i have been keeping myself above water, paying dearly or not for my independent decisions (how dare i?), my consistent refusal to 'play the game', my constant insistence to always go against the grain, my mistakes and shortcomings (i mean, when will i be perfect?), suffering loss, disappointment (a lot of disappointment), lack of loyalty, false accusations, as well as, praise, respect, love and support and surviving it all... phew and of course...
between having The Place and closing The Place (i shall explain), i have done done three pop us, for companies/ event that i have worked with before, UNRULY's (advertising company) summer party in the honourable artillery rooms, in the city of london, possessing the largest garden, with blended summer fruits, like watermelons, pineapple and the red berry fruits and mixed with rum, tequila and gin and various syrups and served in jam jars and tasting delicious, but still strong and full of spirit...
MILLco's (creative agency) annual design show in their brand new space in haggerston's de beauvoir, where co operative was the theme and i kept it simple, yet spot on with vodka based drinks, pear purees and ginger syrups... fruit galore and figs, too. o. yes, fresh chillies... in the mix and queer supermarket's (an happening organised at The Place and curated by one of my ex bartenders) at vegas gallery in bethnal green, with my own mulled wine with chocolate, cinnamon and star anise and a huge spicy punch with more fresh fruit, more chillies and three types of rum, including kraken black spiced rum, which is divine... the beer was from barcelona and the wine from chile... hot stuff...
i pressed the shutter buttons of The Place, at 182, as The Place, which has now become THE PLACE, is mine, a concept and a forever pop up, till it finds its daily base, shut on friday 7 september 2012. i won't go into any details anymore, i have written it all on the page of my facebook group and as far as i'm concerned, it was the right decision, despite its brutality and the consequences (from my part) and the reaction of the others...
i know, finding a new place to trade and operate and do my thing, was not going to be easy and i was not going to give up, either.
so, the search begun, the faith continued to exist, although, i was hit, left right and centre and after my own self inflicted, yet temporary demise, by parties, who i had supported, trained, paid, accommodated and loved... alas... we only lose what we don't need and i'm too old and too intolerant to continue finished and/ or read chapters, outworn situations and fake relationships on any level... the art of letting go is very fine indeed and i'm yet to master, but i'll be damned if i don't practise it, meanwhile...
after all, i am called amazing, but do not be fooled, my dear readers out there, amazing people are not treated very well... however, i still have wonderful people around me and i still have me... i am also called powerful, which i intend to understand more and put it into good use... i work, i play, i reside, i reemerge and life continues cleaner, better, fresher, more different and simply fortunate and resilient...
so, my three months were spent looking for venues, negotiating about venues, resting, because i had not realised how exhausted i was from it all and that was partly my responsibility, for working myself to the bone with no rest, respite or a holiday, not to mention, all the alternatives, i was advised to adopt: yoga, meditation, massage and a lengthy face treatment, yes, please..., but no time..., losing friends, making new friends, socialising and continuing my external affairs, like The T club, DAD and a huge girls' party at london's scala, in between art shows, performances and film showcases and aids fundraisers, which have opened new doors for business all the way to summer festivals... as expected...
the search continues and the net has been thrown focused but widely, across the ocean of possibilities... and as i'm waiting and giving opportunities to the peeps who deserve it, doors are opening continuously for my choice and delight...:
voodooray's is a brand new late night pizza joint in the heart of london's dalston and two doors down from one of the oldest cinemas in the city: the rio...
the boys who own it, also own dalston superstore, four doors up, where i frequent and run The T club, too.
i had already visited them to try the huge pizza slices with a yummy crust and filling, to show my support and try something new...
they have a small bar on the side, which was there empty and ready to be filled with colour and sounds and clinking, whooshing, pouring and blending noises, slicing and pinching and tasting and drinking and music tailor made and sexy and nostalgic and fun and a bit of a family reunion, community gathering, new group forming and an avant garde list compiling and skill expanding and more money making and this is where i come in...
a phonecall, became a meeting and as usual, the ideas started flowing, as i was asking questions and taking notes and i was inspired again, with feverish enthusiasm... so, i got down to work, researching form my i phone and scribbling with a sharpie on old menu scrap papers...
as my pop up is inspired by the prohibition years and the speakeasies from new york's 20s and 30s, with the relevant music, i decided to move a bit further in the years, but stay in new york... the cocktail hour of the 50s kept playing in my head, after seeing the obsessive love for tiles that voodooray's shares and combining it with 80s american movies, which my generation grew up on, since one of the slices is called giorgio moroder and fast and fun snack, the pizza, features greatly in the venue...
snap!
my list contains twelve cocktails, with the tequilas, the bourbons, the rums, the gins and the vodkas and two specials... a combination of the classics, with my own variations and concoctions, bringing a couple of mixes from the old place and giving the opportunity to peeps who did not make it there, to try them here.
they are fresh, spicy, warm, strong and not for the faint hearted. they are made with love and finesse. they are affordable, but respected. they are complex and simple, long, short, built, mixed, blended and double strained. they have names like green tiles and giorgio moroder and voodooray's daiquiri... and on the whole, they are good and fun...
i kept it simple with one member of staff, who i am training from scratch and is also a very close friend; she is progressing wonderfully, because she loves every minute of her time there...!
i have created a huge playlist with 212 songs from the 50s rock n' roll to the 80s synth, funk and electronica, especially, the ones which were part of film soundtracks, scarface, being the no1 moroder special (get it?)
The Place has become THE PLACE and i'm really excited to announce that its neon sign, the famous red triangle, is physically joining forces with V's green triangle (pleasant coincidence) officially on 3 januray, when i'm going to throw an official launch party, too.
we are back in business, more focused, more excited and full of ideas and energy... if you are in london and that way inclined, visit us for a stinger or two and a spicy and smokey tomato martini... to name but a few... with a great pizza slice and bowie's cat people on the speaker... among other tunes...
THE PLACE @ VOODOORAY'S
open weekly
wednesday and thursday from 7pm.
95 kinglsland high street
london e8 2pb
follow us on twitter @THE_PLACE95
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