LISTENING: THE NATIONAL - DEMONS

THE NATIONAL : DEMONS

You can share these demons with me all day long guys, the National are back and have JUST put this on-line - DEMONS. This is their new single from their Forthcoming album 'Trouble Will Find Me' and they have European tour dates up too!(although the earliest date I spotted is Ally Pally in November, lets hope they do some festivals here in the UK)

Check out the video for Demons below - Its also, very good.

Did I Mention this band are ACE?

Welcome back guys!

xx   O   xx

GOING: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Merrily We Rolled to the Theatre...

Last week, completely by fluke, I got a last minute invite to catch Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory before the hugely successful production transfers to the West End (congratulations to all involved in the production!)

I must admit this was a new experience for me - the theatre being positioned in an old Chocolate factory in Southwark. An intimate space, what the theatre lacks in West End grandeur it more than make up in atmosphere.

It was a great pleasure to catch one of the last performances of this all singing all dancing tale of broken friendships and regret. The production has plenty of pathos but this emotional content is played out against a raft of brilliantly executed song and dance numbers written by the king of musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim. (Winner of 1 Oscar, 8 Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement,8 Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award). The story goes back in time tracing the friendships and careers of the 3 main characters, brilliantly acted and containing some of the best costumes I've seen in quite some time, the whole production was a delight to watch from beginning to end.

The opening of the second half.

The cast taking a well deserved bow.

   

Not just a theatre - The Menier also contains a restaurant and bar, and we popped into the restaurant pre-performance for a quick bite to eat, where we ate a number of delicious snacks. I would recommend doing this if you are visiting the theatre as the food really was delicious, in fact if you are in the area I would recommend going here anyway, the atmosphere and people watching here takes some beating... 

The meat platter...

The vegetarian platter...

All in all a brilliant evening and I plan on heading back to the Menier as soon as I have a chance. If you would like to book tickets to the West end Production you can do so here.

LISTENING: Laura Marling - Where Can I go

Always make time to listen to this woman...

Ahhhh! So excited, this is the first single from Laura's new album, as I'm sure you are already aware - she is brilliant, her smoky voice, gift with lyrics and general greatness are all here... Can't wait for the tour(dates Yet to be announced)but you can pre-order the album here - and then wait wait wait until 27th of May when it is released. 

Listen to Where Can I Go here 

xx O xx

LISTENING: Discolusure ft Aluna George - Just Noise

What happens when two of the hottest new musical duos team up? THIS HAPPENS 

GOING : Ossie Clarke - Proud Galleries Chelsea

He's in fashion... Ossie Clark at Proud Galleries

Affectionately known as 'The King of the Kings Road', Ossie Clarke made a welcome return (of sorts) when Proud Galleries Chelsea opened their door to the latest exciting exhibition - Ossie Clark: The King of the King’s Road Reigns Again.

This retrospective on Ossie's life and style, with all its prints and poet-sleeved fabulousness was just perfect for a freezing February evening. Seeing the prints and the dresses, some vintage, some new - back on the kings road, and next door from where Clark presented his first show at Chelsea Town Hall back in in 1967, was quite a wonderful thing.

Model wearing Ossie Clark, Robert Whitaker. Print available from Proud Galleries here

Model wearing Ossie Clark, Jim Lee. 

Print available here

I adore this shot: Model wearing Ossie Clark, Norman Parkinson. Print available from Proud Galleries here

Champagne was drunk, absinthe cocktails were mixed and the new range of Ossie Clarke dresses were modelled by the gorgeous Proud galleries staff. Of course the main attraction here was the photography and as per usual with Proud, their selection of prints from the best photographers of their day did not disappoint.

Our geek sandwich

The exhibition runs until the 10th of March and if you can't make it down head to the Proud web site to check out the prints and find out more about the show (I have my eye on the Norman Parkinson).

xx O xx

LISTENING: Young Galaxy - Pretty Boy (Peaking Lights Remix)

Ahhhh I cant get enough of this, not a new band - but new to me I'm just discovering Young Galaxy and its all down to Pitchfork recommending this remix of their single - Pretty Boy. If you need mental respite from the commute into work on a bleak February morning - get some good headphones, get sucked into this and you wont feel nearly as 'isolated'...

Listen to it here - Young Galaxy,Pretty Boy(Peaking Lights Remix)

xx O xx

EATING: Shui Hu Ju, Hong Kong

Part 2/3 of my restaurant review from the foodie heaven of Hong Kong... Shui Hu Ju

Yes - I did play with my food

After Zuma came a quick hop to Thailand. On my return to Hong Kong from my mini beach break (much needed) - and following my insistent nagging to my hostess that we were going to eat some CHINESE food while in China - Belinda picked me up from central station post flight and we headed to Shui Hu Ju on Peel Street, Central HK. 

The Shui hu Ju exterior

I have to say I had my work cut out getting Bee to agree to taking me to a Chinese restaurant, and much as I banged on about Anthony Bourdain hopping from one street food venue to the next, Bee was having none of it. The strange thing is westerners living in HK tend to stick to the western food (We had steak Tartare and Moules-frites on our fist restaurant visit) Still who am I to judge, I live here and they live there. After much pushing for this Chinese feast and after a little research from bee, we learned that if you must eat Chinese food, that this was a restaurant that was worth seeking out.

Serving mostly northern Chinese fare, specifically from the Sichuan region, Shui Hu Ju was named after a mystical mountain in a Chinese fable.

If the name carried a sense of China's past, so to does the decor.  and stays true to its namesake with Once entering you are in a homely style restaurant, with dim lighting and plenty of charm. the food was delicious and portions generous, we ordered a cold noodle salad and then for mains the MOST delicious Duck and a very garlicky squid dish. We drank rice wine and I am blaming this for all of the pictures of me playing with the food! 

Belinda tucking into the beef and coriander noodle salad

 The Main courses - crispy fried Duck and squid in roasted spicy garlic

We decided we had NEVER eaten duck this good.

Digging in the Garlic 'sand' for the squid

Street food this is not, but a delicious exciting Chinese gem it was, thoroughly recommended.

xx O xx