Sickboy: Stay Free (Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art)

One more Sickboy article. Here's a link to some more stuff I wrote about his Stay Free show.

Sickboy: Stay Free
Chris Osburn
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art
January 2009

Not content to simply wow exhibition goers with a retrospective of his best street and studio work, prolific London graffiti artist, Sickboy (whom we interviewed back in February 08), saw his recent solo show, Stay Free, as an opportunity to give something back to his fans in the way of offering his massive Stay Free Factory installation as a prize to one lucky exhibition visitor. During the December 4th through 10th run of the Stay Free exhibition, a thousand golden keys were released to the exhibition visitors with the person whose key fit the lock becoming the new owner of the Stay Free Factory (worth an estimated £20,000).

See more pics and read the complete Sickboy: Stay Free review at Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art.

Vodka with a View (Londonist)

Vodka with a View
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
January 15, 2009



Located on the terrace at Plateau Restaurant, the Smirnoff Black Winter Ice Lounge is a covered outside bar with thick faux fur blankies for cuddly nights out under the stars (and skyscrapers).

Read the complete Vodka with a View review at Londonist.

Best Cat Sitter in London!

Yep, I know her and would be happy to recommend her to anyone in need of a kind, thoughtful, smart cat sitter who charges reasonable rates.

I'm a bit of a crank when it comes to people staying in my flat and don't like the idea of just anyone looking after my kitties. My wife's even more of a zealot when it comes to keeping a tidy home and with respect to the well being of our pets, she expects the utmost care. We both hold our cat sitter in the highest regard.

She even texts photos of our cats to us and sends us regular updates about how everything's going.


Contact me if you'd like to get in touch with London's most awesome-est cat sitter.

Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market (Qype does London)

Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
January 12th 2009



Having just posted a glowing review of Basement Barbers on Qype, I figured I’d take advantage of the Qype does London blog to rave about this Exmouth Market gem a little more.

Read the complete Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market post at Qype does London.

Pub Quiz Winner! (Qype does London)

Pub Quiz Winner!
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
January 7th 2009



To be honest, this was my first pub quiz, something I’ve always associated with London. Maybe they used to have them back when I lived here, but I don’t remember ever hearing about pub quizzes then or on any past visits. Anyway, our team won ...

Read the complete Pub Quiz Winner! post at Qype does London.

Zebedee! (Qype does London)

Zebedee!
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
January 6th 2009



Who needs fancy-schmancy Westfield or stodgy Harrods when ya got … ZEBEDEE? I mean, where else can one acquire nipple tassels and novelty ashtrays as well as a variety of cheap ...

Read the complete Zebedee! post at Qype does London.

I Like Bodean's But ... (Qype does London)

I Like Bodean’s But …
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
January 3rd 2009



Don’t get me wrong; I like BoDean’s (especially their wings). But they could learn a thing or twelve from world famous master of the pit, Big Bob Gibson. As I said in my last post ...

Read the complete I Like Bodean’s But … at Qype does London.

What was for Lunch in 2008 (Londonist)

What was for Lunch in 2008
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
January 31, 2008



How was lunch in 2008? Good, for the most part. Here are a few lessons we're taking away from the last twelve months ...

Read the complete What was for Lunch in 2008 post at Londonist.

What’s for Lunch? Paolina’s (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Paolina’s
by Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
December 23, 2008



The endearingly cartoonish plaque on the endearingly wood panelled wall (just above the “5 EASY STEPS AT PAOLINA” instructions) at this quaint King’s Cross eatery reads “Voted Best Thai Café in the World!” By whom? We dunno, but probably by some sensible folks that like homey food served in a welcoming setting.

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Paolina’s review at Londonist.

Sweet Toof and Martin Lea Brown at Sartorial Contemporary Art

Double-Bill Sweet Toof/Martin Lea Brown Exhibition at Sartorial Contemporary Art
Chris Osburn
Londonist
December 19, 2008



Both [Sweet Toof and Martin Lea Brown] have the uncanny ability to juxtapose images of violence, illegality and desperation with vivid colours and an exuberance too often avoided in contemporary art (at least in this town). The results provide viewers with an opportunity to ponder societal anxiety and the fragility of cultural norms at a time when such topics truly resonate. In other words, this is cool shit that’s worth ogling. Very zeitgeist-y!

Read the complete Sweet Toof/Martin Lea Brown review at Londonist.

---

Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown: Double Billing at Sartorial Contemporary Art
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Saturday, 20 December 2008


















More on Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown's double billing at Sartorial Contemporary Art at www.sartorialart.com

See all the Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown photos at Juxtapoz.

What’s for Lunch? Camden Food Co (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Camden Food Co
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
December 16, 2008



Blech. We thought we were doing ourselves a favour (or choosing the least harmful of a handful of sorry options) when we slid into Camden Food Co's Liverpool Street Station franchise on the run and desperate for a spot of lunch. But a few bites into our corned beef, cheddar and pickle sandwich (for only £2.89) and we knew we were no better off than if ...

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Camden Food Co review at Londonist.

Sickboy - Stay Free

---

Stay Free with Street Artist Sickboy (until 10th December)
Chris Osburn
Londonist
December 4, 2008



... prolific street artist Sickboy stepped up to the challenge of wowing London’s jaded art mob with his first major solo exhibition- an exhibition that’s as defiant and provocative as it is fun and vibrant.

Read the complete Stay Free with Street Artist Sickboy review at Londonist.

---

Photos: Sick Boy's "Stay Free"
Photography by Chris Osburn
Juxtapoz
Tuesday, 09 December 2008












Stay Free is open to the general public through December 10, 2008 at The Tramshed in Shoreditch, London.

See all the Sick Boy's "Stay Free" photos at Juxtapoz.

What’s for Lunch? Kipferl (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Kipferl
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
December 9, 2008



What a sweet little place that we hope to return to soon! A more than agreeable lunch at Kipferl (London’s only Austrian delicatessen) warmed our already winter-weary hearts with a few of our favourite Alpine treats and tempted our taste buds with a list of homey, Teutonic dishes! We tried the kaesekrainer (pork wurst with cheese inside), three fresh and tasty salads, mustard and rye bread for £6.50 (and have been yodelling its delicious value-for-money virtues since).

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Kipferl review at Londonist.

Outsider Tart Yumminess!

Yesterday I reported for Londonist about Outsider Tart's delicious baked goods (and by report I mean raved). See below for a link to that post. I'm also happy to confirm that my cats, Marmo and Sandokan, gave Outsider Tart's homey treats their seal of approval.

Walnut Brownie Chunk Cookie Goodness from Outsider Tart
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
December 3, 2008



Happiness is a walnut brownie chunk cookie. Don’t believe us? Here. Have a bite of ours and check out its makers: the “new culinary enterprise” Outsider Tart, a hobby-turned-business for David Lesniak and David Muniz, two American business and life partners who’ve set out to rectify what they saw as a dire situation: that “good wholesome, homemade cupcakes, sweet pies and fresh tarts are pretty hard to come by” here in London.

Read the complete Outsider Tart review at Londonist.

---


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. Can't see the pics? Click here to see them all on Flickr.


FYI: Never (ever!) feed sweets - especially chocolate - to cats or dogs. These photos are not meant to suggest that the cats pictured ate any of the food. They didn't (but actually may have got a lick or two in).

An Evening of Whitley Neill Gin Cocktails (Qype does London)

An Evening of Whitley Neill Gin Cocktails
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
December 2nd 2008



Four fantastic bars. One fantastic gin. A crew of appreciative bloggers. Sounds like a crawl! Throw in a few more nice people (including Johnny Neill, creator of Whitley Neill London Dry Gin) and you’ve got the makings for one helluva night. Thanks to Sally Bishop from Relish PR and the kind folks from Whitley Neill as well as some of central London’s finest bartenders for inviting yours truly along to what turned out to be a fun evening of cocktail sampling!

Read the complete An Evening of Whitley Neill Gin Cocktails post at Qype does London.

What’s for Lunch? Indali Lounge (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Indali Lounge
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
December 2, 2008



Upmarket burgers and downmarket burgers. Cheap pizza and bounteous tapas. Last month’s lunching has Londonist longing to lounge and eager for some healthy eats (especially considering the inescapable festive season’s soon to be in full swing)! So, when coming across an Evening Standard article about Indali Lounge, the so-called “healthiest curry house in world,” opening on Baker Street, we thought that’s one for us!

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Indali Lounge review at Londonist.

2008 Thanksgiving in London (sort of) (Qype does London)

2008 Thanksgiving in London (sort of)
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
November 27th 2008



Expat American living in London: that’s me. Usually, I’ve made some sort of effort to do something Thanksgiving-y every year I’ve been here … stuff like going out to a nice restaurant (went to Portal last year – no turkey but it was a great meal) for dinner with family and friends or (when it was open) partaking in a sumptuous mound of down home Americana goodness a la (the sadly now defunct) Bubba’s at Spitalfields Market. But this year ...

Read the complete 2008 Thanksgiving in London post at Qype does London.

What’s for Lunch? Hamburger Union (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Hamburger Union
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
November 25, 2008



A sandwich board advertising “Union Burger, Chips and Coke £5” pulled us into the Hamburger Union near Angel Tube Station thinking something along the lines of “I’m hungry and I have £5.”

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Hamburger Union review at Londonist.

Hat and Tun Pub Opens in Clerkenwell (Londonist)

Hat and Tun Pub Opens in Clerkenwell
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
November 19, 2008



As if Clerkenwell needed another fantastic pub! Londonist wandered over to last night’s grand opening of Hatton Wall’s Hat and Tun.

Read the complete Hat and Tun Pub Opens in Clerkenwell post at Londonist.

What’s for Lunch? Byron (Londonist)

What’s for Lunch? Byron
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
November 18, 2008



Of course, with Byron’s “fully traceable grass fed” Aberdeen Angus beef “sourced exclusively from select farms in Morayshire, Scotland,” aged for a minimum of 21 days for “maximum flavour and juiciness,” and “ground daily from select cuts of rump, chuck and brisket,” we don’t mind giving their burgers a few rightful props. However, we are left to ponder just how many f**kin’ cows named Angus have they got hangin’ around up there in Aberdeen (and how do you know when you’re biting into the real deal)?

Read the complete What’s for Lunch? Byron review at Londonist.