Rusty Cage

Had a call last week from Sant Yago, the cocktails and tapas bar in Southsea who are a bit keen on the birds I make from used disposable barbecue grills. They are opening the basement room up as a new 'steam punk' themed bar and could they have some more birds please? More? Of course! 

Went along for a look and the room is being kitted out like a cross between a Victorian library/study and a Jules Verne/HG Wells collab. It's dark down there, but there are wing-backs and book shelves, lighting over the bar that could have come from a mine somewhere and the toilet doors are covered in shark's teeth - that's Shark's teeth!.. (fiver a kilo on eBay..!) Peter Clutterbuck, Southsea's finest creator and crafter of iron and steel has made a stunning staircase using architectural salvage finials. He's also provided some tables and menu holders. The original old boiler has found a place in the bathroom (*). There will be some art on the walls, suitably illuminated by classic gallery lamps. My birds will fit in perfectly!

We settled on three birds because of the short deadline. This will bring their total up to 20, which I suppose might put you off your olives and Manhattan if birds give you the willies. Everybody likes the birds with the hats and because of the context I figured hats would be ok this time. (I've tended to poo-poo the hats in the past because, well just because). I've also included a couple of little 'trinkets' to give these fellows a touch of narrative. (I like narratives, even if they are oblique! Oblique narratives don't really keep your head warm, but I prefer them to hats).

It's a cracking little space. The room is not bookable and will have a capacity limit of only 30 because of it's size and Fire regs, and will only serve drinks - food you can get upstairs in the main restaurant. But it sounds like a great little place to have a quick after work snifter and discuss your plans for a Cavorite sphere to take you to the centre of the Moon!

*insert own gag here - and 'B'dum tish'

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