Seeking America - The Diner

I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I went to Bdubs to eat some hot wings back in Ohio.  I actually really hate them. I'm far too OCD to want to have a meal that constantly requires you to wipe your hands and face - or so I thought.

With it being Freedom Month July and me being homesick, I've turned to craving something I didn't even eat that often at home.  I'm not sure how this works! Who would have thought that those sauces I once dished out to wing-hungry patrons would be all I could ever ask for?

Buffalo Wild Wings' delicious range of sauces

I've realised, that even while some places claim to sell 'hot wings' they're really offering mild wings.  I've even found myself pouring tabasco sauce hoping they'll at least smell like they're hot! I don't know where this wing monster inside of me has come from, but it's been on a mission.

I went to the The Diner not once, but TWICE in one week to get my American fix.  Day 1 I tested out their hot wings, which came with the ever essential bleu cheese dip, and also ordered - get this, a chilli cheese dog.  HAHAHA!! ME? Eating a whole chilli cheese dog?  Yes, I damn well did! The amount of times I complained to people for liking Skyline Chili and I turn around and eat this beast? It's insane.

The Diner - Hot Wings

The Diner - Chili Cheese and Bacon Dog

The Good: FINALLY a real hot dog bun!! So soft and sweet, I've missed you.  Also, crispy bacon on a chili dog? That's some Man v Food action there.  Also, the bleu cheese dip was to die for.

The Bad: Who in their right mind breads hot wings? I was so disappointed as I have no bigger food phobia of eating things that make a mess, than I do of things that are breaded and then made soggy by a sauce.  They also weren't hot (as in spicy). But I ate them and I was satisfied enough from the seriously OTT hot dog in front of me.

The second time around, I figured I could trust the place for breakfast.  

The Diner - Lumberjack Breakfast

Fluffy pancakes: check

Served with heaps of bacon and scrambled eggs: check

Powdered sugar: sweet check

Filtered Coffee: check

Maple Syrup: served in a small pot that you pump fastfood ketchup in to - fail!

Once I was able to get the staff's attention again I did get more syrup, but honestly, you can't serve me pancakes that look like that and then syrup that I can lap up with one lick.  That being said, The Diner gets the biggest points from me for being as close to home as the so-called American chains in London get.  I was very impressed, very full and always left with a very happy taste in my mouth.

The Diner - Camden can be found at:

2 Jamestown Road

Camden Town

NW1 7BY

http://www.goodlifediner.com/

Nearest Tube: Camden Town

Ariel on Google+

Spector at the Electric Ballroom

Argh, I've fallen behind in updates again but I can tell you it's not for lack of content! I definitely haven't been at home long enough to sit down and put all of the great things happening this glorious month in writing so I'll try to play some catchup.

To start, just 11 days after Camden Crawl had competed, I made my way back to Camden for probably the greatest gig I've been to in a while.  It should be of no surprise that I'm ab.so.lute.ly. in love with Spector as I've been banging on about them since I first heard Never Fade Away.  Love them - LOVE THEM.

On a whim, no that's a lie, after 3 weeks of asking people if they wanted to see this band but no one knowing who they were to commit to the cause, I snatched up some tickets for a ludicrous £10 each to see them at the Electric Ballroom.

I arrived in time to see Eugene McGuinness taking the stage. I knew that I knew the name, but I didn't know that I knew the songs as well.  Take this one for a ride - it sounds like Halloween meets the 80s/Weird Science to me sometimes.

If that song wasn't your cuppa, don't worry - they have a few different styles in their set. Worth a watch.

And then on to the main event, the musical loves of my life for 2012: Spector.  No words can explain how I felt that night so let the music and the photos do their magic.

Highlight: Fred jumped in the crowd and I touched him *faints*

Album launching August 2012 - GET IT

Camden Crawl 2012 in photos - Saturday

Camden Town crowds

Hawley Lock, Camden Crawl garb, musicians on the High Street,  group dancing to Red Bull DJ

Starting the festival off early at the Red Bull outdoor stage

Camden Market statues

The Milk

Camden Town shops

Swiss Lips

The Futureheads

DJ Set in Camden Rock

Birthday Month!

Happy May everyone! Today's my birthday and I am SO excited for what I have in store this month. I don't like to think I'm someone that makes a massive deal about their birthday, but I definitely take every opportunity to make the most of May in celebration of being alive.  #Birthdaymonth is about being optimistic and happy so that's what I'm going for!

Kicking off the birthday month I'll be hitting up Camden Crawl this weekend and I could NOT be more excited. I've been hitting my Spotify usage pretty hard, and since they released apps within the player, We Are Hunted and Last.fm have done wonders for my music discovery.  That being said, I wouldn't know most of the acts for this year's Crawl if it weren't for those apps in Spotify. A full report - bearing that I remember it all - will be added next week.  In the meantime check out the line-up and some of the artists I'm looking forward to hear.

North London - Kentish Town - The Oxford

You know the whole 'looks can be deceiving' thing? Yea, that's what I think of The Oxford.

From the outside it looks like your standard high street pub; picnic tables, a beer garden, standard 'pub' facade outdoors. From the inside, it's gotten a bit confused and calling itself a gastropub.

I don't trust places that coin themselves as 'gastropubs'

Looking at my notes from this meal, I'm struggling to find one positive word.  If I could make a wanky word cloud, things like 'pretentious' and 'overpriced' would dominate the space.

The interior is separated into two areas that can be described as a 'pub' but really a seating area for light dining, and a back dining room for what I can only assume houses something like a carvery.  The menu is like a child jumping up for attention hoping its parents will think it's a pretty pretty princess with 'aubergines' 'asparagus' 'corgettes' and £13 salmon salads.  FFS, if you're dressed like a pub, act like a pub. No one wants to walk out £10 lighter after ordering 2 simple ciders. I settled for a £10.50 fish and chips which were far too fancy for my liking.

Apparently they have comedy on Thursdays and a pub quiz on Tuesdays. I don't intend on heading back there to check them out - at least not on an empty stomach.  I'd recommend The Oxford as a nice place for a drink, but only a quick one as there isn't much atmosphere.

The Oxford can be found at:

256 Kentish Town Road
London
NW5 2AA
Nearest tube: Kentish Town 

North London - Camden - The Camden Head

During my quest for the awesome-est pub in North London I decided that the route from Camden High Street to Junction Road would be the best place to start.  Camden is about a 20 minute walk from my office on Tottenham Court Road, making it even easier to decide on a whim that going to a pub on a Tuesday night is a brilliant idea.

I feel a bit old (like my parents) admitting this, but I absolutely love comedy nights, which The Camden Head puts on Monday and Tuesday nights.  Comedy here will set you back a mere £3 or £5 for 2 tickets.

We came quite early so grabbed we a pint and some food first. Even though I'm the American and the BF is the Brit in this equation, my pub meal of choice is always fish & chips while his is a burger. (WTF?)

Fish & Chips, £7

Classic Burger £7

Now in honesty, for a pub menu some of the items are taking the piss (wild boar & apple burger, pies that replace meat and beans with leak and butternut squash) but I will fully admit I am a repeat offender for their food.  So much so, that when Whitney Dunlap came to visit me from Ohio, I made sure to take her there.

Inside The Camden Head 

It's a beautiful pub with wooden interior and deep sunken sofas, books and board games for entertainment making this pub resemble a family lounge. And it's no wonder that it felt so cosy and comforting - The Camden Head was voted as having the best staff in 2010!  There's also a great photo of Camden High Street on the wall from 1903. 

You may have noticed that I've gone on for a bit about the food and neglected the comedy night.  I've only gone to their comedy night once, and maybe I came on an off night, but it wasn't that great of an experience.  We spent £5 to sit in a crowd of maybe 7 people, 3 of whom were the acts for the night.  I've been to free comedy nights that were astoundingly better.  

I love The Camden Head; the food is delicious, the atmosphere is relaxed and the cider on draught is crisp and refreshing. Definitely one of my must-visit pubs.

The Camden Head can be found at:

100 Camden High Street

London

NW1 0LU

Nearest Tube: Camden Town