Monthly Archives: October 2012

Love and Information, Royal Court

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Love and Information is another surprise from Caryl Churchill’s box of tricks. At the age of 74 this incredible playwright is still producing unexpectedly imaginative and inquisitive theatre.

16 actors play 100 characters in more than 50 separate scenes. It all happens in less than two hours with no interval. The audience are bombarded – it feels like a last minute cramming session for a very stressful exam. It is alarming, and even as you grow used to the short sharp scenes, the slight feeling of seasickness does not ease. The play is intended to reflect our constantly busy lives, the overload of information we encounter, little of which makes a lasting impression.

I enjoyed it, but couldn’t help feeling a little short-changed that, as I left the theatre, I still had lots of unanswered questions. Most of the scenes show just two people in conversation, sometimes only a few lines, and others a few pages of text. As the production progressed I began to find the longer scenes boring, and strangely they often don’t give as much insight as the briefer interactions. It is a showcase of every emotion and personality type and the sixteen performers do a great job making each scene believable, constantly switching between roles.

Love and Information is an interesting work, securely and slickly executed. If you have a short attention span this is the show for you.

http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/love-and-information

Gold Bar and Caina restaurant, Nobis Hotel, Stockholm

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The Nobis Hotel is one of the grandest and most prestigious places to stay in Stockholm; aside from its luxurious rooms, this Swedish landmark is known for its elaborate cocktails and top class food.

While visiting the Scandinavian city, we took a trip to the Nobis to discover the appetising world of food and drink in the opulent Gold Bar and gorgeous Italian restaurant, Caina. Feeling immediately underdressed in our casual attire, we entered the world of Stockholm’s elite: tall, blonde and beautiful. We perched at the glorious golden bar and spoke to a polite waiter who offered us the venue’s favourite concoctions.

The cocktails we tried here were among the very best I’ve ever tasted: well balanced, imaginative, presented beautifully and seriously scrumptious. You can’t help but feel glamorous and superior whilst drinking in this amazing bar. I’d strongly recommend the following cocktails:

Queens Park Swizzle : this is an epic variation of the standard rum swizzle, originating from Trinidad in the early part of the 20th century, it is similar to a Mojito. Light and sweet with a wonderfully refreshing taste, it is served in a tumbler with a silver Indian tea straw, a lovely cold sensation on the lips but also useful for keeping out unwanted pieces of torn mint leaf. A few drops of Angostura Bitters add a touch of oriental excitement.

Southern Winds: this is a refined blend of afternoon tea culture and modern mixology. Served in a humorous teacup martini glass, the gin and citrusy flavours are perfectly balanced to create a smooth and delicious cocktail.

The Mexican Wrestler: is a more manly cocktail, a short drink with a mix of Tequila, French orange liqueur and chocolate bitters. Seriously chilled thanks to the giant ice ball cube this drink changes continually as the ice melts, the strength lessens and different flavours emerge.

Downstairs the lighting is dimmed and numerous waiters deliver tasty traditional recipes to hungry diners. All the food is prepared to a level of excellence though some dishes stand out more than others.

We were given no choice, instead plates were delivered with matching wine to complement. Ravioli stuffed with minced beef and duck liver and served with butter and sage sauce was my favourite, a comforting and richly flavoured pasta dish. The recipes were impressively innovative: blood pigeon with roasted hazelnuts and cherry gravy and chocolate pudding with extra virgin olive oil ice cream. Some experiments worked, others were less appetising, but it was a lovely meal nonetheless.

The Nobis Hotel is a palace of food, drink and luxury… and the Gold Bar is unmissable.

More information here.

Thanks to visitstockholm.com follow them on twitter for news and information, @visitswedenuk

Champneys, Forest Mere

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Champneys is a haven of tranquillity and luxury and the Forest Mere branch provided the perfect sanctuary for my best friend and I on our weekend away from the city.

Located just an hour from busy London, this beautiful location provides instant relief for the mind, body and soul. On a sunny Friday morning the drive to Forest Mere filled us with excitement, the entrance stuns with a dazzling lake view and fresh green countryside all around you, it is refreshing and invigorating. We were welcomed and well looked after, exemplary service that continued throughout our stay.

We spent a heavenly 24 hours in the resort, enjoying nutritious delicious food, thoughtful and enjoyable classes and indulgent treatments. Meals are served in various dining areas, a selection of salads and healthy dishes are available, and in one corner a chef makes personalised specialities… we tried noodle stir fry and tortilla wraps. The food is good though fat and salt are obviously limited, I struggled a bit with the lack of salt on the table and felt very naughty specially requesting it!

All the facilities at Forest Mere are conveniently close and after our lunch we went straight to the changing room to try out the swimming pool. Aside from lengths, the huge sparkling blue pool is used for water exercise groups, a class we thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst moving to the music you are instructed to push through various routines and drills, good exercise but more importantly great fun! The Ballet core strength class and hula-hooping were equally enjoyable and hilarious at times; the teachers are all encouraging and motivating with a good sense of humour.

The treatment rooms provide ultimate seclusion and a blissful sense of calm. I was lucky enough to try the Bamboo massage and personalised facial. Both were performed with expertise by the therapists, the massage was energising while the facial pampered my skin and deep cleansed and moisturised leaving my complexion bright and awake.

After changing and refreshing in our attractive Premier Suite, we went down for supper. Three courses are offered with a surprising range of options. The food was exceptional – starving hungry from the day of exercise and relaxation we scoffed it down with great appreciation. The menu is designed to nurture the body providing you with essential nutrients whilst avoiding any unnecessary nasties! That night we slept like exhausted children in our giant plump bed.

I felt aware while relaxing that this is a health spa to improve your wellbeing rather than just a hotel for pampering and idleness. Champneys is a home away from home, comfortable and comforting but without pretentious and unnecessary extravagance. I would love to go back regularly, but even after just one visit I feel I have kickstarted a healthier routine.

Visit the Champneys website here for more information.

http://www.champneys.com/