unprecedented global exploration, George IV: Art & Spectacle considers the Monarch’s public image, taste for the theatrical and exotic, admiration of French style and all-consuming passion for collecting. It will present George as a man of extreme contrasts: on the one hand, a recklessly profligate showman, and on the other, a connoisseur with intellectual interests whose endless… Read More

V&A goes green: Supporting Extinction Rebellion with a new display

Extinction Rebellion 1

The Victoria and Albert, V&A, Museum in London has announced something new: they’ve newly acquired work that supports the movement of Extinction Rebellion (XR). The group is known for their non-violent demonstrations of civil disobedience and disruption, who’ve busied themselves since 31 October 2018, urging the UK government to declare a climate and ecological emergency and commit to reduce emissions to net zero by 2025. They have grown into an international movement with over 363 groups active in 59 countries around the world. And now, the V&A is putting them on show. Given by the Extinction Rebellion Arts Group, a coalition of graphic designers, artists and activists responsible for XR’s Design Programme, the objects reveal how XR has harnessed the power of open-source design to develop a coherent and impactful visual identity and sought to foster a collaborative ‘do-it-together’ movement recognisable across the globe. The objects have been acquired through the V&A’s Rapid Response Collecting programme that enables the acquisition and immediate display of design objects that address questions of social, political, technological and economic change. The collection includes: A digital file of the Extinction Symbol – the logo designed by east-London artist ESP in 2011 and adopted by XR in 2018 The Extinction Symbol website where the symbol is available for download for non-commercial use The first printed pamphlet issued by XR group outlining its ‘Declaration of Rebellion’. The immediate popularity of these pamphlets makes this example from the first print-run extremely rare, while the screen-printed text and graphics outline the emphasis XR placed… Read More

Julie Andrews in London: The actress talks about her new memoir

Julie Andrews

She burst into our hearts with Mary Poppins in ’64, solidified our love for her with The Sound of Music in ’65 and proved she can do funny with The Princess Diaries alongside Anne Hathaway in 2001, but if there’s one thing we can all be certain of, it’s that Dame Julie Andrews is the diamond in the crown of entertainment royalty. And now in 2019, in a UK-exclusive event, the Southbank Centre will present ‘A Conversation with Dame Julie Andrews’, a one-time special event that will see the beloved star discuss her highly anticipated memoir, Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years. She’s known for her trademark honesty and lively wit and will no doubt use it to her full advantage in a personal reflection on her extraordinary career. Andrews will talk in details about the experiences of stage and film roles that have garnered her multiple awards and a very special place in the world’s heart. Andrews will take the audience on a very special, very intimate journey spanning more than half a century as she talks about her movie and stage experiences, the music and songs that shot her to fame and hopefully, the surgery that stifled her angelic chords all the way back in ’97. There’ll even be a pre-arranged Q&A for the Dame after the interview. An allocation of tickets goes on sale to Southbank Centre Members at 10am on Tuesday 30 July and a further allocation goes on sale to the General Public at 10am on Wednesday 31… Read More

London: Morty & Bob’s is opening in Shepherd’s Bush

Toasted sandwich at Morty Bobs Coal Drops Yard

They freaked people out when they opened in Coal Drops Yard, just near Kings Cross Station and now, Morty & Bob’s will do it again when they open a sandwich bar in Westfield Shepherds Bush in October. The new digs will focus on M&B’s British roots with really good sandwiches and will feature their signature grilled cheese toasties alongside a number of new hot sandwiches made fresh in front of the customers. They’ve done the menu in an effort to bring Londoners a new take on filled sandwiches. Think a menu of their classic grilled cheese toasties made with sourdough and layers of oozing cheese including their famous mushroom and truffle one, as well as new additions such as slow-roasted porchetta sub with house slaw, salsa verde and gravy drizzle; popcorn shrimp with dressed crispy salad served in a brioche roll; chicken schnitzel sandwich with a lemon zest crust and house slaw and their Brunch Bun with crispy smoked streaky bacon, smashed avocado, soft scrambled egg, shoestring fries and M&B mushroom ketchup. Some of the collaboration specials that have featured in their Coal Drops Yard restaurant will also make an appearance.  It’ll be nice. And you’ll be able to find it in Westfield Shepherd’s Bush from October and Morty & Bob’s in Coal Drops Yard, 49 Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DQ, in the meantime.

Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour celebrates International Scottish Gin Day

Scottish gin cocktails 1

The UK is known for a lot of things, while Scotland specifically has found itself at the top of the pile when it comes to Scottish whiskey and gin. Mr Phileas Fogg knows this and so has turned his Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour into the Mecca of celebration this day of international Scottish gin, inviting guests and gin fans to the establishment to draw as much jolly from the batches as he does. Complete with a special menu to honour the day, Mr Fogg’s will pay an homage to more than 200+ of the most unique, interesting and rare gins from around the world in cocktail form. Think of concoctions like, the Scottish Spice, with Caorunn gin, apple juice, cinnamon syrup, lemon, Bols Genever and egg white and Hendricks in the Highlands, with Hendricks Orbium gin, cashew milk, rose syrup and Schweppes muscovado dark spirit mixer. And they’re just a few. Find Mr Fogg’s Gin Bar at 1 New Row, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4EA. Or head to the website to make a booking.

There’s a new bakery in London: Maitre Choux opens in Canary Wharf

Maitre Choux pastries 2

If choux pastry is your thing, and Canary Wharf is your side of London, then get excited – Maitre Choux is opening a new bakery. They’re the undisputed king of choux pastry, which on 7 August, will throw open the doors to a new outlet after the success of the King Road opening last year. Just near the Canary Wharf train station plaza, Canada Square, the new outlet will be an all-day grab-and-go stop where time-strapped city workers and residents can drop in and purchase the French patisserie’s signature bakes along with hot beverages, and choux treats.  The new digs have even teamed up with London coffee overlords (apparently), Monmouth coffee, who from 7am, will turn the new pad into an ideal pit stop for morning commuters. Maitre Choux will be open from 7am-8pm, and at weekends for Canary Wharf’s locals. Open until late night, the store will be ideal place for passing commuters to pick up authentic French pastries en-route home. With an already thriving food-to-go market in Canary Wharf, Maître Choux will bring their much-loved modern French éclairs to the area. 

3 best waterside eating and drinking spots in London

Waterway London

While London warms up and we wear less-and-less clothing, the time’s come to really make the most of those waterside bars and eating spots we know and love. But, where’s good? We’ve found three joints that’re worth talking about down by the waterside. Complete with cruisey breezes and well as a quality feed, you won’t be disappointed. The Summerhouse Idyllically situated on the beautiful banks of Little Venice, The Summerhouse offers superlative waterside dining. During the summer, the picturesque restaurant rolls back its windows to leave only leafy partitions standing between diners and the bobbing barges beside them. Decked with light oak floors, blue and white striped furnishings and seaside artefacts – expect a chic waterside ambiance, whatever the weather. 60 Blomfield Road, Maida Vale, W9 2PD The Waterway Boasting one of the largest outdoor spaces in the capital, The Waterway’s fully heated terrace on Regent’s Canal provides the perfect spot for al-fresco drinking and dining, come rain or shine. Kick back with a refreshing craft beer and feast on barbecued delights from the outside kitchen or pull up a pew in the Lower Garden, available for exclusive hire, and soak up the sun in the leafy surroundings. 54 Formosa Street, W9 2JU Bateaux London River Room Explore one of the world’s most exciting cities from a new perspective onboard River Room. Book a unique party this summer to enjoy stunning view of London from the largest terrace on the river Thames. Wine and dine on the open-air roof deck as you sail past some… Read More

British Library: Exhibition on our most impressive skill – writing

Think about it: Where would we be without the ability to write (and read) words? This article wouldn’t exist. You can forget about anything computer-related, in fact. If you’re a holidaymaker, too, good luck navigating anywhere in the world without knowing which road you’re standing on. Oh, and that menu at your favourite restaurant can go out the window; you’ll get what you’re given. Assuming the chef can even cook anything without a recipe to follow. The British Library in London is a huge proponent of writing – duh – and this season until 27 August, has a seriously incredible exhibition in homage to it: Writing: Making Your Mark. For over 2,500 years now, writing and humans’ ability to do so has shaped the world and contributed to every element of it. The earliest examples of semiotics and writing was found in the Mesoamerican region by the Mayans and it’s thought to have recorded dates. From then, it’s been a pretty steep and slow-burning learning curve as symbols, etchings, carvings and engravings made their way across the world on all manner of mediums. Long before paper, there was stone, then clay, then papyrus before the world of paper made its debut in around 206BC and the world started hacking down over 4 billion trees a year for its production. Here’s hoping the next learning curve takes us to more sustainable means. The Writing: Making Your Mark exhibition explores the history of writing in deep details, from early days, right up to the modern, answering questions… Read More