Author Archives: topbird

1. Best of London shopping: Fabrications*

   March 3, 2010 6:00 am 7 Comments

   
   

   Long before London's contemporary craft scene took off, Broadway Market's Fabrications was quietly carving out a niche for themselves from their independent boutique. Offering a plethora of crafty courses, as well as a range of textiles and design by new and established local designers, the shop also serves as a studio space and gallery for owner and in-house designer Barley Massey.
   

   
   

   One side of the shop is dedicated to a quirky range of stationery and badges made by Hackney locals,
   accompanied by a profile on each artist. Keep an eye out for Lucy Jane Batchelor’s sweet retro-style collection including tooth fairy envelope cards for children and her clever Missing Button badges.

   

   The
   nice thing about Fabrications is that stock is constantly updated, so
   you’re likely to discover new gems all the time. I like the fabric
   pouffes bound by knotted rope using traditional sea-faring techniques
   (£150) and The Old Broad Bean (the Queen) Cockney
   jewellery, featuring faces of the royal family (and er, Dodi) on dried
   beans. Prices range from £3 for a badge to £30 for a necklace or
   cufflinks.

   

   Another highlight is the wall of rainbow-coloured yarns
   (wools for winter and cottons for summer) and a small range of vintage
   yarn and hand-spun yarn with lanolin. There is also a wide variety of
   knitting and sewing supplies, including super-sized knitting needles. Beginners
   can get fully kitted out here, with knitting packs complete with
   instructions and a pack of wool, as well as customised sewing kits for
   £2.50 with basic embroidery stitches.

   

   On my visit, I found a pile of vintage
   knitting patterns for babywear and some wonderful ‘80s pattern books
   including designs by Jean Paul Gaultier and Alaia.There was also a sweet collection of knitted goodies, including traditional Bakewell tarts, “I heart Hackney”
   purses and potted cactuses (bonus: not prickly
   at all!).

   

   Don’t miss in-house
   Massey’s ingenious range of eco-friendly cushions, pouffes, rugs and mats made from recycled bicycle inner tubes and vintage shirt ties. Amongst many of her
   commissions was the infamous Lost Vagueness tent at Glastonbury in
   2003. Just imagine: your own piece of fabulous festival fun at home
   (minus the mud).

   Fabrications
   7 Broadway Market
   London E8 FPH
   Tel. 0207 275 8043
   Nearest tube: Bethnal Green
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   Opening hours:
   Tuesday to Saturday noon-5pm
   Or call for appointment.
   

   Click here for more Wee Birdy shop reviews on Broadway Market.

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

2. Best of London shopping: Hope & Greenwood*

   March 2, 2010 6:00 am 11 Comments

   

   Lollies, toffees and bon bons – oh my! If you thought I was done with British childhood nostalgia, you’d be wrong. Big time.

   It’s
   a cold and icy Thursday morning in Covent Garden this week that finds
   me trudging towards Hope and Greenwood’s pillarbox red front door.
   Everyone is feeling the effects of London’s extended frigid weather.
   The Big Issue bloke outside the Tube shouts to nobody in particular, “Get yer Big Issue, yer bunch of tight, miserable sods.”

   

   But
   then the front door bell tinkles and a rush of warm air and ‘40s show
   tunes greets me as I step over the welcoming threshold into the most
   charming old-fashioned sweet shop emporium. It’s ridiculously gorgeous,
   with row upon row of shiny glass jars filled with sugary delights and
   colourful bunting catching my eye at every turn. The store is straight
   out of my childhood dreams fuelled by Blyton-esque boarding school
   tales of tuck boxes crammed with delicious treats and illicit midnight
   feasts.

   

   

   The
   genuine loving care and consideration that has gone into decorating the
   shop and fulfilling a certain British vintage aesthetic from the ‘30s,
   ‘40s and ‘50s is obvious. For example, the handsome green enamel
   pendant lamps that hang over the front counter are from the old Rover
   factory in the Midlands, while said glass counter was sourced by Mr
   Greenwood from an old haberdashery shop in Wales.

   

   

   Elsewhere,
   a vintage kitchen dresser is packed with Hope and Greenwood’s exclusive
   range of chocolates and sweets, and an old stepladder serves to display
   a range of liquorice allsorts, Catherine Wheels and sugar pigs. Other
   sweet treats are tucked into painted wooden crates and old Hovis tins,
   while slabs of fudge and chocolate truffles are piled on footed cake
   stands with glass bell jars.

   

   

   

   Miss
   Anita (all the staff at H&G are known as either Miss or Mr) greets
   me warmly from behind the marble-top counter, and displays a superb
   knowledge of H&G’s confectionery as she takes me through the
   glorious selection of truffles (£5 per 100g). Hope and Greenwood’s
   handmade British chocolates are one of the considerable main
   attractions, with a delectable line-up including Champagne Charlies,
   Lime Creams and Bitter Raspberry truffles.

   

   

   The
   120-strong pick and mix selection is also a major drawcard, which
   includes childhood favourites like apple whips, giant gobstoppers,
   Anglo Bubble gum, Fruit Salad chews, Black Jacks, Mojos and Parma
   Violets. Adding to the overall sense of nostalgia, there are war-time sweetie ration cards, as well as a choice selection of vintage items, including packets of ric-rac, pretty chocolate tins, children’s annuals, Ladybird books and egg
   cups. A delightful slice of bygone British life in the heart of London's West End.

   Hope and Greenwood
   1 Russell Street
   London WC2 B SJB
   Tel. 020 7240 3314
   Nearest tube: Covent Garden
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 10.30am-7.30pm
   Sunday noon-7.30pm
   

   Click here for Wee Birdy shop reviews in West London.

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

3. Best of London shopping: VV Rouleaux*

   March 1, 2010 6:00 am 9 Comments

   

   VVRouleaux is London’s legendary emporium of ribbons, trimmings and
   braids, and oh, so much more. It’s the kind of place that instantly
   makes you bug-eyed with excitement, recalling childhood days of
   coveting ribbons, buttons and other “fancy” bits and bobs to add to
   your most precious and treasured collection.

   

   But
   it’s the grown-ups who flock to this beautiful bazaar of inspiration
   for specialist ribbons sourced from all over the world, like Japanese
   organdie and French wire-edged taffetas in every shade imaginable. In
   fact the large light-filled entry-level room in the Marylebone store is like a Pantone book come to life, with reels of ribbons in every
   size, pattern and colour.

   

   

   No wonder brides make a bee-line to the store
   for that exact shade of caramel to work their bridesmaids’ sashes back to the reception chair tie-backs. Speaking
   of brides, there are double-sided velvet ribbons which make perfect
   belts and sashes, as well as double-sided Japanese satin ribbons. And
   downstairs, there’s a fabulous collection of vintage bridal
   accessories, including hand-made veils, headpieces, hats and birds
   (birds!) from the late 1950s.

   

   

   Ribbons
   aside, there’s a glorious range of silk, organza and velvet roses in a
   myriad of fashion shades, as well as a vast collection of fancy
   feathers. Apparently the shop does a roaring trade in June and July
   during racing and wedding season.

   

   

   Don’t
   miss the tables crammed with vintage pieces like hand-crocheted
   butterflies and clusters of velvet violets (I spied the same violets
   behind a glass cabinet at the Golden Age of Couture
   exhibition at the V&A). I particularly love the selection of
   vintage French earrings and hair combs as well as the double-sided
   velvet belts with vintage buckles (from £14.95), delicate feather
   brooches (from £12.95) and bird decorations (from £3.95).

   

   

   

   Downstairs
   is haberdashery heaven, dedicated to heavier furnishings like acrylic
   and glass tassles in traditional and modern colours, as well as vintage
   braids, faux-fur trims, cotton lace trims, and leather and suede
   ribbons for fashion and furnishing.

   

   

   I found a bunch of Chanel-style
   braids that would make chic suit edging. There’s also an extensive
   range of wax cords in all shades, which was raided by the wardrobe
   department for the making of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. For more inspiration, pick up a copy of owner/creative director Annabel Lewis’ new book, Ribbons & Trims, for £20.

   VVRouleaux
   102 Marylebone Lane
   London W1U 2QD
   Tel. 020 7224 5179
   Nearest tube: Bond Street.
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
   
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday (excluding Weds) 9.30am-6pm
   Wednesday 10.30am-6pm

   There is also a second shop in Sloan Square:
   54 Sloane Square
   Cliveden Place
   London SW1W 8AX
   Tel. 020 7730 3125
   Nearest tube: Sloan Square

   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday (excluding Weds) 9.30am-6pm
   Wednesday 10.30am-6.30pm
   

   Click here for more Wee Birdy shop reviews on Marylebone Lane.

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

4. Birdy pick of the week

   February 28, 2010 6:00 am 4 Comments

   
   
   'London' and 'Sammy Seagull' 16" x 20" silkscreen prints, US$35, by Wayne Pate. I'm also a little bit in love with his 'Jacques' print, below… Click here for more of my favourites by Wayne.

   

5. Best of London shopping: Bernstock Speirs*

   February 26, 2010 6:00 am 2 Comments

   

   There is something seductive about a milliner's boutique and the
   allure of dozens of different hat styles that promise to transform your look. And at
   Bernstock Speirs’ bijou boutique on Brick Lane, it’s hard to resist
   playing dress-ups with their endearingly quirky range of around 40
   different hat styles for men and women.

   

   

   

   The
   talented duo behind the brand, Paul Bernstock and Thelma Speirs, have
   been stalwarts of the London fashion and club scenes since the ‘80s. In
   fact, their very first creation was that iconic open-brimmed hat for Kylie on her eponymous debut album in 1988. 

   

   

   

   These days, traditional
   and wearable styles are given the signature Bernstock Speirs twist,
   with an unexpected and eclectic use of materials.

   

   Take, for instance,
   their classic black trilby, which has been updated with a slash of
   orange around the base (£97), or their fabulous range of winter beanies with netted veiling and pom-poms (£45). Definitely worth a trip up Brick Lane.

   Bernstock Speirs
   234 Brick Lane
   London E2 7EB
   Tel. 020 7739 7385
   Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   Opening hours:
   Tuesday to Friday 11am – 6pm
   Saturday and Sunday 11am – 5pm

   For more shops in East London, click here.
   

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

6. Best of London shopping: G Baldwin & Co*

   February 25, 2010 6:00 am 2 Comments

   
   
   Cross
   the threshold of this unassuming South-East London shop and you’ll
   catch a whiff of the old-fashioned herbal remedies that made it
   London’s leading apothecary in its Victorian heyday. 

   

   And
   whilst they no longer peddle bottles of the extremely popular Touch
   & Go (for “Warts, Corns and Hard Skin”), you can still purchase a
   refreshing pint of Sarsaparilla for 30p.

   

   In
   1969, G Baldwin and Co moved from 77 Walworth Road to its present
   location at number 171, but the shop retains much of its charm and
   original features including a long counter, apothecary wooden drawers
   and glass jars.

   

   

   

   Today
   the family business is divided into two stores: an excellent health
   food shop on one side, and the traditional herbalist next door. I was
   given a sneak-peek behind the scenes, and discovered the fragrant oils
   room where all of the bottling is done on-site, as well as a thriving
   mail-order business.

   
   Part
   of the attraction of Baldwin’s these days is its affordable range of
   essential oils, natural products and aromatherapy products. I swear by
   their organic Rosehip Oil,
   a total steal at £7.99, which I use as an inexpensive glow-giving face
   serum at night. Rosehip oil can be found as an ingredient in many major
   beauty brands' more expensive anti-ageing products, due to its high
   levels of anti-oxidants and collagen-boosting Vitamin A. It's also
   excellent for healing blemishes and acne scars.

   I also love their range of old-fashioned amber bottles and jars, which come in a variety of sizes that would look gorgeous lined up on your bathroom shelf (in manner of Aesop chic). In fact, Baldwin’s is an excellent source for all sorts of crafty DIY beauty ingredients, including bulk packages of dead sea bath salts and silicone soap-making moulds.

   Each visit reveals interesting new finds (Stuff in a Tub icecream; English honey cappings; Dr Bronner's soap) and budget buys (luxury handmade soap for £2.89) – making Baldwin's one of London’s true hidden shopping gems.

   
   

   
   G Baldwin & Co
   171/173 Walworth Road
   London SE17 1RW
   Tel. 020 7703 5550
   Nearest tube/rail: Elephant & Castle
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 9am – 5.30pm

   For more shops in South East London, click here.

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

7. Best of London shopping: Melt*

   February 24, 2010 6:00 am 9 Comments

   
   

   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.

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx
   

8. Best of London shopping: Lapin & Me*

   February 23, 2010 6:00 am 3 Comments

   

   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

   Click here for more shops in East London.
   

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx

9. Best of London shopping: Shop at Bluebird*

   February 22, 2010 6:00 am 8 Comments

   

   I finally paid Shop at Bluebird a long, overdue visit last
   week, and I’m delighted to report that it’s looking better – and dare I
   say more accessible  – than ever. But it’s difficult not to
   be impressed and a little over-awed by the listed art-deco location
   alone (the former Bluebird garage), let alone the beautifully edited
   collection of fashion, books, music, homewares, vintage, and skincare
   products.

   

   While it’s loosely divided into departments, all sorts of found
   objects, accessories and artworks are scattered throughout the 10,000
   square foot space. Here, for example, you’ll find 1950s American glass
   milk bottles (£18) sitting on an oversized French farmhouse table, next
   to a rack of glorious Erdem frocks.

   

   

   I really loved the selection of vintage greeting cards as well
   as the fabulous brioche mould pendant lights by Sally and Mark Bailey.
   The range of playful pastel-coloured ceramics by Berlin-based Kuehn Keramik was also a highlight.

   

   

   
   The
   women’s fashion department is extensive and carefully considered, with
   labels ranging from Jasmine de Milo, Alexander Wang, Peter Jensen to
   Elizabeth and James, Luella and Richard Nicoll. Shoe-wise there’s
   Rupert Sanderson and Vivienne Westwood, while the jewellery cabinets
   are stuffed with Marni gems, vintage fob watches and Nymphenburg porcelain pendants.

   

   

   There’s also an excellent spa with Micheline Arcier (Prince
   Charles’ aromatherapist of choice) joining this month along with an
   exclusive treatment menu. Right now you can pick up skincare products
   by the likes of Malin + Goetz and Ole Henrikesen, but keep an eye out
   for Aesop and Bigelow, which should be arriving over the coming months.

   

   What’s most appealing is that the shop is constantly evolving,
   with new designers and pop-up spaces keeping it fresh and relevant.
   Launching its international project in the pop-up room this week is
   French label Kitsune (next stop is Colette in Paris). Then there’s
   Atelier Abigail Ahern, the new homewares concession which brings
   Islington interiors (and some rather lovely Jonathan Adler ceramics) to
   the Kings’s Road. I was also (predictably) excited to discover that Rob
   Ryan will be curating the Christmas shop this year.

   

   

   Whatever you do, don’t leave without a twirl around the
   spacious dressing rooms, which are in the process of being decorated by
   individual designers. I’m looking forward to seeing the Bobby Dazzler dressing room (think hand-crafted creature feature!), but I rather liked the room with the incredible sepia photo collage.

   

   Shop at Bluebird
   350 King’s Road
   London SW3 5UU
   Tel. 7351 3873
   Nearest tube: Sloan Square
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 10am-7pm
   Sunday 11am-6pm

   * Please bear with me – I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx
   

10. Birdy pick of the week

    February 21, 2010 6:00 am 4 Comments

    

    

    

    

    Animal portrait digital archival prints, starting from US$10, from Berkley Illustration's Etsy shop.

11. Goodbye London, hello Sydney

    February 19, 2010 6:00 am 72 Comments

    

    Well, it’s an end of an era here at Wee Birdy. I’ve decided to move back to my hometown of Sydney. It was a heart-wrenching decision that I've agonised over for months, and although I'll never tire of this wonderful old town (never, Dr Johnson!), things seem to have come to their natural end. For the time being, anyway.

    So what will this mean for Wee Birdy? Well, not much will change as I have been very busy squirreling away loads of London shop reviews, which I’ll be posting about once I’m settled in Sydney. And eventually I’ll introduce you to some of my favourite Australian shops. I guess Wee Birdy will take on a more global feel in time, and I'm already planning regular trips back to London to 'top up' my posts. 

    In the meantime, I will be posting “The Best Of’ London shop reviews over the next two weeks, before normal blogging will resume.

    But it's goodbye London for now…
    Goodbye riding in the front seat up the top of a double-decker bus
    Goodbye getting mugged
    Goodbye marvellous weekend newspapers
    Goodbye hot air vents on the buses in summer (oh why oh why?)
    Goodbye Tatty Devine, Rob Ryan and Alex Monroe
    Goodbye 2am bagels on Brick Lane
    Goodbye foxes crying like tortured banshees in the middle of the night
    Goodbye proper afternoon tea with clotted cream
    Goodbye Sherlock Holmes tiles at Baker Street tube station
    Goodbye eternal queues at Monmouth coffee
    Goodbye University Challenge and the ever-excitable voice of Roger Tilling
    Goodbye perfectly formed snowflakes that sparkle in the weak morning sun
    Goodbye Central Line, you served me well (most of the time)
    Goodbye narrow lanes and hedgerows in the countryside
    Goodbye Sunday roast dinners with Yorkshire pudding
    Goodbye sugar mice and Parma Violets
    Goodbye brilliant, wonderful Guardian mini mag supplements
    Goodbye wild buttercups growing outside Greenwich park
    Goodbye picking over 400-year old clay pipes on the banks of the Thames
    Goodbye incredible museums and art galleries
    Goodbye Time Out (and thanks for employing me in the middle of a recession!)
    Goodbye lazy Saturday mornings trawling the stalls at Broadway Market
    Goodbye skidding on icy streets because the council couldn’t be arsed to grit
    Goodbye daily repeats of Friends on E4
    Goodbye 'three for a fiver' bunches of flowers at Columbia Road
    Goodbye dusty old bookshops (and rather odd owners) on Charing Cross Road
    Goodbye 4pm darkness in December
    Goodbye glorious Knickerbocker Glory at Fortnum & Mason
    Goodbye pretty little blue tits in the tree outside my window
    Goodbye limescale sludge in my tea
    Goodbye sitting in the bar at the Tate Modern watching the sun go down
    Goodbye walking up Piccadilly in the rain
    Goodbye having ice-creams in Hyde Park on green and white striped deckchairs
    Goodbye robins in the snow
    Goodbye peat bog man at the British Museum
    Goodbye getting lost again in Soho
    Goodbye ring-necked parakeets in Greenwich park
    Goodbye car boot sales
    Goodbye Tunnock's Teacakes, how do they make your marshmallow so soft?
    Goodbye some of the shittiest customer service I’ve ever experienced in my life
    Goodbye installations in the Turbine Hall
    Goodbye Waitrose and M&S ready-made meals
    Goodbye crazy tile mosaics at Tottenham Court Road tube
    Goodbye Selfridges’ Christmas windows
    Goodbye people who don’t move down into the carriage
    Goodbye geese and squirrels in St James’s Park
    Goodbye London sales
    Goodbye coots on Regent’s Canal
    Goodbye Charbonnel et Walker powdery-pink champagne chocolates
    Goodbye shiny mahogany conkers in autumn
    Goodbye pink petal showers in spring
    Goodbye cheese, coffee and cake at Borough Market
    Goodbye grey squirrels – I know I'm not meant to like you, but I do
    Goodbye South Eastern trains coming to a standstill within inches of the platform at London Bridge
    Goodbye to all my wonderful, wonderful London and UK friends, hope you all keep reading… maybe I can treat you to a coffee in Sydney some time?

    Goodbye London, thanks for having me. It’s been a treat and I'll miss you terribly (sob!).

12. Wee find: Colporter

    February 18, 2010 6:00 am 6 Comments

    

    Colporter is a new London-based online interiors shop, specialising in vintage items such as Routemaster bus blinds, suitcases, trunks, school maps, antlers, advertisements and European shop signs.

    I love the Hungarian grain sacks, which can be stuffed with fillers to make rather lovely bench cushions, as well as the framed Routemaster bus blinds, which start at £125 (I've seen them elsewhere for over £200).

    

    A wee birdy told me that Colporter are currently looking for London premises to open up a real bricks and mortar shop. Exciting news, indeed, considering their competitively priced stock.

13. A wee trip to Copenhagen, Part 2

    February 17, 2010 6:00 am 7 Comments

    

    Stilleben
    Dedicated to ceramics and glassware, this bijou boutique has a strong emphasis on Danish design, representing around 30 local designers. If Royal Copenhagen china isn’t quite your thing, you’ll find plenty of gorgeous alternatives here. I love this rather organic collection of coloured vases – so very pretty.
    Stilleben
    Læderstræde 14
    1201 Copenhagen

    Ida Davidsen

    

    

    

    A trip to Copenhagen isn't really complete without sampling smorrebord
    (Danish open sandwiches), and nobody does them better than the
    legendary Ida Davidsen. Offering a mind-boggling 250 different types of open sandwiches, it's a cosy little restaurant to stop and refuel.
    Ida Davidsen
    Store Kongensgade 70
    1264 Copenhagen
    Tel. 45 3391 3655

    Christiania

    

    

    

    Home to a hippy community since the early 70s, Christiania is an autonomous neighbourhood just south of the city. Tourists are welcome to walk around and take in the markets, street art, galleries and vegetarian cafes (not to mention the heady whiff of weed in the air). I took these pics just outside the ‘no photography’ zone.

    Lagkagehuset

    

    

    

    

    Row upon row of fresh pastries and cakes line the shelves of this
    perfect Danish bakery, which is just past the bridge of a pretty
    canal. It’s all rather overwhelming, but trade is brisk on the weekends so you will have plenty of time to mull over your purchases. If it all proves too much, just point at the nearest, plumpest, juiciest Danish (the pastry, not a person).
    Lagkagehuset
    Torvegade 45
    1400 Copenhagen