So I’m back from Vegas, with a new hobby, semi-auto guns and burgers. Im still dreaming about firing that MK5 and eating the Peppermill special burger served on toasted sourdough rather than a burger bun. A fantastic part of old Vegas, a purple neon lit diner, filled with fake plastic cherry trees in full blossom. On the other table was a wedding party! Anyway, Im back and won’t be going back till August unfortunately, whilst I was away I missed Sausage Days, Im gutted but at least this weekend i’ll pop down to Taylor and Jones and pick up some Saucise Riche to try at home. I saw this Monty Python inspired Gatorade commercial, which was funny event though the drink is nasty. Oh and you know I love Squirrels, well this man takes it too far ‘Man attacks wife with 6 frozen Squirrels‘. We just moved office this week to round the corner from Nitty Gritty, and am now in desperate need of recommendations for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the near vicinity! Tips please people!! and in return check out this Finnish music duo I just discovered.

So, Vegas, it has been a rather rough week, we’ve been working like crazy (Las Vegas time) at Magic and Project and at the same time working back to Sweden, with 9 hrs difference its no mean feat. All the things you expect to do in Vegas, well we certainly have not done that so far. We are staying on the strip at THE Hotel, not ‘the hotel’ but THE Hotel. No idea why they came up with such a ridiculous name but, its Vegas! The normal rules do not exist, the view from the suite gives a great view of the helicopters taking off each morning for the grand canyon and the Luxor - a crazy black pyramid, which I love! Postmodernist architecture exhibit number 1. Its such a clash of time & styles its one of the seven post modern wonders of the world. (Does that list exist? if not I am copyrighting it now). Anyway food here is lagom, expensive and lagom but tonight we are checking out Alain Ducasse’s The Mix on the 64th floor, Im hoping its worth the money as instead of eating on the strip we’ve been trying out the local fast food and diners. Only on the west coast ‘In and Out Burger‘ is the best burger restaurant by far, real chips from potato and the double double is slowly going to kill you. Not as stylish (can you use that to describe a burger restaurant) as MAX but cheaper and better, less is more there’s only 3 meals on the menu. The Gram and Whyszeck guys joined me down there after a serious session at The Gun Store, there’s nothing like being offered a smorgasbord of semi and full automatic weapons to fire. It seems I certainly took out a couple of insurgents with the MK16 9mm and then the Chinese made Ak47 semi auto. Our instructor liked his job, was overly enthusiastic about shooting the ‘Haaadjis’, I wasn’t so enthusiastic about his use of the word but they guy was packing his own 9mm, no discussion there. Something to cheer the mood up, Food Fight. Last night we took the cab downtown away from the expensive and trendy strip to old Vegas, down to the Golden Nugget (My favorite ‘old casino’ so far), they have the worlds largest gold nugget and then dinner at the Bay Diner in the Golden Gate Casino. I loved the casino as this was where the ‘real’ people went, massive Hispanic dudes in all over ‘Everyday Im hustling’ T-shirts with ‘rhinestones, old ladies in velour tracksuits and men in cowboy hats. Dinner at the diner. 50’s style was authentic, Johan had a prime rib (an interesting beef cut, like a steak but softer, and surprisingly no rib in sight), I had the philly steak washed down with a Coca-Cola. As a final parting gesture I have to share with you a film by some finish friends ‘Karveri’ (Finnish for Mates).

So, “if you can sniff glue and execute people at the same time that means you a pure gangsta”, Im not, Im bored as hell. On the plane to Vegas, via Amsterdam and Minneapolis. Its quite possibly one of the longest flights I have ever had to undertake. That and all the paperwork, I filled out the online E-visa, does that make a difference with all the papers which need to be filled in on the plane? Of course not we are going to the states! Food on the plane, well, as ever nothing I would get excited about. The attendant offered us “Chicken or Pasta”, chicken or pasta what happens when they have beef or chicken pasta or? Anyway, I had the chicken, I debate if it had ever been alive at any point before it made my plastic tray. Instead of offering the usual muck on the plane couldn’t they offer us Cornish Pasties? I am really desperate for a pasty! Even a cold one, it doesn’t have to be heated up. Just like the coal miners we are in a cramped environment, its potentially dangerous and I won’t see daylight (real daylight) for a few hours. It’s a perfect airline food, coupled with some pickled onions and a piece of fruit pie, yes it would be a little heavy but tasty! ‘Smash your Pasty‘ by Buzzcocks is also keeping me entertained, if you can understand the lyrics well don’t complain if you are offended. Buzzcocks is possibly one of the best chav comedies I have seen in ages. Maurizio sent me a couple of his old videos he just uploaded to youtube, well worth checking out - C‘est La Vie (1987) and Don’t Ask me Why (1985)

So, Copenhagen, the highlights, or low-lights, depends how you look at them or surreal moments in no particular order: Man in a red puffa jacket being dragged along in a child wagon down Istegade, The most ‘ gay looking’ straight guy in Dunkel announcing to his ‘friends’ (one had a Keith Harring type dancing man shaved into the back of his head and a suit) and the bar that “is it just me or is this bar full of faggots”, a sign for a bread shop made from bread made into the letters of their name but it was rotting and falling apart - nasty.. Dinner with fun people at SAS Radisson, food was well, hotel-like, too expensive, reasonably cooked but ‘no love’ was put into it. Drinks over the day - Carlsberg with Elvine, Mai Thai at St Pektri, Heineken with Rodeo, Bud at Wood Wood and finally weird organic beer and the worst nail varnish remover tasting vodka at Dunkel. I think there are lots of images by Jonas of various activities here over the last couple of days. Stayed at the Astoria directly by the station, was worried it might be rubbish but actually it was ok better than the other sordid hotels I have stayed in nearby. As ever the Danish language gave us no end of amusement ‘en Kameloosa’ was uttered many times,”meaningless guttural sounds” check out the sketches on Uti Vår Hage on Norwegian TV a while ago - Part 1 - Part 2.

Some music to speed X2000 on its way back to Stockholm Ray Mang, Reverso 68, Yello, Gwen Guthrie and Dopplereffekt. Now time for Wiener Brod and coffee!

So, the wonder of traveling to Copenhagen for the fashion week is wearing thin. A seriously early train, a weak brewed coffee and a packaged sandwich is enough to dampen my spirits plus a deluge of work which needs to be done on the train whilst going backwards and tipping all over the place. Nauseous, even though the view from the train is a winter wonderland I dream of a decent lunch, of Vietnamese before I have to brave the trade shows which seem to yet again multiplied to include one more ‘Terminal 2′. I saw that a rather pregnant MIA, has interesting taste in cheese on her artist rider! Anyway, I digress, hopefully every show and friends I plan to see in CPH I will see within the next 24hrs and If I fail I apologize in advance. Oh and rumors have it Tesco’s in Bethnal Green is the place to see exciting new fashion, or people in exciting new fashion soon to be robbed.

So, just back from two days in Munich visiting the huge ISPO trade fair, meeting Burton and checking out Jonas’s forthcoming Red Flag fair. The venue for Red Flag is an old tram shed, which was suitably industrial but with facilities. We checked the venue out during the German GQ awards which was hilarious (see images on his blog)! So many random German brands winning the awards such as the award to Best New Comer ‘ Scapegoat’. We obviously rechristened the brand Skate goat and will be releasing our own range of hard goods and T-shirts this summer! ‘What better place to be than Germany when you have a sausage obsession! Went to a fantastic beer hall with Jonas and Johanna and had a serious ‘death by meat’ session (Not Johanna, as she doesn’t eat cute animals). Liver dumplings, in soup, suckling pig braised in dark beer with cabbage salad and dumpling. Jonas ordered a selection of sausage, the big red and smaller pork sausages with sauerkraut which we fantastically meaty and delicious as well as large glasses of local beer. Other than this great dinner, the rest of the eating has been disappointing, a huge bratwurst in a baguette at the trade show and dull airport sandwiches and coffee for insane prices. As ever i’m inspired by soups and I saw Hugh Fearney Whittingstall had some great soup recipes on the guardian site, so maybe this weekend i’ll give them a go. I noticed this week that Fredrik, as well as blogging pictures of his lunch and dinner has just made Hanna’s new video. Seems everyone has started a blog these days check out Stina’s blog at Elle. And finally as I am on a death by meat theme ‘ I’ll have the Lobster Thermador aux Crevettes in the Mournay sauce garnished with Truffle pate served in the Provencal style with fried egg on top and Spam! Copenhagen tomorrow, looking forward to LeLe.

So, parties parties parties is the theme of this post as last night there was a rather big party for +46 at Berns - The night could be summed up in 5 words hilarious, ridiculous, midget, wrong & right.
A quick thanks to everyone who made Friday night insanely funny and some links to Billie, Decida, Cali & Michaela. Ivar and Rob were around from Vice and tipped me off on these two free mixes Vice X Bloc Party by TopBillin and Bok Bok. Seems there’s been some other great parties taking place lately Elsa’s blog features her birthday party, with some great looking baked goods and pineapples as head-wear. Great to see restaurant critic Pelle sporting a jacket worthy of Iceberg Slim. Rodeo loaded up some images from the Hernandez Cornet event at Urban Outfitters last week. I met Emilia at J.Lindberg’s little event for fashion week and discovered her blog. Last night, also met Ben from The Hundreds, a brand we brought to the first BENEATH store, and one of their first stores in Europe, it feels like a long time ago we had a store but its great to see them doing well! I actually by accident rediscovered our Flkr feed. What to make for dinner tomorrow? Well one way to use up the leftover Kidney Beans I have in my cupboard.

So, Im just ‘loving’ Paris Hilton for getting the foul mouthed, talented but over exposed chef Gorden Ramsey confused with Gorden Brown,the poor prime minister of my confused, crumbling economic homeland - England. On a brighter note (pun intended) we have Food of the Gods. Some of my favorite producers all in one band, and a lot of beard action… a scientific romance.

So, Its been an interesting start to Stockholm Fashion Week as due to work I’ve been near to the shows but actually not in them. Interesting things were happening for us outside the shows rather than at them. Such is life the shows I saw were ‘Lagom’ there is no English translation for this word and so were the meals I ate this week in between meetings at the shows. I won’t even mention the venues I ate but to be honest ‘Lagom’ I needs some spectacular dinners again soon in my life. Next week sees trips to Munich and Copenhagen so I’m looking for good options. As ever when in CPH I end up having breakfast here once - Bang & Jensen and dinner or lunch at Le Le Nha Hang its my favorite Vietnamese. So much asian food in Stockholm is disappointing so I always look forward to Le Le.This time I will be using my mate Tomas’s site Unlike to find one other place to enjoy the fashion week on a full stomach.
Following on form my last post - I feel I need a new bed, and the Hamburger bed seems an interesting option. A final post on Stockholm Fashion Week, Anne-Sofie Back has created a special window for Riche’s lilla Baren which ties in with the slasher movie theme for her next collection.

So, this week passed so quick its unbelievable, Venetian Chefs at Teatergrillen Tuesday, Ylva & Jimmy for sausages Thursday and Max Burger with Erik and Rickard post Urban Outfitters Friday.
Today a beet-root soup is slowly bubbling away on the stove, I’m going to add soft goats cheese on top, with some sliced gerkins. Im working all day just trying to catch up on some additional work we decided to take on.
Next week is Stockholm Fashion Week so I’m sure i’ll go to a few shows most probably Carin Wester, Hope,and Whyred . Im interested in seeing what Behnaz has designed for Whyred this season. I might also drop past the Cover party at Lydmar (As I have so far failed to visit Lydmar to see if its any good). I read about the new east London bar East Room,sounds great, very east London. I love London’s drinking dens, Im sure I’ll drop past next time I am in town and make it out east.
This week has again involved lots of talk about sausage, my secret sausage project is coming to fruition and if it does what better way to advertise it than to get the royal family involved - Madelaine . I think this clip is funny and wrong on so many levels. Vedi (the faceless-side of Devi) put me onto it over a leisurely lunch at Publik followed by talk of cars made of cake and human organs made of bread. I’ve been intrigued about the ultimate Cheeseburger dance.
I’ve got this issue, not a big issue but what do I do with two packs of Ecological Quinoa I bought and have sat looking at for at least 3 months? This ‘wonder’ food is rather annoying as I just haven’t yet built any Quinoa based recipes into my mental reference cooking library. So I did look one up on the Waitrose (my favorite supermarket, Swedish Supermarkets are no where near them for quality, price and inspiration) site I’ll give it a go post fashion week.