London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Thought and developped by Arts & Business and Walpole, the Crafted programme puts forward up to 12 formidably skilled crafters a year.

Extraordinary discoveries. Delicate, refined, imaginative works by weavers, silversmiths, jewellers…

Rauni Higson‘s work particularly caught my eye. Nature’s imprefect symmetry is her primary source of inspiration: delicate shell spiral, geometry in stones, undulated shapes of funghi or seeweed. Each hammer hit evoques the shape of a cell. Under her fingers, silver fluidifies, becomes poetry, blooms in delicate metallic flowers. Curves and angles catch a hundred different lights, illuminating. From mere objets, they seem to open up to a life of their own:

Rauni Higson’s website
Go and see her work at Decorex in Chelsea, 25-28 Sept. 2011

Are you a big screen fan? Rejoyce. This summer, cinemas are taking the scene over. You’ll find them on the roofs (Queen of Hoxton), parks (Nomad Cinema) and… canals with the Floating Cinema. With or without an umbrella, London’s outdoors are to be enjoyed by all means.

A few more ideas for the week-end:

* Knit your way round the tube. Grannies rock!

* Wow, Waterloo really is turning foodie these days.

* The new Serpentine pavillion opens this Friday -  it is all about emotions, a travel and a secret garden.

* The favourite trend for the summer? The beach.  Even The Goring Hotel has adopted the concept.

* Join The Big Feastival for 3 days of music and gourmet dishes. All profits will support Jamie Olivers and Prince Charles’ charities. Top cooks and restaurant pop-ups are on the program – think Taste of London with a fun twist. Even better – kids under 12 go free.

* Free cakes at St Martins Courtyard Summer Fête.

* Pac-Man your way through the tube…

* Enjoy a guided tour in one of London’s most beautiful Victorian cemetaries, Kensal Green.

* An Arab festival is to enchant London throughout July.

* Look up! Billboards turn artistic.

* See London in black and white.

* Have you seen Nemo?

* Always trying for a balanced diet? Well, Purl has just added a salad bar to their famous cocktails.

* An elegant airy architecture is building up at the Barbican Curve.

* Fly away.

Pssst: Love urban games? Quick, register for the Search Party, it’s free!

Those two designers, who have seduced the likes of Apple, Adobe, Alexander Mc Queen, are particularly skilled at hypnotising their public.
You first look from a distance. Curiousity makes you take a step further – that’s it: you are now lost in the contemplation of the minute geometrical work. the angles, the static movement.
Sadly it proves impossible to show in the pics the glittering fibers, adding a little dew on the blooms.
A myriad of thin lines weave these dynamic creations -so much movement they look like they are coming closer to you. Just fascinating.

The show finishes on Sunday -  make a quick detour to Brick Lane to discover it!

Stolenspace Gallery
The Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London EC1 6QL
Until June 26, 2011 – free

Fabulous initiative of the National Gallery and GE to have recreated one of Van Gogh’s painting as a vegetal wall -  the palette counts 8000 plants of 25 varieties.
Passers by stoop, carress the leaves, check day after day whether blooms have apppeared.
An idea we hope will be reproduced each summer…

Trafalgar Square
London
Until end of October 2011 – free

Go and see the original painting at the National Gallery, room 45

This week-end will be a nice party with a long-time-no-see-but-never-forgot-you friend.
And so, there will be a shower of anecdotes from the good old times, a flow of pints in atmospheric pubs, walks till the end of the night. With or without umbrella, take your bets.
In a nutshell: make new memories.

For inspiration, we’ll choose a few of those:

* On Thursday, take your little artists to Covent Garden – they will have the opportunity to build an art structure with Louis Vuitton.

* Burlesque class anyone? I have always wanted to try…

* A gourmet pop-up on Southbank will serve very poetic food – rush there.

* Or would you rather go for a barbecue van?

* Dancing time at the Tate Modern.

* How about a free jazz concert in the V&A garden to start the week-end?

* Beware, naked cyclists on the go on Saturday. Litterally.

* Keep your eyes open -  yarnbombing is on the programme!

* Dare. Try this fish-therapy, you have been dying to.

* Discover London secret gardens and squares -  a beautiful opportunity to push usually closed gates.

* Brunch time! Our favourite is Dishoom, for its exotic touch.

* Street art tour? Yes, but on a bike.

* Londonus Dinosaurus.

* Circus and Cabaret united? Click this way to know more about this festival.

* Red, white or rosé? Fill your own bottle!

I had heard of the 7 noses of Soho. Richard Buckley, an artist, is said to have decorated the limits of that neighbourhood with 7 casts of his nose.
After a whole year of hunting them down, looking up, around till my neck hurt, I had put it down to urban legend.

An suddenly, my flair paid off! They DO exist -  or at least one has survived. Just head for Meard Street and be nosey…

You’ll also find one around Trafalgar Square.
In floral street, it is another story, Tim Fishlock is said to have added an ear. Stay tuned!

Keggie Carew imagined and created those poetic bubbles, suspended moments of happiness, pieces of freedom to take away and stare at for hours.
Wouldn’t it be comforting to get Alice’s drink me bottle, decrease in size and find shelter in one for those for a while?

Pop-up shop the world the way i want it
73 Redchurch Street
London E2 7DJ

Inspired by Tastour, I’m thinking of a themed week-end. La vie en rose!
Rosé wine. Fentimans’ rose lemonade. A bouquet of peonies. A raspberry and litchee trifle. Cranberry scones and cristalised rose petals.
What’s your program? Looking for ideas? Here are a few:

* Renew your shelves by swapping books.

* Photograph London at dawn.

* Have a sweet tooth. There will be an incredible gingerbread house, with a popcorn chimney and chocolate furniture at The Brunswick. I have heard that clouds will be made of meringue and that cupcakes grow in the garden… Kids can have a bite, listen to accordion or tales. The fabulous Lily Vanilli will also give gingerbread men masterclasses. Not to be missed!

* Art does recyle. A very colourful project in Spitafields.

* Royal beasts take over the Tower of London.

* The Old Truman Brewery will be home to quite amazing pieces of art.

* Al Fresco cinema? Sure, but on the city rooftops!

* The zoo will open late every Friday in June and July. With silent discos and cabaret, you will roar of pleasure.

* Regent Street will turn Spanish on Sunday: giant paellas, drums, dancing horses…

* Temperatures should go up to 22 degrees. That definitely calls for a cool pint in a beer garden.

* We’ve been begging her to – Lily Vanilli is opening her café on Columbia Road. Stop there for a treat before getting those bunches of flowers.

* Pssst: Banksy’s back at the Andipa Gallery.

The gallery is presenting his latest work – seeing those shy and soft faces feels a little like meeting old friends again.

Stik was there too and we exchanged a few words. Like his now famous caracters, he touches you to the heart. He marvels still at how much the public loves him. Behind those sunglasses, is the softest gaze you could imagine.

Do go and see this very tiny exhibition, right in the heart of Carnaby Street. It just puts a smile on your face.

Stik at the LAVA Gallery
1st floor Kingly Court
Carnaby Street
London W1B 5PW
Free – Until June 04, 2011
See him in September at the Graffik Gallery too

Christopher Miers was standing on the side of the bridge, absorbed in his own world.
Time seemed to have a different texture around him, almost palpable. His brushes caressed the canvas ever so gently. Passers-by, always in a rush, surrounded him in a humming noise.
His gaze was focused on the veil of clouds above – dark ash a minute, silvery the next. Patiently, he was trying to capture the dancing light.

I watched him a long time, dreaming away, fascinated by the waves of colour, slowly recreating a landscape I had forgotten to enjoy.
We shared a few words. Soft friendlyvoice, warm handshake.

And sometimes, as I work on dull files in an electrically lit room, I stop and wonder whether he is sitting in his floating studio, palette in hand…