Walking and discovery tours always seem like such a great idea when they come up on ‘daily deal’ sites - I’m suddenly seized by a passion for hauntings, places of literary interest, street art and small batch artisan gin distilleries - not to mention being driven almost mad by greed by anything of a foodie nature. But then stuff comes up. Like bad weather, or lack of time, or lack of appetite. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just dip in and out of such events, like a hop-on, hop-off bus?
This is where Taste Tripper comes in. With three ‘tours’ to choose from - one for coffee lovers, one for craft beer drinkers and another for chocoholics - you can explore London at leisure, fitting your tastings and visits in among other sightseeing, experiences - even chores. It means you can appreciate each individual maker’s offering, without your palate being so overwhelmed that you can barely discern what’s special about your final stop of the day, or simply not having the room or fancy for it. Regardless of being a tourist or a Londoner, it means that you can enjoy different experiences on different days, whether as and when you happen to be in a relevant area, or having purposely factored a pit-stop into your day. I thought I knew a fair bit about where to go to get chocolate in London; my friend and I have become very adept, when training for race events, at planning our long runs along routes that miraculously end at a chocolatier - for congratulatory and refuelling purposes, obviously. Now, thanks to TasteTripper, there are several as yet untried places on our radar, not to mention the sneaking sensation that we’d better not stop running any time soon #burnitoff. According to the fold-up map (love a bit of old school) which came with the pack, there are a LOT of brilliant places to buy chocolate out there - and the reverse of the map gives you a bit of info about all of them. Best of all, eight of the featured chocolate-spots are included on extra cards, which can be exchanged for free tasters on your visit, as well as for further discounts on goodies to take home. And, just in case any of your chocolate lasts the journey home, there are even some recipe cards with fab ideas ranging from mains to desserts. Throw in a few fact cards (comprising info on famous London neighbourhoods, plus some chocolate lingo and a tasting guide) and a chance to win prizes via various social media tags as you upload snippets from your tasting experiences, and you have the ideal gift for a foodie friend or for someone who’s headed to London. Explorer packs for one person are £18, or £30 for 2 people. www.tastetripper.com Sarah Rodrigues
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‘If creativity is what fuels and drives design it is hope that fuels and drive Utopia' Somerset House plays a perfect host to the 37 countries taking part in ‘Utopia by Design’. The huge sculptures, high tech interactive pieces and small city recreations fill the forecourt and every room of this fantastic iconic London building. The theme Utopia – chosen as a tribute to Sir Thomas Mores book written 500 years ago - provides a thought provoking and open space for the participating artists and designers to explore themes around sustainability, migration, pollution, water and social equality. As you wander you see fantastic examples of how design could play a vital role in addressing social needs. My highlights were - based purely on the visual impact as I didn’t have the luxury of time on my visit:
One interesting feature of the exhibition was the interactive pen - a way to pick up information about the exhibits as you wander through them, which can later be accessed online with your unique code, OR NOT as I found out! But I still think the pen is worth a go. I urge you to go it is a fantastic exhibition. I arrived feeling tired and emotional and I left feeling full of Utopia and with a thought provoking blue ’water’ ball from Saudi Arabia – with an inscription – ‘imagine if this was the last drop’. With the festival ending on the 27th, this could be your last drop of culture this month, so go while you can! Elinor Seath
Lacking some colour, fun and kitsch in your life? Then don't miss Jeff Koons: Now Lobsters balancing upside down on chairs, mountains of Play-Doh and graphic pornographic images, where else could you be but at a Jeff Koon’s show?! Jeff Koons: Now spans more three decades (35 years to be exact) of Koon’s extraordinary career, providing enough art to fill the six gallery spaces in London's Newport Street Gallery. Lauded as one of the most significant artists to have emerged in the postwar era, Jeff Koons' diverse work has explored themes of taste, consumerism, mass culture, beauty, acceptance, and the role of the artist. Now is the first major UK exhibition to be devoted to the artist since Jeff Koons: Popeye Series at the Serpentine Gallery in 2009. Now features more than 30 paintings, works on paper and sculptures dating from 1979 to 2014. Drawn from Hirst’s collection, a number of these works have never before been shown in the UK. Koons' work is all about the surface, which is generally oh so shiny and deceives the viewer. The largest of his works the ‘Balloon Monkey’, (a loose interpretation as I didn't see a monkey), is a giant imitation of a few nifty twists and turns of a balloon, crafted in steel. Its sheer scale combined with its perfectly reflective surface make it a truly captivating piece. I love how Koon juxtaposes fantasy with the mundane, a theme that runs throughout his work.
I’m not getting involved in the debate as I'm not an expert on Koons. All I know is I left the exhibition with a smile on my face and it stayed with me for the rest of the day – thanks Jeff. If that doesn't demonstrate the power of art, I don't know what does.
Jeff Koons: Now is on Until 16th October 2016. To book tickets. visit www.newportstreetgallery.com Newport Street Gallery Newport Street London SE11 6AJ Elinor Seath Travel to Victorian times via a unique immersive theatre experienceEver fancied going back in time to the Victorian era? Well now's your chance with The Time Portal, a unique, 40-minute immersive theatre experience from Stella Artois, which gives guests a glimpse of life during the Victorian era, when Wimbledon and Stella Artois - the official sponsor of Wimbledon- were starting out. During the experience, guests are treated to a variety of weird and wonderful surprises - from fortune tellers to pick pockets, guests need to have their wits about them as the actors keep them on their toes throughout the performance! After guests have completed their time travel adventure, they finish their journey in Ruby's Bar, where they can enjoy an ice cold glass of Stella Artois or a refreshing Stella Artois Cidre in a variety of flavours including peach, elderflower and raspberry - the ultimate taste of summer! The event is an assault on the senses, bringing alive the past in an innovative way that won't quickly be forgotten. But don't take my word for it. Experience it for yourself and prepare to be instantly transported back in time... The Time Portal will run from now until the 10th July with more than 30 slots per day (from 12.00pm to 9.40pm).
Tickets are priced from £13.50 - £18 (including a £1 booking fee) for each 40 minute theatrical experience, which includes two complimentary drinks. Time's running out, so ensure you book your tickets today before it's too late! To book your ticket to The Time Portal, visit www.ebplive.co.uk/stellaartois. A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in the heart of Soho, supping champagne while appreciating some fascinating and unusual pieces of art. The show entitled 'Solv' (silver in Danish) showcased the work of eight international artists, some established and others freshly plucked from the cream of the Goldsmiths crop. Artists who contributed to the exhibiton included Tom Price, Akiko Hoshina, Matthew Chambers, Hilda Hellström, Maria Bang, Stine Jespersen, Louise Madsen and Manuel Canú. The dimly lit, bare brick walled two story space gave an eerie back drop to art that played with the idea of surfaces and the unexpected. On show was ceramic knitted pants, a wall piece made of salt and sugar that changed according to its environment and a stunning selection of lit resin blocks filled with what looked like delicate butterfly wings or pieces of coral but was actually the result of mixing different materials artist Tom Price. There was a fantastic site-specific piece with carefully placed ceramic pieces made to look like rope, tree roots spuing out of a fire place. This must have taken ages to assemble along with the installation of the other pieces of work and for just four days? Such a lot of work, so little time to view. I couldn’t even get this piece written and published before the show was over! It is great to see such a creative use of space in the heart of London. Incidently, Gallery 49 will eventually be an extension of the fantastic members bar The Union. If this has wet your appetite for a bit of art, here’s some other pop up galleries I’ve found that are worth having a look at:
http://www.popup-gallery.co.uk/ www.thelondonpopupgallery.co.uk www.artlyst.com Elinor Seath Enjoy a wealth of fabulous craft events across London
Steal ideas and taste delicious food from the best culinary talent the UK has to offer this year in London at the upcoming BBC Good Food Show Summer!
For all self-professed foodies, the BBC Good Food Show (20-22 May at Excel) is a summer must! Visitors to the show will be able to learn tips and tricks from the professionals and absorb the exciting atmosphere in the Supertheatre. Paul Hollywood, Tom Kerridge and James Martin are only a few who will be taking the stage to answer cookery questions as well as entertaining audiences! Get Imaginative Over 100 exhibitors will be taking part in this year’s BBC Good Food Show Harrogate. Visitors will be able to uncover new trades and taste some mouth-watering foods throughout the exhibition. On top of this, each brand will be sharing their own cooking suggestions for you to try at home. Be a VIP If you would like to be pampered and have a luxurious time during your visit to the BBC Good Food Show Harrogate, choose the VIP experience! Get front row seating in the Supertheatre and access to the VIP Lounge, where you will get a glass of bubbly, £20 dining currency, a goodie bag and much more! Advance tickets start at £22.50 (Adult). The lovely team at BBC Good Food has kindly offered Destination Delicious readers 20% off tickets. To obtain your discount, get your tickets online here and enter the promo code ‘MV20’. https://www.bbcgoodfoodshowsummerlondon.com In a quest to bring two of my burning passions (travel and art) together, I jumped on a plane bound for Marrakech to experience my first Biennale. I had a window of two days to enjoy the festival, and having experienced the madness that is Marrakech last year, I was keen to do some pre-trip homework to ensure I had a plan to enjoy the festival to its fullest. After talking with my friends and colleagues about my mini adventure, I was surprised to learn how few people knew what a Biennale was. So, if your one of those people here’s a little background... Biennales - A global celebration of art Biennales are international art festivals hosted by large cities across the world, and are typically held every two years. Currently, there are 46 countries that stage Biennales. Typically lasting over 12 weeks, they provide a platform to showcase international artists, attracting thousands of visitor, which provides a great boost to a city's tourism. While it's good to have a plan, my pre-trip planning and what actually happened in Marrakech were two very different things! When I had initially conducted my research, the website for the Marrakech Biennale wasn’t that easy to navigate and sadly, I didn't fare much better navigating my way around Marrakesh, so what I saw happened quite by chance, which added to the drama. I am pleased to say the website is now much more coherent. The Biennale can be felt throughout the city with museums, hotels and galleries hosting exhibitions and workshops under its working title NOT NEW NOW. Despite reading the explanation for this a number of times, the meaning still eludes me, so you I’ll leave you to work that one out for yourself! There are three main exhibition sites and I was lucky enough to stumble upon Palais El Badi, a vast ruined palace. Here 22 international artists were invited to create a site-specific piece responding to the history of the palace and the ruins that are now left.
As I stepped back out onto the streets of Marrakech, senses heightened, I became more aware of the art around me - even the local plumber promoting his services seemed like art to me and reminded me of a piece I’d seen in the Palais El Bahia. Over the course of 24 hrs, I had seen a mind-boggling variety of art from incredible photos of Jamaa El Fna, the main square in the medina, to a 'pimped out' photo booth where you were invited to share your stories, it all intermingled to create a fascinating experience.
Bringing together art and travel, a Biennale is a fantastic way to learn about a new city and enhance the visitor's experience. I love that art is a safe space to explore some really challenging issues we face in the modern world, allowing others to open up debate in a unique way. I think I have found my calling - Biennales here we come! So, if you're looking for a weekend in a fascinating city and you want to see some art – get yourself to Marrakech before the first week in May – you won’t regret it. We love Soho and eating and drinking, so what could be better than a food and drink walking tour of Soho? We recently joined the Eating London: Twilight Soho Food Tour with a handful of other tourists, to see what Soho had to offer in terms of historical facts and scrumptious food and it didn't fail to deliver! Historically an old hunting ground ('Soho' was a cry that hunters shouted when they caught a hare), Soho reinvented itself in more modern times as the home of London's thriving theatre scene, the sex trade and some of rock's biggest legends. It's fair to say that Soho isn't exactly the 'shy and retiring' type. Attracting creatives, bohemians and tourists alike, this buzzing area of London is a must-see destination for anyone visiting London. Being a London local, I found the tour just as interesting as any tourist might, as I learned a wealth of interesting facts, including that there is a defunct WWII bunker under Soho Square, soon to be transformed into a trendy restaurant. We can't wait to see that! As any food lover in London knows, Soho is also home to a bevy of fabulous restaurants and trendy watering holes, making it a popular area for post-work drinks and late night nibbles any day of the week. During our tour, we visited an eclectic mix of restaurants, bars and food shops, including: La Bodega Negra, The London Gin Club, Enrique Tomas, Pix Bar, Opium and Said Chocolate. At each stop on the tour, we learned about the host venue and its foodie credentials and also enjoyed a small bite to eat and a tipple.
Given the uniqueness of all of the places we visited during the tour, we can't pick a favourite. That being said, don't be surprised if you find us sipping a classic G&T at The London Gin Club or enjoying a smoky tea at Opium... A.A. Miln Greenall’s Gin is celebrating the second year of its sponsorship with British Horse Racing, as the Official
Gin of The Jockey Club. This year, visitors to the Cheltenham Festival (15th-18th March), can enjoy a “Good Time” with Greenall’s, and sip a Greenall’s G&T at the new Greenall’s Final Flight Bar, while enjoying the Greenall’s Good Times Jazz Band. All the action begins at 13.30 each day with the last race at 17.30. http://www.thefestival2016.co.uk A.A. Miln |
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