I thought it would be fun, calm, beautiful, unusual; it was. Multiplied by a number too big for me to count. Through the secret bookcase into the library of an eccentric, a wonderful host. Magic happens in there. Impossible to come out again unchanged.

What on earth happened? What? How? I woke up buzzing — under an immense speeding tumbling jumble of fun, confusion, questions, answers, experiences, a journey from the comfort of my seat through several layers of astral plane, eggs, cucumbers, fun, enlightenment, fear, joy, grotesque beauty, literary insight, roses, seagulls, silly fun, and incredibly intelligent toilet humour; I might be able to understand all of them separately, even as a monstrous group of friendly clowns. But each sensation was accompanied with healthy helpings of Hendrick’s — and they came so thick and fast I didn’t know what hit me.

I have ten more nights of this. I will come out of the other side one of two things: a superhuman, infinitely enriched, power coursing through my veins, able to shoot liquid bolts of clever theatrical comedy from my diamond eyes; or some new species of little shivering animal. Hopefully I’ll be cute, and my favourite cocktail bar will want to adopt me as a pet. Hopefully I won’t bite, except perhaps if anyone tries to stroke me while I’m asleep. The only cast-iron certainty are the very very odd dreams I’ll enjoy.

Whoosh! There is respite. We have a lovely team here (although I’m developing the odd notion that they’re actually robots built to make life even more unusual, so I’ll be careful around them from now on.) And one is always welcome to sit in the Library’s garden with a delicious Summer Punch, Pearculiar Gin Fizz, Brighton Buck, or other cocktails.

But then — the shows! There is only so much I can communicate here, because there is so much I can’t remember — so many ingredients I can’t quite place my finger (or tongue?) upon. I hope I can convey some of the essence of the experience; but as the only way to do that properly would be to take you by the hand and lead you through it yourself, my jumbled thoughts will have to suffice. Andiamo…

All afternoon we had a constant stream of budding authors, gingerly stepping into Damien Barr’s Author’s Den. The nervousness dripped off them like a tropical storm off palm fronds — but the faces coming out spoke volumes. (Geddit? Ugh.)

It’s fairly easy for me to blow my own trumpet, and that of Duncan McRae, our fantastic British Ambassador, so I will — A Genteel Tipple Through Gin and Literature went down like the best martini ever made at the end of the hardest working day.

Dr. Frankenstein’s Freakshow was — well, yes, it really was — electrifying. An enervating whirlwind. Senses pushed hard to the limit; much joy shining out from some fantastically twisted minds.

And here is where my notes get very confused. I know I came out of The Ogden Sisters buzzing with a new-found spiritual awareness, and clutching my laugh-weary ribs. I know they were mysterious and ridiculous and very very funny; I remember strange music and incredible sights. And a lovely hint of lewdity. But here’s what’s in my notebook:
“I am now above the gentleman with the ears”
“Oh hello the beyond”
“Wresting with the moon”
“Unisex washrooms”

See? As for The Charles Dickens Literary Cabaret, I can only say — more, more, more! Please, now! If you are concerned for the mental welfare of a poor susceptible suggestible Commander of Special Operations, I can only suggest you come to Jubilee Square in Brighton and for goodness’ sake don’t be too normal — it might be a shock to the system, like the freezing sea after a sauna. I’ll have to be acclimatised to life, bring me down gently…
There are still tickets. Engage your clicking finger and roll downhill all the way to the seaside!

We know the main function of The Unusual Times is to offer a glimpse of the fantastic, to carry your imaginative faculties far away from the quotidian humdrum, and to stretch your brain into unusual shapes. Yet, we always endeavor to make wild imagination reality, in a (perhaps old-fashioned) physical, many-dimensional, not-a-computer-screen manner wherever it makes sense, and quite often wherever it makes no sense at all.

It is in this spirit (and with a wagonload of the other, delicious rose-and-cucumber, spirit too, of course) that we approach the Brighton Fringe — yes,  the explosively illuminating Library of Delightfully Peculiar Writings is nearing erection this very Thursday — that’s TOMORROW — and ready to play host to a vast range of fine follies, and bring the Unusual “to life,” as it were…

We very much doubt any other educational establishment either serves the delightful Hendrick’s Gin or offers courses such as Major Jack Union’s Victorian Monster-Hunting Tea — in which you may hear, first-hand, from the lips of the legend himself, dashing tales of bounding after Bandersnatch, flying after Air Kraken or staking out Vampires, all over a very fine tea.

And we are highly privileged to welcome The Last Tuesday Society for an entire evening’s worth of extreme refinement, debauchery, magic, darkness, and light — Ian Kelly gives us dining, dandies, and decadence: sex, syphilis, and sugarcraft in regency Brighton, linking the careers of Beau Brummel and Antonin Carême, known as “King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings.” Then Gary Lachman, the original guitarist in Blondie and expert on the occult and mysticism, will make  the impact of Aleister Crowely (“The Great Beast” or even — “The wickedest man in the world”) on popular culture of the Twentieth Century. To cap it all off with a spectacular flourish, Mr. Lachman and friends form The Ragged Ragtime Band — and play an ethereal live accompaniment to The Magician, an incredibly rare screening of Rex Ingram’s silent film, based on the novel by Somerset Maugham, about a sinister Crowley-esque occultist.

Unless, of course, you are, like Huysmann’s Des Esseintes, so sensitive you prefer to travel in the comfort of your own home, I suggest you place a click HERE to purchase tickets for these and many other resoundingly stonking extravaganzas!

On this day in 1804 (only one year after the United States nearly doubled its size by purchasing the Louisiana territory from France,) a bevy of skilled men led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out from St. Louis, Missouri on the “Corps of Discovery” — the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific coast undertaken by the United States.

Joined soon after by one quite crucial woman — a translator and Lemhi Shoshone native by the name of Sacagawea — the group journeyed for over two years to (and from) the Pacific coast, charged with discovering and documenting geography, plant and animal life, and Indian culture as well as to chart a direct and practicable water communication across the continent.

Among the many new sights they witnessed, the men were some of the first European-Americans to lay their eyes on the Rocky Mountains. A sight that surely took their breaths away!

Today we toast to these most enterprising and adventurous spirits, as without them we would surely not have a gin a curious as Hendrick’s.

Yesterday we presented a question for the consideration of our fellow tipplers on Twitter: “What would you tweet to yourself, if you could send a tweet back five years?” And the response, my friends, as you surely thumbed through above, were quite considerable indeed.

With replies varying from, “Drink more gin,” to, “In exactly five years your book will be in the Top Ten Bestsellers in the Amazon Kindlestore!” The answered filled us with joy, sorrow, laughter, reflection, and, occasionally, with more gin.

Excited by the initial responses we received on Twitter, we’ve decided to offer the opportunity to respond to our contemplative quaffers (who may need a bit more than a hundred and forty characters) in the comments below. So, pour yourself some Hendrick’s and type a few words of wisdom to your five-year younger self!

Dearest quaffers,

First, a warning. If you are standing up, we humbly suggest you be seated before reading further. Similarly, we suggest you stand up if you are sitting down. Situated? Excellent.

And now, with the weekend a mere workday away, we’d like to introduce you to a most delicious, spring inspired libation combining our most unusual gin with fresh lemon and pineapple-sage from the savvy souls over at Passion 4 Eating. Without further ado…

Ingredients:
2 parts Hendrick’s Gin
1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 part pineapple-sage simple syrup*
lemon wedges for garnish

Preparation:
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake, and pour into a cocktail glass with ice. Garnish with lemon wedges.

*Pineapple-sage simple syrup:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup water
1-2 sprigs of pineapple-sage

Preparation:
Combine water and sugar in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil. When the sugar has completely melted, remove from heat, add the pineapple sage and let steep for half an hour. Strain and store in the refrigerator.

Yours,

Hendrick’s Gin

Good Day, dear ginophiles!

As we careen joyfully towards the Brighton Fringe Festival and a programme bursting with exploding desserts, stuffing animals, communications with the dead, fictional parties, monsters, magicians, freaks, and not a little literary insight, we thought it might prove valuable to elaborate some of the particulars of the spectaculars about to astound our Library of Delightfully Peculiar Writings.

Wee like to fink of usselves as fairli wel-ejukated here at Hendrick’s. However, a cursory survey of our diminutive HQ Command Centre revealed a rather low proportion of us had actually ever read James Joyce’s Ulysses to its conclusion. (I wonder how many offices around the world can boast a 100% completion rate?)

Yet somehow, we also all concur that it is unquestionably great literature, which is why we are most delighted to present, for your (and our!) edification and gratification, the thrilling “Joyced!” at our Library of Delightfully Peculiar Writings at this year’s Brighton Fringe Festival.

“Joyced!” is an award-winning one-woman show, in which actress Katie O’Kelly breathlessly catapults the audience into a chaotic whirlwind tour through the Joycean Dublin of 1904, as 22 characters, seen through the eyes of Jojo, a market stallholder, whirl us round the bumps and battles, loves and laughs, guns and hats of James Joyce’s tumultuous life, the echoes of which resound clearly into the fabric of Ulysses.

So, for this thoroughly enjoyable rollercoasterish insight into the man, tickle your little mouse over the link below and purchase some of these rather limited tickets.

“Joyced!”
24-27 May, from 8:45 pm to 9:45 pm, £9

First off, why not try taking a stroll? Feeling the wind on ones face is an oddly refreshing and joyous experience. Unless it’s a tad too chilly, then you really should just make your daytime escapade a limited one. The daytime promenade may not be for everyone, but the adventurous deem it worthy!

To go another route, grab a cherished hardback and head for the garden. What better way to spend a beautifully blustery day than delving into a book? Gardens can be quite lovely this time of year. While the wind may pose an issue, the challenge of keeping your page may prove to be the most fun of the entire experience.

Now, for the most extraordinarily amusing way to spend a gusty day. Go fly a kite! Yes, undoubtedly you all, with your keenly inquisitive minds, may have guessed this is where I have been heading with this. How could I refuse? Flying a kite is the indubitably the most curious and amusing experience that one can undertake on a windy afternoon. Whether you actually get the kite off the ground is something of another story. Can be a tidbit tricky however, we’re sure that you’ve got it in you. Well, we’re pretty sure.

A side note: Retrieving ones top hat from an onslaught of motorcars is not recommended nor safe, however, one has to do what they must to salvage a lost possession. It’s that whole ‘never leave a man behind’ and whatnot.

Celebrations are in order, my friends! For we may have at last discovered a way to make Hendrick’s even more unusual. “Impossible!” You say. But I put forth the following concoction, made known to us by Spodee wine, a Depression era hooch that mixes up homemade country wines with garden herbs, spices, and moonshine.

Ingredients:
1 part Spodee
1 part Hendrick’s Gin
tonic water

Preparation:
In a glass filled with ice, mix Spodee and Hendrick’s Gin, topping with a splash of tonic water.

Behold, my dear quaffing companions of the UK,

We at Hendrick’s have decided to coalesce with the rather ineffable bodies at Wilton’s Music Hall to offer five fortuitous personalities the prospect of tickets to an evening of merriment with Peter Joucla’s fully immersive manifestation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Can’t repeat the past?…Why of course you can!

It’s 1922, and those chaps in charge of America have outlandishly outlawed booze throughout the land, but worry not one and all, for Hendrick’s has advocated an arcane Gin Mill that will proceed to serve the most delightful and ambrosial of potations despite this absurd ban.

Whilst supping deviant rose and cucumber infused libations from jam jars and Mother’s teapot, one will become evidently raptured by a world of late night foxtrots, pearls and flappers, bootleggers and millionaires. So don your glad rags and look hip to jive, for in the words of the crazy jazz types -– it’s going to be the cat’s pajamas.

In order to enter this phantasmagorical contention, Hendrick’s wants to you to connote and propose your own Prohibition Jazz Themed quaff –- think “the Lollygagger,” “the Juice Joint,” or “the Giggle Water” and you’re reading off the same pamphlet as ourselves.

So wind up that computer-box of yours and send us your beverage commendation this very instant to rsvp@hendricksuk.co.uk — but please note, all applicants must be aged 21 or over and agree to the terms and conditions listed at the end of this post.

Prize to be redeemed for the 3rd or 4th of May 2012 evening performance.

For more information on The Great Gatsby at Wilton Music Hall please visit: Wiltons.org.uk

And to see the Terms and Conditions, please continue…

Rules for a UK Promotion

Hendrick’s Gin – Win a pair of tickets to a performance of The Great Gatsby at Wilton Music Hall

What is the promotion?

       The promotion is a competition for five people to each win a pair of tickets to a performance of The Great Gatsby at Wilton Music Hall. (the Promotion).

What is the Prize?

• There are 5 prizes in total to be won. The prize for each winner is a pair of tickets to gain entry to a performance of The Great Gatsby at Wilton Music Hall to be redeemed on either 3^rd or 4^th May 2012 (the Prize).

Who can enter?

• The Promotion is open to anyone who is a resident of the United Kingdom and is over the age of 21 years old only (proof of age may be requested).
• Employees (and their immediate family members) of William Grant & Sons Limited (the Promoter), or any company within the same group of companies as the Promoter, their agents or anyone professionally associated with the Promotion (Associates) are not allowed to enter.
• The winner’s guest must be 21 years old or over and also comply with these rules.
• To claim the Prize, the winner and winner’s guest must have a valid passport or other proof of age.

How to enter the Promotion?

• Simply send an email to rsvp@hendricksuk.co.uk with your personal details along with a name for a Prohibition / Jazz themed Hendrick’s cocktail and the day you would like to attend the performance
• No purchase is necessary to enter the Promotion or to claim the Prize.
• Only one entry per person is allowed.
• Any third party entries, multiple entries or entries submitted by agents will not be accepted.

What’s included and what’s not included in the Prize?

• The winner will receive one pair of tickets for a performance of The Great Gatsby on 3^rd or 4th May 2012 depending on their preferred day.
• The Promoter will NOT be responsible for, or pay for any travel arrangements and/or accommodation required in order to take up the Prize.
• The winner and winner’s guest are responsible for all trip expenses not specified in these rules as being included.
• The Promoter cannot be held responsible for any circumstances that may cause the winner and/or winner’s guest to be unable to travel on the date of their booking. Once booked, the Event date cannot be transferred or amended.
• The Promoter will make all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Event runs as planned, but the Promoter reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the Event.  If this happens, the Promoter will make all reasonable endeavours to inform the winner as soon as reasonably practicable.

What is the closing date?

• The closing date for Registration Forms to be received by the Promoter is midnight on 1^st May 2012.
• The Promoter’s decision about whether an email has been received in time will be final.

How will the winner be chosen?

• The winner will be the entrant who, in the sole opinion of the Promoter, including at least one independent judge, submits the most peculiar and inspiring Prohibition/Jazz themed Hendrick’s Cocktail name.
• The judging of all valid entries into the Promotion will take place, and the five ultimate winners of the competition will be selected, on 1^st May 2012.

How will the winner be notified?

• The Promoter will use reasonable efforts to notify the winners by email by midnight on 1^st May 2012.
• The winners must respond to this email within 24 hours otherwise the Promoter reserves the right to withdraw prize entitlement at which point the prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.
• This process may be repeated as often as necessary.

When will the winner be announced?

• The name and region of the five winners may be obtained after the date of the draw by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope detailing your request and the name of the Promotion to: William Grant & Sons Ltd, at 84 Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 2HS within 3 months of the closing date.

Other stuff…

Post Promotion Publicity

• The winners and the guests may be required to participate in reasonable publicity connected with the Promotion with no further recompense.

Copyright in entries

• We don’t, unless otherwise agreed with entrants to the competition, claim any rights of ownership in any entries made.  However, in consideration of us agreeing to consider entrants to the competition, each entrant agrees that we may make any and all entries available on the Hendrick’s^® Gin Websites.

Substitution of Prize

• Substitution or transfer of the Prize by the winner or winner’s guest is not permitted.
• No cash or other Prize alternative is available in whole or in part.
• In the event of circumstances outside the reasonable control of the Promoter, the Promoter has the right to substitute a Prize of similar or greater value, at its sole discretion.

Your Privacy

• The Promoter will only use personal data submitted by entrants in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which is available on the Website.

Brand Protection

• The winner and winner’s guest must not do anything which could, in the reasonable opinion of the Promoter, bring the Promoter or any of the Associates into disrepute before, during or after this promotion

Promoter

• The Promoter is William Grant & Sons Ltd, 84 Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 2HS.
• The Promoter’s decision on all aspects of this promotion is final.
• The Promoter has the right to refuse to award the Prize to anyone whom it reasonably believes has broken any of these rules.

Today, altering an image is quite common. In fact, the advent of intelligent gadgets over the past few years has seem to bring with it something of a fevered infatuation with transforming the images of daily life into expressive, artistic perspectives.

Instagram, an application for said shrewd devices, leads the way in modern picture transforming technology. Hendrick’s Gin has even acquired an Instagram account (which you may follow at @HendricksGin,) because, as you well know, we view the world through a particularly unusual lens.

But, my friends, you’d be remiss to think this is something of a new contrivance for mankind. Popular in the 18th century, in fact, the Claude glass was perhaps humanity’s earliest known image modifier. Often bound up like a pocket-book or stuffed in a carrying case, this little device was hauled around by discerning men and women and held aloft to regard the scene over their shoulders.

Reducing the tonal values and simplifying the colour of the image in its reflection, this blackened mirror’s convex shape also brought more of the scene to the center, rendering a tidy snapshot of a larger expanse and transforming the image to give it a painterly quality, much like the filters in Instagram promise to do.