Jersey Boys

So for my birthday, which was about a month ago, I decided to go see a musical. A friend told me they went to see Jersey Boys and that it was amazing, so I went to see that. Alone, on a Thursday night. I didn't want to have to drag along any friends because it was so expensive, and I knew I would enjoy it even if I was on my own. I got there about 20 minutes early, and bought myself a programme. I settled in my seat and started to get to know the characters and the actors I'd be seeing that evening. I was a little nervous about not knowing any of the songs in the musical thought. 

Later on, I was happily surprised there were a few familiar numbers and I did sing along a little. The actors really got the crowd going, and used the stage really well. Everyone was really engrossed in their performance. The only people that weren't happened to be the couple next to me, who left during the interval. I really enjoyed the extra room to place my bag though. And I was really happy to give them a standing ovation at the end. 

Seeing Jersey Boys made me want to sing and dance, and see more plays and musicals, because you really learn about their story but the theatricality of everything really stands out too. It was really fun, and engaging. It was an amazing show, and a perfect evening out. 

Here's their website: http://www.jerseyboyslondon.com/

(all images in this post were taken from the website)

Camino Tapas Bar

I went to the tapas bar Camino with my friend Katie when she was in London for the afternoon. We didn't want to take the tube or go too far and the weather was bad, so I was looking for somewhere we could sit, eat, and catch up. King's Cross is starting to become a more fun and interesting area and when I saw there was a tapas bar I knew exactly what I wanted to eat, croquetas!

It was about 2pm when we got there so there were quite a few tables free, but we settled down at one and started looking at the menu. By the way, their lemonades are amazing, they have the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Once we ordered the food came pretty quickly. But the service overall wasn't very good. I think it was probably because the waiters were getting hungry and weren't as alert as when the restaurant is full.

The food didn't disappoint. The croquetas were great, the polpo (octopus) I had was amazing, and everything seemed to fit together well. One of the big things I love about tapas is the fact that you share the food with the people at your table. So you end up tasting a larger variety of foods. Sadly we were too full to get dessert, but some of the things on the dessert menu looked yummy too. Camino is great for a quick lunch if you're there during lunch hour, otherwise just stop by for a relaxed afternoon bite. 

Here's their website: http://www.camino.uk.com/
(all the images are from the Camino website)

Pizza Pilgrims

So, this amazing authentic pizza place opened in Soho and I had to try it out for myself. It's very cheesy Italian with the checkered table cloths, and calming music, and its called Pizza Pilgrims. Their menu isn't very long, but that tends to mean that they're good at the few dishes they do make. They even have a proper pizza oven. My friend Noah and I went there, and he's a baker, so he was explaining the whole correct cooking process for the pizza dough. It really made my experience much more authentic. 

Not only is Pizza Pilgrims a restaurant but they also have a pizza van that goes around London. And they've come out with a book too! I had pizza with bufala mozzarella on it and it was amazing. The perfect lunch pit stop. 

Also, a whole thin pizza is the perfect amount of food for lunch. The restaurant has 2 floors and the staff is super nice. Overall, my experience there was pretty good. Noah made me notice how the pizza dough wasn't perfect, and that's the only reason the meal wasn't perfect. 

Here's their website: http://pizzapilgrims.co.uk/

(all the images are from their website and instagram)

Rich Mix

Rich Mix is a venue at the end of Brick Lane that does events as well as being an affordable cinema. I’d been there before to play ping pong with some friends, but this time my flatmate Charlotte and I went there to see Nymphomaniac volume one and two, as well as a live Q&A with some of the cast members in Chelsea. 

We brought snacks, stretched our legs, and queued up for hours of film watching. They stamped our hands so that we could leave during the intermission if we wanted to. But I didn’t move, I was just soaking in the films. The theatre rooms have a lot of characters. The screen we were in front of had really cool walls and ceiling which I only got to see at the beginning of the show. 

The nearest bathrooms are a little far away, so go before the film so you don’t miss anything. Watching Nymphomaniac was an experience in itself, it was really interesting and eye opening so it didn’t really matter where I was watching it. But I’m grateful I got to watch it in a comfy chair without any distractions. 

Here’s their website: http://www.richmix.org.uk

Boundary

The Boundary Restaurant is a fancy French restaurant hidden on Redchurch Street. I've gone to Albion, their daytime cafe, and decided to give the restaurant a try. The dining table was facing towards the kitchen, and the table was round, giving plenty of space for the food. The service was a bit overly attentive particularly when the waitress tried to pour water into my glass by crossing over my arm as I read the menu. 

I of course get a little over excited and order the tray of charcuterie as well as my main dish of beef. And let me tell you, the beef was a very wise choice. Half the fun of the meal though is the place. The tiny little details they've got around. Like a wall full of silver trays, these incredibly comfortable chairs, the steak knife with their logo on it. And of course the little amuse bouche they brought, as well as the chocolates with the bill. 

Sometimes eating out, somewhere slightly more expensive is worth it, especially if you're sharing it with interesting people. The Boundary is the perfect place to show off a little without being too over the top. The only thing I really didn't like was the fact that the restaurant is underground. It's really common in London but I think the only thing that would have really improved my meal would have been a really good view. 

Here's their website: http://www.theboundary.co.uk/

(pictures 1 and 2 are from their website, the rest are mine)

MJM Showroom

My friend Gabi and I were walking around Shoreditch when a cool door caught our eye. This door then lead to a staircase inviting us up. When we got to the first floor the room opened up, and we were in a showroom. Specifically the MJM showroom. The MJM showroom is there to display the designs of Makin Jan Ma a Hong Kong designer working in London. The showroom is also his studio where he creates most of his pieces. 

As part of his degree he created a story, with 5 different characters and his clothing label is a continuation of that project. Each collection belongs to one of the 5 characters and shows a part of them very vividly. In the future he plans on creating more characters for his different lines. I really enjoyed visiting the showroom, even if I can't afford any of the clothes. There were small things placed here and there that reminded me of Hong Kong. They also had some insanely beautiful flowers to brighten up the place.

Overall, I had a great time there, I've signed up for their mailing list just to see where this creative mind goes, and hopefully one day be able to afford something from one of his lines. The lady working there was very kind, and she told us the whole story about him and why the designs are the way they are. To me this is a really strong label with a very clear vision, I love it. 

Here's their website: http://www.mjm-store.com/engine/shop/index.html

Whitechapel Gallery

I’ve walked past Whitechapel Gallery about 500 times throughout my time in London. Finally when my friend Gabi was here we decided to go inside. We didn’t go to the main temporary exhibit that was going on because there was an entrance fee, but we did however walk around the rest of the gallery. We were able to admire the art work as well as building. 

On the lowest floor there was a huge room with a room inside it. The internal room was made out of books relating to history and anthropology. Inside this room made of books there was a little staircase that had a mirror at the top. This mirror allowed you to see yourself in the room as a sort of outsider. I really liked this. 

Upstairs there were a few rooms available to visit for free. One was a collection of historical pieces showing the history of the gallery and the events at the old gallery. The other room had a collection of older pieces showing a combination of mixed media. Overall, I really liked the gallery space, but I’m certain that next time I’m going to pay to see the temporary show. 

Here’s their website: http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/

Body Language at the Saatchi Gallery

I recently went to see the new show at the Saatchi Gallery. It's called "Body Language". There were a lot of colourful varied pieces with a lot of different influences. Sadly, my trip there was sort of ruined by two groups of students there on a school trip. They were really uninterested and making it very difficult to appreciate the art. So I rushed through the gallery staring longer at the pieces that intrigued me most. 

One of my favourite things about the Saatchi Gallery is that they integrate paintings, photographs and sculpture. This then leads them to use the space in a really interesting way, and it may be part of the reason for why I keep going back. They also always have things that you can't see any where else. The selection of pieces is always broad and diverse and thought provoking even if all you're thinking about is the composition.

The Saatchi Gallery is just one of my favourite places in London and it makes me happy to live here. It is one of the few places where I can be completely alone and be surrounded by ideas without feeling lonely or overwhelmed. 

Here's their website: http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/body_language/

Ziferblat

When my friends Gabi came to visit I wanted to take her somewhere new and exciting. I had originally planned to go to Love Shake (my favourite milkshake place ever) but then we stumbled upon Ziferblat, the "pay as long as you stay" cafe. After walking up the stairs and stepping inside a kind lady explained to us how the system works. You write the time you arrive and your name on a sheet and you hang it up, you take a clock with you too! After that you're free to use any of the tables, sitting comfortably with others, and get yourself something to drink.

Both Gabi and I chose to have some tea, and there was a huge selection of teas to choose from. There are cute tea cups as well as fun mugs and glasses. There's a box with cookies laid out next to the sugar that is a little too inviting. Next time I'll probably have coffee, if I feel like playing around with the coffee machine. All around the open space there are people chatting or typing away on laptops. But even if everyone is doing their own thing there is a huge sense of community. Sitting with people tends to make you feel more at home and relaxed. 

We ended up staying there for a little less than an hour, because I was getting hungry, so we paid 1.20 GBP each. Which is nothing for a cup of tea and a cookie in London. I really liked the place and will probably go there alone if they stay open (sadly, they're having some landlord issues).

Here's their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZiferblatLondon

Macaroons? Where?

Since coming back to the flat after Christmas holidays we've all become a little addicted to macaroons. And this generally means any type of macaroon. I brought some back from Luxembourg as a treat, but then I just couldn't get them out of my head. I went to Ladurée in Covent Garden just to get a set of 8 of them for myself. I must say I'm a little unconventional when it comes to macaroon flavour. I like the quirky new flavours, my favourite from that Ladurée box was a passion fruit coconut macaroon. Who even knew that flavour existed?

The box I brought home from Luxembourg was from Oberweis a well known gourmet bakery in Luxembourg. Sadly I didn't get to pick the flavours but all the traditional ones were there. Praline, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, pistachio and lemon, yummy. I was hoping to bring back macaroon mix as well, but I couldn't find any at the local supermarket. Hopefully one day I'll make my own from scratch but at the moment I'm too lazy to invest my time to have a whole batch of the same flavour macaroon. One of the joys of macaroons is the mix you get to pick! 

I also tried the macaroons at Paul's here in London and they were pretty good, but the jam was a little too sticky so I didn't enjoy it as much. However they also do large macaroons which means I only have to eat 2 or so to reach my daily macaroon dosage. If you've never tried one, you're missing out. I recommend you go for a traditional flavour first so you can explore the texture, and then pick something different that catches your eye. In London Ladurée has a bigger selection of flavours, but if you're fond of strawberry, vanilla or chocolate, get yours at Paul's. 

Here's the Ladurée website: http://www.laduree.com/en_int/

Here's Paul's website: http://www.paul-uk.com/

London Art Fair

The London Art Fair is one of those things that gets advertised obsessively on the tube. This year, I got to attend it because of my university. The event itself is really well organized and there is a good flow to it. Sadly, if you want a map of the exhibitors or anything else to guide you you have to spend even more money. That's one of the biggest things I disliked about the event, it was really expensive. The food court wasn't too badly priced, but who can even afford food after they've spent about 20 pounds to just see the show.

The show is organized as a trade show, there's a little exhibit at the start of show, but then everything is divided into little stands for the sellers. All of the stands are very uniform but some of them have really amazing pieces. There was one that had a map of the world made out of the different countries currency. 

I think attending was a fun experience, but since I wasn't there to invest anything my time wasn't used wisely. I think I would much rather enjoy visiting each gallery individually and look over the art than seeing a huge variation of art all crammed into one big show. Thankfully I went on the Friday so it wasn't too crowded, the ambiance was good, and everyone seemed interested in being there. Overall, I liked the show but I would have liked it so much more if I could have bought some of the art.

Here's their website: http://www.londonartfair.co.uk/