All posts by TrendEngel

Groundhog Day – Old Vic and Tim Minchin Mean Magic

groundhog-dayThis is the hottest ticket in town. The musical version of Groundhog Day (yes, the flick with Bill Murray), with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, began previews at London’s Old Vic Theatre last week, Hard to imagine that the movie can be made in to a musical but let me assure you it can. TrendEngel had the chance to see the very first performance and it was fabulous. Standing ovation and happy faces all around. The musical at the Old Vic is a bit of a contradiction but this is not just fun but also intelligent and did I mention fun?

Tim Minchin and Andy Karl as Phil Connors. A match made in heaven.
Tim Minchin and Andy Karl as Phil Connors. A match made in heaven.

Hearts will melt and the songs of Tim Minchin, one of our favorite comedians and song writers will stay with you for a long time. It will soon be a cliche to say it: but this is a Groundhog Day you’ll be happy to relive time and again.

Bojack Horseman Underwater Episode

22-bojack-underwater.w1200.h630This is probably the best TV had to offer this year so far. Bojack Horseman attending a film festival under water. How genius is that. Enough said – just watch episode 4 of season 3 of this hilarious Netflix series. As a little taster here the trailer for season 3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VESKjoxAmZg

Big Thief – A Folk Rock Masterpiece

big-thiefOn the rangy folk-rock band Big Thief’s Saddle Creek debut Masterpiece, the songs sound cherry-picked over a lifetime of writing, the stories carefully compiled.
Singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker pens evocative scenes of people and places, while the band shifts nimbly between lo-fi acoustic and throwback rock hooks, keeping everything noisy and tuneful. They do not reinvent the form and they probably won’t be the band to break it, but Lenker has a striking voice and a way with turns of phrase—she is a clear star.
Masterpiece is the name of the album and yes it sure is. Big Thief are a band that will go far – not only with NPR listeners.

Food Ink – The World’s First real 3D Restaurant

image-2 imageWe are not really sure that this is what the world needs – but here we go: London again is one step ahead and has its first 3D restaurant – Food Ink in Shoreditch.
Food Ink is a one-of-a-kind gourmet experience in which all the food, all the utensils and all the furniture are completely produced through 3D-printing in an immersive futuristic space. We are a conceptual pop-up dinner series where fine cuisine meets art,
philosophy and tomorrow’s technologies.
This will be open for 3 days only in the beginning (July 25 – 27) but might stay longer. WTF…?

Vice Principals – Danny McBride is a Genius

vice_principals_s1_keyartWe love Danny McBride aka Kenny Powers. It was about time that he made his comeback. Eastbound and Down was one of the best comedies ever. Now we have Vice Principals. Pretty damn good as well. Dark in tone but light in premise, Vice Principals has Danny McBride’s unique brand of humor stamped all over it. Here he pairs magnificently with Walton Goggins, but despite the show’s title high school has very little to do with any of it. A workplace comedy with dark personal revelations along the way, this show features a character that could have easily been Eastbound and Down’s Kenny Powers – if the baseball star had never made it big. With its limited premise (and a limited episode/two-season commitment from McBride) the series draws laughs in the pilot thanks to quick banter and ridiculous situations. It’s a tone that carries through in subsequent installments, reminding us that sometimes it is fun to watch grown men act like children. At least for a little while.

Mensae – A New Star In Paris Is on The Rise

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You wouldn’t expect fine dining in Belleville – probably the coolest arrondissement in Paris. This is a long way away from the Eiffel Tower and the Place de La Concorde but worth every minute it takes you to get there.9f86fb_c1c83470d6a94bc4a7096b5750056e40.jpg_srz_1135_757_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz
Translating as ‘tables’ in Latin, Mensae is the debut opening from 23-year-old Kevin D’Andréa, who was a finalist on 2015 French TV competition ‘Top Chef’. With its trendy ceiling lights, wooden tables and white walls decorated with hanging saucepans, the décor doesn’t stand out, but the food – predominantly traditional French dishes with a modern twist – is very impressive. The kitchen specialises in sharing plates, such as frogs’ legs with garlic and parsley served in a saucepan, which is simple but perfectly done, or a comforting dish of pork cheeks cooked in a brilliantly potent stew and flanked by a side of creamy polenta.  Little Tipp: Go for lunch. For 20 Euros you get an amazing feast. 19th arrondissement – you rock.12552289_438318939711092_1994226198_n

Slither.io – Forget Pokemon Go

maxresdefault-d80a3Forget Pokemon Go. This is the one. Sometimes the simplest games prove to be the most addicting. For classic Snake fans (like me), Slither.io is a dream come true. This free multiplayer game is available on PC browsers and on both mobile platforms.

Be forewarned, this game is addicting as hell. Minutes can easily turn into an hour (or three) once your competitive streak kicks in. Although you can definitely see influences from both Snake and Agar.io, I like Slither.io a bit more than both. It opens up Snake’s self-competing structure to include additional players, and it is much more visually appealing. Of course you play against real opponents and the fun is endless. Go and download the app – now.