Shoreditch Clandestine Cake Club (6)
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree: A 1950's Kitschmas"

I think the whole reason I wanted to do this theme was because I discovered The Love Shake in Shoreditch and I wanted a good reason to spend a lot of time in there. It's a cute, tiny 50's style diner right at the end of Kingsland Road and not far from where we had our "Monarchy Anarchy" Jubilee Cake Club (http://www.afternoon-tease.blogspot.co.uk/2012_08_01_archive.html). Look at the cute interior!

The Love Shake was the perfect place to don my Vivien of Holloway cupcake dress too, of course, and I always like to have an excuse to set my hair - in fact icing my cake with my rollers in always makes me feel like I'm in Edward Scissorhands... I'm not sure why!

I found the perfect retro recipe for a 50's kitsch-mas on a genuine vintage advert that was taken off the back of a Swans Down Flour box.

 It's a weird recipe with so many eggs in it and of course the tackiest ingredient ever...Glace cherries!! I even kitsched it up more by making glace cherry and fondant holly for the top and covering the whole thing in those little silver balls that nearly crack your teeth. I was really pleased with how it looked though as it fit the theme well, although it wasn't quite as white as the illustration.

The other girls brought cakes that were just as retro - we had a gingerbread Christmas Tree, a peach Christmas wreath, a spiced apple bundt cake and a fruit loaf with a lovely tree on it.

We had a 1950's 'fill in the blanks style quiz' which ended in a tense, nail-biting tie-breaker question at the end ;) It was a picture question and I was dismayed to find that the girls in question didn't know who this lovely pin-up was:

Diana Dors - for future reference!!

I think you'll have to get yourselves to my "Cake It On!" vintage AVON tea parties more in future ladies... ;) xox

Cake It On: www.make-upbake-up.blogspot.co.uk
The Love Shake: www.theloveshake.co.uk
To join the Clandestine Cake Club network go to www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk and search for my Shoreditch group :)

"Time for Tease" at Volupte Lounge, Norwich Street

http://www.timefortease.co.uk/

Perhaps I'm kinky or perhaps I just like value for money, but if I can have a cuppa and baps at the same time then I certainly won't say no. My penchant for a bit of titillation with my tea, and nipples with my nibbles, is fairly well known since I dreamed up the concept for this blog a couple of years ago: I wanted a nice tongue-in-cheek way to review afternoon tea, a supposedly innocent past-time that has its fair share of double-entendres (finger sandwiches anyone..?)
When I later discovered that someone had actually created afternoon tea which involved burlesque, it's safe to say I'd be there with knobs on - or tassels - I'm not fussed.
The day finally arrived and I crossed Volupte Lounge's dim threshold into a world of fabulous wallpaper, beautiful crockery and pin up pictures, and left the busy Jubilee streets behind.

It absolutely did not disappoint - it was everything I hoped it would be. From the moment we sat down at our table we were treated like Royalty (how apt) and offered a glass of bubbly. We then had plenty of time to peruse the menu of tea and tea based cocktails which are served in large or small teapots (This, I really like, as it means you can be an absolute booze-hound and no-one can tell...because the tea cocktails are actually HOT!)

  
As soon as we had chosen our delicious cocktails (and stipulated that although my companion was a vegetarian, I was happy to eat anything put in front of me) we were served a gorgeous array of finger sandwiches to nibble on almost immediately. I was pleased to discover that my favourite Coronation Chicken was on the menu, and happily not just for the Jubilee! (I was also given extra Coronation Chicken sandwiches as they are my favourite and for this reason alone I was ready to marry the waitress.)

The tea cocktail arrived in delicate matching china pots and we got down to the business of diving straight in.
Nibbling and sipping aside, we were able to have some time to chat (with mouths fairly full) before being pleasantly interrupted by the compere, the fantastic Ophelia Bitz, who regaled us with songs and jokes to warm us up. I have to say I was feeling pretty warmed up by the time the first burlesque artist came on, but that may have had a lot to do with the Gunfire (Lapsang Souchong and Rum) too....
After the first couple of acts, yet more delicate china arrived, this time a cake stand with scones and patisserie:

When I first saw it I did think it looked a little bit sparse compared to other selections I've had, but sometimes quality is more important than quantity. The little brownies were a divine gooey chocolatey mouthful, and the lemon posset with passion fruit was just tart enough to counteract any sickliness brought on by the copious amounts of booze and sugar. And realistically, we'd had so many nice sandwiches that any more cake would've killed us off.
Further welcome interruptions included more Ophelia Bitz, more acts (I won't put their pics on as it would spoil the surprise) and also some nipple tassels for sale courtesy of Rae Jenkin. My budget won't stretch to nipple tassels and pasties at the moment (there's another naughty joke: pasties and pastries...) but I took a card to browse the on-line selection. If I can get some of the cupcake pasties one day I'll know if finally 'made it' in the world of cake ;)
We really could've stayed there a lot longer - the decor was gorgeous and decadent and even the toilets were glamorous:

The music was great and the ambience was fantastic. It was with a fairly reluctant heavy gait that we ascended back into the bright London day around 2 hours after we'd arrived. I think next time I'll just head into the fabulous little upstairs bar and while the night away.
And there will be a next time for certain, for me and my companion who's already planning on bringing friends. 
Not only do the acts rotate so you will see different artists during different sittings, meaning you can keep returning and never get bored, but Volupte also host silent film in their Cine Illumine on the first Sunday of every month! I knew that afternoon tea and tease would be a match made in heaven and I can't wait to see if their Silent film and supper club is just as good.

http://www.volupte-lounge.com/

"Sip"-Tease Rating: *****
Pa"Tease"erie Rating: ****

Boudoir or Boring? rating: *****

Service with a Smile Rating: *****

Cheap or Chic? Rating: ***

Volupteas are on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30pm - see website for more details,
Until next time....xox

"Lost Society" 1920's afternoon tea (@Blind Tiger)

http://www.blindtigerlondon.co.uk/

Finally Easter arrived which meant I could go back to my usual creamy, meaty, chocolatey eating habits. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against vegetarians or vegans and I absolutely love things like Quorn and tofu, but life for me is certainly about choice and balance so it was nice to be able to treat myself after a good internal spring clean...!
So I did it in style at "Lost Society" in South London, a little gem of a place that I annoyingly never knew about when I lived down that way.

For everyone who thinks that you can only find decent places to eat, drink and be merry North of the river then think again: South London has some brilliant places which aren't as full of hipsters and aren't as expensive so it's well worth taking a trip to the deep, dark South...

The decor at Lost Society is really luxurious and vintage with a theme that relies heavily on Prohibition. Cocktails are served in teapots and there are lists of pre- and post-prohibition drinks on the menu, and the music I'm happy to say was also of the right era.

The food itself was amazing! One of the best teas I've ever had. To begin with we were given a complimentary Bellini which was beautiful and felt considerably naughty at 3pm on a Sunday...

Then the sandwiches came and they were to die for. As the meat-eater to my vegetarian companion, it was left to me to devour the little open sandwiches with Coronation chicken, salmon and cream cheese and gorgeous beef and horseradish that was just the right shade of pink in the middle. My friend had the cheese and the egg ones which I'm told were delicious. We both washed them down with the Bellinis while our English Breakfast tea was brewing beside us. (I always go for English Breakfast as that is a staple I can compare across the board. But this tea menu was really interesting and provided by Tea Pigs - it even included a 'popcorn' tea which I'd love to try next time.)

The 'Vintage Tea Party' Book - By Angel Adoree

On the way to a 1926 night at Troxy :)

What an absolutely beautiful book to own! I do love my Kindle as I'm an avid reader and it's easier for me to use that to carry the 10 books I can read in a week - but there is nothing better than holding a gorgeous book like this in your hands and going over its pages time and time again, in a big comfy chair.
And the best thing about it is it's not just a 'cook-book' but also has tips on how to source vintage china, make decorations and even get the perfect vintage look for your tea party. But because of the large range of subjects it covers, I was surprised at how sophisticated the recipes are. This is a 'grown-ups' cook book which includes dishes like smoked salmon souffle and brie & walnut savoury scones. It even includes so many things I've never even heard of...and I've been to a lot of tea parties! Coddled eggs, aspics...the list goes on.

http://vintagepatisserie.co.uk/ 

Now I'm half Irish and half Gypsy, so I thought I was aware of every possible excuse to drink during the day...champagne breakfast, bloody mary, mulled cider etc. But even I haven't heard of "Athol Brose" - a delicious combination of cream, honey, whiskey and oats to be downed with your bacon and eggs. That's next on my list to try :)
Continuing the boozy theme, there is a gorgeous selection of tea cocktails such as a 'Tea-quila Sunrise' and a 'Tea-tini'. So who thought tea parties were twee and boring?? Of course there are also some amazing recipes for sweet treats but I don't want to spoil the surprise - go and get the book!

 http://angeladoree.co.uk/ 

Angel herself is an amazing woman - you may remember her from Dragons Den (watch here):

Cakes and Shakes at "Fat Sam's Grand Slam"
My most recent adventure with Crimson Heart nearly involved me getting absolutely covered in cream during the infamous 'Splurge' fight - part of the 'Bugsy Malone' immersion experience hosted by Future Cinema.

We weren't selling tea but there were plenty of cakes, supplied by my favourite location for sugary shenanigans in Shoreditch: Crimson Heart Tea Shop. And standing behind the counter while the amazing smells of rocky road, vanilla cupcakes and strawberry milkshakes wafted over me was almost maddening - dairy is still off the menu for me so Fat Sam had to eat my share :(

The film run this time around is much longer than Brief Encounter, partly as it coincides with the kids Easter Holidays, so there's still a chance to get tickets. We were definitely prepared  for the onslaught of sticky fingers demanding milkshakes, coke floats and giant cupcakes like zombies demanding BRAINS, and it was nice to see that our 'hard-shakes' were just as popular for grown-ups as they contained a cheeky shot of something a bit stronger...

Thank god for  the fact I never gave up booze for Lent - I needed a shot myself by the time Ali started to sneakily let me know the splurge was going to begin soon so we needed to wrap up the cakes. I went all clumsy with the cling film and started panicking, hissing to Ali in a frantic whisper "I can't find the end, I can't find the end!!" hahaha. And honestly, what compelled me to give the counter-top a good wipe down and polish?! It stayed shiny and clean for, ooh, all of 5 seconds once the pies started flying. I've never spent so much time under a table in my life!

Tea and Cake in the 'Refreshment Room' at Milford Station, February 1945....

So Last night I had an amazing time with the fabulous Mia, Ali and Zara at Crimson Heart (@CrimsonHeart1) I was able to spend my Saturday night doing the one thing I like best....dressing up. 
And not just in any old costume: 1940's style with Victory Rolls, pussy bow dress and more....my favourite!

Thanks to Secret Cinema's new expansion known as The Other Cinema, I spent my evening with the characters from Brief Encounter. I was surrounded by the mouth-watering smell of freshly made popcorn, not the 3 week old crap you get at your local Odeon (that they serve you from bin-bags by the way) and transported to a world of ushers, security guards and refreshment room customers in full vintage clothing. The 1930's grandeur of the Troxy on Commercial Road was the venue of choice tonight, but there will be a different one every month.

My only experience of this venue so far has been for the cage-fighting, so it was fantastic to see the features brought to life by the burlesque acts, the chairoscuro of the projector and the live band. And it was even better after the movie when the floor opened up to swing dancing....I was terrified of being flicked in the eye by a fur stole! 

I genuinely can't think of a better way to see a film than being totally immersed in it in this way and I suggest you check out http://www.futurecinema.co.uk/news.html to see where the next one will be held xox

Crimson Heart, Leonard Street, Shoreditch

Nestled down a side street just off City Road, Crimson Heart is a little gem of a place that opened in December. I was only made aware of this new tea venue at a recent Shoreditch Sisters meeting and I was very excited to be given the opportunity to pop in for a cuppa. I chose the perfect morning for it too, as there was something very comforting about descending the little staircase into the warm bosom of the cafe downstairs, away from the elements and the madness of the city in the sudden freezing weather we're having. 
Decorated in kitsch cool by the owner Mia, Crimson Heart is more like a nan's living room than a cafe, complete with retro games behind the counter and a disco ball to complement the crochet tablecloths and chintz lampshades. Everything about it is fabulous!

The cakes are home-made by Mia's sister and the menu changes every few days depending on what batch has been made. I had a very welcome cup of steaming coffee with a complementary heart shaped biscuit, and if the taste of that is anything to go by I'll be back there this weekend for a full cream tea!
Totally inkeeping with the name of the cafe, there will be a special set Valentine's afternoon tea for £10 a head which is a great price for London, and there will also be a pop up florist before the big day, so that men all over Shoreditch can keep their other halves happy.
However, the special thing about this place is that it is not only a cafe, but also a vintage store selling jewellery, homeware and other kitsch trinkets - as soon as I walked in something caught my eye which I promptly purchased on my way out...so much for my 'thrifty January'

I highly recommend you eschew all those massive corporate conglomerates in favour of the smaller, individual little businesses like this which keep the city from becoming a homogenous nightmare. It's open Mon-Fri 10-6pm and til 8pm on Thursdays (as well as a special opening of 10-8pm Valentine's Day,Tuesday 14th Feb.) Saturday openings are beginning in February,  and keep checking the website too, as there are many other events coming up such as clothes swapping parties and a book club: 

www.crimsonheart.co.uk 

xox

Soho's Secret Tea Room, Greek Street

Hidden above a typical pie and ale pub on Greek Street, “Soho's Secret Tea Room” is an unexpected little treat. It’s essential to book and they take bookings to fill slots every 2 hours, the last one being at 4pm most days. The problem we had with such an advanced booking is that we had no idea London was going to be hit by a mini heat-wave at the end of September! So, dressed in as few clothes as possible, we entered the Coach and Horses pub and ascended the stairs behind the bar with a little bit of trepidation.....

Once inside the Tea Room, even with fans on and windows open, it was hot and stuffy. That’s hardly the fault of the establishment though –just one of those things. When one of the waitresses, dressed in vintage fashion, brought over the menus the first thing we asked for was a glass of water. We gratefully received a huge jug of iced water with 2 glasses and she was very cheerful despite the fact that she was working in the heat, whereas we were just having fun in it.
The menu was fantastic with a Traditional Afternoon Tea that came at one of the lowest prices I’ve seen in Central London. But there was also the option to have just tea and cake or a cupcake or scones – many different combinations to suit all budgets.
We both, of course, opted for full afternoon tea which in hindsight may not have been a good idea – eating so much rich food on a hot day is hard enough as it is...especially when you’re going to a Hardcore show afterwards..! But the idea was to just try as much on the menu as possible so we were brave. I chose the Earl Grey Tea to drink out of around 14 different types, which was delicious despite the fact I would have rather had an iced tea. I also had smoked salmon sandwiches which were lovely, and two different cakes: a chocolate cake slice, and a rose and vanilla cupcake. They were both heavenly, and the rose in particular very unique! I fully intended to only eat half of each but the delicious meltiness of the chocolate in the heat made me polish off the whole thing. We also had scones and although they were nice we could have done with a bit more cream and jam for them.

We stuffed our faces and chatted to the distinctive sounds of 40’s jazz and swing songs, but didn’t stay the full hour and a half we were allocated, despite the cosy mish-mash of vintage decor and ambience, merely because of the heat. I can definitely recommend this for a crisp autumn day, especially if you want somewhere authentic to take your gran.

"Sip"-Tease Rating: ****

Pa"Tease"erie Rating: ****

Boudoir or Boring? rating: ***

Service with (nothing but) a Smile Rating: ***

Cheap or Chic? Rating: ****

'High Tea of Highate' in Highgate Village

On such a miserable Saturday afternoon with awful wet weather, it was an absolute delight to go to a cosy little tea-shop like this. From the outside, with its pink fascia and reassuringly steamed-up windows containing bric-a-brac emblazoned with 50's pin-ups, we were already sold - but inside was even better.
We were very lucky to get a seat, as this popular place was jam-packed (pardon the pun..) but we timed it just right and were allocated a table.
They do offer full afternoon tea at a very reasonable price here, and this can be booked. But my waistline dictated that one slice of cake was enough for me today, so me and my companion opted to do just that. This makes High Tea of Highate a great option for the budget concious too.
I went for a pot of the 'London Blend' recommended by the owner, and a slice of chocolate cake (of course). My companion opted for a scone with jam and clotted cream and a pot of Assam.

The cake was lovely and tasted home-made and satisfying - it definitely was a good sized portion! I'm told the scone was fantastic - not too dry and not too sweet, the and jam was the perfect complement. And we were both amused by the little milk jug shaped like a cow :) My 'London Blend' was so good I ordered a second pot, as did my friend. 
We could have sat there all day in those lovely surroundings and our only complaint is that the place closed too early!

I'm a big fan of 'twee and cosy' but I understand that's not everyone's cup of tea (again....pardon the pun!) That's why the decor here is so impressive: they've managed to mix vintage and cute with a bit of a funky and stylish edge, even down to the tattooed staff in 40's/50's accessories - this definitely doesn't look like your Grandma's house, which is the the typical template of an English 'Tea-Shop'. In fact, this place would be very at home in Shoreditch or Hoxton, despite the fact that it's also complemented by the leafy quiet suburbs of Highgate Village.
I'd definitely love to return here and highly recommend it. Check out the website at http://www.highteaofhighgate.com/

"Sip"-tease Rating: ****
Pa"Tease"erie Rating: ***
Boudoir or Boring? Rating: *****
Service with (Nothing but) a Smile Rating: ****
Cheap or Chic? Rating:****