Culture Cats

Restaurants, Concerts, and Markets
13 May 2010

Nothing is a more effective incentivizer for a proper carpe of a diem than the realization that the diems you have left to carpe are numbered. Well I, Nom Cat woke up from a cat nap (feeling like P. Kitty) today and used all four paws to calculate that my diem count is down to 2.

Two.

Lantana Café
13 Charlotte Place, Fitzrovia W1T

So after leaving a collection of cat scratches in my final exam book, I made an immediate beeline for Lantana, the trendy, hipster, Australian café in Soho that my food-fanatic friend Kit Cat holds in highest esteem. The café has two entrances, which prove to be a bit mystifying if attempted before having a coffee - choose the door on the left for take away and the other to hang out a bit longer in the company of the well-dressed, the credit card-wielding, and the chilled-out.

The barista inquired about my coffee intentions while I was still en route to one of the square, worn blonde wood tables (he must have seen how baffled I was at the two entrance situation) and then delivered a beaut of a capuccino while I fought an internal battle between the toasted banana bread with crème fraiche and raspberry chutney and the baked eggs with chorizo, mushrooms, spinach, spicy tomato sauce, grilled flatbread, crème fraiche.

The banana bread won out (even over that giant list of ingredients), and “toasted” turned out to mean “cooked on the griddle of goodness”. The bread was moist with banana swirls throughout, and was the perfect hearty, not Hippo-like thickness… and the edges were crisp. Perfectly cooked, indeed, and hearty enough to satisfy a Hippo. Or a Nom Cat.

The new menu features old dishes (like the baked eggs from my personal crisis) along side the new. This the Australians have gotten right: the new, hip, funky staff go nicely with the plain old good food.

Lantana and its Aussies get 4/5 cans of tuna:

Lantana is open for breakfast M-F, 8-11:30. Saturdays and Sundays there’s all-day brunch, 9 to 3.

LSO at St. Luke’s: BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime concert, Summer cello series
Whitecross Street, City of London

Daniel Müller-Schott is a never-dull interplay of youthful energy and perfect intonation in his tender engagement with melodic lines. From him we heard Brahms, Schumann and Beethoven from the German cellist, with an encore of Ravel’s Habanera.

Pianist Robert Kulek accompanied, at short notice, and while there were no glaring ensemble errors, Müller-Schott had trouble allowing the accompaniment support his soloist weight, except for during the Beethoveen. The strikingly natural unison section was the first time che was comfortable enough in Kulek to stop thinking about the requirements of chamber music and be a chamber musician: he replaced manic head-nod cues and eye contact with listening.

The final piece was his best, starting with a raw that he warms up delightfully with his careful use of vibrato. Seldom have I seen such simultaneous deliberate and passionate application of this note-loving technique. Müller-Scott’s glissando was similarly mature, a reminder of the power of being stuck in expectation of resolution in music.

This LSO Lunchtime concert at St. Luke’s, to be broadcast via BBC Radio 3 on June 16, gets 4/5 cans of tuna:

Whitecross Street market
Islington, EC1

The good thing about not having a map when you’re walking around in London is that it immediately becomes inevitable that you will find something that you didn’t know about before. Today, this meant great things for my nostrils and opinions of businessmen & women in the City of London, because it turns out that the LSO at St. Luke’s concerts are not at their usual Barbican Centre venue - they’re at St. Luke’s. It’s a short meander up Whitecross street to get there from the Barbican, and as a happy coincidence for a cat who likes to nom, it’s a meander through this market.

Food stands are reminiscent of Brick Lane’s selection: Chinese, Thai, cupcakes, Mediterranean, Spanish… but here there’s a rare sight: a burrito truck. This was by far the busiest vendor, with the line of people in suits wrapping around the truck and down the pavement. I like what they’re doing with their lunch breaks.

There are a few vendors selling trinkets but this is definitely a market to visit when it’s nom time.

Whitecross Street market is open from 11-5 on Thursdays and Fridays.

Buona Sera at the Jam
289A King’s Road, Chelsea SW3

I had a tree house when I was growing up, but because my 5th grade self built it, it was unsturdy and sort of lame. Buona Sera is not like that. It is a tree house: 4 of their 8 wooden booth tables are above your head, with little staircases to help you up to the The playful setup doesn’t cross the line of gimmicky in the least, maybe because the booths are crafted from industrial pipe and simple, pine wood. This simple thrill of inventive design, friendly service, and reasonably priced food is a welcome place to have found in Chelsea.

I had the special of roasted lamb with onions caramelized in balsamic vinegar, with mashed potatoes. What a win. Besides the best mashed potatoes I have ever tasted, the plate was piled high with a tender flavor explosion of lamb, and topped with a firm finish of onions.

Choosing a dessert was remarkably difficult, in part because there was a collection of about 15, all under £5, and also in part because I had eaten every bite of my succulent main course. The pies are adequate, as is the panna cotta, but the tiramissu is probably the best choice.

Buona Sera at the Jam gets 3.5/5 cans of tuna:

To carpeing diems!

xx,

Nom Cat

10 May 2010

The Culture Cats have been on assignment. You may have noticed our dedicated frequency of posting. Indeed, we’ve given you 15 posts over the past 15 days, and now it’s time for a cat nap.

Today, we’ll leave you with some of our favorite tools for discovering London culture, ideas on where to busy yourself this week, and tips on both.

Tips:

• When you’re taking the Tube, in a hurry, and there’s a queue for the lift, don’t fool yourself into thinking (like the Culture Cats have, missing this sign) that taking the stairs are a good time-saving option. They are actually an asthma attack-inducing option.

• Make use of vouchers, available online, in mailboxes, on the street, etc. For students, there is almost always an in-store student discount of about 10%, and the student centre at your university probably holds a ton! Keep a watchful eye for vouchers when you’re out and about - and make use of this Pizza Express one!
• Get student rush tickets. The Culture Cats paid £20 to get climbed over and have our hair tousled in Row G at guess which show simply by showing up at the box office at 10:30 am.
  There’s also a great Under 26 pricing scheme from the Arts Council England and Metro called A Night Less Ordinary. It’s a website worth a pounce - free tickets!
  
  (Sheridan Smith and Duncan James like the initiative!) 

• Go to museums! The British Museum, The National Gallery & National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, The Victoria & Albert Museum are just the beginning to a long, long list of free And they’re not free therefore lame - the Portrait Gallery has an exhibit on Twiggy! And the V&A has an entire fashion wing. Nom Cat takes special pride in the gifts she’s bought in the V&A giftshop, a London best.
• London is not a grid like some other delightful cities, so invest in a pocket-sized A to Z (or if you’re not afraid of looking like a total geek, a laminated map like Nom Cat’s) and don’t ever hesitate to ask for directions! Londoners are very friendly despite their reputation in the rest of the UK, and the pre-theatre rush can get anyone turned around. The Culture Cats aren’t strangers to showing up to a show panting. 

What to do:

• London has no shortage of things to do and see.  Theatre is best to see during the week when queues at the ticket counter are shorter. The TKTS booth is in Leicester Square, but you can often get much better deals with a student or under 26 ID at the box office. This week, try for Posh at the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea, Ruined at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, or check out what else is on HERE. 
• Restaurants are as variegated as London itself. There are probably as many good ones as poor ones, so the key is to do your research before you make an investment. I use Time Out London, food blogs, Yelp, and Qype to do this; reading reviews and looking at menus are the tickets to success. Here are a couple of treasures you shouldn’t miss out on: The World Food Cafe, in Covent Garden, Lantana in Fitzrovia, and for your fish & chips, the North Sea Fish Restaurant in Bloomsbury.
• While London may be one of the fashion capitals of the world, you don’t have to shell out major quid for a fabulous wardrobe. Stores and boutiques on the high-street are just as fashion-forward but without the wallet-busting prices. If you’re looking for something a little more vintage, London is a great second-hand shopping city.  Check out weekend markets and vintage shops, including Posh Cat’s favorite vintage shop, The Rokit. 
• London plays host to numerous clubs and concert venues. On any night of the week, someone can be found playing a gig in the city. Be on the lookout for flyers and posters for concert details, or you can just use the Web to look up dates and purchase tickets.  If you’re looking for some decent music shops, try FOPP, an independent music store located on Shaftsbury Avenue.  If you are looking for something a bit more main-stream and widespread, try searching in the local HMV for all your entertainment needs.
• Parks are gold mines for people watching, which can be particularly exciting in London. Busy times are: lunch time for men in suits, after 5 for pick-up games of football and cricket, and on a nice day, all the time. I’m always surprised by how many 20-somethings are running at mid-day. Rent a paddle boat in Regent’s Park!

How to figure it out for yourself:

• We frequent the websites of Time Out London, Yelp, Qype, Transport for London, the Southbank Centre, Song Kick, and lots more…
• Just do it! Experience London live, and love it! Don’t forget that the “real London” is outside of Zone 1. So top up your Oyster when you pop to the shop and avoid the queue at the station. 

We’re sending you off on your own for now, but we’ll be back! We’re in London for another week, and then back to our NYC litter boxes.

Cheers!
xx,

The Culture Cats

Markets: Sunday at Brick Lane
9 May 2010

Sunday’s a good day to go to a market, despite the Circle line’s boycott of Sunday travelers. Brick Lane’s Sunday Market is an especially good choice because of its proximity to Spitalfields Market and Petticoat Lane Market.

Brick Lane is pretty different from Portobello Road - it’s heavier on street performers, food stands, and clothing vendors, but lighter on antique jewelry, binoculars, and maps.

Starting out with food as always, Nom Cat put only £3 into this positively mounding Mediterranean plate of couscous, tzatziki, lettuce, onions, peppers, beets, green beans, pasta salad, hummus, and dolmathes (rice wrapped in grape leaves). The dolmathe was, as its oily glisten suggests, positively scrumptious. The couscous was a little bland but the salad hiding under that glob of hummus made up for it. Also - I was starving, and it took me an hour to eat, and has kept me delightfully full for over 6 hours. £3 of quality noms.

Food stands were genuinely world cuisine and sweets, and consisted of Mexican, Vietnamese, Turkish, Chinese, Vegan, Thai, French, Japanese, Sri Lankan, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, brownies, macaroons, but disappointingly few cookies. So there’s a niche market for American Brick Lane frequenters! If the Culture Cats weren’t leaving this beautiful, market-filled city in a week, Nom Cat would seize that opportunity with the enthusiasm of a kitten who’s just discovered that no one sells tuna at the Kitty Cat Market.

Some of the clothing and jewelry vendors are a bit on the pricier side, including this one, which induced more Posh Cat drool than when Nom Cat tasted that dolmathe. Like these absolutely Lady GaGa-approved mesh pieces that probably cost more than Posh Cat’s yearly NYU tuition. 

She settled with perusing the less expensive options - like this £20 blue frock - but reserved investment for the large vintage clothing selection upstairs. Although one blue cat-print dress nearly broke Posh Cat’s reserve, and she almost splurged on the £25 1940’s-esque summer frock.  But alas, she saved her money and went second-hand searching upstairs. 

On the way, Nom Cat snagged this Posh Cat-approved watch, £15, but arguably from the future. Posh Cat also ran into a hand-made jewelry stall, with earrings, bracelets and necklaces that looked like they were made by the tiny hands of forest faeries.   Check out Eclectic Eccentricity, jewelry with stories to tell. 

The second we stepped paw into the first floor of the building, we noticed that everyone around us appeared to have just stepped off some runway. So we put our journalistic skills to work and found some answers.

Here’s Demelza, a punk-rock vintage diva with a love of second-hand goods.  Her stage age may be 24, but her vintage 1980’s dress is arguably much older. 

Favorite pieces include: “My hideous ‘80’s dress that I found in a market. It’s Vivienne Westwood. And my jacket, which I got here at the Sunday Up. And my hat! I love my hat.” 

Demelza loves vintage clothing so much that she runs her own virtual vintage clothing Emporium, Dandy Dolls Vintage.  And in between bargain-hunting and running her own business, Demelza is the glam synth-pop front-woman of Toy Toy. Check out her music at www.myspace.com/toytoyuk.

And then there’s fresh-faced Lindsay, a young entrepreneur in the world of vintage retail and a specialist in vintage eyewear. 

Her favorite pieces include: “My bag! I love my bag. It’s Vivienne Westwood, and I got it five years ago. I absolutely adore it.  Everything else is second-hand.” 

Although her main market is the Sunday Up Market on Brick Lane, this vintage trader is expanding her business online.  Check out Frock Star for some vintage clothing and accessories.  

So, if you’re wondering where all the pretty young people hang out on a Sunday afternoon, look no further than Brick Lane.  You’ll be sure to find everything from hand-made treasures to second-hand clothing in this market, which supports local artists and designers.

The Sunday Up Market is open every Sunday, 10am-5pm in Ely’s  Yard, with entrances on Brick Lane and Hanbury Street. The nearest tube stations are Aldgate East and Liverpool Street.  

Happy Sunday!

xx,

The Culture Cats

Markets: Portobello Road, Notting Hill
8 May 2010

(Photos by Sumana Ramakrishnan)

The Culture Cats braved the crowds and swarms of adoring fans antique dealers to soak up a Saturday stronghold for London culture, especially vintage clothes and antiques: the Portobello Road market, of Notting Hill. 

The original Hummingbird Bakery is on Portobello Road, and since they’ve stopped making their hummingbird cake, really the only way to go is to get their moist and perfectly spiced carrot cake. Its inclusion of raisins and nuts adds just a bit of earthiness that makes the creamy and not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting such a thrilling complement to the truly carroty cake, £2.70 a slice.

If carrot cake isn’t your thing, they have an average-sized collection of cupcakes, brownies, and even whoopie pies.

While Nom Cat was enjoying the cake, Posh Cat led the way through the sea of goods, from the elegant and glamorous to the kitsch and conversation-starting:

Portobello Road Market is filled with antique treasures and vintage finds, making it one of the most popular London markets for young hipsters and the sophisticated bargain-hunters.  At the world’s largest antiques market, there’s a little something for everyone.  Posh Cat found herself lusting after a vintage leather messenger bag from the 1950’s, but once she discovered that it was going to be a £500 investment, she bolted from stand like her cat does when she’s done using the litter box.  Surely, she could find some sort of replica on the high-street for 1/20 of the price.  So be prepared to spend at this quality market. Vintage clothing and accessories can cost some major quid, so shop wisely and don’t be fooled by the vintage inspired pieces. 

These antique cameras are a great find for any avid collector or photographer.  They could also make a great coffee table ornament, no?  Or an excellent conversation starter…

Portobello Road Market isn’t all just vintage and antiques, you can also find your standard posters, postcards and memorabilia plastered with the faces of your favorite movie stars and musicians.  (Note the excessive Notting Hill screen shots of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.)  

If Posh Cat’s weaknesses are vintage clothes and accessories, then Nom Cat’s include Lion Bars, Hummingbird carrot cake, and obscure musical instruments.  This market does offer a little bit of everything. 

If the crowds on Portobello Road start to make your head spin, you should try checking out the numerous shops, boutiques and bakeries Portobello Road has to offer.  Posh Cat even found herself a lovely £15 floral top at Appletree Boutique, located at 127 Portobello Road. 

Although cute and quirky, Notting Hill felt very relaxed and slow-moving for a market of its size and attendance (even in hipster London), which could have been an effect of the jazz music spewing from this vendor, where Nom Cat bought a 2-disc Buddy Holly collection for £5:

Or maybe the abundance of Spanish food and ingredients were what kept the pace slow:

Or the overwhelming amount of stands selling Italian food staples like £2 bruchetta, chunks of mozzarella, and copious quantities of green and black olives:

And it also quite possibly could have been that everyone had been drinking all day, and were now spilling from pubs into the streets, pulling up seats on the pavement:

The most excitement we saw all afternoon was the very small crowd of people (French tourists) around a camera crew filming for Bargain Hunt:

Posh Cat pawed her way through a few vintage shops that line Portobello Road and are open during the week when the rest of the vendors and antique-seekers aren’t. So if you aren’t one for big crowds, go to Portobello Road during off-peak hours to enjoy some great - and quiet - shopping.  

xx,

The Culture Cats

Album Review: Plan B

7 May 2010

From white hooded rapper to soul-pop crooner Ben Drew - or Plan B as he would like to be known - has attempted a most ill-fated operation: dramatically changing his musical direction.

Plan B’s debut 2006 album, “Who Needs Actions When You Got Words,” was a certified rap album, complete with bursting beats and a hooded-clad, angry white rapper. Think a softer, British version of Eminem. Yet in a move obviously inspired by pop diva Beyonce, four years after his electrifying debut Plan B has ditched the attitude for a new character, “Strickland Banks” - a dapper young fellow with smooth moves and a velvet voice, who is wrongly convicted of a crime and sent to jail.  Strickland Banks spends the entire album lamenting in a jail cell, and although there are some high points, it couldn’t be more tiresome and over-run with constant cliches. 

Let’s start with the first two singles.  “Stay Too Long” is a perfect balance of frantic guitar chords, seventies soul and breathless rap delivery. And “She Said” - my favorite track on the album - proves that Plan B is still a rapper first-and-foremost.  An instant radio hit, “She Said” is the perfect summer track, complete with a catchy chorus, slick verses, and a big-band feel. 

“Welcome to Hell” symbolizes our dear Strickland Banks’ entry into jail - or Hell as he describes it. With a sorrowful voice that shouts I’m too afraid to pick up that bar of soap, he is not as strong on this track as his rap alter-ego would have been four years ago.  The old Plan B would have been angry in jail, this softer version is more afraid and emotional.   When he falls back into his old ways, however, all is forgiven. The rapped verses on one of the best tracks, “The Recluse”, prove that Plan B is still one of the most talented MCs in the UK. 

Although Plan B made a risky move, he managed to pull it off with some style and an eclectic way of mixing musical genres. Part soul, part pop, part rap and part feel-good seventies rock, “The Defamation of Strickland Banks” is a genre-busting album sure to reinvent Plan B into a bona fide pop star. 

But undoubtedly, the crowds of angry white boys who loved Plan B the rapper are all wondering: Can he go back to Plan A now? I’m sure that hooded-sweatshirt is still in the closet somewhere…

A valiant effort at defying genres - I give this album a 3/5.

Excuse me while I go put on some Madonna. After all, she is the queen of re-inventing herself. Take notes Ben Drew, take notes. I expect choreographed pop numbers on the next album.

Happy listening!

xx,

Posh Cat

Food: Planning a picnic
6 May 2010

It happened! Finally, a day weather-appropriate for the picnic I’ve been planning since Monday.

I am of the opinion that The Picnic is sacred, but also terribly difficult to mess up. There aren’t too many things you need for one, but there are a few you really should include:

Something to sit on. Grass suffices for most people, but I like some protection between my bum and those often-moist green strands.
Something to eat. Duh.
Someone to sit and eat with. The squirrels are friendly, if your friends are busy.
Sunshine. Also duh.

So let’s get to it.

Where are we going?

• St. James Park. Definitely the best London park for a picnic: green grass for sitting, fountains for looking at, people for watching, and copious public restrooms nearby.

What’s on the menu?

• Tea Sandwiches. Cucumber and cream cheese, salmon and cream cheese, and jam and cream cheese. 
• Fruit salad.
  
• Crisps.

Is that all?

• Yes. Picnics should be simple and leave you with enough room to soak up sunshine and friends.
• No. Picnics are food lovers’ best friend because they can accommodate almost any choice in food. If you’re feeling lazy, just grab a meal deal from Tesco (£2 for a sandwich, crisps, and a beverage). If you’re feeling inspired, make spaghetti bolognese. 

Where should I get the ingredients?

• I’m glad you asked. I did a decent amount of market research for this post, bopping from Tesco to Waitrose equipped with a camera and a notepad, taking note of food price and quality. Here’s what I concluded:
  
  
• Tesco. Stop here to take advantage of the low prices.
  
  1. Fruit. There’s a money and time saving deal on ready-made fruit salad! (any 2 Tesco preprepared fruit for £3.00)
  2. Cream cheese (Tesco brand, 92p)
  3. Smoked salmon (Tesco’s finest, £2.99)  Waitrose sells salmon too, but it would take a more sophisticated palette than mine to figure out why it’s twice the price.
  4. Crisps, unless you don’t find the flavor you want (Kettle Chips, £1.57 for 150g)  Waitrose sells them for £1.75, but are enough flavors to keep you looking at this for minutes:
     
     
     
     

• Waitrose. Head over for the selection and the quality, but be prepared to pay slightly higher prices for most things.
  
  1. Jam (essential waitrose, 87p)  Tesco’s costs 
  2. Cucumber (essential waitrose, 78p)  They’re 2p more expensive than at Tesco, but they are bigger and better-looking. I’m having a love affair with Waitrose produce.
  3. Bread (Waitrose six seeded brown batch bread, £1.35)  Tesco and Waitrose both sell cheap bread, 74p and 75p a loaf respectively, but this is a picnic, and if you’re going to indulge in something, it should be bread that is as beautiful and grainy as this:
     
     

How much will it cost?

• Using the ingredients I suggested, a picnic for four costs £16.87 and is mega-posh.

Happy nomming!

xx,
Nom Cat

Food Review: Burritos and other Mexican delights
5 May 2010

Benito’s Hat Mexican Kitchen. 56 Goodge Street, London W1T.

Americans love their Cinco de Mayo, although most of us think that it’s Mexico’s Independence Day and assume that everyone who speaks Spanish celebrates it with lots of margaritas and guacamole.

5 May is actually the anniversary of the 1862 Mexicans victory, over a French army twice their size, in the Battle of Puebla - a battle they won in a war they lost. It’s not really celebrated in Mexico, except for in Puebla, but that doesn’t stop the U.S. from donning a sombrero and heading out for a burrito.

The Culture Cats skipped the sombrero, and Posh Cat even skipped the burrito in favor of a salad, but we skipped to Goodge Street to satisfy our holiday needs. We followed our American hearts and rice-and-beans-loving noses straight to Benito’s Hat, a favorite of Londoners with a passion for Mexican food— which tends to translate to “Americans”. (The guy in front of us in line was wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt that said, “I’d do anything for a burrito”.) Benito hadn’t been too busy decorating, but the place looked festive enough, with some Mexican flags in places we weren’t used to seeing (yeah, we’ve been here a few times before, but we’ve yet to buy t-shirts about it):

So after soaking up a bit of the ambiance, we got in line at the counter and got down to business.

Have you been to Chipotle? Or Moe’s? The set up is a bit like that, except that behind the counter are such ingredients as “slow-cooked black beans gently flavoured with avocado leaves”, a genuinely Mexican technique, and “super-slow braised pork, simmered gently with lime juice, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, cumin and oregano until melt in your mouth tender”, a genuinely accurate description.

There are 4 steps Benito and his hat put you through before you get to peel back the tin foil and live in a world of Mexican perfection for a few minutes. 

1. Choose your meal.
   Burritos, tacos, salad, or soup. Please don’t get the soup. I’m sure it’s great, but don’t get the soup. Prices range from £4 to £6.50, depending on what you do in steps two and three. Cans of Coke are £1.
2. Choose your filling.
   
   • Steak. The most expensive choice, marinated overnight, delicate, and juicy. Probably worth the extra £1, and it’s Cinco de Mayo, so just do it. Water and chips are free.
     
   • Chicken. Try Ben’s or Felipe’s, marinated in different spices and cooked using different techniques. Choose the one that sounds best, or better yet, look at the canisters in front of you and choose the one that looks better. I bet if you asked they would even give you a lil’ sample of each so you could really know who you prefer.
     
   • Pork. My favorite because of its complexity and tenderness and its coherence with the rest of the burrito’s offerings. This choice is especially blind-blowing when you get to the bottom of the burrito and there’s a pool of the lime juice, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, cumin and oregano combination just waiting for you. I, Nom Cat, hereby dub it the patient pork puddle.
     
   • Vegetables. A good choice if you’re trying to take the healthy route, but the free guacamole may or may not cancel this out. The veggies are zucchini (or courgette, if you’re not American, but everyone is and it’s Cinco de Mayo so I’m saying zucchini), peppers, and chayote. They are all perfectly cooked to be tender but not crunchy and have more flavor complexity than Chipotle’s chickens even dream about.
3. Choose your topping.
   First, choose black beans or refried beans. Then, add coriander and lime rice, choose your filling (see step 2), and make your way along the counter as you decide whether or not - don’t choose not, unless you already broke the rules and chose soup - to add lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole (worth all 50 extra p’s) and salsa. Salsa’s in two steps, so don’t get confused: first, choose medium or hot (salsa verde or salsa brava) and then choose whether to add pico de gallo. Professional topping lovers are free to ask for jalapeño chillies, chopped coriander and onion or a squeeze of lime juice.
4. Choose your drinks + sides.
   You’ve completed the construction of your Mexican masterpiece, so add on a Coke or some salsa to go with your free chips, and get movin’. Burrito bliss awaits. Beer is £3.50 and students get 2-for-1 margaritas, and if you’re curious about what Vampire Weekend was talking about, you can try the horchata for £1.50. 

I meant to take a picture earlier, but the nommage of Nom Cat was unstoppable, and this was the point at which I took my first breath. The rice and beans, pork, tomatoes, coriander, and guacamole co-mingle to create a kind of beauty that Americans love to celebrate: heart-stoppingly delicious beauty.

Is Mexican food not your thing? Goodge Street is chock-full of delicious and cheap eateries. For Italian, go to Italiano Coffee Co., which serves pizzas from £3.50. For Japanese, go across the street to Yoi Sho. For British, go to One Tun. For Tapas, go to Salt Yard (££).

Con amor
xx,

Nom Cat

Theatre Review: Hair at the Gielgud Theatre
4 May 2010

£20 day seat tickets from 10:30 am

A British audience gave a standing ovation. It’s the first time the Culture Cats have experienced the anomaly, and we weren’t entirely sure why it happened. 

The Gielgud Theatre, now home to Hair, is mere meters from Jerusalem’s former host, the Apollo Theatre, but the types of nationalism portrayed in the two productions are a sea apart. The scene and costume design (by Scott Pask and Michael McDonald, respectively) set up the psychedelic stage, but it really is the hair (Gerard Kelly does the wig design) that sends us on a trip to 1967. Hair made a brave entrance into the West End with few, if any, changes (including, for the first time ever, bringing their entire cast from New York to London). The result is a hand full of would-be chuckle-worthy lines falling on deaf/British ears. The Culture Cats tried to laugh extra loud to make up for the British humor we missed in Jerusalem.

Aside from this overtly raunchy American humor, Hair ignites plenty of emotions in just two and a half hours. Following a free-spirited bohemian tribe of hippies in the heart of New York City’s East Village, Hair takes a glimpse in the youth culture of the 60’s - where everything was about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. That is, until the Vietnam War, when young men across the country were stripped, shaved and sent to kill and be killed.  Even though The Culture Cats are a product of the 90’s, we can still appreciate the anti-war message of peace— unfortunately, after more than 40 years, America is still at war and innocent lives are still being lost, making Diane Paulus’s revival brilliantly poignant.

At the heart of Hair is the inner struggle for Claude (Gavin Creel - more on him later), who must face the consequences of his decision not to burn his draft card with his fellow rebel tribesmen. His best friend, the stoned-out-of-his-mind-for-the-entire-show Berger (Will Swenson, ditto), is unwilling to accept that fate, and with help from the politically charged Sheila (Caissie Levy, also ditto) and the rest of the Tribe, they try - in vain - to help Claude. But in the end, “it’s too late” - the War got him.  

Hair is almost like a really good episode of American Idol, where Paula Abdul isn’t the only one on drugs. There is near-constant singing, belting, even growling, the costumes are great, and the audience showers the performers with affection but all have their own favorites. Nom Cat’s was Cassie Levy, as Sheila (pictured below, center) although Posh Cat betrayed our common NYU-student roots and was disappointed with her opening in “Good Morning Starshine.” However, Posh Cat did enjoy Kacie Sheik’s pregnant, yet cheerfully aloof Earth Mother Jeanie. It’s easy to sympathize with poor Jeanie, who’s in love with Claude, who’s in love with Sheila, who’s in love with Berger, who’s busy being “hung up on everything.” 

It was a bit of a rocky Tuesday night for lead voices: Swenson took Berger’s nasal Louisiana drawl too far, and although Dione (Sasha Allen, below) nailed “Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In” her amateur lip syncing in the “Flesh Failures” significantly depleted the Culture Cats’s good peace and love vibes.

Luckily, we had Gavin Creel (AKA Posh Cat’s West End boyfriend) to re-instate our high, and he did so with delicate finesse mixed with boyish charm mixed with, Nom Cat thinks, the best male voice [that used to be] on Broadway. He showed the cats that it is, in fact, possible to go easy on your voice on a Tuesday - when you probably should - but still deliver gold in the shape of an interesting, rhythmically playful delivery. 

It was the perfect amount of playful, which Swenson still hasn’t figured out on this side of the pond (see below). Critics often found him overenthusiastic and even “spastic” on press night, but the Culture Cats thought he seemed either tired or apathetic. During his playful audience interaction bit at the start of the show he asked one Row A-er, “Are you as bored as I am?” One thing that can be said for Hair is that everyone in the theatre was sure to answer, “No”.

So while the acting was a little sub-par, the music engulfed the entire theatre in a heat wave of electric vibes.  From the magnetic ode to “Hair” to the empowering and invigorating “I Got Life,” the music of Hair is infectious.  It’s so contagious that Posh Cat has had “Black Boys” stuck in her head all night, and Nom Cat keeps repeating the first line of “Aquarius” without bothering to look up the rest of the lyrics. And the music not only invades your mind, it digs a bit deeper.

It’s hard not to feel the shivers run up and down your spine when Sasha Allen belts out those incredible notes in “Let the Sunshine In,” as the cast walks out the rear of the theatre. It’s even harder not to feel absolutely heartbroken when all that remains on stage is the now clean-shaven Claude’s dead body,  dressed in uniform and wrapped in an American flag while snow softly falls from the sky and the haunted voices of the Tribe echo in the air like a ghostly winter chill.  

We give Hair 3/5 cans of tuna.

xx,

The Culture Cats

Parks: Running routes
3 May 2010

[Regent’s Park, Boating Lake]

As running is, I realize, a rather dull topic of discussion/blogscussion for non-runners, I have done my best to litter this post with tangential links a plenty.

The marathon may be over and the cherry blossoms may have fallen, but London’s running season is kicking into high gear.

It being the bank holiday of the May Day weekend, I hoped to write a post today on Park Picnicking, especially after spotting the sun bathing in blue skies from my window, but persistent, chilly winds kept me from toting tea sandwiches to Primrose Hill:

(see 2:20 - 3:05, and forgive the Spanish)

Plus, Nom Cat has to keep up with her exercise regimen as to not spoil my sleek physique.

London is in the unique position of having several (well, 3) substantial parks in its central region alone. We have:

1. Green Park & St. James’s Park.
   Absolute prime real estate for nice picnic days, and spots go fast, most notably on the Sunday of the London Marathon. These are actually two separate parks, as you may have guessed, but they’re adjacent and similar so I’ll call them one.
2. Hyde Park.
   The biggest of the central parks, as well as the flattest. Home to Kensington Palace, the Princess Diana Memorial water feature, the Serpentine lake, and an ever-steady flow of London’s most beautiful supply of dogs.
3. Regent’s Park.
   My favorite/the best London park. Royal gardens (roses too!), the zoo, cafes & restaurants, babies, a lake with boating, running trails, football fields, cricket batting cages, an Open Air Theatre … I would go on but I’m sure you’re drooling already.

OK enough background. Here are the routes, in order of mileage, mapped with www.mapmyrun.com.

2 miles: Introduction to Regent’s Park -

If the birds and water and views of the lake’s islands at the start of the run make you wonder how you’ll ever be able to go anywhere else again, then the last half mile, through the Avenue Gardens, will knock you out.

5K (3.1 miles): The Best of Regent’s Park -

Fill up on garden beauty early before you make your way up The Broad Walk and then brave the ascent up Primrose Hill. Stop for a breath, the view, and probably a request from a tourist to snap a photo. Then continue down the hill, past footballers, around a bit of the lake, and into Queen Mary’s Gardens for a rosy ending.

4 miles: Stepping out of the Park and Seeing the Sights -

Starting in the City of London, you’ll run past the Old Bailey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, then across the Millennium Bridge to the foot of the Tate Modern, along the South Bank for a bit and then enjoy postcard views from the Westminster Bridge. Forge your way through the tourist swarms outside of Big Ben, and then loop back around on the other side of the river, past Temple Church, onto Fleet Street, and back to the start. Save this run for warmer days - there’s a brisk breeze off the Thames.

5 miles: Hyde Park & Green Park -
Get a load of Kensington Palace on your right as you start out, and then meander around Round Pond. Keep eyes rightward as you cross the bridge and you’ll see the Diana Memorial, then swivel your gaze back to see the puppies being walked and soak up the Serpentine. At the end of the pond, swing to the right to fit in a prance through the manicured gardens and duck under a vine terrace or two. Mind the traffic as you run under Wellington Arch and cross into Green Park, running along Constitution Hill. Try not to let the picnics happening on the luscious green grass disrupt your focus. Turning back into Hyde Park you’ll reach a slow incline up a flat and lonely field that makes the sky seem remarkably big.

10K (6.2 miles): Back to Regent’s Park -

This route turns the park on its head, as you start in Camden and then make your way through the park’s prettier bits. Just after mile 1 you’ll be passing the back of London Zoo, where you’ll be able to see some birds (and hear other things) free of charge. Miles 3.5 - 5.5 make use of the length and slope of The Broad Walk. Pace yourself on both the incline and the decline and make the most of the grass patches through the rows of trees that line each side of the pavement path - your knees and meandering tourists will thank you.

So keep your feet busy while you think up your picnic menu for tomorrow’s promising forecast. If you need me, I’ll be frolicking down Primrose Hill. There’s a few bakeries near there, I think …

xx,

Nom Cat

Haven’t gotten enough of Regent’s? Me either. See what the park suggests.
More of a walking kind of cat? Try The Observer’s London routes: 1 and 2 .

Fashion: Wills-Moody Rock n’ Roll Jumble Sale

2 May 2010

Who said the hottest looks had to be new? Some of my personal favorite pieces are from second-hand shops and sales.  I’m tired of designers and stores selling vintage inspired looks at wallet-busting prices.  If you want to shop vintage, then you have to know how to jumble. 

Traditionally, a jumble sale is an event in which second-hand goods are sold, everything from clothes to standard bric-a-brac.  But over the last few years, the jumble sale has had a makeover.  What used to be piles of junk nobody wanted, now the average jumble sale is full of vintage treasures. And one of the hottest places to go hunting for treasures is the Wills-Moody Rock n’ Roll Jumble. But like most jumble sales, Wills-Moody only operates on the first Sunday of every month from 2-6 pm, so make sure to mark your calenders for this jumble. 

The greatest thing about the Wills-Moody jumble is that the vendors are a mix between the older burn-outs and the young hipsters - mind you, that in the UK, hipster is a good thing.  This makes for quite an eclectic jumble. 

Now last time I came to Wills-Moody, I practically walked out with a new wardrobe, including four Spring dresses and one leather bomber jacket, all for about £20 - an absolute jumble steal! So my expectations were high for what would be my last Wills-Moody Jumble Sale. 

Now a jumble sale is usually full of its fair share of rubbish, but if you really want a bargain, you cannot be afraid to dig and get a little dirty.  Digging is the most essential part. Sure, you can glance at what’s on the rack, but then you never really find anything because everything looks muddled together.  So keep in mind that to find those truly amazing pieces, you cannot be afraid to dig - and get a little aggressive when you’re going through those bins. 

Now the first thing that caught my well-trained eye was this beautiful sequenced clutch. However, I had to talk myself out of this one - I already have an over-whelming amount of clutches (perhaps the perks of having a brother that’s a handbag designer).  But these clutches were a bargain - at only £5 a clutch!

These leather gloves at £5 were also quite a steal.  But having told myself that £10 was my limit, I was waiting to find something that I knew I couldn’t live without.  Alas, I had to leave those beloved broaches behind.  But that’s when I spotted it - the messenger bag I had been searching for since I came to London. 

Now it may look a little beat up and torn apart, but that’s why I instantly fell in love with it.  The worn leather and the threaded embroidery gave it a little character, and the fact that the strap was made of a frayed rope meant that I needed to have it.  Judge all you want, but sometimes the best pieces are the oldest.  Now, the vendor originally wanted £10 - but I knew I needed to talk her down. 

Here’s another jumble rule: always talk the vendor down. It’s a jumble sale, not a high street store, so the prices are never fixed.  You never know how much you can save until you try.  Amazingly, I managed to talk her down to half price! At £5 this beaten beauty was mine.  So what could I get with my remaining £5?

Perhaps a vintage Harper’s Bazaar? As much as I love collecting magazines, I knew what I wanted, and it wasn’t an old magazine. I wanted something I could wear. And that’s when my days of digging payed off. I found the cutest Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt - and at only £5, it was mine.  But Wills-Moody wasn’t done with me yet. 

James Dean, The X-Men and The Virgin Suicides? It’s like this vendor knew me.  But I managed to resist temptation and walk out with my two vintage finds unscathed. 

Want to know what I got? Well have a look! 

This outfit is a May Day Holiday win. I cannot wait for the sun to come out so that I can wear my jumble sale find outside.  My jumble treasure, this Marc by Marc Jacobs top, was quite a catch, and it goes with my Silence + Noise studded cuffed shorts perfectly. To finish it off? Some great bargain sandals will make any outfit - from skinny jeans to cuffed shorts - a little brighter and ready for Spring.  

See? Great fashion doesn’t have to be expensive. It just takes a little patience and a lot of digging.

Jumble sale success.

Want to check out what other jumble sales are in the London area? See what Time Out London considers to be London’s Best Jumble Sales.

So go out for a little dig - you never know what you might find.

xx,

Posh Cat