Summercase

I went to an amazing two day festival in Barcelona recently called Summercase. The line up was not full of huge blockbuster bands but just great quality music. Check the line up at the top of this post. The venue was on the water just north of the city and was huge with 4 stages and plenty of chillout space. The festival ran from 6pm until 6 am which was perfect as it was the middle of a hot Catalan summer.

Usually the fight for toilets and the bar at festival is a real turn off but the festival was so well organized there was rarely at wait at either. To add to all of this the people at the festival really made it for me. I could go on but honestly if you can head there next year.

Thanks Barcelona I will definitely be coming back to summercase next year!!!

Ditto

I am a new convert to the larger than life character that is Beth Ditto. For those of you who don't know Beth heads up US band "The Gossip". I recently saw The Gossip play at Accelerator Festival in Stockholm and...wow. She has an incredible voice, it is as rock'n'roll as Janis Joplin mixed with the soul of Erykah Badu. What I liked about Beth was she was so natural and comfortable with everything she was. She is a large, loud lesbian with so much talent and nothing she did on stage seemed pre-meditated or fake in any way. In short who cares about the haters, she sure doesn't, Beth Rocks!!!

Scandanavian Junk

"The first Junk de Luxe collection hit the shelves in 1996, but the Junk de Luxe design goes way back to 1986 – the opening of the shop in Aarhus. Back then Thomas Gundorph, founder of Junk de Luxe, was one of the first in Europe to import original second-hand Levi’s from the US. He redesigned them and traded them, along with other second-hand items, by the brand name Junk de Luxe, in his own shop as well as fashion shops throughout Europe."

Junk Deluxe is a brand I have only just discovered, very cool classic clothes with a great cut. I have seen some great jackets and shirts in London and when I was in Stockholm. I like the idea of labels like this that are not showy or trying to hard but have modern cuts on classic clothes.

There is a check shirt in Urban outfitters at the moment that I want from these guys it is short sleeve and black and white check...add to list

Food that stretches the boundaries.

The Fat Duck located just out of London in Berkshire is one of the best restaurants in the world(coming in 2nd this year to El Bulli in Spain) It is owned and operated by revolutionary chef Heston Blumenthal. Heston has an interesting approach to food and flavour and I recommend you read more on the website

You can only book up to two months in advance and I have a constant reminder every week on my outlook to call them as they open for a booking. The cost however is an issue with a tasting menu with matched wines is 215 pounds...mmmm

I have been to Taillevent which came in at number 48 in the best restaurants in the world but this would be something even more special.


See the tasting menu below.



NITRO-GREEN TEA AND LIME MOUSSE (2001)
OYSTER AND PASSION FRUIT JELLY, LAVENDER
POMMERY GRAIN MUSTARD ICE CREAM, RED CABBAGE GASPACHO
QUAIL JELLY, CREAM OF LANGOUSTINE, PARFAIT OF FOIE GRAS
OAK MOSS AND TRUFFLE TOAST
(Homage to Alain Chapel)

SNAIL PORRIDGE
Joselito ham

ROAST FOIE GRAS
Almond fluid gel, cherry, chamomile

"SOUND OF THE SEA"

SALMON POACHED WITH LIQUORICE
Perthuis asparagus, “Manni” olive oil

BALLOTINE OF ANJOU PIGEON
Black pudding “to order”, Chinese pigeon cracker
Pickling brine and spiced pigeon juices

HOT AND ICED TEA (2005)

MRS MARSHALL’S MARGARET CORNET

PINE SHERBET FOUNTAIN (PRE-HIT)

MANGO AND DOUGLAS FIR PUREE
Bavarois of lychee and mango, blackcurrant sorbet,
Blackcurrant and green peppercorn jelly

PARSNIP CEREAL

NITRO-SCRAMBLED EGG AND BACON ICE CREAM
Pain perdu, tea jelly (2006)

Caviar in a tube???

The swedes love this stuff as much as they love boiled eggs and new potatoes. Caviar in a tube, it is more a salty fish paste than actual caviar and smells like a fishing boat on a hot summer s day but hey lets have it for breakfast!!!

Superfine and Dandy

I love these Jeans and I am going to buy some even though the price tag is a touch high at around 150 quid. I have had Tsubi and Cheap Monday jeans and a very bright red pair but Superfines just look that little bit cooler and the denim feel amazing.

I am somewhat put off by the fact The Horrors wear them but what the hell. I will definitely purchase a pair of these before I leave London.

The thing about jeans is you wear them so much and they last for so long so why not spend good money on them, well at least that is my reasoning.

I will also take this chance to point out a very good jeans site called Denimology. take a look at the site it covers pretty much everything to do with Jeans.

The Beginning...

Ok so this is a new blog i have started where I plan to post about all that i love and hate etc. yes I know, how original!!! From food to fashion to music to rants it will all be here. If you like or hate the same stuff or disagree let me know.I am going to try and write new blogs as much as possible and try and not get bored of it.

and so it begins...