Every month, I write about three things I really liked (and sometimes a Super Favourite), as a way to reflect upon the good things.
January, as most of you probably noticed, was the month that never seemed to end. I could swear there were 174 days between the 1st and the 31st of January. So many things happened that it barely makes any sense at all that they all took place during the same month.
Jon and I spent New Year’s Eve in Cardiff, then went on to Swansea with a pit stop in Deal on our way home, so don’t be surprised if this month’s Favourites have a bit of a Welsh flavour.
♥ Super favourite: Typh Barrow’s Showcase
In Belgium, there’s this classic rock radio called Classic 21 to which I listen all the time, and I am a bit ashamed when I think of all the stuff I’ve won in their contests and raffles over the years. That being said, I regret nothing, especially not Typh Barrow‘s showcase. I won two tickets fair and square, and so Jon and I were among the 250 lucky guests to the presentation of her new album, Aloha at the end of January.
Now I hear you, you’ve probably never heard of Typh Barrow. And here lies the real shame, if you want my opinion — except not really, because she’s a Belgian singer, and we’re a tiny nation with not much cultural influence outside of our vastly overlooked territory. But you should definitely listen to Typh Barrow, because with her sensitivity, her unique voice and her haunting compositions, she’s the next big thing (you’ve heard it here first). If you don’t fall in love with her on the spot, then I don’t know what to tell you.
The showcase lasted for about two hours of pure emotion (I cried about nine times, she cried about six times) and it culminated with the surprise appearance of Gulaan, a Kanak singer with whom she recorded two of the songs on the new album. It was pure magic. Afterwards, she gave an interview in front of the audience and signed tons of copies of her album. She complimented me on my necklace because that’s how I roll; when I meet a rock star, they compliment me.
➤ Bar: The Dead Canary (Cardiff)
I love a good speakeasy. Except we don’t really have speakeasies in Europe because we didn’t have the prohibition. Instead, we have bars that are impossible to find and on whose door you have to knock in order to be let in (provided the person behind the door likes your face). But still, I love a good speakeasy. So when I was made aware of The Dead Canary in Cardiff, I booked a table for two and counted down the days.
The Dead Canary is a lovely affair. The decor is a curious mix of Welsh industrial heritage and 1920s mob bar. The menu is not so much a menu as it is a children’s book that narrates the story of how the Canary died (spoiler alert: you’ll never know) with cocktails on every other page, and let me tell you this: if you think that the place is bonkers, then you’re perfectly right. The people in charge of creating the cocktails apparently were given total freedom and they let their creativity roam free. For instance, I had an asparagus-based cocktail of which I still think twice a day.
Next time you’re in Cardiff, you definitely need to pay a visit to The Dead Canary. You won’t regret it. And no, I won’t tell you how to find it; the confusion is part of the fun.
➤ Restaurant: Morgans (Swansea)
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t spend all my time drinking cocktails in fancy bars, so I also needed to tell you about… a fancy restaurant (though I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have pre-dinner drinks at the bar beforehand).
If you’ve ever been in Swansea (Wales), you’ve probably noticed the castle-like hotel at the entrance of the city: Morgans (don’t think the absence of apostrophe doesn’t bother me, because it does, but it’s a family name in its own right). On top of being a fairly nice hotel, or so I’m told, it also has a restaurant which I’ve wanted to try ever since I first set foot in Swansea. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures because the company was lovely and when you only see the Davies family once a year, the least you can do is give them your undivided attention.
Still, I need to tell you about the food, which is earthy, uncomplicated, fresh and generally delicious. Whatever you eat, don’t miss the apple crumble Eton mess for dessert. If you can, book a table at the Atrium, which is a glass-roofed room, for a unique dinner experience under the stars (if it isn’t too cloudy, that is).
➤ Style: Peaky Blinders’ Aunt Pol
I don’t know about you lot, but as far as I am concerned, I am only catching up with the fifth season of Peaky Blinders and I’m already in love with every piece of clothing I’ve seen on Polly Gray aka Aunt Pol (aka the Mother of All Badasses) played by Helen McCrory. The credits of the Costume & Wardrobe team read like a catalogue of all the TV shows with clothes I’d love to wear: Jade McNaughton (Game of Thrones, Outlander), Jane O’Donnell (Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Penny Dreadful), and Rachel Nott (Winchester, Glitch, Gallipoli). Exhibits 1-5:
Seeing that I happen to own a green velvet dress, long coats and a collection of faux-fur collars, don’t be surprised if you catch me entering rooms as if it was the 29th of October 1929 and I had exactly zero f*cks left to give.
