Global Feast - Meet & Eat The World

  While we at The Amazing Blog have certainly been guilty of harping on somewhat over the past fortnight about the Olympics, to provide readers who might not be so overly enthralled with Olympic-fever as us with something of interest, we wanted to feature an event which deals with another of our great loves: food. So if, like us, you've accepted the fact that Jessica Ennis's taught abs are completely out of reach unless a complete life overhaul is undergone, now is as good a time as any to indulge in some global cusine. And so we bring you The Global Feast.

Coinciding with The Olympics, London's best chefs and designers have come together this summer to launch Global Feast - a 20 date world dining event between the 25th of July and 13th of August, at The Old Town in Stratford. The event celebrates the diversity of London as it hosts the Olympics and welcomes visitors of every creed and colour from every corner of the earth. Taking place in a beautifully restored Victorian buliding, a beautiful, calm oasis has been created.

After being welcomed with a complimentary cocktail, guests are encouraged to wander through Worldscape - a giant model of the world which doubles as both a table and seating for Global Feats's guests. Each guest will dine in a unique part of the sculptural space,  sitting on the contours of its oceans, dining off its coastlines, illuminated by its cities and enshadowed by its mountains. A multitude of cultures and cuisines are being offered at Global Feast and each evening guests will have the opportunity to indulge in the entertainment, unique to one of the featured countries.

Carefully chosen food and drink will represent the best of both the wider world and local London. The menu will be created by the doyenne of underground restaurants, Kerstin Rodgers, a.k.a. MsMarmitelover of The Underground Restaurant.  Each night she will invite a new guest chef from the best of London Supper Clubs, celebrating their talents - and the vast diversity of their heritage.

Perfect for anyone passionate about food or culture, the Global Feast promises an unforgettable experience for anyone who wants to drink in the atmosphere of the games while enjoying some cultural cusine. For more information, menus, calendar, images and biographies of the teams and guest chefs - and to purchase tickets for the evening - go to the Global Feast website.

Cocktail Week? I'll drink to that!

The ladies at Amazing PR HQ have been so distracted by it being National Chocolate Week that we almost overlooked a rather important fact – it’s also London Cocktail Week. Thankfully it’s running until Sunday which means there’s three days left in which we can quaff cocktails to our heart’s delight. And featuring a whole host of bespoke cocktail tours this weekend, there’s never been a better, or indeed a more enjoyable way of learning more about the crème de la crème of drinks.

More than 5000 people took part in last year’s London Cocktail Week, and with over fifty bars and seven days of jam-packed events, it was a fierce reminder that London has one of the richest and most diverse bar scenes in the world. And having showcased events such as Molecular Mixology, Whisky-Tasting and a Bartender Competition in 2010, the organisers certainly haven’t disappointed this year.

Saturday is hosting an impressive eleven events including RumFest - a festival celebrating the diversity of everyone’s favourite dark liquor, A Museum of Cocktails – a bespoke pop-up bar within the Savoy Hotel, and Meet the Maker - a Gin tasting masterclass.

And if you’re still standing come Sunday why not celebrate with Champagne Charlie, a tutored tasting at The Wine Shop in Selfridges, or our personal fave – the Paradise Sunday Roast which does exactly what is says on the tin and is served with a complimentary Bloody Mary – perfect for those hankering after a mild dose of hair of the dog!

So, if you’re looking for something new to do this weekend, join in the fun with London Cocktail Week – a true celebration of our favourite tipple and a rather fabulous city. Bottoms up!

Fine Cell Work

As the daughter of a literacy teacher at Huntercombe Prison, the idea of rehabilitating inmates is something frequently touched upon in my household. With unemployment figures at their worst for decades and the job market saturated with middle-class graduates and skilled professionals unable to find work, it’s hardly surprising that many inmates go on to re-offend. And with the stigma of a prison sentence and a frequent lack in qualifications, it can be a bleak and depressing future for anyone wanting to turn their life around post-prison.

And so, Fine Cell Work, a charity that teaches prisoners the art of sewing while serving time, does a fantastic job of providing a much needed skill that prisoners can utilise both in and outside prison. Founded in 1997 by Lady Anne Tree after decades of campaigning for the right of prisoners to earn money, Fine Cell Work has grown from a bedsit in Bloomsbury to a registered charity which has over 60 volunteers training over 400 prisoners in 29 prison across England.

Proving that the extraordinary can happen even in as austere an environment as prison, Fine Cell Work volunteers train prisoners in paid, skilled needlework to foster hope, discipline and self esteem. And with seventy per-cent of convicted prisoners spending an average of seventeen hours a day in their cell, the therapeutic aspect of learning to sew can be just as important as acquiring a new skill.

Such is the success of the charity that all their classes have waiting lists within the prisons and over 2,500 items were sold in 2010, including cushion covers, quilts and tapestries. Each creation takes approximately one-hundred hours to make, and each stitcher embroiders for, on average, twenty hours a week. And with over 10,000 commissions completed since the charity began in 1997 for clients including The V&A, The Tate Modern and The Royal Palaces, Fine Cell Work is proof that with a lot of determination, dedication and hard work prisoners can piece their lives back together stitch by stitch.

The fantastic pieces produced by Fine Cell Work are all available to buy online; commissions are welcomed and having recently been showcased at the London Design Festival, they are also featuring tonight on BBC 2’s The Culture Show at 7pm. We think both the cause and the concept are incredibly worthy and hope that you do too!

Free 30 Minute Interiors Consultation

If, like me, you like nothing more than pouring over the latest copy of World of Interiors, lusting after the stylish interiors, or spending an afternoon mooching around Graham & Greene, hand in hand with a vivid imagination of your country bolt hole, but are somewhat clueless about how to put it all together, then help is at hand. Having always coveted cable knit quilts from The White Company and Farrow and Ball paint over the latest cigarette pants or this season’s must-have cape. The Susan Llewellyn Academy is a really fantastic place for anyone wanting to dip a tentative toe into interior design. Run by top international interior designer Susan Llewellyn and her partner Sara Corker, who together have over 50 years experience, the academy aims to teach its students all they need to know about the business of interiors.

They provide an array of classes and courses, suitable for both amateurs and professionals, so there really is something for everyone. Based at the Draycott Education Centre, in London’s fashionable Chelsea; they are also appearing at The London Design Festival, where they are offering a FREE and no obligation 30 minute consultations, in which you can discuss all your interior design needs and dilemmas with Susan and Sarah. This all takes place from 17th – 25th September. So to secure your free appointment, please call up 07803 070 204.

In addition to offering courses, Susan also offers trips abroad, a fundamental part of her ethos and critical to her success as an interior designer. The trips show how she takes inspiration from the past, brings it into the present, and onward into the future. Accompany her on one of her cultural tours during and she will share her knowledge and perspective on buildings, art and design.

And just around the corner from the 13th-16th October is a fabulous trip to enchanting Venice an irresistible one-off experience which a member of the Amazing PR team has already booked on. The tours are carefully researched and tailored personally by Susan Llewellyn who plans and leads all the tours, making sure that she brings all the rich history to life. Susan’s insightful observations and experiences will really make this heady Venetian trip an unforgettable one. It will be the story of the buildings with the expertise of an interior designer, a touch of humour and the odd opinion thrown in!

The Venice itinerary is over an action packed 3 day period, which includes many private and special viewings of St Mark’s Basilica, Rubelli Palazzo, Sequso glass factory, the Fondazione Querini Stampalia and La Fenice opera house. Not to mention staying in the renowned and luxurious 5* Hotel Westin Europa & Regina as well as lunches at the stunning Torcello and Osterio al Bacareto and dining at the very famous Harry’s Bar. Have we whetted your appetite yet? If so please see the full details of the Venice Trip:  and to book in call 07803 070 204 to ensure you don’t miss out.

The important facts are always covered and if there’s any scandal or gossip associated with either the venue or past inhabitants, you can guarantee you’ll leave knowing all there is to know about it! As the saying goes, “If walls could talk” …

Outdoor Cinema at Southbank this September

Coming from a suburb of Minneapolis, MN, I have been excited to discover how simple it is to find something to do in London. Unfortunately with that realization, I have found that finding something to do in London that goes with my student budget, is very difficult. Thankfully, on my quest to find an exciting activity, I have come across an outdoor film event that doesn’t cost a thing! The Scoop at More London is hosting FREE films on at 7.30pm Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting on September 14^th and running until the end of the month. Whether you want to be transported to another world in Alice in Wonderland or learn how Facebook was started in The Social Network, there is a movie for everyone to enjoy. So instead of spending money on a new film, go enjoy an old favourite next to the picturesque view of the river Thames with your friends and family.

The Scoop at More London is located between London Bridge and Tower of London on the Southbank. It is an outdoor sunken amphitheatre with seating for 800 open to everyone.

There is no need to get a ticket or reserve a seat, just go get out a blanket, grab a bottle of wine and head down to the Southbank for a night outside at the cinema!

Schedule of Films:

Alice in Wonderland - Wednesday 14 September

The Kings Speech - Thursday 15 September

Dirty Dancing - Friday 16 September

The Illusionist - Wednesday 21 September

The Social Network - Thursday 22 September

The African Queen - Friday 23 September

The Manchurian Candidate - Wednesday 28 September

Grease - Thursday 29 September

True Grit - Friday 30 September