So this will be my first up to date post… as I have mentioned I am a little behind in posting about some of the amazing places I have been around Europe, but this post will be regarding an event I went to last weekend and its a post within London. London being the busy, vibrant, varied city that it is, there is always something exciting to do any weekday or weekend, day or night. Samuel Johnson once said “When a man is tired of London he is tired of life.” I couldn’t agree more!

Pop up restaurants, malls, markets, pubs and clubs are big trends at the moment. A pop up… “whatever” is a temporary venue or event… created for a short time period and not widely advertised, generally you only know about it if your “in the know” I was lucky enough to be “in the know” and to find out about an amazing pop up restaurant called the pale blue door.

Tony Hornecker is a great set designer who has basically turned his house into a restaurant using his set design skills and creativity he creates a creative and fun atmosphere for people to dine.

We all meet at a really cool pub called The Haggerstone with brick interior and candle lights all around and fancy, mysterious art on the walls, this is where we let the wine and chatter begin. Next thing I know we are being let by my flat mate through a dark alley in London’s “dangerous” East End Dalston, Im thinking we are on our journey to this venue, but no, we are at the venue. Back streets with old burnt vintage cars and trash bins everywhere and we pop underneath a small opening where I see old vintage items and realize we are here! wait where are we? wasn’t I walking down a dark dirty alley two seconds ago? has the wine set in already?

The room is cramped with dark lighting, you have to squeeze to an available table, I guess it must of been first in, best dressed. The chairs were not matching, I was sitting on a vintage looking arm chair but one of my friends was sitting on what felt like a wooden log, this not being a bad thing, it just all creates to the “discovering atmosphere.” The table clothes were made of a couple of coloured checkered shirts, but were so well done that we didnt notice until the end of the night.

The room is filled with all these amazing creative interiors, the roof had umbrellas and vintage clothes all over which were mostly from the Royal Opera House. In fact it was overwhelming to try and capture all the random items around… oh look, I only just spotted a trumpet. Discovering all the cool things was like being in a Where’s Wally book.

Our candle holder on the table was a very cool vintage tiny teapot ornament, something my grandmother would have owned, but again no other table had one the same. The silverware was not matching and looked like it had just been pulled out of someones top cupboard… in fact, it probably had! Again this all just added to the effect of being somewhere different, not in a typical resturant.

I am then taken up to the attic and around the set to have a look. This place is a hoarder’s dream!!! going down small hall ways with interesting collecters items everywhere and being led to a tiny vertical wooden ladder to the attic. The most amazing views of the shows would be seen from here. The diners were sitting on the floor around a small wooden table, we all mingled and chatted about the show and I managed to take loads of photos of the surroundings, the brilliant set design didnt stop down stairs, if anything even better upstairs.

We continued even further upstairs to the attic that was a bedroom with even less head space. This is where I enter an amazing world and become Alice in Wonderland. The attic is so tiny that I am ducking everywhere… and im pretty short.

The attic diners were lucky, not only did they have the best view, but there setting was unique… there was even a bed there! like I said this restaurant all is built in someones house. There was a small hole in the wall of the attic over the mattress and through the looking whole….

A rocking chair!!… I love the randomness!

As we go back to our table I notice the music, A Woman’s Worth, not a well known cover of the song by Maxwell, one I havn’t heard in ages so I was extremly impressed at the choice of music whilst dinning.

We were entertained by Johny Woo. My house mate assured me he was hilarious and it wasn’t until I saw his “giant hands” and watched him perform that I fell in love with him! he did three different shows, each very different and entertaining, with costume changes and audience interaction.

The many faces of the spectacular Johny Woo

The food was simply to die for!!! We ate;

• Hagar one buddha’s hand citron vodka and cranberry spertif
• Butternut squash, roasted red onion, pine nut, basil and feta salad
• Beef wellington – a-maze-ing!! with garlic and olive oil mash, sesame spice cabbage and buttered carrots
• and for the A-maze-ing dessert… DRUM ROLL PLEASE…
• Black forest brownie with kirsh cream…and begged for a second helping of that amazing dessert that I still crave!
• along with half a bottle of wine…(dont blame me if some of the photos are blurry

Th A-maze-ing dessert

So as we gulped down our food, drunk the wine, chit chatted and simply enjoyed ourselves in this wonderful setting that made you feel like anything goes, I must say it was one of the best nights ever. It was simply impossible to take in all the cool items and … well for my case, design inspiration around. There was so many things I looked at and just wondered where in the world could I buy these things, how can I make them mine, and more importanly would they go with my other useless items??

Beautiful lamps

More random and cool objects

An old stair case made from old wine crates

A fantastic, fun, creative, unique overwleming night, with exceptional food and entertainment, made for a great after party (as needed) at karoke and a good nights sleep, waking up with no hang over… successful night one would say. As we left, this little guy said “bye bye”

For more information on Tony … check out his website.