Opera in the Gardens at Chiswick House

 

Here at The Amazing Blog  we love to find fun things to do with our summer nights! Despite being in the heart of London, we suffer from the typical ‘been there done that’ Londoner mentality. So when we heard about Garden Opera, a chance to try something brand new, we had to investigate.

 Focus Opera was founded in 2009 and aspires to tailor its productions to site specific locations using the physical space to create an arena in which the concept, drama, music and performers come together perfectly. Focus Opera have performed almost everywhere, from country houses to caverns, but this summer they will treat audiences to two evenings of spectacular opera in the beautiful gardens of Chiswick House. A fabulous way to make the most of the sun, the group are performing on Wednesday 2^nd July, with a performance of the French play Barber of Seville, and then on Thursday 3^rd July with the Italian opera Cosi Fan Tutte.

This is the second year the folks from Focus Opera will be serenading audiences at Chiswick House. It also happens to be the 10^th anniversary of Opera in the Gardens at the Chiswick House, making it the perfect summertime celebration. Bring your blanket, chairs, and refreshments for a wonderful, opera filled picnic or come al fresco and purchase beer and wine on location. Both performances start at 7.30pm but guests can set up their chairs and picnics from 6pm, and enjoy a magical evening celebrating summer with friends!

Tickets are priced at £30 for adults, and £15 for children aged 5-15 are available here. 

Taste of London 2014

We here at The Amazing Blog  are always keen to tantalize our taste buds with new and interesting foods and flavours. Lucky for us, Taste Of London is back. We wrote about Taste of London back in 2011  so we were super excited to feature it again. A 5 day exhibition in Regents Park, the event sees restaurants, chefs and food lovers come together to share in culinary delights and an array of other frivolities, and we’ll certainly be joining them.

From the 18^th to the 22^nd of June, Regents Park will play watering hole to everybody who’s anybody in the London food world. A ticket entitles you to a four hour food adventure, where you can sample dishes from 40 of London’s finest restaurants. If tucking into delicious dishes isn’t enough for you, the festival also hosts a range of activities, such as a Sushi Masterclass, wine and cheese pairings, and the chance to taste a variety of beers. Eric Lanyard and Michael Roux Jr are just a couple of the famous faces that will be there to share their love of food with you foodie heaven.

We all have our favourite restaurants, weather it’s the little place round the corner, or the expensive anniversary-only restaurant in the heart of London. However, we also all know how great it is to find something new, exciting and that you really love! Taste of London is a great opportunity to do just that, as well as have a fabulous day out. With tickets costing around £25.80 for standard admission, make sure you book a slot for the biggest food festival of the social season. We feel like we’ve died and gone to food heaven.

Urban Food Fest 2014

It’s no secret that we at The Amazing Blog LOVE food. We are always trying new restaurants and recipes, and searching for new dishes to fall in love with. That’s why we were so excited to learn about the Urban Food Fest in Shoreditch. The Urban Food Fest is the ultimate foodie’s dream: a street food night market which has become home to 15 different food trucks and stalls. The event occurs every Saturday from 5:00 pm to midnight until June 28th so make sure to stop by before it’s gone!

Located at the Euro Car Park at 162-175 Shoreditch High Street, it is only a short 5 minute walk from the Shoreditch High Street station, Liverpool Street station, or Old Street station. Serving a variety of global cuisine, including a V Corner, exclusively for vegans, vegetarians, and raw foodies, the festival will also boast an array of dishes that can only be found at the festival.

While the Urban Food Fest is sure to make your taste buds happy, there will be plenty of other things to do whilst you chow down. Listen to great live music by up and coming bands, singers, and DJs as you observe the modern art and contemporary photography that is displayed. World famous make-up artist Kat Kraft will also be offering her talented services in the form of fun face paints, bringing us straight back to our childhood theme park outings.

So whether you’re looking to tantalise your taste buds, or simply something fun to do with your Saturday evening, head on down to the Urban Food Fest. Entry is free and we’re sure you’ll leave with a happy heart and a full tummy!

For a list of the 15 various street food trucks and stalls click here.

Alison at Home - POP at House of Fraser

Nowadays, retail is saturated with brand upon brand, making it difficult for newcomers to get their foot in the door. At The Amazing Blog, we often think this is a real shame, as there’s nothing we love more than discovering new brands and products to fall in love with. Thankfully, The Great Retail Revival Foundation, in collaboration with House of Fraser, is giving brands like Alison at Home the chance to showcase their talents at the POP at House of Fraser event this May.

Alison at Home, an online home retailer founded by Alison Cork, will be given the chance to prove its worth in England’s most prestigious shopping district, at House of Fraser’s flagship store on Oxford Street, as well as online here. One of ten finalists in the event organised by the not-for profit organisation, Alison at Home designs wonderfully crafted statement furniture collections at affordable prices. Designed to work as standalone pieces, or as part of a set, the majority of Alison at Home furniture is manufactured in Britain and, until now, was only available to buy online. Along with the other finalists, the brand has been mentored so that they are able to take full advantage of their opportunity to retail in the UK. Of the ten finalists, one will win a year long contract to retail in the House of Fraser flagship store. Taking place from the 12^th -26^th of May, there’s still a couple of days for you to head down there and see what new and exciting brands you can discover. Did we mention that customers get a complimentary glass of Champagne Taittinger with every purchase?

Friday Favourites - Easter Holidays

With Easter weekend finally upon us, most of us excited for the celebrations ahead! However, for those who have left things a little late, or even those who just want to try something a bit different this year, there’s still time to go out and grab some more Easter treats! We here at The Amazing Blog have found some Easter-themed gifts to help you impress your friends and loved ones during this Spring holiday.Lush never fails to deliver quirky gift ideas for the holidays, and they certainly haven’t let us down this year with their creative selection of Easter cosmetics. This season, they are offering an array of ‘Egg-ceptional’ Easter themed handmade products, including bath melts and bubble bars in the shape of eggs and carrots! Made from fair trade and organic ingredients, Lush’s Easter cosmetics include a Golden Egg Bath Bomb, Bunny Bubble Bar, Carrot Soap, and Brightside Bubble Bar just to name a few. If, like us, you are struggling to choose from the wonderful selection of products on offer, Lush are also offering the Funny Bunny Rabitty Wrap – an organic cotton knot-wrap containing four of the most popular limited edition Easter cosmetics. Because the Easter Bunny is packaged by hand, the selection of goodies inside each wrap is different!  However, if a gift you are planning is one item short of complete, the holiday products are available to buy individually for very reasonable prices! Find the Egg-cellent collection here. To add some chocolate with a twist to your Easter celebration, Demijohn has created a Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur.  This alcoholic chocolate is the adult version of a creamy dark Easter Egg, and the addition of Devonshire Cream, Apple Brandy and Orange Zest make this the perfect springtime tipple.  The thick and creamy liqueur would be a great option for those Easter family gatherings; something for adults to enjoy as the children tuck into their Easter treats.  Demijohn recommends serving the Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur directly from the refrigerator and over ice for the best taste. Be the life of the party this Easter and present your family and friends with a 500ml bottle of Demijohn Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur, available here for £24.60 (500ml). You may have noticed our attempt to stray from the typical Easter gift, but who are we to keep your loved ones from indulging in chocolate this Easter?  Charbonnel et Walker offer a new twist to the traditional chocolate egg with their Pink Marc de Champagne Truffle Easter Egg.  Combining their finest milk chocolate with their best selling Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles, this treat is so much more luxurious than your typical Easter Egg.  Housed in a pastel coloured window box with a pink ribbon tied around it, this delicious Easter Egg would make the perfect gift any loved one. It can be purchased here for £35, along with a selection of other delicious chocolate creations, including a Dark Chocolate and English Rose Easter Egg.

Feel like doing something different this Easter? Horniman Museum and Gardens, with their Easter Fair, could be the perfect option if you are looking for activities that are fun, yet educational. Take part in the Easter Egg Hunt, learn more about the rabbits that live in the Animal Walk and enjoy some live country music. If you fancy a bite, you can head towards the food stalls, where you will find a selection of tasty treats; whether you fancy pizza or some Austrian specialities, you will definitely find the perfect nibble to satisfy your taste buds. The Easter Fair takes place on Saturday and Sunday, from 10.30 am until 4.30 pm, and you can find the detailed program here . Finally, what would Easter be without an Easter Bunny? Demarquette offers beautifully hand painted Easter Rabbits in dark chocolate and milk chocolate to complete your traditional Easter gifts. The dark chocolate bunny is made from Demarquette’s award winning CacaoLux blend of chocolates from The Dominican Republic and Ecuador, while the milk chocolate bunny features chocolates from Venezuela and Madagascar. Each bunny is hand painted with bright spring colours, making it unique with it’s own colourful pattern. Demarquette Easter Rabbits are available here for only £5.50. Demarquette also has a lovely selection of chocolate bars and truffles if you are still craving sweets after the holiday is over!