LONDON’S ARCADES: THE ROYAL ARCADE

One of the things we like when we are in an old city, is to discover the passages of the city and  Paris and Istanbul’s passages are our favorites. We love their architecture, the details in their architectural ornaments, decorations  and the small shops inside.

Like many of old big cities, London also has some arcades. This XIX. century arcades are concentrated around Piccadilly area and since two centuries they are home of some luxurious small shops.

And here is one of them: The Royal Arcade built in 1879 and located between Old Bond Street and Albemarle Street.

SPRING

Since sunday, the winter is gone and yesterday night, for the first time since months, we had a drink outside of our pub.

Today it’s confirmed and it’s officially spring in our little kingdom. Yaaay! 

WISHMASTER CAT

Our new tote bag Wishmaster Cat by Shebbo Design. 

HOLBORN WHIPPET

In one of the underground advertisements, we saw an event named Istanbul Inn London which will take place at the Victoria House in Holborn between 12-15 April 2013. And as two Turks who live in London, today we went to visit this Art&Design  event. Result: Disaster? Dissapointment? Both?

Except few pieces, it was a really poor exhibition and it was hard to understand which part of this event brings Istanbul to London. It was exactly like the degree show of  a university.

After there, we tried our chance to visit Pompei exhibition in British Museum but all tickets were sold out until the end of May and they said that they release only limited tickets daily. Only chance to visit today was at 19.00 o’clock and we gave up visiting the exhibition and walked to Sicilian Avenue to try a new pub we saw several times when we were passing from there.

Holborn Whippet is a new, modern pub which provide craft beers and food. We tried their steak sandwich and Bloomsbury burger. Except the cold chips, the food was good. König Pilsner which we tried also was tasty. We loved their beer taps.

But nobody cared about the amount of empty dishes and glasses at the tables during half an hour. This wasn’t pleasant. The other thing,  first response to our mustard petition, was a quick “Sorry, we don’t have”. When we remind they serve burger and chips and asked again, two minutes later, the mustard was at the table. Why to say “no” first time? Mystery... But generally worth to go and try their beer and food.  

WHERE ARE YOU?

Oi Spring! Where are you?

LONDON’S DOORS 2

Doors from London. Again...

(More London doors)

SEBASTIÃO SALGADO’S GENESIS EXHIBITION

We met with Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado’s works first time in 1993, in his Trabajadores (Workers) exhibition, in Madrid. It was the most impressive photography exhibition ever with his giant size, black and white, magnificent, breathtaking photos. This morning, after 20 years of Trabajadores exhibition, we went to the London Natural History Museum for the preview of Sebastião Salgado’s Genesis exhibition world premiere. And with one word: breathtaking (again).

For us Sebastião Salgado is one of the best photographers in the world (for one of us, is the best). It was a previlege and bliss to see his photos taken all around the world again, to see and listen him personally today and to bring home artist’s Genesis book signed by himself.

Sebastião Salgado’s Genesis exhibition is a must see for photographers and photography enthusiasts specially and is open from tomorrow until 8 September 2013 at the Natural History Museum.  

THE SPRING’S SIGN: ÇAĞLA

Maybe not in London but it’s spring in Turkey! Çağla is immature fresh almond and is one of the signs of spring in Turkey. When it’s spring, you can see fresh almonds in farmer markets also street sellers inside of small paper bags. But most pleasant -and our favorite- way to eat this almonds is from your tree.

Today we walked to our Turkish supermarket in Dalston and we found this fresh Turkish almonds. And suddenly we reviewed our plans to go to pub for Man United-Man City match and began to think staying at home and  drink rakı with our almonds. Mmmmmm, still thinking... 

MY BEST FRIEND : CAT

Economist and photographer Andy Prokh’s black&white photos of his 4 year old daughter Katherine and their cat Lilu.

Pure love!

Photos © Andy Prokh                Source: ntvmsnbc

A DAY AMONG OLD RED LETTER BOXES

Before joining the pillow fight yesterday afternoon in Trafalgar Square, in the morning we went to The British Postal Museum & Archive’s Museum Store open day in Debden.

We lost our selves between old letter boxes, pillar boxes, old Royal Mail cars and motorcycles, etc, we saw the first British pillar postal box used in Channel Islands between the island and the mainland  and we really enjoyed the visit.

The British Postal Museum & Archive’s Museum Store open day is a nice visit for oldie-goldie lovers, Royal Mail letter box fans, is a free event but they accept donations, is very easy to reach (take the Central Line underground to Debden, then walk 3 minutes, the footpath is perfectly indicated). For the next events and to see how to get there, you can check the museum’s web site. They deserve definitely more attention.   

INTERNATIONAL PILLOW FIGHT DAY 2013

Today another colorful flash-mob activity took place in our little kingdom. The International Pillow Fight Day celebrated by Londoners at the Trafalgar Square in London.

Despite some dirty fighters who were fighting with synthetic pillows and who were distroying all the charm of flying feathers, it was fun. During one hour, bravehearths battled like crazy. All of us finished the day covered by feathers (and maybe with some small damage in our little grey cells) but smiling.

Happy International Pillow Fight Day!

DOROTHY BOHM, LIGHT FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORMAN PARKINSON EXHIBITIONS

Today we made a photography exhibition hat-trick with some stops in between. First we visited Dorothy Bohm’s Sixties London exhibition in Proud Chelsea Gallery in King’s Road. Dorothy Bohm, born in 1924 in Konigsberg, came to Britain when she was fifteen and since then she is based in the United Kingdom. The exhibition consist of artist’s black and white photos taken in London in sixties and is open until 28 April 2013.

We don’t like much big chains and since two years we were talking about trying Pizza Express at least once while we live in London but we were choosing always other alternatives. Today, while we were in Chelsea, finally we tried Pizza Express in King’s Road, in a lovely Georgian building where also lived the ballet dancer Princess Seraphine Astafieva between 1916-34. Result: Nice thin pizza but with a poor quantity of topping, the Merlot we drank was good, the service and smiling faces were excellent.

After making happy the belly and stopped in Anthropologie for a quick shopping, we walked to the Victoria & Albert Museum to visit Light from the Middle East: New Photography exhibition. The exhibition consist of various Middle Eastern artist’s work from different countries, with different approaches and diffrent techniques and open until 7 April 2013 (only one more day!).

After visiting the exhibition we stopped for tea time in Victoria & Albert Museum’s lovely cafe with it’s amazing decoration. Then we jumped on a underground and headed to the last exhibition of the day, Lifework: Norman Parkinson’s Century of Style in National Theatre. The exhibition is covering all aspects of British fashion photographer Norman Parkinson's (1913-1990) works since thirties until his death and is open until 12 May 2013. 

LONDON STREET ART IN PICKERING STREET

Pickering Street in Angel, is one of the streets we pass at least once a day. When we moved first to Islington, there wasn’t any graffiti in this street. Then appeared the girl with the dog, then during the Diamond Jubilee appeared The Queen, then weightlifter boy and finally the dog. Each time we walk in Essex Road and pass through Pickering Street, we check if another street art work appeared. So far we have:

I believe in Angels...

Diamonds are a girls best friend...

You lift my Spirits...

Ball Dog... 

LONDON 1958-59

London 1958-59 is a good documentary photography book about London life during these years through the lens of a foreigner photographer.

Chilean photographer Sergio Larrain (1931),  who is one of the members of MAGNUM agency and who visited London in 1958-59, documented a black and white portrait of this big city during his visit. The first UK edition of the book published in 1998 by Dewi Lewis Publishing. 

POSTCARD TEAS

Yesterday we went to The Tea House in Covent Garden to buy some jasmin tea but the type which we buy normally was sold out. Then we decided to go to Postcard Teas in Dering Street, next to Bond Street and near Oxford Circus, another tea shop which we heard about it before moving to London.

When you compare with The Tea House you find less variety of tea and tea accessories maybe in Postcard Teas but at least the jasmin tea we bought smells and taste really good. Another thing we liked very much about this little elegant shop -and which is missing a lot in The Tea House- , was the attitude and smiling face of the gentleman who helped us to choose our tea. If you are tea addict like us and if you are around Oxford Circus, don’t forget to say hello to Postcard Teas.  

MAN RAY EXHIBITION

Today is another freezing day in our little kingdom but at least is super sunny. The sun is always a good reason to get out of the house in London and thats why we headed today, to the National Portrait Gallery for Man Ray exhibition, buying some tea in Covent Garden and coffee in Soho for home and visiting some bookshops in Charing Cross Road.

Man Ray is one the photographers we adore his works. We had a chance to see his photos first time in 1997 in a Man Ray exhibition opened in Madrid. This time came to the city where we live and we didn’t want to miss the chance.

Man Ray Portraits exhibition is the first major museum retrospective of the artist’s portrait works with over 150 vintage prints from the collections all over the world. The exhibition is a retrospective which brings together artist’s works during the period he lived in America and in Paris between 1916-1968.

Man Ray Portraits exhibition is open in London National Portrait Gallery until 27 May 2013. 

HOT CROSS BUNS

We tasted first time the hot cross buns after moving to UK. We like their fluffy, sticky texture, cinnamonny smell and chewing the sultanas inside. Normally we buy them from Tesco but lately we found less guilt feeling version with less calories in Waitrose and they were as good as the others. We are not addict of hot cross buns but we like chewing them sometimes while  drinking our tea.

We were talking about learning to bake our homemade hot cross buns and today was the most appropriate time to learn this Easter classic normally eaten on Good Friday. After a quick search, we decided to try BBC Good Food’s recipe between four recipes we choosed before and spot on! Best hot cross buns recipe ever:

For the buns:

300ml full-fat milk , plus 2 tbsp more

50g butter

500g strong bread flour

1 tsp salt

75g caster sugar

1 tbsp sunflower oil

7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast

1 egg, beaten

75g sultanas

50g mixed peel

zest 1 orange

1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the cross:

75g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

For the glaze:

3 tbsp apricot jam

Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.

Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.

Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don't wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross - add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.

PROMISE

Rosemary Branch Theatre is one of the our neighborhood theatres. Under the theatre there is also a theatre pub where some days is taking place live piano performance. This cozy, fifty seats theatre, is in five minutes walking distance to our home and has a special place in our hearts for being the first theatre we went in London.

Yesterday evening, we were there again, this time for watching the Promise, an American adaptation of Chechov’s Three Sister written by Sophie Angelson and directed by James Kemp. This is the story of Peters sisters who moved from New York to Nebraska in 1927. Now this is 1938 and the life is not so joyful as it was before...