On electronic music temples,

Posted on November 4, 2014 by virginia

out sourcing creativity and playing with food!

Berlin is known for being different,

not like the rest of Germany, the infamous ‘black sheep’ so to speak. It is a creative haven for those who are looking for somewhere cheap to live and be arty, express themselves, be socially responsible or an anarchist, with all the connotations and variations associated with all of these. From the pre war (second) satirical Cabaret performances , the yearly first of May clashes in Kreuzberg, to the illegal clubs along the Spree in the late nineties, wall or no wall Berlin oozes individuality from every architectural pore and FKK park (FKK Freie Koerper Kulture/ Naturism – it was the one thing the Russians could not stop the East Germans from doing – getting their kit off down the local park!).

During my time there I met, partied and lived with some of the most amazing people from all over the world. Many of whom remain dear friends to this day. So, it was with delight I agreed to proofread some English translations for an Italian friend. The stuff turned out to be about an East German photographer, Sven, who is nearly as famous as the club, a temple to electronic music, upon whose door he ‘bounces’. Now, during my heady party days ‘mit meine Ozzies’ (teenagers raised in East Berlin) we made it a point to gain entry to parties, clubs or homes by means other than the front door. So try as I might, I could not recall ever standing ‘schlange’ to get in anywhere – no wait, there was the line at the Pfefferberg for a Kruder and Dorfmeister gig, it was minus 20 and we were being given shots of Jaegermeister by the bouncers. Anyway, even perusing google images of the BERGHAIN, I can’t recall seeing Sven, though I know I’ve been in the club many times (via rubble and a broken window). In order to remedy this and ask his favourite recipe (he is a vegan!) I shall be popping over to Torino to check out the exhibition. Here is an excerpt of the blurb….

‘Sven Marquardt was born in 1962 in the district of Pankow, in the east side of the city. He grew up, so to speak, in the shadow of the wall that was built just one year before his birth, and that until 1989 tried to prevent the escape of GDR citizens to the West, becoming one of the most hated symbols of the Cold War in the history of Europe. The presence of the wall and the artist’s private vicissitudes gradually transformed him into a rebel. His photographs, taken with an analog camera and strictly in black and white, develop over the span of three decades and deal with crucial issues, about which Western art has wondered for centuries, namely the contraposition of Eros and Thanatos (Todestrieb), the life drive and the death drive, opposing and complementing each other in human lives and in their eternal dualism between the principles of Love and Hate, Life and Death, Light and Darkness. This personal vision, in many respects melancholic, offers the viewers an opportunity to filter their look through the camera lens and see the world in a different light, by observing Darkness and investigating their emotions without being afraid. Darkness is not intended by Sven Marquardt as a denial of light, but as its absence, therefore not with a negative connotation, but as an unspoken potential, still not reached by the light.’

http://trova-eventi.it/turin-goetterdaemmerung-sven-marquardt-solo-show/

All this art has me thinking about the electronic music I danced to and how my synth lover first got interested in synthesisers having heard Kraftwerk. On this note a short video about progress in technology and future inventions. Makes for interesting discussion material, so consider ‘is it possible to out source creativity to a computer? Take 15 minutes to ponder…..

Instead of a recipe this month, I have decided to play the veg instead – enjoy!

Raw, Divas & DJs

Posted on October 1, 2014 by virginia

Musings on a raw food fast, stropping and the 2014 Island DJ awards.

This month my Synth Lover and I decided not to go to the Cotswolds. Last August we had two gorgeous weeks in England’s beautiful countryside, which was wonderful. Our stay at Barnsley House in the little cottage, the Potting Shed, included herds of cows passing by the gate in the morning and some of the best Spa treatments I have had (and I’ve had a few!). However, this year we chose our ‘home’ as the destination and are spending the budget on Gourmet Raw Food from down the road. With magnificent results. Weight loss and more energy for him and teenage acne and weight fluctuation for me! We both have the symptoms of ‘cleansing of mucus inducing cheese and energy robbing wheat’. The fresh, uncooked and yummy food we are eating is giving our bodies the energy (normally used in digestion) to do some serious ‘limpio profundo’, deep cleaning.

Average Days Food on an 80% raw ratio.

Breakfast Lemon water, ginger tea (him), coffee (me), oat cakes

Snacks Fresh fruit/nuts, smoothie/shake (him). Raw cheesecake/cookies (me!).

Dinner Something from the Gourmet Menu.

Example A starter and entrée ie. a warm soup followed by raw Quesedilla.

Plenty of fresh water and herbal teas.

Want to try making something really easy and totally delicious, then try this…….

Raw Vegan Walnut Cream Pie

By Kathy Patalsky of http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com

I love this blog, her recipes (vegan) and pictures are amazing (esp. the ones of the cat!)

Ingredients

filling:
2-3 Tbsp maple syrup, grade B
1/4 tsp salt
11oz coconut cream, chilled
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup raw walnuts
crust:
2 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup, grade B
chocolate:
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (or use cacao powder for raw)

Instructions

In a blender or food processor, blend the walnuts and oats until a fine crumbly mixture forms. Pour this mixture into a large mixing bowl.
To the bowl, add the remaining crust ingredients: coconut oil, salt, cinnamon and maple syrup. Fold until the mixture becomes thick and pliable, like a dry cookie dough.
Grease an 8″ pie dish with coconut oil. Then spread the crust along the bottom of the pie dish. Set aside.
In a blender, add all the filling ingredients and blend until silky smooth. It is ok if the chilled coconut cream melts a bit, it will just re-firm up when chilled. Pour the mixture into the pie dish.
For the chocolate, malt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil together and stir until silky smooth. Use a microwave for easiest melting. Stovetop is your next option.
Swirl the chocolate over top the walnut cream filling in one big spiral. Then using a toothpick or a butter knife, glide from the center of the spiral outwards, continue all the way around. You can swirl a second time by going in the reverse direction with the toothpick or knife.
Place the pie in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes. Or until the pie is soft and fluffy, yet chilled enough to slice. The key to the texture is to chill it to the perfect amount. If you over-chill and it is too hard, simply leave it out at room temperature until softened.

Yield: 1 pie Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.

Last Monday was the DJ Awards ceremony, with all it’s usual tralala. Dressing up and drinking! I managed to wangle an invite via someone (who is a DJ) and was due to be presenting an award (to another DJ).

Like a teenager about to go to a dance, I fussed with choice of clothing. As so much of the Mega Club Scene seems to involve dressing like a hooker, I decided to go for understated elegance instead! But then, I got another damn outbreak of ‘detox’ – all over my chin! Now aware that the colour of my jewellery would be highlighting the imperfections on my chin, I was in a complete quandary. HILFE!

Whilst I was rooting around my make-up bag for some ‘schminke’ foundation, the phone rang. I heard a one sided conversation….

“Hi, shall we all meet for dinner before the Awards?”

“Really, with who? When?”

“Ok, well seeing as we were only going to see him, I guess we don’t need to go” (said with relief)

“Never mind, we’ll catch up soon, bye”

Then, to me (note, I was looking forward to it, my Synth Lover not),

“We don’t have to go to the ceremony, we can stay at home and chill out eating lovely food”

Me “what, but, why, but I want to go” (said in a petulant voice, whilst stomping foot)

This was followed by a bit of stropping from myself at the DJ divas and ensuing egos that led to my staying home with Kelp Noodles. A schism, harsh words and everyone believing that their version of life is the correct one, humbug. Well, I did get told by a manager, once that ‘you don’t usually get more than a couple of DJ’s at dinner table together because of the egos involved’. Ever read any of the hotel Babylon series? Well, I think DJ Babylon would be a best seller, of course there are the good, the bad and the really rotten, but I still think it would be a hoot!

I put it to you, was it divine intervention so I could ‘detox’ in peace (spotty chin and all) or just a bit of bad behaviour from big boys? Or was it a bit of both? They should all hug more!

I’ll leave you with this from a very lovely young man (sans ego) whom I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of times. Enjoy……

Last night a DJ…

Posted on September 11, 2014 by virginia

gave me his Superfood Salad Recipe!

Having hosted a fair few dinners over the past several months (Ibiza in full swing), it was with great delight that I joined my Synth Lover (hubby) and a few of his DJ buddies (and Sarah) for dinner at the recently opened Wild Beet Restaurant in Santa Gertrudis before waving my hands in the air (literally) to their delightful sounds at Pike’s Hotel till the wee hours.

What do you call a ‘group’ of DJs, surely they should have a collective noun in honour of them – a gaggle, nope, a flock, mmh, a collective. Yep . The collective of DJs were amassed around the table ready to order. A collective of DJs were gathered together to sup before play(ing) was due to commence.

Anyway, I digress, it was a hot summer night on the white isle. The moon was nearly full and the stars were twinkling just for us. A real treat was in store for our little ‘collective’. We had decided to go for the degustation menu and were blown away by the delicious, varied and oh so tasty yet healthy vegan and raw food we ate. Well if you are going to try this kinda stuff it really should be in the right setting, no point in eating gaspachio on a wet winters day, eh!

From lime and lentil soup, to beetroot ravioli, raw sushi, through to raw baby sunburgers and finishing off with raw cheesecake and almond pralines, all washed down with organic cava. It was a filling yet energising meal.

Over dinner one of the collective of DJs, leaned over and reminded me of the meal I’d made for him on his last visit (yep, it was vegan and pretty ‘raw’). He said he had felt inspired to search the web for more healthy recipes. His new favourite being Kale and Quinoa salad with maple syrup and cranberry dressing. It sounded great, but the best bit was his description of how much better he felt after eating all that yummy goodness and the delight and appreciation his ‘lady’ showed upon being served it. He promised to send me the recipe and here is the link:

http://www.thefirstmess.com/2013/09/12/the-everyday-superfood-salad/

All the men at the table would be taking it in turns to play my favourite music in one of the most atmospheric places on Ibiza – the Freddy Mercury Suite at Pikes Hotel! That is apart from Brett, wearing the drinks band for our rider. With humour and grace he acted as ‘compere’ and waiter!

On Pike’s Hotel a quote from The White Island Book by Stephen Armstrong (Bantam Press);

“In reception photos of the fabulous festooned the walls: Freddy Mercury, Kylie, Sade, Naomi Campbell, Jon Bon Jovi, Grace Jones, Van Damme – all in family album holiday snap poses, grinning by the pool, or in the bar. In one corner there was a young George Michael. Tanned and topless, sharing a joke with a man sporting a huge moustache (the hotels owner).

Tony Pike is probably the closest thing to royalty Ibiza has. It was his hotels ability to entertain that kept the rich and famous coming to the island after Sandy’s acting set had fled. Pike himself arrived on Ibiza in 1978 after a nineteen year adventure that involved shipwrecks, bobsleigh accidents, military service, hard dinking and three marriages.”

Having put down roots for the first time in his life. He proceeded to build a hotel out of a derelict old finca (farmhouse). He designed it himself, with the help of his wife and the locals.

“When Pike’s Hotel was just about ready to open, the goddess (Tanit ancient love goddess of Ibiza) must have smiled upon him. Pike’s first guest was an American by the name of Bo Palk – the managing director of MGM Studios. Palk was supposed to be with a house party near Santa Eulalia, but the house was full when he arrived and he needed somewhere to stay. And pronto. Pike’s wasn’t quite ready, but Palk showed up anyway. Tony was just finishing the bathroom when Palk checked in, so they asked him where he wanted his toilet.

Palk clearly knew a few people because the next thing Tony knew a guy called Andrew Napier Bell came out to his place scouting for a video shoot. Bell loved Tony’s hotel and decided to film the whole thing there. His band was an up and coming English duo called Wham! and the video was for their single ‘Club Tropicana’.”

The other most famous, of the many famous, regulars was of course Freddy Mercury, who first sang ‘Barcelona’ at Pike’s on his birthday, in his suite. Today Pike’s Hotel hosts a Freddy Mercury night on his birthday each year. Needless to say dressing up is obligatory!

Pike himself has retired now and the hotel is run by some of the old Manumission crew, who organise ‘Ibiza Rocks’.

We arrived just before midnight and were immediately enveloped in the atmosphere. The hot summer night and such a magical beautiful bohemian setting. After having snuck to the famous pool for look around and being shooed off as it was closed for a private party, I proceeded to dance like no-one was watching! The DJ ‘collective’ spun 6 hours of magnificent tunes, interspersed with a live set by up and coming artists from the UK (what a gig!), every moment and beat much appreciated by the eclectic audience.

In stark contrast to the huge mega clubs with the thousands of punters, we were treated to what felt like a private party with friends old and new. As if we had, indeed, stumbled across a happening whilst wandering around soaking up that very special magical feel of Ibiza (perhaps from Es Vedra 3^rd most magnetic place on Earth just off the southerly coast).

A good night out has to have many factors contributing to the whole. This one had the right tunes, vibe, décor, ambience and people.I had a grand time and certainly waved my hands in the air, thank you all who made it possible.