The sun has come out in London after what felt like months of gray, rainy days. This city is a different place when the sun is shining and, quite frankly, I’m a different person! Today I’m dreaming about wearing Dolce and Gabbana’s fruit and vegetable print pieces from their SS’12 collection everyday, for the rest of the summer, thank you very much.
Photos via.
I loved this photo series ‘Extremely Silly Photos of Extremely Serious Writers‘ on Flavorwire.
Mark Twain taking his billiards game very, very seriously.
John Bryson’s 1959 pic of Ernest Hemingway high kicking a beer can.
Vladimir Nabokov hunting down butterflies in Ithaca, New York in 1958. Photo by Carl Mydans, from the Life Photo Archive.
We’ve started a new weekly feature on our website called ‘Beyond the Headlines’. We dive into a place that’s been in the news lately and find stories, people, and projects that don’t get talked about. This week it’s been hard to ignore the stories about Greece and the Eurozone turmoil. We dug a bit deeper to find some interesting stories about people and projects that are happening beneath the surface.
GREECE ON THE BREADLINE
Jon Henley’s blog ‘Greece on the breadline’ follows how the financial crisis has affected people working in Greece. The most remarkable thing about Henley’s blog is the inventive initiatives many Greeks have come up with to keep their heads above water. A million screams away from the riots, many Greeks have grouped together to make local changes on a large scale. Here are three of the movements Henley has blogged about:
The Potato Movement – Thousands of tonnes of potatoes are being sold directly from farmer to consumer in order to cut out the costly supermarket middleman. For the average consumer this means the price of potatoes are essentially being slashed by half and moussaka is back on the menu!
Tutorpool – Tutorpool is a homegrown initiative that offers free tuition for schoolchildren whose parents can no longer afford lessons. In a country whose state school system has never been as strong as its temples, private tuition has come to be a necessity for the average Greek student. Let alone those with learning difficulties. Tutorpool now has 500 volunteers around the world. It’s website allows tutors, parents and students to navigate subjects and find a local tutor or arrange a long-distance lesson over Skype.
Social Theatre Shop - The National Theatre of Northern Greece is inviting audience members to trade food with a long shelf-life in return for theatre tickets. The food will then be distributed to selected charities across the city. The NTNG are running a six-week season of plays where, with a tin or two of beans, you can see the works of Edward Albee, Harold Pinter or Jean Genet. For a full programme and dates see the theatre’s official site.
Take a look at the full segment here.
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“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. “
-Rumi
Photos via Julia Aumann.
Here is a letter that Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are who passed away on the 8th of May, sent to one of his fans. How incredibly special.
“If there’s anything I’m proud of in my work–it’s not that I draw better; there are so many better graphic artists than me–or that I write better, no. It’s–and I’m not saying I know the truth, because what the hell is that? But what I got from Ruth and Dave, a kind of fierce honesty, to not let the kid down, to not let the kid get punished, to not suffer the child to be dealt with in a boring, simpering, crushing-of-the-spirit kind of way.” -Maurice Sendak
In this quote, Ruth is Ruth Krauss and Dave is Crockett Johnson, two of Mr. Sendak’s mentors and friends and authors of some of the children’s books he illustrated. Letter via Shaun Usher at Letters of Note, photo via AP.
It’s no secret that New York City is the best city on the planet (those who don’t agree with me will admit it one day!) and that Paris, casts a similar spell over people. And so it makes perfect sense to pit these two inspiring, alluring, frustrating yet beautiful cities against each other. That’s exactly what graphic designer, Vahram Muratyan has done on his blog and in his book Paris Versus New York: a Tally of Two Cities.
“[Paris and New York City] feed into each other and they are both great models for the urban experience.”
Here are some examples from his blog.
I wrote a little piece for The Guardian online travel section about my favorite street food vendors in London. After compiling our A – Z of London Street Food, I’ve tried TONS of street food from all over the capital and these are some of my favorites. Read the whole article here.
Serving up Southern-style street food, Anna Mae’s has become a hit with Londoners lacking a little pulled pork and ‘slaw in their lives. The Notorious P I G (Anna’s name for a pulled-pork sandwich) is smoked for 14 hours, then doused in their signature barbecue sauce, topped with pickled red onions and served with a cup of ‘slaw. Just make sure you take enough serviettes! You can find Anna Mae’s every Thursday 7-10pm at The Shop NW10 (75 Chamberlayne Road, NW10) and occasionally at Eat.St King’s Cross (King’s Boulevard, N1, between Pancras Road and Goods Way).
• anna-maes.com
Eat My Pies is quintessential British street food at its best. Serving fare such as scotch eggs, pork pies and custard tarts, Eat My Pies aims to “make great British food available to the great British public”. And that they do, in spades. The smoked-haddock scotch egg is something to behold, but save some space for the chorizo pie. Catch them Thursdays and Fridays at White Cross Market (Whitecross Street, EC1) and Saturdays at Broadway Market in Hackney.
• eatmypies.co.uk
Photograph: Ghene Snowdon
If you’re a fan of paella, you have to check out the ever-popular Jamon Jamon stalls at the Real Food market behind the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, and Portobello Road market in W11. With at least two huge paella pans on the go, the smell of spice and prawns hits you long before you reach it, which is some reward for the snaking queues. Alongside seafood, the paella Valenciana is a favourite (chicken and runner beans) – and if you happen to bump into them at a festival, send us your verdict on the fryella, an English breakfast-style combo including bacon, eggs and beans.
• jamonjamon.co.uk
When I say burgers, sandwiches, fries and chicken do you immediately think Korean-fusion street food? No, didn’t think so. If, like me, you are new to Korean fast-food, then this is as good an introduction as any. Danny O’Sullivan and Sarah Hogg’s Korean-style fast food venture is proving a hit, with their Korean-inspired sliders (miniature burgers topped with kimchi) winning kimchi fanatics and newcomers alike. They can often be found at Eat.St (as before)
• kimchicult.com or follow @kimchicult for further location details
One of the delights of Netil market is this pop-up homage to the 50s American diner experience. A homage it might be, but it’s better than any diner I’ve ever been to. Hand-cut chips with the skins on, served with wasabi mayo and sweet chilli, and juicy, meaty aged beef burgers topped with the meltiest cheddar. Who can fault it? They’re at Netil market (Westgate Street, London Fields, E8) every Saturday, and have a more permanent residence at The Sebright Arms (31-35 Coate Street, Bethnal Green, E2).
• Follow them on Twitter @Lucky_Chip
I love crêpes, which is why I had to squeeze this one in. Traditional yes, boring never. They also serve fresh coffee, which is a nice touch for a lazy breakfast option. The savoury galettes are made with organic buckwheat flour, the brie, bacon and mushroom tastes as good as it sounds, while the sweet crêpes use a vanilla-flavoured batter. There’s a full board of fresh fillings, but the Nutella lover won’t be disappointed either. They are normally at the Real Food Market (as before) on the weekends and Eat.St (as before).
• creperie-nicolas.com
Not traditional street food, but I had to include On Cafe. Sweet tooths will be delighted by the mouth-watering macaroons. Regulars at the Real Food market (as before), they also cater for events around London serving the most beautiful, Japanese-inspired macaroons. I tried the black sesame, and the jasmine and charcoal macaroons, and was blown away. Honestly, follow these guys everywhere they go.
• oncafe.co.uk
Finalists in the 2010 Street Food Awards, Churros Garcia represents all that is wonderful about the street-food revival. A Spanish family business that has been making churros by hand for more than 40 years, you can find them at Broadway Market, Real Food market and Portobello market. Churros Garcia is proof, if you ever needed it, that doughnuts are best served hot! Eat them as they come: try them with sugar or cinnamon – but frankly you’d be crazy not to eat them “con chocolate” – with dark, Spanish dipping chocolate.
• churrosgarcia.co.uk
Do you know what firebread is? And you call yourself educated? It’s this little red-and-cream food van’s answer to pizza. With a clay oven built into the back, they churn out chewy sourdough bases loaded with fresh toppings for their hungry pizza-loving followers. I recommend the “Fresh” with beetroot, goat’s cheese and spinach but they also do a sweet pizza with a maple-syrup base topped with apples, cinnamon, and walnuts for the sweet tooths. Get your firebread at Battersea High Street market (Battersea High Street, SW11) and Eat.St (as before).
• Follow them @WellKneadedFood
For the days when only a pork bun will do, you need to run, not walk, to Yum Bun. Free range Blythburgh pork, slow roasted then gently fried, is stuffed into a rice bun and slathered with hoi sin sauce, cucumber, spring onions and sriracha. Fortunately for vegetarians and non-pork lovers there’s also a veggie option and yummy Asian broths and soups to try. Check them out at Broadway market (Broadway market, London, E8 4QG) on Saturdays and Eat.St King’s Cross (King’s Boulevard, London, N1C between Pancras Road and Goods Way).
• yumbun.co.uk
The foldable A-Z of London Street Food is available for £2 from our website, or comes free with the London issue, published on April 24, which costs £8.
