A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds
est. 2007

Archive: Sep 2008

  2. Last chance: Tim Walker

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    I managed to squeeze in time on Friday afternoon to see Tim Walker's superb exhibition at the Design Museum in London. It closes tomorrow (Sunday) so you've got one day left to see his photography in all its colour-saturated glory. I particularly loved seeing his scrapbooks and 'thinking' behind some of his more spectaclar shoots - so inspirational.

    I'm also keen to check out Eglingham Hall in Northumberland one day - has anyone been? It's interesting that he returned to this English manor house time and again for so many shoots - and fully utilised the grounds as well as the interior. It's hard to imagine it now without a mass of coloured balloons tumbling out of the front windows.

    I made it to the museum with one hour to spare at 4.45pm, which was actually quite fortunate as I picked up a 'last hour' ticket for £5 (down from the usual £8.50 for adults).  Something to keep in mind ...

    Design Museum
    28 Shad Thames
    London SE1 2YD 
    Tel. 020 7403 6933

    Opening hours:
    Daily 10am - 5.45pm
    Last admission at 5.15pm

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

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    p.s. his kitsch pastel kitties reminded me of one particular wedding from my bridal magazine days where the bridesmaids marched down the aisle with matching dyed poodles in pink, lemon, blue and mint.

  3. Can you handle a ‘Keep Calm’ rug?

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    My mate Gemma recently sent me an email entitled, "Don't tell me to keep fuckin calm!!!!" in response to the interior world's love affair with the now ubiquitous Keep Calm and Carry On poster. Shortly after, she designed her own reply and posted it on her Flickr account:

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    She's not the only one getting her knickers in a knot over this British WWII reproduction ... check out the snarkiness going on over at Apartment Therapy, where admittedly every cool apartment and its doghouse seems to have a "Keep Calm" hovering somewhere between their Saarinen tulip table and Eames plastic rocker.

    You may remember that I was also pretty excited when the first wave of Keep Calms came out. I first fell for the poster when I spied it at the V&A Museum shop soon after I had moved to London from Australia. In its original red design and within the context of the museum shop, I thought it was clever and unique and brought a smile to my newbie expat dial.

    Since then, the trend has exploded and you can now purchase apricot-coloured (apricot?) Keep Calm posters from Etsy, as well as whole host of merchandise ranging from sweatshirts to tote bags.

    And now, introducing, the Keep Calm and Carry On rug, available exclusively from Pedlars.

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    What say you? Yay or nay? (Should I duck and cover?)

  4. Online shopping: Present & Correct

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    The latest online shop that’s got everyone talking is UK-based Present & Correct. And rightly so – it’s a veritable treasure trove for stationery fiends and those with a penchant for good design and vintage paper ephemera. The best part is that stock is constantly updated (ahem, every Wednesday) with new finds sourced from around the world, like these delightful animal growth charts from Melbourne:

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    My most favourite items are really the most classic and simple, like old-fashioned exercise books and school timetables. Here are some more tasty gems I’m loving:

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    Dish of the Day letterpress notecards, £2.50, feature traditional British fare like pie and peas.



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    I'm also loving Present & Correct's inhouse designs, including their A-Z Endangered Species of the British Isles (fast becoming a modern design classic) and their new range of greeting cards.

  6. Shopping online: Fifi Lapin

    4 Comments

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    Just in time for London Fashion Week, Ms Fifi Lapin - the most fashion-forward bunny in the city - has launched her very own website and online shop. There's a brand new t-shirt as well as an excellent range of drawings and limited edition prints. Prices start at US$30 for a print, and US$45 for the t-shirt.

  7. London shopping: Content Beauty/Wellbeing

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    Oh Marylebone, how I do love thee? Let me count the ways.* Actually, I’ve already waxed lyrical several times over some of the ways – via some of the best independent shops in London that call Marylebone home. And here’s another one to add to that list: Content Beauty/Wellbeing (quite a timely addition being Organic Fortnight and all, making a visit to Imelda Burke’s luxury eco beauty boutique all the more relevant).

    Content Beauty/Wellbeing is the first of its kind in London, with a carefully edited selection of certified organic skincare and make-up gracing its certified sustainable wooden shelves. You can rest assured there’s not a smidgen of synthetic nasties in here, with Imelda paying more than lipservice to her ecological commitment. Not only does she choose each brand for their superior organic properties, but she also thoroughly investigates their eco-credentials through each stage of production.

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    It’s impressive stuff, and so is the boutique itself, with cupboard doors made from recycled vending machine coffee cups, and vintage powder compacts serving as door handles. It’s a curiously inviting modern space, where the minimalist sexy black walls (organic paint, natch) merge with a collage of found objects, old-fashioned botanical illustrations, Victorian postcards and pressed flowers. I also love the collection of Imelda’s vintage hand mirrors from the 20s and 50s, which are hung on the wall next to the Jane Iredale make-up counter. Such a lovely way to admire your new look.

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    Then there’s the 1920s photo album/sketch book which Imelda found at a market and uses as the store’s mailing list book. Flick through the pages of customers’ details and you’ll find the odd page with an endearing drawing or painting by the original owner.
     
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    As for the products themselves, well, they’re the heroes standing in all their premium organic glory. Here you’ll find niche British organic skincare brands like ila (the Face Oil for Glowing Radiance has a cult following), Laidbare and Inlight joining international brands such as Dr Hauschka, Suki, and Dr Alkaitis. Top picks include Saaf Organic Pure Face Cleanser (£24.99) Dr Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel (£36), and Organic Apoteke Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum (£49.95). More credit-crunch friendly picks include Laidbare’s Grapefruit Seed Body Wash (£12), Henry Tianus Pore Purifier (£8.50) and Butter London’s formaldehyde-free nail varnishes (£10).

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    Check out the website for online shopping and more info about the treatment room downstairs which offers excellent Dr Alkaitis facials (as Jess G. from Cult Beauty said, it’s the only place in London to get them).

    * With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who is actually a former resident of Marylebone (at 50 Wimpole Street) and married Robert Browning at St Marylebone Parish Church.

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    Content Beauty/Wellbeing
    14 Bulstrode Street
    London W1U 2JG
    Tel. 020 3075 1006

    Nearest tube: Bond Street
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Saturday 10.30am - 6pm

    Click here for more shops in Marylebone.

  9. Top Bird loves: Marni bracelets

    7 Comments

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    A/W 2008 Marni has arrived online, and I'm lusting over the new line-up of chunky bracelets, each with Marni's trademark retro-inspired graphic simplicity and contrasting colours and textures. The horn and resin pieces are particularly exquisite, and I love the cotton-covered pieces as well. According to Marni, their jewellery is "handmade in Italy using only natural and creative materials coming from all over the world." I'm not sure if that means the horn has been ethically sourced, but here's hoping.

  10. Top Bird loves: Crazy carpet house

    8 Comments

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    Danielle Proud, interior designer, Sunday Times columnist and all-round crafty girl, has transformed a Georgian townhouse in central London into a multi-themed house to showcase the versatility of carpet. I love the graphic, floral-cut patchwork sections that are used as the staircase runner. And the moose's head? It's carpet, too. The kids' room has been given a jungle makeover, and features a carpet bookcase and a flower-pot chair. Check out the Fun on the Floor website for more info.

  13. I’ve flown the coop…

    2 Comments

    for a wee while, and right now I should be hitting the beach in Sardinia. Hurrah! But I've pre-planned some posts and they should be rolling out this week. Hope you like. See you when I get back!

    Top Bird xx

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