‘Northern Arts Uncovered 2012’ Recap (LEEDS, UK)
Posted: April 30, 2012 Filed under: Art | Tags: art, emerging artists, England, exhibition, Gallery, leeds, North 2 Comments »WHAT: Art exhibition
WHERE: Leeds Gallery (map)
WHEN: 21st Apr, 12
WEBSITE: www.northernartsuncovered.co.uk
Take a look at the rest of my photos from the exhibition HERE.
MY STORY IN A NUTSHELL:
- Northern Arts Uncovered is one of the newest additions to Leeds’s independent art scene. It was founded by Helen Brady and Victoria Rosso, and aims to support up and coming local artists.
- I loved the huge range of media on display, which includes everything from oils to photography.
- The works of emerging artists and students were deliberately juxtaposed – but they were all of very high quality anyway.
- My favourite pieces were Pippa Dyrlaga’s dizzying paper cuttings and Nicole Viner’s quirky ‘Mad Giraffe.’
MY FULL STORY: The independent art scene in Leeds is spreading like wildfire. It seems like there’s no stopping it, despite the wind and rain trying to do their worst. Sorry Nature, but Art wins.
After hosting exhibitions such as the first ever Leeds Print Festival and ‘Access All Areas: 20 Years of Back to Basics,’ Leeds Gallery recently paused its current show, ‘Leeds Through a Lens,’ to make way for a one day event dedicated purely to emerging talents.
Northern Arts Uncovered is a brand new project founded by Leeds University graduate Helen Brady and producer/designer Victoria Rosso, who studied at Leeds College of Art. Its aim is to provide up and coming local artists with a platform to showcase their works in public. All profits made from the event went to Art Fund, a charity supporting the art industry in the country. Although neither Helen nor Victoria have ever curated an art exhibition before, the show was a huge success.
The thing I loved most about it was the variety of media on display. There were oil paintings, photography, book illustrations, textiles, prints, ink drawings, paper cuttings and more. It was a jungle bursting with a combination of colour, imagination, and talent that you rarely get in such mixed styles outside large galleries. There was no strict theme – just a bunch of great works beautifully juxtaposed against each other.
Art-admiring. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
‘We deliberately mixed the works of emerging artists and students,’ Victoria explains, saying that they did not want or see the need to make a clear distinction between the two.
Helen and Victoria received an overwhelming number of entries from artists all over England after they opened up the submission area on their website. After an arduous decision process, they eventually whittled it down to the 24 artists whose works were displayed on the day.
Many of the artists were present at some point during the exhibition, and I had the honour of meeting Omnipresent Art – aka Okey Ebizie. His works are interesting in that they differ so much from one another. While his prints are mostly inspired by hip hop, his textile works are more preoccupied with simple pattern and bright colours.
Pattern design and prints (top) by Omnipresent Art. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
It’s hard to choose a favourite in such a varied exhibition, but Pippa Dyrlaga’s paper cutting piece is probably the one I found most intriguing. Beautiful, dizzying and creepy in equal measures, the work clearly reflects the amount of time and patience the artist must have spent on it.
Mind-boggled. Paper-cutting piece by Pippa Dyrlaga. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
Another piece I liked is ‘Mad Giraffe’ by Nicole Viner, a 21-year-old Design student at Leeds Met. There is a sense of lightheartedness about it that almost borders on the absurd – but it makes you smile nonetheless.
Nicole Viner's 'Mad Giraffe' - whatcha lookin' at?! Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
Overall I really enjoyed the exhibition. It was definitely worth the trek down. Not only were the works on display thought-provoking and well executed, I also like that Northern Arts Uncovered helps to debunk the notion of “high art” by supporting these young artists and making their works accessible to all. Great stuff.
Mixology Event at Call Lane Social (LEEDS, UK)
Posted: April 27, 2012 Filed under: Drinks | Tags: bar, Call Lane Social, cocktails, Culture Vulture, England, mixology, nightlife, Tiki Leave a comment »WHAT: Mixology class
WHO: Culture Vulture
WHEN: 26th April, 2012
WHERE: Call Lane Social, 38 Call Lane, Leeds (map)
MY STORY IN A NUTSHELL:
-
A specially designed drink just for The Culture Vulture God(dess)! Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
Culture Vulture teamed up with Call Lane Social to host an evening of mixology for bloggers in Leeds.
- The bar is lovely, but then we were led to their upstairs area, Tiki Hideaway, which has an island escape theme. It is complete with bamboo walls, pufferfish lampshades and surfer music. Bring on summer!
- Tiki bars began in post-war America when ex-soldiers who served in Polynesia decided to bring some island spirit back home with them. Tiki Hideaway, which is owned by the lovely Phil and Mel Harrison, opened a year and a half ago. It is the only Tiki bar in the city at the moment.
- This was my first time having a go at cocktail mixing, but Andy Gilpin, the barman, talked us through the process step-by-step. We made an ‘Amputated Zombie,’ which is their signature drink, and the uniquely designed ‘Culture Vulture God’ in honour of the evening’s event. The drinks mostly consist of various types of rum and a blend of fruit juices.
- Overall it was a really lovely evening both to catch up with my fellow bloggers, as well as to get the low-down of bartending. It has reminded me once again how much I love this city, so big thanks to Emma from Culture Vulture, and all the staff at Call Lane Social (Andy in particular) – I’ll be back for more!
The gorgeously escapist-themed Tiki Hideaway. Photo by John Tudor.
MY FULL STORY: With England’s April showers fully living up to its name and a pile of work sitting on the desk desperately trying to catch my attention, there is only one thing I can do. Cocktails.
To make it even better, the lovely Culture Vulture has teamed up with Call Lane Social to host an evening of mixology for Leeds bloggers. It didn’t take a lot of persuasion for me to get down there. Tucked away in the trendy part of Call Lane, the bar is a warm, lively place with low lights and great music. But there’s more.
After a bit of mingling, we were led through a secret doorway and up a dark flight of stairs. That, as it turned out, was a magic portal. We emerged on the other side and found ourselves in a bamboo-walled Tiki bar hut somewhere on a Pacific Island at sunset. Surfing music hummed in the background. There were puffer fish lampshades above the bar. All of a sudden, the rain and work felt miles away. Even England felt miles away.
Welcome to Tiki Hideaway, a slice of paradise that is the first and currently only Tiki bar in Leeds.
The concept of Tiki bars first began in post-war America, when ex-soldiers who had served in Polynesia decided to bring back a bit of island spirit with them. These escapist-themed bars proved to be immensely popular and soon took the US by storm. And now the idea has travelled across yet another pond.
Me with my self-made 'Amputated Zombie'! Photo by Rebecca Liburd (@reallynicefood).
Phil and Mel Harrison, who are also the owners of Verve (my ultimate favourite bar in Leeds, which I shall write up a review for some day) and Reform, opened Call Lane Social and Tiki Hideaway about a year and a half ago. Although Tiki Hideaway is the most thematic of all their bars, the couple’s signature style is evident in all these places – soft lighting, cosy setting, friendly staff, and fabulously fresh and delicious cocktails. Which brings us back to the reason that we were all standing around with barely containable excitement.
‘Shall we make some cocktails then?’ asked Andy Gilpin, the lovely Alhoa-shirted barman.
We gathered round the bar. After some debate, we agreed to begin with the classic.
‘It’s called the Amputated Zombie.’
Admittedly I wasn’t entirely convinced by the name – it’s not exactly the first thing I would associate with such an escapist heaven. One sip of the drink later, however, I was completely sold. It was delicious.
Andy started off with a demonstration, but then it was our turn. After a few brave souls had a go, I decided to pluck up my courage and went for it. Of course, I was secretly absolutely thrilled to be on the other side of the bar for the first time, but I am also the sort of person who walks into door frames and falls up the stairs – yes, up – so I was slightly nervous. Still, behind the bar I went.
Bizarrely, I instantly felt brilliantly confident once I got there: look at all those bottles of alcohol standing there smiling, eagerly waiting to make you happy! And I could touch them!
To make the Amputated Zombie, I had to pour a few shots of three different rums into a glass. I then added a blend of fruit juices and a spadeful of ice. Andy hammered a shaker over it, and I did a little excited jiggle. This was the moment. Here we go.
‘The best way to do it is to put it over your shoulder, so that if the glass flies out it will hit the wall of alcohol, rather than take anyone’s eye out,’ Andy suggested.
Shaking it turned out to be easier than I had thought. I didn’t have a cool cocktail-shaking face, of course, but it did the job. I lined another glass – a chalice in the shape of a Tiki head – with some syrup, and then strained the mixture into it. It looked like a sunset in a glass. I adorned it with strawberries, kiwi, and a paper umbrella before Andy added the final touch – he doused a lump of sugar with rum, placed it carefully on my kiwi slice, and set it on fire.
The almighty 'Culture Vulture God'! Photo by Rebecca Liburd.
Ah, who doesn’t love a good dose of pyro?
The best thing about it all was that my cocktail, sweetened by a dollop of triumphant smugness, tasted almost as good as the one Andy first made. I have always preferred more juicy-tasting drinks, so this one was right up my alley. I also liked the slight undertone of spice from the rum, which gave it an extra va va voom.
After a break, we were given the chance to make a second drink – the uniquely designed Culture Vulture God. This one was a bit simpler, and required no shaking. All we had to do was pour in the rum, the juice, add in some cactus syrup, ice, and stir. After that was done, Andy once again got his flamethrower, and lit it across the top of the glass as he sprinkled crumbs of honeycomb and cocoa powder over it. The result was a beautiful crackling mini fireworks display. More pyro!
As you can probably imagine, I was extremely happy by the end of the evening. It was a lovely opportunity both to see my blogger friends, as well as to get the low-down on bartending. Not to mention all those tasty cocktails I had!
Once again I was reminded of how much I love Leeds. The city which used to just be the place I go to uni at has now almost become home. I’m always kept entertained by great people, great events, and great places. What more can I ask for?
A big thank you to Emma from Culture Vulture, as well as all the staff at Call Lane Social (especially Andy), for this wonderful event. I can’t wait to go back to the bar and sample all the other exotic cocktails on their menu!
Greg Balla, Actor in ‘Blue Man Group’ (BOSTON, MA)
Posted: April 20, 2012 Filed under: Comedy, Interviews, Music, Stage, Travel | Tags: Blue Man Group, Boston, comedy, Greg Balla, theatre Leave a comment »
Greg Balla, Blue Man. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
‘I’d be lying if I say I never get bored. It’s still a job,’ Greg Balla says. But then he leans forward and breaks into a sunny smile. ‘Though as far as jobs go, it really doesn’t get any better than this!’
Greg is one of those lucky people who found employment almost immediately after he graduated from New York’s Fordham University in 2008. He started off as an electrician, but now gets paid to be painted blue, drum on pipelines, and regurgitate marshmallow sculptures from the depths of his mouth onstage every night.
‘The best thing is that once the latex skull cap and blue face paint is on, I just become a Blue Man who has no ego and sees the world for what it is. This chair isn’t a chair to a Blue Man,’ he says as he strokes the seat of the bar chair next to him. ‘It’s a sheet of smooth, leathery material with bits of wood structured around it.’
‘Being a Blue Man is really liberating. It removes my identity and frees me from the constraints of being Greg Balla. When I first started doing this I was really conscious of the face paint. It’s greasy and sticky and smells like lipstick!’ he continues. ‘But now I’ve gotten used to it and don’t even notice it anymore. It’s become my second skin.’
As he spoke, I was struck by the passion with which he describes everything. His words are accompanied by a lot of hand gestures and an excited glint in his eyes. He smiles a lot, and occasionally pauses to apologise for ranting too much. There is something almost childish in the way that he bounces on his seat slightly, as though his enthusiasm just cannot be contained.
And then it hit me. Although the man sitting in front of me is not blue, bald or mute, Greg is still a Blue Man through and through. Not only has he fully come to terms with what his character is about, he has even aligned himself with it.
"Blue are the people here that walk around,
Blue like my corvette, it's standing outside.
Blue are the words I say and what I think.
Blue are the feelings that live inside me."
- Eiffel 65, 'Blue (Da Ba De)'
Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
‘Being a Blue Man has changed the way I look at the world,’ he says with a sort of wisdom that only a child can understand. ‘I’m now hyper-aware of everything and have a better appreciation for things we don’t normally see.’
‘As kids we’re free, but as we grow up we adopt all these social masks in order to fit in. The point of the show is to encourage them to unmask themselves.’
The Blue Man Group, as I mentioned in my review, manages to create a level of interaction with the audience that is rarely seen onstage. The fourth wall is completely shattered as the actors clambered over the ponchoed crowd and peered deep into our eyes (and, in some cases, handbags).
‘We try to connect with the people, which means that we have to be very sensitive to them and figure out what kind of show they want,’ Greg says. ‘There’s a template to the show and we have the dots – A, B, C, D – but the audience has to help us join those dots. Sometimes we get a tamer lot, perhaps because it’s the Sunday morning performance, while other times the people just want to party. We try to accommodate that.’
In order for the actors to fully focus on the audience, the actual mechanics of the show itself have got to be solid. Although a magician never reveals his tricks, Greg was more than happy to share the stage secrets when he kindly offered to give me a backstage tour.
I was amazed by how cleverly it all works. From the tubs of blue face paint lined up on the wall ready to be splashed on, to the tubes used to connect bottles of paint to the drum sets, to the colour-coded pipe-drums (each colour represents a different note), everything is meticulously planned out.
I also noticed that there was a certain sense of pride and familiarity in the way that Greg showed me round the labyrinth of corridors and rooms. He talked me through each prop and process as though the place were his home, and introduced me to everyone we walked past like they were family.
How the colour-coded pipe-drums look from stage. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 12.
And that is what sums up the true spirit behind the Blue Man Group. It is their understanding of how humans connect with each other on a primal level that makes them so enchanting to watch onstage. The Blue Men may not communicate with spoken words, but as Greg puts it, they have a very basic yet powerful language that is able to transcend social boundaries and bring everyone together.
‘We just want everyone to have fun,’ says Greg with his signature grin. ‘The best thing is when you get a Dad there with his kids, and the kids are having a great time while he’s just sitting there looking stern and being Dad. But then at the end of the show when the toilet paper starts shooting out and the giant balls come down, I’d look at him again and see that he’s completely changed. He’d be laughing and joining in and loving it!’
‘That’s what we’re trying to achieve. That’s what we’re all about.’
* ** *** ** *
The Blue Man Group is currently touring the US and showing in Boston, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Orlando, Berlin, Tokyo, and on board the Norwegian Cruise Line. Check their website for more details but this is one show you should go back to again, and again. And don’t even think about missing it!
Katz’s Deli Review (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
Posted: April 12, 2012 Filed under: Food, Travel | Tags: Deli, food, Katz's, New York, sandwich, travel, USA Leave a comment »WHAT: Restaurant (Delicatessen)
ADDRESS: 205 East Houston Street (corner of Ludlow St), New York City, 10002
PHONE: 212.254.2246
WEBSITE: katzsdelicatessen.com
HOW MANY TOBIES LICKED HIS LIPS IN HAPPINESS (out of 5):
(Yes, 6. The sixth Toby heard about Katz’s and insisted on gatecrashing the party.)
MY STORY IN A NUTSHELL:
- Simply that Katz’s pastrami sandwich is pretty much the best thing I have ever had the pleasure to shove into my mouth. This is what 125 of experience tastes like – heaven.
This is how Perfection looks. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 2012.
MY FULL STORY: When you think of sandwiches I’m willing to bet that you’re not going to be leaping to the moon in excitement. They’re good quick and filling, of course, but they’re hardly the first thing that comes to mind when you want a brilliant lunch.
Or are they? Because one trip to New York’s famous Katz’s Deli later, I am now officially in love with their world-renowned delis.
I first heard of Katz’s from America’s Travel Channel. Anthony Bourdain said he wouldn’t change a thing about the place, Adam Richman said that ‘if you don’t like it something is wrong with your mouth’, and seeing those two pretty much uphold the definitive pillars of good food on this side of the Pond, I took their word for it and decided to give it a go.
The slightly terrifying chaos that is Katz's at lunch hour. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 2012.
Looking back, it was a silly idea to go there during lunch hour, but hindsight’s 20/20 and we were starving. The queue stretched half way down the street when we got there, but luckily it moved fast and five minutes later we were in. In true New York style, the place was packed and so chaotic that even a city girl like me was slightly intimidated. Think City trading floor. After a lot of jostling, however, we finally reached the counter.
‘A pastrami sandwich, please.’
The cutter reached for his carving fork, went to the back wall where a large silver box keeps their meats hot and steamy, and speared a block of delicious goodness from its depths. He expertly sliced the beef, giving us a piece to sample. My taste buds swooned as the meat melted in my mouth, and my eyes widened as I watched the cutter pile on a whole pound’s worth of cut pastrami on to rye bread.
And then I sank my teeth right into what I can only define as the ultimate culinary masterpiece. No hyperbole could do this baby justice. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what almost 125 years of experience tastes like. No wonder every celebrity whose photo adorns Katz’s walls look so blissfully happy.
A cutter holding up the prized pastrami loaf. Photo by Gwen Pew, Apr 2012.
The pastrami was cooked to perfection, its flavour was rich without being overbearing, and the hint of mustard spread on the top layer of the bread added the final touch. It was an emotional moment. Never have I eaten anything that came this close to bringing me to tears.
In fact, it was so good that we decided to go back for more the very next day. It’s the first time that we have made such a desperate move but as we probably won’t be in New York again for a while, we agreed that the decision was justified. And I can assure you that the second visit was just as fresh and just as juicy.
All I can say is that if you happen to be in the Concrete Jungle, make sure you hit Katz’s up. Or else you’ll be regretting it for the rest of your life. The sandwich is worth every cent of the 16 bucks it costs.
‘Blue Man Group’ Review (BOSTON, MA, USA)
Posted: April 4, 2012 Filed under: Comedy, Music, Stage, Travel | Tags: Blue Man Group, Boston, comedy, music, stage, technology, theatre 3 Comments »WHAT: Play (Comedy, Music, etc.)
WHERE: Charles Playhouse, Boston, MA (map)
WHEN: 30th Mar, 12 (ongoing)
WEBSITE: www.blueman.com
MY STORY IN A NUTSHELL:
- I’ve heard a lot about how good Blue Man Group is, but no one seems to be able to tell me what they’re about. After watching the show, I can’t say I can describe them perfectly either.
- In short, they combine comedy with technology, music, art, giant glowing balls and a lot of toilet paper. It’s a rave dance party as much as it’s fantastic theatre.
- Blue Man Group has been around since 1991. They are innovative in trying to make sense and make fun of the world around us.
- This is a truly creative and interactive masterpiece. It’s the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. I very highly recommend getting your hands on a hot ticket if you get the chance. It may well be the best thing you can do with your evening.
- My interview with one of the Blue Men will be coming soon so stay tuned!
Non-talking Heads - life inside a GiPad. Photo by Paul Kolnik.
MY FULL STORY: It’s not often that I walk into a theatre completely unsure what to expect. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Blue Man Group, but nobody seems to be able to tell me exactly what they’re about. After seeing them, I now understand why, because I am unable to give a satisfactory description of their show either. All I can say is that they are awesome, but I’ll try to elaborate.
Basically, it is a two-hour show where your senses are overwhelmed – in a good way. It combines comedy, technology, music, art, giant glowing balls and an insane amount of toilet paper. What started off as a civilised evening at the theatre turned into a giant rave party by the end, although the fact that the front few rows of the audience were given ponchos at the start should have set off warning bells. All I’ve got to say is that I am eternally indebted to the people who cleaned up the place afterwards.
Blue Man Group was first performed Off Broadway in New York in 1991, which means that it shares my birth-year. Since then they have expanded to occupy theatre spaces around America and places as far flung as Berlin and Tokyo.
It’s not hard to see why they are so well-loved. Painted blue from head to fingertips and dressed in black tracksuits, the three men continually poke fun at each other as well as the audience. Their way of trying to make sense of the world we live in is innovative and hilarious. Whether they were ‘paint-drumming’, strolling in and out of ‘GiPads’ (giant versions of iPads), or stuffing gumballs down their throats and spitting them out on a canvas, they had a way of keeping us all in stitches throughout.
Paint-drumming, the best way to make a pretty, theatrical mess. Photo by Ken Howard.
Plus these guys are all genuinely very talented people. I’m amazed by how much they can communicate with just a look or a gesture. And their drumming skills are virtually super-human.
On top of everything, Blue Man Group also succeeds in achieving the very difficult task of creating truly interactive theatre. Even though I was wedged in the corner backseat, I still felt as involved with what’s going on onstage as those in the front row.
This is the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. If you are in any of the cities that they are currently performing at, make sure you grab a ticket and experience it for yourself. It may well be the best thing you can do with your evening.
* ** *** ** *
Click here to read my interview with the lovely Greg Balla, and let him tell you all about what it’s like to be bald and blue!
