Sorry it has been a while, I have been busy travelling all over the shop and somehow moving house in between and have not had chance to put pen to paper.  After all the chaos of the past couple of months, it has been nice to spend some much needed time in my new pad.  So when I saw a new pub opening on Kilburn High Street I was very excited at the prospect of having a new local…

The Westbury

Local pubs are very important. Perhaps more so since the great big dark recession which saw people making a conscious effort to support local businesses.  You can’t beat having a good old local, the beauty of having a nice local on your doorstep means you can stumble home.

And I feel quite lucky at the moment because it seems North West London is having a surge of new bars and clubs.

Both Kensal Rise and Queens Park are now home to some great London bars including Paradise and The Island Bar and Dining Room and it seems my little neck of the woods Kilburn is closely following suit… Venture out the gorgeous Maida Vale just down the road and like many places in London, you start to come to a slightly dodger, let’s say “urban” area.  Think home to Poundstretcher, shoe zone (a personal fav of mine) LOTS of independent mobile phone shops and ALWAYS lots of no name places that sell those tartan plastic dirty washing bags (?!)…welcome to Kilburn High Street.

Kilburn does have a certain little charm about it and already major retailers and brands are homing in (yes, we do now have a Starbucks).  Kilburn is definitely being boxed in the “up and coming” with critics.  Before the recent arrival of Miss Betsy (more about her in a minute), Kilburn has been home to the good old Westbury.

A diamond in the rough, a ruby in the mist an emerald in the woods (you get the idea).  The Westbury has always been a firm favourite with local residents, offering a refreshing mixture of people, late night opening hours and a great cocktail selection which regularly sees DJ sets by Yoda and Hot Chip.

Until now the Westbury has always been the Kilburn bar of choice (well it was either that or the Old Bell!) but then along came Betsy Smith….

The Betsy Smith Opening

Betsy Smith, born in 1863 during the Victorian era, is an alluring woman with classic beauty and a subtle hint of rose in her cheek.  She dreams of magical worlds far away with talking badgers, birdcage forests, gardens growing on walls, wardrobes leading to upside-down lands filled with apothecaries, fun fairs with bearded ladies and flamingos wearing top hats…

Welcome to the world of Betsy Smith.  Where birdcages and flamingos hang from ceilings, customers get to sit in wardrobes and other little hidden alcoves such as the scratch and sniff gallery and where cocktails are served a plenty!  The Betsy Smith is a kooky, kitsch pub which could almost be mistaken for a bric a brac store if it weren’t for their wide range of drinks behind the bar.

Imagine, if you will, a Narnia inspired, enchanting, Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, bewitching, Hocus Pocus meets Shangri La at Glastonbury.  The theme continues on the cocktail menu with delights including Willy Wonka, Forbidden Flower, Bright Eyes, hot cocktails served in tea cups and Betsy’s personal fav:

A Chocwork Orange

Kahlua, Chocolate liqueur, Grand Marnier, Vanilla Vodka and foamy milk and cream topped with chocolate powder

Spencer Kennedy & the Earthlights Boogie Band

The opening night last Friday, saw Spencer Kennedy and the Earthlights Boogie Band perform a very lively set in the “burrow area” and free mini burgers, pizzas and mini margarita shots flowed.  A great opening start to the bar which definitely encouraged locals to come in and join the fun.  Cues for the bar were pretty huge but hopefully this was down to it being the first night and once the bar has found its feet this will calm down.

Like all good locals should have, Betsy Smith also offers hearty breakfasts and roasts, if your head isn’t hurting too much the next day and you can drag yourself up the street that is!  Pub quizzes and sports screenings will also feature on weekdays.  It does seem Betsy has conjured up all the ingredients for a perfect local.

Forget Spots Vs Stripes, it is Westbury Vs Betsy.

Big up NW6!

The Betsy Smith

77 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 6HY

www.thebetsysmith.co.uk

twitter.com/BetsySmithbar

The Westbury

34 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 5UA

www.westburybar.com

twitter.com/TheWestbury

Well… I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it.  Love the bars there, used to live and work there so this always conjures up a bit of nostalgia and loyalty to a place but I do find it quite (rhymes with lanky) sometimes.

There is, however, one little place I always have to pop into whenever I visit…Three Blind Mice.

Three Blind Mice, Shoreditch

Located on Ravey Street, a little side street off the main bars on Great Eastern St, you will find a little black metal door with the number 5 written above and a Victorian lamp with stenciled characters of the three blind mice logo (these are the only landmarks). But don’t be scared, go on, go down the stairs…

Don’t expect too much glamour, one of the toilets is still broken from when I used to work there (5 years ago!) and the walls are laden with half torn posters.  The interior takes you back to a “shebeen” or dive bar with images of James Bond, West Indian culture clashing with Communist cold war pictures and a Latin cubana texture, but it is the charm of the place that sends me back.

There is a lovely vibe here. Ok, so I am pretty biased since I worked there and have lots of love for my homeboy Rodge, but it is honestly a credit to the staff that the bar is such a success.  Most people who frequent the bar come back time and time again since it is such a friendly place and it is not uncommon to find yourself sharing a shot with the bar guys.

In fact if I remember rightly it was pretty much a prerequisite to being employed…”can you hold down a krupnik vodka and mop a floor every Saturday night?…err yep”.  There is a lot of love and laughter to be had here and Rodger and his business partner Colin have a fantastic way of making visitors feel welcome and right at home.  Reminiscent of perhaps a back street in Berlin or Paris, Ravey St has a great little following with neighbouring bars; The Griffin and Casita, drawing people in.

So what’s in the name?  Well 3Blind Mice is influenced by Ian Fleming’s James Bond books which were written in Jamaica where Flemings lived. His first film Dr No was filmed in the country, with the opening scene depicting the murder of British secret agent 006 by 3 assassins while in the background a reggae cover of the nursery rhyme “three blind mice ” creates the atmosphere.

If your luck is in, some nights you can stumble across some legendary DJs, it is very rarely publicized but in the past Three Blind Mice has housed Andy Weatherall, Tim Burgess, Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson and Corrine Bailey Rae.  The music policy is pretty much universally eclectic and Tuesdays and Wednesdays are dedicated to live acoustic nights and poetry/spoken word.

Vintage funk, sweet soul and reggae are typical here. It’s applauded by converts for providing a sanctuary in the Shorebitch barrage of chrome, coolness and slamming electro, “more like being at a mate’s house party than out in the ditch”.  Finally somewhere in Shoreditch with a bit of soul…so if you fancy a bit of a chinwag or a shot of vodka, pop on down those stairs, go on, don’t be scared now…

Three Blind Mice Bar

5 Ravey St, London, EC2 4QW

http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-United-Kingdom/Three-Blind-Mice/6798903730

To be straight to the point, I think my whiskey days are now over. I did attempt to give it another chance in New York but by the end of the trip I was right back to my good old faithful…vodka .

So in this blog, I want to share with you some top places to visit in NY if you get the chance to go over there.

Highlands, NYC

First up, carrying on with the whiskey theme is Highlands.  A great little bar and restaurant recommended to be me by a friend.  Located in the west village, this hidden little gem is hard to spot due to its dim lighting.

It looks more like a florist from the outside, with gorgeous flowers and little pot plants and tea lights but don’t be put off by its cool exterior because inside it has more of a homely feel.  Walls laden with different Scottish whiskies and malts and very friendly staff, this place offers a warm environment where you could happily sit for hours putting the world to rights.

Although the food is a little above average price, there is a good selection of Scottish inspired hearty meals –Cullen skink, cured Loch Duart salmon, oysters and cockles.  I am sad to say I did not try a whiskey here as the wine selection was soo good but if whiskey is your thing there are plenty to choose from.

Following our fairly civilised start to the evening, we thought we would then take it up a level to Hogs and Heiffers in the Meatpacking district.

For those that have never visited this haunt, you are in for a bit of a treat/shock depending on how you look at it.  Be prepared to be, well shall I say heckled.

Top tips here are:

1. don’t order a soft drink,
2. don’t be rude/demanding/generally obnoxious/draw attention to yourself (bit like walking in late to a comedy club, i.e. your asking for it)
3. it might help if you wear some biker/rocker gear or if you don’t have that to hand be prepared to put on a tough face.

Face girls, you're no Piper Perabo...

Coyote Ugly-style, the server girls are not afraid to stand on the bar and shout/sing/abuse via a megaphone.  Drink of choice here is ideally a shot of jager and a bit of Dutch courage (just in case you’re the one getting heckled at…and believe me they are not afraid to hold back their thoughts!)

Once you can’t take the insults anymore and are sick of not being able to hear your friends, there is really only one place to end the night whilst you are in this neck of the woods….The Jane.

The Jane shouldn’t really need an introduction, go for yourselves and see…

Long before it became a hotel and bar, The Jane was home to all those that survived the sinking of the Titanic.  Docking up across the road at Chelsea Piers, the survivors were bought here for much needed respite and refuge.  Keeping this special heritage in mind, The Jane has since been transformed into an affordable hotel and bar with a maritime theme noticeable throughout.

At night the ballroom is decked out in luxurious chaise lounges, exotic trees and chandeliers a plenty resembling what could be a grand room on the great Titanic itself.  On first sight The Jane can appear a little pretentious what with all the luxury and decadence but once the DJ gets going and the drinks begin to flow, The Jane turns into a very fun place.

Don’t be surprised to suddenly find yourself dancing  on all the expensive tables and pouffes.  One warning with this place is that you never leave here sober.  I am not sure what they put in the vodka but I don’t think I have left here in one piece…and if the night really takes its toll…you can always stumble upstairs to the $99 per night rooms!

Adele Walker is a firm advocate of responsible drinking.

So by the end of my trip, I am firmly back on vodka – hard to resist when most places in the US are pretty much free pouring measures!  And in celebration of the return of my vodka days, here is a recipe for a classic but timeless New York City drink courtesy of the New York Times:

Apple Martini

• 5 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces Berentzen apple liqueur
• 1 ounce Midori melon liqueur
• slice of green apple, for garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into an 8-ounce martini glass, and garnish with apple.

Hogs & Heiffers

859 Washington St

www.hogsandheifers.com

Highlands

150 West 10th St

www.highlands-nyc.com

The Jane

113 Jane Street

www.thejanenyc.com

My very first Bourbon (and blog)

Hello, nice to meet y’all, this is my very first blog so please be nice to me!

Mmmm Bourbon.

I have been hired as a “roving consumer reporter” by BarLifeUK.  My hope is to share with you some good bars I visit around the globe, and some of the not so good.  Unlike Tim, Andy and The Gooch aka The Stig (‘fraid I don’t know who he is either…but I am going to try make it my mission to find out) I don’t have oodles of behind the bar experience (apart from the odd Uni jobs), but I do have lots of (sitting in) front of the bar experience…

Thursday 8^th July

The Exhibit, Balham

Random Balham fact: birth place of Ainsley Harriot

http://www.theexhibit.co.uk

I have been to Exhibit a few times, mainly for drunken dancing and the odd local drink but never have I been there for a real purpose.  Exhibit is a much loved Balham local that not only has a bar and good outside area, but also offers an upstairs cinema which screens new and old films.  So when I was invited to a Bourbon tasting evening, I thought why not.  However, I had never tried Bourbon before (and kept pronouncing it like the biscuits).  Bourbon is one of those drinks that conjure up images of cowboys and westerns, deep southern twangs, hard leathery faced men downing shots, a drink not for the faint hearted should I say.  So could I be converted to a whiskey drinker?

Our ambassador was a native from Kentucky and whiskey was pretty much part of her family’s way of life and probably in their blood.  She gave us an in-depth history of how bourbon came about and was pretty firm on the fact that a real bourbon is made in Kentucky and NOT Tennessee.  For the wimpier bourbon drinkers like me, we were given a Kentucky Champagne…

Kentucky Champagne

• 35 ml chilled Maker’s Mark
• Fill with chilled Appletiser
• Serve in a champagne flute

And for the more hardcore…

Kentucky Mint Julep

• 50 ml Maker’s Mark
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Combine in a glass or julep cup over crushed ice and stir.  Garnish with a mint sprig.

Or….

The Star Maker

• 50 ml Maker’s Mark
• 50 ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice (preferably pink)
• 35 ml Honey Water (honey and water: equal parts)
• 3 mint leaves

Pour all the ingredients in to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.  Garnish with a mint sprig.

www.makersmark.com

All in all a good evening,  would highly recommend a tasting session or even better, if you are ever lucky enough to head over to Kentucky, I reckon a trip to the distilleries would be a must, just remember to not have a lot planned for the next morning!  Loved learning about the history of it all and the Kentucky champagne went down a treat (even went up for seconds), so in my Deep South scoring system, I would honour the evening 8 Kentucky fried chickens out of 10.  Would I drink bourbon again?  Well, I have definitely been converted  to the Kentucky Champagne’s, which I had not ever heard of before the tasting session, but as for drinking it straight, I am yet to be convinced.  Think I’d better do some more err research…

My next stop is New York where I am off to Highlands, a classic Scottish Whiskey bar – do I dare mention bourbon to a Scott?  Will I become a fully fledged whisko?

A xx