Gaucho Grill

Gaucho Grill Manchester, after attending earlier this year I was very impressed with the new refurbishment that has taken place.





Upon entering this opulent interior you are instantly made aware you are standing in a place of quality and attention to detail. With a warm greeting at the door you are taken through the impressive reception area to the main dining space, which is certainly no disappointment. The luxury continues from the soft, deep pile carpet to the designer hide print chairs which are everything you look for when it comes to comfort! Other great design features include the open kitchen layout which runs down one side of the restaurant allowing you to see the chefs at work, the large white church organ adding character and reminding us of the buildings former purpose (Methodist church) and the striking head to toe hide skin covered spiral stair case which carries the black and white theme through to the mezzanine level.



Aside from the stylish, theatrical interior, the service was second to none. We were introduced to our waiter who was extremely attentive and always wanting to please. Firstly he started of by bringing us the different ranges of steaks that they offer in their raw state. He then educated us about the different types of steaks, their particular flavor and texture and finally the best way to cook them. For example I had the rib eye steak which they offer in a number of sizes and I was told that it’s best to have it cooked medium to well done as this allows the fats running through it to melt, which improves the flavor and heightens the taste of the steak! Impressed? Well I certainly was! I had been introduced to a new dining experience where you don’t simply go to a restaurant to eat but to be educated in what you are eating!

We were more than satisfied with our mains and for desert decided to order cocktails. Our waiter asked us what flavors we like and advised us of what cocktails we might like. We took up his advice and went for a Mojhito and a Campaneros which was the perfect end to an amazing dining experience.

I would highly recommend going to this restaurant even though a little expensive I feel that the experience and the quality of food truly make it worth while.

Old v's New

Just the other day I was telling some friends about the beauty of old and I gave an example of a fishmongers in Borough Market, London. I didn't know the shop name but what I do remember was it's authenticity and refusal to change even though many of the original surrounding stalls and shops were shedding their old, traditional look and feel for a more modern and contemporary facelift.

My point was that with the recent rise in consumer trends towards organic, healthy and eco the more traditional shops were likely to benefit as consumers return to the 'local, independent green grocer' appeal.

The thing that I really loved about the fishmongers stall was that it had an old, gnarly wooden counter which was piled high with ice and many different types of fish. I didn't mind that the counter was crooked and leaked, in fact quite the opposite, it made the shop feel more authentic and like they were real fish experts. All in all a very authentic experience, a bit edgy and tired but cool all the same - in fact it reminded me some of the store in the gritty parts of west end of London.


(Above - A picture of the original store)

I returned to Borough Market and to my dismay they were just finishing a new fit out of the fishmongers - it's still a fishmongers but now it has a restaurant aspect and there is a brand new counter, all straight and leak-free! I must admit that the fishmongers looks great with it's new facelift and if i didn't know what it looked like previously I would be very impressed - but I miss the age and tradition of that counter and what it gave to the stall.


(Above - A picture of the new and improved store)

Sammi's first week

This is Sammi's first blog!

I started at The yard Creative just over two weeks ago and I have been busy helping with new projects which has been exciting.
I have been Practicing new drawing techniques as well as getting use to apple macs (which i have now been converted to!)
I have also learnt new skills for rendering on photoshop and working on In Design. I am really enjoying my time here and the team are all really nice and very helpful. I look forward to doing customer research outside the office next week that should be fun! I hope to add a design blog soon.

Houseboats

An alternative for someone who wants their home to be unique. No boat could ever be the same as their made from random scrap cars, caravans, washing machines and anything else you can think of probably. The closer you look the more strange things you see making up the shells of the houseboats. Along one small patch of Shoreham-by-sea harbor on the southcoast, they might not be modern but I think they're a piece of ingenious design.

Market or High Street?

Chalk Farm Market; it's name is deceptively rural and conjures up images in my head of prize winning veg, tractors and green fields.

Instead, a weave of narrow lanes lined with workshops and stalls are set back into the old canal horse stables like caves. Most of the buildings around the old stables were preserved 20 years ago and in places it feels like you're back in the 1970's when it was first set up as a market.

Walking through you come across random shops, one, a 'punk rock' shop, has been set up within the red brick arches of the old stables. It's decked out with strobe lighting, 'rave clothing' and mannequins with gills and 'Terminator'-like robotic arms! all accompanied by heavy trance music, it's like walking into another world.



Another gem you might stumble across, even if its only for the ornate carved stairwell, is the Gilgamesh restaurant. Every carving is different and tells the tale of Gilgamesh, a mythological Sumerian King. Actually everything is hand crafted, from the walls to the furniture, even the rubbish bin outside! It unfortunately wasn't open at 11am but I hear its definitely something to experience if only once.



As for what's on sale, everything has so much character and I'm sure I've seen half the dresses there on celebrities spotted around town. For a unique, cheap shopping experience or just an experience, its great.. and I don't think I'll be wading through hords of girls in Topshop again.

Gehry's Magic

The task was to go to an area in London where I haven't been before armed with £10 to find something interesting to buy. After wandering the streets for the best part of the day it ended in a relaxing manner seated underneath a Pavilion, which is the latest star studded 'Architectural' addition to pass through Hyde park. Yes this new Pavilion was commissioned by the Serpentine who "sets out to realise the architect's vision for the project as they conceived it." This whole process took six months from the initial invitation to the on site completion. As I have never been to the Serpentine Gallery before I was unaware that a famous architect/designer is invited every year to contribute. This year Hyde Park has been blessed with a bit of Frank Gehry magic. The American Architect in partnership with Arup have created a de-constructive style pavilion, which is for me an elaborate 'chaotic' statement, that provides visual interest and harmony with its immediate surroundings. The ambient but quiet mood nearly had me falling asleep on the massive sections of built up timber (Maybe because I've been walking around all day) and generally this is a great pit stop for an afternoon tea or coffee. Looking forward to next year already!!!

So, what did i spend my £10 allowance on to encapsulate my experience?

I decided to buy a small book from the Serpentine book shop for £8 and dropped the change in their donations box.

Overall, it was worth all the walking.

Peace

Nice Nest

Nest is a good website that has design style all in one place, so if your looking for indoor or outdoor - Vitra or Tom Dixon then Nest is a good place to start.

Here at The Yard, we'd love to have some Le Corbusier style in the office...perhaps one day!