The Devine Xperience | Music Profile

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Frostie

Band/Artist: The Devine Xperience
Location: Los Angeles California
Styles: Electronica, Breaks, Dubstep
Similar to: Bassnectar, The Crystal Method, Uberzone, Rabbit in the Moon, The Freestylers.
CD: Self-Titled
Label: Let’s Beat Milo Records
Members/Instruments:
Robert Jaros AKA Robert Devine creates all of the music and also sings backup vocals. Vanessa Garic sings lead vocals and backup vocals. Enki Siruzis a live performer.

About The Album:
The Devine Xperience – Self-Titled debut Album contains classic Electronic Dance Music consisting of the elements of Dubstep, Breaks, Electro, Trance, and Acid. It is the brainchild of producer Robert Jaros AKA Robert Devine and singer & creative director Vanessa Garic. It contains messages in the songs regarding politics, aliens, and various other controversial and transcendental subjects and will elevate the listener to a higher state of consciousness. It features remixes from legendary recording artist’s: Jackal of Jackal & Hyde and previously of Dynamix II, Decoding Jesus, The Duke and The Kaiser, and DJ D-Xtreme. The DevineXperience Album release will be supported by an all encompassing Promotional Campaign consisting of 3 music videos, and full PR, College Radio, and Social Media Promotion. Look out for their upcoming performances at a Rave, Club, Concert or Festival near you.

All Songs Written, Produced, and Performed by: Robert Jaros & Vanessa Garic All Songs Recorded, Mixed, Edited, and Arranged by: Robert Jaros.

Bio:
The Devine Xperience is a live music act that plays a unique blend of electronic dance music with elements ofbreakbeat, dubstep, trap, and trance. Their music has been described as timeless by music critics that have tried to categorize it. Robert Devine creates and records the music. Vanessa Garic is the Creative Director guiding the artistic and visual aspects of the group also lending her skills as a live performer. Enki Siruz is the audio engineer and is responsible for adding the polish andsparkle to the music and is also featured as a live performer.

Robert Jaros AKA Robert Devine began playing the piano at the age of 5, then in junior high school he started to play the drums and percussion then he moved on to the guitar and bass in high school. Robert’s first live performances were with various punk bands that he played either the guitar, bass, or sang in during his high school years, in 1992 he attended what he believed to be a Deee Lite concert but it was actually very much more. This was the first Rave party that Robert had ever attended, that night he witnessed the Rabbit in the Moon performing live and it changed his life forever…. He immediately acquired a Roland XP-80 synthesizer and began work on what would become his passion in life, producing music. Throughout the 90’s Robert produced and performed Breakbeat, Drum & Bass, and HouseMusic Live P.A. Shows in the Southeast Rave Scene under the name of The Devine X-Perience while concurrently MC’ing at various parties. Then in the early 2000’s he began producing Hip Hop for various Artists all over the US and opening for various artists such as Lil Wayne, Young Dro, Cashis, D4L, Pastor Troy, and Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz and others of that caliber while continuing to develop what would become The DevineXperience on the side during what little free time he had. Robert has put his blood, sweat, and tears into this album that he has been recording during the past 6 years, Robert is a raver to the core and Believes in Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect as his guiding principles in life. His dream is to bring his magical and unique sound into the ears of all across the globe in the form of the Devine Xperience.

Vanessa Garic’s passion for artistry lead to her interest in makeup, special effects, and fashion. She attended Sunset Gower Studios Makeup Academy in Hollywood and later became a personnel stylist for Louis Vuitton in Beverly Hills, California. Assisting many of her loyal clients in the luxury of their homes, she helped build their wardrobes; also gaining long lasting relationships.

She later moved into the world of Haute Joaillerie, studying gemstones and providing buying advice to consumers for Chopard, the Swiss based luxury jeweler. Working in collaboration with Hollywood industry events, she worked with stylist dressing several people, often hand delivering a selection of jewels to choose from.

She has a passion for painting and the visual arts and she continues to paint, which had always been close to her heart.
Music and painting have always fueled her energy for finding ways to create new and exciting experiences, which she definitely has delivered with her contributions to this project. Some of her favorite musical influences are New Order, Elliot Smith, DJ Keoki, The DandyWarhols, Brian Johnstown Massacre, Coco Rosie, and The Breeders.

Enki Siruz was born in Los Angeles California and was raised in the San Fernando Valley. He grew up listening to a variety of musical influences such as the Doors, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Sublime, and Nirvana. He loves to watch live performances and is always attending various music events. He is a graduate of Musicians Institute in the Audio Engineering Program. His goal is to make some of the best sounding, high quality albums the world has ever heard by infusing different music genres to create Amazing Sounding Projects.

Yang Sing Manchester | Restaurant Review

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Matthew Radway

I think it’s important to start this review by saying that I’m not an easy person to please, especially with food. I say this simply because the rest of the review is going to be filled with gushing praise, beginning with…

Last Friday at Yang Sing restaurant in Manchester I ate the best Chinese meal I have ever eaten. My colleague and I were served six courses of house specialities ranging from chicken feet to jellyfish amongst a whole array of Cantonese delights and none of them disappointed.
We were seated by our very friendly host in the surprisingly bright and airy basement and were very helpfully talked through the menu and wine list. From here until we left the service was impeccable; we were attended to at all times without feeling like the staff were constantly on top of us.

Our food odyssey began with a truly succulent duck in a sweet soy sauce served on the bone and served with the aforementioned jellyfish which managed to somehow be both slippery and crunchy all in one. To drink we had a 2011 Pinot Blanc which perfectly accompanied the food. This was followed by a deep fried chilli stuffed with prawn that wasn’t to my taste but my colleague enjoyed it. Along too came the notorious chicken feet which were incredibly flavoursome but a little fiddly and two types of dumpling – ginger, shallot and coriander and prawn. Both were among the best dumplings I’ve ever had.

Next came ostrich steak which was probably our least favourite course, although it was perfectly pleasant. Following this, we had steamed scallops served in their shells with an accompaniment of glass noodles which were exceedingly good. I noticed that it seemed to be a popular dish with the diners around me and rightly so.

At this point our wine was replaced with a light and fruity Sancerre rosé that went perfectly with our next dish of stir fried prawns with mixed vegetables, spring onion fried rice with garlic and a Malaysian chicken curry that my colleague found a little rich but I couldn’t get enough of.

By now we were more than a little full but the food train rolled on as a fresh fruit platter arrived which was just what we needed after the oily, starchy food of the previous course. I’m not normally a fan of melon but somehow this restaurant has managed to source the only melon I’ve ever really enjoyed. Finally, our epic meal ended with a little coconut tart that was not too heavy and the perfect size for a sweet.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I can’t recommend this restaurant highly enough. If you live in the North West then make your way over to Yang Sing for a truly fantastic meal out.

Sewing Is Officially Cool Thanks To The Great British Sewing Bee & Kirsty Allsop

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Frostie

Sewing is officially cool, thanks to The Great British Sewing Bee, Kirsty Allsop and many more. Meet an entrepreneurial crafter who’s turned her love of stitching into a community event.

Maggie Robb has always been drawn to making her mark with a needle and thread, but it was leaving London and her job as a TV producer that set her on course as a maker.

Maggie Robb (Made by Maggie) at The Spring Downley Makers’ Market

Maggie works with vintage fabric and hand embroidery under the label Made by Maggie. “There’s something magical about hand-embroidering a name, or stitching the face of someone onto a blank piece of fabric. Like a little bit of benevolent voodoo!”

Fiona Emma (Linen and Roses) at The Spring Downley Makers’ Market

In 2011 she and her husband moved to the village of Downley on the edge of the Chilterns and near High Wycombe. At the toddlers’ play-group Maggie met local mums Catherine Smith and Fiona Emm. Somewhere along the line between changing nappies and playing with Lego, they discovered their mutual passion for stitching.

“We were all creating things in the evenings, but dreaming of turning our hobbies into a business. The Downley Makers’ Market was the result.”

Liberty Lavender Cats by Made by Maggie

Aware that there was a gap in the market the three creative mums booked the village community hall for a Saturday morning close to Christmas. “We knew we’d look pretty silly in such a big venue, so we started to advertise for other makers to take pitches, for a small fee. We could have filled the hall twice over and by the time our spring market came along we had three times as many makers applying.”

Brooches by Made by Maggie

The Downley Makers were able to cover their start-up and advertising costs with the fees taken from fellow makers. “We’re not quite running at a profit as we’re using any money left over from the craft markets to expand what we do online.” Maggie explains. “A website is on the way this summer, as well as workshops. Its really important to us that The Makers’ Market is as much about an ethos of sharing skills and information as it is an event at which people can sell.”

You can meet The Downley Makers in person at Downley Day on June 21st and their next market will be later in the autumn. “Things have been so busy since we started the markets that I think we all find it hard to keep up sometimes.” Maggie confesses, “But it’s great knowing that we’ve created something that so many people are engaging with and getting pleasure from.”

Fiona Emm, Catherine Smith and Maggie Robb – The Downley Makers’

Made by Maggie: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MadebyMaggie07

The Downley Makers’ Market: Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/TheDownleyMakersMarket

Those Who Steal Movies Are Also Happy To Pay

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Frostie

People who illegally download billions of pounds worth of movies also love going to the cinema and don’t mind paying to watch movies.

In the first study to examine the differences between movie and music pirates, the key finding was those who steal movies seem to be an entirely different breed from those who steal music.

In addition to movie pirates being less likely to stop paying to see movies alongside stealing them, prolific movie pirates also tend to be wealthier, less worried about being caught and more likely to cut down their piracy if they think they are harming the industry.

The research, by Dr Joe Cox and Professor Alan Collins, economists at the University of Portsmouth, also found that compared to those who steal music, movie pirates are more likely to live in large cities and be ‘early adopters’ of new technology.

The research is published in the Journal of Behavioural and Experimental Economics.

The researchers analysed results from a survey of more than 6,000 people aged seven to 84 to examine the attitudes of those who illegally download movies and music from the internet.

On average, each person had illegally downloaded about 2,900 music files and 90 movie files. Experts claim the cost of piracy in the US alone is $US12.5bn to the music industry and $US20.5bn to the movie industry.

Dr Cox said: “It is interesting to see that people who illegally download large quantities of movie files continue to pay for legal movie consumption to a far greater extent than music downloaders.

“However, it came as no surprise to find that the most prolific pirates of either movies or music tend to be younger men. They have the skills, the motivation and the equipment to between them to steal large volumes of music tracks and movies every month.”

Pirates are generally motivated first and foremost by saving money, and second, by seeing themselves as helping artists bypass middlemen and reach wider audiences, the study found. But it also found significant differences in the behaviour and attitudes of music and movie pirates. Those who illegally download large volumes of movie files are likely to be significantly:

– less likely to cut back their spending on legal movies compared to those who steal music;
– better off financially than music pirates;
– more likely to be male;
– less likely to think they’ll be caught compared to those who steal music;
– more likely to limit their piracy if they think stealing is harms the film industry.

Dr Cox said: “These findings are important from a policy perspective, because they suggest campaigns that emphasise the harmful effects on the movie industry of piracy are much more likely to be effective than similar campaigns focusing on the music industry.

“One of the reasons movie pirates are a different breed is downloading and file-sharing films is much more technologically demanding. It requires faster internet speeds, greater digital storage capabilities and access to a wider range of devices for playback than pirating music, which has now become relatively simple, fast and cheap.”

The researchers, from Portsmouth Business School, analysed a Finnish survey dataset of 6,100 people, which reinforces that piracy is not limited to the US and UK markets and that the behaviours and attitudes are similar worldwide.

Among the reasons people gave for downloading files illegally were that it saved money, allowed access to material not on general release or before it was released, and has benefits such as helping artists bypass record companies or movie studios.

Reasons given for not downloading or for limiting piracy included fear of downloading viruses or malware, content not matching the description, being difficult to find, and being of poor quality.

Nigerian Authorities Failed To Act On Warnings Of Boko Haram School Raid

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Frostie

Damning testimonies gathered by Amnesty International reveal that the Nigerian security forces failed to act on advance warnings about Boko Haram’s armed raid on the state-run boarding school in Chibok which led to the abduction of more than 240 schoolgirls on 14-15 April.

Michelle Obama has given her support.

After independently verifying information based on multiple interviews with credible sources, the organisation today exclusively revealed that the Nigerian security forces had more than four hours of advance warning about the attack but did not do enough to stop it.

Netsanet Belay, Amnesty’s Africa Director, speaking from Abuja, said:

“The fact that Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram’s impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it, will only amplify the national and international outcry at this horrific crime.

“It amounts to a gross dereliction of Nigeria’s duty to protect civilians, who remain sitting ducks for such attacks. The Nigerian leadership must now use all lawful means at their disposal to secure the girls’ safe release and ensure nothing like this can happen again.

“The abduction and continued detention of these school girls are war crimes, and those responsible must be brought to justice. Attacks on schools also violate the right to education and must be halted immediately.”

Amnesty has confirmed through various sources that Nigeria’s military headquarters in Maiduguri was aware of the impending attack soon after 7pm on 14 April, close to four hours before Boko Haram began their assault on the town.

But an inability to muster troops – due to poor resources and a reported fear of engaging with the often better-equipped armed groups – meant that reinforcements were not deployed to Chibok that night. The small contingent of security forces based in the town – 17 army personnel as well as local police –attempted to repel the Boko Haram assault but were overpowered and forced to retreat. One soldier reportedly died.

More than three weeks later, the majority of the girls remain in captivity in an unknown location. A climate of confusion and suspicion has so far scuppered efforts to secure their release.

Amnesty reiterates its call on Boko Haram to immediately and unconditionally release the hostages into safety and stop all attacks on civilians.

Warnings ignored

Between 7pm on 14 April and 2am on 15 April, the military commands in Damboa, 36.5 km away from Chibok, and Maiduguri, 130 km away from Chibok, were repeatedly alerted to the threat by both security and local officials.

According to sources interviewed by Amnesty, local civilian patrols (known as “vigilantes”, set up by the military and local authorities) in Gagilam, a neighbouring village, were among the first to raise the alarm on the evening of 14 April after a large group of unidentified armed men entered their village on motorbikes and said they were headed to Chibok. This set off a rapid chain of phone calls to alert officials, including the Borno State Governor and senior military commanders based in Maiduguri.

One local official who was contacted by Gagilam residents told Amnesty: “At around 10:00 PM on 14 April, I called [several] security officers to inform them about earlier information I had received from the vigilantes in Gagilam village. They had told us that strange people had arrived in their village that evening on motorbikes and they said they were heading to Chibok. I made several other calls, including to Maiduguri. I was promised by the security people that reinforcement were on their way.”

Another local official was contacted by herdsmen who said that armed men had asked where the Government Girls Secondary School was located in Chibok.

At around 11:45 PM, a convoy reportedly numbering up to 200 armed Boko Haram fighters – on motorbikes and in trucks – arrived in Chibok town and engaged in a gunfight with a small number of police and soldiers based there. Outnumbered and outgunned, the security forces eventually fled in the small hours of 15 April. Some of the Boko Haram fighters proceeded to the Government Girls Secondary School and abducted more than 240 schoolgirls.

Two senior officers in Nigeria’s armed forces confirmed that the military was aware of the planned attack even prior to the calls received from local officials. One officer said the commander was unable to mobilize reinforcements. He described to Amnesty the difficulties faced by frontline soldiers in north-eastern Nigeria:

“There’s a lot of frustration, exhaustion and fatigue among officers and [troops] based in the hotspots…many soldiers are afraid to go to the battle fronts.”

Amnesty’s requests for a reaction from the military headquarters in Abuja have gone unanswered.

Since the 14 April raid, a climate of confusion and suspicion appears to have slowed down the Nigerian authorities’ efforts to locate and free the abducted schoolgirls. On 16 April, a senior Defence Ministry spokesperson said that almost all of the abducted girls had been rescued and only eight were still missing. The next day he had to retract that statement.

Netsanet Belay added:

“The climate of suspicion and lack of transparency about the rescue effort has been unhelpful – all authorities must work together to ensure the girls are brought home safely and more must be done to protect civilians in future.”

Amnesty is calling on the Nigerian government to provide adequate information to families of abducted girls on the authorities’ current efforts to ensure their safe release. The families – and the abducted girls, once they are freed – must be provided with adequate medical and psychological support.

Background

The information on the advance warnings of the impending Boko Haram attack in Chibok came from multiple sources, including local officials and two senior military officers, interviewed by Amnesty. The sources independently verified a list of Nigerian officials who were alerted on 14-15 April, before and during the raid on the Government Girls Secondary School. They have been kept anonymous for their safety.

The abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok comes amid months of worsening violence and serious human rights violations and abuses being committed by armed Islamist groups and Nigerian government forces alike in the conflict in north-eastern Nigeria.

Amnesty’s research indicates that at least 2,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Nigeria this year alone.

In a separate incident on 5 May, at least eight girls were abducted by gunmen in the Warabe and Wala communities in north-eastern Nigeria. There have been similar abductions on a smaller scale, mainly of women and girls, in the last two years.

Also on 5 May, more than 200 people were killed in Gamboru, Ngala, Borno state, when an armed group traveling in two armoured cars opened fire on a market in broad daylight. The attack began around 1:30pm and lasted several hours, and the armed group torched market stalls, vehicles and nearby homes and shops.

Despite such ongoing attacks, the Nigerian authorities have failed to adequately investigate the killings and abductions, bring suspected perpetrators to justice, or prevent further attacks.

At the same time, the government continues to unlawfully detain hundreds of people suspected of links with Boko Haram in military detention and is denying them access to lawyers. The majority of those detained around the country are held without criminal charges, and many have been extrajudicially executed by security forces before facing trial.

ContainerVille Offers Affordable Work Space On Regents Canal

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Frostie

ContainerVille, launched by The Estate Office Shoreditch, offers work space on Regents Canal
– Storage containers up-cycled for London’s dynamic start-ups –

ContainerVille, a new initiative for London’s start-ups has been launched today by The Estate Office Shoreditch. The concept aims to attract dynamic young creatives in search of affordable work space in which to grow their entrepreneurial businesses. The unique location of this offering will allow ‘New Eastenders’ the chance to thrive amongst their peers with close proximity to vibrant Shoreditch and Hackney.

Start-ups looking for a home for their growing business will find no better alternative than ContainerVille, which offers rental of a whole container for £1200 per month. Made up of 30 converted storage containers on the south bank of Regent’s Canal, ContainerVille offers affordable work spaces with low rent and minimal overheads so that small businesses will be free to grow more organically. The site will be managed but the containers will offer a great deal of flexibility for their tenants.

Over the past weeks the containers have undergone a total fit out and emerge transformed into fully functioning spaces for up to five people per container. Individual desk spaces can be rented for £320pp per month as the minds behind ContainerVille recognise that together small firms are stronger and businesses may choose to share containers or work in partnership. ContainerVille aims to create a dynamic hub of start-ups and small businesses, increasing opportunity for growth in a community of like-minded creatives working in proximity to one another. The landscaping around the containers is also geared to promote collaborative working and integration, with shared outdoor areas overlooking the canal.

The Estate Office Shoreditch hope to inspire future tenants with their historically rich canal-side location, where the technology of the industrial revolution will stand alongside the technology, design and digital firms likely to occupy the space. Further to the peace and tranquillity inspired by close proximity to the canal, Victoria Park, Broadway Market and London Fields are also within throwing distance, ensuring that tenants are well-connected and within easy reach of The City and West End.

The Estate Office Shoreditch is a family business who have owned and managed much of the land in and around Shoreditch since the mid 60’s. Phil Bouette, Development Manager at The Estate Office commented: “We are really excited about this new venture; we take a long-term view of property ownership and believe in offering flexibility to our tenants, whether they are longstanding establishments or fresh fast growth firms. We look forward to welcoming our first tenants in the next few weeks.”

Le Di-Vin Wine Bar Edinburgh Review

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Melissa Volpi

Le Di-Vin on Randolph Place is very different from the neo-classical and Georgian architecture that make up the New Town of Edinburgh.The building looks half French farmhouse, half Tudor Free House. It was formerly known as the Oratory of St Anne but once you are through the iron gates and blue doors, it feels like you have stepped into a wine cellar not a chapel.

The black painted walls, with white ceiling and cornicing, give way to two entrances. Turn left and you reach La Petite Folie – the first of this restaurant and wine bar chain owned by Virginie Brouard. Look straight ahead and you see the entrance to Le Di-Vin Wine Bar.

This dark passageway leads to another wooden door with presence. There are two large wine casks on either side of the door, which act as tables to the miniature trees made from fairy lights that reside elegantly on them.

There is also a chalkboard with today’s menus on it. Le Di-Vin offers a choice of two daily food menus – one set menu and one all day menu – and two drinks menus. The set lunchtime menu is £11.50 for two courses.

After taking a quick peek of the set menu, we pull open the wooden doors and are greeted by an unexpectedly large and light space.

Wine Bar

What instantly draws your eye is the wall of wine bins to the left of the entrance – the bins are so high that you need a ladder to reach the top four rows. It’s lovely to see so many bottles of wine on display. It makes you eager to start tasting them…

The whole of Le Di-Vin is open plan. There are seats at the bar for those who want to pick the brains of knowledgeable staff. And there are long rustic tables and quiet corners to sit at within the main street level space. But a waiter takes our coats and seats us somewhere special.

“Would you like to eat on our mezzanine level,” he says in a well-spoken Edinburgh accent.

“Yes please,” we reply.

There are only six tables on the mezzanine level and today only one other table is occupied here – making it a peaceful area from which to observe and savour.

I cannot get enough of the wine casks that are used as tables and the trees that are made from fairy lights. They are scattered about Le Di-Vin and I think it adds an authentic and feminine touch.

Wine by the glass

When our waiter hands us the menu and wine list by the glass, we are stunned by what we see. There are 26 different varieties of white wine by the glass and 26 different varieties of red wine by the glass – a phenomenal amount and much more than I have personally encountered before.

This is a hand picked selection of unique, quality wines. And with prices ranging from £3.65 to £10.00, they represent an affordable treat.

The three whites that interest me the most are the Macon Uchizy, Domaine Talmard – Chardonnay; the Chablis 11, Domaine Fevre – Chardonnay; and the Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11 – Sauvignon.

Kirsty is finding it difficult to choose only one wine too and ponders over three reds: the Atacamea Carmenere; the Merlot, Domaine Astruc; and the Rioja, Dominio de Heredia.

There is another, bigger wine list too selling even more wines – this time by the bottle.

Merlot and Sancerre

Our waiter walks up the wooden steps to our table…

“Would you like a little more time, Ladies? Or are you ready to order?”

Kirsty and I look at the menu again, then each other.

“We’re ready!”

The lunchtime set menu, served from 12 noon until 5 pm, and the all day menu, served from 12 noon until 10 pm, sells traditional French fare. There is Croque-Monsieur, snails in garlic butter, Les Tartines (toasted country bread with a choice of two fillings) and four different sharing platters to name but a few.

We decide to order a rustic board of mixed cheese and ham to share, as well as a glass of Merlot and Sancerre.

I’ve visited France many times and one of the things that I love most, is the individual family run shops that make up each town’s main street, or each cities ‘quarter.’ Tesco is handy and quick. But there is nothing like meandering down a beautiful French boulevard, with buildings that have tall windows and ornate balconies, and wandering into a wine shop, cheese shop, delicatessen and bakers. It’s so French and fun. And I like the fact that this wine bar is trying to bring all these different cultural elements together to give you an experience, rather than just feed and water you.

Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette

The wines come first, followed by a wooden board covered in chunks of cheese and slices of cold meats.

Kirsty’s Merlot tastes of black forest gateau. It is a good choice and will go perfectly with the cheese and ham. My Sancerre is a beautiful colour. It reminds me of sand at sunrise. It tastes fresh and lively – like spring in a glass. It’s a good wine to sip by itself or to have with salads and fish. But for my palette, I think it’s a little light and bright to be having with strong cheese and spicy meats.

The sharing platter looks colourful. There is a selection of Saucisson, Salami, Parma Ham and Terrine. And cheeses from Chaource, Brie de Meaux, Tomme de Savoie, St Agur, Comté, Pont l’Evèque and Reblochon. All served alongside gherkins, grapes and bread with butter.

Kirsty and I knock glasses before digging in to our favourites. I love Salami and Brie and quickly grab these of the board first…

Très chic

Kirsty and I both enjoyed our quick lunchtime treat. The medium-sharing platter is more than enough for two people – we are both feeling contentedly full. And my glass of Sancerre was a lovely alternative to the Italian whites that I normally drink. It’s not a wine that I would have bought buy the bottle when dining out, as apart from being expensive, I had not tasted it before. So the opportunity to buy this by the glass was most welcome.

I can’t fault Le Di-Vin. Virginie Brouard has got the location, the design and the wine right. She’s built a classy establishment that is not pretentious – no mean feat in a city.

If I were to pull up anything, it would be the choice of cheeses and cold meats in the sharing platters. The wine at Le Di-Vin is not the norm. And I think the food should not be the norm either. The cheeses and cold meats are delicious, but what you would expect. Maybe an additional sharing platter offering rare fromage and charcuterie would be a nice addition…

Kirsty and I take our last sips of wine while looking straight ahead at a wall mural that is a modern take of The Last Supper. Instead of Jesus sharing a last meal with his Apostles in Jerusalem, there’s Oscar Wilde surrounded by the great philosophers and artists of the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries. I like it. It’s a quirky take on Leonardo da Vinci’s work and it reminds me of a quote by Wilde.

“I have the simplest taste. I am always satisfied with the best.”

Le Di-Vin more than satisfies my simple tastes. It is one of the best wine bars that I have ever frequented. And I will be going back to sample more of these extraordinary wines by the glass.

Our light lunch for two:

1 x Merlot, Domaine Astruc, 250ml glass £6.95

1 x Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11, 250ml glass £10.00

1 x Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette, small, £15.00

Total: £31.95 + tip (£16.00 per head for a cheese and ham sharing boar with bread and large glass of quality wine.)

We like…

THE LOCATION

THE DESIGN

THE WAITERS

THE BINS OF WINE DISPLAY WALL

THE LIST OF QUALITTY WINES BY THE GLASS

THE MERLOT, DOMAINE ASTRUC

THE SANCERRE, LUCIEN CROCHET 11

THE PLANCHETTE DE FROMAGES

THE MEZZANINE DINING AREA

THE PRICES

Contact details:

Le Di-Vin Wine Bar
9 Randolph Place
Edinburgh
EH3 7TE

0131 538 1815

info@ledivin.co.uk

http://www.ledivin.co.uk/

The Italian Boys Putney | Restaurant Review

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Putney, London, has a lot going for it. One of those things are Italian restaurants and one of the best is the newly refurbished The Italian Boys on Putney High Street. They have a good menu with a large selection of food to choose from. It takes us ages to choose what we want but the staff are patient and don’t rush us. We order some prosecco to start and it is very good wine. Some of the best prosecco I have ever tasted.

We finally decide on our starters: I have the Calamari Grigliati Con Polentina Fritta: Fresh grilled squid, pan fried polenta stuffed with peas & mint, slow roasted herbs & cherry tomato dressing and my colleague has Gamberoni Al Prosciutto Croccante: King prawns wrapped with crunchy Parma ham & lentils sauté. The calamari dish is superb, just make sure you add all of the ingredients together and don’t eat them separately. The chef really knows what he/she is doing and has an excellent grasp of flavours and the knowledge to put them together to make a stunning dish. I was incredibly impressed. The prawn starter was also superb, the sauce it came in was amazing and this dish made even the humble lentil into an ingredient worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant. We cannot praise the starters highly enough: just absolutely amazing.

For our main we had the Merluzzo Con Pancetta Croccante E Uova Di Quaglia: Pan fried filet of cod wrapped in crunchy pancetta served with clams & quail eggs with spinach & butter sauce and the Ravioli Di Zucca Con Pancetta: Ricotta & pumpkin ravioli, pancetta & rocket with butter sauce. The mains were just as good as the starters: absolutely amazing. The cod dish is unique and delicious and the ravioli is first-class. The food is so good that this restaurant is unforgettable, you think about the meal you had long after and you just have to go back for more.

For dessert I had ice-cream and my colleague had the Torta Della Nonna. The ice-cream was great. You get three scoops and I had chocolate with cookies, strawberry and a very alcoholic rum. This was superb ice-cream, showing that Italian Boys even gets it right on the simple things. The Torta Della Nonna is a Tuscan dessert known as ‘grandmother’s cake’, it was also brilliant.

The Italian Boys is a must go to restaurant for all Londoners, not just those in Putney. Both the food and the service is first-class.

Address:157 Putney High St, London SW15 1RT

Phone:020 8780 1988

Hours: 7:00 am – 11:00 pm

http://www.theitalianboysrestaurant.co.uk/

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