Maison Bertaux

I don't want to head up the majority of my posts with the name of a Soho eat or drinkery but I guess I am surrounded by them so it is where I go! In fact it is the principle reason why I rarely venture to other areas of London
Before entering Maison Bertaux territory I must just recount last night's revelry which was a lovely pizza once again at Lorelei. I have also discovered what that word means - there was a clue in the restaurant - a ten foot square mural on the wall depicting a mermaid alongside a river!
The Lorelei is a mythical creature thought to have been responsible for luring sailors and boatmen to their deaths at a certain point along the Rhine. Mermaid like or at least female in appearance. I only found out coz it was the answer to yesterday's 19 down in the Daily Telegraph Cryptic crossword!
So this morning I ventured to Maison Bertaux - just across Old Compton Street and to the south part of Greek Street. It always has the old rustic tables outside with blue check tablecloths. It is another time capsule inside with a melee of trinkets, champagne bottles , an old piano , peeling paint - just like your grandmother's front room (although not my grandmother's front room which was demolished with the rest of her house to make way for the car park to a large office block!) A very charming experience with the pastry chef bringing down tray after tray of beautiful smelling croissants and cakes - a true cholesterolfest of a place. I had a cup of tea - served in a pot with a strainer - that's the way - with a lovely butter croissant - delicious.
On the subject of Champagne Bottles, I am somewhat intrigued as to the various names for the different sizes - so I think it is time I learned them :
Magnum - two bottles
Jeroboam - four bottles
Rehoboam - six bottles
Methusela - eight bottles
Salmanazar - twelve bottles
Balthazar - sixteen bottles
Nebuchadnezzar - twenty bottles
My Judy Really Makes Splendid Belching Noises - is the way to remember the names (apparently!)
And I know in Kettners (champagne rooms round the corner in Romilly Street) they have a Nebuchadnezzar on the menu - about £1,000 as I recall - can't remember the brand (not as in Russell...)
Last night before dinner I put together some old footage of the horn section miming on a beach in Scotland to Red Stripe Boogie. We were playing at the Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival in the summer of 2007 - it was raining but between the drops we did a little bit of filming - it has come out quite well as you will see - obviously subject to your opinion.................
If I hadn't been at Lorelei last night I would have probably been at the Sebastian Horsley Appreciation Society's night out having now finished his book and seen the youtube video of his crucifixion (yes I did use the right word!)
So anyway back to work now - looks like we are going to be returning to some festivals we played at a few years ago and Marlborough Jazz Festival has just been confirmed which is nice. Enjoy the vid.........

Atypical morning in Soho

I have purposely made the title ambiguous. Well this morning, I was just on the way out for my swim and bumped into an old friend of mine who was passing by for a coffee. So we made our way to Bar Italia - I am not over keen with Bar Italia - but during the day the staff seem a little more happy so we sat down. Within seconds Suggs was sitting next to us - I know that he is very fond of Soho. Then as I returned home to pick up my phone charger to lend to my mate, I saw soho resident Sebastian Horsley whose book I am right in the middle of reading ! Coincidence ! It is called "Dandy in the Underworld" and I am enjoying it. I like to read books written by people I know. My last one was "The Great Hedge of India" by Roy Moxham - interesting.

You can't miss Sebastian if he is out and about -in recent weeks he has taken to wearing a black top hat with his long velvet jacket etc ( we all know about Velvet jackets - I wore a red one on stage with the band for years - it has now been "retired" and hangs in my little clothes cupboard - well it isn't really a cupboard - more of an alcove with a blind which covers it) Anyway I digress. We had coffee - had a quick chat with Suggs and then went for a not unpleasant lunch at the little spanish restaurant at the end of Old Compton Street on the left as you are heading towards Wardour Street. Can't remember its name but the avocado salad was good as was the chicken.

My swim had to wait until after sun down and on a day like today, I love arriving at the outdoor pool and seeing the steam rising from the water - nice !!!

I organised a local radio interview the week before last for myself and Gemma and we have a little video of the second half which I will post below. I managed to get the sound track from the producer and (just) sync it up with the video footage.

Last week we played "My Brazilian Neighbour" - a brand new tune - only in rehearsal but it sounded very good - I think somehow Tim Riggin's horn arrangements always seem to give my songs a real lift - he is a very talented guy.

I need to dash now but please enjoy the vid

Groucho Club

Well I have just returned from a very enjoyable bottle of wine at the Groucho Club courtesy of an old business colleague. Had a BRILLIANT session last saturday with Martin (tenor sax) writing songs for our next album. We really got loads done. We started with a very pleasant lunch at L'orolei which is one of those very typical Soho restaurants which tourists wouldn't look at twice. It is on Bateman Street which runs between Greek Street and cuts across Frith and Dean Streets. From the outside you just see condensation and rubber plants... it isn't clear what sort of restaurant it is and when you get inside - unless you already know- you have to bring your own wine so tourists immediately will leave when they see the non-alcoholic menu ( apart from a bottle of beer) It is Italian and you can eat a LOVELY pizza and side salad and perhaps have an avocado or smoked salmon starter.

A real 70s feel- tables and chairs from the 70s and mural to match but that is fine with me and even a Luncheon Vouchers sign - you don't see those any more.

I only found out about it from a fellow resident of Soho. Otherwise I would never have ventured in there.

Anyway we then returned to my studio in Old Compton Street and forged ahead with "Bad Wine" . "Paint the Town Red" "Mr Dynamite" and "You Ain't Got the Blues".

These will be tracks on the next Red Stripe Band album.........so keep reading this blog and you will be able to follow the progress thereof.

I can let you into a secret that we are planning to do a Madonna cover- "Hanky Panky" from 1990 - a real goodtime song - suits us down to the ground

I must add a photo to make this blog complete and it is one from our second visit to the Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival which we will return to this year

I had just jumped off the bar and hence the state of my hair !!!!!

Must dash I have some fat free yoghurts waiting.......