Category Archives: LONDON

LSC Live

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I played my first non-open-mic show on Sunday as a part of the Engaged Songwriter Course I’ve been doing this year with London Song Company. All 11 songwriters performed two songs at the Regal Room in Hammersmith. We spent the weekend arranging each other’s songs. I think I (embarrassingly) cried smiling tears of pride at the end of each set. This course has helped me shape my craft as a writer and the LSC community has been a vital support system to me as I try to navigate this new dream of mine. Most of all, I’ve made life long, massively talented friends & mentors who inspire me to keep at it and always look for a way to make it happen.

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 One of those mentors is singer/songwriter Charlie Dore. We wrote a song together this winter called “Breakers of Our Own Hearts” that will be on my new album. I got to premiere that song on Sunday with her in the audience. You can listen to a recording of the show here – my set is at 1:01:00.

I can’t recommend the courses at LSC enough. If you are a UK/Ireland based singer/songwriter and are seriously considering transitioning it into a career, this is a wonderful investment to make in yourself & your future. If you write it for fun, come along and be inspired! I am the songwriter in residence for their Summer School next week in Devon – just a few spaces left – do join us!

london lately: ottolenghi

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I took my mother-in-law to the OTTOLENGHI outpost in Chelsea. She is a chef & caterer in Jackson, MS, so I was very excited to take her here. His food is not only delicious but beautifully presented. I ordered turkey meatballs, cauliflower salad (2nd row, left) and the zucchini (courgette whatever) salad (far left).

 

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The desserts are just as beautiful Look at those meringues! Gorgeous! It’s kind of expensive (£14 for 1 meat, 2 salads) but if you are a food lover, definitely worth a stop. You eat at a large communal table, so if you have a large group, expect to wait.  Would be the perfect place to build a picnic meal!

I also picked up his blend of Dukkah which I have been sprinkling on everything from eggs, hummus and olive oil.

If you want to cook up a bit of Ottolenghi to enjoy at home, Yotam does a column on the Guardian and one of my favorite food blogs, Love & Lemons featured his cauliflower salad recipe from his newest cookbook Jerusalem.

 

quiet moment

quiet moment

Things have been so busy since I’ve come home. I’m singing with MPJ on his first UK tour (check his site for dates), planning some shows for when I come back to America in August and listening to mixes of the new album! But yesterday I had a little quiet moment over a really good salad. It’s the small things…

Our fridge has become a museum lately – lots of dinners out, eating Pret on a bus. So the majority of our CSA box went into a roasting pan. I’ve been throwing it into haphazard meals eaten at odd hours, but this one turned out well. Spring mix + avocado + roasted seeds + sultanas + roasted beets + green onions + simple vinaigrette – nice mix of earthy, savory & sweet!

Tune in tonight at 10:30pm (4:30 CST)- Matthew & I will be with Simon Lederman on BBC London 94.9 – listen online here

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