Monkey Journey to the West

Title: Monkey Journey to the West

Rating (out of 100): 100

Mood: happy

Website: http://www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com/the-opera/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/classical/event/121232/monkey-journey-to-the-west.html%20/ / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/performance/monkey-journey-to-the-west-o2-london/

I saw this show during the summer in London’s Royal Opera House as part of the special performances related to the Beijing Olympics. I was blown away. It is one of these shows that is difficult to classify as it includes various acrobatics, martial arts, rope dancing as well as incorporating a wide range of music – from Chinese opera to modern house / funk and visuals (animation, video projection). The show is quite a spectacular example of the old cliché of East meeting West and it is funny and interesting and engaging. It is based on one of the old Chinese tails about the Monkey King and his journeys as well as the characters that he meets along the way. Completely sung in Chinese (Mandarin), there are surtitles in English that help the English speakers in the audience follow the story. The show combines the efforts of some heavy hitters in their own fields and geographies and it shows – it is a great collaboration of talent. Overall a very entertaining and incredibly unique show that is a must see. Having been popularly received, it is now enjoying an extended run in the O2.

Title: Tate Britain – Francis Bacon & Turner Prize

Title: Tate Britain – Francis Bacon & Turner Prize

Rating (out of 100): 100 (Bacon) / 40 (Turner)

Mood: disturbed and challenged (but in a good way) – Bacon / disturbed and confused (but in a bad way) - Turner

Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/8729/francis-bacon.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9084/turner-prize-2008.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/francis-bacon/ & http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/turner-prize-2008/

The Tate Britain (Pimlico) currently has two main exhibits - Francis Bacon and 4 top nominees for the 2008 Turner Prize. Both shows charge an entrance fee but are free (as always) with a Tate membership. The Bacon Show is fantastic. It is huge (both in terms of the number of paintings displayed, the number of rooms and the scale in which Bacon worked). The colours are moody, the subjects are even moodier and the introductory statements in each room set the mood perfectly. My favourite rooms were room 4 (fantastic red colours – remind me of a much funkier and more interesting version of Rothko’s red paintings) as well as from room 7 onwards. The last line of the last room says it all “he faced death with a defiant concentration on the exquisiteness of the lived moment”. An amazing show and an amazing artist and man. Absolutely fantastic. Check out the interactive show on the Tate Britain website for a preview (or a reminder) of this brilliant show. http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/francisbacon/interactive/

My appreciation of the Turner Prize show is quite a bit less. But first, two big caveats: (1) I don’t like video art (I prefer my art to not have video… if I want the experience of watching video in the dark, I’d rather see a film) and (2) some modern art escapes me… I find it so modern that it ceases to have any interest or beauty or aesthetic complexity for me. So, as you can imagine, I ran through the Turner Prize show not finding any of the artists’ works all that interesting. The only one I did like was the show of Cathy Wilkes, especially her installation of the naked female mannequins, surrounded by empty jam jars as well as one of the mannequins which was partially enclosed in a bird cage. Other than that, I focused on the Bacon exhibit.

Choke Film

Title: Choke

Rating (out of 100): 90

Mood: happy, funny, quirky

Website: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/choke/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85693/choke.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/choke/

Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk (http://chuckpalahniuk.net/), author of Fight Club, Choke is a love story. A hilarious, oddball black comedy type of love story that will offend some viewers, but will entertain the majority. Some viewers may recognize the main character’s point of view as strikingly similar to that of Ed Norton’s character in Fight Club (especially the parts when he talks about attending his various terminal illness group therapy sessions). Not surprisingly, this movie includes a good amount of group therapy, not to mention nudity. The whole film is about a sex addict. A redeemable lovable underneath it all good guy sex addict of course. The type who became the way he was because of his complicated relationship with his mother (played by the fantastic Anjelica Huston). And who underneath it all is a guy who just wants to love and be loved. It’s an old story but told in a very new and extremely entertaining way. Some of the awkward situations are incredibly funny (anything related to the colonial farm). All in all an especially entertaining black comedy. Just don’t expect any of the visual effects or grittiness of Fight Club. Or nearly the same amount of revolution against the way things are. It’s just not that type of movie. But then again, as much as I Love Fight Club (with a capital L), how many times did you laugh out loud when watching it. That's what I thought.

Barbican - On the Subject of War

Title: Barbican - On the Subject of War

Rating (out of 100): 85

Mood: investigational, curious, sad, mixed feelings

Website: http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=8029

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9218/robert-capa.html / na

Barbican: On the Subject of War (Gallery Level 3): Combining the efforts of four artists, the show explores the subject of war as captured through photography and video. An-My Lê’s videos didn’t do much for me, but I did like her photos. Capturing military manoeuvres and aircrafts / ships amongst vast expansive landscapes reminds us of how futile some of these conflicts are. However, I found the close-up images the most interesting, specifically the Target Practice and the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal photos (the latter focusing on an empty chair and unmanned machine gun ready for battle). Omar Fast really surprised me with his video installation featuring four screens simultaneously playing – 2 showing re-enactments of two separate events that are intertwined in the story and 2 showing the actual interview of the soldier. Normally, not a fan of video art, this specific installation grabbed me because of the beautiful colours of the re-enactment videos – several stills could be amazing photos. Also, the intertwinement of the two unrelated events along with the re-enactment of the actual interview (where we see the cameraman, soundman, etc.) was an interesting touch. Showing perhaps (not unlike that show at the Photographers’ Gallery a while back) about how reality is manipulated and edited into what the audience sees.Geert van Kesteren had three rooms full of photos. My favourites were the two smaller rooms on each side, part of the Why Mister, Why? series, focusing on Iraq in 2004. The photographs are beautiful and painful to see. It’s like watching blood spill while listening to lovely music, stirring mixed emotions. One photo of some deep blue doors is suddenly brought into reality by a small child peering out from the doors with what appears to be bloodstains. Several other photos show some good moments (an Iraqi woman kissing an American (?) soldier the way a mother would kiss the son who made her proud), but those are very few and far in between.For me, the three videos of Paul Chan were the least interesting. It reminded me of what I think is the usual standard of video art – not exceptionally visually interesting and requiring too much effort from the audience.Overall a good show.

Barbican - Robert Capa & Gerda Taro

Title: Barbican - This is War! (Robert Capa at work) & Gerda Taro (a retrospective)

Rating (out of 100): 60

Mood: depressing, sad, introspective, weighed down by history and war

Website: http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=8029

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9218/robert-capa.html / na

Barbican: This is War! (Robert Capa at work) & Gerda Taro a retrospective (Gallery Level 3): The show presents black and white photographs of wartime and conflicts from Robert Capa (one of the pre-eminent wartime photojournalists) and Gerda Taro (the first female photographer working on the frontline, who was unfortunately killed in action). Covering various conflicts, from Spain, to China and Germany from 1936 – 1945, the photos are probably more interesting for a true student of history. Or somebody who is perhaps older and may have a personal connection with some of these events. Otherwise, from strictly an aesthetic viewpoint, the photos get old really quickly (how many relatively small military photos can you look at). And of course, some of the shots are impressive in terms of how close the photographers must have been to the action to take them, but still, aside from that, strictly as a visual medium, I didn’t find them all that fascinating. The ones that I did find the most interesting were Capa’s Refugees from Barcelona, showing the suffering of the aftermath of conflict (no guns, no blood, just a lot of emotional and physical pain). At the Capa show, there are several quotes (presumably his) painted on the walls to provide some insight into the photojournalist’s mind. The one that struck me the most is not the most often quoted one about how you have to get closer to the action, but rather the one about the range of emotions in war – “In a war, you must hate somebody or love somebody; you must have a position or you cannot stand what goes on.” Some of Gerda Taro’s photos showing close-ups of civilians in war-time (children eating, etc.) were also interesting although her work only takes up a couple of rooms. Overall, not the most interesting of shows and definitely you must be really into war-time photography and perhaps know the full context of history for this to be very interesting. For the average viewer, probably not worth the visit.

Barbican - Frequency and Volume (Rafael Lozano-Hemmer)

Title: Barbican – Frequency and Volume (Rafael Lozano-Hemmer)

Rating (out of 100): 80

Mood: childlike, exploratory, curious

Website: http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?id=7879

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9218/robert-capa.html / na

Barbican (Curve Gallery) - Frequency and Volume: The Curve gallery is a unique space in the Barbican, which is in the shape of a giant curve. By its very nature, it often is the place for some rather unique installations. The current multimedia installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is no exception. Using his education background in Physical Chemistry, Lozano-Hemmer focuses on how technology surrounds us (even when it is invisible) in modern day and how often we are giving up our privacy as a result. I have to admit, at first, I was a bit prejudiced against the show. I saw a bunch of projections and a huge long leaflet explaining the show and the artist’s background and thought to myself, “Here we go again, another set of so called art that takes longer to explain than appreciate.” I often find that the longer something is explained, the more its energy and interest is sucked out of it. But I was wrong. Upon walking in, you realize that you hear multiple sounds simultaneously from various broadcasts and radio stations and other frequencies (some with good reception and some not). What is unique is how the artist engages the audience to not just be a passive viewer in the exhibition but to create their own visual and auditory experience. Each viewer is able to create various shadows (which correspond to different sounds captured on the frequencies) as he/she walks around the exhibition. While the “wow” factor wears off after a few minutes, it is an interesting idea and a novel way to urge the viewer to participate in the show. Overall, some very interesting work.

Nordwand (North Face) Film

Title: Nordwand (North Face)

Rating (out of 100): 60

Mood: contemplative, sad, introspective

Website: http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_info/s117/Panton_St/m11883/North_Face/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/86376/north-face.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/north-face/

(German, with subtitles): Set in the historical context of a Germany ruled by Hitler, and based on real-life events, the movie focuses on the attempts of several climbers to conquer the north face of the Eiger - one of the most difficult (and previously unclimbed) parts of the mountain. The movie also examines the sacrifices (personal, professional) that people make in the fight for glory, whether it is the climbers, or a journalist or a photojournalist in the making. Overall, the movie is beautiful showing vast expansive mountain ranges that take your breath away. There are even some comedic moments in the early part, but the movie really takes off with the start of the actual climb. That is where you see the personal struggle within each person about what they want to achieve in life and what sacrifices they are willing to make. Overall, the movie was relatively interesting and engaging. I thought the additional element of the film (the journalist and photojournalist in the making) added to the story, rather than detracted from it. But for some reason, I couldn’t get so emotionally invested in the film. Somehow, I felt as if the audience was being kept at a distance. Without giving too much away, the movie was a bit of a downer despite the attempt to create a happy ending. All in all a decent movie, but not one of the best I’ve seen of this genre. For a mountain-type movie, some of the other movies that have been release in the past were much more beautiful.

Royal Academy of Arts – Byzantium & Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque: Aimé Maeght and His Artists & Peter Freeth RA

Title: Royal Academy of Arts – Byzantium & Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque: Aimé Maeght and His Artists & Peter Freeth RA

Rating (out of 100): 90 (Byzantium) / 90 (Maeght) / 80 (Freeth)

Mood: enveloped in golden hues and beauty (Byzantium), whimsical, colourful and light (Maeght) & transported into a dream (Freeth)

Website: http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9274/byzantium.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9114/aime-maeght-and-his-artists.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/122932/peter-freeth-ra.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/byzantium-330-1453/ & http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/miro-calder-giacometti-braque-aime-maeght-and-his-artists/

I went to the two main new shows (as well as the Tennant Room) at the Royal Academy of Arts this weekend. Both are fantastic and through their contrast, they complement each other very well. Light / dark, whimsical / religious, breaking with tradition / building upon a long line of tradition.

The Byzantium show (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/byzantium/) was beautiful. Focusing on objects (rather than paintings), the collection presents a wide range of artifacts, from mosaics and metalwork, to icons and ivory carvings. Set in a dim light, surrounded by the glow of golden objects, I almost felt as if I were in an Orthodox Church. While some of the carved objects are incredibly beautiful, they would perhaps benefit from being shown alongside a magnified copy of some of the detail. The show really picks up speed in the Icon room. The icons shown are well preserved, beautiful and evocative. Overall, a great show and limited enough in size to really let you appreciate the unique aesthetic of the Byzantine empire without becoming overwhelmed.

As a chaser to the Byzantium main course, I also saw the Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque: Aimé Maeght and His Artists show (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/miro-calder-giacometti-braque-aime-maeght-and-his-artists/). Quite a mouthful of a name (or alternatively entitled Aimé Maeght and His Artists, which tells me nothing), the show was great and felt like a breath of fresh air. Especially after the darkness and golden ecclesiastical art of the Byzantium show. The rooms are light and full of paintings, sculptures and mobiles. The feeling of the show was that of exploration, whimsy, and fun. Miro and Braque shine with their works, while Calder and Giacometti also put forth some good items. My personal favourites were the three black and white panels (52-53) by Braque and most of the sculptures by Braque (especially 86, 87, and 61). The silhouette he achieves in his sculptures reminds me of Modigliani’s silhouettes – impossibly elongated and combining awkwardness and gracefulness. The last room of the show, room 4, is sort of a mixed bag of items. A bit like a collage, it mixes the interesting and the not so interesting . Overall, a wonderful exhibition.

Lastly, I stopped by the Tennant Room to see Peter Freeth RA’s My Affair with Resin (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/the-tennant-room/peter-freeth-ra-my-affair-with-resin,219,RAL.html). The series of black and white prints (with the odd 2 colour prints) have no hard lines or edges and are as a result are soft and almost dreamlike. Focusing on a variety of different subjects (words, animal sculls), the prints are wonderful and a great way to round out my visit at the RA.

The Byzantium and Aimé Maeght and His Artists shows are both paid entrance. The Peter Freeth exhibition is free. If you go to more than 3 shows per year at the RA, it probably makes sense to become a member and get in for free (without having to wait in line). Another recommendation is to see the shows in this order (but of course this is personal preference) – first Byzantium, then Maeght and then Freeth. Enjoy.

Saatchi Gallery – The Revolution Continues: New Art From China

Title: Saatchi Gallery – The Revolution Continues: New Art From China

Rating (out of 100): 100

Mood: overwhelmed with beauty and the wow factor, entertained; happy and impressed; not unlike watching the opening / closing ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics

Website: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/new_art_from-china.htm

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9182/the-revolution-continues-new-art-from-china.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/the-revolution-continues-new-art-from-china/

After moving from its previous location near the Thames river at the County Hall, the Saatchi Gallery is now finally open in its new home in Chelsea – Duke of York HQ Building (King Street). Its inaugural exhibition is the mind-blowing The Revolution Continues: New Art From China (http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/new_art_from-china.htm). There are so many great things to say about the Saatchi Gallery. Its focus on quality contemporary art. Its willingness to take risks with its shows and selections. The fact that it’s absolutely free for all exhibitions (as in free free). And its amazing new space. If I have one recommendation, it is invest the £1.50 in the Picture by Picture Guide (bright red booklet). It will dramatically enhance your experience in the gallery. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t skip any of the rooms, especially room 13.

I have so many favourites from the show, I don’t even know where to start. Some of the most impressive artists I have seen/heard of before (namely Zhang Xiaogang and Yue Minjun) and others I have not. Overall, the quality of the show is excellent. It is fresh and engaging and unique and new while very quality. It’s not the “my 1 year old nephews could do this” routine but its thoroughly modern and complex. You’ll notice the heavy focus (rightly so) on the portraits of Zhang Xiaogang (Gallery 3 and other) which are even more spectacular when you see them live and realize their massive scale. From the unknown to me artists, I have several favourites. Quite a few in fact. In order of appearance, they are:

* Liu Wei – fantastic cityscape (Gallery 1) and hilarious but significant huge poo (Gallery 4)

* Zhang Huan – I find everything this guy does awesome. From the huge head to his paintings with incense ash (incredibly moody) and his donkey riding a skyscraper (Gallery 2 and 4)

* Feng Zhengjie – massive seductive but frightening portraits with a hot pink that will entice you and a dark green that will scare you (Gallery 6)

* Bai Yulio – super creative – combining elements of traditional western art with his own twist (in Gallery 7) and a very symbolic and fascinating tree in a hospital (Gallery 9)

* Shen Shaomin (Gallery 8) – creates fascinating animals from real animal bones – you have to see it to believe it; they are so interesting, you almost wish they existed in real life

* Sun Yuan and Peng Yu (Gallery 7 and 13) – arguably one of the most interesting and creative parts of the show, their work is like black comedy; you laugh while being a bit sad; the Angel is great but the Old Persons Home is absolutely fantastic

Other notable mentions include Zhang Dali (Gallery 10), Li Songsong (especially her work in Gallery 11), Zheng Gougu (Gallery 12) and Wu Shanzhaun (Gallery 12).

Overall a mind-blowing and amazing show. Contemporary art at its best. I can’t wait to see what the next show will be.

ICA - Dispersion

Title: ICA - Dispersion

Rating (out of 100): 40

Mood: odd, confused

Website: http://www.ica.org.uk/Dispersion+17449.twl

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/123880/dispersion.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/dispersion/

As a new ICA member, but an enthusiast from a while ago, I made the journey to the Dispersion show (http://www.ica.org.uk/Dispersion+17449.twl) before catching a film. Frankly, my experience at the ICA galleries is not the best. Often they showcase the type of modern art that is so modern so uber modern that it ceases to be interesting to me. Forget aesthetics (how it looks), but even its meaning or whatever commentary it’s trying to make is just not that engaging for me. Unfortunately, that’s how I feel about half of the current Dispersion show.

Some of it I found interesting. Namely the Anne Collier work and the interesting exhibition by Henrik Olesen (focusing on the history of gays and lesbians in UK). But other, I just found plain not interesting despite its best attempts to be provocative (Maria Eichhorn). The other names (including the newly famous Mark Leckey), I’ve left out due to lack of interest in their work on show at the ICA. Sorry. It’s like a judge on Project Runway once said to one of the contestants after she presented a relatively plain black dress and spent a good 10 minutes explaining its significance and symbolism and what not. He said something along the lines of “you shouldn’t have to explain it so much. If it’s achieved its goal, it should speak for itself.” Well, I agree.

Overall, the show was unfortunately nothing to write home about. This is a pity, because ICA has had some excellent shows in the past which manage to be simultaneously provocative and engaging and showcase a certain aesthetic.

Camden Arts Centre – Daan van Golden & Andro Wekua

Title: Camden Arts Centre – Daan van Golden & Andro Wekua

Rating (out of 100): 60 / 60

Mood: minimalist (van Golden) / biker chick meets trash pop (Wekua)

Website: http://www.camdenartscentre.org/exhibitions/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/124791/daan-van-golden.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/124792/andro-wekua.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/daan-van-golden/ & http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/andro-wekua/

In a beautiful building, the Camden Arts Centre had good promise for this show. I was seduced by a leaflet I saw showing a golden Buddha painting (one by Daan van Golden) which was featured as the primary image of their new exhibitions by Daan van Golden and by Andro Wekua (http://www.camdenartscentre.org/exhibitions/). Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. It was less that the show was not good (it was decent, it had its moments), but that it was completely different from what I expected. The golden Buddha in fact was in no way representative of the rest of Daan van Golden’s work and in fact was an outlier. But a beautiful and unique outlier (incorporating dried flowers). The majority of the Daan van Golden work on display was of a much different nature focusing on limited colours and patterns. It certainly has its own aesthetic (though not my favourite), but what was disappointing is that it’s a radical departure from the Buddha painting. That was the one I fell in love with so I was sorely disappointed to realize that it was the only one of that kind.

The Andro Wekua show was interesting. Focusing on modern pop and collage it’s set in a neon yellow room featuring a mannequin woman seated backwards on a motorbike and surrounded by small collages featuring pop icons (Britney Spears) and other items. Overall, a relatively interesting show.

All in all, both shows were decent, but nothing spectacular or overly amazing. What lesson have I learned from this? Before you get seduced by a painting on a flyer for an art show, make sure that that painting is actually representative of the work in that show. Especially before you trek through freezing London.

Serpentine Gallery: Indian Highway

Title: Serpentine Gallery – Indian Highway

Rating (out of 100): 90

Mood: on the cusp of something new, travelling, investigational, curious, witty, introspective, sad

Website: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2008/06/indian_highwaydecember_2008_fe_1.htmlTimeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/124789/indian-highway.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/indian-highway/

The Serpentine Gallery’s new show, Indian Highway (http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2008/06/indian_highwaydecember_2008_fe_1.html) is quite interesting and beautiful. Like the show at the Saatchi Gallery, it focuses on contemporary art coming from a country that has thousands of years of history. The exhibition showcases the works of 20 artists, some more well-known than others, who hail from India. Unlike the Saatchi Gallery show, Indian Highway includes a large amount of video art. Significantly for me (one who usually doesn’t really appreciate or like video art), the show includes 3 separate rooms dedicated to video art that are indeed collages of life and very interesting.

What usually bores me about video art is how long it takes to play out the sequence that you are watching. Some may say that the audience must work to get the meaning of art, but for me, most video art is just too much work and not enough reward. But, the video art in Indian Highway is different. It lends itself to being engaged with. I especially liked the video art in the Steps Away from Oblivion minishow (8 video circuit) as well as Amar Kanwar’s The Lighting Testimonies. I also loved the room dedicated to Bose Krishnamachari’s Ghost/Transmemoir installation which showcases multiple mini videos in an atmospheric installation playing at the same time and creating a cacophony of sounds that will be very familiar to anybody living in a big city. It is the noise created by the dramas of multiple lives being lived at the same time. What is special about this specific installation is not only that the videos are housed within larger canisters that create a certain mood, but also that they come with headphones.

Aside from the video art, there are several other artists worth mention:

* Nikhil Chopra’s evocative photos – beautifully shot containing elements of grace and tragedy and endlessly interesting

* Dayanita Singh’s blue photos – gorgeous combining various hues of blues interspersed with golden yellow; urban photographs with an old masters’ colour palate

* MF Husain’s Rape of India colourful and engaging paintings

* Nalini Malani’s colourful and interesting work that is illuminated and has an airy quality

* Jitish Kallat – uses a technique that creates almost a 3D effect (albeit blurry); beautiful colours and use of light

* Sakshi Gupta – metal and feather blanket – very intricate and beautiful – like a textile that could be used to decorate a palace; not to mention the great poetry that the artists uses to introduce the blanket to the audience

Overall a very interesting show and one quite different ultimately (in scale but also in its heavy use of video art) from the art of its big neighbour at the Saatchi Gallery.

Love and Honour Film

Title: Love and HonourRating (out of 100): 80

Mood: transported (travelled), reaffirmed faith in love

Website: http://www.ica.org.uk/Love%20and%20Honour+18646.twl

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/86453/love-and-honour.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/love-and-honor/

(Japanese, subtitles) – Playing at the ICA, this is the last movie of the samurai trilogy by Yoji Yamada. It’s set in the time of the samurai in Japan and shows all of the rigid social rules and family relations of that time. Ultimately a love story, the movie examines how a man who previously had power and prestige through his work, struggles to form a new identity after suffering a setback. The film is interesting in its depiction of a range of emotions – some which are socially acceptable to display and others which one must hide. From an outside perspective, it seems that all the characters are ready to perform harakiri (self mutilation / suicide) at every slight disgrace. But, the reality that the characters feel that this is their only real option is the ultimate illumination for the audience in understanding the life of people in Japan at that time.

Overall, a bit of a samurai melodramatic love story, but one that is well-acted, beautiful, and a joy to watch. Just don’t expect anything incredibly insightful or intriguing.

What Just Happened Film

Title: What Just Happened

Rating (out of 100): 55

Mood: neutral, annoyed

Website: http://www.whatjusthappenedfilm.com/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85682/what-just-happened.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/what-just-happened/

For a movie packing such star power, What Just Happened is a bit of a disappointment. It’s one of these movies where it seems that everybody gets lost in how many great and accomplished actors it includes and somehow, everybody seems to forget about the movie itself. The movie itself is about the ridiculousness of Hollywood as told through the eyes of a producer. That includes professional difficulties as well as personal, and how the line between the two is often very blurry. All in all, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to react to this movie. Am I really supposed to feel sorry for the main character (the producer) because his life is so hard? Or maybe the director because he struggles to express his artistic vision? Or maybe the ex-wive(s) of the producer, who are now living luxurious lives with their children. Or maybe, I’m supposed to feel bad for all the people who are the “little people of Hollywood”. The ones who work on the actual movies day in and day out, who have to deal with all these personalities and attitudes. Overall, a somewhat entertaining movie, but nothing too serious or too insightful.

Things I Love

Things I Love

1. Asian soups in freezing London. That includes the Vietnamese pho, the Korean tofu dishes (soon doo boo or jigae) and malaysian soups (laksa, etc.). Sorry but I don't think Japanese miso soup qualifies on this one (not substantial enough) but any of the soba noodle or udon noodle based soups do. As do the Thai soups with coconut & lemongrass.

2. coffee - the time out recently did a listing of what they consider the best coffee in London. Oddly absent was Monmouth (which is more like desert than coffee, as a friend put it). I don't love the lack of democracy at Monmouth (one size coffee, one type of milk), but I do love the taste. http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/ourshops.htm

3. Life is for living Mondays. My own way of tackling the Monday blues is to promise that Monday will be a day when you do something special - you go out to dinner, movie, whatever. Just as long as it's not "just another weekday". Cause after all, life is for living. And even more so on the worst day of the week.

The Photographer’s Gallery – Katy Grannan & Soho Nights

Title: The Photographer’s Gallery – Katy Grannan & Soho Nights

Rating (out of 100): 90 (Grannan) / 50 (Soho Nights)

Mood: provoked, maybe a little disturbed, curious, empathetic (Grannan) & transported into a different era (Soho Nights)

Website: http://www.photonet.org.uk/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/124793/katy-grannan.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/124820/soho-nights.html / na

Recently moved from its previous location near Leicester Square, the Photographer’s Gallery is now open (off Oxford Street). Its new, multi-storey location has the same feel as the previous location and the quality of exhibits is similarly excellent and engaging. There are two main exhibitions on display currently – Soho Nights (collection of black & white photos that I wasn’t a huge fan of) and Westerns (a collection of beautiful and challenging photos by Katy Grannan). Also, don’t forget to check out the smaller but equally (if not even more interesting) exhibits in the gallery café. Grannan’s Westerns exhibition features people that are usually on the margins of society – transvestites and a woman who looks in the various photos as a cross between a junkie and a prostitute. Visually, the pictures are beautiful and some are even ethereal in their light and the delicate emotions they portray. Others are disturbing showing intense emotion. And then there are the pictures with the babies – some may say making these characters more understandable, or more provocative depending on your point of view. All in all an excellent show. I also loved the mini shows in the gallery café. You may notice some overlap with the show currently on in the National Portrait Gallery (the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008 - http://www.npg.org.uk/live/index.asp).

National Portrait Gallery - Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008

Title: National Portrait Gallery - Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008

Rating (out of 100): 95

Mood: intensely interested in what your fellow man or woman is doing and what their story is

Website: http://www.npg.org.uk/live/index.asp

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/119876/taylor-wessing-photographic-portrait-prize.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/taylor-wessing-photographic-portrait-prize-2008/

The National Portrait Gallery currently has two main shows – the Annie Leibovitz show (photography), which is paid and the free and excellent Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008 show. The Taylor Wessing show even has a catalogue of all the photos that you can buy at the shop for a relatively good price. What is fascinating about the photos contained in the Taylor Wessing prize is not only that they are visually interesting and engaging, but also that they come with descriptions about the photographer and the subject of the photo. Unlike most descriptions which are annoyingly descriptive only about obvious aspects of the photos, these descriptions help lay the groundwork and context that make the photographer’s intention more clear and create a sort of story for the photo. You may notice some overlap with some of the minishows currently at the Photographer’s Gallery. All in all an excellent show (as usual with the quality of photographs being very high).

National Gallery - Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian

Title: National Gallery - Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian

Rating (out of 100): 85 (not taking into account the repetition of portraits)

Mood: like watching the Girl with a Pearl Earring movie

Website: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9143/renaissance-faces-van-eyck-to-titian.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/renaissance-faces-van-eyck-to-titian/

The National Gallery’s current temporary exhibition is entitled Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian (£10 in the Sainsbury Wing). If the permanent collection of the National Gallery and the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery had a child, this would be it. The exhibition features portraits (in the formal and informal sense) as well as sculptures and other objects focused on faces and people. While beautiful, the show is very small (it’s over before it’s barely begun). What is further disappointing is that a large portion of the paintings in the “temporary” exhibition are actually part of the permanent collection usually on display. Taking that into account, I felt pretty silly paying £10 to see a show which contained a number of paintings that I have already seen before (albeit beautiful).

Ballet - Ondine (Royal Opera House)

Ballet - Ondine (Royal Opera House)

I recently went to the Royal Opera House to see some ballet (Ondine - http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=7068). All in all, it was fairly good and had its moments, but the dancing that involved multiple people was a bit sloppy (one woman even fell) and the costumes and setting could have been better. There were moments when it felt more like a cheesy musical rather than a moody and beautiful ballet. However, the lead woman was indeed fantastic and her body moved like water.

I have been to the ROH a number of times for various events and regardless of the occasion, it’s always a fun event. Despite the overpriced booze (£11 per champagne glass), questionable service (Sir, can I please have another cup of coffee because this one seems to have a lipstick stain from prior use), and super cosy seats (good luck to you if you’re over 5 foot tall), it is a beautiful setting with a very unique ambiance. However, what I also find amusing is the audience checking each other out, and in fact, that’s half the fun for me. Having toured a number of European opera houses in the weekend trip uniform of jeans and city sneakers, I am especially delighted to get judgmental looks by people who dress up to go to the opera / ballet (fair enough, to each their own) and who give me dirty looks for not trying harder. I guess I must have been mistaken as I thought that we buy the tickets to see the opera / ballet performance, not the other members of the audience. I guess I was wrong.http://www.roh.org.uk/

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I’ve Loved you So Long) Film

Title: Il ya long temps que je t’aime (I’ve Loved You So Long)

Rating (out of 100): 90

Mood: strangely cathartic, tragically sad & emotional but uplifted, ready to take on big challenges

Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/ivelovedyousolong/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85818/ive-loved-you-so-long.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/ive-loved-you-so-long/

(French, with subtitles). Fantastic movie. One of those movies that is very difficult to watch, sometimes confusing, sometimes very emotional (bring tissues) but overall uplifting. Without giving too much away, it’s a moving drama about one woman’s journey of dealing with a painful past and overcoming memories in order to move on with her life. Oddly enough, despite the profound sadness that this movie shows and the really awkward positions and desperate loneliness that its main character goes through, there is hope at the end of the movie, and that’s what makes it ultimately uplifting. It’s about redefining yourself and finding a new life and letting people close to you. Overall, a great movie. Not to mention Kristin Scott Thomas’ fantastic performance in French.

Tatil Kitabi (Summer Book) Film

Title: Tatil Kitabi (Summer Book)

Rating (out of 100): 65

Mood: relatively neutral, nothing too emotionally engaging, pensive about family obligations and limited choices

Website: http://www.ltff.org.uk/summer_book.php

Timeout / Culture Critic: na / na

(Turkish, with subtitles). Part of London’s 14th Annual Turkish Film Festival (http://www.ltff.org.uk/) this movie shows a modern day Turkish family dealing with life and the opportunities and challenges it brings. Significantly set outside of Istanbul, in a small town, the movie watches as the patriarch of a family (substantially older than his second wife) rules the family and both his sons. We see how his second wife, his brother, and both his sons deal with his control and expectations while trying to carve out their own path in life. Overall, I found the movie to take too long to tell the story. There were some long shots where we were simply seeing the younger son walk (much too long and without a point). Rather than illuminate his situation, these moments just bored and annoyed me. However, the story of the older son as well as the wife were a bit more developed. Ultimately, it’s a story about how modern day people straddle the fine line between following their own dreams and desires while having certain limits. And it also explores the always complex relationship between siblings and family. A decent movie, but not amazing.

Summer Film

Title: Summer

Rating (out of 100): 80

Mood: pensive, sad, introspective about limitations and opportunities in life

Website: http://www.summerthemovie.co.uk/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/86436/summer.html / na

Summer, a movie that recently came out, has won numerous awards. Set in Scotland (and therefore, with an accent that sometimes escapes me), it is the story of a middle aged man caring for his wheelchair bound best friend and his son, while dealing with his own memories of a happier past. The movie is interesting in how it flashes back and forth between a happy history of childhood, that then becomes a more confusing history of young adulthood and ultimately leads to a difficult (but not entirely unhappy) middle age. The movie shows how children who may have some learning disabilities and disciplinary problems often slip through the cracks. It is up to us to decide whether we blame the school system, the parents, or the children themselves. All in all an engaging drama that has some interesting moments of real human connection, but left me hanging (and wondering what if, and what would happen) at the end.

Desierto Adentro (The Desert Within) Film

Title: Desierto Adentro (The Desert Within)

Rating (out of 100): 60

Mood: disturbed, sad, quiet

Website: http://www.discoveringlatinamerica.com/dlaff/schedule/event.php?id=217&date=2008-12-03&limit=9

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85952/the-desert-within.html / na

(Spanish with subtitles). – Part of the Discovering Latin American Movie Festival in London (through Dec 7) - saw this yesterday. What an incrediblly imaginative, dark and disturbing movie. It's like watching a train crash but slow motion. You know what's going to happen as there are clues along the way inevitably but you still can't help but watch it. The combination of drawing / real life imagery was definitely inventive and beautiful as was the desert landscape and setting of the movie. Overall, a very disturbing movie about faith and guilt. The religious overtones of the whole movie got to be a bit much for me but it's interesting how the film even incorporates a quote from Nietzsche. Overall, while there was much emotional drama in the film, it almost seemed like a soap opera. Overly dramatic. And even though it was beautiful, it was incredibly disturbing. I'm sure I'm a "better person" with eyes that are more open after having seen the film, but overall it was not one of my favorites. At the end, I felt disturbed but benefitting from any emotional catharsis.

Tate Modern - Mark Rothko, Cildo Meireles, and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster

Title: Tate Modern - Mark Rothko, Cildo Meireles, and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster

Rating (out of 100): 60 (Rothko), 95 (Meireles) and 85 Gonzalez-Foerster

Mood: confused what all the fuss is about (Rothko), transported into an alternate reality that is prettier and cooler (Meireles), attacked by giant spiders and rows of bunk beds (Gonzalez-Foerster)

Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/8733/mark-rothko.html , http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9134/cildo-meireles.html & http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/9158/dominique-gonzalez-foerster.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/rothko/ , http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/cildo-meireles/ & http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/unilever-series-dominique-gonzalez-foerster-th2058/

Having spent some time away from London, I have come back with zeal. I became a member of the Tate museums - Tate Modern and Tate Britain (http://www.tate.org.uk/) (joint membership that saves you a lot of money if you go to more than 2/3 exhibitions per year) at the beginning of the year and often stroll into the Tate Modern during a Southbank walk on my way to Borough market or the BFI.

The current exhibitions on display are: Mark Rothko, Cildo Meireles, and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster. Gonzalez-Foerster (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/dominiquegonzalezfoerster/default.shtm) takes the ground floor with some installation pieces that include bunk beds, a huge TV screen, a massive spider, and a moody soundrack (very cool). Meireles (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/cildomeireles/default.shtm) has a number of things on display all of which are very "trippy" for lack of a better world. It feels a bit like Alice going down the rabbit hole. You're not quite sure what to make of it, and any attempt to explain it takes away from its cool and interesting factor. I preferred to just walk around without reading much of the explanations and experience the installations raw, as it were. Very interesting.

Rothko's paintings (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/markrothko/default.shtm), billed as the highlight, of the three exhibitions were probably the most dissapointing for me. When it comes to art, I can appreciate the minimalist view of things. But honestly, honestly, when it's just a bunch of screens painted in similar colors, I fail to see what is so incredible or artistic about it. Sure, the mere scale of the paintings is impressive, but then again, it's like painting a wall of a house. Just because the wall is huge doesn't make it a work of art. Perhaps it is my own bias (sure) against minimalist art and for art that is somehow more interesting or complex or engaging, or it is perhaps the huge amount of visitors when I was there (sure) which make the experience a bit weird. It was like participating in the parade of the emperor where the emperor was naked and not only are you watching the emperor's clothes slip off, but you are watching the audience love it. I'm sure I'm missing some huge argument about the symbolism of the colors and the scale and the shapes and what not, but overall, I am not a huge fan of Rothko's work (having seen it in DC (USA) as well as London). But the other two shows currently on at the Tate Modern were an unexpected delight. I can't wait to see the Tate Britain's Francis Bacon show. He uses some of the similar color palate (reds, etc.) but for me, Bacon's work speaks volumes and is much more interesting to look at and think about after you have seen it. Will get back to you after I actually see the exhibition.

Easy Virtue Film

Title: Easy Virtue

Rating (out of 100): 65

Mood: neutral, nothing too emotionally engaging, fanciful

Website: http://www.easyvirtuethemovie.co.uk/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/86024/easy-virtue.html / na

I saw this film accidentally thinking that I was going to see Tropic Thunder. Imagine my surprise when I saw a different film title than I was expecting, and then further realizing that it was too late to do anything but sit and watch the film. Despite the sometimes annoying points about the film (especially the clichéd mother in law and new wife relationship) the film proved more entertaining than I expected. It hinted at, but didn’t go into too much depth about the Great War but did effectively show its effects on the soldiers that came out alive. And while the ending may offend some, it was inevitably hinted at throughout the whole movie and I found it surprisingly charming. Jessica Biel gives an effective performance, as do Collin Firth (nice to see him play a sad pessimistic type) and Kristin Scott Thomas. Out of 5, I give it a 3 1/5. Lacks any emotional depth – whether it’s sadness or enlightenment or joy or drama, but is a relatively enjoyable and easy watch. The type that my parents would enjoy – the type that you don’t have to get too emotionally charged or invested in.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno Film

Title: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Rating (out of 100): 85

Mood: happy, uplifted, giggly, loving

Website: http://www.zachandmiri.com/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/86022/zack-and-miri-make-a-porno.html / na

I am a sucker for Judd Apatow-type American comedy movies and / or Seth Rogen movies. Both reliably make me laugh and completely transport me out of dark / gloomy London. Starring Elizabeth Banks (whom I love, from Scrubs, the 40-year old Virgin, and other series / movies) and Seth Rogen, the movie tells a predicable story of how love transforms itself unexpectedly (although quite expectedly for the audience). But the fact that you know what’s going to happen doesn’t ruin the ride, at least for me. The movie does earn some street cred for using real porn starts, past and present, most notably Katie Morgan and Traci Lords. The other main actors, who will be familiar from other Judd Apatow and Kevin Smith movies do a fine turn, as does the hilarious Tisha Campbell-Martin. While the title of the movie makes us think that it will be about porn and sex, it is actually about love (surprise). Overall, a very enjoyable (if predictable) comedy that had me laughing out loud. Kudos on the fantastic soundtrack which included DMX and Live.

Lovesickness (Mal de Amores) Film

Title: Lovesickness (Mal de Amores)

Rating (out of 100): 90

Mood: happy, uplifted, introspective

Website: http://www.discoveringlatinamerica.com/dlaff/schedule/event.php?id=250&date=2008-12-01&limit=5

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85247/lovesickness.html / na

(in Spanish with Subtitles) – Part of the Discovering Latin American Movie Festival in London (through Dec 7) -Sometimes funny, other times sad, most often ridiculous, and always enjoyable, this movie hit the spot. Executive produced by Benicio Del Toro (which I imagine is the reason for Luis Guzman’s solid casting, who is most often seen in English-language movies), the movie shows separate lives and how love impacts them. Whether the characters in the movie are searching for love or finding it, or losing it, their journey is very entertaining. The audience I was watching the movie with laughed out loud several times during the movie, during the highly awkward and hilarious moments (including the oddly funny starting sequence of the distraught family whose members in reality are less interested in the recent family death than their own personal stories). The stories at both ends of the age scale (the 70 + and the teenagers) were the most enjoyable with the older actors (especially the lady) showing the feistiness and love of life that I hope to have when I’m her age. Overall, a charming and highly enjoyable movie.

Waltz with Bashir Film

Title: Waltz with Bashir

Rating (out of 100): 100

Mood: entranced, introspective, moody, “in a funk”, contemplative about life, death and inequalities around the world

Website: http://www.waltzwithbashirthemovie.com/

Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85858/waltz-with-bashir.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/cinema/waltz-with-bashir/

(in Hebrew & Arabic with Subtitles) - I saw this movie a few months ago when it first came out in Paris. It blew my mind. Aside from the always interesting and incredibly complex subject matter of Israeli and Palestinian relations, the animation is incredibly gorgeous and the music was fantastically moody. The whole plot of a person who participated in an experience that haunts him years later so much so that he decides to investigate what occurred and his own actions in it is amazing. I do appreciate the introspectiveness of the movie (am I guilty, could I have done something else) as well as the investigation into how participating in the killings affected not only those who were killed and their families but those who perpetrated the killings (willingly or not). However, as my French is less than fluent, I am looking forward to seeing this moving with English subtitles in London to fully grasp the movie for all its glory as well as relive the awesome beauty surrounding it. It’s strange that a movie about such a sad subject can be so beautiful and moving on a purely aesthetic and musical level, but maybe because of the difficult and bloody subject matter, the artistic qualities of the movie make its subject matter easier to digest. It is emotional without completely overwhelming, except for the end sequence, the only part that is not in animation and which is indeed incredibly difficult to watch. For such a serious subject, it was a weirdly uplifting and emotionally recharging movie. I loved it and definitely cried my fair share (especially at the end). What a fantastic achievement.

Update: so I saw the movie in English last night and it was even better when I fully understood everything. The visuals and the soundtrack / songs were equally as awesome as the first time I saw / heard them. Especially the songs with lyrics (which I imagine were real songs from that time). An odd sitenote is that I have been to Lebanon and Beirut twice and walked past some Palestinian camps as well as the Hippodrome that they mention in the movie. What an incredibly beautiful (and destroyed) and complex country.

Food and Drink - Chinatown

Well, it ain't no Chinatown NYC. Given the relatively large Chinese community in London, I was expecting something big when it came to its Chinatown. I figured it would rival the Chinatown of New York City. Or at least be close. I was sorely dissapointed. While NYC's Chinatown has recently tried to become more tourist-friendly by creating tourist kiosks and cleaning up, it seems to me that London's Chinatown is a bit too tourist friendly, along with the Chinese gates and all. The food at many of the restaurants is rather dissapointing. Or at least so I thought upon my first visits. But, it turns out that there are gems, you just have to know where to go. Top picks include Four Seasons (along the main street) - best for family style dinners / late lunches with a group of friends (amazing duck and pork), HK Diner - similarly good for family style but more in a pseudo - modern diner type setting and open later. Other favories include the Golden Gate Cafe / Pastry shop on Shaftsbury itself. Skip the ornate cakes and go for one of the Chinese deserts. The tapioca / yam pudding or the sweet dumplings (with ginger) are amazing especially during the cold months. As are the various hot teas (although most can get very sweet very quickly). What is sad is that I haven't been able to find any reliably good bubble / pearl tea place. Lots of places offer the stuff, but most are quite questionable. Either the tapioca bubbles / pearls are disgusting, or the "tea" itself is powdery. The best version I've tried is at Cafe De Hong Kong (47 Charing Cross), although even that's nothing compared to Ten Ren (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_ren) or even Saint's Alp in NYC(http://www.teamap.com/tearooms/saints_alp_teahouse_413.html). Best dumplings (but in a super casual, share tables with others setting) is at the Jen Cafe - brightly green on the corner at Newport Place. Great place to go if you're by ourself or looking for a very quick bite. Do yourself a favor, skip Baozi Inn. For dim sum (not the cart style but still very good) is Golden Pagoda on the corner of the main street and Gerrard Street. What you should also avoid is the only Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown proper (it's all in red and usually has a person outside talking to passerbys).

The best Vietnamese in London is concentrated in Northeast London, but if you are too far away, read the Vietnamese food post for a decent Vietnamese option. Good Korean food is also difficult to find in London. More on this at the Korean food post. What I am still looking for (please oh please let me know if you find it first) is: (1) soup dumplings of the Shanghai variety (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soup_dumplings); the type with soup actually inside the dumpling; (2) good bubble / pearl tea.

http://www.chinatownlondon.org/

Food and Drink - Vietnamese

I am spoilled when it comes to Vietnamese food. Forget the fact that I've been to Vietnam. The more important source of raising the bar of my expectations was the 4 years I spent in Washington DC, near one of the largest Vietnamese communities outside of Vietnam. At the Eden Center (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Center), a large mall with all things Vietnamese, I have had some of the best Vietnamese food and drink of my life. From avocado milk shakes to green young coconut drinks and pho and bun and summer rolls and everything in between.

Alas, my forays into Vietnamese food have been not as successful, but after some effort I've found some worthwhile places. The largest concentration of Vietnamese restaurants is near Shoreditch on Kingsland Road (E2). Easiest way to get there is Old Street or Liverpool street tube, but either way, it's a bit of a walk. What I love to do on a weekend (Sunday specifically) is to go up to Columbia Road market (maybe checking out Petticoat lane market and / or Spitalfields market on the way) and then get some Vietnamese for a late lunch. While there are a lot of Vietnamese restaurants in that area (some of them recommended by the Time Out), my favorite is the unassuming but reliably good Tay Do at 60 Kingsland Road. Some of the others (that have been recommended) that I have tried I have been sorely dissapointed. For some reason, at some of the other places, getting hot sauce and hoisin sauce (standard in most Vietnamese places in the USA) is difficult. If you don't have time / energy to truck all the way out to Kingsland, there is a decent (though not great) Vietnamese restaurant in Soho near Shaftsbury called Viet (34 Greek Street). Although it's so small, you often have to wait, but it is a million times better than the much flashier Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown. The one sore dissapointment with all of the Vietnamese restaurants I have been to in London is the coffee. Vietnamese coffee is amazing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_coffee). Sweetened condensed milk with very strong coffee (often made fresh before you in an individual - size filter). At least this is standard in most Vietnamese restaurants in the USA. In London, either the restaurants don't serve this at all, or if they do, it's not fit for drinking. Please do let me know if you find a restaurant that actually serves this amazing coffee fresh in London.

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/vietnamese-restaurants.php

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/cuisines/vietnamese.asp