LIVE WORK PLAY
The central line isn’t a usual part of my London commute on a Monday morning, however today I found myself thankful to be at the right place, at the right time – just in time to meet Willow Smith and a Prada entourage at Tottenham Court Road station for a musical appearance to launch her Prada Linea Rossa Fall/Winter collection.Continue reading “Willow Smith on the Central Line for Prada Linea Rossa collection Launch”
Soho has a long and rich history of Italian culture, and this family-run restaurant in the heart of Soho is a contemporary addition, having served Italian cuisine for nearly two decades.
Conveniently named after its street address, there’s no forgetting where 40 Dean Street is located sitting amongst a cute cluster of quaint restaurants. The restaurant boasts a mahogany bistro-style interior, with a small (dog-friendly) dining space exterior which gives a postcard image of Soho-life and the restaurant’s clientele – clearly a favourite with the media crowd, local residents and theatre goers. I’ll admit, in all my years living in the area, it wasn’t until fairly recently that I became intrigued by Forty, which perhaps comes down to its refurbishment a few years ago.
So for my date night, I took my cousin Freda for a treat and much needed catch up. Nothing quite says ‘girly catch up’ like a cocktail in hand and comforting seafood pasta dishes. For our mains, we got Chef Rodrigo Morais to recommend a few of his specials…
We also went for…
40 Dean Street is perfect for anyone looking for an authentic Italian experience – with the hospitality to match! Its set menu offers an affordable dining experience, and the à la carte menu includes a selection of classics which have been tried, tested and approved by its regulars… I’ll be back again soon for more of that black ink seafood linguini!
📍40 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 4PX
020 7734 1853
www.fortydeanstreet.com
Have you checked out our pilot issue of My Soho Times online? CLICK HERE!
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All the way from across the pond, broadway star and Gospel sensation Jeannette Bayardelle – writer and performer, and director Andy Sandberg bring Shida to London. Showing at the Vaults Theatre, I made my way to Waterloo on opening night by invitation of Mr London, Talentbanq’s CEO Ray Jones. The show had such an impact on me – I knew I’d be back for more!
Inspired by a true story, Shida is a one-woman musical with the same velocity of a full cast, which makes it all that much more magical. There’s something in Shida that anyone can relate to. For me it was the story of a young girl with dreams of being a writer, and having them almost snatched away by life’s odds stacked against her… On the day I watched Shida for the first time, I’d just received copies of the My Soho Times magazine pilot. My heart was full, yet like Shida, I too had faced my fair share of challenges to get to that moment, which made me connect to Bayardelle’s powerful performance even more.
In the intimate theatre setting, I found myself releasing emotions I had bottled in on my own journey, and – together with Shida, felt inspired to give my dreams a second chance.
It was only a matter of time before I was sitting with Jeannette Bayardelle and Andy Sandberg for an interview for my personal blog Travelmaker Kai, however I came with copies of the My Soho Times, and they both showed their support for it.
London, you know how to show a gal some love… This musical is an ABSOLUTE MUST-SEE!
For bookings visit www.thevaults.london/shida
For more about Shida the musical visit www.shidathemusical.com/about
📍The Vaults Theatre, Leake St (Theatre entrance address is Launcelot St SE1 7AD)
Have you checked out our pilot issue of My Soho Times online? CLICK HERE! Follow My Soho Times across our social media platforms @mysohotimes
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With 8 docking stations in Soho, and plenty more in neighbouring areas, Santander Cycles offers all the convenience and fun of cycling in London without any of the hassle of owning your own bike. Whether seasoned cyclist, or you bike on a ad hoc basis, it’s easy to hire a cycle from one of more than 700 docking stations across the capital.Continue reading “Find Your Route… On A Santander Bike!”
Join us on the 10th Oct at Great Chapel Street from 12:00 – 14:00. Pop-in to find out more about My Soho Times and how you can get involved as a business or contributor!
Continue reading “My Soho Times popup at WeWork pt1”
…and at last we have it! A campaign for sustainable fashion: Oxfam, media, businesses and shoppers together are agreed: the trend this months shall be less consumerism and more responsibility… and may I add, more style too!
Whilst serious concerns are rising on working conditions in the factories that make cheap clothes for the high street, here is now the additional awareness of the impact clothing industries may have on nature and our ecosystem (Cotton growing, for instance, is responsible for the usage of 22.5% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world’s pesticides, chemicals which can be dangerous for the environment and harmful to the farmers who grow it, according to the Ethical Fashion Forum).
So, when preparing the autumn/winter wardrobe, this September, let’s find a different way for staying stylish and devour less of the world’s precious resources.
Reign Vintage
For my chic and sustainable look this autumn, I am checking out Reign: a little hidden gem on Berwick Street, selling carefully selected garments ranging from the 1940s to the 1990s. David, the co-owner, tells me that the shop is currently ready for the Autumn/Winter season and very much keeping in vogue with the latest trends; in his words: “…whilst fashion always takes from the past, this year we are stocking on flared hems and A-line skirts echoing that cool 70’s look that the main fashion houses are now re-launching.”
So why not look at their website and give your apparel a dose of sustainable originality? As Albert (photographed) explains; “If you buy Vintage it’s a lot easier to curate your own individual style!”
Words by Liza Adebisi @liza_mine108, Photos by Kai Lutterodt @the.soho.girl
📍Reign Vintage, 12 Berwick St, Soho, London W1F 0PN www.reignvintage.com
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Underpinned by monthly meetups in a secret Soho location, the club brings together passionate people with stories to share. “You never know where your next inspiring moment will come from and that’s the beauty of Soho Media Club” says co-founder, Tom Witkowski.
Since its launch in July 2019, members network Soho Media Club has attracted a membership of over 300 media professionals from production, post-production and distribution and has successfully ran two dynamic meetups in Soho. Set up by friends Jaisica Lapsiwala and Tomasz Witokowski, Soho Media Club is turning networking in the media industry on its head. My Soho Times explores what the network is about and how it is different…
Jaisica and Tom share 3 key beliefs: collaboration, inclusion and everyone having a voice. They saw an opportunity to create a club for those in the media community who share these beliefs, and want to make the whole industry better. Anyone can join the network, regardless of their seniority, position or status. The only criteria is that you have to be an active media professional; whether that is in film, tv, digital or music. The network is designed to advocate collaboration, inclusion and diversity across the media production, post-production and distribution community. Once qualified as a member, EVERYONE receives an invite to the Club’s monthly Soho meetups.
Guest speakers take to the mic at each meetup to share personal stories of their careers. This summer’s events took place at the Warner Bros. facility on Dean Street and the Dropbox bar in Broadwick Street in July and August respectively. The meetups attracted a hugely diverse mix of guests including large corporates such as Netflix, BBC and Disney to mid-sized production companies and independent producers, editors and cinematographers who came together for a dynamic evening of exchanging ideas and making new connections in a very democratic environment.
July’s meetup speakers included Olivier award-winning theatre director and playwright Jessica Swale; Senior Colourist at Goldcrest, Jet Omoshebi and Nick Roberts, ADR Mixer who gave honest and candid opinion on challenges they have faced, including the topic of gender diversity.
The August event welcomed guest speakers: Josh Wilson, Managing Director, Wilson Worldwide Productions; Zeb Achonu, TV & Film Editor; Tania Freimuth, Award winning Cinematographer and Andy Wilson, Principal Media, Dropbox to share their stories and experiences of working in TV & film. The collective shared powerful stories on a range of topics from the struggles of financing, to rebuilding your network and flexible working patterns. However, it was the exchange of opinion around the virtues of mentoring which dominated the conversation and captured the audience’s attention.
The next meetup is Wednesday 25th September at 6.30pm
September guest speakers include:
Location: Secret Soho venue (registered guests will be sent address info via email) CLICK HERE to book. CLICK HERE to apply to become a member of the Soho Media Club.
Co-founder, Jaisica Lapsiwala explains “The ability to be agile and think laterally gives you a massive edge over everyone else… We exist to create diversity of thought, drive that horizontal thinking and encourage people to take a creative approach to tackling problems in our industry.“
To find out more and to join the Club visit: www.sohomediaclub.com Twitter @sohomediaclub1
About Last night too
… from 100 years of the Negroni cocktail celebrations on the mezzanine of Henrietta Hotel, to live music in the basement of Hotel Chocolat‘s event space ‘The Cocoa Vaults‘ – perhaps Convent Garden’s best kept music venue secret!Continue reading “TalentBanq Curates Live Music Gig at The Cocoa Vaults, Convent Garden”
There’s only one place that could take me from London to Mexico, with a stop-over sip of Paris and Tokyo – without actually getting a flight. Last night I was at the launch of Experimental Negroni Club installation at Henrietta Hotel, in partnership with CAMPARI… A celebration honouring 100 years of the Negroni cocktail.
My invite, courtesy of Bacchus PR, transported me to the unique world of the Negroni with a specially designed bespoke menu of cocktails which pays homage to, what is considered by many as, the world’s most classic cocktail.
The story of the Negroni dates back to 1919 when Count Camilio Negroni entered a bar in Florence and asked for an Americano with gin instead of soda water, inspired by a recent trip to Britain (love this connection!) The Count was famously adventurous, with his travels taking him across America and Europe. The rest you could say, is history!
An avid traveller myself, the idea of country hopping via a range of vintage cocktails seemed an ingenious idea. The celebratory gathering was centred around an over-hanging light installation, by artist Frankie Boyle, suspended below the stunning mezzanine bar’s glass ceiling creating a multi-sensory experience.
It’s perhaps only fair that I credit the Campari in my cocktail for the Dutch courage to network and speak to guests such as Xavier Padovani of Experimental Group and an Associated Press journalist, about the upcoming My Soho Times magazine…
And what’s networking without a wing-person? Mine came in the form of my cousin Freda, a doctor (a social weekday drink clearly doesn’t keep the doctor away!) as my ‘+ 1’ (which ended up being more of a ‘+ 3’ posse when my photographer friend Samuel Sasiharan and his +1 Chauntelle Lewis, joined us at the table of the Observatory team).
London is sweet, however next time I’ll indulge in a full experience of Tokyo… Or maybe go back to Mexico with it’s lingering hint of smokiness… Or just leave it to the talented mixologists behind the bar to recommend something special… Choices, choices, choices!
The Experimental Group was founded in France 2007 by childhood friends Romée de Goriainoff, Pierre-Charles Cros and Olivier Bon, with the launch of Experimental Club Paris. Xavier Padovani joined the group in 2010 with the opening of Experimental Cocktail Club in London’s Chinatown.
The Group has since expanded to include beach clubs, restaurants, wine bars and hotels spanning the UK, USA and Europe.
Henrietta Hotel and CAMPARI invite travellers and Londoners alike to raise a glass to the centenary of the iconic Negroni cocktail with this temporary bar-come-installation in the heart of Covent Garden.
Experimental Negroni Club runs from 21st September until 21st October. To book a table visit www.henriettahotel.com/experimental-negroni-club
📍Henrietta Hotel 14–15 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8QH
Look out for my next post sharing the end to an eventful night in the basement of Hotel Chocolat for a secret gig hosted by our friends at Talentbanq.
Have you checked out our pilot issue of My Soho Times online? CLICK HERE! Follow My Soho Times across our social media platforms @mysohotimes
That’s it for now! Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Hugging the edge of Soho is Denmark Street, renowned and much loved for its music and guitar shops. But for less musical mortals like me, it is also the geographical connection between two different and coexisting Soho realities: the hectic business hub Centre St. Giles and the vivacious theatre centric Charing Cross Road.Continue reading “That Café on Denmark Street | My Soho Times”
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