London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Honey, I have shrunk the street art! After Slinkachu and Isaac Cordal, Pablo Delgado takes a turn at making the world fit in our pocket. Look out for this one on Hanbury Street.

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!

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

Bingo! This week-end is forcasted sunny AND will last an extra day. Around me, there are constant talks of Pimm’s jugs.hammocks, barbecue-parties, of the pleasure of walking barefoot in the grass…

* Is there a spirit in the Old Operating Theatre?

* Couldn’t get a ticket to the Chelsea Flower Show? Cheat, enjoy it differently with dedicated cocktails and afternoon teas.

* Put on your dancing shoes at Spitafields. You can even learn to tango there.

* The V&A late opening is dedicated to Yoji Yamamoto. Fashionistas should rush there.

* Always wanted to own a real theatre costume? Now is your chance: this pop-up sells them at affordable prices.

* Stik is back!

* Or would you prefer miniature street art?

* Foodies, the party’s in Hampton Court this week-end.

* Fancy a picnic but don’t want to prepare anything? Try this. enter the code MAY15 for an extra 15% off the price.

* Come and admire the fab sport cars at Covent Garden before they race away to the Gumball 3000 rally. Gentlemen, we promise this is not a ruse to let the girls fo even more shopping…

* Take some height at the Sky Bar.

* To keep those little pirates busy, click this way.

* Yummy! There is a new Hummingbird Bakery branch in Spitafields. Street art & cupcakes, now thta’s good news. Follow the crumbs and you’ll find me.

* Top Shop hides a pop-up with limited edition clothes. It is hiding behing the florist shop…

* Discover London the yummy way with Tastour. I have just registered for their famous Indian food walk in September.

* Visit a Huguenot House.

* Sip a bubble tea.

* Pssst! Next Wednesday, go and see some opera on Trafalgar Square.

Stop! A sign thief appeared in London this week.

This one is robbing happily close to the opera House, at the corner of Bow St and Floral St.

The fun artist who puts a smiles on pedestians’ faces is Abraham Clet (thanks Anna!). If you see any more let us know!

A last minute idea to enjoy your Sunday.

Make the most of this lovely spring atmosphere and escape to Notting Hill. Join the tourists on Portobello Market, get yourself a royal mug, count the multi-coloured doors, sit down for a Black bottom cupcake at the Hummingbird Bakery, have a fish lunch at Pesceria Mattiuci or a romantic dinner at Dragoncello, sit down comfortably in the leather armchairs of the Electric Cinema, discover a mini tea-ceremony at Teanamu (more about this later this week)…

…and have a look at the Corroded Surfaces show: street art uses metallic recycled basis, shutters, sculpted steel, old boxes, discarded planks, fridge doors…

Our friend Psychonautes’ stencils are there too – palette of luminnous blue, tribal tattoo inspired… look out for those on the streets too, even on Leake St!

Coroded surfaces until March 20, 2011 included – free
Graffik London
284 Portobello Road
London W10 5TE

Mutant monsters, meant to be scary but with a charming smile, a little chameleon like, the kind you expect to meet in the jungle…

Andy Warhol meets gothic revival!
Star parodies too – Andy Warhol meets Gothic revival!

It may loo smooth and simple but each piece meant hours of cutting and pasting. Have a look at the artist’s workshop in the central garden shed…

A fun exhibition, reminds me of the Gorillaz albums graphism. Stop by next time you’re around Brick Lane!

The Doomsday papers
Stolenspace Gallery
The Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London EC1 6QL
Until March 27, 2011 – free

On a stair step, at the corner of Ely’s Yard:

I step out of the Edgware Rd tube station, a little lost. The address indicates Pedestrian Subway. Hmmm. I look around. At the corner of the street, a path declines into the ground then under the road, must be it.

Completely deserted -  and it’s rush hour. I almost expect to see tumbletweeds rolling by!

And there, in the middle of the corridor is the oh-so-tiny Subway Gallery. Angular lines. Neon effect of the electric lights. Previously a kiosk of the 1960ies, it looks more like an extraterrial object!

What are you here for? Stik’s show. If you are a Shoreditch fan, you are familiar with his characters, made of 6 simple lines. I always think they must be easy to draw but never succeed to give them the same tenderness… It all comes from a detail in the way they stand, a slight sense of movement, the exact angle of the head… They put cheerfulness back in the day.

Their humanity may come from the artist’s experience  – he was homeless a number of years. Now back on track, he also works with councils and councils on graffiti workshops, liaises with St Martin’s centre on dialogue through graffiti. No vandalism – each of his pieces in East London have been authorised. An ethic in a street artist that makes him look even more fantastic.

I arrived just a few minutes too late and could only see the room through the glass windows.

But no matter at which time you walk by – enjoy the blue mural on the side of the corridor!

Subway Gallery
Stik – until March 26, 2011
Kiosk 1, Pedestrain Subway
Edgware rd/Harrow Rd London
W2 1DX
Free