ANOTHER GREAT EVENING IN BENGAL

We journeyed to the other side of town, to the Old Bengal Restaurant for another excellent meal.

I enjoyed the Tandoori Makhon Chicken a dainty dish comprising boneless chicken pieces (stripped lovingly from tandoori chicken) ‘cooked with aromatic spices, ground cashew nut butter, coconut milk and a touch of herbs in a thick creamy sauce’. This was escorted by a couple of Tiger Beers.

Peshwari Nan (Stuffed with coconut, almonds, nuts and sultanas), plain rice and Motor Ponir (Cheese and Peas) were temptingly by my side.

After an drawing made at our table (for which a generous portion of Onion Bhaji’s arrived at the table) I was asked across to the other side of the restaurant to make a drawing of a party of twenty people celebrating some delightful creature’s 18^th Birthday.

Making my way back to our table I was provided with a large brandy and also passed Davie’s brandy to drink both of which were the quid pro quo for my birthday party sketch.

I might apply for Artist-in-Residence.  Featured here. The chaps in the restaurant admiring my work (Jokes).

More on Maylandsea (back at the Presse de Lock)

Well the trip to Maylandsea yielded a whole bunch of ideas that distilled down to three strong images that were, yesterday, taken to the studio of Christine Lock Print maker and by me, through great artifice and some skill translated into mono prints.

Here are the baseline drawings.

The prints themselves are still drying, pressed under a great weights. They will be photographed and shared soon.

The good news is that one can visit a place, collect some material and ferment ideas over a seven day period and then turn all this into moderately wonderful work. To be proven of course. Trust.

I have actually filmed the 16 stages of printmaking yesterday and hope to stitch these sequences together to explain how it all works (for me).

A good printmaking day yesterday. Lunch hitherto and a continued feature was home-made chowder and garlic bread for lunch, with a modest (there's that word again) dessert of home-made apple crumble and (single) cream.

We are back and working towards the Autumn show.

Charlotte's Shop

Essex has many famous people and places, John Constable, Southend Pier, and setting for the hit TV show The Only Way is Essex. I will add in Charlotte Campbell's small but perfectly formed food emporium DELI @ 56 in the village of Kelvedon, just of the A12.

Called in there the other day for wonderful ham from local Priors Hall Farm, a portion of lovely cheese and hand-crafted lemon fairy cakes hand crafted Fair cakes. All of which I selflessly presented to my Father.

Wonderful and worth a visit if you find yourself in the famous county.

Fran's Tea Garden

Cycle chum Ricardo and I have one particular route for a monthly ride that takes us past one of the most wonderful teashops in the county of Buckinghamshire and the World: Fran’s Tea Garden. Fran also, I might add, offers a wonderful range of chutneys - not to be missed if you are in the area of Denham on the Grand Union Canal.

Only a short while before these pictures were taken I narrowly escaped falling into the canal having hurriedly braked to give some walkers the greater benefit of the towpath!

The quest for great coffee continues!

Just off the Tottenham Court Road, a minute's walk from Fitzroy Square, is the wonderful The Old Dairy Cafe, 35 Conway Street. Wonderful espresso, great service and reasonable prices.

Here is the link http://www.theolddairycafe.com

Back printmaking at Christine's

Yes, Easter and I was back at the Presse de Lock for a great print making session. Lots of activity, five pieces of work. Exploring directions for the October exhibition, far from panic (yet) Christine, as ever, holding my elbow to ensure I don't fall. Creativity. . . a wondrous thing when it 'works'. As ever at Presse de Lock....one is assured of great cake!

A better Biryani in Bombay

Another wonderful reason for working in Bombay is lunchtime. For three days now, working with the best sales team in all of India, I have had the priviledge of lunching with them and enjoying great food and excellent conversation.

To 26th is Republic Day in India and actually a Public Holiday . . .

Happy Republic Day! God bless us all.

Fish and Chip Shops in West London 2

Since November I have enjoyed the flood of requests asking for more guidance on good eating places in West London. So the New Year gets off to a great start with a visit to Ocean Billy's. This establishment is stone's throw from Loftus Road home ground of QPR. My Saveloy was reasonably priced and excellent. There is seating for eight people.

The word saveloy is assumed to originate from the Swiss-French cervelas or servelat

ultimately from Latin cerebrus: originally a pork brain sausage particularly associated with Switzerland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savaloy

More anon!