Tag Archives: Life & Style

21 Tips for Living Life without Regret

Posted on by

‘Living Life without Regret’

21 Tips for Living Life without Regret by Hilbre Johnson of Transform Life Coaching (www.transformlifecoaching.co), who recently lost a close friend to cancer.

1. Be proactive. Go after life, don’t wait for it to come and find you – it never will.

2. Start and finish each day by saying ‘thank you’. Many people didn’t make it through your day – life is a precious gift.

3. Show compassion. Kindness is free and it makes the world a better place. Always do for others as you would like them to do for you.

4. Set your intention for the day and know what you want to get out of it. If you don’t have any idea of where you are going, how can you get there?

5. Keep active and eat healthily. A flexible and strong body is a young body.

6. Keep learning. A stimulated mind is a young mind.

7. Challenge yourself. Always keep moving out of your comfort zone – it is the only way we grow.

8. Practice mindfulness. It makes each moment a far richer experience when your senses are fully alert.

9. Forget worrying about the future, just plan for it so you can enjoy it when you get there.

10. Make time for those you care about.

11. Always tell those you love how you feel about them. You never want to say ‘if only I had told them…’

12. Make an occasion out of even the smallest and most simple things.

13. It really doesn’t matter what others think. We only realise this as we get older having wasted so much energy on trying to impress them. Who cares!

14. Slow down. We all rush along blindly heading where ever it is we are going and miss all the scenery along the way. Life isn’t just about getting to your destination, it is also about enjoying the journey.

15. Spend more time with nature – we can learn so much by quietly observing how perfectly she goes about her daily activities.

16. When it comes down to it, life is all about the simple things.

17. Make conscious changes, if you don’t life has a way of making them for you and they won’t always be what you want.

18. Find your life purpose.

19. Love unconditionally.

20. Travel more. See more.

21. Life is short and you want to say at the end of it – I lived and loved like there were no tomorrows…

These tips are thanks to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the DVD release of Restless, starring Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre, Alice in Wonderland) and newcomer Henry Hopper (Dennis Hopper’s son), out on 13th Feb.

Directed by Gus Van Sant, Oscar®-nominated director of Milk and Good Will Hunting, the film follows Annabel Cotton, a beautiful and charming terminal cancer patient with a deep felt love of life and the natural world. Enoch Brae is a young man who has dropped out of the business of living, after an accident claimed the life of his parents. When these two outsiders chance to meet at a funeral, they find an unexpected common ground in their unique experiences of the world.

It’s true. A broken heart can kill

Posted on by

It’s true. a broken heart can kill

I guess on a day like today (valentines day) we should talk about that thing we love and hate…love and the injuries it comes with.

We’ve all felt it. maybe on different levels but we all know what its like to have our hearts broken. to have something that is out of our control happen, to be taken to a different place that we have felt so close too and special for so long, long enough to declare our love and dedicate ourselves too, and then be ripped away from it can create an uncontrollable pain inside us, like the butterflies we had in our bellies are slowly dying and yet we cant help them, can’t call 999 and ask them to come and save them ,and at times we can’t even call our own friends for help.

But why do we feel like we are dying of a broken heart? Well it’s because we are.

One of the main causes of death by broken heart is a heart-attack…or as it has been proven…something like a heart-attack.
It’s called stress cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome. you’re body becomes so shocked after a traumatic experience it unleashes a flush of chemicals including adrenaline, all this rush can put pressure and stun you’re heart, leaving it unable to pump properly.

The difference between this and a “normal” heart attack is that the arteries are not really damaged in the same way and if caught and treated properly recovery can be fairly quickly.

A sad fact is women have a higher risk of suffering with “broken heart Syndrome”  and especially after the passing of  a significant other, where they are 21 times more likely to suffer in the first 24hours and 6 times higher than normal in the first week since the passing.

But we’ve all felt the other type of broken heart, rejection. being cheated on, dumbed.

The pain of it can last for so long and the threat of sudden memories…oww our song, film, meal, smell, dog suddenly jumping in our heads.

Not only that but mutual friends asking stupid questions like…are you OK? or bumping into them in the street, party or my gut-wrenching favourite…photos and new relationship status change on facebook, twitter and other stalker friendly social network sites.

Now from personal experience this problem grows painfully big in young men.

We seem to believe its wrong for us to cry, talk about feeling upset or be weak, admit we feel alone or not coping well. possibly feeling less of a man or scared we would be laughed at and ridiculed.

This problem has grown so much that suicide is the second biggest killer in young men in England and Wales. coming from the South Wales valleys I can tell you now there is a huge suicide problem going on, in my village alone within the last year I believe 3-5 young men took their own life, men who seemed to be “OK” but after it being too late everyone realizing…they went and asking themselves, why didn’t they say something.

I don’t know if you all remember in the west near Bridgend between Jan 2007 and Dec 2008, 25 young people took there own lives, but its not only young people, but adults may be suffering with the loss of a loved one, money issues, family problems and even relationship problems that can drive what would seem a happy and friendly person to travel down a road that is lonely, cruel and hell to return from.

But there is an answer, there is help and there are lots of them….for one….talk about it, don’t be ashamed if you feel like this, don’t worry what people will say.

My relationship history hasn’t been great, in truth it’s awful and I have been used and abused and ripped apart by my exes, I felt ashamed, how the big and tough Seb could be brought to his knees by a little, sweet young lady…or ladies.
its true but my friends made me realize its OK, it wont hurt forever and I will walk onward to the light.

Another secret and this is the best I believe…..EXERCISE.

As well as releasing natural chemicals that improve your mood and make you feel happier, having an active lifestyle can do more to help your mental health.

Taking part in physical activities offers many opportunities. It’s a great way to meet people. And it can be a chance to give yourself a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of daily life – to find some me time.

Leading an active life can help raise your self-worth and improve your confidence. It can help you feel valued – and value yourself.

Exercise and physical activity can provide something worthwhile in your life. Something that you really enjoy, that gives you a goal to aim for and a sense of purpose.

Here are a few of the benefits:
less tension, stress and mental fatigue
a natural energy boost
improved sleep
a sense of achievement
focus in life and motivation
less anger or frustration
a healthy appetite
better social life
having fun. 
improved sex life…..yes men it can.

So don’t be afraid, don’t be alone. you have the right to be happy.
So get out there, take a challenge and hit it head on.
Start slow and small if needs be. Set yourself a goal and aim to smash it and never-ever look back.

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products.

Posted on by

Cleaning your home can really damage your health, no, it’s not just an excuse. All of the chemicals in the cleaning products aren’t very good for you, and guess what else? It’s not good for the environment either. So Frost tested some environmentally friendly recycled cleaning products.

Easydo are a company who are creating a more sustainable society. Their aim is to produce everyday products using recycled materials under the Ecoforce brand. They manufacture as many products as possible in the EU and all their products are between 50-100% recycled. All of the products are also inexpensive. So there is no excuse not to switch.

They stop things being made from virgin material and, while doing so, save the environment. Here is what they make…

Ecoforce Recycled Clothes Line. 20 meters length and 30kg break strength. 89% recycled. This is a high class, well made clothes line. It is also green, which I like.

Dishmatic Fill & Clean. This is a great invention, I really love this. The handle fills up with liquid then you just clean with the replaceable heavy duty sponge. It saves your hands. You can buy a three different refills and they all fit onto the DishMatic. The refills very easily click into place.

You cannot tell that the Ecoforce recycled clothes pegs are recycled. They are frost proof, have no springs so they won’t break, don’t leave peg stains and have a hurricane force grip. They come in different colours too. My clothes loved them, and the howling wind couldn’t win against them.

In the back of the packet Ecoforce says this; ‘Hanging out the washing is an easy way to reduce energy consumption. Each tumble drier load can release up to 2.6kg in CO2’. A brilliant reason to hang your clothes out. These pegs are also washable, metal free and have more grip than a standard peg. 93% recycled and are almost impossible to break.

Ecoforce also sell a peg basket. It comes with a 24 pack of pegs and is UV stable. 94% recycled. It has a handle, which is placed inside the basket to make it stack-able and save space. I love the design and how space aware it is. You can hang it up or have it on a shelf.

Ecoforce have a range of sponges. They are made from post industrial waste. They make the first scourer that is made from 100% recycled material. They are easy to use and handle. You can buy the heavy duty or the non-scratch one. They can be used anywhere in the house. I like the design of the sponges. They have a curve in them that makes them easy to use. They may be recyclable but they clean just as well as any other sponge.

Their scouring pads are great too. Very easy to clean with them.

They make quilted cloths that are ultra soft and made from a mixture of recycled cotton/viscose and synthetic fibres. They can be used on any surface: floors, glass, cars, wood, etc., They absorb well and do everything you could want in a cloth.

The quilted pockets trap dirt and they are machine washable.

Ecoforce dusters are made also made from a mixture of recycled cotton/viscose and synthetic fibres. They are 100% recycled and pick up dust like a dream.

The Ecoforce motto is: Ecoforce – eco products that work. They are not lying. Well made products, with great design that ease your conscious. Frost Loves.

To Order www.ecoforce.co.uk or call 020 8343 1010

EcoForce and Dishmatic are widely available in most supermarkets as well as Oxfam, Homebase and B & Q.

Seb Morgan’s Fitness Column

Posted on by

Hello Frost Magazine readers

My name is Seb, and I am lucky enough to become the new columnist for Frost Magazine, bringing you news, but more importantly the truth and positive information about health and fitness, some of it may shock you and some may find it hard to believe, but it is the stuff you need to know.

A little about me, I am originally from South Wales, I was raised in the classic “spit and sawdust” gym environment, no heating-if you want to get warm then move more, if you want a shower-stand under the drip in the ceiling. Men with no education yet they could eat a 20kgs weight plate and tell you everything about the human body you need to know.

Playing rugby to a very high standard I went on to become county champion in rugby, swimming and athletics as well as competing in muay thai boxing and weight training.

I moved to London 10 years ago to go to drama school and have since been working as an actor and stage combat teacher, but also still doing my normal training. For many years friends would ask me advice on health and fitness and where possible would train with me, the problem being they would train WITH ME not by me, therefore they couldn’t keep up, remember I was training myself and they wanted to join in and gain my knowledge for free…no problem…but they had to keep up and they couldn’t and this would create a negative effect towards health and fitness and would go away thinking…there is no point, why should I bother. Sound familiar?

After hanging out with my friends from 4 gauge, I actually decided to become a fully qualified personal trainer, having completed the Premier Diploma in personal training and NASM (national academy of sports medicine) bridging-course, I can now advice ANYBODY on the health and fitness issues of everyday, but now my problem is as it may be for you, it seems fitness is not free.

Gym memberships, personal training fees, website membership, equipment, supplements, health low fat foods (which is something we are going to cover soon and you will be shocked) DVDs and magazines. it all adds up, not only that but the descriptions in magazines can be foreign and complicated to someone who is not familiar with exercise and normally it is awfully written….having researched many articles and trainers, a lot of the technique is wrong. Shocking and terrible.

So I am here to tell you the truth…not to tell you what to do, what to buy, where to go, but to educate, give positive information, and show you how you can do this, reach your goals and in the best way; free as possible.

So stay tuned and I look forward to being a part of you’re lives.

You can follow me on twitter @sebmorganfit or email me any questions that I will try to answer here, or in regards to personal training on info@sebmorganfitness.co.uk

Just remember guys, only the brave make the choice and stand by it.

Beauty Products and Cancer: Know the Facts

Posted on by

Have you dyed or relaxed your hair? Do you put on lipstick before you head out to work? Do you paint your nails? Many women have a beauty routine or beauty products that they regularly use. Have you ever worried that yours might increase your risk for cancer? Before you panic and cancel your appointment at the salon, read on—it’s time to break down some beauty-related cancer fact and fiction.

Hair Dye: It is estimated that more than one-third of women over age 18 and about 10 percent of men over age 40 use some type of hair dye. Hair dyes are full of chemicals—5,000, to be precise—and that hasn’t escaped the notice of cancer researchers. Decades ago, researchers began studying chemicals used in hair dye. They found that early dye formulations contained chemicals that could cause cancer in animals. Not surprisingly, manufacturers changed the formulas and eliminated some of these chemicals in the United States around 1980. Because so many people use hair dyes, researchers continue to monitor whether chemicals in hair coloring products can increase risk for cancer in humans.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the evidence for increased risks for cancer from modern hair dyes use is limited and inconsistent. Some studies have indicated that people who used hair dyes had an increased risk for bladder and breast cancer, as well as cancers of the blood and bone marrow (such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia), while other studies have not. Based on its review of the evidence, the Working Group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that personal use of hair dyes is “not classifiable” as cancer-causing to humans. So it is still unclear if personal use of hair dyes can increase your risk for cancer. If you would like to learn more about hair dye and health risks, the Outreach and Information Center of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has information about hair dyes and how they are regulated. Visit http://www.fda.gov/Food/default.htm (search term: hair dye).

Hair Straightening: If you or your stylist uses hair smoothing or straightening products keep in mind that some of these products contain formaldehyde. Although formaldehyde is naturally occurring and is also used widely in many consumer products, this chemical is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and can also cause skin irritation and sensitization. People can be exposed to formaldehyde in the workplace and in their home environment, but the highest levels are found in work settings where formaldehyde is produced or used. In a salon, formaldehyde levels are elevated when formaldehyde-containing products are being applied, but they quickly return to a lower level. Remember that although your cancer risk from these hair products may be low, both hair dyes and straightening products contain chemicals that can hurt your skin, hair, and eyes especially if you are not careful or do not use them as intended. To learn more about the short-term and long-term risks of formaldehyde, visit www.cancer.gov (search term: formaldehyde).

Nail Products: When you head in for a manicure and you see the manicurist wearing a dust mask, you may have wondered about your own safety too. Nail salon workers wear dust masks to minimize breathing in dust particles when filing or shaping artificial nail enhancements. Dust masks are intended to prevent inhalation of dust, but they do not protect against inhalation of chemicals. Professional nail care products are typically formulated to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals that may cause adverse health effects. However, overexposure may occur and could result in skin irritation, allergic reaction, or serious eye injury. If you work at a nail salon, own a salon, or just want to learn more, check out the publication Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The publication helps workers understand product ingredients and how to prevent overexposure to those that present potential health risks. As with any cosmetic product that may be hazardous if misused, you should read labels of nail products carefully and heed any warnings. But as far as cancer is concerned, there is no known risk associated with using nail products. To read more about safety information for nail products, visit www.fda.gov (search term: nail products).

Lipstick: Some of the natural colors used in lipstick contain trace amounts of lead. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health says that lead and lead products are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assessed the potential for harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead and determined that there is no safety concern because lipstick is intended for topical use and is only ingested incidentally and in small quantities. Always use your lipstick only as directed and keep the products away from children. Visit www.fda.gov (search term: lipstick) for more.

With all the news coverage out there claiming this product or that product may cause cancer, it sometimes may be hard to figure out what’s safe, what’s hazardous, and what’s plain, old sensationalized. One way to minimize the damage and fear caused by misinformation is to identify respected sources—such as the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) or Food and Drug Administration—and use them as primary resources for your health information. Knowing the facts is one way to keep your beauty routine good-looking inside and out.

NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI web site at www.cancer.gov/espanol

More articles and videos in the culturally relevant Lifelines series are available at www.cancer.gov/lifelines.

A Refreshing Addition to the London Fringe Scene

Posted on by

A Weekend at Vault

According to the publicity, Vault transforms a newly discovered labyrinth of tunnels underneath Waterloo to offer London three weeks of kaleidoscopically varied entertainment between 9 and 26 February 2012. Many of the shows in the festival are in the immersive theatre style, and whilst I have been a cast member in several immersive, promenade, and physical theatre shows, I have never been a spectator (aside from Alien Wars in the Trocadero many years ago). With this in mind, I went down to check out the opening weekend on behalf of Frost.

This was my first visit to the Old Vic Tunnels, and there was a certain frisson to arriving at Waterloo Station on a frosty February Saturday night, walking down the almost deserted street and descending the staircase into the graffiti covered underpass. Once at the door however, I was warmly welcomed and directed towards the bar to await the start of the 8pm performance.

Don’t Stray from the Path by the Wonder Club

I was excited about seeing this production, described as a beautifully dark spectacular promenade performance based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. It started very well, with the action beginning in the bar as both Little Red Riding Hood and a musician sat on top of a couple of lockers, and other cast members came to talk to the soon to be audience. Eventually, we were all lead down the tunnel to the “Forest of Elsewhere,” where the adventure was to begin.

How to describe Don’t Stray from the Path? There was a strong physical theatre element to the show, including some excellent circus skills, and the promenade aspect was certainly there: however I think I have to come down on the side of performance art, as it was the meticulous attention to detail that really impressed me.

The Wonder Club made the decision to divide the venue into two levels, which almost doubled the room for installations, but I think it might have been better to use the height to elevate parts of the performance, particularly the aerial work, as the volume of people made it hard to see what was going on at times. The music was lovely, and one particular song held my attention during a dance where I could barely see the tops of the performers’ heads. The acting in this piece was dramatic rather than naturalistic, which I assume was a stylistic choice on behalf of the director. The ending was particularly good, with Red Riding Hood and the Woodsman bringing us full circle. The girls eerily smeared with chocolate on the way out were also very evocative of the dark side of fairy tales.

Overall, I enjoyed Don’t Stray from the Path, and would recommend it to fans of fairy tales, promenade theatre, and performance art. There were some very good ideas, and striking physical and musical performances from all concerned – it was a truly collaborative ensemble work, which makes it impossible to pick out anyone for special mention. I admired it on an intellectual level, but with a smaller audience and/or a bigger space, I could have really felt the Wonder.

Don’t Stray from the Path finished its run on 12 February. Visit http://thewonderclub.co.uk for details of future performances.

The Furies by Kindle Theatre

While waiting to get into the next performance, the queue was patrolled by bouncers, and T-shirts and CDs were on sale nearby. We entered a sweaty basement club, where we were greeted by the sound of pounding drums and guitar (Russell Collins and Phil Ward). And then came the girls.

The Furies is basically a rock opera telling the story of Clymtenestra. It is billed as a fusion of rock, metal and soul songs, but I would say that it is also heavily influenced by classical opera. Emily Ayres, Samantha Fox and Olivia Winteringham all have powerful voices and strong physical presence, and there wasn’t a dull moment either musically or story-wise in this audiovisual extravaganza. Clymtenestra was an operatic diva, some group songs wouldn’t have been out of place in a pop musical, and others, particularly those by Agamemnon, were pure heavy metal.

This wasn’t a promenade performance – the audience were not moving around following the action. As there was no seating, this meant standing in one spot for an hour, which for me meant being distracted from the enjoyment of the performance by physical discomfort. It wasn’t until I moved to the side and held on to a lighting rig, that I was able to be carried away by the music. Putting in seating appropriate to the setting, ie, rough chairs and tables, would only add to the atmosphere and make the audience’s experience more enjoyable – it would also make some of the show easier to see.

The Furies starts on a high and keeps getting higher, climbing to a spectacular finale. Although the staging is interesting and atmospheric, it would work equally well in a traditional theatre setting. Unfortunately I had to leave before the encore, as the next show was due to start. This is definitely one to watch. Thoroughly entrancing, mesmerising music.

The Furies is playing at Vault for the rest of the festival, ie, Thursday – Sunday until 26 February. Visit www.kindletheatre.co.uk  for more information on the company.

The Great Puppet Horn by Pangolin’s Teatime

The final show of the evening was The Great Puppet Horn. Comfortably seated in the front row, I looked forward to something that would once again be a complete contrast to what had gone before. Accompanied by the Harry Potter theme music, Jeremy Bidgood and Lewis Young appeared on stage to introduce their show (the horn is ambiguous, apparently).

Puppets and political satire proved to be a serendipitous combination, and I was soon howling with laughter at The Boy Who Lived – in the East Wing (David Cameron). The audience were treated to magical explanations for university fees and immigration policy, and told about the influence of boy bands on the economy. There were also other non-political topical comedy sketches, such as The Life of Brian (Cox). But my personal favourite was Grammar Cop. Being somewhat of a pedant, grammar-wise, and a part-time English teacher to boot, it was hilarious to watch him battle his arch-enemy Mr A Postrophe.

This is basically a traditional comedy show with shadow puppets – which were excellent by the way: the skill in both their manufacture and use was evident. The only audience interaction was when, during the Grammar Cop sketch, there was a threat of reading Molly Bloom’s soliloquay – I couldn’t help begging them not to.

The Great Puppet Horn was well-paced, with the laughs coming thick and fast, and I had tears in my eyes by the end of the performance. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Pangolin’s Teatime on our television screens soon. Catch them if you can.

Like The Wonder Club, Pangolin’s Teatime finished their run at Vault on 12 February. Visit http://pangolinsteatime.com for news of future shows.

Vault Lates – Itchy Feet

As the puppet show was 20 minutes late in finishing, the vintage dance party was well under way when I returned to the bar area. If I say that Booker T & the MG’s Green Onions was playing when I entered, and that the last song I heard was Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson, it will give you a flavour of the sort of floor fillers being spun by the DJ. The floor was hopping, though not unpleasantly crowded. If I’d had a friend with me I would have danced the night away, but, as I was alone, I left, like Cinderella, at midnight, to catch the last train home, already looking forward to returning the next night.

One night only at Vault. www.itchyfeetonline.co.uk

La Boheme by Silent Opera

Audience members at Silent Opera are given headphones to wear throughout the performance, through which the live singing is mixed with the pre-recorded score. This is a very clever means of having a full orchestral sound in a fringe venue. The sound quality was excellent throughout, which I assume was due to Sound Designer Ed Currie.

After checking our coats in the cloakroom, the audience found ourselves wandering round a Christmas market where Colline (Tim Dickinson) tried to interest me in a Greenpeace campaign. We were then escorted upstairs to Marcello, Rodolfo, Colline and Schaunard’s flat, where the opera began.

We were moved between several locations during the course of the show: some worked better than others. The flat, for example, was excellent, with various forms of seating round the outside (I sat on a blow up chair the first time) and the action taking place in the middle. The scene in the bar worked pretty well also. However, the occasions where the audience was standing three deep against the wall didn’t make for good visibility (I kept missing all the snogging bits!) and I would have found Mimi’s death scene more moving had I not been sitting on a cushion on a crowded floor.

I am a bit of a sucker for opera, and have been lucky enough to see both the Royal Opera and the ENO over the years. Musically, Silent Opera gave them both a run for their money. The score, by the London Symphony Orchestra, was wonderful, and all of the singers gave flawless vocal performances with emotion and pathos. The acting was strong, particulary by Mimi (Emily Ward), Rodolfo (Alistair Digges), and Colline (Tim Dickinson), as well as by those in the non-singing parts. Daisy Evans’ libretto was clever, interesting, and quite funny in places. The setting of modern day London worked well, and the headphones seemed to add, rather than distract from, that sense of being absorbed in the story which to me is the sign of good theatre (particularly opera or musical). I would have no hesitation in recommending this production to anyone, whether an opera buff, or someone experiencing the genre for the first time.

Silent Opera is playing at Vault for the rest of the festival, ie, Thursday – Sunday until 26 February. Visit http://silentopera.co.uk  for more information on the company.

So, after spending the weekend at Vault, what are my feelings on immersive theatre? They are mixed. Don’t stray from the path was a promenade performance with lots of audience interaction, but with the other shows the audience interaction was limited and sporadic. Yes, I was close to the performers, but that is generally the case at fringe venues. I think perhaps there is a delicate performer/audience balance that needs to be achieved – although I am not suggesting one audience member at a time, as happens in some productions.

In conclusion, I would encourage one and all to visit Vault before 26 February when the festival finishes. All the performances have something to recommend them, and the venue is warm and welcoming. It truly does offer a kaleidoscope of entertainment. A refreshing addition to the London fringe scene.

Although The Wonder Club and Pagolin’s Teatime have both finished their run at the vaults, the studio performances are constantly changing. Both The Furies and Silent Opera are running till 26 February. More Vault Lates are on 17, 18 and 24 Febuary. There is also a cinema, where the Flicker Club hosts a season of horror films (mostly Hammer). Visit http://www.thevaultfestival.com for more details and booking.

 

 

RIBA Restaurant Review.

Posted on by

RIBA restaurant at art deco gem 66 Portland Place, London W1

 

I have had many a party at RIBA, it is a wonderful venue. I had never eaten at the restaurant before and was incredibly impressed by the food and the service. No one likes to eat alone so I went to review this restaurant with my friend, New Statesman columnist Nicholas Lezard.

 

The venue is bright and airy, in the summer you can eat outside. There is always a lot going on at RIBA.

 

What I ate.

 

Middle white pork belly

 

Black pudding, quince

 

Jerusalem artichoke and red onion fritters

 

Braised lentils, grilled artichoke hearts

soft poached egg

 

Baby leaf salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber

 

White chocolate mousse

 

Dark chocolate honeycomb, gold leaf

 

What Nicholas ate:

 

Seared scallops

 

Leeks, candied hazelnuts, black olive powder

 

Braised Yorkshire venison

 

Sautéed girolles, truffled mash, redcurrants

 

Sticky toffee pudding

 

Clotted cream, butterscotch sauce

 

Curly kale, garlic butter

 

The starter comes on black, granite slabs, a touch that I found different and original. They are very good at presentation. My pork belly was done perfectly.

 

The food tasted like heaven, the fritters I had were absolutely delicious. The different consistency of the ingredients of my main meal worked brilliantly. I didn’t know lentils could taste so good. My egg was poached perfectly. The fritters were crispy, as all fritters should be. At first I wasn’t sure how all the ingredients would work together, but they do, beautifully.

 

I had a side salad with my main even though it wasn’t necessarily needed. The main was very filling. I liked that they put balsamic vinegar on my salad. The staff were also attentive and eager to please.

 

My white chocolate mousse was absolutely divine and was a visual treat too.

 

To drink I had port and coca cola. Nicholas had red wine and port.

 

RIBA is a good restaurant, the food is divine, the staff expert and the location incredibly up-market. I highly recommend. I will definitely be eating here again.

 

 

Ink Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery

Posted on by

Ink
The New Ink Art from China
at the Saatchi Gallery 16-28 June 2012
and at Asia House July 2012

Xu Lei, Tree of Blue Underglaze, 2008, Ink and color on xuan paper, (213 x 125 cm)

Ink is an exhibition featuring the finest examples of contemporary Chinese Ink art at London’s landmark Saatchi gallery and subsequently at Asia House. The exhibition, curated by Michael Goedhuis, is the first comprehensive display of this genre to be shown in a public gallery of international standing and draws together major examples from distinguished private collections. Timed to coincide with London in June when art and antique collectors from all over the world descend on the capital, this cutting-edge show will feature ground-breaking artists from the internationally recognized Xu Lei to the avant-garde Qiu Anxiong. Ink will run from Saturday 16 June to Thursday 28 June 2012 at the Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s Square, London, SW3 4SQ.

“I am delighted to be working with the Saatchi Gallery to finally be able to provide the general public access to The New Ink Art which is perhaps the boldest pictorial experiment in art today. Artists trained in, and deeply knowledgeable of classical painting, are meeting the challenge of creating a pictorial language that is a convincing expression of the world of TODAY and in particular the transformed world of China. It is the theme of this exhibition to define just how audacious and innovative the best of these artists are, despite, or perhaps because of, their deep study of the past. Just as Cezanne and Picasso assimilated the work of Poussin and Velazquez and other Old Masters in order to develop their own revolutionary language, so the ink artists are grappling with the same challenge – how to express the transformation of their society with works that are meaningful precisely because they take account of the past in order to make sense of the present”.

The New Ink Art is increasingly being recognised, not only in China but also internationally, as the most audacious and idealistic movement in contemporary culture and is poised to shortly enter the mainstream of the art-world’s focus.

Michael Goedhuis, who was the first dealer in the west to recognize the significance of these radical innovations in Chinese culture, has concentrated in the past eighteen months on identifying for this exhibition the artists who are in the process of shifting the axis of Chinese aesthetics. It is for this reason that informed art-lovers and collectors and indeed the public at large will be drawn to the Saatchi Gallery for this culturally ground-breaking initiative. Although this exhibition is a loan show and works will therefore not be for sale, it is significant that the price range for the best of contemporary ink paintings is still very accessible by international standards.

A highlight of the exhibition is Tree of Blue Underglaze by the internationally feted artist Xu Lei who last year was the chosen artist for the design of the 2008 vintage Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine label. Inspired by the significance of the year 2008 for the Chinese and to highlight Mouton’s stature in the Chinese wine market, Mouton selected a Chinese artist. Xu Lei himself is one of China’s foremost artists and a leader in the innovative field of ink painting; he serves as the art director of the Today Art Museum in Beijing and is the editor-in-chief of the magazine ‘Classics’.

Qiu Jie, Mao in the Cotton Field , 2007, pencil on paper, (150 x 168 cm)

Other works of note include Gao Xingjian represented by the painting Dream Mountain (La Montagne de Rêve), who was born in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province in 1940. A writer, translator and dramatist he moved to Paris in the 1980s as a political refugee. Here he immersed himself in nature creating semi- abstracted landscapes, believing that art should not be used for political activism, but instead should be an expression of the soul. He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 2000. Qiu Jie, who was born in Shanghai in 1960, grew up during the most violent phase of the Cultural Revolution and by the age of 10 was nurturing his talent making copies of propaganda images from local newspapers. He creates images blending stark themes from the Cultural Revolution with striking elements from contemporary culture (see illustration).

Artists to be exhibited include:
Gao Xingjian (???), Gu Wenda (???), Huan Yong Ping (???),Jennifer Wen Ma (??), Li Huayi (???), Li Jin (??), Liu Dan (??), Liu Kuo-sung (???), Liu Qinghe (???), Liu Wei (??), Lo Ch’ing (??), Lu Hao (??), Qin Feng (??), Qiu Anxiong(???)?Qiu Deshu (???),Qiu Jie (??), Qiu Zhijie (???), Wang Dongling(???), Wei Ligang (???), Wilson Shieh ( ???), Wu Yi (??), Xu Bing (??),Xu Lei (??), Yang Jiechang (???), Yang Yanping (???), Yao Jui-chung (???), Zeng Shanqing (???), Zeng Xiaojun (???), and Zhang Huan (??).

After the Saatchi Gallery, the exhibition will travel to Asia House where it will remain until the end of July. Founded in London in 1996, Asia House is the leading pan-Asian, non-profit and non-political organisation in Britain.