The Power Of Summer
Nothing says summer more than watching a man get his ear cut off as you lay in a field. Jokes! Of course this is a scene from Reservoir Dogs which was playing at Everyman's Power of Summer pop-up at Battersea Power Station. All summer long a selection of classic movies will play at Everyman's open-air cinema, alongside amazing food and booze from Street Feast London and fun events organised by The Indytute. Not only is this an iconic building to sit and watch movies in front of, it's also the end of an era as Battersea Power Station closes to the public forever this summer and becomes private apartments.
Lets be clear, this place is a bugger to get to. You have to go to either Vauxhall or Sloane Square and then walk or get a bus. Just don't go round the back of the building like I did, thinking I could just stroll through the site. Fail! I was handed a map by a bemused security guard who tried not to smile too much as he told me the walk to the front is about two miles. Great! The arduous journey is acknowledged by a big sign at the entrance saying "You made it!". Once you're here the atmosphere is so great, it's the perfect place to spend a summer afternoon or evening, or even make a whole day of it.
Each day there will be two or three films playing, including matinees for children. With The Indytute teaming up with Mothers Meeting to provide kids' activities (and massive trampolines!) this is the best place to keep children happy in the holidays. When the kids go home, the films get decidedly more adult and the crowds enjoy cocktails and ice-cold Heineken. Side note: there is no shame in watching the kids' films - hello Wall-E, Toy Story, Jurassic Park and Disney goodness!
In the cinema section you can choose to pay for a beanbag to slump on, or a pod in which you and a loved-one (or casual aquaintance) can sit upright on a comfy couch. It's eerily silent as everyone listens to the film on headphones you're given on entrance. There's also a snack stand selling spicy nuts and penny-sweets.
Entrance to the site is £4, and you don't have to watch a film. If you take part in an Indytute activity the price includes entrance (but not to a film). They have such a fun schedule that includes cocktail making, chocolate alchemy, crafts, yoga and meditation in the sunshine, and flower-crown making. Or you can just come and enjoy some of the scrumptious food on offer. Street Feast London has been feeding Dalstonites for ages, and their pop-up here does not disappoint! Spit and Roast and Le Bun serve up pulled pork and salt-beef, but I grabbed a tofu hot-dog with beer-cheese from Popdogs.
There were also doughnuts drenched in chocolate or salted-caramel sauce! Oh my gaaaad!
If you like cocktails you will love the bar here! Huge pint-sized beasts with names like El Diablo (a gingery Margarita) and Summer Punch (peach liquor and prosecco! Yay!). They also have the mintiest mojitos known to man.
I went along with some gorgeous blogging babes - Angela from The Awkward Blog, Jesse of Hecticophilia and Sara from Hello The Mushroom. After excitedly taking photos of EVERYTHING it was just nice to sit in the evening sun, politely try all the cocktails, and have a good old catch-up.
We were later joined by Instagram superstars Jess Macdonald and David Angell who would just casually chat and then take a photo of something, and it would be AMAZING! Oh, this? Just a mere sunset or portrait, no biggie! They are the nicest couple, and so much fun! That isn't Jess' Hello Kitty phone by the way... or IS it?
Brilliant illustrators Animaux Circus were taking care of the site's awesome murals, and they will also be delivering workshops with The Indytute! Yes please!
Of course there's always time for some blogger posing and photo-snapping. Jesse could barely put down her swishy new camera, every time I looked at her this is pretty much what I saw.
I can't wait to see her blog post on this event! Sara, meanwhile, was enjoying swishing her gorgeous skirt!
I can't recommend this place enough for a summer visit. Whether it's for relaxing with friends in the sun, for coming on your own to chill out and watch a film, or for bringing the kids to amuse them over the summer, the combined powers of Everyman, The Indytute, and Street Feast London with Battersea Power Station as a backdrop make this an amazingly chilled out summer hang-out. Book tickets for films and workshops in advance to avoid disappointment!