London: Tea Time in Wonderland

This pop-up shop seems to have fallen from the sky right down on the piazza – like Dorothy’s in Oz country:

I find it impossible to resist the smart and relaxed style of Tommy Hilfilger‘s collections. You step in, still wearing impeccable but rigid work clothes. One look at the so comfy looking clothes and you just want to jump right into them.

The shop proposes a new edition called Preppy, glagging lovely summer hues. Even dogs get a little classier in here! The new trend is well summed up by the wallet We never carry cash but if you find it difficult to find the right balance as the gentleman below (blazer but no socks in the boat shoes and yes, you still can look great if you roll up the bottom of your trouser to better play croquet), just get the latest we’ll tell you all about it book.

This beahc house is staying in Covent Garden until Sunday, after which it will pack up its suitcases for Milan. So hurry, get yourself a new wardrobe orr just come and pinch a few deco ideas:

Tommy Hilfiger‘s Preppy Pop-Up House
East Piazza, Covent Garden
London
Until May 15, 2011

Beware, royal wedding in view! Match your clothes to the Union Jack colours, get the bunting out… or escape it all.

Whatever the mood, why not celebrate the long week-end with a Pimm’s royal? Add some champagne and a few mint leaves – a froggie twist to the British summer must…

Cheers, my dears!

* Get some unique vintage accessories at this market.

* What will you do on the big day? How about a street party – Battersea or Shoreditch? I’m hesitating between the pub with a Victorian twist, the secret tearoom party or playing croquet in my wedding attire… Don’t miss the V&A late evening – Lily Vanilli is baking them a royal cake, chocolate, bucks fizz, spices, grapefuit…

* Or just add a pinch of madness. Jump into your royal suit, get on a bike and go treasure hunting.

* Go for an anti-royal afternoon tea: punk-rock inspired with quiches à la Fergie.

* It’s official -  Westminster will be filled with thousands of flowers, a chic must but also… 8 20 feet-high trees. Those displays will remain in place until May 06 – the most wonderful way to discover the abbey.

* Fed up with beer? Try the best of British cider at this festival.

* Get a piece of Buckingham Palace. Bompas & Parr have just launched their new jelly mould for it at Selfridges.

* Be amazed by a procession of illuminated narrowboats.

* Sip a Vietnamese coffee.

* Wake up your tastebuds with wonderful Persian cuisine.

* Movie fan? Head for the East End Festival. Some movies will be projected in a Masonic temple.

* Bikes can be amazing tools. Take yours to a movie and make it musical.

What a dream, it does feel like summer ! T-shirts and beach dresses are out. You’d better eat those Easter chocolates quick or they’ll melt before the hunt has begun…

Put that suncream in your bag and pick a few ideas:

* Are flashmobs dead? Not at all! Meet tomorrow (Thursday, April 21) at Pierre Garroudi‘s gallery at 16.00. Him and his 20 models wearing bright red creations will take London streets as an amzing catwalk stage. Arrival planned at Trafalgar Square between 17.00 and 18.00.

* Southbank opens on Friday a huge festival, inspired by the 1951 and meant to celebrate the British culture. Over the next 4 months there will be a beach atmosphere, Indian street food, a fun fair and each week-end will provide animations on different themes…

* Every year, the British Museum and Kew Gardens work together on a themed garden. Australia is the new guest of honour.

* St Georges Day may not bring an extra day off but it is no reason not to celebrate!

* Blue sky and bright sun usually mean great thirst. Why not cheer the weather with a royal pub crawl? Alternativerly, get a beard and a toge, it’s all for a good cause and your pint will taste even better for it.

* Trafalgar Square is so trendy that even Jesus will stop there this week-end. No kidding.

* Do you live in east London? There’s plenty of chocolate your way.

* Until now, our favourite bubble tea place was the Candy Café. Will this new address in Soho win over?

* We had fallen in love with Gina Foster‘s hat creations. We are not the only ones – she seems to be pretty busy for the royal wedding…

* Don’t forget your camera on Sunday: Easter Bunnies will be skating through Hyde Park!

* Royal wedding cakes are all the craze. Go and see this free exhibition that recreates the most amazing ones, including a Buckingham Palace made of sugar.

* Discover the keys ceremony at the London Tower.

* Hendrick’s will mix new cocktails at Selfridges, served in teapots: gin-champagne-elderflower liqueur. Cheers, my dear!

* You can now enjoy Pimm’s on the London Eye.

What about you? London or countryside escape?

Just mention Ladurée et eyes will sparkle.

So Parisian chic, isn’t it?  The name is synonym of elegant afternoon treats even in London with two amazing boutiques, one in Harrod’s, another in Piccadilly. Macarons are all the trend, and their limited edition boxes make them jewel like.

Being a sweet tooth is the best quality you could wish for and you are never too close to a rose religieuse or a Ispahan cake. And so Ladurée will be opening in Covent Garden in May. Can’t wait. Inspired by an individual house, the new location will convey an 18th century atmosphere and play with luxury and cocoon touches. Pastel hues, marble, mahogany will add to the refinement.

The ground floor will present the delicacies in a mirrored bookcase, colours reflecting endlessly for a cheerful effect…

The first floor will propose four different atmospheres: romantic, atist studio with trompe l’oeil engravings, invitation to travel and a welcoming wooden bar:

The opening times are most friendly for macaron-holics as the boutique will open till 23.00 Mondays to Saturdays  and till 22.30 on Sundays. No way you can miss your sugar fix!

The exact opening date is yet to be confirmed, work is being finalised on site, but it is only a question of weeks. You can bet the place will be full from the very first day.

And if you’re coming to London for work but have no time for shopping, rejoyce: a desert carosse will alos open soon at Heathrow.

Laduree website

Rain tends to soak everything, including your mood. Keep this illustration by Paper Heart at hand and smile again!

Paper Heart
London Man card, £3

Impossible to take two steps in London without being face to face with a picture of the royal couple… Of course, most of the merchandising is pretty kitsch and will leave you smiling. I saw cardboard masks of Kate, William and the Queen at Waterloo. Even the kiddies book range is invaded: Angelina Ballerina has been invited to the big event, the Mr & Mrs has launched a princess edition, little girls learn they can be Princess Catherine’s bridesmaid, let alone cut paper figurines of the love doves (I’m amazed Mattel hadn’t worked on proper Barbie and Ken versions? Or is that yet to come?). Bored ? You can doodle the wedding away or why not, knit your own (not kidding). And if really, you don’t understand what’s happening, just grab the Royal wedding for dummies. Not a single object will escape that label! Let us know what you come across (chocoralie@ttiw.co.uk)…

Meanwhile, it’s almost week-end time and we should be able to enjoy London under the sun. Now, where did I put that picnic set…?

- Add a surprise to you mail…

- Join the Time Out Film Club to go through the best classics…

- Mother’s day getting near… Cath Kidston is proposing free workshops for the kids!

- Fancy some Chinese noodles?

- I think it is the first time I have seen sunshine for the Oxford / Cambridge boat race. Who are you supporting?

- Get green fingers at the Gardening festival…

- (Re) Discover Terry O’Neill’s pictures – 50 years photographying stars, including James Bond and the Rolling Stones…

- Get your loved ones something else than chocolate for Easter. This way for spring-themed shopping!

- A new bar dedicated to gin for tonic evenings!

- Royal atmosphere? This way for a new pop-up shop…

- A theatre play at the Tower of London? Nice change of scenery – book your tickets for Richard III quickly!

Always on the lookout for cute yet easily postable presents to my London-nostalgic friends, I recently came accross those, hidden at the back of a Foyles shelf…

3D effect, aquarelle-style illustrations, a nice memory for a first trip or even to familiarise a child with the discovery of the city.

£5 in store, £3.65 at the moment on Amazon.

It was love at first sight for those Soop melanine rings. So cute, so iconic. Just could not resist.

A handful of London!

Only £4.99 each on the TFL website

Fancy pocketing a piece of London, recreating and sharing it? Try those lovely stamps by Yellow Owl. Big Ben, double deckers and traffic jams are all yours!

A very 70ies design, which will look gorgeous on cards, enveloppes… let alone will charm little adventurers.

£8.99

Magma
16 Earlham Street
Covent Garden
London WC2H 9LN

Or:

Caravan
3 Redchurh S
Shoreditch
London E2 7DJ

You might also like those miniatures @ Muji’s

Did you fall in love with the quaintness of Smith & Sons?

London hides so many out-of-time treasures, discreet little gems in the sparkling crown of the City.

Less exuberant that the big chains, they offer instead a diversity, a breath of fresh air, a cocoon, a family atmosphere.

It’s like a spoonful of a wonderful medecine -  just makes you feel better. In a world always thinking ahead of the next update, the next big thing, not even stopping for the present, how comfortingto see that some things do not change!

Still Open praises those heroic shops, surviving decades and tells their story as well as their neighborhoods. The pictures alone are worth buying the book for: barbers, cafés, hatters, fishmongers, delicatessen…

Look out for them – after all, visiting them keeps them alive.

Still open
£12.95