I was in Paris for the day last week (in fact, you can read all about my thrifty, budget adventures over at Oolamoola.co.uk) and spotted this gorgeous tote bag in the window of Tumbleweed, a children's toy shop in the Marais. The shop wasn't open when I visited, but I'm pretty sure the price tag said €45. There's also an uber-chic kids' fashion boutique next door. For very pretty petit bebes.
Tumbleweed
19 rue de Turenne
Paris 75004, France
For those who may have missed my story in Time Out, here are some more pics from my latest fave shop in London, Lapin & Me. The newest arrival to the independent shopping haven that is Columbia Road (well, it's actually just around the corner on Ezra Street, but near enough), Lapin & Me stocks a fanciful and French-y range of limited-edition dolls, design-led products, stationery, homewares and children's clothes.
Wee Birdy is also super-chuffed to have served a tiny role in the creation of the real bricks-n-mortar shop. Apparently owner Madeleine James was inspired by the Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays post last year, and started looking around the area for the perfect premises.
On my shopping wishlist is the hand-stitched "one-eyed" doll (see top pic, £36), Nathalie Lete's illustrated "Parisian shopper", and a Fatina doll brooch (£21). There are also glass jars on the main counter brimming with the most delightful pocket-money goodies, like Alain Gree labels (£3.50), vintage stork & baby sets (£2) and Tooth Mouse boxes (£3.50).
Don't fret if you're out of London - you can dig into this whimsical treasure trove online at www.lapinandme.co.uk.
Lapin & Me
14 Ezra St
London E2 7RG
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Friday 11am-2.30pm
Saturday 11am-3.30pm
Sunday 9am-3pm
More evidence that London's in full spring bloom right now. I took these pics (above) in Greenwich on the weekend - but my street is also awash with pink (see below). I love getting showered with pink petal confetti every time a breeze picks ups. Really enjoying it while it lasts.
What a difference a couple of months make. The last time I walked across this field in Greenwich it was covered in the deepest snow London had seen in almost 20 years. On Saturday I discovered a sea of yellow wild buttercups. So very pretty. Gorgeous spring weather, too!
Maui toucan kids sling chair, £6, from Habitat.
I've been a very bad (but also v. busy) birdy of late. Huge apologies for my lack of posts. I promise I'll be back on form next week. In the meantime, check out my personal highlight from Arcadia's A/W09 press day: the Beth Ditto doll, courtesy of plus-size UK high street brand, Evans.
I think every little girl should have one. Unfortunately the doll (made by Superdoll Collectables London) is a one-off, but check out those boobs and tummy! Ace hair, too. I'm really looking forward to seeing the full line-up from this exciting collaboration - if the monochrome dominoes dress is anything to go by, it signals a brave step by Evans in a brand new (and much younger) direction. Bravo!
Hans Bølling's wooden duck (£64) and duckling (£34), from the Design Museum shop. The story behind the inspiration for the pair is pretty cute, too:
"In Springtime Copenhagen, 1959, a policeman stopped the traffic in order to let a young family of ducks cross the street. The moment was captured by a photographer and created such an impression that all the newspapers published a now famous photograph of the ducks, which encapsulates the Danish attention to nature, detail and the ability to appreciate small everyday miracles."
I’m slightly obsessed with kooky-foodie architects Bombas & Parr, the London-based company behind the rather fabulous St Paul’s jelly.
The walk-in breathable cocktail is their latest theatrical food experiment, and it’s being unveiled today on Ganton Street. They're using the same technology as Anthony Gormley’s Blind Light at the Hayward Gallery – which was quite an unsettling and disorienting experience.
It also involves donning a special protective suits before walking into a mist of gin and tonic water. To further enhance the ‘inner cocktail world’ experience, the interior will be decorated with giant limes and oversized straws. Once inside you can order food from a special menu that compliments the cocktail.
And by the sounds of it, Bompas & Parr are just getting started. Harry Parr says, “I’m interested in states of matter. Here we’ve vaporised a cocktail. In the future I would like to make a liquid banqueting table. In the 1905 Gondola Banquet the Savoy Hotel was flooded and the meal was eaten on a floating gondola surrounded by live swans with dessert presented on the back of a baby elephant. That would be the ultimate meal.”
While we’re waiting for the liquid banqueting table, feast your eyes on some of the other edible creations in Bompas & Parr’ s portfolio… I adore the bespoke tiered jelly display - perfect for wobbly wedding celebrations!
Alcoholic Architecture
16 to 18 April and 23 to 25 April
2 Ganton Street
London, W1F 7QL
Opening hours:
5pm – 11pm
Tickets £5, available from www.jellymongers.co.uk
Check out this week's Time Out London for my review of Columbia Road's newest shop opening, Lapin & Me.
Hanging bird townhouse, by Berry Red from Not on the High Street.
Hanging egg decorations, featuring Easter Parade design, by Maileg.
I couldn’t resist poking my head inside the doors of Melt Chocolates in Notting Hill, just in time for Easter. As you can imagine, it’s a hive of activity at the moment, with all chocolate handmade on site in the small kitchen out the back. And with their recently opened concession in Selfridges, demand has never been greater.
The kitchen is headed by Chika Watanabe, who conjures up sheer chocolate heaven in the manner of award-winning Maldon sea-salted caramels, peanut butter and raspberry jam truffles, and exquisite single-origin hot chocolate dipping blocks.
For Easter, there’s a delightful bunny mug designed by Lisa Jones with a milk chocolate egg (£17.50), traditional paper eggs filled with Swiss milk chocolate drops (£8.50) and egg cups with milk chocolate eggs (£9.50). Click here to see the full Easter line-up.
If you’ve left your Easter shopping ‘til the last minute, resist the calls of the supermarket aisle (and bad-quality, sugar-laden chocolate) and head over to Selfridges instead. Right now you can hand-pick your own selection of fresh chocolates and watch as Melt’s chocolatiers seal them inside a hand-finished egg. Fun and yum!
Melt
59 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AA
Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Gate
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
For more chocolates and sweets in London, click here.
I'm loving this incredibly twee and adorable spin on Victorian glass dome tableaux displays (usually reserved for taxidermied animals and birds) by Mossywood Lane. This particular "tiny wonderland" is entitled "Bunnies in Sewing Land", and features pastel bunnies playing in a pastel cotton reel world.
US$65.
Super-sweet bunny egg warmer or handpuppet, hand-made using felt by Red Mush, US$9.95.
Custom ceramic egg with hand-stamped text by Paloma's Nest, US$18 for one.
Handpainted wooden eggs, US$2.75 each, by Wee Wood Natural Toys.
