lifeofyablon.com

by yablon | July 2, 2014

Matilda Temperley’s photography

Matilda Temperley in her garden

A couple of weeks ago Small and his broken arm accompanied me during what-should-have-been a games lesson to interview the photographer Matilda Temperley. Alice’s sister and a hugely talented lens-artist in her own right, we sat in her garden and chatted about those awful Somerset floods, changing career (she was deep into tropical infectious diseases before switching to photography) and how easy it is to work with family (she shoots all of the Temperley shows).

Matilda shows me a draft of her book

Clearly passionate about being a little provocative (the floods became pretty political), she also is known for her stylised portraiture of marginalised societies.

Dancer – available for purchase at Lumitrix

I must admit that initially I was quite intimidated snapping away at a photographer … but pretty quickly became so absorbed in her stunning work. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of her book UNDER THE SURFACE – SOMERSET FLOODS – out on 8^th July.

what did you snap on your iPhone today? A boyfriend asleep and my to-do list

Thoughts on Instagram? Brilliant fast inspiration for a visual world.

Describe your artist style? Constantly evolving – I hope.

And your fashion style? A bit lazy and very practical. Never any high heels.

Why photography? I love the process, the immediacy and the flexibility

What do you shoot on? Canon 5D mark 3s and a Mamiya 7II, and a Nikon F series

How many lens/cameras do you have? 5 cameras and about 10 lenses but always in a state of flux

Do you draw? I used to draw but now never.

The shows are stressful, how do you mix family and work? So far I have left having kids to my sisters so that’s not an issue for me. During the shows I usually just do a couple of events. Temperley obviously and one or two more. I would never go show to show as a photographer as it’s far too stressful.

Do YOU like being photographed? I hate being photographed generally. I think most photographers do.

If you could shoot anyone in the world, who would you choose? That’s a very hard question. As a photographer you have the very great luxury of being able to choose what you want to see. I am hoping to do some work in the Amazon on indigenous land rights – that will be a dream both in terms of subjects and location.

What hangs on your walls? I mostly have images propped against my walls but at the moment I have a big African portrait.

Holiday snaps? I take very few and turn off.

some of Matilda’s photography can be purchased on Lumitrix and her book is available here.

African Boy – £50 from Lumitrix

7 decades of electric guitar at Wilton’s music hall

Last night, while the rest of the world was glued to Brazil battling it out against Chile, He and I headed to the East End for an education in live guitar playing.

And there, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, we found the most beautiful and elegant (in a very old, crumbling way) Victorian music hall. Wilton’s is, in fact, the world’s oldest surviving music hall and a bit of a hidden delight.

As we headed into the bar to meet the orchestrators of our evening, immediately this venue blew me away – everything felt earthy, shabbily chic and brilliantly mismatched.

You can almost feel the mid-19^th century in the exposed brickwork as you step inside the Mahogany Bar pub. A public house since 1725, it’s said that visiting sailors (who had never even heard of St. Paul’s Cathedral) knew exactly where to find this bar. And once here, boy did they drink!

Anyway, we quickly ordered our pints of beers, crisps and dry roasted peanuts before the bell rang.

A bit of background here, as (after a beer) it seemed a little complicated! Lucy Juicy (and her Mr L)’s son learns the guitar with Mike Ross – the key performer of last night’s entertainment and Lucy’s ex is Phil Hylander who directed the show while also co-writing it with Mike. Anyway, He and I were Juicy’s guests… and had no idea just what a treat we were in for. (hence the fact all these pics were taken on my phone as no big camera with me on a Saturday night!)

Juicy & her Ex

just look at all those vintage guitars…centre stage…

The show itself was called ‘Song and Stories’. In a nutshell, an unpolished narrative of 7 decades of guitar music. Informal, intimate and mostly spontaneous, it turned out to be a rockin’ evening.

Growing up (almost) sharing a room with my brother, a keen guitarist, I recognised much of the Muddy Waters, Buddy Holly and Led Zeppelin but loved the even more familiar U2, Radiohead, The Smiths and Manic Street Preachers tunes. The audience (of no more than 150) learnt much of the four iconic guitars as Ross talked us through the different models, explaining how they had contributed to their eras.

Ross rocking the stage

Alongside Ross were three gifted musicians who, together with some complementary cinematography, told us the story of the Fender Telecaster, the Gibson Les Paul, the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson ES 335 and as we marveled at how little they have changed over the years.

After our musical treat, walking back down Graces Alley away from Wilton’s Music Hall, I felt a little smitten with my latest discovery of one of London’s oldest treasures…

1 Comment

Filed under friends, music

by yablon | June 28, 2014

Beef Geek at Flat Iron

On Father’s Day He was allowed to chose our lunch venue… I could have sworn He came over quite giddy with the sudden freedom of choice. Anyway, quick as a flash, the boy contingent in this house looked at each other and shouted: FLAT IRON. Mini and I rolled our eyes in agreement and that was that.

It wasn’t that we didn’t want to go. That would be plain ludicrous, never having even tried it. No, we just hear an awful lot about this restaurant and their boys-trips there. Given half the chance, they hop on the tube sniffing out those slabs of beef.

So off we trooped to Beak Street that Fathering Sunday. Without a booking, as that’s the way it rolls at Flat Iron.

popcorn while you order… nice touch, Charlie!

Founded by a Cambridge graduate and ex-Wahaca adviser, Charlie Carroll is on a mission to make the best, most affordable steak in town accessible to meat eaters.

Charlie claims that the flat iron cut has been “massively overlooked in the past” and I have to say, after my ridiculously delicious red-meat-fest I have to (begrudgingly) agree with my boys. This is, without doubt, a better alternative to those frenchies at Entrecôte.

During our meal, the waitress let on that there is soon to be a 2nd Flat Iron on Denmark Street. I tracked down the main meat man to find out more…

when does Denmark St open and how many will it seat? early July and it will seat around 60

will it be any different from the Beak St offering? a little, but focus still on amazing steak at great price

where did the idea first come from? I love good steak and wanted to be able to offer everyone the chance to try it without having to break the bank.

would you ever open in an airport? (question from the 8 & 9 yr old at the table!) Doubt it…

what on earth is in that dessert?! Top secret…

did you ever eat at Entrecôte before you opened Flat Iron? Yeah, I like that place and was encouraged by how popular it is

where do you eat when you don’t fancy meat? I’ll let you know when it happens…

what is the long term Flat Iron goal? Amazing steak for everyone

a broken arm won't ever get in the way of food

a broken arm won’t ever get in the way of good food

what would you say to a vegetarian? I’m not vegetarianist, some of my best friends are vegetarian… (I have converted 6 vegetarians thus far though…)

who is going to win the world cup? Brazil

where would your last meal be? Somewhere warm on a terrace with a view… Quattro Gigli in Tuscany perhaps

which is the best meat you have EVER tasted? Assuming you mean beef, some raised by my farmer Charles up in Yorkshire, or possibly a steak I had recently at Julian de Tolosa in Spain…

Flat Iron 17 Beak Street W1

Pizzeria Yabloni in collaboration with Homebase

The conversation went a little like this:

‘Homebase would love you to cook something using their great selection of baking equipment.’

‘I’m not sure you’ve chosen the right blogger for that task’

‘But it can be anything you like. Just cook. Anything.’

‘Oh ok.’

PANIC. GOOGLE. MORE PANIC.

And then, just as I was doing my Ocado order, I saw something which I knew would be effortless, foolproof and perhaps even delicious. You see, Northern Dough Company sell perfect pizza dough with all the hard work done. All I had to do was roll out and top. Into the basket went: grated mozzarella, fresh mozzarella balls, olives, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and Dayleford organic passata.

Together with Homebase’s Prestige pizza tray and cutter, I was set.

Her’s: pre cook

With Small fingers in every bowl, we made 2 12inch (roughly) pizzas. Her’s was margarita-esque. His had to be different.

Prestige pizza cutter from Homebase

Popped into a stonkingly hot oven for 10 minutes, Pizzeria Yabloni served some pretty happy little customers that evening. Ones which I know for sure will be back for more.

This post was written in collaboration with Homebase.

lifeofyablon.com

Matilda Temperley’s photography

7 decades of electric guitar at Wilton’s music hall

Beef Geek at Flat Iron

Pizzeria Yabloni in collaboration with Homebase

Subscribe for Life of Yablon

Instagram

Recent Posts

Categories

Twitter

Recent Comments