A short dress and long drinks - The official Bootlegger launch

Sorry for the lack of any posts, I've been spending a lot of time in London and setting up my etsy shop (I make fans if you didn't already know!) This does mean I've got lots of things to write about - but no time to write about them!  I've decided to forego chronology and write about the latest event we covered. 

 

I was handed a cocktail as soon as we arrived
- it's a tough job but someone's gotta do it

 

We were invited by Bootlegger White Grain Spirit to their official launch, which was held in the Clapton branch of the über trendy Blue Tit salons.  I've seen Bootlegger at a few 'vintage' events over the past few months (they even sponsored the Brighton Blogger meet up in July) as they seem to have really targeted that scene.

Not recommended for dogs (unless they're real booze hounds - I thank you)
 

The salon is consciously cool, with lots of distressed wood, reclaimed furniture and vintage props, which made it the perfect place for the launch of a drink based on the erm, spirit, of prohibition era booze.  Of course, there were plenty of cocktails doing the rounds, my favourite was the Moonshine Cooler, a mix of Bootlegger spirit, sugar syrup, cloudy apple and lime juice.  There are two other Blue Tit salons in London, one in Dalston which co-owner Perry described as a little more in the Edwardian side and the newest of the three, the Peckham branch with its Art Deco styling and original Victorian tiles.

Interviewing one of the salon owners, Perry

 The Vintage 78s DJs (whom we met at the National Vintage Awards) were on hand to spin a few platters as well as providing an array of parlour games to keep the guests entertained throughout the night.

 

A selection of gramophone needles

With Annabel from the Vintage 78 DJs
doing our best promo girl poses

 

Anyone for (miniature) croquet?

 I'm sure there will be many other Bootlegger events of the vintage scene, but for now I'm going to sit back after a hard day of editing and have a nice glass of Bootlegger and apple.

During our interview, James from Bootlegger joined me in sampling
some of the prohibition-inspired spirit

 Oh, and while I remember, my dress isn't vintage - it's actually from ASDA (!) and I bought it about 7 years ago for a Christmas party.  I don't wear it very much as it's quite short but I just love the print.

 

 Have you ever tried Bootlegger or bought a really short dress from Asda ... or both?

Come along with me on down to New Orleans

I was quite intrigued when we were invited to Storyville, an event organised by the Nightjar bar.  I was even more intrigued by the theme and dress code, “a hot-blooded tribute to New Orleans” and Bordello Chic, respectively.  Storyville was the name given to the red light district operating in New Orleans between 1897-1917, so I was expecting a certain amount of debauchery - think America’s answer to Bohemian Monmartre with added creole, voodoo and a few southern belles thrown in.

The dress code was going to be a bit of a problem.  You see, I’ve just moved house (I’ll be posting later on my new abode, the architecture round here is so beautiful it needs its own post) and as such only had one dress at my new flat.  Luckily, it was a handmade 1930s day dress in a wonderful ditsy-printed lime green artificial silk, so I thought I may be able to get away with it.  



The odd fan pose is due to the big blue ink stamp on my arm
(I think I confused the doorman by wearing gloves)

 Anyway, back to the event.  The venue (Factory 7 in Shoreditch) was very well decorated, with ivy-draped street signs, two opulent four poster beds, atmospheric lighting in reds and greens as well as three bars (one of which was a dedicated to the green fairy).  One original element I really liked was the presence of the actors and performers walking around the venue.  More impressively, most of these vagrants, madams and courtesans had hidden talents; among them a breakdancer, an opera singer, and aerial and fire artists.

 I had a quick chat with Natalie Fern who was the costume designer responsible for dressing these performers.  Based in Manchester, Natalie sourced a lot of the costumes from the Royal Exchange. She had to adapt some of the looks, particularly the prostitutes, to fit in more with the modern expectations of what a courtesan should look like.  She talked of how voodoo was also an influence, as were the performers’ particular skills; with the fire act wearing blacks and reds, and the aerialist looking ethereal in white.  

Natalie also spoke of how she found it difficult dressing the men due the fact that changes in men’s fashions throughout the 20^th century were rather subtle - the width of a lapel or the size of the turn-ups perhaps altering the look by decades.  She wanted to make the ‘Gentleman Jack’ figure to look slightly more roguish to differentiate him from your ordinary seersucker clad southern gentleman.  It was refreshing to hear that most of her inspiration came from google (and also an unlikely source in ‘The Princess and the Frog’).

  

Beforehand, I had seen that Swing Patrol would be there, but rather than a performance or lesson, I think they were just populating the dance floor (not that I minded - I got quite a few dances in Scott, thethe chap behind Swing Patrol who we interviewed last year).

Although £25 may seem a bit pricey, you were getting a lot for your money.  The night ran from 7pm-4am and there seemed to be some form of entertainment for most of that time.  Apart from the aforementioned wandering performers, there was a pianist, four bands (we were only able to stay long enough to see the brilliant Basin Street Brawlers– the joys of having to catch the last train) and a free tasting lesson over at the absinthe bar (courtesy of Enigma absinthe).  We tried some of the Jambalaya (which was rather expensive and a little disappointing) and a couple of glasses of New Orleans punch (a refreshing cocktail of Southern Comfort, Ameretto, apple and rhubarb, root beer and nectarines) which although very tasty, could’ve done with being a little ‘punchier’.

It is an event I would definitely go to again, and hopefully be able to enjoy more before having to leave.  I would say that if it were made slightly shorter to bring down the price, it may have been even more popular.   I must add that I am indebted to my dear friend Caroline for accompanying me and providing some of the photos on here (she is the resident N’awlins expert of my friends).



Caroline with our new friend Gentleman Jack

 Natalie Fern can be conatcted at Natalie.fern1@googlemail.com

A Delightful Evening of Peculiar Dining

Sorry this post has been a bit late in coming, but I've had an awfully busy weekend which you will be able to read about in due course.

I was looking forward to the return of Hendrick's to the Brighton festival, as last year a large portion of my birthday was spent sipping their gin-based delights outside their Horseless carriage.

When we were invited to attend one of the many events Hendrick’s was hosting at their Library of Delightfully Peculiar Writings, one particular event stood out to us.  Along with lectures about the literary history of gin as well as few on more specific topics, there was to be a literary feast orchestrated by the culinary architects,  Bompas & Parr.  We were lucky enough to interview Sam Bompas before he was whisked away to add the finishing touches to the feast.   

We were able to have a look inside the dining area, which was set off by a beautiful crimson glow.  Along with the dining tables, one side of the room was dedicated to a tank of sorts which enclosed a breathable gin cloud. 

Adorning the shelves and cabinets that lined the walls were all manner of ephemera and curiosities that would have seemed more at home somewhere like the Last Tuesday Society’s Little Shop of Horrors  (incidentally, the society hosted a couple of events at the Hendrick’s Library).

The outside green (well Astroturf, but who’s telling) was open to the public and was as beautifully decked out as the dining room.

Jo (one of the Hendrick’s hostesses) was kind enough to supply us with a myriad of gin based beverages throughout proceedings.  It turns out I’m less rubbish in front of the camera if I’ve had a couple, at least that’s the story I’m sticking to...

Although we weren’t there for the entire meal (quite sorry we missed the exploding desert!) we had a very good time and look forward to Hendrick’s coming back next year.   If you would like to find out where Hendrick's will be unfurling their library next, have a look at their website, it’s rather good.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

As happens to a fair few of us around Christmas time, I became rather languid and as such neglected my duties of reporting to you on the happenings of the vintage scene.  Well, there was homemade Turkish Delight that just had to be eaten! 

Before I became a slave to Christmas and all the wonderful food it provides, The Vintage News went to the festive edition of the Candlelight Club.

We were greeted with the warming aroma of cinnamon, cloves and other festive spices.  This, added to the candlelight, made for an intimate atmosphere, the sort of thing Bing Crosby would sing about and then hit stuff with his pipe.      Christmas trees bedecked in glistening decorations added yet more to the festive feel of the evening.

The musical entertainment of the night was provided by Albert Ball’s Flying Aces.  An amazing band, of whom we had previously been unaware, they play popular hits from the Great War on authentic instruments.

Named for the highly decorated pilot, they perform glorious renditions of ragtime, jazz, music hall, blues and polkas from across Europe.

Projected on the wall behind the bar was ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, well what would Christmas be without it?

The dancer of the evening was the impeccably dressed Josephine Shaker.  Tap-dancer extraordinaire, she regaled us with stories of the greats (of course, Astaire and Kelly) when we interviewed her.

Once again, we were fortunate enough to be able to interview with one of the organisers, Clayton Hartley. 

The room in which we conducted our interviews was glamorously dishevelled, think Sunset Boulevard.

All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.  I had a bit of trouble deciding between two dresses, so in the end I wore both!  I had an emerald green pencil dress (to which I attached black velvet trim and halterneck) which I found in a charity shop.  The skirt was from a Vivien of Holloway circle dress which was folded under.  The join was ‘masked’ by more black velvet and a large silver brooch.   I had green and red flowers in my hair, to be in-keeping with the Christmas theme of course.

A lovely touch was the inclusion of a roast dinner available in the courtyard.  It smelt delectable but we had to save room for all the wonderful cocktails on offer.

My favourite cocktail of the night had to be Cherry Christmas; a delicious concoction of gin, cherry brandy, cherry bitters, rosemary tincture and cranberry juice.  The cranberry made it seem almost cleansing!  Other alcoholic offerings included the mincemeat vodka based Mince Flip, Ginger Snap with rum, advocaat, ginger wine, ginger beer and Boker’s Bitters(that could’ve been one of mine!).  Other yuletide ingredients included chestnut syrup, Frankincense bitters and nutmeg.

While the footage from this event is being edited, here is a link to the last time we went to the Candlelight Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJgcUgGIReE&feature=player_embedded

Oh, and you may have noticed in the latest New Sheridan club newsletter, a few pictures of myself and my fellow comrades at their Christmas bash.