The obvious place when you think about it for Punchdrunk to take up residence is the shambolic but lovely Battersea Arts Centre. I've seen some pretty odd stuff there in my time; Time Out mounted a huge campaign against miserable old Tory Wandsworth Council who were going to slash BAC's funding; the paint is peeling and the loos are awful, almost as bad as the wine but sod it, it's a great place.
Punchdrunk are putting on The Masque of the Red Death during September and October. Evening dress optional. I'm excited already. If you go on Friday or Saturday nights, the ticket price includes entry to Red Death Late Nights.
Monday, 16 July 2007
I heart the South Bank
God, I don't think there's been more than 48 hours in the last three weeks where I haven't at some point found myself on the South Bank. What a great place. I love the fact that you don't need to buy anything to enjoy the space. I love the open-ness of the RFH. I love the glass and stone of it all. I love the water installations. You get the picture: I'm quite a fan. Anyway I was there again today and had 15 minutes to kill as I awaited a first date (not the best start to a beautiful relationship) and found yet more cool stuff. If only I could marry the South Bank and be done with these silly boys.
Take for example Late Lounge at the Terrace Cafe of the National Theatre, 10pm-1am on Fridays and Saturdays during summer - the unique 'Bring and Share' DIY disco. Or St Etienne's Turntable Cafe nights held monthly(ish). Or Benugo at the BFI. Super super, the lot of them.
Take for example Late Lounge at the Terrace Cafe of the National Theatre, 10pm-1am on Fridays and Saturdays during summer - the unique 'Bring and Share' DIY disco. Or St Etienne's Turntable Cafe nights held monthly(ish). Or Benugo at the BFI. Super super, the lot of them.
Sunday, 8 July 2007
Vauxhall's green and pleasant fields
This is what every local park should be like. Everytime I walk through it I am struck by how well cared for it is, and what a lot is going on there, despite being on the small side. Above and beyond the standard park-like things, it has a model village (yes! really it does!), a lavender field and a rose garden. Dead cool.
The park's one of several good reminders that Vauxhall is about so much more than a one way system. Others include the gorgeous and romantic community gardens behind hippie Bonnington Square, where I've loved and lost; the city farm squeezed into a tiny space between sprawling estates; and the Spring Gardens Community Centre, which has the most fantastic organic vegetarian cafe but only between 8 and 2 on weekdays. So unknown that I can't even find a link to it on the internet. Come Sunday night it plays host to some *very* raucous parties... what is it about sunday nights in vauxhall? they are apparently the new saturday in this funny little pocket of town.
The park's one of several good reminders that Vauxhall is about so much more than a one way system. Others include the gorgeous and romantic community gardens behind hippie Bonnington Square, where I've loved and lost; the city farm squeezed into a tiny space between sprawling estates; and the Spring Gardens Community Centre, which has the most fantastic organic vegetarian cafe but only between 8 and 2 on weekdays. So unknown that I can't even find a link to it on the internet. Come Sunday night it plays host to some *very* raucous parties... what is it about sunday nights in vauxhall? they are apparently the new saturday in this funny little pocket of town.
New Sardinian outpost: Belgravia
There really isn't much to recommend the Victoria end of Belgravia. It's where Mrs Thatcher lives. It has the coach station. It has no newsagents. It has a pub full of braying rahs. Oh and it has two of my favourite restaurants ever. Damn.
Olivo and it's cheaper sister Oliveto are both brilliant examples of what restaurants should be about. Both Sardinian in flavour, the former does some serious meat 'n' fish; the latter great pastas, pizzas and a few fishy things. The waiters are cool, the wine is cheap and hangover-friendly, the tables are close together but somehow that doesn't matter too much.
Clearly the owner of these two lovely places has got sick of turning people like me away when I try (in vain) to book tables for 2 for the same day, and I see he's just opened a third restaurant: Olivomare (time to place your bets on what the fourth one's going to be called) - fish, fish and fish again. Sounds great. Only bad news is that according Time Out, they're already turning down bookings. Grr.
Olivo is on Eccleston Street, 020 7730 2505. Oliveto is on Elizabeth Street, 020 7730 0074. Olivomare is on Lower Belgave Street, 020 7730 9022.
Olivo and it's cheaper sister Oliveto are both brilliant examples of what restaurants should be about. Both Sardinian in flavour, the former does some serious meat 'n' fish; the latter great pastas, pizzas and a few fishy things. The waiters are cool, the wine is cheap and hangover-friendly, the tables are close together but somehow that doesn't matter too much.
Clearly the owner of these two lovely places has got sick of turning people like me away when I try (in vain) to book tables for 2 for the same day, and I see he's just opened a third restaurant: Olivomare (time to place your bets on what the fourth one's going to be called) - fish, fish and fish again. Sounds great. Only bad news is that according Time Out, they're already turning down bookings. Grr.
Olivo is on Eccleston Street, 020 7730 2505. Oliveto is on Elizabeth Street, 020 7730 0074. Olivomare is on Lower Belgave Street, 020 7730 9022.
The pain and the itch
The Royal Court has a relatively new artistic director who has been having a real go at all the Guardian-reading liberals feeling better about themselves for coming to watch plays about poor and lost people. He's said he wants theatre to be more explicitly political (I like him already). This play is about the self-obsession and self-consciousness that often seems to accompany overly eager proclamations of liberalism. It seems to be designed to make the audiences likely to be seeing it shift in their seats. Mixed reviews (it started on Broadway) but it's been too long since I went to the Royal Court so time to go back. On until 4th August, 020 7565 5000.
C is for cinema, coffee and curzon
This site is very useful indeed: it has the listings and times for all films playing at the Curzons Soho and Mayfair, as well as the Renoir. So pretty much my favourite convenient cinemas all in one place. Although if I ever get bored of them, Rich Mix or the Electric are pretty fantastic alternatives.
Curzon Mayfair quite often has a good early showing, but guaranteed early and damn cheap are the Cineworld Haymarket, or the cinema inside the Trocadero (where, if they like the look of you, they give you a student price and let you take your own coffee in - two things definitely worth smiling nicely at the ticket vendor for...). Oh, and for those times when all you want to do is talk all the way through the movie, there's nowhere better than the Ritzy Friday night viewing.
Curzon Mayfair quite often has a good early showing, but guaranteed early and damn cheap are the Cineworld Haymarket, or the cinema inside the Trocadero (where, if they like the look of you, they give you a student price and let you take your own coffee in - two things definitely worth smiling nicely at the ticket vendor for...). Oh, and for those times when all you want to do is talk all the way through the movie, there's nowhere better than the Ritzy Friday night viewing.
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