Best coffee - just around the corner

I have been complaining about the lack of independent good cafes in Richmond. And now it turns out that I have some of London's best coffee just around the corner - next to the tube station.
Time Out London has found the best cups of coffee in town and Taylor Street Baristas at the organic deli Source came in as number one in the category "Best coffee in West" and third place in the winner category.
If I hadn't given up coffee I would order one of the glorious cup right now.

Source, 27d The Quadrant, Richmond, TW9 1DN (07969 798 650)

Pit stop on stylish farm

Forget about muddy cows and the typical country smell that makes city girls hold their breath. At Daylesford Organic's farmshop in Gloucestershire everything is fresh, shiny and looks like something out of a posh commercial. Fashionable ladies with a middle class polish and designer bags are a very common sight among flowery garden gloves, fur gloves for babies, books, beautiful vegetables, flowers, meat, wine etc. It is the land of Hunter wellies and picky organic taste buds. A bit too much. But oh so tempting. Everything from expensive body oils to wheat free chocolate cakes are just yummy!

If you feel like a bite of this delicious trendy organic lifestyle there is always the Daylesford Organic's cafes and delis in London.

www.daylesfordorganic.com

Gotta love Jamie!

Having ventured out of the city we might as well stop at Jamie Oliver's fun restaurant chain Jamie's Italian. I have been meaning to mention this for a long time anyway.
It's really brilliantly done and has a authentic Jamie touch as if he just walked through the restaurant and tossed the salad around with his fingers. I have been to the branch in Kingston and Bath. Both cosy and buzzing at the same time. It's the sort of place where it is fun to take you kids or just go with some friends.
I love that he made my daughter eat chickpeas. He makes food so down to earth, relaxed with out ever being boring.
There are lots more branches popping up around UK this spring.

www.jamieoliver.com

Moving to the country - part 2

The most extreme and fashionable do a Liz Hurley and actually move to the country to become stylish, organic farmers.
If you don't leave the city you can have a taste of he model's country life. Try her organic snack bar from Harrods. Quilt free snacks with under a 100 calories, if you care about stuff like that.
Hurley must be one of the only farmers who makes it to the glossy pages of Elle.

www.elizabethhurley.com

Moving to the country

Going to the country seems be one of the most fashionable things you can do when living in London. People with money rush to big country estates with a private chef and a bunch of friends when ever they need a break from the polluted city air.

It's half term so I thought I might give the sweet farm life a try too.
So I am also going with my family and some friends and a private chef (one of us). We don't own a mansion but have carefully sourced a chic farmhouse in the beautiful Costwolds.

While we are there we might as well ditch the wellies for at day and spoil ourselves at the lovely spa at The Cotswold House.

www.cotswoldhouse.com

Happy Chinese New Year

Have all your new years resolutions turned into disappointments. Again. Just like last year. Well, you are probably not alone, and I have a good idea. Celebrate Chinese New Year on Sunday. (Yes I know that it is also Valentines Day). But the idea of getting a second chance to a fresh start of the year appeals to me.
I went to a pre-New Years dinner a Chinese friend’s house the other day. Got a delicious meal, a good luck orange and learned that I am a chicken and my husband is a monkey (according to the Chinese lunar Calendar).
A good place to celebrate the start of the Year of the Tiger and Valentine’s Day for that matter is at the gorgeously sexy Hakkasan. Although they have let me know by taking the yummy tea smoked Duck Salad of the menu I can always be tempted by the dim sum platter.

8 Han Place (an alley off Oxford Street near Tottenham Court Road Tube). London.
www.hakkasan.com

A magazine with a shop

Of course you had to leave it to Mr. Wallpaper (now Monocle) aka Tyler Brûlé to turn a magazine into a shop. Monocle Shop is a tiny, cool and very updated version of a newsstand. Buy all the back-issues of the magazine, a range of travel bags made by Porter in Japan, cool notepads and small stuff - all carefully selected with the same distinct style that is so familiar to the readers of the global oriented magazine.
Worth stopping by if you are exploring the charming neighbourhood Marylebone, which has a great selection of small independent shops and great eateries.

2A George Street
London W1U 3QS
020 7486 8770
www.monocle.com

Last chance to visit BACON STREET PROJECT

What a shame. Just received an email from the truly unique shop and cultural hangout and venue BACON STREET PROJECT i East End. It's closing down..

You have a last chance to say "au-revoir ": Go visit the sale or come along for the last music eventHere is what the girls write:

To celebrate our last month of festivities we would like to invite you to our big clearance sale, happening from now on until the 17th of February!

We need to get rid of a maximum of stuff to go with empty suitcases so come on guys and enjoy our crazy bargains from t-shirts to glasses, microwave to clothes rail, mannequins to espadrilles.

On the 12^th of February we are having our last live music nights, bringing together many of our “in-house” artists as well as some new jewels we have met recently. Of course we will put a big effort and lots of love into this (2^nd) last chance to be united with you all.

From 8pm till late.

14 Bacon Street just off Brick Lane

www.baconstreetproject.com