Remakes

Tonight we're going to go for a theme of making over an original and (hopefully) making it better.

On the music front this means covers of originals which have maybe improved on the original artists' and on food, for some insane reason, we are making over the fish finger sandwich.  Which I don't think I have ever actually had.

For comparison, on music we will have the original tune and then the remake, and for our grub, the original Bird's Eye fish fingers with common or garden white bread and then the fancy do over.

Huzzah!

Fabulous!

My friend Neil died month and the funeral and wake was today.  I definitely don't want today's FridayDateNight to be a downer though, he was very fabulous and wonderfully gay.  So a lovely gay theme tonight!

I was out all day drinking Pinot with people who used to work with Neil on a contract and talking about the wonderful things he used to get up to.  Trish read out the fantastic text messages he would send; his mock horror at Primark, disaster of needing to go on the Northern line and, his classic - always turn left when boarding an aeroplane.

People were asked not to wear black and to wear yellow or something cheerful, as that was who he was.  Really incredible celebration and an amazing turn out.

Tonight, Neil, we have some food and music for you.

FONTastic Dinner Party

Sometimes we allow gatecrashers for our FridayDateNight - and tonight we have five!

Fonts are awesome - people who don't get fonts don't realise how much is altered by an inappropriate font (think CERN and their announcement in comic sans).  It's the voice of text.  I find typography a fascinating subject and yes, yes, I may be one of a select few who own font top trumps, a font game for the iPhone and the Helvetica film.

Combining fonts with food and music was challenging, but eventually really fun once I got my pun on.  I may have gone overboard because this is such an interesting subject for me, but I do have some guests to persuade so it's all for the greater good.

Inspector Spacetime

For those of you who haven't watched Community, you should, it's awesome.  As part of its many pop culture references it has a show within the show called Inspector Spacetime - a wonderful spoof of Doctor Who.

Tonight we are going to take a trip with the Inspector, and the question isn't where... it's when.

Food and music will be from across time and space.  Space may be a bit limited to the planet I am most familiar with though, but that's what the good Doctor went for too.

Once again she is cooking and I'm doing the music and filling in some blanks in the blog.

The Beautiful Game

I have just finished a short project at the Football League.  I, who have less than no interest in football have been chatting to many of the 86 clubs, helping them put together their new websites.  Websites, fun.  Football, a strange thing people get passionate about that I just don't get.

But I went in open minded and ended up enjoying the banter with the different clubs and their sport.  I know what a Gaffer is, two teams who are nicknamed "the Cherries" and I know the name of the Dagenham & Redbridge mascot.  This is all useful information.

I am even kinda proud of my pic with the cup, even though it's importance is a little beyond me.  I do, however, realise it's the most priceless thing I have been anywhere near (and touched, though I did get told off for that).

And I really do want to go and see a game, I guess I am supporting Reading for the usefulness of locality.  Plus their colours of blue and white suit me if I were to dress for the occasion, which I am sure I would ;-)

I am doing the food today as I have the whole day to myself and have been gagging to get my cooking vibe on.  I have even been slightly ambitious as I have a bunch of time to get it all together.  Let's just see how that pans out, haha.  It's not like I get totally stressed in the kitchen with new recipes.  And it's like one of them needs me to open a bottle of wine...

So with me cooking, that means he has to do the music, which is amusing as he likes football even less than me.

Olympic Flame

Tonight is the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics.  To say the Olympics have been everywhere, even if you don't have TV or interest in sport, is an understatement.  It's been exhausting.  Boris Johnson has been spouting from tube station tannoys, the newspapers bang on about it and everyone on Facebook is chatting about it, positively and negatively.  And now it's here.

Not sure what to expect for the opening ceremony, so a bit excited.

On the food front, he has run with "olympic flame" and gone with the theme of fiery foodstuffs.  Eeek!

The Chap

Are you a chap?  Or are you a lady with a parasol who swoons?  This week we will take a journey back to a better time.  An English time of chaps.

We attended the Chap Olympiad recently.  After a weekend of staying at the East India Club (ra!) and spending many hours pottering around Fortnums (double ra!), we went to the Sunday of this marvellous event.  In a private square (natch), we sampled Pimms and G&Ts (with a bite) whilst watching ridiculous games.

Tonight we will be harking back to that fun day, bringing some tunes together and nibbling on appropriate bits and pieces.  Pip pip.

We are shortly hoping to join the New Sheridan Club so that we can hang out with these awesome people born in the wrong decade.  It's also become very, very clear I need a wardrobe of beautiful 40s dresses.