Tuesday 4 September 2012

Kate`s Kitchen at The Cat`s Meow

We are really pleased that Kate and her team are joining us at The Cat`s Meow.


Since 2007, Kate's Kitchen has been putting flavour into formal and fun occasions at both commercial and private events.They are Bristol’s preferred event caterer for business, corporate events and celebrations of all shapes and sizes.  As a team, they share a passion for preparing top quality food in their own kitchen. Using local and seasonal ingredients as much as they can, they are constantly coming up with new dishes and ideas.

It all comes together in their tasty, freshly prepared, home-cooked menus suited to every possible occasion.


We can`t wait to see how Kate will interpret the 1920s but you can be sure it will be  fresh, seasonal food at Kate`s Kitchen Pop Up at The Cat`s Meow
 

Thursday 23 August 2012

Afternoon Tea Party in a Bristol Boathouse 15.9.12

The Benjamin Perry Boathouse is located on Phoenix Wharf on the opposite side of the harbour to Riverstation. Walk or drive on the cobblestones past The Ostrich Inn and you will see it at the end of the wharf.


On Saturday 15th September we are hosting an afternoon tea party on the top floor overlooking the harbour. There will be fresh and dainty sandwiches, scones with lashings of jam and cream, cake and gallons of tea. We will be cranking up the gramophone with some vintage tunes.


We will be holding a raffle to raise funds for our chosen charity The Carers Trust and you may win a couple of tickets for The Cat`s Meow. You can buy tickets on line at http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/5463/chk/8874 



The Carny Villains at The Cat`s Meow

The Carny Villains are a 6 piece circus show band playing stomping swing and ska all rolled out live and kicking with the riotous energy of punk rock. Formed to be the house band with The Invisible Circus they have gone on to storm stages across Europe from festivals such as Fusion and Glastonbury to their namesake Carny Ville in Bristol. They can tear it up with a raucous live gig, create music for theatre and circus or perform as live musical installations under just about any disguise you care to think of.
         


Friday 17 August 2012

The Bees Knees

The Bees Knees - London's Finest Flappers


We saw The Bees Knees perform at Molly's bar at Womad this year and we are thrilled to say they have joined the line-up at The Cat's Meow.
The Bees Knees kick the 1920's into the thoroughly modern day with high-energy Charleston dance, full of humour, style and wit.



 Not only do they perform but they also teach and DJ too.


They might  teach us a few steps at The Black Cat Cafe Tea dance.

Featuring performers from The Invisible Circus



We are so pleased to say that some of the performers from The Invisible Circus will feature on the line-up at The Cat's Meow Emporium and Kabaret. Our event is inclusive and this fits with the ethos of The Invisible Circus and their stance on community involvement.

The Invisible Circus produce unique circus theatre experiences in a wide variety of unusual locations, from circus big tops and traditional theatres to site specific and promenade performances in disused industrial and historical buildings.


Based in the UK since 2002 the company draws much from its decade of travelling as a street performance troupe in the 90`s exploring Europe's rich performance culture and traditions, working in arts and street festivals, carnivals and creation spaces.

This community emphasis has continued as the company has developed attracting more and more creative energy as it evolves, drawing a diverse range of visual artists, performers, actors, directors, dancers, film makers, choreographers, musicians and technicians to its productions.


We are not going to tell you exactly what they will be doing - you'll just have to come along and see for yourselves.

Thursday 16 August 2012

IBIS BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS HOTEL

The Ibis has very kindly offered a reduced rate of £62.00 if you are going to The Cat's Meow Emporium and Kabaret.

This offer will be available until 1st October 2012.


Please book directly with Marion Etienne - email: h6593-sl@accor.com

Ibis Bristol Temple Meads
Avon Street
Bristol  BS2 0PS


Wednesday 8 August 2012

Chocolate Delores


THE AMAZING CHOCOLATE DELORES



Lizzie Melling aka Chocolate Delores makes the most luscious chocolate cakes; they melt in your mouth and there is often a little after kick of something alcoholic! So that is the taste............but she has turned cake making in to an art form, amazing structures made with pure organic chocolate and beautifully decorated.

Lizzie began her craft at the tender age of 10 learning from her mum in the family home. She has worked as the chief designer and chocolatier at one of Britains leading Organic Chocolate Cake companies but now she has her own company Chocolate Delores the words evoke a pavlovian response.........These are designer cakes, chic, unique . and visually stunning.

Lizzie will be selling wonderful,chocolatey things at The Cat`s Meow perfect for Christmas presents, and you might just see one of her cakes at The Black Cat Cafe.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

The Wilde Bunch


The Wilde Bunch flowers are indulgent but affordable, passionate but practical, unique but accessible and oh so wild, sweet scented and
beautiful. Claire trained with and worked for the Royal Horticultural Society. She is adamant you must learn the rules before you can break them and has also trained with international florists in Holland and the UK.
Just as there is no regimented order in nature there is a refreshing wildness to The Wilde Bunch style. We have asked Claire to create a floral display for The Cat`s Meow at The Passenger Shed at Brunel`s Old Station and we can`t wait to see what she will do but she says there is a clue in the name of our chosen venue. Beyond our wildest
dreams?

website: http://www.thewildebunch.co.uk

email: thewildebunch@sky.com

telephone: 07966 183530

Claire Nicholson from The Wilde Bunch






Monday 2 July 2012

The Goodness of Rachel Goodchild!

We've been very remiss in that we haven't yet sung the praises of our blog designer, the absolutely amazing Rachel Goodchild, so we're going to make up for that now by telling you all about this fabulous lady!

When we first approached Rachel, instead of laughing us out of the room, she was full of encouragement and incredible ideas.  Rachel has an amazing eye and, having chatted to us, went away and came back with the fabulous design you're now looking at.  She has endless enthusiasm and works tirelessly to make the blog the best it can possibly be, constantly coming up with ideas we hadn't thought of and firing us up to be ever more imaginative!


Not only is she the 'go to girl' if you want a blog designed, she can create bespoke wedding blogs and also designs the most gorgeous stationery. Her workshop is a dream with colour co-ordinated paper, pens, gift wrap, gift boxes and notebooks all immaculately displayed - we could spend hours there!  Her gift wrap designs have been featured in The Sunday Times Style Magazine, Homes and Antiques Magazine, and Country Living Magazine, The Telegraph, Country Homes and Interiors, as well as The Pattern Sourcebook by Drusilla Cole.

Rachel also writes a beautiful design blog featuring all the latest in design, as well as offering a very clever e-card service, which I find invaluable! On top of all this, Rachel runs the annual Christmas at the Orangery Fair, which is a Bristol tradition - is there no end to this lady's creativity? Speaking of which, she is married to William Goodchild, the talented musician/composer, whose music is featured on our teaser video.

Working with Rachel is an absolute pleasure - You get a clear sense of her intelligence when you share your ideas and she just 'gets it', runs with it and takes you to another level. But she's also great fun and this shines through in her work. We are so grateful to her for making the blog happen and we're thrilled that she'll be joining us with a stand at the event where you can buy some of her beautiful goods, which will make perfect Christmas presents.



Rachel's website, HERE.
Rachel's Design Portfolio of Projects, HERE.
Rachel's Design Blog, HERE.

Have you heard?


the cat's meow emporium and kabaret
(Cat`s Meow - 1920s slang for someone or something wonderful or remarkable.)

The Cat`s Meow Emporium and Kabaret is the first major Bristol event to be organized by Jezebel Events. It will be held at the historic Passenger Shed at Brunel`s Old Station, Bristol on 17th November 2012 from 12 midday with doors closing at 12 midnight, and is a celebration of the 1920s/Prohibition era via music, performance, art, fashion, food and shopping.

We’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing people on the event and the result will be a spectacular feast for all the senses!

Once inside the building, you will be swept back to the Roaring Twenties with vintage music and a shopping ‘village’ selling clothes, period home ware and unique Christmas presents. Or you could have a 20’s makeover, lounge in the Opium Den chill-out area or join in with the tea dance. We encourage everyone to dress 20’s or 30’s style or just come as you are and soak up the atmosphere.

There will be live performances throughout the day, which will become more exotic as the night draws in.

Attractions will include the Black Cat Café and the Prohibition Bar, the vintage Shopping Emporium; Shangahi Sam’s Opium Den; a Photo Booth, a hair & make-up Boudoir; live performances and lots of exciting surprises.

The Black Cat Café, serving luscious afternoon tea and cake will host a tea dance during the afternoon, with vintage music and lessons in Charleston & other period dances. In the evening the Café will transform into The Black Cat Cocktail Bar – elegant, sophisticated and glamorous.

The Prohibition Bar will be serving forbidden hooch and ales under cover from the beat police.

Shanghai Sam`s Opium Den will provide an area where you can take the weight off your feet kick off your shoes and rest while watching your favourite silent movies.

You may want to visit The Boudoir to have your hair and makeup done 1920s style and emerge as a Hollywood star for the evening’s entertainment. Or try out the photo booth for some alternative images for your Christmas cards this year.

The Emporium will kick start your Christmas shopping and all purchases can be stored in the cloakroom until the end of the event. Take the opportunity to buy something chic and unique for that special someone, or a few unusual stocking fillers, or even an outfit to change into for the evening.

The afternoon will appeal to families too and we will provide crèche facilities so you can enjoy your shopping while your children play. There will be a few surprises for children but these will be TOP SECRET until the actual day. Children are welcome at the event until 6pm, after which the evening becomes more risqué.

The Cat’s Meow Emporium & Kabaret will appeal to all age groups from the very young to those with experience of the original tea dances and we hope to be able to offer some exciting hotel deals for anyone wanting to make a weekend of it!

We’ll be posting up more details very soon so do watch this space!

Sunday 1 July 2012

the london chinatown dolls


We’re delighted that The London Chinatown Dolls will be performing for us!  Led by American-born Miss Amelia Kallman and her partner, Bristol’s own Norman Gosney, the Dolls make magic on a nightly basis and on November 17th, they’ll be producing that magic in Bristol.

Miss Amelia is a talented performer, writer, and director and in 2004, she and Norman Gosney (an acclaimed nightspot designer and producer of nouveau cabaret burlesque events) opened a notorious and now legendary speakeasy, dazzling an exclusive, bohemian and celebrity cliental with such shows as ‘Guilty Pleasures’ and ‘The Blushing Diamond Revue.’ In 2007 they moved to Shanghai, China where they opened the first burlesque nightclub in Asia, the award winning ‘Gosney & Kallman’s CHINATOWN.’ They led their talented ensemble troupe, performing shows in Hong Kong, Borneo and Malaysia (the first show of it’s kind in a Muslim country).  Miss Amelia’s memoir on their Asian adventure, titled ‘Diary of a Shanghai Showgirl’ is due for publication in Spring 2013.

What can you expect on the night?  Well Miss Amelia is an acclaimed showgirl comedian who’ll be leading The London Chinatown Dolls, the chorus line regularly featured in their new groundbreaking London show, “When Worlds Collide”.  There’ll be four big production numbers across the evening, including a performance of a brand new 1920s number, specifically made for this event!  All the costumes are specially designed and made by Miss Amelia herself and joining her on stage, on the night, will be Miss Miranda, Kitten von Strumpet, Hotcake Kitty and Emerald Fontaine.  

We can’t wait to see them perform and we’re thrilled that they’re bringing their skills and love of nightlife entertainment to Bristol. Till then, you can find out more on their website, follow Miss Amelia on Twitter and check out a review or two, to whet your appetite:




Twitter: @AmeliaKallman
chinatown dolls tumblr page: here
chinatown dolls facebook page: here

art

Tamara de Lempicka  was born in Warsaw to a wealthy and prominent family . . She attended boarding school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and spent the winter of 1911 with her grandmother in Italy and on the French Riviera, where she was treated to her first taste of the Great Masters of Italian painting.
She had to flee Russia during the revolution and finally settled in Paris. During the Roaring 20s Paris, Tamara de Lempicka was part of the bohemian life: she knew Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and André Gide. Famous for her libido, she was bisexual, and her affairs with both men and women were carried out in ways that were scandalous at the time.
Her distinctive and bold artistic style developed quickly (influenced by "soft cubism" and by "synthetic cubism") and epitomized the cool yet sensual side of the Art Deco movement



 



George Barbier was one of the great French illustrators of the early 20th century. Born in Nantes, France on October 10, 1882, Barbier was 29 years old when he mounted his first exhibition in 1911 and was subsequently swept to the forefront of his profession with commissions to design theatre and ballet costumes, to illustrate books, and to produce haute couture fashion illustrations.. In the mid 1920s he worked with Erté to design sets and costumes for the Folies Bergère.

   

  


Erté Romain de Tirtoff was a Russian-born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté, the French pronunciation of his initials, R.T. He was a diversely talented 20th-century artist and designer who flourished in an array of fields, including fashion, jewellery, graphic arts, costume and set design for film, theatre, and opera, and interior decor.
Erte designed over 200 covers for Harper's Bazaar but he is perhaps most famous for his elegant fashion designs which capture the art deco period in which he worked.


   

   


Pierre Brissaud was a French Art Deco illustrator, painter, and engraver. He was born in Paris and trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and Atelier Fernand  Cormon in Montmartre, Paris.
Brissaud is known for his pochoir (stencil) prints for the fashion magazine Gazette du Bon Ton published by Lucien Vogel, Paris. Many of his illustrations are realistic leisure scenes of the well-to-do.


   


   

dance

The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. Developed by Kathryn Wilson, the Charleston became a popular dance craze in the wider international community during the 1920s. Despite its origins, the Charleston is most frequently associated with white flappers and the speakeasy. Here, these young women would dance alone or together as a way of mocking the "drys," or citizens who supported the Prohibition amendment, as the Charleston was then considered quite immoral and provocative.


   






Black Bottom refers to a dance which became popular in the 1920s, during the period known as the Flapper era. The dance originated in New Orleans in the 1900s (decade). The theatrical show Dinah brought the Black Bottom dance to New York in 1924, and the George White's Scandals featured it at the Apollo Theater in Harlem 1926 through to 1927. The dance became a sensation and ended up overtaking the popularity of the Charleston, eventually becoming the number one social dance.



The Shim Sham Shimmy, Shim Sham or just Sham originally is a particular tap dance routine. The Shim Shim is 10 phrases of choreography (each phrase lasting four 8-counts).
In the late 1920s and the 1930s, at the end of many performances, all of the musicians, singers, and dancers would get together on stage and do one last routine: the Shim Sham Shimmy. Tap dancers would perform technical variations, while singers and musicians would shuffle along as they were able.





The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. The Follies were lavish revues, something between later Broadway shows and a more elaborate high class Vaudeville variety show. Inspired by the Folies Bergeres of Paris, the Ziegfld Follies were conceived by Florenz Ziegfeld.