The Darkroom

London just have a way of hiding unique and cool shops in small pockets. Lambs Conduit Street is one of the places where a stroll will give you strange feeling of being in a small yet extremely hip village.

First of all let me lead you to the designshop THE DARKROOM, which changes decor a lot and displays arty design, which you don't find everywhere.

The next couple of months the parisians also have a chance to check out the Londons shops eclectic range of bags, jeweleries, art, fashion and interior decor.

For the entire months of November and December 2010, you can find The Darkroom as a pop up boutique in La Galerie Imaginaire, top floor of Paris's charming department store – Le Bon Marché.

www.darkroomlondon.com

Pop star in vintage disguise

In these X Factor times being a pop star seems to be the most desirable profession. But owning your own vintage shops is even cooler. At least according to the singer Lilly Allen, who has ditched her music career (for five years) to run a fab vintage shop with her half sister Sarah Owen.
Good thing she teamed up with her not so famous sibling. I was reading in an interview that people at flea markets instantly recognized Allen and charged her too much when she traveled around to find beautiful and unique pieces. She is now doing the buying more anonymously online.
The shop Lucy in Disguise is a beautiful and a nice edition to the already booming vintage shopping scene in London.

10-13 King Street, Covent Garden
www.lucyindisguiselondon.com

A Pippi Sandwich, please!

This café is not just for home sick Scandi people - al though you can buy all those traditional Danish, Swedish and Norwegian stuff that friends are always asked to bring in their suitcases when visiting “Scandi-Londoner's”.
Even Brits are buying their lunch there. No wonder because Skandi Kitchen is a café that is spot on the current eating trend - healthy, Nordic diet.
We are talking open face sandwiches with salmon, crayfish (when in season - sadly just ended), prawns and eggs and of course herring.
The homemade cakes are to die for as well. But that's another story. Rumor has it that Kylie Minogue is also lining up for the Scandinavian style sandwiches on Great Titchfield Street.

The atmosphere is great ( I am not just saying that because I am Danish) and the cafe and deli seems to be run by a philosophy of fun, love and a bit of Pippi Longstocking power.


www.scandikitchen.co.uk

For your nose only

Luxury is no longer in your face and over the top bling-bling. Real luxury is something you don’t find on each corner. But you can find it in Le Labo. This übercool brand offers high-end fragrances for very picky noses. The perfumes are so ”one of a kind” that the stores around the world each have their own unique scents. Even if you are not buying you should pop by to look at the cool shops decorated with romantic, old factory interior. The London shop is just off the great shopping and restaurant street Marylebone High Street, which just keeps becoming better and better. In New York you can find Le Labo in Elizabeth Street in NoLiTa – also surrounded with great shopping.
I can’t mention all the location. But it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the Paris shop is located in Colette – the queen of cool concept stores.

www.lelabofragrances.com

A trip back in time

Haven't forgotten about my holiday and my promise about sharing some of the interesting things I came across. Although it doesn't take long to be back in the daily hustle and bustle.
Well I know you are not likely to be in the little Danish town Braedstrup, Jutland, that often. But if you happen to be and are interested in interior vintage from the 50s, 60s and 70s you should check out a very amazing garage sale.
It is like going back in time. The owner Sune has collected so much nostalgic stuff from Panton lamps to flowery duvet covers that I for a moment thought I was about to go camping in the early seventies.
My visit to the garage sparked so many memories about my childhood... well the pictures sort of speak for themselves.

It is kitsch, cool, great design finds and best of all much cheeper than if you went into a similar shop in Copenhagen or New York.

Retro Garagen, Søgade 22, Brædstrup, tel. + 45 75782266

Open: Saturday and sunday 11-15
(or call Sune to make an appointment)

Dolls in wolves clothes

Well, that was a long holiday. Hope you had a good one. I certainly did and I came across some interesting places I would love to share. Some cool art in the South of France and a to die for collection of 50s and 60s interior stuff in a garage in a tiny town in Denmark.
I will come back to that.
But now I am just so excited to be back in London and thinking about this month, which will be all about design and art, when the London Design Festival kicks off.
First thing on my agenda is an extremely exciting exhibition "In Wolves Clothing: Re-imagining the Doll" opening at the SHOWstudio.com Shop on 1-9 Bruton Place this week.
Fashion photographer Nick Knight, designer duo Viktor & Rolf, Laurie Simmons and Peter Jensen and the Danish artist Lone Sigurdsson will be showing.
She is making some fascinating sculptures and works closely with fashion and has sculptured dolls and dresses for the designer Hussein Chalayan.
I am looking forward to meeting these dolls in wolves clothes, Barbie and Rubbish Finger Puppets.

9th of September - 30th October
www.shop.showstudio.com

HOLIDAY!!!!!!

Have a great summer.
See you later...
Kx

It's all about the shoes!

I got this photo and message from a good friend:
"Thought you'd appreciate that an entire Selfridges window had been dedicated to a single pair of shoes..."

I might add that the shoe is designed by the fashion hero du jour Alexander Wang. So I thought you might also appreciate this photo.

Bohemian Brighton - part 1

Brighton brings out mixed feelings in a lot of people. It's partly a tacky beach town wrapped in candy floss and sweet and sticky Brighton Rocks. But it is also a very charming and bohemian town with good cafes, vintage shops and flea markets.
Not to mention all those quirky and very laid back people, who own a little vintage or record shop. The kind of people who oozes of living the sort of life where they don't get going until noon.

A couple of years ago I was introduced to Brighton by a very good friend, who used to be one of the city's many students and know all the good spots.
Last weekend I went back for a day trip.

Here are a few great stops when you are hungry...



NIA
A perfect local café a bit away from the hustle and bustle on South Lanes. None of the table match and they serve an excellent brunch and divine smoothies and juices.
87–88 trafalgar street.


BILLS

All relaxed, modern and funky restaurants seem to have their own deli. So does Bills. And the fresh fruit and vegetables by the entrance gives the place a nice Mediterranean feel. Rustic fresh food and fantastic cakes are served on wooden tables in a cool industrial looking room.

The Depot
100 North Road
www.billsproducestore.co.uk

INFINITY FOOD

Very well stocked organic supermarket on the corner of North Road and Gardner Street. Great selection of homemade bread. Check out the café on 50 Gardner Street, North Laine.

Cool summer reading

I just watched An Education on dvd yesterday evening.
Such a lovely film and it inspired me to change my life and go to Paris, smoke cigarettes (even though I have sworn never ever to start that bad habit again) and talk about literature all day long before getting glammed up for the opera at night.
But perhaps I don't have to go to the drastic life change.
I believe you can have everything, if you settle for small amounts of each thing and don't except to do it all at the same time.
With that home made life philosophy in mind I have decided to forget about the cigarettes and opera and just read some books.
And the other day I found myself in (not Paris) but a little green park near Chelsea Habor. With an extra hour to kill I camped in a shady spot on the grass and started reading ONE DAY by David Nicholls,
London has all those lovely green spots and amazing parks. Even my little local Terrace Gardens i Richmond have deck chairs.
Perfect spot for a picnic with books (just don't go after school hours).

My books for this summer are:

Juliet (Julie in Danish) by Anne Fortier. Modern Romeo and Juliet story written by a fellow Dane in English. And it is coming out in US this fall. Anne is already being treated like a rock star by her publisher Harper Collins. Can't wait to read it.

Purge by Sofi Oksanen
I am not really into crime novels, but this one should be really cool. And the author she is Finnish and totally goth.

How did you get this number by Sloane Crosley.
I read about it in Grazia and it is about life i NYC. Need I say more?

I will cook some of Sophie Dahls delights from
Miss Dahls Voluptuous Delights. When I am too lazy to figure out the English cups and pounds, I will get my hands on the Danish translation Sophie Dahls Frydefulde fristelser.

and I will also travel around Europe with Jamie Oliver and his latest "Jamie does...". It's great.

Finally I will move into the super cool "The Selby is in your Place".

A meal with a view

Photo: Luke Hayes - courtesy of Westfield Stratford City

Restaurants, bars, shops and even cinemas seem to pop up in the most unlikely locations, which is of course part of the whole deal. The trend has really got its grip on London since Comme des Garçons as first movers opened the guerilla shops back in 2004. The big thing this summer is to be seen on top of a parking space in the future shopping mall Westfield Stratford City overlooking the Olympic building site. The restaurant Studio East is in a temporary pavilion and hosted by the pop up expert from the hot spot Bistrotheque in Bethnal Green. When they did Flash around Christmas time a few years ago I only made it to the close down sale and I suspect that this one will be yet another hot restaurant that I will never get around to visit.
But again the idea of pop ups is that they come and go before the crowds follow the cool kids ...
... at least I am thinking about booking a table.

Studio East
www.studioeastdining.com

Ps. Another pop up on my list is:
Frank’s Campari Bar and Café.
www.frankscafe.org.uk

Vintage magic

Good things come and go. I was sad to see the Bacon Street Project shut down earlier this year. But when I last stopped by the street just off Brick Lane I was extremely pleased to see the newest edition of the vintage world of Shoreditch and East End.
The Vintage Emporium is a truly beautiful shop, which makes you want to work on your waist and only wear tight fitted fragile vintage dresses in faded creamy colours.
This shop is just like the Bacon Street Project used to be full of surprises. Apart from the stunning collection of clothes from the Victorian era to the 1950s this shops also offers drama lessons, open mic evenings and has a little cafe.

The Vintage Emporium, 14 Bacon Street
www.vintageemporiumcafe.com

Max points for book lovers

Tennis is still on in Wimbledon and I just sent my parent's off to Centre Court.
I am pretty sure they will be busy watching Serena Williams play, while they are sipping Champagne or Pimms and eating sweet strawberries (that is really something the brits can be proud of).
So they unlikely to spent time book shopping.

But if you go to Wimbledon I can strongly recommend a visit to Music & Books. This is a family run book shop with a great selection of books.

Shopping on the High Street in the Wimbledon Village is great right now .. expensive Matches shops are flashing 50% off signs in the windows. I bought a Bella Freud cardigan the other day. Inscription says: Last poets.
So in a way that is also shopping for book lovers!

Matches
www.matchesfashion.com

Music & Books
www.wimbledonbooksandmusic.co.uk

Game, set and eat

I went to Wimbledon today to catch a bit of pre tennis atmosphere.
It's not that I would mind watching Danish Caroline Wozniacki flash her brilliant forehand and cool Stella McCartney clothes, but I haven't got any tickets for the tournament, which starts tomorrow Monday.
So I settled for some sale shopping in the charming village.
I was pleased to see that the cool Grocer on Elgin has opened a branch in Wimbledon.
Make a stop for delicious moist cakes, sandwiches and ready-made meals, which is a very tempting quick dinner on those days (all those days), when you don't feel like cooking yourself.

Grocer on Wimbledon
High Street, Wimbledon
www.thegroceron.com

Oh Orla...

One of my friends is gaga for the designer Orla Kiely, so when she came to see me, we once again moved into the shop on Monmouth Street. The patterns are really retro and funky and I wanted to buy everything from tea mugs to wash cloths.
My friend already has everything from wallpaper to a clutch and she certainly travels in style... the travel bags are amazing.

Then I went to a dress agency party the other day and the item of the night was... Yeah you guessed it. A flowery dress from Orla Kiely.

www.orlakiely.com

The rabbit goes swimming

Sorry... I am not running Peter Jensen's PR company. But you just really have to see this swim suit...

One cool rabbit

If you love Danish designer Peter Jensen quirky sense of fashion you are most likely smitten by his little rabbit.
Fans of the sweet fashion creature have to stop by the new pop shop The Tee Shop on Brick Lane. Jensen has teamed up with a university graduate duo Bernstock Speirs and have launched limited edition t-shirts and limited edition bunny cap. One of the T-shirts shows the rabbit wearing a hat.

The Tee Shop, Brick Lane, London
peterjensen.co.uk

When pizzas became hot

It used to be an old night club with a bit of a reputation, now it is a hip hang out in Shoreditch. No wonder Pizza East has become so popular. The atmosphere is buzzing, the decor is super cool with brick walls, big windows, iron lamps, visible pizza oven and a huge bar in the middle.
I have eaten there twice in a week. First stop was a lunch where I went for seabass carpaccio with fennel seeds and a beet root salad. It was lovely, but my eyes kept following all the thin pizza that landed on the tables around me.
So naturally I had pizza when my good friend from Denmark treated me to a belated birthday dinner this Saturday.
Post SATC 2 film (big film, small story as we agreed) we were in need of something cheesy and salty. And the pizzas were light, tasty and everything we needed. The atmosphere was amazing and the staff was chatty, witty and observant - so when the waiter brought us a bottle in stead of just two glasses of wine (which we ordered), we decided to go for it. "Why not" - after all everything is happening in Shoreditch as we were told by a woman in the bar.

Pizza East
www.pizzaeast.com
56 Shoreditch High Street
London E1
020 7729 1888

Rose Bakery - a treat on the top

I passed by the Rose Bakery on Rue des Martyr in Paris a week ago. It was completely booked and my friend and I were too hungry to wait. But this week I made it up to another friend, who came to see me in London.
Rose Bakery is hidden on top of the avantgarde Dover Street Market (owned by Comme des Garçons), which has taken shopping to a whole new level with exceptional and very expensive labels such as Lanvin, Danish Camilla Skovgaard and Alexander McQueen .
It's a tiny cafe, which serves rustic organic tarts, vegetables and a carrot cake worth ordering with your other food. Just to be on the safe side. On busy days they seem to run out of several dishes on the menu. But that is not a part of the charm and the feeling of being in a country kitchen.
Think home made hearty food with a view of roof tops in the middle of London and of course COMME des GARÇONS T-shirt in the shop. Certainly one of the best, charming cafes in London.

www.doverstreetmarket.com

Dover Street
London W1S 4LT

A nice cuppa

Don't you just hate those kind of people, who keep talking about all the cocktails, they have been consuming.
I am afraid that will be ME.
At least recently. Normally I don't drink that much ( No seriously!).
But some how all good things seem to be happening right now.
Between Paris and the big SATC 2 weekend coming up I really needed to go for something without alcohol.
So today I had a tranquil experience at the TeaSmith, a nice chat with John "the owner" and several very tasty and delicious cups of teas.
I went as part of my research for an article about extraordinary tea experiences. This is the place to go if you want to have chilled white Oolong Tea (brewed on cold water), perfectly heated Jasmine tea and other fine teas served by a man, who knows all about pleasing the taste buds.
The Scottish tea expert himself is married to a Japanese woman, goes to China and Japan a lot and keep everything very authentic and simple.
- It's all about the liquid and less about the pastries, as John says.

www.teasmith.co.uk
6 Lamb Street
London E1 6EA

Tuna in a can - Paris part 2

Feeling slightly hung over ( a visit to the Hotel Amour will do that to you) eating something salty was top on my list the first full day in Paris (and the second for that matter). I imagined some "frites", but after a browse in the Isabel Marant's shop on Rue Jacobs on the left bank we found ourselves sitting amongst local people in the old bistro La Palette. It opened in 1902 and is still as original and French as you could ever wish for.
I have been there before and the local woman who took me there the first time preferred this old haunt to the two more famous Cafe Flores and Les Deux Margots, which attracts more tourists.
Well back to my craving for something salty.
La Palette has one of those typical French bistro menus where everything seems to come with an egg.
I ordered THON BLANCH avec PAIN GRILLé. And that was what I got. Nothing else.
Just take a look at the photo. You have to love French simplicity.

The best thing was that the quality tuna was actually quite salty.

Isabel Marant
1, rue Jacob
75006 paris
www.isabelmarant.tm.fr

La Palette
43 rue de Seine corner of Rue Jacob

Meet me in Paris

I have been guest blogging about London on the fabulous Danish blog The Sweet Spot this week.
Check out : http://thesweetspot.dk/blog

Meanwhile I am off to Paris my self. Business and mostly pleasure.
I love living in London and being able to get on Eurostar and be in the middle of Paris a couple of hours later.
I hate to show off. But so sorry I can't help my self. I am meeting one of my BFF at cool Hotel Amour tonight. She is coming straight from London and after a quick interview I will be waiting for her at the bar with the first round of Mojitos.


www.hotelamourparis.fr
8 Rue de Navarin
75009 Paris, France
01 48 78 31 80

Look there is a pink elephant...

...and I am not saying this to trick you to look the other way while I snatch the last piece of carrot cake on your plate. A big art event has placed elephants all over the city. The place to bump into the pink one is just outside Whistles in Covent Garden.
There are 258 glass fibre animals parading around London to raise awareness of the Elephant Family (charity that works to prevent extinction of the Asian elephant). They come in all sorts of patterns and colours and look cute and fashionable.
Check them out around town.
I caught a few with my Iphone while walking along the river on South Bank the other day.

Let's meet at The Sweet Spot

I have been invited to be guest blogger by a cool designer Laura Scheuer Trøstrup, who has a great eye for fun, funky and pretty
design and shares amazing stuff on her blog The Sweet Spot.

Todays topic is EATING OUT...

I am afraid it's in Danish. But have a look anyway and browse through striped ceramics, blue Danish design chairs and other modern treasures displayed on the blog.

http://thesweetspot.dk/

Shop and save the children

Let me share some great news with you.
Mary Portas (retail guru known from TV, Grazia etc.) has teamed up with the charity Save the Children and developed a new charity concept store. Portas rehearsed this brilliant concept at Westfield last year and the idea is to bring the best of high street together with fashion “left over” and local talent.
The fashion industry has been urged to donate press samples and end of season clothes and all money raised will go to help children around the world.
That must be shopping that ticks all the right boxes.

Opens 22nd of May. See you there…

Photo from:
‘Mary’s Living and Giving Shop for Save the Children’ 177 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB

New York treats

I said I was going to be a bit obsessed about New York for a while here on this blog.
Then what happened?
NOTHING. Absolutely nothing!
Sorry guys, but I have been extremely busy with a lot of things that I can't really remember now.

But it's now time for a few New York treats again ...

If I were in NYC today I would probably not be complaining about awful cold spring weather.
I would walk around in sandals enjoying a coffee i Williamsburg - sitting by the river looking at the Manhattan skyline.
I would take a walk on the High Line and do some shopping in Meatpacking District.
I would check out the Monkey Bar and I would find quirky art, cool decoupage plates and wrapping paper with insects at John Derian.

www.johnderian.com

Viva Mexico!

The past two Tuesdays I have been repeating my self and enjoyed great Margaritas and mexican market food in a buzzing, vibrant basement i Covent Garden. The restaurant Wahaca is cheap and fun and the food is tasty with a spicy kick. The chef Thomasina Meiers have created a chain (only two so fair) with supercool personality and modern mexican food. I have loved it from the beginning, but recently I seem to have become almost addicted.
I even spent my gift voucher in Books for Cooks in Notting Hill to buy the cook book, which is a amazing.


Chandos Place, Covent Garden.
www.wahaca.co.uk

Vintage Friday in Notting Hill

Yes Portobello Road might be crammed with tourists on Saturdays, and big chains like All Saints might pretty soon rule the old marked street, but Friday mornings browsing through the vintage and second hand stalls under the bridge is still something else. I especially love looking at the quirky people who come to sell an eclectic mix of every thing from scarfs to old costumized furs. When stylish and funky girls have been going through their wardrobes for unwanted items, thrown them in suitcases and gone to the market, it is worth checking if you can pick up something unique. Perhaps the laid back chick bohemian market style will rub of on you.
I went the other day and got a feeling that this must be the summer where I am only going to wear old pretty flower dresses and shield myself from the sun with a romantic lace umbrella. ...or not.
That is the thing about flea markets and vintage shopping, you are allowed to dream and play with different personalities.

If I were in N. Y. today...

I would eat a gigantic piece of cheese cake from Eileens Cheesecake.
Fluffy, creamy and just the way a cheese cake should be.

www.eileenscheesecake.com
17 Cleveland Place

I LOVE NEW YORK!

Despite volcano ashes my new book has made it to the British shores and my home today.
And I know that my English friends and followers can't read it, but I will still like to share my love for New York with you.

So in my up-and-coming entrees I might seem a bit obsessed with NY.

If I could only be there to day, which is as you all know impossible. I had planned to go in a couple of weeks, but the planned interview will now be an email chat.
Not the same.

If I was in New York today, I would celebrate my book launch with a Mojito in Hotel Delamo in Williamsburg. Possibly the most secret, stylish and fab bar I have ever been to.
I love that place. Thanks Charlotte for taking me there. We will have that kebab on Bedford Ave. soon.


82 Berry Street St at North 9th st. Williamsburg.

The silver lining in the volcano cloud

As some of my best friends are stranded in Florida and Denmark leaving a trail of cancelled events, I have been looking for the silver lining in the volcano clouds.
I should have been having brunch today with my good friend. But like so many other Brits she and her family are stranded in Paradise a.k.a Miami. And I should have been shopping, eating, hanging out, and catching up and so much more with one of my best Danish friend. It sucks.
On the other hand a volcano eruption and a strange ash cloud it’s no body’s fault and when your schedule is being turned upside down there is room for the unexpected.
To find that silver lining you don’t have to use our eyes. Just tune in your ears. The place to be this gorgeous sunny weekend is by the river in Richmond or in Kew Gardens, where planes usually spoil these idyllic London villages by the Thames.
No planes in the sky = total bliss!

Ps. This might cause a political awakening in these suburbs. Please move Heathrow airport or at least stop making any more runways!

Shopping is art!

Sorry to repeat myself. I know it's only been a few days since I last mentioned the new Anthropologie on King's Road. I did welcome it a bit reluctantly mostly because it's no longer something special to go to the shops in the states.
But now I love it.
I took my daughter there today and she explored every corner and even went back to say goodbye to the nice girl by the entrance. (She was American and very charming).
The displays in the shop are amazing. Full of story telling, earthy vibes and lots of colours. The little gallery right by the entrance is a nice touch and adds some art experience to the whole shopping event. Some of us have long considered shopping an art any way.
Take a look a the birds on display at the moment.

"I want the wall paper".
My daughter.