Alcoholic Architecture: the walk-in cocktail

An IM exchange between top bloke tikichris and me yesterday afternoon:

(13:20:52) Chris: “vast breathable walk-in cocktail” tonight in soho at 7? i’ve got a +1
(13:24:42) Timinator: ooh
(13:24:44) Timinator: yes
(13:24:52) Chris: killer.
(13:25:09) Timinator: what the hell does “vast breathable walk-in cocktail” mean?

I soon found out that it was something called Alcoholic Architecture, an art/drink exhibit near Carnaby Street by Bompass & Parr (who, according to their website, “design bespoke jelly moulds and curate spectacular culinary events”). It’s a basement room that’s meant to represent being in a giant gin & tonic. The enclosed space you enter has a special industrial vaporiser that’s fed a 2:1 mixture of tonic and Hendricks gin; you actually wander around in a fog of booze, breathing it in, feeling the taste and tingling in your nose and mouth and lungs. On the walls are a giant straw and slice of lime. Over it all they play loud, unsettling music.

It’s profoundly weird and unique. But definitely fun too (though perhaps not for asthmatics). It was a bit wankery, as is the rebranding of this part of town as the “Newburgh Quarter“. But that just adds to the fun: what’s the point of living in an eclectic, arts-rich city if you’re not going to indulge in some pretensious tossery now and then?

They provide paper coveralls for those who don’t want their clothes infused with gin mist. You get to stay in for about 45 minutes or so, during which time they estimate you get the equivalent of a couple of drinks. They also sell drinks (G&T’s and beers) upstairs when you enter.

It’s only there for about a week or so. I think the tickets for it are all sold out, but if you get a chance go for it. Or if you’re around Carnaby Street in the evening stop by and see if they’ve got a no-show spot. It’s certainly one-of-a-kind.

tikichris’s pictures of our turn in the fog are here.

Afterwards we hit OpenSoho, yet another London social media gathering. It was our first time. It was very busy, quite eclectic, and I had more than a few conversations with people who were, by that point, well in their cups.

The nicest part of OpenSoho was that it was part-sponsored by compliment-engine ilikeucoz, who brought yummy cupcakes. Well, those, and the Marilyn lookalike.

EDIT:

• tikichris’s opinion of the gin fog
• We also met up with Dave at OpenSoho