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