Da Face

If you haven't seen it already and are an avid Kate Moss fan/stalker/career watcher you need to get down to the Gimpel Fils gallery this week and check out 'The Face'.

Corinne Day is an incredible photographer who has shot for the likes of  British Vogue, she's also self taught which I really admire.

It's the exhibitions last day next Saturday so don't waste any more time.

Here's a few of my snaps: 

Simple but effective

The professional I most admire is not a footballer or a lofty spoken QC it's an Adman. Nope it's not Sorrell it's Saatchi obviously

Charles not Maurice.

The man helped build perhaps the only advertising agency the man in the street recognises, helped create some incredible and iconic campaigns, became a much lauded art collector with a beautiful gallery and married Nigella. I haven't even mentioned his wit yet. Where exactly do you go from there?

I also quite like the brothers manta 'brutal simplicity of thought'. Of course technology and news ways of speaking to consumers play a massive part in selling products and building brands but it has and will always been about the idea.

For more on the 'Brutal simplicity of thought' mantra you can buy into it wholesale with the book released to coincide with the V&A exhibition as part of London Design week.

See you there. 

Hot Rod

He may look like a dour accountant but David Rodigan certainly knows his Dub and Reggae. I was pretty suprised it would be free to catch him at the Brick Lane festival this Saturday and Sunday.

Normally I wouldn't get massively excited about the Brick Lane Festival but if the weathers right this could be pretty special.

Tickets for the Brick Lane fest are free, you just need a wrist band so why not get involved. 

If your hesitant check out the sample below. 

David-Rodigan_Houston-Soundclash by roofless

The way to my heart ....

Is obviously through a big fat steak!

I went to Hawksmoor over the bank holiday and it was sublime, even better than expected.

I wasn't going to post about this until I'd waxed lyrical to a few friends who haven't heard about it. Surely all London dwelling bon vivants should of heard of a place which has been unofficially crowned/called the best steak outside Argentina, the best burger in London (tied with Bar Boulud if you must know) and also has a hard working cocktail menu even Salvatore Calobrese would be proud of.

I must admit I found the weight thing confusing: you order the speciality steaks by their weight in denominations of 100gs. The waiter though seemed to be some kind of otherworldly butcher/cow aficionado and explained this excellently. I'm actually still feeling stingy for the average tip I left and may have to pop back in.

My mantra in marketing, writing and what I look for in an impressive piece of art is 'simple but effective' a philosophy you can taste in Hawksmoors food. The triple cooked chips were incredible. The steak which I'm not normally a fan of medium rare was perhaps one the best pieces of meat I've ever tasted.

I could go on but as I said 'simple but effective', I'd visit soon if I were you and maybe on a Monday where you can bring your won booze!

Downtown showdown

I really enjoyed the Vans downtown showdown last weekend, even the sun decided to rear its seldom seen head.

My camera skills whilst adequate aren't stressing Rankin so I decided to invite my infinitely more talented friend to lend a hand and snap some shots. Amongst other things he's a partner in the fledgling production company The Keep.

Peep the results below. 

 

Yo Diary

A couple of treats for your diary.

Any failed skaters like me who almost broke their neck as a kid not quite mastering this dark art should enjoy The Vans downtown showdown.

It's basically a skate show taking place in Spitalfields a week on Saturday, click moi for logistics etc

This was messy last year if you like free Nando's and booze get their early! Look out for the hashtag on twitter for updates.

 Stay safe.

Food glorious Food

Cooking.

I flipping love it.

To be honest I'd say my gastronomic skill is average at best. That doesn't stop me cranking out some new experimental dish when ever I get the chance and it shouldn't stop you either.

One thing which really irks me is when people say they cant can't cook. What they're really saying is they haven't tried or they don't have the patience. With a decent recipe and some halfway alright ingredients anybody can rustle up a good meal.

The cookery show the novices should be watching at the moment is the BBC's Good Cook, you can catch it on iPlayer. Simon Hopkinson who's worked in the sublime Bibendum in Chelsea teaches you classics which are restaurant quality at home. I've tried a few and the results are fantastic.

Next time somebody tells you they burnt the cheese on toast point them in this direction.

home

Depending on your viewpoint you might see East London as the home of pretentious skinny jeaned uniform individuals, you might see East London as the place that's really happening right now and the modern centre of London. You might even be confused, wondering why you get such a bemused look when trying to get a bacon sandwich, perhaps that's just me.

I'd like to share with you another view; East London as the home of innovative ideas and digital marketing.

What I'm saying here isn't really anything new, just a confirmation of the trend for great agencies moving eastward. From an outsiders point of view it could be as much to do with rent as it is to do with any kind of collaborative thinking.

I attended a couple of events at the Cannt festival and felt like there was a great community spirit here, I didn't learn a lot but it felt like it was the start of something. There's was also recently the Digital Shoreditch festival which did alot to show the regions serious business credentials. When the Sun calls Shoreditch the Silicon Roundabout you need to stand up and take notice .

Plus the list of forward thinking agencies here is growing all the time.

Poke
Albion
Creature
Syzygy
Skive
Mother
Anomaly 

Next time somebody lays in to the area it's worth a thought.

Wetsuit

I think this is a real show stopper of a campaign so thought I’d share it with you. Sony tasked Anomaly with engaging fans of The Vaccines and ensuring as many of them bought the bands new album as possible (not sure they need that much help)

Anomaly responded with a campaign which encouraged users to take instagram photos of the band at festivals and upload them via Twitter. The best ones were then edited to make the bands official music video.

The campaigns interesting as it joins up various social media, makes the fans feel part of something and as the first crowd sourced video via instagram is a great piece of PR for the agency. Click the link for a gander

http://www.contagiousmagazine.com/2011/07/the_vaccines.php

 

Heresy

I'm not really the type who does blog posts to hype friends regardless of talent.

I'm sorry but if you saved my life or gave me your virginity I still won't plug your T-Shirt line/club night/obscure spoken word event if I don't rate it personally. I like to think unlike some cough (#hackgate) I have some journalistic integrity.

I have no dilemma though pointing you in the direction of Heretics a T-shirt label co-created by a good friend of mine.
What I like about the label is that each piece tells a story, the designs are simple, striking and iconic without being cliched. The website also looks pretty dope.

Look out for big things from them. Click for blog

Worth it

I felt like I hadn't been absorbing all that much culture recently which is kind of against the point of living in London. It's one of the many reason I put up with exorbitant rent, being stuck next to obese, sweaty mofos on the tube on a too regular basis and the general lack of banter in the south (I love you really LDN). I was checking through my phone yesterday and realised I had.

See below for some of the best art I've seen recently.

Now and then

I think you might have heard me wax lyrical about the Kings Road before.

It's a nice escape from the East End and an awesome spot for people watching (although you will spot more collagen than anywhere else in London.)

I find it fascinating how fashionable neighbourhoods change over time. In the 'Swingin' 60s and the 70's it was all about being spotted on the Kings road or in Soho, now not so much.

Whilst checking out the Saatchi gallery I got talking to a chap (there's no other word for him) who was holding a competition to compare the fashions of yesteryear on the Kings road to today's. Exactly my kind of competition. View the results or enter for yourself here

After hours

I'm not usually the type to talk about one off things I've been to which are no longer on but what the heck rules are made for breaking and all that (insert your own cliche if you want).

I had a bloody good night last night and not just because of the free food and booze. I went to the Puma/Vice After Hours party which I'm sure most of you heard about.

In between skanking to some top hip-hop and kickin ass on Streetfigher/Ping Pong I was questioning the relevance of paid for media/advertising. Surely the solution to most brands problems can't be as simple as get a load of opinion formers in one place, feed em and get em pissed. It seemed to work pretty well last night so well done Puma/Vice. Keep your eyes peeled for the next one.

Versus

I live just off Brick lane, the capital of Bohemia you might even say.

The way E1's denizens cut a swathe accross the streets you could be forgiven for thinking you were at a high end fashion shown in Milan.

But do people in East London really have the best style?

On the kings Road I often see some people with incredible personal style, a style that seems a little more natural than the obviously trying inhabitants of East london.

Camera in hand I thought I'd turn anthropologist and see who really has the best style, the real decision though is up to you.

East London: 

Neuhar

Mr High Top

Taka

Lady Cool

Liz

Kensal Rise Massive

Butler

Jon Luca 

West London:

Aida & Murray - The Koople

A weekend in the city