walks

15 March, 2012 – 4:51 pm

Love the idea of guided walks.  I have scheduled them in NY, I have gone on them in London and I just never tire of the banter of the dedicated guides that never seem to run out of steam, humor, charisma.  Perhaps they crash and burn and one of their colleagues then steps up — while they recuperate — but its never a case where I’ve seen a guide not at “their best”.  That being said, you can’t go wrong in whatever walk/talk/tour you decide on, but  here are a line up of a few of my favorites:

Fox & Squirrel~  on her website they have fabulous, ready-made walks & talks already arranged under the categories of ART, VINTAGE, FASHION.  Already, I’m in love.  I had inquired about a custom walk that would be in the evening and the stuff Penelope came back with was FABULOUS!!

Take a look:

1) Millinery class: We will be exploring the world of hat making with one of London’s most acclaimed milliners.

2) The art of perfumery. Please see below the experiences I can offer, and, choose one.

Fragrance in Visual Art:
You will experience some delightful scents and while working out the colour, shape and scenery of a fragrance (be ready to consider the scent of a Picasso painting…) and create your own olfaction-inspired piece of art.

Touchable Fragrance:
Prepare for a delicious workshop which brings together perfume with fashion and textiles, whether you’ll work out which fine fragrances corresponds to silk, bubblewrap, velvet and even chalk, while learning about the connections between architecture, sculpture and scent.

Scent in the 1920s.
The 1920s is one of the most discussed of vintage eras, but this is a new, scent-based take on the decade, in which we discover art, culture and social mores throug the lens of vintage perfumes. From aviation to silent movies, smoking and surrealism, fragrance can tell a story of the age.

3) Vintage Hair & Make up:
A demo on how to make the perfect bee-hive hair and 1920s eyeliner flick

4) A story-telling walk through Soho:

An established London- base story teller will reveal a magical side of the city.
‘Goddess to Succubus’ a walk through Bewick Street and more that ends with music and stories in St Anne’s churchyard /Soho square? This will take in the erotic shops along the way where the story teller will bring to life ancient sex myths such as the wonderful Egyptian ‘Nut and Geb’ in the centre of London.

I mean, are these FABULOUS, or what?!!  Next walk is April 14 and after that, May 12 (which I will be attending) 

Street Art London Tours Looking for something that your kids may actually be interested in? How about graffiti following throughout London?  This city is filled with fantastically creative people and some of them (are they criminals? – i don’t know!) are decorating (defacing, to the pleasure of graffiti lovers everywhere!) otherwise terribly boring blank spaces.  Griff and the gang give regularly scheduled tours every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday and will also put together a custom tour to suit other times that are convenient for your group.  LOVE these.  Going this Sunday and can’t wait to report back on what we saw this time around….

 

And last but not least, is a very fun/funny walking tour called Liar’s London.  What happens is, 2 tour guides walk with you in a designated area (we have picked Chelsea/Kings Rd area) where one guide tells you the truth about some feature and the other, true stories about the location. Points are awarded at each stop and there is a prize at the end for the person who is not fooled by our silver tongued tricksters. Dogs on sticks, ghost bears, lavatory humour, satanic sports venues, secret agents, vampires, phantom Eskimos, wombats, ultra violence and suicidal sea captains. This plus the story of Diana Dors and John Betjamin, Wellington’s duel and the secret of the Green Door. More bonkers tales than you can shake a stick (with or without a dog attached) at but which are true? Sounds fun?  More on that later. 


Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

The weekly dining review

27 February, 2012 – 10:07 pm

A friend expressed envy of my job this week.  Granted, being counsel for a large US corporation is not hard to beat in the excitement department, but it remind me of  some the great people I meet, conversations I have, and restaurants I dine in (aside from that, this is a real job with real responsibility, seriously)

So the round up this week, and my 2 cents on each is as follows:

2x coffee at Le Pain Quotidien~ LOVE their breads and the variety of preserves I can slather on each piece, and their coffee. DON’T love that bread has carbs and a whole lot of empty calories and jam is pure sugar and they serve their coffee in soup bowls.  I need the large but only ever order the small because I can barely hold the large.  Why don’t the mugs have handles? I don’t get it.

Lunch:  Kitchen Italia out in Westfields.  LOVE:  Chicken Milanese was very yummy — good size and good flavor.  DON’T love: Westfields generally. I saw a sign plastered somewhere out there “Over 60 Eateries to choose from” .  Really? That is why all the restaurants are so empty.  There are not 6,000 people eating at one time out there. Puulease. Big part of the allure of a restaurant is ….people, no?

Lunch:  To a Tea Kind of a weird area. Farringdon.  Just slightly south of Smithfields which has tons of great places to eat and East sorta of Holburn which has tons of catering-to-the-corporate-office crowd places.  So my client suggested To a Tea right next door to her office.  And what a treat. LOVE: the 15 choices of salads of which you order 3 or 5.  And the seating is really cute and quaint — just like… a tea shop..creative use of space.   A good spot to remember.

The Wolseley:  LOVE it.  Food, atmosphere, high-polished old silverware  DON’T love: that I can’t seem to get a 9am reservation 2 weeks out; its either 7:15 or 10am.

Bob Bob Ricard:  My guest picked this and when I went to look up the address as I’m walking out the door, I see on website those outdated words:  ”Dress Code”. Of course, I was dressed up but often times my clients are in jeans so I thought that if that were the case, then off we’d go elsewhere.  So the LOVE here is the food and the (a little gimmicky, but so cute) a call button for …champagne.  Very fun. Especially on a Friday lunch.  Yes, we did.  The decor:  Gauche, opulent NJ Diner.  Can’t quite picture that?! I thought not. But get yourself there. My absolute favorite lunch in the past month.  Service excellent.  DON’T like: the formality, the dress code talk (but no enforcement that I could see), and the pink tux jackets on the wait staff.  Otherwise, a must go.

 

Category Eat London | Permalink | Comment (1)

Carnaby Street and Mary Portas

10 February, 2012 – 11:37 am

Bartender in Dehesa, 25 Ganton St.:  ”You are only allowed to sit for drinks if you order a minimum of 2 plates each”

ME: “But its 5pm. I’m going to a dinner party later and want to just sit and have a glass of wine with a friend”

Dehesa guy: “No, not here, I’m afraid”

ME:  ”Wait. You have a virtually EMPTY restaurant.  You are one of  3 bartenders there serving NO drinks.  There is a group of what looks like your co-workers and managers sitting over there taking up about 8 seats drinking and talking about how to improve business (well I made that up; God nows what they were talking about)  and you tell me I am not welcome to sit and order a glass of wine?”

Dehesa guy: {very meekly} “Well its the law. We can’t serve wine without food”  (WHAAAAAAT? – that is so not true)

ME:  Well, those 3 people outside are having wine with cigarettes, not food.”

Dehesa guy: “They work here”

Do you get the picture?  14 staff. No customers. And they won’t serve us.  Moral of the story. Don’t give them your business. They don’t want it.

So we dually walked, literally, across the street to Zebrano which had legal looking cocktail consumption going on without the food. In we walk and the bartender immediately greets and offers us happy hour downstairs.  Off we went. We’ll have a dirty martini, extra olives and a mohito.  No problem.  And another, please. Great drinks. Great music.  Great seating. Fun. Check it out for any of above pre-dinner drinks, dinner, or late night.  And actually, the whole of Carnaby Street is fun; lots of shops, restaurants, no cars…good spot.

Then we tra la la’d off to Liberty for an event put on by Mary Portas. I’m a big fan. When I moved here, one of my local friends told me about her show: Mary, Queen of Shops.  I instantly fell in love with it. She is a ballsy, smart, outspoken marketing, branding genious who is a god-send to struggling indy retailers. The event was promoting Kinky Knickers; so not my thing as I’m a white cotton kinda girl, but I assumed it was some branding collaboration she had her hand in ( but after being at the event I’m not so sure) and I was interested in that in and of itself.  So up we went to the 2nd floor, and made a bee-line for Mary with her shock of characteristic red hair.  Teresa pegged her with an invite to a Portobello Road Market management  presentation (small business is near and dear to Mary’s heart). And we fawned over her shows and her shops and…her, as if she was our best friend.   And Mary is as likeable in person as she appears on TV. Friendly, outgoing, life of the party, and completely works the crowd like the true marketing master that she is. So deed done, with gin & tonic in hand, we sort of began to sashay out of the party.  Without buying the knickers.  Not that I didn’t think of it but there was a long line.  I absolutely abhor lines and have zero patience at the best of times.  So, guess who assaulted us as we reached the fringe of the party? Mary herself. How dare I leave with cocktail in one hand and no knickers in the other. I laughed and explained my position about not wanting to stand in line especially to spend money…maybe to get another cocktail, but not to buy panties that are not white and cotton.   In true retail fashion,(?) she grabbed me by the arm and made it all very easy for me to buy the darn things.  Very good.

Maybe she needs to go and help the guys out at Dehesa.

The night didn’t end there. But it went way downhill; totally not worth writing about.

Category Buy Eat London | Permalink | Comment (1)

ISLINGTON

23 January, 2012 – 11:01 am

After Christmas dinner this year, my husband and our dear friends who spent the day with us,  were reading  the list of “the decades top 50 movies.”  As we are going  through the list, Dick commented on …48 of those movies. He had seen 48 of those movies! And I had seen maaaaybe 2 or 3 max. Clearly a committed movie go-er I am not for several reasons one of which is the baby sitting thing.  Our youngest is 6, so I always rationalized that if you are to going to go “out”, we may as well make it worth while and some how going to the movies never quite meets the mark. As if eating another meal or going to have a few drinks does? I don’t know where that rationale came in to play. Anyway, it was as if movie-going had suddenly become the hot new past time in our house because  2 days later one of my friends called and asked if I’d go and see a preview screening of “The Artist”? On Saturday with her in the middle of the day.  I agreed with nary a consult to my husband about the who, what, where of the kids.  So decadent of me, huh? Fantastic movie.  A touching story of one’s pride and principle and the decisions one makes in life. Then a day or 2 later again, friends of ours invited us to see “Moneyball” with them late night at The Screen on the Green.  We are starting off this decade well.  This is an absolute must see. Fascinating story of the economics of pro sport and can the game be reinvented by a mathematical analysis? And in lieu of the love story, is a subtle message on self confidence and how life changing simple decisions can be.  I loved it and must insist that my husband take our 13 yr old son to see it.  Both films are up for academy awards.

And a non-known movie, at least to me, that I recently watched is “A better life”. If you have an opinion about immigration laws in the US, you should see it.  As a daughter of Irish immigrants and married to a green card holder, I have very strong views on this topic. Would love to hear yours. And now onto the genre of my blog: sharing my favorite city rambles…

Favorite Cinemas & Islington

Screen on the Green ~ comfy seating, food and beverage, cozy — a perfect movie experience.

There are several areas of Islington all worth going to:

1.  First is Camden Passage that leads to the end of Essex Road.  Camden passage is filled to the brim with individual designer shops, antique and vintage shops and a few high street shops mixed in.  The website in not fantastic, but it’ll give you some place to start.  And along the Passage are plenty of adorable, tasty places to eat.  Namely:

Elk in the Woods

The Breakfast Club 

Kipferl ~ Austrian food

2.  As you come to the Islington Green end of the Passage, you will head into Essex Road. Lots of great stuff to see/do/drink here:

Cass ~ the most beautiful art store in the world. Even if you are not an artist, it is an exceptional shop for kids activities, and b-day gifts. Acrylic paints, clay and tools, markers and pens galore –and all so beautifully presented.

Criterion Auctioneers ~ fun, and always something to catch your eye on. Register upon arrival and sit yourself down and bid on that great lamp, desk set, or go large with the chaise lounge. Love this place.

Colebrook 69 ~ cocktail lounge

3.   Upper Street ~ after you happen upon Islington Green, where the Waterstones is, cross over to Upper Street.  This is home to a great mix of small boutique’s, some chains, some not. Fantastic range of restaurants from Italian, Japanese, Israeli, Mediterranean, Pubs.  A few of my favorites are:

Ottolenghi, but not with kids

Made in Italy ~ fantastically authentic Naple-style pizza — kids will love it

Tenshi ~ sushi

Sea Fish ~ fun looking and great Fish and Chips

4. A less interesting but convenient part of town is Parkfield Street, off of Lower Upper Street.  Vue Cinema, Gap, H & M, French Connection, Next, L’ Occitane, Oasis  across the street, Marks and Spencer — you get the idea.
5. Chapel Market ~ Right across Liverpool Street from Parkfield St., is a street market open 6 days a week. Selling all kinds of junk.

 

Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

Hillmartin Conservation Area

19 December, 2011 – 2:10 pm

Our book club has the good luck of having Gael Lindenfield as a member. Gail is an accomplished  self-help expert specialising in low self esteem, anger management, confidence building, emotional healing, etc BUT she is also an author who has written some 20+ books on these topics. Needless to say, she brings an unprecedented point of view to our club no matter the book or the topic.  And the luckiest part: afterwards, she takes the time to write a follow up email which is like a carefully written short story; nothing less than exceptional. In fact, admittedly I sometimes enjoy her synopsis more than the book itself!

That being said, last week I hosted the book club.  I had selected a book that had come highly recommended from some of my favorite friends in the US, called the Little Princes.  It happened to be a miserable, rainy, cold evening and since the yard of my newly renovated house is still a “construction site”, I am always conscious of visitors having to trek through the mud to our front door.  With the rain that evening, it was particularly swamp-like out there.  I wondered who was going to even come as you know how our ambition runs out as the day passes on and the weather conditions worsen.

Yesterday, Gael’s fantastic synopsis popped into my in-box. Again, I was so intrigued with her write-up but this time, less for the content of the book, but more in that she gave an overview of the neighborhood I live in and how she remembered it way back when she did some social work in the nearby prison.  I am sure the word “prison” already sends shivers up your spine but I promise you, I live in a lovely neighborhood.

Enjoy Gael’s story:

It’s now nearly a week since we held our December book club meeting. A horrible cold struck me soon after and my brain’s neural networks have been jammed solid until this morning. So hence this follow-up email is running a little late.
On the night before the meeting, I checked the public transport route to our host Breda’s house in N7. ” Oh dear” I exclaimed to my husband “It’s just a few minutes walk from Holloway prison. I knew that area and prison so well in the 60′s when I was a mental health foot-soldier working with what were then called ‘problem families’.  I wonder if I should get a taxi.”
“You certainly will. ” said my rather over-protective beloved as he leapt to the phone to ensure that it was ordered immediately. But I managed to stop him and said I would contact Jan Hildebrand first as I knew she was going and promised to discuss a taxi with her.
As those of you who are acquainted with Jan know, she is of course an adventurer and well-seasoned traveller. And of course she did already have a surprisingly easy route already worked out and invited me to join her.
As we travelled on the bus from Camden Town to the prison’s stop, my 60′s memories came flooding back. But they weren’t as frightening as I had expected. Indeed I recalled the exhilaration I felt at that time. I had loved my work and yes, surprising as it may sound, I was never intimidated by the horrors of insanity and family abuse I encountered in those streets. Nor was I overawed by the sound of those giant prison gates as they slammed me inside on my visits to clients.  I was after all in my early 20′s and my missionary zeal and the excitement of my everyday dramas overshadowed my anxieties and sense of horror.
I was instantly shaken out my nostalgic state, the moment we left the blustery wintry weather and walked into Breda’s breathtakingly elegant and spacious family home. It was lit with an abundance of candles and it exuded warmth and welcome.  (Of course it was no surprise to hear that this lovely street in N7  is now a conservation area. ).  
As it happened our December book, Little Princes was by written by a young American/Irish citizen who in his twenties had also became hooked on a social rescue mission but in a very different environment.  During a sabbatical year out from his blossoming career in EU community development Conor Grennan travelled to Nepal.  He had arranged to work as a volunteer for a few months with an orphaned children’s project.  He soon discovered these children were not true orphans. They had in fact been abandoned by child traffickers who had conned their parents into paying large fees to take them into safety away from the violence and dire poverty of the civil war.  On hearing their stories and becoming emotionally involved with these engaging children, He became to determined to provide a better home and education facilities for them. This book describes his two year battle   through numerous obstacles such as freezing and dangerous treks through Nepalese mountains and frustrating Maoist bureaucracy . Within two years he had re-united most of the children with their families and had fund-raised and established a flourishing NGO dedicated to this cause.  (An estimated further 10,000 children who have been similarly trafficked.)  A romantic touch to this ethical tale is that in the process of doing all this good work Conor found himself a beautiful and equally resourceful wife who also committed herself to this project. An inspirational story that no publisher could resist and one which we hope will continue to sell in order to help fund this very worthwhile cause.
Needless to say we had all been moved by Conor Grennan’s book but we also agreed that like so may others of its kind, it lacked literary punch and could have been better edited. But, as is ever the case with the HWC book group, the book sparked off hours of interesting discussion and sharing of life philosophies and dilemma such as:  should we make our children eat the same boring meal twice a day when they start to be overly picky about their privileged menus and,  should scarce charitable effort be spent on adventurous risky rescue operations like this instead of on the more boring political lobbying that might do more to eradicate the root causes of such problems.
(As I write, I note that on returning to  N7 in 2012 ,  I am still talking about how to save the world  - but now  I am doing so chatting leisurely to friends while drinking delicious wine and munching on biscuits covered with warm brie.  Oh dear – what do you make of that everyone?!)
Thank you Breda for suggesting this book and providing us with such a lovely venue plus food and wine to fortify us on that wintry December evening.

Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

Fave eats in Miami

5 December, 2011 – 11:42 am

I am actually looking forward to a Dickensonian Christmas in London this year, but lo and behold, its also a great time to vamoose and take advantage of the long break which is so prevalent.

With that I’ve had several clients ask me lately for my recommends in Miami. So let me share that with everyone here:

Where to dine on Christmas Day~ I wholly recommend The Fontainbleu.  Iconic. Spectacular. Delightful. Fun.  And with no less than 8 restaurants (!) but with 3 of them offering special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menu’s.  I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be impressed with the “wow” factor but if you are not into bling, forget it.

My other faves for the rest of your stay:

South Beach:
Joe’s Stone Crabs — do NOT leave Miami without eating here.


Smith & Wollensky — Steak the American way.  AND spectacular views over Biscayne Bay — simply GORGEOUS


Prime 112 – steak the American way, also, but with views of …celebrities.  A fab place, fab food, and a pretty good shot at seeing a Kardashian. One downside, the wait staff hustle the hell out of you as they want to turn the table fast. Ignore them and eat slow. And order dessert AFTER they’ve given you your check. Wise guys.


I still like China Grille but some people think its passe’.  True, it has been around for a long time. The decor is so 80″s and way OTT but the food is great.  Fun spot for not-to-young kids. No website. 404 Washington Ave.


Jerry’s Deli — honking huge sandwiches and awesome for breakfast! And those diner waitress’s serving you that have been there for 50 years, smacking their gum, asking “whaddy’ll have, honey??” So experienced, they can run with a cup of coffee without spilling a drop. They are classic. 

Quattro on Lincoln rd. — amazing Italian


Ice Box Café — dessert after dinner


Miss Yip Chinese Cafe — cute cute and great Chinese restaurant off Lincoln Rd.


The Big Pink — cheap lunch options. Fun. Can walk in barely off the beach. No dress code whatsoever.

DOWNTOWN:
Wynwood Kitchen & Bar  – Genuinely one of my FAVE’s.  Well worth the taxi ride off the island.. they always have great events there. Sundays, if they still do it, attached to a flea market and you can drink champagne while you shop.


Tobacco Rd – Miami’s oldest bar, amazing burgers and ribs, and a true dirty dive bar. FUN! In my book anyway!


Michael’s Genuine in the Design District is very well revered but I think they are a bunch of pompous assholes.  But its pretty synonymous with Miami.  If you are in area, I suppose that’s where you should go.  

 

 

And last but not least, when you get some babysitting organized, be sure to hit the Richochet Lounge ~ a fantastic fusion of art, music and light bites.  

 

And, yes, almost all are kid friendly. I have happily traipsed into most of the above with our 3 lovelies.

 

Tags , | Category Miami | Permalink | Comment (0)

Hampstead

23 November, 2011 – 11:48 am

This past weekend, more out of obligation than desire, I went to a Holiday Bazaar at the Unitarian Chapel in Hampstead.  Not normally a lover of those kind of mom & pop crafty-ish things but must say, I was pleasantly surprised.  Of particular interest:

Sweet Things ~ new bakery (read: cupcakes! brownies!) that is opening up a retail shop in Primrose Hill – Watch out Primrose Bakery! These cupcakes are gooooood!

Bea Bags~laminated fabric bags in all sorts of nice designs, shapes, styles.  Perfect cosmetic bags, change purse, etc too.  Designed by Sharon Chin & Ruth Hannett.

 

Stella & Dot ~ this great little (not so little anymore actually!) jewelry company from the US, has landed in London! On trend jewelry that won’t break the bank ~ perfect for yourself or as gifts as all price points are on the scale.  All baubles come in beautiful little gift boxes that you don’t even need to wrap!  I will be hosting a trunk show at my house in December if you want to come and see personally though you can buy on line.  Consider this – its just easy..

Alice Tait~ OK. LOVE these hand drawn maps of NY, London, Paris and perhaps any city you want. They are so clever and a great price. Frame them in a set and you have a beautiful montage of the world’s greatest places. Great gift too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth Design~ I am not in the market for something like this anymore but I did stop and look as they make the perfect baby gifts. Again, like Alice, hand drawn caricature’s of animals, fairies, beach scene’s, pirates — all kinds of things to decorate baby or kids room. I liked the idea of getting individual initials drawn, put into 5 x 5 frames and wa-la — a great personalized baby gift.  

Lisa Ham~ very common in the States but not here, these beautiful handmade belts with killer resin buckles are totally versatile and reversible. My only complaint is they were too expensive but if you feel like taking her on and negotiating the price, they are great looking.  My girlfriend (and admittedly me) were too shy to ask her to come down on price, but knock yourself out.

 

DESIGNS:  60 Rosslyn Hill~

And perhaps the highlight of the whole day, was when I left this fair and walked up Rosslyn Hill as I have done tons of times, I noticed a store I’ve never paid attention to before.  In the window, I see a mannequin dressed in a blouse that I want.  I walk into the store and ask the shopkeeper if I can try it on.  She says no.  Just like that.  I look at her quizzically.  Isn’t this a store? Where we come to buy stuff?  She says, with nary a smile on her face, “yes, but we only dress the mannequin’s on Saturdays and Wednesdays so you will have to come back on Wednesday 9am when we are taking that blouse off to try it on” Needless to say, as an American, a nationality that gets what the y want, when they want it, I was flummoxed.  So I leave. I take another look in the window on my way past, and now I notice this Chloe bag, next to MY blouse dressed mannequin.  And the price?  Only £175. Whoa. Wait a minute. This is no regular store.  Needless to say, this is a 2nd hand store, and what a find it is. Needless to say, I gave in and tried on a bunch of things from the most fabulous Gucci Dress (my tush was too wide for it), to a Marni sweater (my boobs were too big for it),  a Diane Von Furstenberg gold skirt. (it fit)– and in that 45 minutes that I was there, no less than 15 people came in and asked for either the blouse or the skirt on the damn mannequin and gladly the story was always the same.  This store is a total MUST find.  The only downside is abiding by the owners rules and guidelines to shop here. You are not a customer of her store.  Thou feels like invited guest and shall obey the household rules.  But if you can overlook her behaviour (she is perfectly nice, just waaaaaay too pushy), its a great spot.  And, no, I didn’t go back at 9am on Wednesday to get the blouse.  Designs, 60 Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead. No website. 

Tags , , | Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

Columbia Road

27 October, 2011 – 3:02 pm

I am so surprised to discover that there are still people who live in London that have never been to the Columbia Rd. flower market.  For me, it kind of realizes the flower market demonstrated in “My Fair Lady” where Audrey Hepburn yells, “foive stems for a foiv-a” (translation: Five stems for a £5-er).  It is a huge treat! Except for a location change, it is exactly the same. Stall after stall, all lined up along Columbia Rd., vendors selling gorgeous bundles of fresh cut flowers. The flower vendors are only there on Sundays, but the delightful shops that line the street behind are opened both Sat and Sun. And, note, for visitors to London that are not in the market for fresh flowers, it is still such a worth while Sunday morning destination for the variety of independent shops and great food.

EAT:

For breakfast, you MUST walk down Ezra St, which is like a little alley way off of Columbia Rd and sniff your way to the outdoor food vendor that is whipping up the bacon, sausage, and/or egg sandwiches hot off the griddle. And for the grand price of £3 or something. Then a strong coffee from next stall, and you’re set. Its the best…something I totally look forward to as soon as get there.

Other restaurants:

Laxeira

The Royal Oak

Birdcage Pub

SHOP

Red Mud Hut ~ fantastic pots and planters

Future Vintage ~ new-ish old (used) clothes. Great stuff

Vintage Heaven~ exactly. vintage. Heaven.

Pot Luck~ my FAVORITE on the whole street — china, porcelein, full sets of your grandmothers china. so cool

Nom ~ asian type dishware, baskets

L’Orangerie~ love. Costume jewelry and accessories

Nelly Duff~ Oh, dear. Is this my favorite? Interesting books, art and stationary. You wonder, do I buy this for myself or..do I buy it as a gift? Everything is gorgeous and so unique.  I bought fab notecards there and eagerly send them out to those that are worthy of a “thank you” from me for some reason

Marcos & Trump~ last year I admired this dress in the window. Went in. Tried it on. Got stuck in it. Got STUCK in it.  Oh shit. How am I going to get out of this without ripping the zipper or seams? Thank goodness I am American and wasn’t so embarrassed to ask the shop keeper for help.   What a sight! If I were British, would I still be in that dressing room?

Guy with a hot coffee, on a cold day — full belly after one of the classic bacon baps

 

Ooh, another great shop…candy!

Tags , , | Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

British Film Institute

12 October, 2011 – 6:58 pm

As you have no doubt heard me mention before, my husband runs a restaurant group here in London and therefore there is always one reason or another to attend an opening, a new menu tasting, an awards thing. So there are certain benefits to a marriage to a man who works in a 20-hour a day/ 7-day a week business…. But I must add, I do not write these posts to plug my husbands business, believe me! But there are times, that things come along that I just love so much, that I want to share it.  Last night was the first night of service at The Drawing Room located in the BFI.  Funny and fickle as the food and bev business is, this space was formerly n0-man’s land behind the restaurant, above the stairs, around the corner from the rest rooms, that was very rarely used apparently.  How the concept was borne, I do not know, but the Benugo magic descended on this ratty space and….WOW! COMPLETELY transformed.  It is .. well…like a Drawing Room. Wall full of books, leather couches, gorgeous wood walls and a very vintage fitted bar – just need the 40′s music in the background and you are transposed to a different era.  Now, maybe there was 40′s music playing, but I was too consumed with my plum prosecco cocktail that I didn’t take much notice.  So next time you are in the Southbank — or rather make a special trip to the Southbank– to the BFI and head straight for the Drawing Room. Food available too.

And not too incidentally, Oct 12 – 27 is the London Film Festival , something you must put in your calendar. As they say, “Every year the BFI LFF reminds us just how full the world is of extraordinary creativity, vision and talent for telling stories on film.”  In addition to the films, there are a host of other special interest events, workshops, classes and interviews that coincide with the festival. And what I always love about these events in London, there is a program of events for school aged kids from elementary school all the way up to 18 yrs.

The Drawing Room

Can't you just see yourself sipping blackberry Mohito's and...reading Truman Capote

 

Moving on over to lounge area to chat with friends

 

A quiet corner

 

Bubbles and Berries

 

Tags , , | Category London | Permalink | Comment (0)

Brooklyn

29 September, 2011 – 2:52 pm

I was introduced to Scott last year when a mutual friend put him in touch with me to talk about a new project he was embarking on.  Scott started a website, guidebook and video blog called Revel in New York. When I first saw the guide I loved it.  When I saw the 2nd guide he has just produced, I love it even more.  The content is garnered from interviews with artists, designers, architects etc from NY, sharing their personal favorite whatever in New York.  Write to Scott to buy a book from him; you’ll love it.

So with that I’ve picked through a few favorites ….

Breukelen Bier Merchants ~ the fact that they carry “hundreds and hundreds” of beer variety’s from all over the world is the best BUT they also have a wide range of foods made using beer.

Jungle Garden~ Plant store with beautiful gardens you can rent out, or attend their periodic parties in. 61 Kent Ave.

Brooklyn Flea~ funny note about this is that the “flea” stuff is just ok, but the food is outstanding.  Go with an empty wallet and lunch money

Amarcord Vintage ~ European styles

Brooklyn Museum~  I love museums. But not really art museums. Museums that have history, artifacts, furniture, stories…stuff like that I love. The Brooklyn Museum technically falls into the art museum category, but its just way better; they’ve  got great exhibitions.

BAM Rose Cinema~ Love cinemas that do more than just show the movie. And preach to you about turning off your cell phone and being quiet blah blah.  BAM, has Q & A sessions and show movies that have already hit archives. Great spot

 

Tags , | Category New York | Permalink | Comment (0)

Next Page »

Next Page »