London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Ah, how lovely to walk through Shoreditch again, such a familiar neighbourhood but with the constant surprise of street art. Keep your eyes open (and down) – there are still some of Pablo Delgado’s miniature works around… What are your plans for the week-end? None yet? Then scroll down…

That’s art, baby:
* Pretend you are Mime Marceau.
* This ice-sculpting festival should be pretty cool.
* Let’s be serious – Sky News and the Somerset House have put together an impressive collection of pictures.
* A colorful and fun exhibition that should delight curious minds -  at the London Transport Museum.
* find your luck at the Wellcome Collection.
* Love the glass sculpture at the entrance of the V&A? Why not go and see what else the artist can do?
* And from the first floor of your double decker…

So British:
* Warm up in front of a lovely chimney fire in a pub.
* Or listen to classic albums there.
* Or enjoy a traditional treat.
* Get to know everything about gin with this craze walk.

Take the little ones along:
* And rediscover Quentin Blake.

Yummy time ahead:
* Cheers to you!
* Dine in a cinema.
* Fancy a squirrel pie?

Out of the ordinary:
* Take those ice-skating shoes and dance.
* White your thank you cards at Tatty devine.
* Lord of the rings will take you through the night.
* Sing a cappella.
* Sip a drink in a tipi on a London roof. You read that right.
* Try this Pay what you want guided walk.
* And now, you can even personnalise your soup tin.

After a few days in India, the British rain had quite faded my cheerfulness.

A visit at Carom painted my day in bright colours. This bar, right in the heart of Soho, mixes the most exotic cocktails with ginger, rose, litchee, cumin, jasmin, lemongrass… Sun in a glass. Let me warn you -  there is no stopping at one either so do come with (many) friends to sip through quite a selection. My favourite -  love at first sip – remains the Bangalore Cooler,in which fresh cardamom is crushed then mixed with whisky, pear, maple syrup. A little marvel and a wwonderful occasion to taste an Indian whisky too – Amrut. Golden, warm, fruity. I ordered a bottle online on my way back home -  say it all.

And if you’re looking for a festive time -  ask about their cocktail masterclasses. How wonderful to see the bar from the other side, learn a few tricks, invent your own signature cocktail. Mine was a dance of saffron gin, rose syrup, lime and orange juice. A liquid Turkish Delight. I was so taken in the atmosphere I was slightly disappointed not to see any palmtrees in the street…

The Christmas touch:
* Beware, Santa invasion!
* Be generous too! Bring your unwanted gifts at the Etsy grotto. They may well make the happiness of another kind heart.
* A Christmas tree by Lanvin? Wow.

That’s art, baby:
* East Berlin steps in Shoreditch.
* Rediscover Dickens.
* Space Invaders invasion at the Outsiders.

Yummy time:
* Fancy a pint of cider?
* Add a slice of Caraibean in your winter.

Take the little ones along:
* A wonderful atmosphere: the Somerset House organises free storytelling under the gorgeous Tiffany Christmas Tree.
* Skate for free at the Scoop -  slide along!
* Nostalgic moment: a Muppet Show movie.

A touch of magic:
* Moomins arrive in Covent Garden.
* For gentlemen who prefer to wait the very last minute to do their Xmas shopping -  book now!

Malarky paints the town, well, not red but in a firework of creativity. The guy clearly dreams in technicolour. For those, look around Boundary St.

Holywell Lane car park, Shoreditch, London

Streets around Spitafields prove fascinating. Adorable brick houses. Glossy doors and window panes. Homes sweet homes.
We know the neighbourhood rich historically. In its own way. Waves of immigrants, each culture adding its print. We know little else, really. Tourist come for Brick Lane, for the buzz.
19 Princelet Street litterally is a museum of life.
Not one of those grandiose historical houses. This one hasn’t been renovated. It is much better this way.

You will learn how the past created the present. How this part of London always was an extraordinary melting pot. It all started with a hospital for travelers, surrounded by fields. Spita - fields.
Evidemment. Later Huguenots left France to escape pesecution of their faith. 50 000 will take refuge in London, bringing little but their skills. Many are silk weavers and develop that trade, proving very successful. They compensate poverty with the cutest houses, colours, flowers. This market doesn’t last, sadly.

Then is the terrible potato famine. Irish men leave their country to get work elsewhere and send the money home. As all minorities, they are accused of stealing the locals’ job. they do however dynamise England’s economy, work hard long hours.
Come the Jews, their wonderful skill with textiles. Everywhere can be heard the rattle of sewing machines. Hard work, suffocating heat, sweat shops.

More people followed. Fascinating to discover them.

And this house – pictures are not allowed, you will have to imagine it – shows bothe the fragility and strength of those communities. The confusion, the mix of languages, rejection, the impression of never being at home. But also the richness of being together, no matter what, never break no matter how tired and demotivated, the support, the memories. If you forget where you come from, someone will help you remember. Daily strength. keeps you going.

The walls have lived and seen so much. The stairs are erroded by millions of steps taken. The glass roof colours are disappearing in places. But it’s the most vibrant place. The volunteers all fell in love with it and it is easy to see why. It was, a time, a synaguoge too. Look up – you’ll see the names, written in hebrew in golden letters. Each detail just touches you to the heart. Here and there, drawers, suitcases you can open, evoking in simple words fear and hope. Music too that makes a tiny room come alive.

19 Princelet Street only opens a handful of days a year because of limited funds – this week-end included. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity. Entry is free but donation is welcome. Leave a few coins, buy a postcard. Weve your story with this house’s.

19 Princelet Street
19 Princelet t
Shoreditch
London E1 6QH

Want to know more about the Spitafield area? Read this amazing blog. It is the first thing I do every morning.

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

I watch the rain pouring down and cannot get this word off my mind: beach.
Toes in warm sand, grains rolling on skin made golden by the sun.
Soft wave music. Listen to the lids splash, laugh, collect shells and make castles.

London seems to have a thing for it too. London-on-sea. Southbank has a mini-kids-beach for the summer. The Red Market, who is finally opening in Shoreditch this week-end after many delays, is proposing an urban version. Palmtrees, pétanque, deckchairs and cocktails. Even pop-ups go sea-food style!

Are you next holidays way too far? Look for a few London ideas here insteas:

* Come and join hundreds of musicians on Southbank this Friday.

* Peyrton & Byrnes are opening a pop-up within Kew Gardens. Dinner will be enhanced with herbs and eatble flowers foraged in the park and served with a little jazz.

* Pretend you are Sherlock Holmes at the Natural History Museum.

* Sleep at the Barbican. No kidding: cushions, duvet and breakfast included!

* Didn’t get your tickets for Wimbledon? Opt for plan B: a 360 degree-view platform at Selfridges.

* Rush to Greenwich for their extraodinary summer festival.

* Be a yogabunny in Hyde Park.

* Food party in Soho.

* Learn to be a barista.

* Did you there now is a farmers’ market every week-end at Portobello?

* Manucure and champagne? Luxury down to your fingertips.

* Discover a roof garden in Southwark -  only open to the public this Sunday. Have a look at the artist’s (Mathew Bell) other creations in London.

* Look up and hunt for hints of the Old London.

* Next stop: Murakami!

Pssst: Are you one of the bloggers chosen by #Regenttweet to tweet the fashion news this Saturday? Leave us a comment and see you on Saturday at Swarowsky’s! Don’t forget your shopping bag…

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.

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