Gordon's Wine Bar and Ronnie Scott's

Ronnie Scott’s

This jazz club first opened the doors to its basement venue in Gerrard Street in 1959, under the management of musicians Pete King and Ronnie Scott, but is now located at 47 Frith Street, Soho..
Brecon Jazz Festival named Ronnie Scott’s as one of twelve operations who have made important contributions to Jazz music in the UK, and it finished up third when votes were cast.

We visited on a Monday night to enjoy their Acoustic Jazz Longue and were warmly gereeted and escorted to our seats. The venue is cool and intimate, and this was a fantastic evenining featuring Renato D'Aiello on tenor sax, with guests. This man produced such a soulful sound , and the rhythm section were phenomenal.

Drinks are not cheap, 30 quid for 4 vodka sodas, but service was speedy and not intrusive in the slightest. Unfortunately I found the food to be under-prepared and over-salted. Though it wasn't a hindrance to me enjoying the evening, as music is the reason for being there and not the food.

The seating is very tight with little room to maneuver; but given the type of performacne we were at I felt it added to the overall resplendence of the evening. It provided a rare opportunity to be up-close and personal with the performers, and I was so mesmerised by the dulcet tones surrounding me that my thoughts were not in any way consumed by who was next to me.

Provided you eat somewhere else beforehand I could recommend whole-heartedly for Jazz lovers on my experience alone; having had a look at what their other performances offer it seems they cater for all jazz tastes.







Gordon’s Wine Bar, Charring Cross

Diana first introduced me to this trendy Wine Bar, and I took another friend there on Sunday night. Such a gem. A stone’s throw from Embankment and Charring Cross tube stations, and the most perfect setting in which to hide from the cold outside.

Make your way down a set of steep stairs to enter a dark cellar lit by candle light and be whisked away into a world of extensive wine lists and with contrasting atmospheres – subdued during the day; then brimming with people in the evening. Somehow though it remains intimate always.

A word of warning - the ceilings are very low so be mindful of where your head is if you're standing up after a few glasses !

When first eating there I ordered lamb meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, while Diana had Salmon and helped herself to the array of fresh salads on offer. On the second trip my partner and I shared a board of cheese and cold meats. All options were generous and full of flavour.

Forward the smile :D

So I had a real ‘wow’ moment a few weeks ago.

I met this guy by a trick of fate on the tube .

It was at a point where I had all this pent up anger and was feeling pretty defeated.

I was still dealing with the after affects of my attack and the police investigation, as well as the death of my Grandparents.

I picked up a card that was left on a seat as the design caught my eye. The guy who had originally handed the card out happened to be standing opposite me, and we started talking as he noticed me examining it.

He has launched a project called ‘forward the smile’; and the card related to that.

I got home and did a little research to find out what the project was all about, and emailed him to show my support for it.

I have always known that a smile from someone, whether I know them or not, has the potential to make my day.

I had a little game I played on the tube in Winter (because everyone looked so dull), just smiling at strangers to see who would smile back; and each day trying to beat yesterday’s score.

So it was refreshing to see that he had launched a project based on the same sentiment.

After continuing to speak to him over the following few weeks, I now have a more comprehensive understanding of why he started this in the first place.

This guy had had so many blows – one after the other. But instead of being defeated, he made a decision one day to give someone what he didn’t have – a smile.

Aside from his day job in marketing, he is a magician and musician. He takes his magic, a pack of cards and his guitar with him everywhere – to cafes, on the tube, to parks, in the street; absolutely anywhere and will engage with strangers. Performing magic acts or singing a song all with the aim of making them

smile so they can forward it on to someone else.

I was honoured to spend some time with him helping him to launch the second phase of his project which aims to encourage others to share their stories, and in between doing pop up performances for people. It was so much fun to be a part of, and I’m proud of myself for overcoming my fears and singing for someone other than family for the first time in years.

He introduced me to his friend Luc who builds sand sculptures. We watched him build a couch out of sand on the Thames and then sit on and play the Guitar. It was a lovely to way to while away the hours on a Sunday afternoon.

It is so incredible to me that at the exact moment I was feeling let down by society I meet a guy (I think it’s important particularly that he is a straight male, because that was the group I was directing so much anger at) that is so selfless he has devoted his spare time to making someone smile that he will likely never see again.

It is a huge comfort to know that people like him exist.

The timing was impeccable.

He has given me back my zest for life and helped me realise what my passions are.

He will probably never realise how much of an impact he is having on me, and it’s hard to explain; but I feel like I have been given a completely new lease on life, and all I want to do is use this to bring out the spark in other people.

I am walking around with a constant smile on my face and probably look like a loon.

I’ve always been full of ideas, but seeing what he has done has given me the courage to actually implement then, so I hope to launch something of my own very soon.

Creatively I feel more productive than I have in a while. I have opened myself up a lot more to new experiences which means I am meeting all sorts of new people.

I performed at an open mic poetry night last week which was very well received. Watching me do this also gave a friend of mine the courage to entertain at his first stand-up event.

So for me personally, I am already seeing that the encouragement Angelo has given me is having a knock-on effect.

Beyond my personal friendships, I have been putting a lot more thought into my interactions with people in general.

You never know what pain someone is carrying around with them, and something as simple as a smile has the potential to lift their spirits so profoundly.

For more on Angelo’s project, see http://www.facebook.com/#!/forwardthesmile

Mama & Papa Satch visit the Northern Hemisphere ^_^

The work/life balance is all wrong for me at the moment.
Was quite fed up with Monday – Friday consisting only of work and sleep, so have added in 1-2 hrs of gym each day, alternated with the volunteer work I continue to do for a youth suicide prevention hotline; and on alternate weekends I also continue to assist at a women & children’s refuge centre. I am leaving the names of the charities out of this post in the interest of their privacy, but feel free to ask if you’d like more information.

I wake up at 5am each day, so that I can make yoga and meditation part of each morning, and before leaving the house for work I put aside a few minutes to write down all the things I was thankful for yesterday. I feel I am surrounded by a lot of negativity in London… I honestly feel like I have never had to fight so hard to stay positive in any other place. I don’t know if it’s just the recession, or whether London has always been like this; but at face value there just seems to be a general lack of joy unless there is drinking involved.

I guess if I was the type of Australian who spent every weekend in the Walkabout/Redback/Church surrounded by other Australians I wouldn’t feel that way, but that was never my style.

I have learnt to dig beneath the surface and to question what’s in front of me, and I have been rewarded by meeting people that are so incredible words don’t do them justice. I will do individual blog posts on a couple of these people very shortly. At the very heart of London there is so much creativity and passion, and that’s what keeps me here.

I have had the most delightful few weeks with my parents visiting from Australia, and the weather stayed lovely throughout.

They arrived on a Sunday morning, and we enjoyed an informal lunch together with our extended family.

Monday and Tuesday I was at work, but it was so nice knowing at the end of the day I had them to come home to. On Wednesday Mum, Dad and I ventured to Southbank for a stroll and a spot of lunch, before catching a train to Richmond to spend some time with good friend of my Mum’s; they have known each other since their high school days. We had a lovely afternoon in her garden sipping wine and tea amongst nibbles of cake and lots of storytelling.

That evening we met with Meryem and Paulo for dinner at Boho Mexica. I love Mexican food but am often left feeling underwhelmed, but that wasn’t the case with this find. None of us had eaten there before. The restaurant is very inviting. Walls decorated with Latino posters and split into a left and right wing with a bar in the middle. It’s popular for happy hour Mojitos but that is not its main focus. They have made a determined effort to set themselves aside from all of the burrito bars that have popped up of the last few years, with a menu full of more traditional and hearty Mexican food. We were sat in a very sweet corner table in the right wing which had lots of character. Three of us were on a couch with an open window at our backs which was so welcome given the warmth of the evening.



On Thursday I took Mum & Dad to Brighton and we were blessed with another day of glorious blue skies and plenty of sun on our shoulders. We strolled across the pebbled beach and perused the various boutiques before stopping for lunch. We then made our way along the pier. It was so nice to be able to just run around like a big kid with my parents, and the look of pure glee on Mum’s face as she would aim straight for me in her dodgem car is something I’ll remember for a while yet. We stumbled upon some lovely little alley ways full of weird and wonderful wares on our way back to the train station, and lots of street art that took my fancy.

Friday marked my Mum’s Birthday, so opening presents was the first order of the day, and our tradition of a pre-breakfast Hors d'oeuvre of chocolates and tea was upheld for another year. I had booked myself, Mum & Dad into High tea at The Soho Hotel. We sat down to look over the menu and take in the beautiful interior of the Parlour room that had been set aside for us; and our kind waitress brought out a sweet plate of white and milk chocolate and fresh berries, with Happy Birthday written in chocolate on one side, and a candle in the middle. It was a lovely gesture and the combination of fine chocolate and berries was divine. Champagne was served next along with a selection of finger sandwiches - Smoked salmon, Cucumber, Ham and mustard, Cheddar cheese and chutney. Once we had finished with those we moved onto Quince, apple and rosemary scones served with clotted cream and preserves. Then onto sweet treats of Chocolate and blackberry torte, Ginger and rhubarb cake, Plum and pistachio praline tarte, Palmier and Hazelnut brittle.

On Saturday evening I took Mum and Dad to see Billy Elliot at the Victoria palace theatre. We had dinner prior at a pub nearby. Wow, I was so taken with this musical. I’ve seen my fair share but would not hesitate to say this is far and away the best I have seen. Pure theatrical brilliance, and full of much more humour than I remember from the movie, but equally as moving. I was weeping one minute and in fits of laughter the next, and at the end walked away with such a feeling of hope. Scott McKenzie was cast as Billy in the performance we saw and was an absolute joy to watch. It’s hard to believe someone so young can be so gifted, but I could not take my eyes off him, particularly during his pirouettes.

On Sunday I headed to Venice with Mum & Dad which was like a dream from start to finish. Cars are prohibited in Venice, so instead of lining up for a cab on our arrival into Italy, we hopped straight onto a waiting boat. It took about an hour for us to reach San Marco, and seeing the sunset across the city as we were ferried along was magical. Our hotel was about a 5 minute walk from where we were dropped off. As the only way to maneuver around the city is on water or foot you are placed at the perfect vantage point to be in continual awe of the beauty of this 1,500 year old city. Las Serenissima (which translates into English as “The most serence one”, is brimming with art, fine shopping, palaces and exquisitely fresh food. Piazza San Marco is the perect place to relax while taking in sky and water lines in the company of live pianists and violinists. Stop for a Bellini at Harry’s bar, wander the bridges and alleyways and visit the basilicas. Finish off with a gondola ride and a plate of fresh prosciutto topped with strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

Mum and Dad had several days in Florence following this, while I reluctantly headed back to work. But my head was still filled with the fairytale that Venice has you believe in, and I will always cherish the memories we created there.

When mum and Dad returned we had a family gathering at my Aunty Pat’s house. All of Dad’s side of the family was there so it was great to see everyone. Embarrassing to learn that I am one shortest, even amongst cousins that are several years younger. Eeep.

I then travelled with them to an English town called Colerne where we had rented the cute-as-pie “Sticky Cottage”, which dates back to 1825 but had been beautifully renovated whilst still keeping some of its traditional charm. This. We spent a week there exploring the surrounding towns Bath, Lacock, Castle Combe and Stonehenge.

We headed back to London on Thursday night, stopping on the way to visit friends of my parents in Wokingham. They spoilt us with a meal that never seemed to end and were such amazing hosts and friends to us all evening.

Back to work for me on the Friday, but then dinner and pub drinks with most of the family that evening.

On Saturday we had lunch with my Dad’s brother Sven and his family which was lovely. It was a really nice way to spend the last day with my parents. After lunch we drove to the airport and said a sad goodbye, as my parents made their way to Hong Kong before returning home to Sydney. Still, it is much nicer to be sad that I’m saying goodbye than glad it’s over.

So that’s where I’ve been at recently.

Last week I performed at an Open-Mic poetry night at The Poetry Café in Covent Garden. The performance was very well received so I will definitely try to make it to a few more there or at other venues.

This week I’m looking forward to visiting Ronnie Scott’s to see some live Jazz, and a friend of mine will be entertaining at his first stand-up comedy show which should be fun.