Amazing Graze

Yesterday I went to Amazing Graze at the Left Bank Centre in Leeds - the sun came out and it was the perfect weather for eating ice cream (that's my excuse anyway!). Amazing Graze is a small 2 day food/art/music festival run by Manjit's Kitchen. I've visited Manjit's Kitchen many a time at events across Leeds and knew I was going to be in for a treat when I heard they were organising the event.

The atmosphere was great- helped by lots of people and lots of different food on offer. Outside the sun was shinning and the tables full of people enjoying good food, drink and music. Here's a pic of the outside area. It helps that I love Left Bank - I've been here at night time for Bettakultcha before and loved it then and it's even better in the day time! Left Bank is an old church (not sure if it's in use any more) that's used for a range of events - mainly arty ones. 

After soaking up the atmosphere and sun outside we headed inside to see what was on offer. Firstly we headed to Chinampas for a drink - the bags of drink people were carrying around caught my eye and we had to try one out. Opting for something I've never tried before paid off as the tamarind flavoured drink was really nice - the perfect combination of sweet and a little sour. Drinking from the bag was different and a great way to save on waste. 

Moving on to something a little more savoury we shared a mixed meze of tabbouleh, hommous, lamb and tzatziki with a wrap and some Persian breads from Afsaneh Kaviani. This was very tasty and I only wish I had tried the Persian candy floss on offer! 

To finish and the icing on the cake after all the nice food we'd eaten was a Plum Crumble ice-cream from Ginger's Comfort Emporium. Ginger's Comfort Emporium, normally based in Manchester, describes itself as 'an ice cream van for grown ups' and is lovely to look at. The menu is written out in coloured chalks and even the inside is decorated with colourful posters and russian dolls. The ice cream was delicious, with chunks of crumble and plum, I only wish I was hungry enough to try one of the ice cream brioche sandwiches - shown here on the Feast and Glory Blog they look delicious! 

Worth a mention too is the screen prints that were on offer from Hope House Prints and Simon on the Streets. Being a fan of screen printing I love the idea of getting people involved in making their own print for a donation - sadly we had to dash off so I didn't have time to do one - hopefully there will be a next time!

This was the first Amazing Graze and I hope there will be another one in the not so distant future as I would definitely visit again.

The Northern Art Prize at Leeds Art Gallery

Last Wednesday I helped out on the door at The Northern Art Prize at Leeds City Art Gallery – even though it was snowing and really cold there was a good turn out and a good buzz around the art on display. All the artists have produced new, never exhibited work for the exhibition which made it all the more interesting.

Rosalind Nashashibi

The four artists nominated for the competition are Margaret Harrison, Emily Speed, Rosalind 

Nashashibi and Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan (collaboration). The artists, all selected by curators and arts specialists, must all be practicing in the North and interestingly there are no boundaries around age or medium making the exhibition very varied - as Pippa Hale, the Director of the Northern Art Prize said 'a variety of mediums with artists ranging from 33 to 72'. Apparently many prizes relating to contemporary art put boundaries around age and medium, excluding those who don't fit into the specific boxes which is what makes the Northern Art Prize so nice. The winner will be announced on 23^rd May and will receive £16,500 as prize money. 

Of the four artists my favourites were Margaret and Joanne & Tim. I was lucky to receive a tour from Sarah Brown, curator of Leeds Art Gallery, before the masses of people arrived as I was helping out – unfortunately I was a little late and missed the talks on Rosalind and Emily so I may be a little biased as I learnt more about Margaret and Joanne & Tim’s pieces from the start!

'The Reiterative Grimace' - Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan

Joanne & Tim’s pieces are not only fun to look at – they also use the gallery space well to divide up the new and the old (as you can see from the pic above). As well as 'The Reiterative Grimace' above, there are some photos of past pieces showing the range of work they've done in the past - Looking in their work a bit more I particularly like 'Direct serious action is therefore necessary' - I like it so much I've added it below!

Direct serious action is therefore necessary - Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan

Common Reflections - Margaret Harrison

Margaret’s work fits in well with the kind of work I’m growing to like more and more with feminist meaning behind the work. I particularly like her piece 'Common Reflections' (above) - it's an interpretation of the fence from RAF Greenham Common that represents the site outside the base where in the 1980s women set up a peace camp to protest about nuclear weapons kept there - the mirrors are a clever twist as the women held up mirrors to the guards to hold them to account. I also liked the use of mixed media in her work. 

I still need to go back and look at Rosalind and Emily's work in more detail as I soon got swept away from the galleries when guests started to arrive. All in all a good exhibition- looking forward to seeing who the winner is in May!

Day tripping to Scarborough

Taking a day off work I decided to meet my Mum and Dad by the coast at Scarborough. I absolutely love Whitby (which is just up the coast) but taking my camera out and about on Thursday around Scarborough made me see the town through different eyes. I've been heading to Scarborough at least twice a year since I was born so it's familiar territory but the buildings and sea front on a cold, snowy day made for good viewing. There's something really nice about taking time out when everyone else is working - it's a lot quieter and having a day off work is always a bonus! Here are a few pics I snapped on my trip (of course, it wouldn't be complete without fish 'n' chips!). 

The Light Show at the Hayward Gallery

The Light Show at The Hayward Gallery is one of the best, most inventive show I've seen in years. It was bright and in your face but in a really good way that took my breath away briefly. Unfortunately you'll have to take my word for it on most accounts as they have a strict no photos policy! I managed to get a cheeky one from the staircase but the gallery assistants look more like bouncers and weren't to be messed with!

The piece by Leo Villareal, Cylinder (above) took me by surprise when I first went in and I must have watched it for about five minutes! The more subtle pieces, like David Batchelor's 'Magic Hour' that you can see in the background take a bit more reading around - I heard one couple say 'it looks like it's the wrong way around!' which admittedly I thought as well on first approach! After reading into it a bit more though it's a clever take on dusk in Las Vegas and it's made up of old signs from burger shops, strip clubs, shops, etc. and creates a nice glow.



 

I'm still scratching my head at Jim Campbell's 'Exploded Views' (video courtesy of Youtube above) - looking at it for 75% time you see just normal, flashing lights, but look at just the right angle and you can clearly see people walking the lights - not the flashiest piece in the exhibition but one of my favourites.

 

Carlos Cruz-Diez, 'Chromosaturation', 2010

Image courtesy of http://www.theartsdesk.com/visual-arts/light-show-hayward-gallery

 

Other pieces including Carlos Cruz-Diez's Chromosaturation allowed me to get really involved with the piece by walking inside - this is so different from other exhibitions and I really enjoyed the whole experience. Another piece along these lines, Anthony Mccall's You and I, Horizontal (2005), took my breath away- I don't think pictures can do it justice but it was incredible being able to get 'in' to the light. I could have stayed in that room all afternoon, the streams of light and mist were dreamy. Go and see it, see it now!

 

Anthony Mccall, You and I, Horizontal, 2005
Image courtesy of http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-21250361

 

 

And finally, a review of this exhibition wouldn't be complete without mentioning Olafur Elanson's Model for a Timeless Garden (2011). The piece (from Youtube above) was difficult to watch for long as it was such a visual assault with the strobe lights but worth a look as it seems like magic when you're in the room. Some of the other works fade into the background against he stronger work but this exhibition seems to have a lot of strong works to see.

 

Well worth a visit (although, going when it's quiet is best as there were warnings of huge queues for the weekend) and for only £5 with a National Art Pass (£11 full price) it's a steal.

 

Table for one please: a day trip around London and Lichtenstein

This Monday I decided to treat myself to a fun-filled day in London by myself. Apart from getting over the initial shyness around ordering breakfast for one, the pleasures of travelling alone far outweigh the downsides.

I started the day wishing my best friend farewell in Sunningdale and hopping on the 8am train to London Waterloo. Starting with breakfast at The Table in Southwark, this breakfast spot was the perfect spot to grab some breakfast between Waterloo and Tate Modern. Jess and Ben introduced me to this little place a few years ago and I've been craving their salmon and eggs ever since. I had salmon and scrambled eggs with a cuppa and it was a great way to start the day. I highly recommend The Table for breakfast - It's wooden and cream with a light and airy feel and they serve everything for breakfast from pancakes and granola (this did look really good too) to a full English breakfast. It's not cheap at £12 for my breakfast and tea but worth a treat trip when you're in the area.

After polishing off my food I headed to the Lichtenstein: A Retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern. The exhibition was busy (as expected - they were warning two hour queues the previous day!) but bearable and the exhibition itself was much better than I expected. Lichtenstein's pieces up close are really cleverly thought out and certainly not the 'copies' I originally thought them to be. I was initially drawn to the exhibition because of the reviews; I have enjoyed Lichtenstein pieces in the past but would never have considered myself a 'big fan'.

The exhibition was very well curated, with specific themes in each room (Black and White, War and Romance, Landscapes, Art about Art, Nudes, etc.). The War and Romance room was my favourite and had a real buzz around pieces in the room. The pieces were cleverly juxtapositioned next to each other with paintings of crashing planes next to weeping women. Here's a panoramic view of the room.

I hadn't really come across the black and white work before and I really liked these - even if they are of every day items like radios and diaries there was something very stylised and appealing about them. I didn't particularly rate Lichtenstein's landscapes as I found them quite flat and lifeless - he really needs something to focus on in his pieces to give them a focal point, rather than landscapes.

I find it interesting that Lichtenstein didn't use nudes when painting pictures of nude women - he used cartoon strips and 'imagined' the women naked. I found the nude paintings some of his more interesting paintings as I'd not seen them before. The exhibition is worth a visit (especially if you can go when it's a bit quieter). It's great if you've got a National Art Pass as you can get in for £7, rather than the usual £14.

Moving on I went for a walk along the South Bank to head towards The Light Show at The Hayward Gallery. The show was incredible but I'll write about it in another post as it was so good! I popped along to Covent Garden for a spot of shopping but nothing much to report there- just some nice photos!

I finished off my day with a trip to The Photographers' Gallery just off Oxford Street. It always surprises me how quiet this gallery is considering its proximity to the hustle and bustle of all the shops on Oxford Street. I always enjoy a trip to this gallery but sadly nothing much to report on this time. There was a small exhibition of collage but I've definitely seen better shows here - a least it gave me a chance to swoon over the pretty lomo cameras!

Cafe Gallipoli - Angel/Islington

Ten of us ventured out for my birthday to Cafe Gallipoli in Angel/Islington. A 5 minute walk from Angel Tube Station the location was handy and the restaurant had a nice pub called The Bull just next door for a drink before/after the meal. Whilst the setting was a bit cosy with lots of people seated in the restaurant this made for a really nice, chatty, relaxed atmosphere. 

The interior was beautiful, with lots of lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and the waiters were very friendly. Everyone had a different selection of food from the 'party menu' and I would particularly recommend the cold mezes to start and the falafel. The menus we picked from can be found here. The food was very tasty but be warned, if booking for large groups (over 6, I think) you have to pick from the party menu, rather than the main one. 

Come Dine with Me

Some friends and I have been taking it in turns to do a 'Come Dine with Me' style evening and here's my chosen menu! I went for a mixture of really easy recipes (particularly the melted Camembert!) so I wasn't spending the whole time in the kitchen and a nice piece of fish for the main course. Here's my menu below and some pictures for good measure. 

To drink- Prosecco Royale

Canapés- Wild mushroom & Parmesan vol-au-vents - Taken from Good Food magazine these were good as they could be made in advance (and enjoyed the next day if there are any left overs!) 

Starter- Baked Camembert with crusty bread - I added some garlic and thyme to this classic starter with some crusty bread.

Main- Tuna steak with chilli and lime served with asparagus and patatas bravas - having tried out the recipe earlier on (see my blog post here) this was a safe bet which tasted delicious! 

Pudding- Toffee Apple pudding with vanilla ice cream (another from Good Food magazine - I've made this twice now and it really makes a (crunchy) difference if you add nuts). 

Rotterdam

Rotterdam - Wow, what a wonderful city. Before I headed off for the weekend with my Dad on the North Sea Ferries from Hull to Europort I was a little clueless as to why my Dad had picked Rotterdam as our trip destination. Experiencing Rotterdam was a whole different matter - art galleries, beautiful sculptures, great food, friendly people and great open spaces. Here are some photos of our trip and a few places you should definitely trip in Rotterdam if you're heading over. At £45 each on the ferry each it is well worth a visit! 

1. Rotterdam houses- I found this beautiful door whilst walking through a back street. 
2. Chuck Close at the Kunsthal Gallery - part of the Avant-Gardes exhibition.
    3. De Calypso building, Rotterdam. 
    4. Amazing display in the Netherlands Architecture Institute cafe. 
    5. Artwork by Jan van der Ploeg at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. 
    6. Delfshaven - the older part of Rotterdam to contrast buildings like De Calypso.
    7. Delicious apple cake from Nieuw Rotterdams Cafe on Witte de Withstraat - great cafe   
    with nice surroundings and even better apple cake and tea. Well worth a visit. 
    8. A Picasso inspired sculpture outside the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. 

Museumpark is well worth a visit if you're into art or not - it's a great space to walk through and if you like galleries it's surrounded on all sides by some of the best galleries in Rotterdam - The Kunsthal Gallery and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen were great. The pic above is of a small corner were the Kunsthal Gallery lives.