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OFILE URBAN ARTISTE PR STREETS OF PARIS:

C215 CREATES ART ON TH vision He tells Hype Digital about his

ISSUE TWO OUT NOW! FEATURING // EMELI SANDE // // JAMES MORRISON // & MUCH MORE...

MOST RECENT //

TWITTER FEED // Hitchcock Reigns Over http://bit.ly/ghWVtX 41 minutes ago

TOP 5 HITCHCOCK CLASSICS //

Illustrators of 2012 http://bit.ly/R3QRW4 56 minutes ago

Which of his iconic films secures the number one spot?

Q&A WITH A THEMED RESTAURANT FANATIC //

STREET ARTIST PROFILE: OZMO //

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Weird and Wacky Themed Restaurants http://bit.ly/j6VFd8 58 minutes ago

We chat to blogger Lauren Juliff to grasp an insider perspective into the world of unique eatery experiences.

Our interview with the renowned graffiti artist on his loves, hates and how he began his creative career.

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ject exposed the lack Paolo Cirio’s ‘Street Ghosts’ pro and the Internet. of privacy caused by Google Image source: Paolo Cirio

ISSUE TWO OUT NOW!

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THE EVOLUTION OF STREET ART Street art, urban art, ignorant art; call it what you will, but we all know what it means. What was once a taboo is now seen as contemporary modern art, something that makes a statement and has meaning rather than simply being a gang ‘tag’. But when did this tagging, or graffiti, develop into something that is slowly becoming more respected in the art world?

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Many would suggest Banksy was the turning point for the acceptance of graffiti, with his stencilled art becoming so highly sought after that people would tear down chunks of wall in order to sell it for ludicrous amounts of money. But it’s much broader than that; increasingly artists turned to the medium of street art – after all, you don’t have to cough up hefty gallery exhibition fees if it’s out on the city pavements.

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WE PROFILE STREET ARTIST C215 HERE //

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//words by Gemma Clapp //

How tagging and graffiti turned from young rebellion into a celebrated art form

YO U D O N ’ T H A V E T O P AY H E F T Y G A L L E R Y F E E S I F YO U R W O R K IS ON THE STREETS

This gave artists freedom to create what they wanted without fear that galleries would not display their work. Through this, the medium changed and developed a breeding ground for artists’ creativity. They began playing around with techniques rather than just picking up a can of spray-paint like others before them.

PAOLO CIRIO Graffiti is often a political statement or used to prove a point to authority. One man who illustrated this is Paolo Cirio, who caused a stir throughout the art world with his project ‘Street Ghosts’. Taking images from Google Street View, he turned them into a permanent reality to demonstrate how privacy no longer exists in the age of Google and the Internet.

WE PROFILE STREET ARTIST OZMO HERE //

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“I exposed the spectres of Google’s eternal realm of private, misappropriated data,” he explained. “The bodies of people captured by Google’s Street View camera, whose ghostly, virtual presence I marked in street art fashion at the precise spot in the real world where they were photographed.” Paolo picked well-known street art locations – places he considers to be “some of the most important international Street Art ‘halls of fame’”. Deliberately blurry pieces, they “unveil their presence like a digital shadow haunting the real world”. It’s a well-made point: we can’t get away from what we post, or is posted about us, online, so our digital imprint forever haunts us. Street art is so widely accepted today that galleries often exhibit it, even ones as highly regarded as Tate Modern. The art world has taken notice of the creative thought that goes into the creation of edgy and ‘real’ pieces.

VIEW PAOLO CIRIO’S ‘STREET GHOSTS’ PROJECT HERE //

GRAFFITI AS AN ART FORM Of course graffiti in its raw sense is still everywhere. Go down to your local skate park, train station or subway path and you’ll surely see names and obscene images sprayed on every surface imaginable. Is this art? While sometimes it is more of a juvenile act, often kids trying to look ‘cool’ in front of their mates, this is where it all begins - artistic expression. While street art’s roots do lie with graffiti, modern pieces hold meaning and do more than annoy the local council. However, for both traditional graffiti and modern street art, the urban environment is not only a vehicle for getting their work out there, but also an essential aspect to their work.

VIEW THE STREET MUSEUM OF ART’S CURRENT EXHIBITION IN BROOKLYN HERE //

The Street Museum of Art acknowledges the importance of this. “Our public art project challenges previous methods of exhibiting street art. To create a new level of appreciation for this radical art movement, we have brought the museum to the streets.” So next time you see graffiti in your local town, stop and think before you dismiss it as an act of vandalism. A lot of thought and opinion goes into creating street art and it will often open your mind to new horizons of thinking. The canvas should not matter; it is the creation that counts. After all, art allows people to express themselves in any way they choose, so why should they be restricted to a piece of A4 white paper?

TAGS: STREET ART, GRAFFITI, URBAN ART, TAGGING, GALLERIES

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ISSUE TWO OUT NOW! Hitchcock. Telling the tale This year sees the release of g the filming of Psycho. of Alfred Hitchcock’s life durin Image source: PicSelect

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ALFRED HITCHCOCK: A PROFILE ON THE MASTER OF SUSPENSE

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Fred, Hitch, Master of suspense these are just some of the nicknames that instantly inspire admiration and fascination in the heart of many respectable critics. Film buffs nationwide have their own pick of memorable names through British directing history. One thing we all agree upon is how none hold a candle to Alfred Hitchcock.

INSPIRING A GENERATION

As the man responsible for single-handedly redefining the genre of thrillers, Hitchcock left a legacy that none can compete with. An iconic man, as well renowned for his portly stomach as his work, he redefined an entire genre of cinema; Psycho-Thrillers have not been the same since. He prompted filmmakers to up their game and inspired generations to see film in a whole new light.

Take a look at Hitchcock’s top 5 films of all time//

Many of his technical innovations are now used in films we see today. The Hitchcock zoom, also known as the Vertigo Effect was pioneered to make the audience feel the giddiness. If you think 3D is also a more recent invention then think again. In Dial M for Murder Hitchcock dabbled into this device using it sparingly but with great effect. This is surprising for a film that was made in 1953. The directorial mogul returns back to the big screen - over three decades after his death - in Fox’s biopic tale. The film, titled ‘Hitchcock’, depicts his life, examining his work behind the camera. It also focuses heavily on financial troubles and personal doubts surrounding the making of his pioneering slasher movie: ‘Psycho’.

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//words by Leanne Drew //

Hitchcock loved to make cameo appearances but this time he’s the star of the show

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Hitchcock’s reign over film meant that there would only be one opinion that mattered; the director’s.

Read the lowdown on one of 2012’s brightest talents//

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WORK ETHIC

Little did we know, Hitchcock’s phobias were one of his genius’ driving forces. Fear of authority, fear of order; he put his audience through an experience just the way he’d imagined it. Fear of being laughed at for his alternative artistic interests, fear of being pretentious and boring; all of these reservations were to thank for his success. They also gained him the nickname ‘Master of Suspense’. Undoubtedly his dark sense of humour came from his British background but his move to America proved to be his making. There he fashioned his technique and directorial style, whilst the restraints of Hollywood life controlled his artistic approach, making his films more audience friendly.

BFI celebrates cinema’s Master of Suspense//

Hitchcock’s need for control and working independently sparked a decline in producers and the rise of directors. Although the studios and sets remained, Hitchcock’s reign over film meant that there would now only be one opinion that mattered; the director’s. His entire collection, including “The Hitchcock 9” (nine of his silent films), have been fully restored by the British Film Institute. BFI Southbank dubbed him as “the most influential and iconic British film director of all time” when they scheduled three months of celebration to his work titled ‘The Genius of Hitchcock’. Returning to where he belongs, on-screen, it’s easy to see that this modern great still dominates cinema.

Best film directors in the world today//

TAGS: FILM, HITCHCOCK, DIRECTOR. BRITISH, ICONIC, BFI

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Image source: Wikimedia

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5: THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY

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TOP 5 HITCHCOCK CLASSICS //words by Leanne Drew //

Alfred Hitchcock had a long, productive career. Each of his films were distinctively made with his signature trademark style. Here we look at the top 5 films of all time. What is the trouble with Harry? Well, he’s dead, and everyone thinks they could have killed him. Hiding his body seems a problem too as the town can’t decide where to put him. What Hitchcock does differently in this film, is remove the suspense. An unlikely act for the ‘Master of suspense’. This was sadly one of Hitchcock’s biggest flops but time has been kind, allowing it to fit comfortably in the dark humour category.

Read our profile on the master of suspense//

ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB// TAGS: FILM, CLASSICS, HITCHCOCK, BRITISH, ICONIC, TOP 5

View the run-down of Hitchcock’s 10 most iconic movies//

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ICONIC IMAGES THROUGH TIME //words by Simron Kaur Chana//

Changing the world through a camera lens

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We all remember watching the first plane crash into the World Trade Centre on September 11. The resulting fire lit New York brighter than any city lights and the ash from the destruction blanketed the city like thick sheets of snow. Sadness and devastation spread globally, along with the realisation that just one moment can change the world forever. These moments are cemented in our memories and burned into our retinas. But would they exist so clearly without the click of a camera? The power of photography has completely changed our perceptions. This can be illustrated through just a few of the most iconic images of the last century. These stunning images made the world stop and stare.

8) THE VIETNAM WAR : 1972 One of the most hard-hitting images from the Vietnam War was photographed by Nick Ut. On June 8, 1972 a South Vietnamese plane accidently dropped its flaming napalm bomb on its own region. This image captures the resulting horror, with young innocent children and Vietnamese forces fleeing from the devastation, naked and burning from the flesh-melting chemicals.

READ EVOLUTION OF STREET ART //

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EXPLORE

Sign up to Photobox for free ulimited to space to store your photos Recieve great vlue deals on printed photos and personalised gifts for your family and friends Cherish your memories by creating photo books

Take a moment to discover some of the most interesting photos from around the world. Photo-sharing websites such as Photobox, Flickr and Pinterest allow you to experience the world through someone else’s eyes

FLICKR

Upload your photos to flickr on your mobile, through the web and email Discover images that are trending around the world Share photos you have taken with your family, friends and the world on Facebook, Twitter and blogs

PICK UP A CAMERA Get snap happy and create your own iconic images through time and share them with family and friends

Get pinning and share your photos,and videos to your own online pinboard Share your pinboard on Facebook, Twitter and the Pinterest community

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TAGS: ICONIC IMAGES, PHOTOGRAPHY, NAGASAKI, THE BLITZ, TSUNAMI, LITTLE NINE ROCKS, NEIL ARMSTRONG, VULTURE,VIETNAM, BURNING MONK, BARACK OBAMA

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UK STREET ART? HERE’S ALL THE BIG NEWS //

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t posing in all of their Punk-rock collective Pussy Rio day-glo glory mmons Image source: Wikimedia Co

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WHEN PUSSIES RIOT

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be aware of the worldwide media frenzy sparked by punk-rock collective Pussy Riot. This all-women group shot to global fame after staging a provocative anti-Kremlin performance in a Moscow cathedral. The feminist rock collective, who’ve already won a cultural war by forcing broadcasters to utter the tabooed word ‘pussy’ in news bulletins, create music that deals with Russian government issues. Pussy Riot was originally fashioned in the aftermath of Putin’s announced return to presidency. This news fuelled their annoyance and so on went their uniform of neon balaclavas (for anonymity) and out came the claws.

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//words by Sophie Westrope //

How one lot of ladies formed a punk band and fuelled global girl power

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HSIAO-HUNG PAI ON CHINA’S UNDERCLASS//

RUSSIA’S PRESIDENT IS PUSSY RIOT’S ARCH NEMESIS ANTI-PUTIN PUNK PRAYER

The ladies took to Christ Saviour Cathedral with their woollen masks and an impromptu performance of their minute long ‘punk prayer’. Screaming lyrics like ‘mother Mary, please drive Putin away’ caused frenzy amongst worshippers, ultimately resulting in the ladies’ arrest. Three of the girls were charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” despite their motive to stage musical a protest against their country’s leader, not fellow citizens. The case that followed would become one of the highest profile Russian political trials since Putin originally rose to power in 2000. The girls were put behind bars for their high-kicking, fist-pumping filled performance that urged the Virgin Mary to join them and become a feminist. If joining gets you your very own Day-Glo balaclava then it’s surprising that she didn’t! It’s clear that Russia’s leader is Pussy Riot’s ultimate nemesis. Freed band member Yekaterina Samutsevich told how Putin had backed the decision to punish them. “Such decisions don’t happen without the President,” she said. “It was motivated by personal hate.”

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RADICAL RIOTERS Unluckily for him, despite jailing the radical rioters, he cannot stop the international shockwaves of support for Pussy Riot. Amnesty International dedicated an entire day to the imprisoned women. ‘Pussy Riot Global Day’ saw people, from London to Ottawa, uniting with pride and makeshift neon facial attire. In New York, actress Chloë Sevigny read court statements to the masses while women’s activist group Femen took a more hands-on approach; chain-sawing down a wooden cross in Kiev… topless. Even Beatles legend Paul McCartney sent his support for the girls with a handwritten letter via Twitter.

FREE PUSSY RIOT: FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED HERE //

QUEEN OF POP GETS INVOLVED And who better to gather support from than the Queen of Pop herself? Yes, even Madonna jumped on the Pussybandwagon, stopping concert proceedings to discard her top revealing ‘Free Pussy Riot’ emblazoned across her back. She seems to have become the group’s unofficial poster girl, even selling Pussy Riot T-shirt merchandise on her online store. Regardless of any repercussions - past or future - they may face, Pussy Riot lives on. Not only in the minds of those original lady punk rockers but in the hearts of all of us fighting for the rights of women worldwide. And while these ladies serve their sentences in notoriously harsh remote women’s prison camps, we can all help fight for the right to Riot. STUDENTS PROTEST IN LONDON FOR NUS //

Hype Digital says ‘Viva Pussy Riot!’ Support Pussy Riot and other prisoners of conscience in Russia and around the world at Amnesty

TAGS: POLITICS, RUSSIA, RIOTING, CAMPAIGNS, FEMINISM, WOMEN

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d es C215 has create ag im ic on Ic t os m e One of th signed in 2011 ‘Psychedelicious’ de book Image source: Face

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C215 PROFILE

Meet France’s answer to Brit boy Banksy // By Lizzy Freeman //

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Street artists are renowned for maintaining an elusive and often anonymous persona. We pinned down French street artist C215 for insight into the secretive lives of those urban artisans. C215 is an artist from a small village just outside the big city lights of Paris. Interested in art at a young age, he first began creating urban pieces in 2005. After his daughter, Nina, was born, he gave up his decorating job to return to his true passion: street art.

DEVOTION

He describes his devotion to art as less of a creative flair and more of an obsession; each creation becoming the center of his world, captivating him with every outline, stroke and detail. C215’s work is created using stencils which he says result in ‘sharper, cleaner edges’ which can then be built upon to give his unique designs depth and colour. A driven young student back in the day, he possesses not one but two Masters Degrees in Art and History. These helped his artistic flair. “Culture helps to go straight to deep understanding of iconography and process,” he says. “Dialoguing with art history helps with inspiration and technique.”

READ ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF STREET ART HERE //

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I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THE STREETS

His artwork is an emotive urban insight into the homeless and poverty-stricken. At first glance it wouldn’t strike you as street art - it could easily be on a canvas - however, not one to conform, even in a gallery exhibition he spreads his work over the brick walls or on suitcases and old post boxes.

WE PROFILE STREET ARTIST OZMO HERE //

INSPIRED ORPHAN

It is clear that there’s more to C215’s art than merely paint and he discusses his designs with passion. “I have been representing the people that really belong to the streets, and kids who have no chance in life [with my work]”, he says. “As an orphan myself, I’m quite obsessed with split personalities and the sensation of emptiness: I supposedly have a borderline personality and so my work is like personal therapy about my own fears, my own ghosts.”

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Street Art can be the stunning display of artwork, like C215’s own creations, or the juvenile-looking ‘tagging’ we’ve become accustomed to seeing on the streets. Where do we draw the line between the two? We all know what we perceive as beautiful and what looks like a mess when it comes to graffiti, but what does it look like through an artist’s eye? “Street art comes from the heart. It’s communicating emotions, “C215 explains. “I hate tagging. It ruins what could potentially be an awesome way to decorate the greyness of the world.” His street art definitely demonstrates this desire to bring colourful life to the streets. “I never stick to dull colours. What’s the point in painting dull on top of dull?” he asks. “If my art is an explosion of colour it will make people stop and look. That’s all I want from it; for people to stop what they are rushing around doing, look and just go ‘wow’.”

BUY YOUR OWN C215 CREATION HERE //

SHOULD STREET ART BE LEGAL?

But what about the issue of legality with street art? A lot of his work is illegal, although this doesn’t deter people from buying his creations. “Street art must remain illegal to keep its poetry,” he says. To quote the legend that is Da Vinci, ‘painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt’. C215 feels that the illegality adds intrigue and secrecy to his work. His most daring moment, he claims, was painting his self-portrait outside the National Portrait Gallery on a busy Friday afternoon. “I was crazy that day,” he admits.

LEARN MORE ABOUT UK STREET ART HERE //

Crazy perhaps. But genius nonetheless.

TAGS: STREET ART, GRAFFITI, URBAN ART, TAGGING, C215

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at work, An unusual insight into Ozmo ffolding. showing off his fun side on sca Image source: Facebook

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OZMO PROFILE HYPE Digital: Morning, Ozmo. First of all, how old were you when you found your passion for art? Ozmo: I was about 3 years old, sketching Disney characters on scrap paper, and people noticed I had a skill for it. It grew from there: in school other kids loved my pictures and teachers were shocked. I just thought ‘Oh… maybe I should pursue this as everyone loves it so much’. HD: That’s amazing! So what about street art? When did you get into that? O: There was some incredible street art in Milano in 2001; it was mind blowing. I decided that was what I wanted to do.

LEARN ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF STREET ART HERE //

HD: What made you decide to pursue a career as a street artist as apposed to a hobby? O: I was already an artist working oil paintings. The gallery I was working for were bugging me because they wanted to have a personal show of mine, but I was very slow to produce paintings. On the other hand, doing things in the streets allows me more liberty, visibility and fun.

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// By Lizzy Freeman //

His motto for life, “Do not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10, 29-30)

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STREET ART ALLOWS MORE L IB E R T Y , V I S IB I L I T Y A N D F U N

So I split my art between expo with my real name, and my street art using the name Ozmo. Now the things are joined again and I can finally paint, draw and exhibit my work as Gionata Gesi Ozmo!

WE PROFILE STREET ARTIST C215 HERE //

HD: So what or who were your biggest influences in your artwork? O: Definitely Giordano Bruno and Leonardo Da Vinci.

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HD: Your designs are very unique. What techniques and methods do you use? O: Whichever one I need depending on the surface and context. I can paint with nearly every technique now. HD: Do you work alone or as part of a team? O: Alone, but I can be helped by someone if I’m in a hurry, I am very slow with my work! It really annoys so many people so sometimes I hire people to speed the process up. HD: From the initial idea to the final design, on average how long does it take to complete a full piece? O: A week, so it doesn’t take very long, but people want things much faster nowadays. The size of the artwork doesn’t matter, though; it always takes the same amount of time. HD: Illegal graffiti is a big issue in the UK. What is your opinion of it? Do you think it’s free expression, or do you agree that it defaces tan area and should be illegal?

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OZMO’S STREET ART HERE //

O: I think it should be legalized in industrial and decadent areas. There is too much hypocrisy talking about graffiti and street art - we should talk about visual pollution in advertising as well. However I don’t think every expression is a good one.

TAGS: STREET ART, OZMO, GRAFFITI, URBAN ART, TAGGING, MILANO 2011

LEARN MORE ABOUT UK STREET ART HERE //

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ISSUE TWO OUT NOW! ginally created to promote Cabbages & Condoms was ori planning in Thailand. better understanding of family Image source: Lauren Juliff

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EAT WEIRD You wouldn’t expect to be presented with condoms rather than mints at the end of your meal. And an edible body wheeled into the room on a hospital gurney is sure to shock you. Diners at these five frighteningly themed restaurants across the globe have seen it all.

CABBAGES & CONDOMS First on the menu is Bangkok’s ‘Cabbages & Condoms’; the only restaurant worldwide dedicated to birth control. “Our food is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy,” reads their slogan. You are presented with condoms instead of mints with the bill. Adorned with hundreds of decorations made entirely out of you guessed it! – condoms. This eatery was originally created to promote better understanding of family planning in Thailand. OUR Q&A WITH A THEMED RESTAURANT FANATIC //

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//words by Charlotte Lewis //

Welcome to the weird, wacky and wonderful world of themed restaurants

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SIP DRINKS FROM A URINAL W I T H FA E C E S F O R D E S S E R T CANNIBALISTIC SUSHI

Eating raw fish is not to everyone’s tastes, so imagine how cannibalistic sushi would go down. In Tokyo, ‘Nyotaimori’ is a Japanese restaurant that takes the tradition of eating sushi off a naked woman’s body to new levels of weird. Think edible body, dough ‘skin’ and sauce ‘blood’. They even stage an operation, cutting into the fake flesh with scalpels before diners dig in.

DINNER IN THE SKY Belgium’s ‘Dinner in the Sky’ is a unique and mobile dining experience that suspends guests from a crane, 100-foot in the air, whilst they chow down. While it might sound completely insane, it’s probably the most unusual (and legal) way of getting high over dinner.

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MODERN TOILET ‘Modern Toilet’, sure to churn any stomach, is a restaurant in Taiwan where every customer dines seated on an acrylic toilet and waiters bring your meal atop a mini toilet bowl. You can expect to sip drinks from a plastic souvenir urinal and dessert offers up soft-swirl chocolate ice cream, grossly resembling faeces. According to the manager, “it’s supposed to shock and confuse the senses” and let’s face it, he knows his sh*t.

PRISON FOOD Most people go to prison because they have committed a serious crime, however in Volterra, Italy people go to prison for a slap-up meal. Situated inside a top security prison, ‘Fortezza Medicea’ offers customers the unsettling surroundings of 60-foot-high walls, searchlights and security cameras, complete with armed prison wardens. Tables are booked weeks in advance for this popular venue where you can expect to be serenaded by Bruno, a pianist doing life for murder.

CONDOMS & CABBAGES: RESTAURANT WEBSITE //

IN THE UK London-based ‘Dans Le Noir’ could be described as a sensation for the senses. Guests dine in complete darkness to optimise the intensity of the flavours, aromas and textures of the food which is served up by blind staff members. The concept was cooked up to promote a re-evaluation of the notion of taste and serve up an experience where the blind become your eyes. DINNER IN THE SKY: RESTAURANT WEBSITE //

Bon appétit!

TAG S : E AT , W E I R D , FO O D , DI N I N G , R E S TA U R A N T S , T H E M E D , T R AV E L

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d wacky themed Lauren loves to visit weird an restaurants on her travels Image source: Lauren Juliff

Q&A: LAUREN JULIFF

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Lauren Juliff is a woman obsessed, she just can’t get enough of travelling and documents all of her adventures on her blog ‘Never-Ending Footsteps’. She’s particularly excited by the topic of weird and wacky themed restaurants. Hype Digital sat down to have a natter with her to grasp an insider perspective of the novelty world of eatery experiences. HYPE Digital: So Lauren, where did your obsession with themed eateries begin? Lauren: My obsession began in Taipei, Taiwan, the home of themed restaurants. On my first night there a new friend took me to a Hello Kitty themed restaurant she’d read about online. It was just such a bizarre experience (laughs) After that I was hooked! WE LOOK INTO THEMED FOOD WITH EAT WEIRD //

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//words by Charlotte Lewis //

A chat with Lauren - A themed restaurant veteran

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T H E R E W E R E S T AT U E S M A D E OF CONDOMS EVERYWHERE

HD: Certainly sounds intriguing. Did you have any other strange dining experiences in Taipei? L: Well, after having a ridiculous amount of fun we did some research and realised just how many themed restaurants the city actually had. And we made it our mission to go to as many as possible. So over the next fortnight we visited places that included hospital-themed, ninja-themed, airplane-themed and toilet-themed restaurants. They were all pretty incredible. HD: You’ve visited ‘Condoms and Cabbages’ in Bangkok, how did you find out about that one? L: After my time in Taipei, I then started making the effort to seek out themed restaurants in every city I visit and a condom themed restaurant in Bangkok sounded perfectly weird.

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HD: Tell us a bit more about your dining experience at ‘Cabbages and Condoms’... L: The restaurant itself was quite normal. The food was standard Thai food and surprisingly good too - normally in themed restaurants you’re paying for the experience and the food sucks! Everywhere you looked there were statues made from condoms, it was so surreal but they were all quite intricate and incredible. HD: So the decorations really made the restaurant special? L: Well, we visited in December so there was a giant condom Christmas tree and a Santa statue which were fantastic. Everything from the lamps at the bar to the flowers on the table were made out of condoms and they even gave us free condoms when we paid.

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HD: Santa made out of condoms!? L: Yes and there was even a Tiger Woods statue, complete with condom golf club and a sign reading “Did you use them, Tiger?!” HD: So other than the condom crazy dining, were there any other themed restaurants you loved? Lauren: Well I’m an animal lover so visiting dog and cat cafes in Seoul was great. You basically pay to spend a few hours hanging out with 50 dogs or cats in a room. So wacky but a lot of fun! From sexually promiscuous golfers constructed out of birth control, to being surrounded by furry feline friends whilst you eat, it is clear from Lauren’s experiences that themed restaurants are a unique source of pure entertainment. Go out there and discover some for yourself - it beats going to McDonalds for a Big Mac any day.

THE GUARDIAN: THEMED RESTAURANTS IN TAIPEI //

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Welcome to the wacky and wonderful world of themed restaurants

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You wouldn’t expect to be presented with condoms rather than mints at the end of your meal. And an edible body wheeled into the room on a hospital gurney is sure to shock you. Diners at these five frighteningly themed restaurants across the globe have seen it all.

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We chat to blogger Lauren Juliff to grasp an insider perspective into the world of unique eatery experiences.

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Take a look at the Cabbages & Condoms website for more details.

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