Zesty Birthday Dinner

Today is my birthday and my boyfriend is taking me here.
If you're familiar with Ottolenghi, you'll know that Nopi is the latest yummy addition to Yotam's divine London culinary repertoire. 

Roasted aubergine, spiced yoghurt, dukkah, coriander

Seared scallops, pig’s ears, black bean and ginger sauce

Pork belly, caramelised Nashi pear, grape mustard jus

Caramel and roasted peanut ice cream, chocolate sauce

I can continue.

Jealous much?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!


Nopi Restaurant
21-22 Warwick Street
London W1B 5NE

Way Down to Chinatown

Not since Milk & Honey in New York and the Curio Parlour in Paris have I been able to find a decent place for a yummy, fruity, splashy, fabulous cocktail in London. It's just not that easy to come by. Paris has recently started up on the trend, while New York has been a pioneer of all things spirits and fancy alcoholic recipes for at least a decade now. But look no more, Zesties, the latest and trendiest cocktail bar in all of London has opened its doors in none other than London's Chinatown. The Experimental Cocktail Club London, known by all the Paris loyals as the ECC, is just a month old but is already buzzying with Central London's most fashionable and exquisite people.

One of the main problems with London, I find, is that most pubs and bars inconveniently close between 11 and midnight. And whether we're talking crowds, music or strict door policies, clubs over here- they just don't cut it. Who wants to pay £££ for memberships to places you end up showing up to only fortnightly, and £££ more extra to pay when the tab arrives in your lap, no less. Cocktail bars and lounges aren't really crowding the streets either. Okay so you've got the uber-fancy-old-man-take-a-call-girl-out Connaught Bar in Mayfair- though I can't say it's my weekly go-to option, considering the Euro-Posh customer base and the up-market cocktail prices. In a nutshell, for any wide-eyed and bushy-tailed London expat like myself, that's just not going to cut it.

 

So when I heard about the ECC's arrival in London last month, after reading rave reviews of its original namesake in Paris, I jumped at the opportunity to book a girls' night out. I was not disappointed. Deliciously decadent, creative and innovative cocktails, like the Spicy Old Cuban and the Experience, coupled with  luxurious velvet sofas and gorgeous crowds in a cozy and romantic speak-easy room make for a delightful and unforgettable evening. No membership. No queues at the door. No maxed-out credit cards. Who could ask for more?

The Experimentail Cocktail Club

13A Gerrard Street

W1D 5PS

No Beauty School Dropouts

Jumping back in time on the page has been the general trend this week so I thought it only natural to reminisce on another girly trend, but this time, on the 1950s: glamourette-style beauty parlours.That's right, Pink Ladies, it's time to puff up your lips, paint your nails and powder your noses. I've had enough already. Enough saving-up and enough self-pampering. I'm tired of counting every pence in my coin purse and I'm tired of using my home as a beauty salon. While I am one to generally lean towards the "do it yourself" treatments at home, you know, for the conscience, I also like to think of myself as a working woman, sometimes, albeit very rarely, who needs some QT with luxury and superficiality.

So this is my new haven of girliness, The Powder Room, by the one and only Powder Puff Girls, who successfully opened shop last year on Columbia Road and who have decided to lend us ladies a good hand by opening a Pop Up location on Marshall Street, in the delightful Newburgh Quarter by Carnaby Street. The little boutique is always buzzying with cheeky girliness, as you listen to side conversations of surprise engagements and wedding proposals at the counter next to yours. The staff is delightfully 1950s, with bleached-blonde chignons and long false lashes. Not to mention adorably dressed in pastel pink uniforms. You'd think you were transported back to Frenchie's Beauty School in Grease, and Frenchie is your stylist though she's no dropout.

So go ahead, indulge. Whether you need a quick fix like the "Busy Bee " manicure, the "Speedy Hairdo" or the "Jiffy makeup" for £15, or a more luxurious experience like the "Late for a Date" expert package for £30, you'll be sure to get exactly what you want. And if you're around on the weekend, you can get yourself the royal treatment by snacking on biscuits and sipping on tea while getting your makeup done. Walk in or book an appointment for yourself or a group of girlfriends. I guarantee you, it's well worth it, and well deserved.

Powder Room

Pop Up Parlour
34 Marshall Street
W1F 7EU

Powder Room
Full-Time Parlour
136 Columbia Road
E2 7RG

Colour Me My Cupcake

When I was in New York I could easily have survived on cupcakes and Diet Coke. I know, gross and completely illogical. I lived right around the corner from the Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery, which offered some of the best red velvet cupcakes with the most velvety frosting on top, like its name suggests. From then on, my cupcake expectations have been elevated to a very high standard. In my opinion, London is still learning to make great cupcakes. What can I say? It's an American tradition. Like bagels, muffins and burgers. Some things just taste better in their original country.

 

Candy Cakes, Kingly Court off Carnaby Street

Lately though, I've been opening up my cupcake horizons quite a bit, desperately trying to find my new go-to cupcake place. Hummingbird, yeah okay. Lola's, fine. Ottolenghi, slightly better. Candy Cakes (Monmouth Street, Goodge Street and Kingly Court) is my latest cupcake discovery. It's not revolutionary in taste. You've got the dough, the frosting, the unbelievable sweet aftertaste and the strange artificial colouring. But the playfulness is quite unbeatable. Talk about playful. Finally an original and kooky take on cupcakes.

Clowns, footballs and fairies, the cupcake decorating is completely out of the box. Bright greens, reds and yellows, Candy Cakes is not afraid to overdo it with the primary colours in its frosting palette. Though more of a kid heaven, due to its slight Alice in Wonderland colour scheme, you'll definitely find yourself a slice of paradise as well. A cuppa tea and and a little playful eating never hurt anyone. Also on the menu: Made to Order cakes and cupcakes. Pick out your frosting colour, your dough flavour and your decoration of choice. You've got yourself an original creation.

Pick Your Park - Grab n' Go Lunches on the Green

Now that we Londoners have experienced the hottest day of the year, our hopes are way up. But that's okay. It is vital to start thinking positively about the weather to come and it is crucial to start preparing yourself for it as well. Because otherwise, you just fall into a dark hole that some people call depression. And by preparing yourself I mean, seeking out the outdoors - in everything that you do. I am a particular fan of the outdoor lunch concept. Yes I do like lazying around a "terrasse de cafe" for hours, drinking rose and nibbling on summer fruit and biscuits. But that's not what I am referring to. I am talking about the grab n' go park lunches. Just sit your bumm down on the lawn of a beautiful London square, enjoy the scenery, the greenery and everything that ends in -ery. It's magical. That is the London that I have come to adore and relish. I have a few spots in mind that I think make that lunch break quite enjoyable.

 The first one that pops to mind is Lincoln's Inn Fields off of Holborn. You can lounge around there for hours at a time on those lazy summer fridays, watching the people come and go, with clothes that tend to slowly disappear as the weather gets warmer (it's still a mystery to me how some people manage to get any work done in a place where girls wear practically nothing). 

Kastner & Ovens, Floral Street, Covent Garden

Just 5 minutes away, you'll be able to pick up a yummy spring salad at Kastner & Ovens or a quiche and greens at the Fleet River bakery.

The second one I can think of has got to be Cavendish Square, the only green spot near Oxford Circus that isn't Hyde Park. There, you'll be able to find bounds of interesting people watching and a lovely 360 degree view of the old Victorian buildings of Cavendish Square. You can very well picture 19th century wealthy Londoners sitting on those park benches and discussing high society matters with one another. 

Pho Thai Chicken Salad at Pho, Market Place, Soho

In terms of grub-to-go, my faves have got to be Pho, for the freshest and yummiest Thai chicken salad and Tortilla, for the perfect naked burrito (burrito sans wrap) ever!

The third, but not the least, is a park I visit less often due to it's northern-ish location, and that's Islington Green. A lovely place to enjoy the sight-seeing of Upper Street and Camden Passage passers-by. A little less green and a little more rugged, it offers more park benches and trees than the abovementioned squares.

Wild Rice Salad at Ottolenghi, Upper Street, Islington

It is, by my standards, a lovely place to stop and eat a wild rice salad from Ottolenghi.

Women of the Cloth

Nevermind spending hundreds of pounds on spring scarfs, cushion covers, drapes, curtains and sarongs at Liberty's and Harvey Nichs, this spring and summer it's all about being on a budget and making things yourself. All you need is a needle and thread and a basic idea of how to sew and you're halfway there. A sowing machine can never hurt but it's possible without one, if you're up to the challenge. At the Cloth House on Berwick Street in Soho, you'll have at your disposition all the most beautiful fabrics you've ever wanted, from all over the world and for a good price per meter.

Their philosophy is pure and simple: source the best fabrics from local villages and support local craftsmen and local traditions. From Asia, India and Africa, all traditions are covered and you'll be sure to find fabrics and patterns you could only ever find at their local markets and shops.

 

  

Buttons, ribbons and funky colored threads, all of these accessories can add an extra splash of colour to your fabrics and give a special personality to any scarf or wrap.

This special gem of a store is not to be missed if you fancy rummaging through colourful bits and fabrics and making your own stuff. You'll fall in love with all of it, the place, the helpful staff, the cloth, the colours. You'll want to take the whole place home and make an entire outfit for yourself, your kids and even your dolls. Maybe even your dog. So give it a visit, you won't regret it.

Make Mine, Make Yours

Who would have thought seeking out a New York style "make your own" salad bar was going to be this challenging? I guess it's that much harder to find something you like when you have your heart set on something in particular. Like when you have to pick out a dress for an event and you know exactly what you want. Somehow, the stores never carry that one dress that you have a perfect picture of in your head. Well, for salads, it's pretty much the same deal. 

I have had my heart set on finding that one salad bar, that New York Style salad bar that would make all of my tough lunch questions go away. My ten minute walk down Dean Street on our only sunny day this week, led me to this fantastic place called Make Mine- a Make Your Own Salad Bar, and I had my answer.

At Make Mine, they make it for you. For £4.35 a pop, you can add 4 ingredients of your choice, which are close to your heart. No additional cost-surprises. Choose your type of lettuce, romaine, mixed or rocket and add on top of that butter beans, avocado, sundried tomatoes, parmesan, jerk chicken or even Hoisin duck! Fresh ingredients and exciting salad dressings are sure to make you salivate in the queue on your way to the counter. From pesto and lemon to French and balsamic, a perfect vinaigrette is key in the making of a perfect salad. So if you're in the mood for some salad individuality and you're in Soho on your lunch hour or shopping hour or whatever hour, stop by Make Mine for a bowl of your own salad to go. You'll love every bite of it.

ps: For the boys who think salad is a waste of stomach space, you can make your own sandwich.

Everybody's Got the Vintage Fever!

I've never considered myself to be a Vintage-junkie, finding the new and fresh scent of never-worn clothing on my skin much more exhilarating than the old and stuffy smell reminiscent of an old lady's medicine cabinet. I guess I'm a bit OCD that way, scrubbing every corner of my flat, shining the kitchen counter til it shrieks and picking at every ball of dust I find in my way. At the risk of sounding like a hygiene freak, I have to admit I find my skepticism towards vintage clothing to be at par with my obsession with cleanliness- and in my mind skepticism and obsession are equally hard to shake.

I have, however, been surprisingly more open-minded towards vintage shopping lately as I continue my journey through London's hidden gems and observe that vintage stores actually sometimes protect the city's most bejeweled objects and garments.The West End treasure trove, Fever, is one of those places, one of those fairy-land magical places. 

 

Filled with unique and old-fashioned pieces alike, the racks of Fever feature quirky dresses, blouses and blazers, with fashionable cuts and trimmings, and lots more to dream about, for prices even dreamier, and scents even lovelier. 

 

The sale season is calling your name and spelling it out on the glossy windows of the Eastcastle Street vintage clothing boutique. You can't escape the Fever!

Why? Cos You're Worth It

It's been a while since I've written anything on fashion and I thought it only appropriate to do so under very strict conditions. We live in recessive times, you see. And that means that we are now more frugal, more careful and much more conscienscious about what we're spending our money on than ever before. It's not even an effort any longer. We do it naturally, it's part of our generational DNA. We look at shopping as an investment, as a smart decision. We may impulse-buy a times, but even an irrational shopping spree has "economic recession" written all over it. We, as shoppers, have given places like Primark another amazing year and an anti-cyclical boost up the hill. H&M is booming, so is Zara, Topshop and so on. The recession also means that we have had to accentuate our creativity through our clothes even more so than before, just because the high street brands sometimes lead to another recessive shopper having purchased the same leopard coat as you.

Cos store, on 222 Regent Street (Whitefields and Soho), not a secret to any of my readers, I'm sure, is how you can prevent that exact case scenario. The sister store of H&M, born out of Swedish wedlock between H&M and London Fashion Week '07, is a perfect miracle solution to the recessive ordinariness we've been plagued with. You'll find all the cool pieces you've been missing from your closet, low prices and very little replication on the street. Cool items like camel cropped leather jackets, tye-dye dresses, Jill Sander-type boyfriend shirts, fun and original harem pants, cute clutches, accessories and cheap tees are all unique and sure to make heads turn.

 

You'll also find some fierce trans-seasonal outfits, from knee-high socks and winter bermudas (!!!) accompanied by a loose knitted sweater, to navy (it's all about the navy) and marine striped t-shirt dresses and tops.

So the trick is, shop the high street, definitely. But be creative. There is nothing more irritating than thinking you have found the dress of your dreams at a killer price and your next door neighbour has got the exact same one.

Hey Elvis, Happy Birthday

Today (correction: tomorrow Jan 8) would have been Elvis Presley's 75th birthday. Think about that for a minute. Think about what the world would be like if the King of Rock were still alive. Let's not even start talking about the King of Pop not being around anymore, cuz that would open a whole new can of worms and today's not the day. Today we commemorate Mr Presley's rock n' roll. His sexy, smooth-like-honey voice, his unparalleled booty shake and his fine and mighty guitar stroke. His hair flip and his twist and shout. His way with women. The way he made Vegas come alive and the way he lit up the stage. Unfortunately the way he had with the bottle and the way he had with the junk food. Without Elvis being alive, we are a little less rock and a little less roll. We will never have another Elvis. 

For today's entry, I found it only appropriate to praise the King's music. And for that, my little karaoke gem find will do the trick just fine. Yeah that's right, karaoke. A few weeks ago, a group of girlfriends and I had the pleasure of hitting the mikes of Lucky Voice in Soho (or in Islington). We didn't know what hit us until we walked into the small and intimate "Lost in Translation" effect karaoke rooms where the tambourines, pink wigs and shiny microphones were waiting to be picked up by a couple of crazy singers with off-tune voices. It was an hour and half of pure bliss. Just make sure no one monopolizes the playlist and you'll be fine.

Here is a Top 5 Karaoke list of songs:

1. Hound Dog- by Mr Presley
2. Total Eclipse of the Heart- by Bonnie Tyler

3. My Sharonna- by The Knack 
4. Like a Prayer- by Madonna
5- Bohemian Rhapsody- by Queen

All song suggestions welcome!

Soho Says: Veg Out, Eat Your Sprouts

Somewhere in my carnivorous lifestyle, I forgot to take a pause and enjoy veggie foods. Not because I dislike them, nor because I find them boring, but mostly because, in my effort to put into my body a balanced combination of nutritious vitamins, carbs and proteins, I always think that I have to put meat on my plate. I'm just a very very ignorant Vegetarian eater. If you were to ask me to name five foods, which sound like a veggie but actually fall into the protein category, I could name you one: nuts? And maybe beans. And, what about tofu? I actually happen to hate tofu. Actually hate is a strong word for something I find to have absolutely zero flavour. Though I have grown to the idea of shoving it into a veggie dish just for the protein factor. I am becoming more and more open minded to the veggie diet. Some say it's healthier, it's less murderous and surely, you want to believe all the theories about the veggie diet preventing against some types of cancer. I want to believe those theories. I really do.

So I accompanied a Veggie eater to this curious place in Soho, on Berwick Street, called Beatroot. It's not a particularly charming place. It almost feels like a fast-food joint. The colourful walls, chairs-attached-to-the-table, and minimalistic deco of the place are not particularly inviting. But, you do get a tremendously rich variety of veggie dishes, made from fresh produce and more than anything, made with veggie love. Their moussaka, dilled coleslaw, basil pasta and roasted veggies are like little slices of veggie heaven. 

These guys (creating, making and serving the food) are passionate about the diet, they speak highly of it, they really praise the veggie lifestyle. They don't look down on carnivores but they kind of want you to convert so they smile a lot, they bounce a lot and fill out your lunch boxes til your stomach can't take it anymore. 

That's a nice difference to most lunch places, where the lunch boxes are always only a third filled up. I hate that. Anyways, gotta go try out this place. Plus it's in the midst of Soho, on a surprisingly charming street, and it will make you feel like you're doing something good to your body. At least that once.

A Swedish Holiday in London- Preparing for Lucia

I have a special affinity for the Swedish traditions...for anything Swedish actually. I am an avid Stockholm enthousiast and enthousiast is an understatement. Love the city, have been there 5-6 times before, sometimes in the dead of winter, when it's pitch black outside by the time you get out of lunch at NK, or when it's broad day light, all night long, in the hot months of June and July and you're thankful for those IKEA special light-blocking curtains.

The Archipelagos are also, in my mind, some of the most beautiful islands/places I've been to in my life. 

And don't even get me started on Swedish people. Swedes are not only some of the most gorgeous human beings I've encountered in my lifetime, but they're also some of the warmest. I'm not kidding...I know, it's kind of surprising for a people living in a supposedly cold bloody country. But it's true, I really do believe it. 

I recently learned from my sources that there are some two hundred thousand Swedes living in London. I don't know if you realize but that is a whole lot of Swedish people living outside of Sweden. I even hear London is the third largest Swedish population in the world, after Stockholm and Gothenburg. That is pretty surreal if you ask me.

Anyhow, I came to talk about Sweden because a very important holiday, called Lucia, is nigh, and the festivities of light are soon to take place. On December 13th to be exact. Lucia, aka St Lucy, is a young lady who came with lights and sweets to brighten up the skies and souls of Sweden. Rumour has it, that back in the day, 304 AD, she was martyred by the Romans during one of the darkest days of winter, hence all the lights and the candles on her crown. 

It is one of the few saint days observed in Scandinavia. And one of the yummiest at that. You will want to try a delicious Swedish Saffron Bun, originally called the Lussekatter, at the Scandinavian Kitchen on Great Titchfield Street in Soho, at Fika on Brick Lane, at the Nordic Bakery in Golden Square, or simply try it yourself by following this recipe here.

If you're interested in finding out more about Swedish cooking in general or Swedish specialty foods especially for Lucia, go check out Totally Swedish, a cool and everything-store dedicated to Swedish stuff only on Crawford Street in Marylebone. 

There you'll be able to dig out a variety of Swedish foods and cooking ingredients, including candy (not Swedish fish), coffee, caviar, meatball gravy, pickled gherkins and herring, crisps, and ginger biscuits (Pepparkakor, the best ginger snaps you'll ever taste), as well as all types of magazines, life-changing cheese-slicers and a wide range of other fantastic nonsense. 

As for me, I'm very excited for the Lucia holiday. I get to go spend it at Met Mum's house with Little L. and lots of other beautiful people. On that note, Happy Lucia everyone!

Newburgh & Carnaby For Your Christmas Shopping

I'm a huge fan of the Christmas shopping experience. I know, you must think I'm mad and that there's nothing worse than rushing on the 24th of December in the cold and frosty afternoon, up and down the high street desperately trying to pick out your last gifts for that one person in your life you don't rally care about or even like that much. I get it, I do. That's why it's best to start your christmas shopping early. I've been shying away from the high street stores trying to find the hidden gems, boutiques and personal finds that will make those happy faces shine on D-day. That's my favourite part. The happy faces. And just because of those, I enjoy my Christmas shopping.

Working at Oxford Circus, I find it incredibly difficult to find a quiet area nearby to take a breather. That's why Carnaby and Newburgh Streets are little slices of heaven right off the beaten paths of Regent and Oxford Streets. I love these two little streets. I actually stumble upon something new everytime and my eyes always sparkle at every new shop that opens. In between Liberty's, creative artsy "everything" stores, cool dress shops (like the adorable Beyond the Valley) and cute lil cafes, you'll find a whole afternoon worth of activities, to enjoy especially around Christmas time.

Liberty Back View on Newburgh Street

Beyond the Valley, Newburgh Street

If you're around the hood for dinner, take a 15 minute walk down and around the area to digest. You'll find the evening lights to be most refreshing.