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

Archive: Nov 2008

  1. Top tea sets: Willow by W2

    3 Comments

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    Willow Black and Yellow Cake Stand, £30, by W2.

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    Willow Black and Yellow small tea pot, £20, by W2.

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    Willow Black and Yellow tea cups
    , £35, by W2.

    AWeekOfTea Loving this modern take on the traditional Willow tea set by London-based design company W2, the same people behind the popular Pantone mug range. Available to purchase online or from their flagship shop on South Bank.

    W2 shop
    1.22 Oxo Tower Wharf
    Barge House Street
    London SE1 9PH
    Tel. 020 7922 1444
    Nearest tubes: Waterloo and Southwark
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Saturday 10am - 6pm

  2. Top tea sets: English Eccentrics

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    'More Tea Vicar?' extra large teapot, £32, from the V&A Shop.

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    'Not For All The Tea In China' jar, £20, and 'Storm in a Teacup' cup and saucer, £10, from the V&A shop.

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    'I'm a little teapot' small teapot, £20, from the V&A Shop.

    AWeekOfTea The award-winning English Eccentrics ceramics range by UK-based Big Tomato Company features a tea set with wit and smart-arsed slogans. Naturally, I love them. For the best prices around, head to the V&A shop.

    The V&A Museum
    Cromwell Road
    London SW7 2RL
    Tel. 020 7942 2966

    Nearest tube: South Kensington

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

  3. Top London tea spots: Tea at Liberty

    5 Comments

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    “I believe that it is customary in good society to take some light refreshment at five o’clock.”
    - Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

    Tea at Liberty is of one the little places I like to keep up my sleeve whenever I want to treat myself and escape the maddening crowds of Oxford and Regent Streets. Situated on the ground floor of Liberty, right next to the all-too tempting handbag department, the tea shop is an elegant indulgence in all manner of tea and cake goodies. Tea is taken very seriously here at Liberty, with a menu packed with over 30 different blends and a range of fruit tisanes.

    There’s a fine selection of light meals (the Welsh rarebit is a tasty savoury affair) and sweet things (classic Victoria sponge cake, fruit loaf cake and meringue served with clotted cream and rose petal jam).

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    My favourite tea-time treat is a pot of freshly brewed English Breakfast (£2.95) with hot buttered crumpets and strawberry jam. Here, the crumpets come square, light and fluffy, the most perfect accompaniment to a lovely pot of tea. Liberty use traditional Burleigh earthenware in the classic Willow design to serve tea and cake. (And if you really like it, the entire Willow range is available to purchase upstairs in the kitchen and dining department.)

    There’s also a cream tea for £10.75, which includes scones with jam and clotted cream, served with tea or coffee. And if you really wanted to splash out, there’s the Liberty Champagne Afternoon tea, including champagne, finger sandwiches, cakes, scones and tea or coffee for £25.75.

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    It’s difficult to avoid being seduced by the lyrical descriptions of the hand-tied flowering tea range, which will set you back by a rather hefty £6.95. But seduced, I was, by Flower Jewel, which was described as “tender hand-picked white tea crowned by a delicate and bright pink amaranth flower. The dancing petals blissfully open as sweet jasmine scents this captivating elixir. Tantalizing the palate with its vibrant freshness and clarity, surrender into this everlasting ambrosia.” See what I mean? It actually WAS the most delicious and beautifully fragrant blend I’ve ever tenderly sipped, but I was a little disappointed that the hot water was added before it reached my table. I really wanted to see the petals ‘magically’ open! You kinda want some sort of entertainment value for your £6.95, eh?

    AWeekOfTea

    Tea at Liberty
    Great Marlborough Street
    London W1B 5AH
    Tel. 0207 734 1234
    Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

     
    Click here for more shops in W1.

  4. Top tea sets: Lin Jing for V&A

    2 Comments

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    Limited edition Lin Jing Keke jug, £60 and Limited edition Lin Jing Qiqi teapot, £145 from the V&A shop.

    AWeekOfTea The fluid clean lines displayed in these stunning pieces by Lin Jing are perfect for those into minimalist design. The limited edition teapot and jug are part of a tea set that’s currently sold exclusively in Shanghai and on show at the V&A’s recent China Design Now exhibition.

    The V&A Museum
    Cromwell Road
    London SW7 2RL
    Tel. 020 7942 2966

    Nearest tube: South Kensington

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

  5. Wee finds: Mr PS tea towels

    6 Comments

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    Fancy a brew tea towel, US$16, from Mr PS’s Etsy shop.

    How cool are these screen-printed tea-towels by British designer Megan Price? Her Mr PS range is inspired by vintage signage from classic British caffs and seaside resorts.

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    One lump or two tea towel, and Full English Breakfast Tea Towel, both US$16, from Mr PS’s Etsy shop.

    They actually remind me of some signs that caught my eye when when I was on holiday in Cornwall last year. These were taken in the fishing village of Polperro:

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    AWeekOfTea

  6. Top tea sets: Katy Potts Tea for Two

    4 Comments


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    I’ve been collecting vintage English tea sets for over 10 years now, and I’m a big fan of pieces from Staffordshire potteries. So I was thrilled to discover Katy Potts Tea For Two. Her collection of English tea sets make for a perfectly mismatched afternoon tea (the very best kind, in my opinion!).

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    Available online and in-store at Liberty, the tea sets are beautifully presented in a rather smart black box, making them an excellent (and totally unique) gift. A tea set for one, comprising of a cup, saucer and plate, will set you back £45, while a tea set for two, comprising of two cups, two saucers and two plates, costs £75. A wonderful selection of vintage teapots are also available for £60.

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    AWeekOfTea Liberty
    Great Marlborough Street
    London W1B 5AH
    Tel. 0207 734 1234
    Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

     
    Click here for more shops in W1.

  7. Top London tea spots: Paul Rothe & Son

    6 Comments

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    This traditional café-deli is one of my favourite places to relax with a good cuppa and a sandwich after hitting the shops on Marylebone Lane. The shop itself dates back to 1900, and it still retains that old-fashioned charm of the village grocer.

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    I really dig the old-school caff set-up inside, complete with ‘60s laminate tables and folding leatherette chairs. The place gets packed during lunch hours with local workers flocking for the daily fresh soup and line-up of delicious sandwiches (my pick is egg on rye, but the Austrian liptauer and kummelkase are legendary).

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    A good cuppa, egg sandwich and Time Out ... happy, happy.

    The walls are stacked with jams, chutneys and relishes, but I’m here precisely because it’s the antithesis of your Prets, Starbucks, Café Neros, et al. You’ll always find Paul Rothe and son donning their traditional white deli coats behind the counter, and the tea is a straight-forward, no-frills, honest-to-goodness brew. I will never grow tired of this place, it’s an absolute London gem.

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    AWeekOfTea Paul Rothe & Son
    35 Marylebone Lane
    London, W1U 2NN
    Tel. 020 7935 6783
    Nearest tube: Bond Street
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Opening Hours:
    Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm
    Saturday 11:30am - 5:30pm Sat
    Closed Sunday

    Click here for more shops in Marylebone

  8. Top tea sets: Tina Tsang’s Blaue Blume

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    Blaue Blume dessert stand, £128.50, from Hidden Art Shop.

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    Blaue Blume teacup, £32.95, from Hidden Art shop.

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    Blaue Blume milk jug, and Blaue Blume sugar bowl, both £34.95, from Hidden Art Shop.

    AWeekOfTea Tina Tsang’s perfectly eccentric Blaue Blume ceramics range is just what the Madhatter ordered for his tea party. The British designer’s range developed from casting rare one-off pieces of vintage lace to “solidify the texture of lace on ceramics”. With saucy legs serving as handles, the range quite literally turns the very British practice of prim ladies taking afternoon tea on its head. The dessert stand is brilliantly mad and is just crying out for some delicate iced fancies, scones and finger sandwiches. Available from Hidden Art Shop.

  9. Shopping in London: @Work

    7 Comments

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    I quite like the idea of wearing a wee ceramic tea cup around my neck, which looks like it's been snatched from a doll's tea party. These miniature tea pot, milk jug and tea cup necklaces are the work of British jewellery designer, Louise Buchan. Prices start at £30 and are available from jewellery gallery @Work in East London and Pimlico.

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    AWeekOfTea @Work
    156 Brick Lane
    London E1 6RU
    Tel. 020 7377 0597
    Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Saturday 11 – 6pm
    Sunday 10.30 - 5.30 pm

    Click here for more shops in East London.