Martin Creed, ‘What’s the point of it?’, Hayward Gallery

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Martin Creed is a British artist and musician. In 2001 he won the Turner Prize for the seemingly simplistic Work No. 227: The lights going on and off, an empty room in which the lights did indeed go on and off, at five second intervals. This eccentric artist lives and works in London and continues to push boundaries in his work.

Playful and peculiar, this first major survey of Creed’s work is currently on show at the Hayward Gallery and aims to encourage thought and discussion, exemplified by the title of exhibition, ‘What’s the Point of it?’ It is a random sequence of pieces, often art is disguised in a strange object, disturbing video or abstract action. There is a range of works and installations that will titillate and alarm all of your senses.

When you enter the gallery an impressive spinning neon banner reads ‘MOTHERS’, meanwhile metronomes tick constantly around the room. This neon sign seemed particularly appropriate when I visited (the day before Mothering Sunday), it is inspiring and yet intrusive. A man sits at a piano descending and then ascending playing each semi-tone, each note is given an equal amount of time. It is odd and leaves the visitor wondering ‘why?’

I have seen Creed’s revolting vomit video before, and this time round found it just as unsettling, in fact I couldn’t watch for more than a few seconds. Is this what the artist intends? Again we are left questioning, almost frustrated by the lack of understanding or explanation. Upstairs the pieces have a more pleasing aesthetic quality. Colour and shape is more evident and there are several entertaining pieces which are enjoyable to ponder and watch. Visitors are encouraged to enter a room full of white balloons, squeeze in amongst them and feel the static energy.

Despite an obvious lack of traditional artistic craft, this exhibition offers wit and wisdom and could not bore even the most complacent visitor. It is a colourful and varied display from one of London’s most thrilling artists.

Martin Creed continues until 5 May at the Hayward Gallery, more information and buy tickets here.

Hot on the Highstreet 203

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My dad is incredibly precious and protective over his granola recipe. Once a batch is made he will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, proclaiming it as the best cereal in the world. I’ve recently realised that cereal fanatics are quite a common species, and everyone has their own specific brand, type and favourite recipes to brag about.

Last week I met with Spoon Cereals who are sharing their passion for cereals with the world offering creative products online and on the streets, feeding hungry Londoners on their morning commute.

Their mission is… “to give you a more adventurous bowl of cereal just the way you like it. So whether it’s loaded with fruit and nuts, with a sprinkling of seeds or with a healthy dollop of compote, we want to give everyone the chance to build their very own bowl in three quick and easy steps:

Pick your base – we like to keep our handmade recipes simple and tasty with high quality ingredients.

Bulk it up – Jazz up your bowl with our dried fruit, seed or nut mixes however you like

Top it off – complete your bowl with our fresh and exciting toppings to go with your milk or yoghurt”

I have been lucky enough to try this special cereal. Nutty, fruity, sweet and crunchy the Spoon Cereals are very flavoursome whilst remaining healthy and nutritious. I tried the comforting seasonal recipe with Jumbo oats, Coconut flakes, Peanuts, Dried apple pieces, Apple juice (from concentrate), Maple syrup, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Cinnamon. It was lovely with a splash of cold milk in the morning, but also provided the perfect snack eaten dry, mid afternoon at my desk. Costing just £5 for a big bag – it is a reasonable deal.

Spoon cereals are now available to buy online here, or follow the team on Twitter here to find out which highstreets they will be popping up at next.

The Glasshouse, Kew

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The Glasshouse is part of a family of restaurants that includes my beloved Chez Bruce and La Trompette, two eateries that are firmly on my ‘favourites list’ and that I recommend to enquirers every day. Keen to know the third in the gastronomic trio, I went along to try the award-winning food at The Glasshouse last month to celebrate a special occasion. Just a few steps from Kew Bridge overground and underground station this local restaurant is relaxed and has a lovely neighbourhood feel. Like its sister establishments, The Glasshouse thrives outside the centre of town, managing to keep prices slightly lower and the atmosphere calmer due to the less business prone clientele.

Head chef Berwyn harks from north Wales. He joined The Glasshouse team in 2012 as sous-chef, having previously cooked at some excellent restaurants including La Trompette. He took over as head chef in summer 2013; his extensive travelling and culinary experiences in India, the far east, New York and Australia all inspire his constantly changing menu. With a background in British and French cooking, he continues in the genre of cuisine which was already established at The Glasshouse, his innovative curiosity and flawless technique lead him to create classic but creative recipes.

If you can escape work for a lazy lunch it is the ideal time to visit The Glasshouse to make use of their very reasonable £27.50 menu for three courses from Monday to Saturday or £32.50 on Sundays. Dinner is priced at £42.50 for three courses every evening.

We were seated at a quiet table, where we were able to survey the entire restaurant surrounding us. The next table was engaging in a particularly interesting conversation reciting their favourite fine dining venues in London to each other and offering feedback… it was very valuable information for my future restaurant escapades. They seemed impressed with The Glasshouse food which boded well for our meal I thought… in due course menus, water and aromatic olive bread was delivered to our table as we pondered what to choose.

We both spotted the same highlights on the menu, I traded a main for my starter of choice, avoiding unnecessary duplication! The Hare tagliatelle with prosciutto, Portobello mushrooms and grilled spring onions sounds like a heavy dish but it was lovely and light. Homemade pasta cooked perfectly with a creamy sauce flavoured with woody ingredients and a meatiness from dainty pieces of hare. Bresse pigeon with spiced leg pastille, hazelnuts, foie gras and glazed figs showed an obvious Moroccan influence, a sweet dish with unusual flavour combinations.

All the main courses sounded appealing, we opted for the lamb and beef dishes. Slices of lamb arrived with a miniature pie, lyonnaise onions, salsify purée , buttered carrots and rosemary jus, an assortment of delicious components though it was served slightly tepid in temperature. Rump of beef was hearty and comforting, a divine cut of tender meat drizzled in an accomplished red wine sauce. Hand cut chips were so precisely rectangular they looked like building blocks. I found them a little dry, and though it would have been very inappropriate, I considered asking for some mayonnaise for them.

Burnt vanilla cream with poached rhubarb, champagne foam and pistachio biscotti was a refreshing and summery dessert. In complete contrast Valrhona chocolate mousse with milk ice cream, honey tuile and iced coffee was richer and a strange combination of strong flavours.

Luckily we didn’t have far to go for the ride home. The Glasshouse is the highlight of Kew’s restaurant scene and offers food that is sophisticated but unpretentious, fine dining for everyone to enjoy.

More information and book here: www.glasshouserestaurant.co.uk