LoveScotch pop-up at The Drift

19-10-2016 Local Black BookCity, City of London, event, London, lovescotch, masterclass, mixology, pop-up, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Scotch whisky, the drift, whiskyLeave a comment

Neat, on ice or with soda.

That’s pretty much the only options you have when it comes to Scotch whisky.

Lovescotch Pop-Up at The Drift

Or rather, had, before the #Lovescotch pop-up opened.

An exclusive partnership between swanky City restaurant The Drift and upscale spirit brand Diageo, Lovescotch aims at proving that Scotch is much more versatile that it’s given credit for.

Until March 2017, you can get stuck into ‘Scotchtail’ (understand classic cocktails with a whisky twist) masterclasses and experiential tasting and just generally soak up the gorgeous surroundings.

I mean, how pretty does the pop-up look? Very antique-store meets boudoir, super-intimate and just my kind of place.

Add in the opportunity to experiment with cocktails you already know & love (each with an exciting twist!) and you’re in for a treat from up North!

The Scotchtail Masterclasses shows the diversity of Scotch by experimenting with it in classic cocktails, where traditionally other spirits would have been used.

Combining Johnnie Walker Gold, passionfruit liqueur, vanilla & pineapple juice and served with a Champagne chaser, the Goldmember is a clever take on The Drift’s Pornstar Martini bestseller.

The same tangy flavour as the classic, but with a more grown-up, complex finish – the perfect way to make any whisky-hater change their mind!

And a great accompaniment to The Drift’s generous Meat Platter!

Piled high with chicken Satay skewers served with smooth peanut sauce, mini beef sliders, fiery chorizo, more-ish Scotch egg, served alongside piping hot fries and onion rings and unbelievably addictive smoked paprika mayo…

But the fun doesn’t stop there, there’s still a world of Scotchtails to try!

My favourite was the Seven Flowers, a citrusy mix of Haig Clubman scotch, elderflower syrup and lemon juice, all topped with Champagne.

Sweet, sour and incredibly elegant.

Lovescotch Pop-Up at The Drift

And incredibly easy to make, should you want to give it a go: just pour, shake, sieve and serve!

Or you know, let the amazing people at The Drift do it for you! Whether you’re a Mojito fan, an Espresso Martini aficionado, a Pornstar Martini lover, or a French 75 addict, LoveScotch is really quite a neat place to be.

Masterclasses are available for private bookings and would make for the perfect start to a girls’ night out (or a brilliant way to switch up the office’s traditional Christmas party for something a bit more un-usual!).

#LoveScotch pop-up at The Drift / until March 2017 / More information on The Drift’s website

The Drift, Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY

*I got invited by The Drift to try out the #Lovescotch pop-up but all cocktail lovin’ and slider addiction my own.

Little Nan’s Afternoon Tea at Sutton House

20-06-2016 Local Black BookAfternoon Tea, cake, cocktail, cocktails, Dalston, Hackney, Little Nan's, London, National Trust, pop-up, recommendation, Restaurant, review, scones, Sutton House, teaLeave a comment

Nothing lifts rain-drenched spirits the way Afternoon Tea does.

Especially if said tea is of the tipsy variety and involves a bit of history and a lot of vintage crokery!

Which is just what Little Nan’s latest pop up is all about!

Hosted in Hackney’s Sutton House and taking place every Sunday starting on July 10th, Little Nan’s Afternoon Tea is the perfect mix of traditional and kitsch.

If the weather is nice you can have your tea served in the Tudor courtyard or the breakers yard and enjoy the sunshine.

But if the summer weather doesn’t quite work out the way Facebook might make you believe it does, the indoor Georgian tea-room is absolutely charming as well.

Like any self-respecting nan’s dining room, the place is full to the brim with vintage furniture, lace doilies, freshly cut flowers and the most impressive collection of china tea cups…

And an equally impressive collection of quirky teapots…

That Little Nan’s sneaky grandchildren use to serve their latest cocktail creations!

The perfect camouflage (and the number one way to improve on your Nan’s tea!)

With just a few twists on the classics, the Tea itself is delightfully retro and much more in line with what your Nan would serve…

Classic Cheddar cheese straws

Finger sandwiches

Egg & cress, ham & mustard, carrot & hummus, smoked salmon & cream cheese (the unquestionable winner of the lot), strawberry jam… It’s a sandwich lover’s paradise!

Beautifully golden home baked scones, served with clotted cream and the best raspberry jam (that we may or may not have fought over…)

Followed by a selection of seasonal pastries & cakes (Almond & orange cake + Chocolate Rocky Road on our visit, both absolutely delightful!)

Plus your choice of nutty Carrot cake or creamy Victoria Sponge…

And like at any grandma worthy of the name, you’ll definitely be encouraged to go back for seconds and thirds!

Grandma’s house vibes + tipsy tea = the perfect way to perk up to a rainy day!

Book Little Nan’s Cocktail Afternoon Tea

Find out more about Sutton House (a visit of which is included in Little Nan’s Cocktail Afternoon Tea ticket)

Russell James ‘The Raw Chef’ Pop-up restaurant at Tiny Leaf

21-03-2016 Local Black BookLondon, pop-up, raw, raw food, Restaurant, review, Russell James, The Raw Chef, Tiny Leaf, vegan, vegetarian2 Comments

You know I’m not usually one for diet or substitute anything. And yet, after a rather sinful start to last week, I was looking to redeem myself and strongly considered eating nothing but salad for the next few days.

But then I got invited to The Raw Chef’s latest pop-up restaurant… and I’m not going to lie, that was a much more exciting way to get my greens in!

Russell James 'The Raw Chef' pop-up restaurant at Tiny Leaf | Cake + Whisky

The gorgeous Green Room of newly opened Tiny Leaf was the perfect setting for a night full of nature-filled discoveries.

The Raw Chef, Russell James, discovered raw food on a trip to Thailand back in 2004 and has since made it his mission to make raw food accessible everyday.

For his latest pop-up restaurant, he teamed up with natural drinks wizard Michael Isted of The Herball, who designed invigorating and revitalising drinks to match Russell’s wonderful raw creations.

Not only are the drinks actually doing you good, but they’re also incredibly tasty and beautiful.

Just look at that Crystal Botanical Water (Rose Quarz and Clear Quarz with Rosa damanesca & Boswellia sacra)!

Jun (fermented green tea with raw honey, botanical extracts & crystal essences)

Turmeric + (Wild harvested sea buckthorn, guggulsterones, piperine, ginger, long pepper, black pepper, withanolides, turmeric, vegetable glycerine, citrus, bitter, orange flower, sparkling water)

A stunning little number that one!

And a perfect pairing to the surprising dishes on offer.

First course of the night was Tree Nut Cheese Plate with Lychee Ceviche.

A cheese hater but nut lover’s (=me)dream came true!

A Cauliflower & smoked cashew soured creat with dehydrated parsnip chips and coriander emulsion followed (and I was so busy oh-ing and ah-ing that I complitely forgot to take any picture…)

Luckily, I didn’t make the same mistake with the main course.

Brazil nut sea veg croquettes with tartar sauce.

But my absolute favourite thing at The Raw Chef’s pop-up (and one that could convince me to look more into raw food in the future) was the stunning dessert.

Ishikawa matcha cheesecake with cacao soil and mango jam.

Made with cashew nuts and coco butter, this cheese-free cheesecake (!!) was one of the absolute best I’ve ever had (and so much lighter than the real deal!). very much going to try my hands at making something similar very soon (I’ll probably start with some sort of version of Russell’s own recipe).

All in all a brilliant introduction to raw food and a fascinating evening. Unfortunately, the pop-up restaurant is now closed, but I highly recommend that you keep an eye on the Raw chef’s website for upcoming events (and try some of his recipe in the meantime!)

Lumiere London 2016

18-01-2016 Local Black Bookart, arts, London, Lumiere London, pop-up, what to do in london1 Comment

Last weekend, Londoners and visitors were invited to see the city in a new light with Lumiere London, the biggest-ever light festival to hit the capital.

Produced by Artichoke and supported by the Mayor of London, a host of international artists illuminated four of London’s most iconic areas: King’s Cross, Mayfair, Piccadilly and Westminster, creating opportunities to see iconic architecture transformed with 3D projections, interactive installations and other extraordinary light works.

There was so much to see we didn’t managed to cover it all, but what we did see was so gorgeous I couldn’t resist sharing a few pictures.

IFO (Identified Flying Object) by Jacques Rival

This giant, neon-lit birdcage has been a KX feature for a while, to the delight of art enthousiastic and kids-at-heart (there’s a swing in the cage’s centre!).

Joining the Dots by Cleary Connolly clever video installation inspired by the work of psychophysicist Gunnar Johansson on how the mind can perceive the human body.

Very much in tune with its environment, using the newly-opened German Gym as its backdrop!

Dresses by Tae Gon Kim

Beautiful, shimmering dresses frozen in London shop windows. One of my favourite pieces.

Circus of Life by Ocubo

Featuring acrobats, jugglers, dancers and performers, as well as the faces of some of the people who live, work, or play in King’s Cross.

Which, judging by the crowds, seemed to have made it a popular piece.

Or maybe we were just all there for the tea…

I Haven’t Changed My Mind in a Thousand Years by Beth J Ross

Bringing the wisdom of the past to the present.

A welcome bit of a modern clash with the very fancy Piccadilly Arcade (where change of heart over a Rollex or a diamond necklace happen far too often!)

Les Voyageurs by Cédric Le Borgne

Sitting on rooftops, frozen mid-air in flight, they invite you to glance up and around, offering the possibility of connection between dream and reality.

It sure got me dreaming of flying away to Neverland ( and I might also have sung a little bit…)

You can fly, you can fly, you can flyyyyyyyyyy!!

195 Piccadilly by NOVAK

From the home of the Royal Society of Watercolour Paintings to that of the prestigious BAFTA nowadays, the stunning building at 195 Piccadilly is a fascinating piece of London’s architectural history.

Even more so when arts manages to combine past and present and explore the different genres of cinema and television.

Luminéoles by Porté par le vent

Lumiere London 2016 | Cake + Whisky

Brightly coloured “dancing” fish, floating and swooping through the air. Simply beautiful.

Shaida Walking. 2015 by Julian Opie

Yet one more art piece projecting Carnaby at the front of London’s street art scene.

And last but not least…

1.8 London by Janet Echelman / Studio Echelman

Strung between buildings at Oxford Circus, this enormous net sculpture is named after onf of the astonishing impacts of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Such was the strength of the vibrations that the earthquake momentarily sped up the earth’s rotation and shortened that day by 1.8 microseconds.

Using data from NASA, Studio Echelman turned this phenomenon into this wonderful interactive piece of art.

Proof is you ever needed one of how beautiful science is.

And a truly brilliant way to start 2016 indeed!

Gü’s Dessert Island

20-05-201520-05-2015 Local Black Bookevent, food, Gü, London, pop-up9 Comments

I’ve been so tired these last few weeks that I’ve been dreaming of beach holidays even more often than I usually do. All I wanted was the sound of the waves, the kiss of the salty wind on my face, a good book and maybe a few cheeky cocktails.

Unfortunately, taking the first plane to dreamy destinations such as St Lucia or the Barbados isn’t quite in my budget. Luckily, the Gü team has more than one trick up its sleeves and when they invited me with the promess of pudding in a beach-stastic environment, I almost did a little dance of joy!

I quickly packed sunscreen, sunglasses and the rest of my summer essentials (more on this soon, keep your eyes peeled!) and I was on my way! Cake + Whisky - Gu #dessertisland pop-up Pudding paradise was waiting and I was READY!After a quick look around the upstairs lounge (they had the most beautiful flowers there!) and a bit of a debate on which Gü dessert was the best (Chocolate & Vanilla cheesecake in my opinion, the combination of the dense chocolate truffle layer and airy vanilla mousse just can’t be beaten!), I was quickly swifted downstairs… or should I say St Lucia! Cake + Whisky - Gu #dessertisland pop-up Aaaah! Blue skies and transparent water. I could already feel myself being a lot more relaxed than I was a few minutes earlier! And the pudding you ask? Well it simply was as velvety and decadent as ever!

The Gü #DessertIsland experience is on at 15 Bateman Str. today (20/05/2015) and tomorrow (21/05/2015) and a little bird tells me they still have a few availability for tomorrow.. so if you’re in the neighbourhood, drop by for a delicious and relaxing experience!

Cake and Whisky

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