Umbrellas of Cherbourg

A Film I love. A play which is beautiful, awe-inspiringly, decadent, jawdroppingly, stylishly, colourfully, beautiful…

I didn’t care a jot about the plot, aside from one scene: our protagonists have gone their separate ways, she with his child, he with the child of another woman, the moment they decide not to allow him to meet his child, because they both know, that, though they were lovers ripped apart by circumstance in their prime, that it’s not worth breaking the life they have each built alone.

I didn’t take any photos, as it seemed rude, but please look at these, I promise they are a treat: http://www.umbrellasofcherbourg.com/sights-and-sounds/

It was genuinely, one of the most visually outstanding pieces of theatre I have ever seen.

All the fun of the Circus (Covent Garden)

I am a bit over these themed bars that seem to pop-up all over the shop.

I quite like the Cellar Door, on The Strand, it’s right next to work, and there is a certain je ne sais quoi about drinking a cocktail from a tea-cup, that I never  tire of (props to Bourne and Hollingsworth, for spawning my life long love of teacup cocktails), I enjoyed a Champagne cocktail or two at the China Club in Paris (ooo la la), incidentally home of the best lavatories I have ever visited.

But when it came to my good friend’s third (yes, third) hen night (for only one marriage), and the ‘pleasure of my company’ was requested at Circus, I was suspicious, I mean, Covent Garden is not known for it’s authentic bar experiences, at least not without swathes of tourists.

Trepidation and petulance, did not stop me from donning a blue silk 1940’s dress, and minnie mouse style wedges, neither did it stop me twiddling my stupid, thin hair into 1940’s victory rolls.

There are a LOT of rules at Circus, here are some:

1) groups are not allowed to split the bill over various cards, it’s one card, or cash.

2) single sex groups are banned, banned, banned (which is where the smooth talking Miss Lockwood came in ultra handy).

3) no cameras

STAFF:

On the basis of the rules, and the location I was expecting the staff to be the offish sort, I was wrong, they were lovely, welcoming, accommodating – they were chatty without being intrusive, when we had to wait for five minutes for our 10pm (yes, TEN PM) table, they kept us informed. Someone, from another table had misordered their cocktails, so they gave them to us. Lovely job.

FOOD:

One of the rules is that at the weekend, everyone has to order two courses. This was problematic, as due to the late table, I’d stuffed my face with quiche before I’d even left Clapham. For main course I ordered Scallop and King Prawn salad, the prawns were huge and impressive (three of them, which sounds stingy, but they really were glorious looking crustacea) – however they were overcooked, and so not particularly flavourful, much less moist. The citrus mayonnaise was nothingy, the scallops dull.

For pudding I had the pineapple tart with fresh ginger ice cream. I spent the course wondering who decided that matching pineapple with ginger was a good idea, and concluding that, actually, it wasn’t (NB: one of my favourite books the Flavour Thesaurus doesn’t even list pineapple and ginger as a valid combination…and that book reckons pineapple and anchovy would be fine). Either part on its own was good though.

ENTERTAINMENT:

Now… this is where it got good.

Every-so-often, throughout dinner, the metal blinds over the open plan kitchen would close, like eyelids, leaving the room dark, the music would rise to a crescendo, and an act would perform.

Act 1 was fire girls, I’ve seen girls dancing with, and eating fire too many times to mention, probably most impressively in the snow at the Hospital Club Christmas iceskating party (where I later broke my knee, in one of those ‘showing off’ moments, never to be repeated).

Act 2 – was AWESOME, tall and lanky (and somehow v sexy) dude, in high wasted 1940’s trousers, with a suitcase and a crystal ball, which he conjured to look as if it was floating in the air, rolling it over his arms, twiddling it in his fingers, dexterity unsurpassed, I could watch that for hours.

Act 3 – sexy girl stretching cat-like, whilst hanging from a cane ring over the main table, effortlessly hanging from the ring by a foot, balanced beautifully, somewhere between Olympic gymnast and Burlesque moon act.

Act 4 – dancing and singing, short story told in dance, three gyrating girls to the Beyonce’s, Single Ladies.

When the acts are over, but you still want more. The place changes into a club-type-affair, the DJ mixes classic songs that make the diners chatter about how they “haven’t heard this for AGES!”, the staff, slowly followed by the diners dance on tables, and a party is had.

Taxi’s at this stage for me, after all, it was the third hen night, and I was pooped.

I had a wonderful time, with some of my favourite people, I was left hankering for more. Oh, and the Tom Ford designed minimalis sci-fi interior, was pretty okes too.

(all pictures courtesy of Circus, Covent Garden).

Big Love to the bride.

Circus,

27-29 Endell Street,
Covent Garden,
London, WC2H 9BA.

• Mon,17:30 to Midnight
• Tue,17:30 to Midnight
• Wed,17:30 to Midnight
• Thu,17:30 to 01:00
• Fri,17:30 to 02:00
• Sat,17:30-02:00
• Sun,Closed
• Bank Holidays, Closed

Torrronnno

1 x eight hour, forty minutes flight.

1 x seat-neighbour who spent the whole eight hours and forty minutes rearranging his nuts.

1 x epic snow flurry which meant we had to circle above the ground (who knows how far above the ground, given that visibility was nil) while ‘they’ snowploughed us a landing strip.

1 x taxi driver (‘John, the Question Man’) –  whose key phrase was ‘you ask the question, I answer the question, you don’t ask a question, I’ll answer the question’, and who drove at 80mph, through a blizzard, on black ice…

And I’m finally here, and settling-in to Toronto. Or ‘Toronno’ as it is known.

Day one, 3 x breakfasts (on the basis I effing love breakfast) – comprising:

• 1 x muffin from Starbucks (skinny, apple and cinnamon, $1.95 – surprisingly cheaper than the uke).
• 1 x toast with bacon and maple syrup, because quite frankly it’d be rude not to.
• 1 x oatmeal with cinnamon and apple, I am on a cinnamon and apple tip.

1 x Super Bowl, in 1 x Canadian pub, where we ate 2 x chilli, and ribs and sweet potato chips.

1 x hat which doubles as a balaclava and has ear flaps purchased.

1 x daytime temperature of -15.

3 x coffee, including one from Tim Horton.

And a shit load of snow.

Toronto, I love you a bit.

 

L’Autre Pied

I know it’s a bit, you know…. but I do love some fine dining, so as part of my ‘One Michelin Starred Restaurant per Month’ resolutions, my dear friend and I went to L’Autre Pied.

It didn’t start well, when one of the bazillion waiters (in a dining room the size of my living room) refused to serve me escargot as a starter, as they were only available on the tasting menu.

It got better.

The bread was, so-so.

The amuse bouche was awesome, a mouse of parmesan and artichoke, with a teeny crunchy breaded quails egg, and toasted rice (the toasted rice, which looks terrifyingly like maggots, but tastes toasty delicious, is a bit of a theme at this restaurant).

Very quickly came starters, I had Lightly Poached Maldon Oysters, Apple Purée,   Smoked Olive Oil and Herb  Emulsion, which arrived under a cloche of smoke, and were effing gorgeous, my dining partner had truffle Tagliatelle of Winter Truffle, Sauté of Japanese Artichokes,  Watercress, Winter Truffle Cream, which was, apparently, ‘very good’. And the kind dining staff agreed to exchange the artichokes for mushrooms, which was kind.

Again quickly, came our twin main course of Pan Fried Cod, Roscoff Onions, Gently  Smoked Sabayon, Ragout of Sweetcorn and Chanterelle Mushrooms, mine cooked rare, her’s well done (we’re both picky about fish, and I mainly like raw things) – again brilliant, perfectly cooked, delicious. And included toasted rice, of course.

Puddings were, for me: Yorkshire Rhubarb and Canilla Tart,                                           Rhubarb Compote,  Almond Ice Cream (which was quite literally one of the best things I have ever eaten) and, for her: Poached Pear and Cinnamon Mille-feuille, Pear Purée, Acacia Honey Ice Cream.

Service was fast, not too in your face (considering the bazillion staff) and they only did that annoying ‘table wiping’ thing once.

We didn’t drink, aside from still water, and the bill came in, at a reasonable £60 each. I would *so* eat there again, I almost booked a table for next week on my way out.

 

 

His name is, Fela!

I knew very little about Fela Anikulapo Kuti, until Wednesday. All I knew, was that he was a pioneer of Afro-beat music. End of.

It was with literally no trepidation that I agreed to see Fela! Part of the National Theatre’s NT Live program, live streamed into Covent Garden Odeon, I love a good show. The show was streamed to 100 cinema’s in the UK, plus further venues across Europe, North America and Australasia.

I went to the first NT live stream event in 2009, and saw Phèdre from The Ritzyin Brixton.

Phèdre felt like much more of an event, there was a build-up before the show, with stage staff and the director describing what was about to happen, and how new and revolutionary it was, there was a real sense of excitement. Two years and several productions later, that build-up and sense of occasion is gone, Fela! felt very much like walking in to watch a regular film.

Fela! lulled you in… as we entered the auditorium, the lights were down, and on screen was a jazz band, trumpets and trombones glowing gold on ‘stage’. It started gently, the audience unsure if the play ‘proper’ was afoot, until our Main Man addressed the audience.  One of my favourite lines, with reference to the British occupation of Nigeria, was that all the British left them with was: ‘Jesus, and Gonorrhea’.

It was sweet and touching as ‘Fela’ set the scene, and gave the background to his musical influences, and how he strove not to be influenced by any of them. The vision of his mother, now passed, would sing from a picture on the wall, which highlighted just how beautifully The National had been decorated, hanging reams of lights, pointers and reminders to the importance of; family, heritage and ancestors. Fela, played by Sahr Ngaujah was captivating, having never seen footage of the real-deal, he was convincing.

There was a slightly nauseating ‘enforced jollity’ point, when ‘Fela’ insisted the crowd at The National stand-up and dance ‘the clock’, hip-thrusting in a circular, gyratory fashion, luckily (or unluckily) we in the cinema didn’t feel obliged to join in, but it was like looking-in on (slightly mortifying) dad-dancing, watching the audience at The National, swivel their hips, embarrassed.

The first half was strewn with singing and (amazing) dancing, the singing might have gone on a bit too long, the dancing was out of the world. It was light-hearted, but touching, as it described Fela’s education in the UK, his return to Nigeria and migration to the USA, where he met his love Sandra Izsadore (played by, the beautifully voiced, Paulette Ivory) who involved him in the Black Power movement in the US. The Black Power element was handled gently, somehow didn’t really touch the surface.

Fela, brimming with new ideals and ambitions, learned in the US, he took us into the second half.

…which was a far darker affair.

He introduces us to his nine wives, or ‘Queens’ (though I understand he had 27), and we trace the raid of his commune. And the mistreatment of his women-folk and death of his mother, thrown from a window – by the authorities, during the raid.

In an impeccable voodooesque sequence, he contacts his dead mother, which is appropriately disconcerting and dreamlike. But by that time, my brain had ever-so-slightly disengaged.

This play is  like a great big, multicoloured, punch in the face, it’s loud, it’s brash, it’s riddled with references to recreational drug-use (which to be fair is a bit dull), polygamy, and arrests, it’s a bit gimmicky, it has the essence of watered-down African culture, in a (some would say patronising) effort to broaden its audience base. All this aside: it is moving, joyous, desperately sad, thought-provoking, carnival of a play, and Ngaujah’s, Fela is a lithe, likeable hero.

It’s not perfect,  but it’s one of those plays I’ll remember, and I had a bluddy good time.

Fishes and Cats

What a terrible thing.

The walls have all sorts of things…

I was walking the backstreets of Chiswick the other day, and came across the wall below.

It seemed to be the wall of a regular private house, if I was *any type* of bloggererer I would have written-down which road it was on. I liked it, I think you might need to click on the links to get in close…

With these flowers you are spoiling us…

Last Saturday, I had a gorgeous day in the Surrey Countryside, with my Cousins Rob and Hannah and my Aunt and Uncle. For Aunt Selwa I brought the blousiest bunch of Green/Pink Hydrangea and Peonies (favourites, favourites, favourites) – Hydrangea seem to be having a resurgence, thankfully, previously considered to be the domain of the grandma-garden, the beautiful, multi-headed shrub is getting a LOT of love in the Lily-Household at the moment.

Aunt Selwa cooked delicious Palestinian gourmet, and we ate in the shade of a pear tree, before treating ourselves to a small nap on a blanket on the lawn.

T’was idyllic – it is decided the only way to properly enjoy the sunshine is from under a pear tree.

This Saturday was Hampton Court Flower Show day, avec ma maman, I got the train an hour early, because I am an idiot, it was boiling hot (which meant at least we didn’t need a wee)… we saw some marvellous things – these table decorations, totally up my street, all bunting and porcelain and oddments of metal boxes containing bundles of garden-flowers:

The roses were looking a little sad for themselves on the penultimate day of the show…and there wasn’t a single Amnesia Rose.

Here’s some of my favourite stuff…

I liked the raggeldy taggledy ones the best, like they just happened to have grown there.

Maybe it’s the product of the *never-ending winter of 2009 – 2010*, but the summer this year seems extra big and bright and blousey.

Summer obsessions in the Clarke-Emery household include, though are not limited to:

1) bee keeping – specifically in pastel coloured hives (the pastel coloured bit is more Emery than Clarke)

2) creating a giant fondant fancy – like this one:

3) Medicines Sans Frontiers – if they need a a builder (probably) and a project manager (maybe)

4) Organic Farming Holidays in France

Just some nice *stuff*

I got up this morning and realised I didn’t leave the house yesterday…

It was of those nice days, punctuated by pancake flipping for breakfast and barefoot baking, a Victoria Sandwich affair… ably assisted by a three-year old …

I’m *all about* the filling, so we baked one cake, sliced it in half horizontally, and filled it with vanilla cream, chopped strawberries and a thick spooning of this:

I don’t really use a recipe for cakes, I weigh the eggs, then match the egg weight with the same weight of self-raising four, golden caster sugar and butter. A teeny bit of vanilla essence. Bobs your uncle.

I am a great fan of my kite, though have only half-arsedly flown it once, on a fateful trip to Cornwall –  circa 2005. Kites, like bunting are things I would like to *get involved* with… Here’re some lovely kites I saw on my way to work this morning:

As seen in the window of East – High Street Kensington

…always a sucker for a foreign newspaper…

…flowering around

I missed Chelsea. I think I’m probably glad, too bizzy, and it fell on the only hot days so far this year, and Lily’s wilt in the sunshine.

Mother and I will be going to Hampton Court. A much more gentile affair, and close to grandmama’s house.

Taken by these though…

Reproduction Chelsea Flower Show posters, from 1938 and 1939 – available here.