The Bulb

Banishing the dumps with Noah and the Whale’s happy album

May 18, 2012

Music plays a very particular role in my life. On top of the general enjoyment music brings to my daily existence, I call on the sounds and words of musical storytellers to help me through “the dumps”; that is when I’m in need of a good laugh to get the happy endorphins flowing around my system once again. Of course I can call on my loved ones to lift my spirits, but sometimes a tune or two is all that is needed.

The album I am currently turning to on that rare occasion when “the dumps” strike is Noah and the Whale’s Last Night on Earth. I somehow missed it when it was first released last year. From Life is Life, to Tonight’s the Kind of Night, to L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, the bright, breezy, upbeat songs combine catchy melodies, gospel singers and feet-tapping beats. They also tell stories that every listener would relate to. As NME magazine put it, the album is “life-affirming, euphoric and beautiful”. The songs are even more meaningful after I saw the band perform them live at the Royal Albert Hall last month. A great experience.

I also relate to the music because I know that Noah and the Whale lead singer Charlie Fink understands a thing or two about black moods. He penned the band’s previous album, The First Days of Spring, to chart his emotional meltdown after splitting with the singer Laura Marling, and the music, to my ears, is as depressing as anything from Nick Cave’s darkest years. Thankfully, Charlie found his own return to happiness, and as much as The First Days of Spring defined despair, Last Night on Earth defines euphoria. For a long time I didn’t even know the name of the album; I just called it “the happy album”.

The other upside of discovering happy music is that it is the perfect accompaniment to when you actually are in a cheerful mood, as I am now (even though it is raining again; it is nearly summer here for Pete’s sake!). Guess what I’m listening to?

I’d love to hear what music gives you a pep in your step; send us your tips!

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Jaspar Tomlinson: big hopes for a little man

May 15, 2012

Much as I adored living in London, it wasn’t the friendliest place in the world; you’re unlikely to make a friend on the bus or on the street. Unless, that is, you’re lucky enough to bump into Max and Filipa Tomlinson.

One Friday evening four years ago, my other half and I were having a drink and playing Scrabble at the cosy pub The Angel, in Highgate, north London. My attention soon wandered to the couple at the table beside us. They looked as besotted as teenagers and were both wearing wedding rings. My over-active imagination decided they were having an affair. When they pulled out their diaries to coordinate meetings, I thought, “yep, definitely”.

Eventually their conversation turned our way, then they invited us to join them at their table. It turned out that not only were Max and Filipa married to each other, and had been for seven years, they also had two children: Jaspar and Ava. If this wasn’t enough, we learned that Jaspar had severe cerebral palsy. Here were people with children and a busy life, and an extra big challenge to contend with, and they were still having fun. (They roared with laughter when I confessed I thought they were illicit lovers). As we stumbled out the door at the pub’s closing time, we shouted down the street at each another: “see you soon!”

So began a wonderful friendship with two inspiring, generous and deeply passionate people. They invited us to their home for a raucous dinner and we reciprocated, and so it went on. Over that time, we’ve come to see how devoted to each other and their children – who now include little Ted, born last October – they are.

Max and Filipa are committed to ensuring the best quality of life and opportunities for Jaspar, who cannot walk unassisted or talk verbally. Cerebral palsy affects one in 400 babies and is an umbrella term for a group of disorders which damage the developing brain. Associated disabilities can include epilepsy and intellectual, visual or auditory impairment. Most people with cerebral palsy are healthy and aware, but like Jaspar, may have trouble moving or communicating. Most are normal, intelligent people trapped in their bodies.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy but various experimental stem-cell treatments have become available around the world. Though the treatment is still in the early stages of development and cannot claim to provide a miracle cure, small but important improvements have been reported among some children. After doing extensive research, Max and Filipa honed in on a treatment which focuses on improving the function of the cerebrum. In this procedure, stem-cells are harvested from bone marrow and mixed with cerebral spinal fluid. The mixture is reinjected and begins to circulate in and around the brain. The hope is that the harvested stem cells will replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissue. After several false starts, Jaspar was booked in for treatment at a California stem-cell clinic in January.

Since then, Max and Filipa have reported several key changes in Jaspar: his seizures are less regular; he is able to sleep through the night without Max or Filipa needing to turn him over. He is less “spastic” – meaning he has greater control over his arms and hands, for example being able to hold his arms in when moving through doorways without them flinging out. Where his feet and hands were always cold, they have warmed up. Filipa and Max hope this is a sign of better neural function. He has developed better oral control, sucking from a straw for the first time. He seems more aware, though as Max says some things will never change. “He still does not like maths.” Max adds: “we both know that these are early days but these small changes are so impressive when we have gone so long without change.”

Jaspar was assessed to need six treatments over the next eight years, but the cost is prohibitive, totalling some A$112,000 (£70,000). This is where his Australian godfather, Tim Gray, steps in. Never a natural athlete, Tim decided to undertake a 56 km ultramarathon – which he completed recently – followed by the arduous North Face 100, a 100km race in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, which he will undertake on May 19. The inspiration for Tim, who Max says is ”a big lad but runs like an elf on steroids” is raising funds for Jaspar’s treatment. To date he has raised nearly A$20,000 (£12,400), while UK efforts have raised nearly £29,000 ($46,500). His training updates are touching and hilarious.

On days when I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself, I find that looking back at Jaspar’s website or reading emails from Max and Filipa or Tim set me back on the right path. Not just because it reminds me of how lucky I and my family are to be fit and healthy, but because it reminds me that no matter what the level of adversity, there is always a way to be found to work through it and ways to accept the limitations. And of course, it’s impossible to resist Jaspar’s cheeky little grin and twinkly eyes.

If you’d like to find out more about Jaspar, or donate, click here.
To read more about stem-cell research, read here

Posted in People, Words | 1 Comment »

Enlivening history: E.H. Gombrich’s A Little History of the World

May 11, 2012

All stories begin with ‘Once upon a time’. And that’s just what this story is all about; what happened once upon a time. Once you were so small that even standing on your tip toes, you could barely reach your mother’s hand. Do you remember? Your own history might begin like this: ‘Once upon a time there was a small boy’ – or a small girl – ‘and that small boy was me’. But before that you were a baby in a cradle. You won’t remember that, but you know it’s true. Your father and mother were also small once, and so was your grandfather, and your grandmother, a much longer time ago, but you know that too. After all, we say ‘They are old’. But they too had grandfathers and grandmothers, and they, too, could say ‘Once upon a time’. And so it goes on, further and further back. Behind every ‘Once upon a time’ there is a always another.

When I read this opening paragraph of E.H. Gombrich’s A Little History of The World, I had to double-check that I had opened the book I thought I had. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting. As I continued to read, I realised that the charming simplicity of the narrative is exactly why this book has been an international bestseller since it was first published in 1935. It recounts history in a way that people don’t expect but in which they can follow, embrace, be excited by and fall in love with.

In forty chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from the Stone Age to the atomic bomb. Mankind’s experience is the central focus, with dates and facts woven in almost as an aside. I was particularly struck by the way the book captures the motivations of people throughout history, and the reasons why particular races opted for war, for peace, for beauty, for art, for barbarism, for isolation, for power or for destruction. I was enthralled every time I snuggled in to bed to read the next instalment. It taught me not only about events in history that I had either forgotten or never known, but how writing can be beautifully simple, yet complex and accessible all at the same time.

The birth of the book is also an amazing story. It was written by Gombrich in Vienna when he was an unknown 26-year-old art historian, penning it in just six weeks to meet the tight deadline of a publishing friend who had been asked to produce a history of the world for younger readers. It first appeared as Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser and was an immediate success, going on to be published in seventeen languages. It may have been written for young adults, but the intelligent and charming writing makes the book appealing to all ages.

E.H Gombrich

In the mid 2000s, toward the end of Gombrich’s life, he embarked upon a revision and, for the first time, an English translation was published by Yale University Press. In this version, an older Gombrich conceded that much of the optimism around European humanism that featured in his first edition was misplaced, and that in the mid to late 20th century humanity took “a painful step backwards”. Interesting to note that the book was banned by the Nazis for being too pacifist.

I’ll leave you with another extract from the A Little History of the World – another book to add to my list of works that stopped me in my reading tracks. Enjoy.

Have you ever tried standing between two mirrors? You should. You will see a a great long line of shiny mirrors, each one smaller than the one before, stretching away into the distance, getting fainter and fainter, so that you never see the last. But even when you can’t see them any more, the mirrors still go on. They are there, and you know it. And that’s how it is with ‘Once upon a time’. We can’t see where it ends. Grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather … it makes your head spin. But say it again, slowly, and in the end you’ll be able to imagine it. Then add one more. That gets us quickly back in to the past, and from there in to the distant past. But you will never reach the beginning, because behind every beginning there is always another ‘Once upon a time’.
* Image of E.H. Gombrich courtesy of afclondon.org

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Let’s do the time-warp in Williams, Arizona

May 8, 2012

Perhaps the possibility of most people ending up in the small town of Williams, in the middle of the desert in the United States, is rather small – but the flood of childlike giggles and glee brought on by my recent visit to Twister’s 50s Soda Fountain Cafe in Arizona are begging to be shared. And share I will.

For one thing, Williams is no ordinary town and Twister’s is no ordinary restaurant. Hopefully some of our past and future posts on America’s phenomenal natural wonders, cities and people will also convince you – little by little – to plan an epic U.S. road-trip for yourselves, making it a bit more likely you’ll end up in Williams one day. (My travels across the U.S. have honestly completely surpassed expectations and hence I would urge you to put it on the holiday wish-list; particularly if you’re keen on active trips, with hiking, cycling and kayaking opportunities aplenty. You can get a full experience even with a week or two.)

Williams, Arizona, on Route 66

Let me first set the scene. Williams, Arizona, is what many towns in this area call themselves: a “gateway to the Grand Canyon”. But this one comes with a few more quirks than the average gateway town. It has Route 66 as its main street, holds the southern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railway, and is essentially still set up as though it’s living in the gold rush – a preserved stretch of “the Mother Road”. After a couple of weeks of driving through other desert towns, to me it really was like striking gold when I chanced upon this place.

I felt like I had rolled into one of those two-horse towns from Western movies, where I was about to sidle into the local saloon and have a bunch of whiskey-shotting, tobacco-spitting locals look at me like I’d just stepped out of the DeLorean time machine in a pair of high-tops and a smirk. But there were no such moments – turns out I was the target audience. (I was a bit disappointed not to appear in a shoot-out too.) Yes, it was a bit kitsch, but for me it completely worked. When you’re out there in the middle of nowhere, you want to play the part. You want to feel like you’re somewhere different – because you are.

Eddie's Tires, Shocks and Brakes, in Williams, Arizona

Looking down the main drag – minus the modern cars – you really could have been in Williams 50+ years ago. There was an old-style gas station; the Route 66 Inn; a couple of old steakhouses; Eddie’s Tires, Shocks and Brakes; the Wild West Junction; and a picture perfect historic village, along with some other not-so-authentic gimmicks.

And then there was Twister’s. The retro charm of this 1950’s diner is clearly designed to fit into the “historic chic” of the wider town, but in reality, the beauty of it came from the fact that it didn’t have to try. From the attitude and speech of the warm local staff to the authenticity of the decor, this place is was a perfect time warp.

Come with me on a little 50s adventure for a moment …

A pink Cadillac is parked outside. You walk in to see shiny red vinyl booths with Coca Cola paraphernalia everywhere. “Sweet Nothings” by Brenda Lee is playing on the radio. There is a real soda fountain. They serve buffalo wings and catfish. They make Coke floats and cream sodas. The waitress wears a frilly pink apron and calls you “toots” (OK, I made that last bit up.) I was catapulted into The Frosty Palace in “Grease” when they are dancing around the diner (please excuse the Spanish dubbing).

Twister's 50s Soda Fountain Cafe, on Route 66

Just to tempt you a little more, I’ll tell you what we ate. It started with the bison burger with fries and the all-you-can-eat fried catfish special with fries and hushpuppies (fried cornmeal balls – a new favourite). The waiter said the catfish was his personal favourite and gave us a big personal welcome to Williams given it was our first time – a genuine touch. But the star of the show was definitely dessert. I really wanted to order a soda float, and I think if I were five years old I would have. But I’d also heard about Twister’s Famous Sundae, so I went for it. I’m talking vanilla ice-cream, strawberry topping, hot chocolate fudge, nuts, cream and, of course, a cherry on top. It was like all my childhood dreams in the one glass. Just look at it. It completed the 50s fantasy. I will be trying this at home – on a smaller scale – for my next retro dinner party dessert.

Twister's Famous Sundae

While you’re dreaming your own sundae dreams, I’ll just pop this thought into your head: if you can’t make it to Williams, why not visit another time-warp restaurant or venture at a city nearer to you? Because there’s nothing quite like a trip back to the golden days.

Ballarat, Australia: It would be wrong not to include our kitschy childhood favourite: ye olde theme park, Sovereign Hill
London: Try eating through the decades with ArtForEating or pop into Ed’s Easy Diner
Melbourne: I used to love Johnny Rockets, but I think it’s closed now so try Soda Rock Diner in South Yarra
San Francisco: They still have Johnny Rockets here in the U.S. of A!

Posted in Eating, Travel | 3 Comments »

Saucy chocolate pudding to end all puddings

May 4, 2012

Most questions in life can be answered in just two words: chocolate pudding. It just doesn’t come better, does it? Chocolate pud combines homeliness - something Mum can make with her eyes closed – with decadence.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, the season has turned from languid summer to brisk autumn, with many rainy days and the heater on. Naturally, the mind turns to heartier foods that bring out the feel-good factor that’s hiding behind the clouds.

But chocolate pud is not restrictive. If it’s sunny and warm where you are, well, that’s just a good excuse for putting an extra scoop of cooling ice-cream on top. And actually, while chocolate pud is lovely warm, the leftovers are best served cold from the container just out of the fridge. (Just don’t do what I did and share a spoon. It’s a recipe for domestic war.)

I made this pud for lunch with friends last week. It’s so easy I was able to make it while keeping the adult conversation going and playing “who’s the invisible person grabbing at my backside?” with their little daughter Ava, whose favourite dessert is this one. With its balance of soft cake-iness and rich sauciness it received the ultimate compliment from Ava and her mother Kate – herself a formidable cook and dessert-baker – that it was better than the one they make at home.

If you want to be really organised, make the mixture for the pudding first and do the sauce bit later, when it’s time for baking. And don’t scrimp on the ice-cream either.

SELF-SAUCING CHOCOLATE PUDDING adapted from Taste.com.au
Serves 6 dessert lovers

INGREDIENTS
2 cups self-raising flour
4 tbspns cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar
160g butter, melted, cooled
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce
1.5 cups brown sugar
4 tbspns cocoa powder, sifted
2 1/2 cups boiling water

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a good-sized ovenproof baking dish; see-through is best. Sift flour and cocoa into a large bowl. Stir in sugar.
2. Combine butter, milk and eggs in a jug. Slowly add to the flour mixture, whisking until well combined and smooth. Spoon into the baking dish. Smooth the top.
3. For the sauce, sprinkle the combined sugar and cocoa over pudding. Slowly pour boiling water over the back of a large metal spoon to cover the pudding. (It should soak through about halfway into the pudding mixture.)
4. Place the dish onto a baking tray. Bake for around 40 minutes or until pudding bounces back when pressed gently, or an inserted skewer comes back clean. Serve with ice-cream or cream, and berries are nice too.

*Image courtesy of Taste.com.au

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The rewards of taking the road less-travelled

May 1, 2012

Ever since I was young, the idea of doing the same thing as everyone else has been unappealing. The subject matter to which I’ve applied this notion has changed over time – from clothes and interests to ideas and philosophies – but at its core I think it might be like a silent commitment to discovering things new and different, in whatever form that might take from year to year.

At this moment in time, as I explore the mind-blowing diversity of America’s landscapes, it’s taking a very simple form: going off-piste. When taking a particularly tourist-trodden path, which is completely overflowing with natural wonders, it’s a (nice) challenge to try to find something which not everyone is seeing: a different perspective, some extra detail, a little surprise perhaps. So my approach during our recent desert adventures, across Arches National Park to Canyonlands, Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley, has been to take a few detours and alternative routes; whether wandering off the rough walking tracks or taking one of the jeep roads in our questionable Chevy sedan instead of the normal road.

The breathtaking Monument Valley

The rewards have been plentiful. I’ve seen so many things I’m sure I never would have spotted if I didn’t stray from the beaten path: prairie dogs (my new favourite ahead of meercats), chipmunks, vultures and lizards. But most inspiring for me have been the desert flowers. Look at this hostile land. You would think nothing more than a few shrubs could possibly exist here, and along the normal path that’s all you would see. Yet each time I veered off the track I spotted some beauties that defied all logic and expectation. Less than 10 inches of rain each year, yet nature can still produce this. Imagine it after the rains, which have just this second started.

Posted in Moments, Travel | 2 Comments »

When a Muppets belly laugh saved the day

Apr 27, 2012

Is there anything better than a belly laugh? Certainly not when you are on a gruelling long-haul flight which you have boarded in a emotional cloud of sadness, anxiety, dread and worry. And who is better to provide that belly laugh than those little masters of hilarity and happiness, the Muppets.

A few weeks ago I was boarding a 12-hour flight when the particular type of anxiety that I feel when travelling by air started to creep up. This anxiety is a combination of the dread of being cramped in an uncomfortable chair for hours, worry that I won’t be able to sleep and therefore arrive at my holiday destination exhausted, and, thanks to a dodgy inner ear, a fear of feeling unwell the whole time. Add to this a sadness from just having said farewell to good friends, and I was feeling pretty low.

Then a text arrived with a tip from my fellow Bulbette, who had just completed a similar long-haul flight on the other side of the world: “Highly recommend The Muppets Movie if they have it inflight – had me crying with laughter. Animal in anger management, Miss Piggy the plus-size editor of Vogue Paris – so funny!”

I took her advice and weeks later my laughter muscles are still recovering. The Muppets Movie – the first theatrical release from Kermit and crew for 12 years – is comedy gold. I chuckled, giggled, laughed quietly and then belly laughed out loud at the mayhem of Jim Henson’s puppets. Check out the below clip of the Princesses of Poultry, Camilla and friends, performing Cee Lo Green’s Forget You (with highlights of the rest of the movie). It had me belly laughing so hard that I woke up the poor stranger next to me. It was especially funny given Cee Lo Green’s own chicken-costume-wearing performance at The Grammy’s last year, and the original chicken-suit-wearing Muppet Show performance by Elton John.

When it got to the part of the movie when the band started the familiar refrain of “It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights…”, I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear. I was transported back to my childhood and the joy that was beamed into our living room every Saturday night by the particular comedy magic that The Muppets Show conjures. The movie also has new music penned by Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Concords fame, who won an Academy Award for the film’s hilarious song Man or Muppet.

Thanks to The Muppets, two hours into my 12-hour flight my anxiety had melted away and I settled down for eight hours of solid sleep. I send a huge thank you to The Muppets, who have been entertaining little kids, and big kids like me, in one form or another since the 1950s. Long may it continue. (The good news is there is talk of another TV series!)

P.S. This post took me a long time to write because I kept getting distracted watching The Muppets’ best moments on YouTube. Check out these beauties with Julie Andrews and Rudolph Nureyev with Miss Piggy, the original 1969 version of Manamana (with a very early version of Animal), Miss Piggy’s Snackercise and Debbie Harry and Kermit’s Rainbow Connection duet.

Cee Lo Green in his chicken suit at 53rd Grammys, performing with Gwyneth Paltrow

Posted in Moments, Music, Travel | Comments »

48 hours in Chicago: a home away from home

Apr 24, 2012

It takes a special kind of city to make you feel at home almost immediately. There aren’t many that have ticked that box during my years of travelling, but in Chicago I found a home away from home. Perhaps it was because it reminded me a lot of Melbourne. It’s very liveable, with great food, lots of cool individual neighbourhoods, and arty with strong cultural veins that give the city its lifeblood. The people were so friendly that I was taken aback at times. They really seemed to want to help me out so that I saw what they see in their amazing city. And I did. From the gangland prohibition era to the rich multiculturalism of the city’s immigrant populations, Chicago really stole my heart for a couple of days in April.

Here’s my rundown on what you can fit into 48(ish) hours in the Windy City. (Times unaccounted for probably mean I was napping or rewatching The Untouchables. More on that in a separate post coming soon.)

48 hours in Chicago: Itinerary Snapshot (more detail below)

Thursday evening: Famous pizza, shopping strip stroll and sleep

Friday morning: Big brunch, Millennium Park and public art

Friday afternoon: Self-guided architectural walk and Art Institute of Chicago

Friday night: Jazz at the Green Mill, Al Capone’s old gin house

Saturday morning: Lincoln Park and Zoo, North Avenue Beach and Lake Michigan

Saturday afternoon: Eating and shopping in trendy Wicker Park

Saturday night: Ribs at Rokit

Deep dish pizza at Giordano's

Thursday, 5pm – Deep dish and dreams

After more than 14 hours travelling from London, the only things on our minds were comfort food, some fresh air and an early night. We got lucky on all counts.
Hotel: We chose Hotel Felix – a friendly boutique eco-hotel – which was both affordable (for Chicago) and in a great location, whether you want to explore the north or south of the city.
Dinner: Chicago is famous for ‘deep dish’ pizzas (imagine a deep, bready quiche shell rammed with pizza toppings) and it just so happened we were a couple of minutes walk from Giordano’s, a Chicago institution. We managed to eat just a third of the smallest size pizza plus a salad, so definitely err on the side of caution when ordering! Boy was it good, but we haven’t been able to look at cheese since.
Stroll: While we waited for our table we took a walk in the sun down the Magnificent Mile, the part of Michigan Ave lined with the city’s upmarket shops. But it was the magnificent tulips that stole the attention. Spring in Chicago, we quickly discovered, means thousands upon thousands of tulips.

Yolk cafe, Chicago

Friday, 10am – Yolk folk

If you’re a brunch fan, then you’ll love Chicago. Being from Melbourne, brunch is a much-loved and respected eating tradition in its own right, but when you’re travelling and need to watch the pennies it comes into its own as one meal that replaces two. Chicago offers a plethora of options, with some dedicated specifically to brunch.

We fell in love with Yolk. Be prepared to queue on weekends, but we swanned in on a Friday morning and blew a few brain cells trying to decide what to order from probably the best breakfast/brunch menu I’ve ever seen. We opted for one of the famous omelettes (the Garden Delight) and a Countryside skillet, both of which were huge and delicious. Just in case you need more food (pah!), everything comes with your choice of fruit and toast, pancakes or English muffins (I’m not joking). Man the Americans can eat. And so can I, it seems. I scoffed the fruit and the rest, and returned the next day for more. I also loved the fresh-squeezed strawberry-orange juice.

Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate, Chicago

Friday, 11.30am – Public art park (aka Millennium Park)

In the heart of downtown Chicago lies Millennium Park, bursting with the gifts of public sculpture. I was in awe of Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate masterpiece – also known as the Bean – which is perfect for clever reflective photography and general pondering. You’ll also find Frank Gehry’s 120 ft-high Pritzker Pavilion and Jaume Plensa’s fantastic 50ft-high fountain displaying larger-than-life video images of locals’ faces. If you’re there in summer, you can do tai-chi, yoga, pilates or dance classes in the park for free on Saturdays.

Friday, 1pm – Architectural ambling

Chicago is a paradise for architecture and design nerds. Home to the tallest building in the US and responsible for the world’s first skyscraper, even those people spoilt by Europe’s big cities and beautiful buildings would be hard-pressed not to be impressed by Chicago’s architecture and skyscraper smorgasbord. We decided to do a self-guided walking tour to see the sights and walk off brunch. Do it yourself, try the free tours by Chicago Greeter or InstaGreeter, or download a free audio tour by the Chicago Tourism Office. We did a recommended route by Lonely Planet and took in Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, Willis Tower (tallest building), the Rookery, and the 1930s art-deco delight the Chicago Board of Trade, ending at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Wrigley Building, Chicago

Friday, 3pm – Art art art

As a bit of an art history buff, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to explore America’s second-largest museum, the Art Institute. I was lured by the thought of seeing Seurat’s pointillist triumph A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte in the flesh and Grant Wood’s American Gothic. It’s open late on Thursday nights until 8pm.

Friday, 8pm – Nudging Capone

To get a hit of Chicago’s prohibition past and its deep history of jazz and blues all in one go, we hit the Green Mill. This jazz club was a favourite speakeasy of Al Capone but still packs a mean punch attracting top musicians and a renowned poetry slam on Sundays. Buddy Guy’s Legends also came highly recommended for blues, Southern food and a great night out.

Saturday, 11am – Lions and tigers and bears, oh my

The sprawling Lincoln Park was alive with people relishing the warm weather (as you would after a harsh six-month winter) and is a great place to hire bikes, go for a run or stroll and check out the other attractions in the area. Lincoln Park Zoo is free and home to lots of exotic species, and the North Avenue Beach is a great urban spot for eating, drinking and lounging.

Jaume Plensa's Crown Fountain, Millennium Park, Chicago

Saturday, 1pm – Neighbourhood chic

Chicago doesn’t have one beating heart, but is composed of a myriad of different neighbourhoods. With their diverse identities and cultures, they are a key part of what makes the city feel like home. We walked a solid 45-minutes from Lincoln Park through the picturesque Old Town (so named after the Great Fire of 1871) to the trendy Wicker Park. Once a working-class immigrant hub, it’s now packed with restaurants, bars, galleries and boutiques and felt very much like Melbourne’s Brunswick St. We took a break from meat and fries by lunching at the delightfully hippyish Native Foods Cafe. Its hot chai, salads, health bowls, burgers and wraps dragged us back to health and were excellent – try the Moroccan Bowl and the Ebel’s weiss beer. As an alternative, try the Storefront Company for weekend brunch or The Southern for outdoor cocktails and bites inspired by the south.

Saturday, 7pm – Ribbing it with the locals

At the last minute, we found out some friends were in town for the night. On the spur of the moment we stumbled onto Rokit Bar and Grill without a reservation. With a more sophisticated dining space downstairs and a first-in-first-served eatery upstairs that mixes drinking and dining, it was quite a good find. Excellent ribs, pulled pork, coleslaw and pork chops, plus attentive waiting staff, impressed us. A heady crowd of locals playing snooker and watching ice hockey made us feel in the thick of it. Atmospheric and loud, I wouldn’t go for a romantic dinner but it was a nice spot for a random night of eating and drinking (and being entertained by the disproportionately high number of hen parties!).

Posted in Art, Design, Drinking, Eating, Music, Travel | Comments »

Fabulous fishy Fridays

Apr 20, 2012

I was not raised in a Catholic family, but all through my childhood Friday nights usually meant fish ‘n’ chips for dinner. There really is nothing quite like unwrapping the paper to release the steamy smell of battered fish and crispy chips, especially on a chilly winter’s night. I clearly remember saying, in between mouthfuls of fried potato and salty flake, “I could just LIVE on fish ‘n’ chips! When I grow up I’m going to have them EVERY DAY.”

Despite my own prophecies I don’t, in fact, eat fish ‘n’ chips every day. Times have changed a little, as have my eating habits. Though I still enjoy a good big feed from the chip shop every so often, I tend to cook my own fish, experimenting with different varieties, marinades and cooking styles.

My most recent experiment has taken the cake for ‘best fish ever cooked at home’. And I can’t even claim the credit. My husband discovered this easy recipe last week after buying some fresh, wild-caught flathead fillets. While I tend to be comfortable slapping meals together with whatever’s in the fridge, he is much more painstaking when it comes to cooking. He follows the recipe to the letter and so is less likely to add the wrong flavour or cook it for too long, or not long enough. Initially I raised my eyebrows at the use of yoghurt here, but a-ha! I was proved wrong. I think it’s actually the secret ingredient.

While we used flathead (a variety of white fish found in Australia), this recipe would work with virtually any white fish done in the pan, or indeed salmon. We served it with roasted aubergine, fennel, courgettes and peppers, and the obligatory squeeze of lemon.

Happy fishy Friday!

PARMESAN-CRUSTED FISH FILLETS (adapted from Taste.com.au)
Serves 2 good eaters)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup multi-grain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low-fat natural yoghurt
2 good-sized flathead fillets (or any white fish or salmon)
1 1/2 tbspns olive oil

METHOD
Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Place yoghurt into a separate bowl. Turn fish in yoghurt to coat, then dip into the breadcrumbs mixture, making sure fish is well coated.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the fish, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and your choice of sides, such as home-made chips, roasted vegetables, quinoa salad or coleslaw.

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All hail the stinky rose! The Bulb salutes National Garlic Day

Apr 17, 2012

The Bulb owes a lot to garlic. Not only did this pungent bulb in part inspire our name, but, believe it or not, the very blog itself. When I remembered it was National Garlic Day this week on April 19, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the small but important role garlic has played in our blog’s history, as well as throughout the wider world. I’ve also taken the opportunity to celebrate its deliciousness.

In the summer of 2010, I met two girlfriends for dinner at Argentinean restaurant Buen Ayre in London’s Broadway Market. We had been lured by the promise of one of the city’s best steaks (which we got), but what actually left a lasting impression was the papas fritas a la provenzal (fat chips with garlic and parsley). The garlic that adorned our fritas was so mighty, so potent, so punchy, that we spent the rest of the night, and much of the next day, with the breath of the ‘stinky rose’.

Our affliction was so powerful that in the end we simply had to embrace the odour, leading to a lots of laughs about what we inflict on ourselves, and our friends, to satisfy our love of food. It also sparked a discussion about the daily inspiration garlic brings our kitchens. Before long, we were talking about all the daily inspirations in our lives – from art to music to fashion to people to literature and to more eating. Hence, the idea for The Bulb was born.

Some things have changed in the lives of us friends, the Bulbettes, since that balmy summer night. One Bulbette has returned to live in to her home city of Melbourne and is expecting her first child. Another Bulbette is on her way back to Melbourne to live (via a 10-week holiday in the United States and South America). This Bulbette is still living in London and being inspired every day. What has not changed is our love of the garlic and of sharing our inspiration through our own bulb.

So back to the topic of inspiration. My web search in preparation for Garlic Day turned up a league of garlic fanatics around the world who are, I admit, more inspired by it than we are. Check out Garlic Central and Garlic Mistral for everything you could possibly want to know about growing and consuming garlic. I also found a long list of interesting facts about our favourite pocket of flavour, a few of which are below. Believe what you will!

Alliumphobia is the psychological term for fear of garlic. (There are certainly no sufferers at this blog)
The garlic bulb, officially called allium sativum, produces hermaphrodite flowers
Garlic is mentioned in the Bible and the Talmud
In the account of Korea’s establishment as a nation, gods were said to have given mortal women with bear and tiger temperaments an immortal’s black garlic before mating with them
China is the world’s top garlic-producing nation, cultivating more than 12 million tonnes in 2008, followed by India and South Korea, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation
Drinking lemon juice or eating a few slices of lemon can help ward off bad garlic breath, as can chewing curly parsley. (We will remember that the next time we order papas fritas a la provenzal)

And just to round off this ‘ode to garlic’, below is a recipe that The Bulb has used to wow guests, feed hungry husbands, or just overindulge when home alone. It was particularly successful last year on a weekend away with friends in the English countryside, where there was lots of fresh air to breathe out our rather pungent garlic breath. We took creator Lorraine Pascale’s advice and served the dish with chutney and a glass (or three) of red wine.

CAMEMBERT AND ROASTED GARLIC
By Lorraine Pascale

INGREDIENTS
2 bulbs garlic, unpeeled, with the tops sliced off
40g butter
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
sSalt and freshly ground black pepper
1 squidge of honey
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
3 bay leaves
200-250g Camembert, plastic wrapping and lid removed but still in its wooden box, at room temperature
1 French baguette, ripped into 10cm pieces and sliced horizontally

METHOD

1.Place the garlic cut-side down in a large roasting tin. Add the butter, oil, a pinch of salt, a couple of twists of black pepper, the honey, rosemary and bay leaves and bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes. After 30–35 minutes put a large cross in the top of the Camembert and add it to the oven. Add the French baguette to warm it up too.

2. Once the garlic is soft, the bread is extra crunchy and the cheese is all soft and gooey, remove from the oven.

3. Serve everything on a big sharing plate. Break off a piece of crusty bread, squeeze out the tender flesh of the garlic along with a healthy dose of cheese and smear it liberally over the bread.

*Images from coolplaces.co.uk and www.bellybytes.com

Posted in Eating | 2 Comments »

Beating the Saturday blues with lunch at Mishkin’s

Apr 13, 2012

We are big on dinner parties at The Bulb. We are also big on breakfast meetings, or Bulb Breakfasts, as we like to call them. As we mentioned recently here, we love hosting Saturday roast lunches. But guess what? We also like going out for lunch on Saturdays!

Going out for Saturday lunch is the perfect cure for the Saturday Blues. This is an affliction suffered when my work-week routine of work late / party hard / exercise / support family / clean the house / read novels / write a blog is broken by the weekend, and I’m jarred from Monday to Friday frenzy into a desire to relax. I often end up running around like a headless chook, but this is not satisfying or relaxing – resulting in a condition my fellow Bulbette has coined the Saturday Blues. It can at times also qualify for what has become affectionately known as a failed day.

Booking in lunch with a friend gives my Saturday a welcome structure; my body time to recover from any Friday night antics; my inner-domestic goddess time to get a load of washing done before leaving the house; and my exercise regime a chance to be resurrected. By the time I sit down for lunch at about 1pm, I’ve achieved enough to ward off any niggling Saturday Blues, and, more importantly, I’ve worked up a huge appetite. It also means that having done my social dash for the day, a Saturday night on the couch with a glass of wine and DVD is completely warranted.

For my most recent Saturday lunch, I called my friend Claudine and we booked at table Mishkin’s in London’s Covent Garden.

Whitefish and spinach knish with parsley liquor

This eatery exudes New-York-coolness and bills itself as a “kind of Jewish deli with cocktails”. Open since late last year, it is the latest small-plate dining venue from proprietors Russell Norman and Richard Beatty, the duo behind Italian bacaros Polpo, Polpetto, Da Polpo and Spuntino. Having eaten at all but one of these restaurants – two of them for Saturday lunch – I expected big things from Mishkin’s. It delivered.

We started with the latkes, smoked trout and beets with horseradish cream (£8), and the whitefish and spinach knish with parsley liquor (£8). The knish was like a dense, posh potato cake with a soft doughy exterior. It was salty, fishy and sour all in one, and beautifully offset by the mild herby sauce. Next up was the duck hash, fried egg and liquor (£9). The meat was rich, the sauce was rich and the flavours were full.

Duck hash, fried egg and liquor

Mishkin’s has an appealing big sandwich menu – think Brick Lane salt beef with Colman’s mustard & pickles (£9) – but we bypassed the chunky offerings and instead opted for the delicate steamed beef patties with onions and Swiss cheese (£5). I’m not a huge fan of beef, but the accompanying cheese, caramelised onion and soft bun certainly ticked all the comfort-eating boxes. The gherkins served with the patties were also a highlight.

Steamed beef patty with onions and Swiss cheese

Neither Claudine nor I will deny that we have a sweet tooth, so we didn’t refrain on this occasion, choosing the moist, perfectly-baked Nancy Newman’s soggy lemon drizzle cake (£5), and the tart and delicious apple and honey blintz (£6).

We didn’t partake in any cocktails during our two-hour stint at Mishkin’s, but this is certainly the kind of place where I could make an ‘afternoon’ of lunch, graduating from my coffee, to cocktails and back to coffee as the hours while away. If nothing else, a meal here will certainly blow away any Saturday blues.

Nancy Newman’s soggy lemon drizzle cake

Find the menus and details of Mishkin’s and its fellow small-plate eateries here. Our meal for two with four small plates, two desserts and coffee came to about £50 per head.

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Peeping in at the life of Samuel Pepys

Apr 10, 2012

I’m a big fan of the classics, but if I’m honest, there are a number of major works that I’ve always considered too daunting to tackle in one sitting without a reference book or tutor to keep me going. Books on my “difficult shelf” (both real and imagined) include The Bible, War and Peace, Finnegan’s Wake, Ulysses, much of Shakespeare and anything by Proust.

One of the biggest tomes on my bookshelf is Pepys’ Diary. This is one that falls into many people’s category of “too big, too hard and written in ye olde English”. It was written in the seventeenth century by Londoner Samuel Pepys (pronounced “peeps”), a naval administrator who accompanied Charles II back to England from exile in France. It spans the years from 1660-1669 and is considered by many to be the pre-eminent account of post-Restoration London. His distinctive writing style brings the man and the city to life. It frequently amuses, sometimes shocks but most of all is candid in a way that only a journal that was never intended for publication can be.

I have tried, and failed, several times over the years to get stuck into the print version of Pepys’ Diary. Until, that is, I discovered the online version, which sends out a daily entry, corresponding closely to the date it was written. (Today’s entry is April 9, 1669.)

When I was training as a journalist, one of the things I was taught was to apply “dabs not slabs” of information to stories both verbal and written: you quickly lose people’s attention by putting too much detail in one sentence or paragraph. The idea is to space it out and therefore make it more palatable. This is the genius of Pepys Online: it gives you just a dab of Samuel Pepys every day, through which you get to grips with the language of the day and his style of writing. And what an entertaining arrival to the inbox it is.

Pepys gives an eyewitness account of some of the biggest events in British history including the Great Fire of 1666, which decimated the city, and the plague which followed it, killing a quarter of the population. We are also privy to the smaller events in Pepys’ life which bring that era to life in vivid colour – his meetings at court and friendships with distinctive figures like fellow diarist John Evelyn, King Charles II and his brother James II. We read of Pepys’ trips to the tailor and wigmaker, what he has for dinner (anchovies and sweetmeats, anyone?), the renovation of his house and the many daily incidents which colour his life. Take this, from yesterday’s entry:

Going this afternoon through Smithfield , I did see a coach run over the coachman’s neck, and stand upon it, and yet the man rose up, and was well after it, which I thought a wonder.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Pepys’ most famous activities: his dalliances with servant girls and other men’s wives, and the furious rows that resulted when discovered by his long-suffering wife. Pepys doesn’t hold back on detail, though in the sauciest bits he tends to revert to French; a seventeenth-century version of pixelation, perhaps.

There is no question that Pepys was a lady’s man. It is evident in this entry, where he describes his satisfaction at his wife’s hiring of an attractive new maid:

[My wife] hath hired a chambermaid; but she, after many commendations, told me that she had one great fault, and that was, that she was very handsome, at which I made nothing, but let her go on; but many times to-night she took occasion to discourse of her handsomeness, and the danger she was in by taking her, and that she did doubt yet whether it would be fit for her, to take her. But I did assure her of my resolutions to have nothing to do with her maids, but in myself I was glad to have the content to have a handsome one to look on.

A community of followers has built up around Pepys Online, and a forum has sprung up in which questions, comments and annotations are posted, explaining details in the diary. Not sure exactly where Whitehall Palace was? What on earth is pease porridge? And who is this Deb, with whom Pepys seems so infatuated?

There is more to the man than the ladies he chased though: by assiduously recording a decade of his life Samuel Pepys created a time capsule through which we can witness the grimy, political, exciting times of seventeenth-century London. In dabs, not slabs.

*Image courtesy of Magdalene College, Cambridge

Posted in People, Words | Comments »

A roast lunch worth sharing (aka The Big Boy)

Apr 6, 2012

Every year, I host a long Saturday lunch to signal the end of winter and the beginning of my favourite season: spring. When the daffodils are peeking through, the magnolias are threatening and there is just that faint change in the light that tells you things are changing, it tells me it’s time for the Big Boy lunch.

For me, when it comes to celebrating with friends, I don’t think there is anything quite as satisfying as a long lunch. It has a casualness that makes it feel almost spontaneous, a mysteriousness about how the day will unfold (in our case, usually over the day and night), and a familiarity that you just can’t replicate at a dinner party. If you have your favourite people there and great food, it’s a combination that is almost faultless.

And so these simple ingredients were brought together a few years ago to create a new tradition. It goes something like this:

- Best friends arrive at around 2pm (we don’t want the chef flustered!)

- We relax over a glass of bubbles, easy conversation and some antipasto

- The “Big Boy” (lamb roast) is served to much ooh-ing and ah-ing and applause (hopefully)

- We try to deter people from seconds (so that we can have it in sandwiches later)

- A round of games ensues (think Celebrity Heads, Ring of Fire, Pictionary, YouTube roulette and personal party tricks, often accompanied by alcoholic penalties)

- Friend unveils amazing dessert (ta-dah! Yes, outsourcing one course helps keep the focus on the Big Boy)

- Someone realises the shops may close soon so does one final run to top up the champagne supplies

- Then things get a little crazy, often just repeating from step 2 onwards (believe me, it’s best if I leave it there)

I’ve held you in suspense for long enough now, so here are the recipes that make up the magic. Why not start your own new tradition?

The Big Boy (inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Garlic, Feta and Herbs)

Serves 6-8

Ask your local butcher for a tunnel-boned leg of lamb. The boned area makes the perfect cavity for the stuffing.

INGREDIENTS
2-2.5kg boned leg of lamb (or bigger if you really want it to be a Big Boy)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g feta cheese, chopped into 1cm cubes
Zest of 1 lemon
4 semi-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
50g pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 large handful of spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large handful of mint, chopped
4 slices of pancetta
Olive oil, to drizzle
Generous splash of red wine

METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the lamb on a chopping board and lightly score the fat in a criss-cross pattern. Rub salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity.
2 Mix together the feta, lemon zest, tomatoes, olives, spinach, garlic and herbs. Spoon the mixture into the cavity of the lamb and press with the back of the spoon to pack in as much as possible.
3 Wrap both ends of the lamb with the pancetta to secure the filling, then tie with kitchen string at intervals. Place the lamb on a lightly oiled tray and drizzle over with some olive oil. Season the fat again with a little more salt and pepper.
4 Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190C/Gas 5 and roast for 20 minutes per 500g for medium-cooked meat. Half an hour before the lamb is done, pour a generous splash of wine into the pan and continue roasting. Check the lamb 15 minutes before it is ready by piercing the centre with a metal skewer, which should then feel warm against your hand.
5 Remove the lamb from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the pan juices.

Etti’s herb salad (adapted from Ottolenghi – The Cookbook)

Serves 6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS
35g coriander leaves
50g flat-leaf parsley leaves
20g dill leaves (if liked)
40g basil leaves
50g rocket leaves
50g watercress leaves
50g unsalted butter
150g whole unskinned almonds
1/2 tspn course sea salt
1/2 tspn black pepper
2 tbspn lemon juice
1 tbspn olive oil

METHOD
1 Gently immerse the herb leaves in cold water, being careful not to bruise them. Drain in a colander and then in a salad spinner or by spreading them over a clean kitchen cloth.
2 Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the almonds, salt and pepper. Saute for 5-6 minutes over a low to moderate heat until the almonds are golden. Transfer to a colander to drain. Make sure you keep the butter that’s left in the pan. Leave it somewhere warm so as it doesn’t set. Once the almonds are cool enough to handle, chop them roughly.
3 To assemble the salad, place the herbs in a large bowl. Add the almonds, cooking butter, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss together gently and season to taste just before serving.

Accompaniments and sides: I usually also serve this with sweet potato and potato chips, beetroot and fetta salad, roast fennel and orange salad, crusty bread and a yoghurt sauce for the lamb.

* Images courtesy of taste.com.au, Amazon and the Los Angeles Times

Posted in Drinking, Eating | Comments »

Finding the heartland – wherever that may be

Apr 4, 2012

The idea of home is a funny thing. To me, it simply used to mean wherever my parents were (coincidentally that usually meant a beautifully kept, supremely comfortable house with sea views, soft, clean sheets and a full fridge, hugs galore and reams of excellent advice). That still holds: no matter how old I get, I always feel at home when I’m with Mum and Dad.

Since I got married three years ago, the sense of “home” has expanded to include my beloved, of course. But the image of the place that conjures up what I call “the heartland feeling” has become a little blurred since I’ve relocated to Melbourne from London, where I spent five glorious years. Though I’m back in my native town, surrounded by family and old friends, I find myself more homesick for London than I ever was for Melbourne. The friends I made there became like family – but the kind of family that doesn’t test, irritate and befuddle you – so I ache for them too.

The redefinition of “the heartland” has become even more challenged as we’ve begun the process of selling our house in Melbourne and searching for a new one that is nearer to our families, our closest friends and work. Now that I’m pregnant with our first child, it has become more urgent to be in a place that we feel more comfortable in, surrounded by like-minded people. It gives us a deadline to try to find it, too – September.

Having a child also alters the definition of what the heartland will be, and argues for a more long-term view: five or ten years rather than six months or two years. It now means a place that has room for and is safe for little ones, within walking distance to schools, plus more quotidien things like daycare and medical clinics.

If I think about it too much and spend too much time on real estate websites, I can go a little goggle-eyed and impatient.

My goggly eyes were saved this morning when reading this inspiring post on The Design Files blog. I followed guest poster Megan Morton’s advice and had “Home”, by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros playing while I read. What a song! How joyful whistling is! It got me tapping my toes and made me smile.

I suddenly felt really lucky to be able to choose where I live, to be able to afford to live somewhere nice, and to share it with one, soon to be two, special people – not to mention all the other kindred spirits that are the secret to making the heartland come alive, wherever it is.

*Images courtesy of mylifeinpicz and Songs for Tonight

Posted in Blogs, Moments, Music, Travel | 2 Comments »

Balancing the booze: The ginger champagne cocktail

Mar 30, 2012

Spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere, and it appears that party season has sprung up with it. One hint of sunshine and suddenly we crave pink wine and bubbly cocktails and find the weather gives us just the excuse to indulge. While I’ll never complain about excess sunshine in London, excess drinking quickly takes its toll on this little piggy these days, so I’m always on the hunt for things that might help to balance the beverages.

That’s where lovely ginger comes in. Known for stomach-calming and antibacterial properties, you might have picked up in recent posts that we have a bit of a soft spot for ginger. Spicy, sweet and zingy all at the one time, it’s an addictive taste if it’s to your liking. And when it comes to balancing the acidity of alcohol, we’ve been finding that adding it into your drinks is not only delicious, but helps ward off nausea on the night and the next day. Having been blazing the ginger cocktail trail lately, I’ve tried the ginger mojito (excellent), the Moscow Mule (an old favourite) and of course the Ginger Dream, but here’s our current favourite ginger-based beverage (comprehensively tested at a recent Bulber party!).

The Bulb’s Ginger Champagne Cocktail

INGREDIENTS

500 ml ginger beer (Bundaberg or Fever Tree work well), chilled
1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger or 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

METHOD

This is an easy one. Just combine all ingredients in a jug or caraffe, stir and serve. With the fresh ginger, if you’re fond of it and don’t mind the small strands in your drink, use the finely grated version. If you prefer a more subtle flavour and a less intrusive form, use the slices of ginger. Either way, you can also strain the cocktail so that you’re only left with the liquid, but some of us are so ginger-crazed we like to chew on it too! You can also do some interesting garnishes with fresh ginger slices – be creative. And let us in on your best cocktail recipes too – ginger or otherwise.

* Photo courtesy of Liz the Chef Blog

Posted in Drinking | Comments »

Dancin’ through the decades with ArtForEating

Mar 27, 2012

It was about halfway through belting out Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made for Walking with a room full of strangers and watching my hubby dance with a man dressed like Ringo Starr that I had to stop for a “what the” moment. It was 8pm on a Sunday night; I was at a dinner party in a north London back street hosted by people I’d never met, and the first of the night’s five courses hadn’t even been served yet. Thankfully, I was having so much fun that I got over my moment and went along with the organised chaos, not only to the end of the song, but for the next four hours of the mayhem that was my ArtForEating pop-up dining experience.

My other half and I were sceptical when we first found ourselves at the address for the dinner. With nervous smiles, we followed the music inside what looked like a run-down warehouse to find a combined work and living space transformed into a restaurant which channelled the décor of Britain over the past five decades. We were welcomed by the ArtForEating waiting crew, handed a tasty Mullet Mule cocktail, introduced to our table-mates and seated for what transpired to be a decadant and delicious theatrical meal.

Prawn Cocktail with Jack Regan’s Bloody Mary

ArtForEating is the collaboration of a group of ex-Edinburgh University students who have pooled their talents to create dinner performances. Chef Charlotte Jarvis, an artist and film-maker by day, and James Read, a photographer and writer, have joined forces with comedians, actors and singers to create dinners based on themes as varied as Fairytales, Trash Vegas, Henry VIII and Anatomy. I was lucky enough to nab two places for their latest foray: “Decades” - the evolution of food through 50 years of dining.

The dinner started in the 60s, where we got groovy in an Italian bistro on Carnaby Street. Waiters Tiggy and Dingo spread free love and world peace, we harmonised to Nancy Sinatra and ate Corned Beef Served Stoned. This dish of home-made corned beef with “marijuana” smoked rocket, home-dried tomatoes, lentils and salsa verde was a classic, tasty combination. And the best bit: it was served on an LP.

Corned Beef Served Stoned

Twenty minutes later we were welcomed into a 70s steakhouse by a ukulele enticing us to join in with the Bay City Rollers’ Shang-A-Lang. Just as our rockin’ waiters were getting used to “this new decimal s**t”, dinner was interrupted by a 70s power blackout, forcing us to eat our Prawn Cocktail with Jack Regan’s Bloody Mary by candlelight. We got a kick from the unexpected, but delicious, chilli in the prawn cocktail, as well as from the “heavy handed” Bloody Mary.

The 80s arrived with strobe lighting, glitter, shoulder-padded waiters throwing champagne down the gullets of guests – “if it doesn’t flow down the tits it’s not the 80s” – and a suitably slick performance of Blondie’s The Heart of Glass. My diminutive golden roast quail was a challenge to tackle without using my hands, but the flavours in the chestnut stuffing and chocolate, cherry and cream sauce were perfectly balanced.

“Britain got its confidence back in the 90s,” quipped our waiters as they bypassed Britpop and went straight for that master of rap, Coolio. I didn’t realise I knew the words to Gangsta’s Paradise until my tongue was loosened by a shot of gin and I was rapping over my M&S Tikka Masala Ready Meal – a tender lamb sheesh kebab with masala sauce and coriander rice. The plate may have been plastic, but the dish was fantastic.

Madame Kerri Rapin' to Gangsta's Paradise

Amy Winehouse belting out Rehab welcomed the final decade of the evening. With Banksy projected on the walls, we #occupiedthebuilding and delved into our very own noughties “Heston Blumens**t” Molecular Gastronomy Dippy Egg”. Coconut cardamom mousse with a yolk of mango served with biscuit solders was light, packed with flavour and in fact my favourite dish of the evening.

The food finished at the noughties, but the party continued into the teens and two weeks later I am still revelling in the memories. The five-course meal was incredible value at £30 per person, with cocktails at £3.50-£4.50 and bottles of wine at £6-8. The hubby and I had to spend a bit more to catch a cab home when we missed the last tube, but ArtForEating was worth every cent.

*Images courtesy of James Read at www.artforeating.com

Posted in Art, Eating, Moments, People | 1 Comment »

Joyful escapism ends its West End run: farewell Legally Blonde

Mar 23, 2012

Sad news from London’s West End. Well, sad news in my eyes, which are those of a lover of musical theatre. Legally Blonde The Musical will end its 1000-show run next month.

I’ve not met anyone who walked out of The Savoy Theatre at the end of Legally Blonde without a spring in their step and a smile on their face, as I have three times now. In today’s world, when the weight of negative news can engulf and depress, the escapism of a musical like Legally Blonde is a welcome and uplifting joy.

I was sceptical, like many theatre-lovers I’m sure, when I first heard that yet another stage musical was being adapted from a Hollywood movie, following the likes of the not-so-inspiring (in my opinion) The Lion King and Dirty Dancing. Where’s the originality, I cried? Why can’t a new idea for a musical be given a chance? Why do producers doubt the creative maturity of audiences?

However, after Legally Blonde opened in London in 2008 and the first glowing reviews emerged and then continued, I was so intrigued that I bought a ticket and went to a performance by myself on a cold winter’s night. I left the theatre 2.5 hours later in a warm whirl of happiness, skipping down The Strand humming the catchy tunes of Omigod You Guys and There! Right There! and Whipped into Shape.

The Independent’s theatre critic Charles Spencer summed up the infectious cheer of the show perfectly: “OMIGOD! I tried, I really tried to hate this show, but resistance is futile. It’s going to be a huge hit and if you’re a chap, your wife or girlfriend is almost certain to drag you along. You might as well give in gracefully now.” My other half, my male cousin and various other men – not to mention plenty of ladies as well - have given in gracefully to my persuasion, and loved every minute.

What sets Legally Blonde apart from other musical movie adaptions is that, in the words of The Bulb’s favourite star Diva Deb, it has what every musical should have: an original score, clever and energetic choreography, songs that progress the storyline, creative sets, and slick, world-class performances. Yes, the characters break into song regularly – a common quip against musicals from people who don’t like them – but when the tunes are belted out with such infectious and absorbing enthusiasm, as they are by the cast of Legally Blonde, it’s just too hard not to be inspired.

So for those in London who need 2.5 hours of joyful escapism, quickly book a ticket to Legally Blonde before it closes on 7 April. And for those of you elsewhere, like in Sydney, where it will open in Octoer, get yourself a seat quick-smart.

Posted in Music | Comments »

Design (and ginger) dreams in homes away from home

Mar 20, 2012

If I owned property and had the means to style and decorate it to my heart’s desire, the places to turn for inspiration are both numerous and sumptuous. There is an entire industry of magazines, television shows and blogs (two of The Bulb’s favourites are The Design Files and Design Sponge) to get my creative juices flowing. Given a lot of our conversations at The Bulb recently have been sparked by design inspiration, we today launch a new category of posts dedicated to the topic, which we’re very excited about.

Sadly, because I rent my home, I don’t often take the time to lust over photographs of gorgeous homes, styles and spaces because I know it will likely be years before I have the means to put any of my favourites into practice, if ever. To be candid, I get a bit jealous.

Murals at The Hotel du Vin, Cambridge

However, you can’t shut out inspiration when it comes knocking on your door. The knocking can be pretty loud when I’m in a home, restaurant, public space or shop and see in person, rather than in a magazine, an object, a design or a style that is enchanting. That’s when I do let myself dream the home-owner-design-decorator dream.

Quite often I will get bursts of inspiration from the style, individuality and attention to detail that can be found at lovingly-decorated bed and breakfasts, holiday cottages or hotels, as was the case recently when The Bulb were guests of Hotel du Vin in Cambridge. Before I go any further, I want to clarify that yes, The Bulb stayed at the Hotel du Vin for free – our first such outing libre – but that this in no way ‘bought’ our good favour. We have a simple, but strict, editorial policy: if we like it we’ll write about it; if we don’t, we won’t. If there’s no inspiration, there is most certainly no post about it. We won’t do a negative review, but our views cannot be bought with free stuff.

So with that out of the way, back to dreams of my dream house, and what I did find genuinely inspiring at Hotel du Vin.

The cellar bar at the Hotel du Vin, home of the Ginger Dream

In the hallway: a wine glass chandelier. Impressive, inventive and with just the faintest hint of kitsch, which ticks all the boxes on my feature lighting checklist.

On the walls: framed personal photos that perfectly capture a memory and make me smile every time. Hotel du Vin’s walls in Cambridge are peppered with photographs from the college ball celebrations of Cambridge University students and of the before and after photos from when the hotel was being converted from its previous existence as a University-owned building dating back to medieval times. It makes for amusing and intriguing wall art.

In the kitchen: the Bistro du Vin (the hotel’s accompanying restaurant) and the personal services of head chef Jonathan Dean. His dishes make the most of local produce to evoke the comfort of classic but stylish French-inspired cooking, with an enticing mix of bold flavours. The tiger prawn, scallop, pancetta salad (about £9), the rump of lamb with spinach and pea risotto (£22.95) and the Citrus Tart (about £8) would be recommendations.

In the drinks cabinet: an endless supply of the ‘Ginger Dream’ cocktail, which is made with gin, ginger liqueur from Alsace, lemon and pineapple juices, and apricot jam. Quite simply, liquid heaven. The ‘Corsica’ champagne cocktail with fig and honey liqueurs and Amaretto was also exciting. It would be rather nice, too, to have a full-time mixologist on hand, as well as a sommelier to continue to introduce me to delights such as Moscato d’Asti.

In the study: a dark, brooding library open all hours and with board games. Need more be said?

In the dining room: a feature mural. This one may be harder to pull off in a domestic setting, but the effect of the hotel’s detailed depiction of the scene at the end of a university formal dinner really generated an atmosphere and would be an endless talking point.

The Library at the Hotel du Vin

But the hotel design inspiration didn’t stop at the Hotel du Vin. The Bulb also recently ventured to Berlin and we were thrilled to have picked the Michelberger Hotel for our stay (paying our own way this time). Where Hotel du Vin’s style is sophisticated and classic, Michelberger’s is cheeky, edgy and fun. Attention to detail seemed to be the hotel’s middle name, so here’s a few design highlights from our adventure there.

Splashed everywhere: expanses of yellow, Michelberger’s colour of choice, which just makes me smile and think of sunshine. The yellow case was my favourite.

Fluttering about: little avian influences. From the giant nest complete with egg in the big courtyard, to the crows spotted about, to the avian origami lessons, birds were a common decorative thread.

In reception: normal things to make you feel at home, like book shelves and a dog’s bed and clocks with world time, but with a special twist to fit the Michelberger style – a design tip which can make or break a space. The clocks were cuckoo clocks, the book shelves were kind of like hip cages, and the dog’s bed was made of an old open suit case. Bless.

Cuckoo clocks show world time at the Michelberger Hotel

Well, that’s the day dream over. Off to the bank to pay my rent.

Hotel du Vin Cambridge
Room rates for a Saturday night range from about £200 to £330. The Bistro du Vin menu ranges from £5 for the soup du jour starter to £26 for the beef fillet, rosti and wild mushroom main. The very extensive wine list starts at £30 per bottle.
*The Bulb were guests of Hotel du Vin Cambridge

Michelberger Hotel, Berlin
Room styles and rates range from around £60 per night for a “cosy” or “loft” room for 1-3 people to around £150 for “the big one”. The hotel’s restaurant also does a great Friday night special menu of five or five courses for €20 per person.

Posted in Design, Drinking, Eating, Travel | 1 Comment »

Taking a different kind of moment: The Bulb meditates

Mar 16, 2012

When everything in your life gets a bit too much – there are too many people who need your time, your to-do list needs its own personal assistant, you’re scared to return to your own house (read: rubbish tip) for fear of the five-day-old lentil soup coming alive, or you’re just faced with a tough situation – what do you do? Does your mind convulse in a stressed-out blur? Do you sit in a corner and hope it goes away? Or do you have the mental robustness to be calm in the storm?

If you’re anything like me, how you cope probably varies, but I’ve never felt like I am that zen person who has the capacity to cope with whatever gets thrown in my path, although The Bulb’s job of reminding us all to take some time to stop and enjoy the inspiration around us every day always helps (sorry, shameless plug). So I decided to work on it. Meditation has been something that I have considered for years but never did anything about. A niggling “should” that I knew would be good for me but, ironically, life kept getting in the way, and perhaps a few prejudices did too. But this year I made it my New Year’s resolution to give it a try.

It turns out that taking a moment is having a bit of a moment. I must have read at least half a dozen mainstream articles in the past few weeks of “normal” people being completely taken by meditation. I know such transformative stories are a dime a dozen in today’s world, but I’ve only just started seeing them on this particular topic. And as meditation grows in popularity, all kinds of interpretations and views are emerging. Here’s a quick snapshot of my experience.

Meditation has given me, in a word, calm. It’s like having the awareness to fine tune your mind, knowing which nobs to turn to improve it. But it’s not easy getting there and the learning process can feel like a double-edged sword. What it does do is make you stop and notice your mind. The downside for many people initially, including me, is that you find your mind looks like a super highway – there is so much traffic speeding back and forth that it’s difficult to observe the individual cars. But as soon as you become mindful of this, you can begin to slow down that highway.

I have taken the modern approach to learning meditation: downloading an app. I know this sounds a bit counter-intuitive – using your smartphone to meditate – but it works for me. I’ve got into the habit of doing it on the tube on the way to work too, which I find particularly amusing, if slightly idiotic. I use the Headspace app because I like the company’s approach of demystifying meditation by making it more modern and secular. Headspace has a free beginners Take 10 programme that asks you to meditate for 10 minutes a day for 10 days, right through to a 365-day programme that takes you through different levels. And because it’s designed for people with no knowledge of meditation, the app explains things using simple language, with reminders and testimonials to make it easier. Its cute animations are extremely helpful too.

I have attended a couple of face-to-face sessions too, just to help get into it. Headspace runs some, but there are other more traditional and often religious organisations, like Innerspace, that offer courses, seminars and classes.

Meditation has been a gentle kind of transformation that just makes me feel like a stronger person. We all know that modern life is a barrage of information and activity that often zaps our zest for the everyday wonders around us. A tool that allows me to recapture the mental clarity and energy to properly enjoy the things that really matter is one that is worth more than 10 minutes a day in my book.

* Graphic courtesy of Headspace

Posted in Health, Moments | 2 Comments »

A salve for a (not so) failed day

Mar 13, 2012

A very good friend of mine, Anna, is one of those people who seems to have an in-built chirpy chip. She has a brightening effect. Anna is a paediatrician so, naturally, is highly intelligent and warm-hearted. She really has it together but she also has an endearing tendency to drop things down her front. That makes me love her more.

We were talking last week about days that don’t go well. Those days that start out promising enough, but then short-circuit. You’re suddenly tired, irritable, unmotivated. You can’t seem to get the things done that you’d hoped to, and everything seems like a gigantuan effort. Despite your best intentions, you don’t really get much done at all. By the end of the day you’re drained, (in my case) a little teary, and most of all frustrated at yourself, which only make things worse as the negative self-talk kicks in. All in all, not much fun.

I tend not to talk about these days much as I have always thought I’m more prone to having them than most people. It was therefore heartening to discover that Anna, one of the most switched-on and motivated people I know, also has these days. She even has a term for it, which I like a lot: having a failed day. Though I don’t usually like the word fail, there is something black and white and dramatically bludgeon-like about those two words that makes me smile, and reminds me that things could probably be worse.

Until now, today has been a bit of a failed day for me. I won’t bore you with the details, suffice to say that by 4.30pm I decided to accept it and write it off. I hopped into bed with my iPhone and decided that the least I could do was clean up my email inbox. Aren’t I glad I did, for I found a message from another dear friend which contained a quote from the late psychiatrist and grief expert Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Its simplicity and gentleness helped to sweep away the negative clutter that filled my mind.

I thought I’d share it, for you to file away for those failed days – which are, actually, always repairable and hold hope right until the end.

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose.

There are no mistakes, no coincidences; all events are blessings given to us to learn and play.”

Posted in Moments, People | Comments »

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