Exhibition: OceanLiners

As an admirer of travel history, fashion, and feats of engineering, the Ocean Liners exhibit at the Victoria & Albert museum was one of my favourites. Starting from the early 20th century, the exhibit takes you through various stages of ocean travel, and each section dissects the history, engineering and style behind each major ocean liner and what they meant for the time period; including how they re-fitted tourist liners into World War II warships, and the post-war travel period.

Mural from the first class playroom on the Canberra 

Featuring impressive pieces of furniture and fabric from early liners, the exhibit describes the decadence the upper class was able to travel in, in the form of ships. 

Gyrostabilisers

The engineering and multiple uses of the ships were not glossed over as well, including the importance famous ocean-liner related incidences, such as the sinking of the Lusitania, played in the growing global conflict. The ship Queen Mary was used to transport allied soldiers, and cabins were refitted so the living space of 2 passengers could fit 20 soldiers. 

Fashion and style on the ships
Background: German actress, Marlene Dietrich, a constant famous face frequently on Atlanic liners
Right: "new look" Dior suit worn on 21 Dec 1950 worn aboard the Queen Elizabeth
Left: Maison Goyard luggage owned by Edward, Duke of Windsor, 1940-9

Tableware on various ships

Fashion and style played an incredible part on the ship's journeys as well. The 'Grande descente' occurred at the beginning of the evening, where ladies in the first and upper class cabins would descend into the hall wearing the latest fashions. Cecil Beacon on the Queen Mary remarked on its absence, and in every 20th century ocean liner, this was a theatrical part of any evening. More information on its recreation for the Victoria & Albert museum can be found on the Costume Rag,  and the V&A website.

Above: Piece of the Titanic
Bottom: Model of the Viking Jupiter ship, 2017

There is no doubt in denying the cultural impact of the ocean liners-- the exhibit itself ends with a clip from James Cameron's Oscar-winning phenomenon, 1997's Titanic, and 1953's iconic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. This exhibit delved into great detail about the importance of ocean liners from a travel and artistic perspective, as well as the advances it created in engineering that we are still learning from till this day. It also well described the innovation and importance ocean liners had during important events of the 20th century, as well as how ocean liners were re-fitted and re-purposed during the post war years, while air travel slowly became the new fashion. Entertaining, educational and expansive, this exhibit is worth the time that will have you slowly uncovering some of modern travel's early secrets.

Exhibition: Vogue: The Centenary

On a sunny day one February, I got a ticket to a room laying out the timeline of Vogue and its defining issues every era since its creation. Every era since its inception had own section, demonstrating the shift in creative journalism, photography and overall vision of the decade.

Art and creativity also seem to do their best work in time of terror, as a form of escapism, I suppose. My personal favourite quote from the show shows the juxtaposition Vogue found itself during the 1930s, from society commentator John McMullin after a visit to Berlin—“Why all this fuss about Hitler? No one could be more commonplace—I am told he represents and idea, but I can’t find out what.” But even when his idea became clear in the 40s, Vogue trudged on doggedly, with the likes of Cecil Beaton and Lee Miller documenting Britain’s darkest hour, as it were, from their own perspectives. Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, an American war correspondent and official war photographer, documented the “Women’s War”,  the Blitz, and the horror of the Nazi concentration camps. As Hitler did his work, so did Vogue, covering the likes of the Blitz and the horror of Hitler’s work alongside wartime picture stories by Beaton on London bombsites with the caption, “Fashion is indestructible.” What struck me the most was the distinct “Vogueness” of it all—today it would almost be blasé, to have a well dressed woman posing in the middle of a demolished road, but at the time, the need to look past the horror and the tenacious need for survival was well documented and understood.

In June 2011, the Road to Revolution by Rana Kabbini detailed the writers’ feelings of being an Arab in a time of regional change, and Paolo Roversi took to abate the pains of the Japanese tsunami with his shoot Neo Geisha. In 2012 a controversial Boris Johnson posed in a controversial Olympic Park construction site. By then, Patrick Demarchelier had documented the Princess of Wales in December 1990, the Iron Lady had been photographed and profiled in the same decade as Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford, Vogue had made legends out of David Bailey and Grace Coddington and Kate Moss had solidified her status as the eternal London It Girl.

The artistic direction also changes with the times. I noticed the covers used to be handpainted and drawn, but from the 1970s the photographic covers that we know today started to take over. I found the cover illustrations to be illuminating, detailed and intricate, something which isn’t as obvious in the photographic covers as I find them more sanitised and alike, especially within the last few years. It’s a loss that present day magazines of such calibre can sometimes resemble a slightly more expensive tabloid, and the showcase made me appreciate the artistic direction when the camera was still a luxury.

The exhibition is more than just a showcase of what the Condé Nast archives has to offer, but a jarring realisation as to why we even bother to put up with this frivolity in the first place—it is a glimpse into the trials and culture of our contemporaries while recognising that in times of despair, in the words of Norman Parkinson—“people want style. They need romance.”

From teaching its readers the social graces of the 30s to jumpstarting the careers of fashionable modern designers to its patchwork quilt of long-form journalism on pressing issues, the show is more than just about fashion. Its about photographers, creators, designers, haute couture, photojournalists and the women (or men) that define our eras and those in history.

There is no doubt that whether you love it or hate it, the influence and mystery of the magazine and its editors has seceeded generations. In the last hundred years or so since Vogue debuted, it has always been at the forefront of art, introducing the world to the likes of Picasso and Sonia Delaunay. In 1916, Virginia Woolf commented on the letters of the navigator and professor, Walter Raleigh, and last April, Christiane Amanpour’s interview graced its pages. From Naomi Campbell to Cara Delevingne, it has defined the names and designs for my mother and her generation, to mine. Whether or not it will make its mark in the lives of my children is yet to be seen, but its place in history has already been set in stone.

"... If she guesses right, she is a gentleman and a scholar..... If you mistake Quentin Latour for Fantin Latour, you can laugh it off; but God help you if you cannot tell Brawue from Brook. If she is wrong, her cultural standing is usually impaired"

Location: National Portrait Gallery

Cost: £17

Duration: 11 Feb-22 May

My Week in Food: Semester Blues Edition (Part III)

Ladurée & Burger and Shake are the winners for taking care of my pre-term blues 

If you haven't tried Ladurée at Harrods at Knightsbridge yet, you are definitely in for a treat. Not only is the afternoon tea selection (French toast helloooooo) exquisite, but the actual meals are also full of creative tastes and palettes. Despite it being home to the most Tumblr-worthy macaroons, the dinner time dishes are as unique and are still served in their signature pastel-tinted plates. 

As part of the 3-course meal dinner set the first course was an authentic, the-thought-of-it-induces-hungry serving of French Onion Soup.

                           

Next came the butter-grilled King Prawns and asparagus to complement the sweetness of the soup

And for dessert: Ispahan, the famous rose-petaled, lychee and raspberry, diabetic inducing pâtisserie which is bound to make even the most sweet-phobic person (aka yours truly) smile in its almighty, pink bubbles of joy inducing presence.

Honourable mentions (for obvious reasons):

As provided by the wonderful lady who served us and gave us our pick of the macaroons that evening on the house. Unlike other Maisons du Macaroons, Ladurée is much more straightforward and doesn't become too creative with the flavours and tastes that their desserts come in. Everything here is much more straightfoward, and for the most part your tastebuds will be able to associate the colour with the flavour. 

Rose and Raspberry Religieuse: Aside from the fact that its the cutest dessert ever known to mankind, its another example of how, despite the classic tastes and flavours that Ladurée has, the maison isn't running out of creative and saliva-inducing ideas that still have a spin on the cliente-deemed favourites.

Burger & Shake  is another winner:  when it comes to comfort food and beating the pre-term blues, this cute diner on Marchmont Street has never failed me. If you're looking for something that is more intimate than tourist and London favourites like Burger and Lobster, or Shake Shack, Burger & Shake is the best place to go. But being located in a small street in a less-tourist populated area doesn't mean it doesn't have queues- expect at least a 10 minute wait on weekdays especially around lunch hours because instead of tourists, you get white-collars and students. Doesn't change the fact that the food there is up to par; without the exorbitant prices though.

I thought I'd stray away from my term-time go-tos of burgers and try the sides instead. I was definitely not disappointed.

Honourable Mention Category in helping me beat my term-time blues:

Cabana at St. Giles- I didn't have the famous spicy chicken but I promise I will the next time I venture on a food adventure 

Travel Series| Orient Diary (Part 1) Lunar New Year!

Now that the holidays are over and its back to work, everyone in the Far East decides its best to start getting Chinese New Year ready. Brilliant. Whether you celebrate it or not, know people who celebrate it, or have never heard of it, hopefully this post will encourage you to go to your nearest Chinatown and sample some yummy foodz!

Disclaimer: None of these pictures are mine, all found on the internet!

Jiao Zi: Dumplings, or guo tie (potstickers), or shuijiao (water boiled dumpings). Originating from northern Chinese provinces, its one of the major foods eaten during Chinese New Year all around the world. While my family doesn’t have an age-old dumpling recipe like many other Northern Chinese families, we enjoy it all the same.

Click here for the recipe ;) 

 Rou Gan: Chinese beef jerky. While the various Chinese communities across China, Hong Kong and south-east Asia eat variations of it, there’s no doubt that everyone enjoys it just as much.

Visit here for some of the most mouth-watering pictures you'll ever see

Hot pot! While not limited to Chinese New Year, hotpot has its most significance during the period. It symbolises ties of reunion, willingness to share, and most importantly, bonding over food—something that every Chinese family and individual is incredibly passionate about. The cultural significance of the hot pot may be strong, but its ability to cure your combined cravings of soup, meat, vegetable and rice all at once is even stronger.

Go here for a list of some hot pot places in London! It doesn't include one of my favourites though- Suki in Chinatown has three levels, and the topmost level does Japanese style shabu-shabu, similar to hotpot. Its great great fun and pretty inexpensive and fresh and good quality. 

Are there other CNY foods you love? Let me know :) x

My Week In Food (Part I)

Heya everyone!

Sorry for the long pause, but the past month has been absolutely mad. On the bright side, I've finally had a few free moments and I realised that there's something that I've yet to start blogging about, which is food! Food is one of my passions and if I had the choice I'd be able to eat anytime, anywhere. I've decided to create a new series which will be tremendously fun to me and (hopefully) fun to people reading it! I'll be writing about my favourite dishes of the week and sharing pictures!

Carluccios- Spaghetti al la Bianco ( £11.95) 

My favourite spaghetti for 2 reasons: 1. seafood and 2. seafood. Carluccio's has some of my favourite seafood spaghetti because its fresh, the spaghetti quality is impeccable and the portion is worth the price. It can be a bit of a splurge, but its a lovely place to have a chat with friends and stay for a few hours. Plus, if you get there during lunch time, they have a 2 course meal for around £11 and you can choose a starter and main, or main and dessert. If you're getting dessert, my tip would be to try a tiramisu-- I'm a bit of a tiramisu fiend and this is definitely worth the hype.

Spaghetti House- Spaghetti al la Bianco ( £13)

Spaghetti House pasta is slightly more expensive, and I can see why. The pasta texture here is slightly thinner and not as heavy, and its more savoury than the dish at Carluccios. There's not as much seafood in this though, and the garnishing and tomatoes aren't as fresh, but its still worth it nonetheless. PS: If you're not too hungry, I'd recommend getting the platter where you can share one massive pasta amongst two people- it only costs £18 in total and you can splurge on dessert!

Patisserie Valerie- Pecan pie ( £4.95)

I had this pie in Exeter while visiting friends, but since Patisserie Valerie is a chain I'm sure you can find it at other shops as well. I was going for their apple pie (which I've tried before and was absolutely blown away), but since they ran out I had to try the pecan. To be honest I wasn't entirely too keen on it, since I'm not the biggest fan of pies in general, and I've generally tried to stay away from the ones with nuts. But I'm so glad I stepped out of my dessert comfort zone to try this one! Its savoury, sweet and the ice cream on the top makes a pleasant sensation. BUT the thing that I was the most impressed with was definitely the roasted pecans. They were incredible; melted in your mouth, weren't too sweet and crunch noises they made were incredibly satisfying. Have this with a spot of tea, it will brighten any dull day up and satisfy your dessert craving

Five Guys- Bacon Cheeseburger with BBQ sauce and lettuce Carluccios-  ( £8)

Five Guys is renowned the world over for their incredible burgers-- fresh patties, melt-in-your-mouth cheese, mouth-watering sauces, unique chips.... the works. In the end though, I think what I loved about this was that it was so amazing that I was scraping off the cheese on the foil with such vigour and unconsciously while chatting with my friends. This picture speaks for itself. It's definitely greasy and laced with high cholestrol, but that's when you know its a good burger.

Any other places you'd like me to check out and write about! Tweet me or follow me on instagram :)