Join the Mile High club

My sister lives in East London, and to say she's an evangelist would be an understatement. I'm constantly told how much "cooler" it is over there. How much more "innovative", "creative", about the amazing supperclub she went to the night before. Well, what East can do well I'll wager West will take on and do better, and when it comes to pop-up restaurants, I've a case in point.

A few weeks back, I checked into a glamorous departure lounge in Notting Hill, and one hour, 3 cocktails, and around 10 moose and beetroot canapes later, arrived (in some style) in the heart of Gotenburg. Dine Mile High is the innovative new pop-up restaurant concept dreamed up by 4 cousins from West London. Inspired by the golden age of air travel, each pop-up takes passengers to a different "destination", recreated through fantastic set design, delicious canapés, cocktails and a wonderfully authentic 'local menu'.

The exceptional attention to detail was what made the whole experience so memorable. The staff were local actors and drama students, and right from the check-in desk to the roaming semi-inebriated pilot, who called passengers aboard by name, the act did not slip once. Furnished with boarding passes and passports, we hit the departure lounge bar - earning passport stamps for each drink we sampled - whilst Scandi air hostesses served us with mousse canapes, pickled beetroot and cabbage, and all manner of Swedish delights.

Soon it was time to be called aboard our 'flight', and a few short moments later we were sat in the heart of "Gotenburg". Antlers and elk skins lined the wall, we sat along minimalist wood shared tables, and the cabin crew prepared us for take off. In a very well thought out pastiche of the standard lifejacket-and-exits routine, we were taught the correct way to imbibe and enjoy the meal (always ensure your neighbours glasses are full to the brim, in case you were wondering), and then we began.

Scallops were served with creamy potato puree in sea shells, we shared a smorgasbord of shrimps, salmon and marie rose sauce with our neighbours, and we devoured the elk steak with golden beetroot and chanterelles, rounding off with a scrummy Swedish lingonberry crumble. The menu was delicious - think noma, rather than ikea - and the seating arrangement and amenable hostesses made it a really convivial evening (the half bottle of wine each certainly helped).

The whole concept was fantastically thought out, and great fun to boot. Future departures will take guests to Beirut, Sicily and Mozambique, so make sure to bookmark www.dinemilehigh.com for when the tickets come out. This is certainly one frequent flyers club I'd recommend joining!

Dine Mile High
www.dinemilehigh.com
Next departures: 1-4th and 8-11th May 2013: Beirut.

Murder in Notting Hill

All Hallow’s eve seemed like an appropriate time to travel back in time to solve a mystery decades old. So, whilst most people were downing cocktails and  dressing up as sexy pumpkins, Jimmy Saville and a host of other ghoulish things, the ARP of Notting Hill and Knighstbridge took to their trusty steeds (by which I mean their bikes) and set off into the cold night with murder on our minds.

                The guys at Bikeminded teamed up with the fantastically innovative Exquisite Folly once again to take us on a cycle tour of Notting Hill with a spooky twist. Transported back into wartime London, we were interrupted on one of our air-raid rounds by an Inspector and his bumbling sidekick. Much to the annoyance of our lead warden we were invited to the scenes of three mysterious deaths, all of which had mysterious parallels. Why was a patriotic pensioner found shot dead at the bottom of the canal by Kensal town? How did a young volunteer find herself crushed beneath the buildings at St Charles hospital? Why did the wounds found on a beautiful car crash victim not much the events of the accident? Why on earth were they all carrying cyanide capsules and just what ghoulish spirit inhabits the old war rooms at the Tabernacle?

                The cycle tour was entertaining, interesting and as always, highly innovative. Exquisite Folly has a very small cast who also had to try travel with us from location to location, all the while maintaining their characters, ensuring our safety and battling traffic, all of which they did admirably. The story was engaging and perfectly constructed to make use of local landmarks and the conditions of the season (bitingly cold!) Goodness knows how much meticulous organisation went on behind the scenes to make it happen but Bikeminded pulled it off again – a fabulous concept and a great way to get people into cycling.

For more details of upcoming Bikeminded events visit www.bikeminded.org

For more information on Exquisite Folly you can visit their site here.

SW6 Fright Night

The evening's are getting darker, the temperatures have plummeted, and although summer never really arrived, winter is most definitely here. But, instead of getting depressed and hibernating, the run up to Christmas gives us lots of opportunities to party. First up: SW6 gets all spooky for all hallows eve. Here's a run down on some of your options for the freakiest day (make that week) of the year.

The folks over at Bikeminded RKBC are putting on another one of their much acclaimed cycle tours on Wednesday the 31st itself. This time they've teamed up again with Exquisite Folly theatre and invited us to solve a creepy mystery in their wartime whodunnit, whilst cycling around Notting Hill by moonlight. If the last cycle theatre tour I went on is anything to go by, this should be an entertaining and original way to spend Halloween itself - the acting is always surprising and engaging, and it's a fantastic way to explore the borough, whether you're an expert on your wheels or a teensy bit wobbly. Just don't forget your costume! Tickets available here. The early bird price is just £5, going up to £7 is a few days time.

The Brompton Bar & Grill have teamed up with Bloodshot Vodka to offer a suitably gory "Bloodshot Brompton Brunch" on Saturday the 27th October, from 12-5pm. With a personal 'bloodbath' on each table (it's a DIY Bloody Mary Bar, so much less hideous than it sounds!!), live music, top DJs and all sorts of delicious and devilish snacks available, the £10 ticket is worth every penny - plus there's plenty of time to continue the party afterwards! Bloodshot eyeball eggs, anyone?

The Brompton Bar & Grill
243 Brompton Road
London SW3 2EP
www.bromptonbarandgrill.com

Once you're suitably warmed up, there are plenty of options to give yourself an authentic fright night. Notting Hill's supperclub, for example, can always be relied upon for a decadent party. On the 26th and  27th, guests are invited to visit their Disco Slaughterclub, where the whole venue will be turned into a haunted house, full of spooky surprises and gory scenes. Explore if you dare, or simply lie back on your bed and let the disco maids and butlers serve you the "bloody corpse" menu whilst you dance to the beats of DJ Sancho Panza (Friday) and Femi Fem (Saturday). Tickets are available here

Supperclub
Halloween: 26th-27th October
12 Acklam Road,
W10 5QZ
http://www.supperclub.com/

If the journey to Notting Hill makes you quake in your boots, Maggie's Monster Mansion is a ghoulishly great options (sorry!) closer to home. Staying true to their 80s theme, Maggie's is promising a 'hair raising halloween fancy dress party with a retro twist'. Hosted by Beetlejuice, there will be ghostly girl dancers, deadly decor, toxic cocktails and a "Dead and Buried" dress code to match (No prizes to guess which recently deceased celebrity will feature most heavily!).  Entry is £20, and the night goes on until 3:30am.

MAGGIE’S
Saturday 27th October 2012
10:30pm – 3:30am
Entry £20
Maggie’s, 329 Fulham Road, London, Greater London, SW10 9QL
www.maggies-club.com

If you're still not inspired, the Barts Gruesome Twosome might get your beetlejuices flowing. Champagne will be the poison of choice at the Bart's Yelloween Party, on Saturday the 27th October. In association with Veuve Cliquot, this promises to be a decadent evening of dramatic décor  creepy costumes and fantastic fizzy deals.

On the night itself, head back to SW3 for an evening of twisted tales and spooky secrets. The Barts Book Club have hooked up with Roger Clarke, the author of 'A Natural History of Ghosts' for a reading, shocking tales of history's most gruesome hauntings and some bedtime stories certain to give you the shivers. With a Waterstone's voucher for the guest with the spookiest story to tell, you could give yourself nightmares all the way through November. 

BARTS GRUESOME TWOSOME

Barts
YELLOWEEN
Saturday 27th October 2012
FREE
6pm-1:30pm

TWISTED TALES AT BARTS
Wednesday 31st October
FREE
6pm - 1:30am

www.barts-london.com



If good old fancy dress and some devilish deals on Halloween grog is more your idea of a night well spent, the celebrations at Elk Bar could be just the ticket. Kicking off the festivities early, you can get the Green Candy Floss mojitos in for just £2.95 this Thursday, whilst the best fancy dress costume wins a bottle of champagne - guaranteeing that frightful feeling will last well into Friday morning! If you can handle it, head back on Saturday 27th for the big event. This time, your costume skillz could win your a £50 tab, and with a whole host of cocktail and shooter specials, free entry, and DJs from 8pm, the night will not only be great fun, but wickedly good value.

Elk Bar 
587 Fulham Road
London SW6 5UA

If the only thing giving you nightmares is your love life, Halloween at the Bluebird can help you find romance amongst the cob webs with their Halloween themed Speed Dating night. With plenty of punch and other spooky treats, even if you meet more Frankeinstein's than Prince Charming's you're guaranteed a great night. Tickets are £25 each, and include a complimentary glass of bubbles. Grab your entry now by emailing emilyb@danddlondon.com before they sell out!

The Bluebird
http://www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk/
350 King's Road
Chelsea SW3 5UU

Lastly, but definitely not least -you can always rely on The Jam Tree for a good party. Their Halloween bash is taking place on Friday 26th October, when DJ Greggy G will be on the decks for an evening of house music, frightening fancy dress and ghoulishly good drinks. Entry is free all night and the beats go on until late... Definitely a brilliant start to a big weekend

The Jam Tree
541 Kings Road
London SW6 2EB

Whatever you get up to, we hope you have a great night! Let us know how you get on....

Dates for the diary: March 2012

Despite your very best New Year's resolutions and Lent intentions, it's very easy to get stuck in a rut. Same old routine, same old places and activities. With that in mind, here's our run-down on some up and coming West London events to keep your diaries full, your social lives interesting and best of all to support local independent businesses.



Mania Mia Spring Designer Event - 11th March, 9am - 5pm
Ushering in the Spring/Summer season of 2012, the Mania Mia ladies Katya and Anoosh are hosting an exclusive event with several independent designers in store, along with a tea reception, cupcakes and an arts and crafts workshop for the little ones. From leather jewellery to eco homeware products and vintage clothing, Mania Mia looks to have next season all wrapped up. So shop guilt free - after all you are supporting the local economy and the kids are with safe hands.
For more details of the event, see Mania Mia's Facebook page here
Mania Mia, 307 New Kings Road, Fulham SW6 4RF.



Redistributing Fashion Spring Charity Pop Up Sale, 16th March, 10am - 8pm
There seems to be loads on locally for the budding fashionista at the moment. Next Friday's event on Westbourne Grove offers guilt free bargains as all profits are in aid of The Rugby Portobello Trust, a youth education and development charity based in Notting Hill. Local fashion, jewellery and lifestyle brands will be selling pieces at discounted prices and best of all, there is a huge selection of pre-loved designer pieces (including some donated by celebrities such as Poppy Delevigne and Princess Marie-Chantal amongst others) available via Chic & Seek. Founded in 2009, Chic & Seek offers a carefully selected range of pre-owned women's accessories with brands including Chanel, Burberry, Alexander McQueen and many others, all on sale with 50-80% off the retail price.
For more details see here.
Redistributing Fashion, 20th Century Theatre, Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA

Kristyna Myles at the Regal Room, 22nd March, 7:30pm
If you're a music buff and are interested in discovering the next big thing on the scene, a trip to the Regal Room in Hammersmith is a must. Kristyna played The Regal Room when she was first starting out, and now returns for a gig ahead of the release of her debut album 'Pinch Me Quick', produced by Ken Nelson (also responsible for the success of Coldplay and Paolo Nutini - not bad!). Kristyna has already shared the stage with musical giants such as Chris de Burgh and Mick Hucknall so is surely one to watch ahead of her album release - after all, it's always nice to smugly tell your friends you saw an artist play before they hit the big time! Kristyna will also be sharing the stage with local artists Raphaella and Stewart Mac, the latter of which is fresh from supporting Bon Jovi on tour.
The Regal Room, 64 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith W6 9PH



supperclub presents Aldo Zilli, 23rd March, evening
Many of you may already have heard of supperclub. Now a bit of institution, an evening supper offers fine dining, plenty of drinking, dancing and general debauchery. Yet, the supperclub event in a few weekends time is that extra little bit special, as top Italian chef Aldo Zilli will be hitting the kitchens. 4 courses of the best Italian cooking, plus a long night's partying in a stunning venue will set you back £59 and diners can expect dancers, singers, musicans and acrobats before the legendary Simon Dunmore of Defected Records hits the decks until the small hours.
You'll need to reserve your 'bed' by emailing london@supperclub.com. For a mouth-watering intro to the cooking of Aldo Zilli check out his website here.

Photo Diary: Portobello Market

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, why not play at being a tourist and have a wander down Portobello Road. You'll find everything from fine antique books to boutique fashion, handmade jewellery and loads of vintage finds. It's great for people watching and there are tons of yummy eats too. Just make sure to get there early - it's not exactly a hidden gem and by midday the hordes of tourists have decended.

Last weekend I reacquainted myself with Portobello, one of my favourite London markets, and took the opportunity to play with my new DSLR.