Dinner

So I finally got my birthday gift, lunch at Heston Blumenthal's London restaurant Dinner. It was a different experience, starting with four doormen on the steps into the Mandarin Oriental... On entering this hotel I was surprised to find it really quite dark and a bit underwhelming. What was particularly disconcerting was the fact that there was no indication where you should go and I felt out of place until we turned to the girl at the top of the stairs for help. The staff at the welcome desk were lovely and they directed us to the bar, to keep costs down we stuck to water (cocktails started at £18). However I was feeling edgy as more than 30mins after our booking we were still in the bar with no idea whether someone would come and get us or whether we were supposed to go in...

We had a lovely table and I had a fab view of the park behind, the restaurant was lovely and light and I loved the jelly mould lights. The sommelier was friendly, but she didn't really offer us any assistance with the extensive and pricey wine list but we each had a lovely a lovely glass of white; sauvignon blanc (me) and dry reisling (P). Knowing before we arrived that I was having dessert we decided to skip starters and go straight in with the main. I had the black foot pork chop with red wine and robert sauce, I ordered a delicious mixed leaf and tomato salad on the side. The meat was served slightly pink, was incredibly tender, moist and full of flavour, the verdict delicious. P opted quite bravely for sea bass in cockle sauce with new potatoes and was unfortunately disappointed. The sauce was slimy and overly vinegary, the fish was flavourless and worst of all the potatoes were undercooked!!!

But on to dessert, we were disappointed that no one offered us a drink to accompany dessert, however the tipsy cake pre-ordered on arrival did not disappoint... Unfortunately P once again was unlucky with the Taffety Tart which was just a bit lacklustre. So back to my dessert, the pineapple cut through the sugar on the cake bit, a glazed brioche in a subtly alcoholic sauce, you have to order this if you are visiting dinner. We closed the meal with a fresh mint tea and the complementary post dessert of an overly sweet white chocolate ganache with a caraway biscuit, luckily P did like this and polished off both of them.

In summary, I'm really glad we went but I don't think we'll be going back, not unless the price drops significantly. On the other hand, his pub Hind's Head in Bray was fantastic and seemed more comfortable for the beginner Heston dinner, although you will need a designated driver to get there and home

Edinburgh Fringe 2011 summary

So I thought that while watching Three @ The Fringe on catch-up was the perfect time to post my round-up of the Fringe. As promised this is the shows I saw in the order I would recommend which should help to overcome the confusion of my previous posts where I kept forgetting what I saw...

1. Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD at the Pleasance Dome
2. Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson the Nazi Smasher at Pleasance Courtyard
3. Minute after Midday at the Gilded Balloon (the only serious theatre in my top 5)
4. Rock the Ballet at the Assembly
5. Spank! at the Underbelly
6. Frisky and Mannish at the Udderbelly
7. NewsRevue at the Pleasance Courtyard
8. Fresher the Musical at the Pleasance Dome
9. Street Dreams at the Underbelly
10. The Horne Section at Assembly George Square
11. Translunar Paradise at the Pleasance Dome
12. Improverts at the Bedlam
13. David Reed Shamble House at the Pleasance Courtyard
14. Dead Cat Bounce at the Pleasance Courtyard
15. Showstopper the Musical at the Gilded Balloon
16. Pollyanna meets Piaf at the Space Surgeon's Hall
17. You Want Me to Do What? at C venue at ECA
18. Peeling PVA Happier Mache at Just the Tonic

Other must do things at the Fringe are:
Sushi at Bonsai
Sausage and Mash at Mums
Bagel at Elephants and Bagel
Drink at the Udderbelly Pasture
and of course catch-up with all my friends that are still lucky enough to live up there...

Hope you enjoy what's left of the Fringe and I'm looking forward to next year...

Oops the shows I forgot and the ones I don't really recommend...

I'm definitely starting to think that I saw too many shows as I logged on to my Edinburgh Fringe page to check out what I saw and realised I had missed half the shows... So below are a few of my higher ranking shows and then the last ones are those that I didn't get or just weren't for me.

To those I forgot, I'm so sorry you were all great!

Forgotten four star shows
Fresher the Musical at Pleasance Dome
I laughed a lot during this show as everything they said / sang reminded me of how I felt to be a fresher. I left the performance wishing I could go back to those days, perhaps more so as I was watching in my former student union. Sometimes it felt a bit American, but maybe that was the head mikes, it was strange feeling as I almost thought I knew the words and could sing along when that was very much not the case. A great mix up of all the stereotypes and Rupert's rap was genius, Basil I hope you get lucky by the end of uni :-) My one note of caution is to try and avoid sitting in the sets on stage left as the drum kit was deafening and sometimes I couldn't hear the words.

The Horne Section at Assembly George Square
This was our first evening show of 2011 and I hadn't realised it was Alex Horne until we arrived and the guys whose table we hijacked told us. On reflection it was a good thing I didn't know as I had previously seen a very early preview of Alex's stand-up show Birdwatching (about 4 years ago in the basement of Fopp, Tottenham Court Road), I didn't enjoy it... But this was a different kettle of fish altogether, the Horn band with drummer and piano added a little sparkle and the giant wheel of fortune gave it an edge. I was super excited that we got Mark Watson one of my favourite 'big comedians', it was nice to see Tim Vine though I'm not sure I could site through an hour of his one-liners and the tumble act did not float my boat. But the highlight of the evening was Alex and his band doing Morris dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies, it has to be seen to be believed...

I didn't have a three and half stars before but feel that I need one now...
Improverts at the Bedlam Theatre
Again I always go see the Edinburgh Improverts, they remind of many a Friday evening laughing at the antics of Humphrey Ker, Thom Tuck, David Reed and many more... Somehow even though they have moved on to their solo shows (see my previous two posts) the Edinburgh Imps have kept their magic and somehow the other other Improverts companies I've seen at the Fringe before do not match up. Of course you are taking a risk on the audience attending and the night we went they let the team down but probably due to a lack of alcohol. But all my favourite games were there and I laughed the night away before heading to Underbelly for a dance.

Translunar Paradise at the Pleasance Dome
Another addition to my final quiet and downbeat day, this show raising money for cancer research was heart warming. The incredible silent story of an elderly couple and when the wife dies her husband relives their life, the highs and the lows. I loved the use of masks and again these masks seemed to have expressions I also loved the seamless transitions and the clarity of the looking back scenes. My mind did wonder at times and perhaps a funny show in between would have put me in the right frame of mind for this performance.

Three star shows that didn't make it into the last post
Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat at the Pleasance Courtyard
This group we picked up last year through Spank! and saw their show in the Gilded Balloon Basement. This year they have upgraded to the Pleasance theatre and feel like a real Rock Band! It was particularly good to be able to hear all the lyrics this time. However I regretfully put this as a three star show thanks to their request to allow latecomers and the way the venue handled this. The theatre was full and then at about 20minutes in around 30 latecomers were let in. The venue staff spent ages trying to find seats and squishing us all up which knocked me and my friend out of the spirit. Additionally children are allowed in and if you are uncomfortable sitting next to a nine year old with some pretty heavy double entendres then perhaps best to buy the CD and not risk it.

Three star show, but I think just the night I went...
ShowStopper! the Improvised Musical at the Gilded Balloon
Another show relying on it's audience was let down by the audience and the late running venue, meaning we once again had to leave early. That said I hadn't really bought into the Viking theme, the performance felt a bit prescriptive and the venue too large for real improvisation. I have heard great things about this group but I felt let down, although I was in real awe of the teams ability to sing on demand...

Two and a half star show
Pollyanna meets Piaf at The Space, Surgeon's Hall
What really let this show down was the promise of Piaf and there just wasn't enough for me. I liked a couple of the songs but I felt that the performance lacked a bit of oomph, particularly on the happy songs. It was a nice way to spend an hour and I didn't want my money back but I also didn't really feel like I'd gained anything.

You want me to do what? at C at ECA
Another show that just didn't deliver on the promise of the advert. The advert implied it was going to be amusing but it really wasn't. In a frustrating venue that you couldn't get into because it wasn't signed and the fire door wasn't activated from the outside. Once in the small stuffy room, I didn't feel like the show had the energy it needed to pull it through. It was a bit disjointed and for me the emotion didn't carry through to the audience as the actress told the story of her time as a leukaemia nurse. I think perhaps as a medical biologist I just wanted more reality, I'm never keen on looking back dream like shows and this was a prime example but maybe you'll love it and the Fringe is about taking a chance sometimes.

One star show
Peeling PVA's, Happier mache at Just the Tonic
This was the first time I've ever been given a comp ticket for the Fringe and I'm glad I didn't pay to see this show. The only sketch that I genuinely loved was the Duke of York sketch, incredibly clever and funny. However the rest lacked conviction, the set was too patchy and rickety and distracted from the performance. I did also enjoy the self checkout sketch but felt that it didn't follow through on the joke in the right way. The comedy was very young and perhaps with time it might improve? I think perhaps give them a miss year and take a peek next year to see what's changed...

In my last Edinburgh post I'll rank the shows in order of what to see as I seem to have got a bit mixed up in my reviews...

Edinburgh Fringe festival review, part two

I'm sure everyone will pleased to know that the birthday cake turned out great and my grandfather almost recognised it as his old bowling club...

So I'm back now with some more reviews from my time in Edinburgh.

Four and a half star show that I forgot in the previous post...
Rock the Ballet at Assembly on the Mound
I saw so many shows that I forgot about this one which was one of the first I saw. I can't sum this up much better than my original tweet, this is some really hot men and a seemingly token hot girl, doing some of the hottest and freshest choreography I've seen to some rocking tunes. I loved their Argentinian tango with an unusual choice of partner... I switched between laughing, jealousy and drooling in this show and recommend it for anybody who likes dance, it's not just for ballet fanatics. My only point to note is you need to get there early to ensure that you get a good seat and if you're up by the turn on the mound in the queue then head straight upstairs for a clear view.

Four star shows that I enjoyed but not as much as the five and four and a half star shows
Street Dreams at the Underbelly
This was actually the start of my serious day at the Fringe and I went to see it on my brother's text recommendation (which I miraculously received in the Underbelly!). this show documents the life of a little old man living on a rubbish dump, there are no words and the show is accompanied by some lovely haunting tunes from a harmonica, ukele? and flute. What I loved about this show was the fact that although the little old man puppet didn't have a moveable face he somehow changed his expression in line with his mood. I also loved the way the two puppeteers working the puppet were almost part of him but also looking down on him and reacting as an external onlooker a strangely moving facility. I loved the inventive use of rubbish particularly the plastic bag birds and the cheeky banana skins. The one downside was that at 40 minutes I'd kind of got over my wonder a bit but not enough to make me regret seeing this and I would recommend for a quiet morning in Edinburgh.

NewsRevue at the Pleasance Courtyard
Another old favourite this was the last show I saw at the Fringe and was a great way to finish my four days. If you like Have I Got News For you and a bit of Broadway then this is the show for you. You don't even need to follow the news as this summarises all the key stories from the last year so you probably know them all as I'd be surprised if you missed the wedding of the year and Osama Bin Laden's death. I laughed my way through the show although at times I just didn't get it or felt they cut a bit too close to the bone. But a fab way to spend an evening if you've got one spare.

Three star shows that I enjoyed but probably wouldn't see again
David Reed: Shamblehouse at Pleasance Courtyard
The third of the Penny Dreadfuls up at the Fringe with a debut solo show, David's set includes an amazing array of chairs which was incredible but a bit confusing. I saw the preview of this show and it was very much a ramble through the back alleys of David's mind, which I'm not sure was a place I wanted to be... I didn't really get the ghost at the end, it all felt a bit too surreal for me. That said I did laugh at most points through out the sketch and my friend that I was with loved this show. I ran into one of David's team a couple of days later who said they'd been working on it and it was much improved so I'd give it a go and see whether you are compatible with David's sense of humour.

I'm slowly getting through all my reviews and hope to get some more up later in the week. Enjoy your Fringe...

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

A change from the norm, but the Edinburgh fringe festival is one of my other favourite things. Here's a slightly more than 140 character run down of the shows I went to see for anyone reading this that's heading to Edinburgh this year.

My five star must see shows
Humphrey Kerr is Dymock Watson Nazi Smasher at the Pleasance Courtyard.
I always loved Humphrey as an Improvert at Edinburgh and then as one of the Penny Dreadfuls so I was excited to see his first solo show at Edinburgh. On top of all this I grew up on a diet of black and white war movies selected by my father, so the title of the show sounded right up my street... The small dark room that houses Humphrey's show adds to the atmosphere and you feel like you are hiding out in a resistance hut in the woods listening to a tale of great achievements. I recognised every character from at least one movie of my childhood and laughed all the way. If Humphrey brings this show down to London I will definitely be finding a way to take my dad, he'll love it and so did I!

Thom Tuck goes straight to DVD at the Pleasance Dome.
Another Improvert and Penny Dreadful it was surprising to see Thom with all his features in the correct place. For this show I think a basic knowledge of the classic Disney movies is helpful as it helps you to recognise the characters in discussion. Thom has watched all the straight to DVD Disney animated movies and spends a hilarious hour discussing them interspersed with tales of his love life cleverly interwoven. A couple of things I heard before I went didn't ring true for me, I disagree with the Broadway Baby reviewer who felt the romantic interludes didn't fit, I loved the way the subtly connected with the Disney material. I also disagreed with the person who told me Thom was doing more downbeat material, I laughed so hard during the show that I couldn't breathe and room began to spin. Sitting in the front row I was concerned that I might put Thom off as I nearly fell off my chair laughing but if I did it didn't show. What is perhaps slightly concerning about this show is I know want to watch the straight to DVD Disney movies with Thom's insight as I'm sure they will be a great laugh!

On the serious note I went to see Minute after midday, an incredible performance from three young Irish performers. A series of interweaved monologues put together the story of the 1998 Omagh bombings. Told from the perspective of a little girl who survived, the wife of a man who died saving the girl's life and one of the bombers, I was crying by the end. I loved the way they introduced the back stories so you really felt like you knew the characters. I tend to watch exclusively comedy in Edinburgh but this has got to be seen, I've seen anything that I walked out of feeling like I had just watched the real event I was shell shocked and pretty speechless for at least an hour afterwards.

My four and a half star shows that I loved and think you probably will too!
Frisky and Mannish at the Udderbelly.
My friend loved this more than me and I think perhaps because she listens to more music than me. That said most of the Brit pop was pretty old skool and I recognised a lot. Frisky and Mannish will help you work out which boy band member you are - I turned out to be a Razor light, thanks to my 'cool' hair. They are both incredibly talented and I live in awe at people who can sing songs to a different but equally favourite tune. I think perhaps the funniest thing about this show was the audience member who was nearly crying at the prospect of being part of a new 'boy band'. The most annoying thing getting their version of 'The Wheels on the Bus' stuck in my head for the rest of the Fringe. But at the end of the show, I felt upbeat, ready to go out partying and well versed in the skills I need to become a pop star, the charts had better look out!

Spank! at the Underbelly.
A perennial favourite, my Fringe wouldn't be complete without at least one trip to Spank. My favourite late night 'compilation' show, James and Leon the ever bubbly hosts do a sterling job and bring the audience along for the ride. Not a show for the easily offended, especially the promo spot, see how quickly confident acts lose their confidence when the undies hit the floor... The night we went I particularly enjoyed Chris Martin, no not that one... He was really funny and dealt with a very drunk heckler admirably. I wish I had been able to go see his show as he was funny and despite his claims, as good looking as Jenssen Button.

Now I have to go bake an eightieth birthday cake so I'll post some more reviews later...