Author Archives: topbird

1. Birdy pick of the week

   January 24, 2010 5:00 pm 15 Comments

   
   

   Marc by Marc Jacobs Petal To The Metal satchel with bird detail, £175, from Net-a-Porter.

2. Sneak Peek: Tracey Neuls + Sanderson shoes

   January 22, 2010 8:00 am 9 Comments

   
   

   Chintz has never looked so chic since London shoe designer Tracey Neuls got her hands on Sanderson's reissued vintage textiles.

   This somewhat surprising collaboration between the British heritage wallpaper company, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and one of London's more avant-garde shoe designers will coincide with London Fashion Week next month.

   Neuls' gallery-like Marylebone Lane shop (read my shop tour here) will be transformed into an eccentric English tea party, complete with a large-scale installation by sculptor Nina Saunders. And apparently birds will be involved – I await with baited breath!

   

   

   Admittedly, I've got a soft spot for Neuls' rubber-soled shoes, as her mid-height heels are about as high as I can go with my rotten old arthritic toes. It hasn't been easy finding anything attractive I can actually wear, with season after season of increasingly vertiginous heels. So I can't wait to see what she's done with Sanderson's prints – her signature sculptural silhouettes combined with her penchant for dramatic contrast piping will give the chintzy florals a quirky edge. 

   'Most Curious'
   Footwear from Tracey Neuls
   Sculptural installation from Nina Saunders
   To celebrate Sanderson's 150th Anniversary
   From 17 February 2010 to 30 June 2010
   Tracey Neuls
   29 Marylebone Lane
   London W1U 2NQ
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

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

3. A wee trip to Glasgow, Part 3

   January 21, 2010 12:51 pm 13 Comments

   

   Willow Tea Rooms
   Take tea in Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed splendour, surrounded by wooden lattice-style screens, iconic high-backed ladder chairs and incredible leaded glasswork. There are several Willow Tea Rooms in Glasgow, but the Sauchiehall Street location is the best as it retains most of the original architectural details.

   

   

   

   

   Designed by Mackintosh for Kate Cranston in 1904, every detail was considered and carefully planned, right down to the teaspoons and the waitresses’ uniforms. The afternoon tea includes shortbread alongside the usual suspects of sandwiches, scones and cake, and is reasonably priced at £11.95.

   

   Or you could go for the more traditional Scottish option of haggis, neeps and tatties.
   The Willow Tea Rooms
   217 Sauchiehall Street
   Glasgow G2 3EX
   Tel. 0141 332 0521

   Timorous Beasties
   This local design studio has reached legendary status in the interiors world, with their fresh and subversive take on traditional wallpaper.

   
   

   You might recognise their French toile-style London and Glasgow designs, which portray gritty urban scenes of homeless people, muggings and a dude pissing in the park. Great stuff.

   

   

   

   If you’re not in the market for wallpaper, you can still get a piece of Beasties brilliance, with an excellent collection of lampshades, mugs and cushions.
   Timorous Beasties
   384 Great Western Road
   Glasgow G4 9HT
   Tel. 0141 337 2622
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 10.30am-6pm
   Friday 10.30am-5pm

   Voltaire & Rousseau
   The sheer volume of higgledy-piggledy stock in Voltaire & Rousseau can be quite overwhelming, and it’s the book hoarder’s answer to Relics (complete with shop cat and dog).

   

   

   It’s well worth spending some time to have a poke around – I picked up a wonderful old book, The Scottish Clans & Their Tartans, featuring 96 colour plates of Tartans. A wee gem.
   Voltaire & Rousseau
   18 Otago Lane
   Glasgow G12 8PB
   

   Click here for a Wee Trip to Glasgow, Part 1
   Click here for a Wee Trip to Glasgow, Part 2
   

4. A wee trip to Glasgow, Part 2

   January 20, 2010 3:55 pm 14 Comments

   
   

   Glasgow School of Art
   Considered to be one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s greatest masterpieces, Glasgow School of Art is a living, breathing, working campus, but it’s the building itself, and the painstaking attention to detail, that is most impressive. It's seriously glorious, and I had to stop myself from squealing in delight at every nook and cranny.

   

   

   

   Showcasing Mackintosh’s progressive approach to architecture where Arts and Crafts meets Art Nouveau via traditional Japanese design, there are loads of hand-made details to admire. I really loved the organic motifs of birds, flowers and insects, which are repeated throughout the building.

   

   

   

   The school isn’t generally open to the public, but I thoroughly recommend that you pre-book one of the daily guided tours. Make sure you pay a visit to the excellent School of Art Shop, where you can buy all manner of lovely Mackintosh-themed paraphernalia, as well as the latest collections from the School’s graduates.

   

   

   
   

   Glasgow School of Art
   167 Renfrew Street
   Glasgow G3 6RQ
   Tel. 0141 353 4526
   Nearest underground: Cowcaddens
   Images courtesy of Glasgow School of Art

   Che Camille
   Sprawled across the sixth floor of the historic Argyll Arcade is Glasgow’s most progressive retail destination for young and emerging fashion designers, with an emphasis on local talent.

   

   Here you’ll find some really lovely limited edition Harris Tweed bags (the satchels are superb) from £160, as well as Harris Tweed and velvet shift dresses by Scottish designer Nelfin.
   

   

   
   

   Paul Cassidy’s Tunnocks Glasgow Tenement tees make a perfect souvenir for £20.

   

   

   Also keep an eye out for luxe feather headpieces by local milliner William Chambers, and Dana Finnigan’s vivid digital print designs.

   
   

   Che Camille Showroom and Studio
   Floor 6, Argyll Chambers, 34 Buchanan Street
   Glasgow G2 8BD
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 10am-6pm
   Sunday 11am-6pm

   The Glasgow Vintage Co
   A new addition to Glasgow’s vintage scene, this spacious two-level boutique stocks a wide selection of clothes for men, women and children.

   

   I found some real bargains, and the hat section downstairs is not to be missed.
   The Glasgow Vintage Co
   453 Great Western Road
   Glasgow G12 8HH
   Tel. 0141 338 6633
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Thursday 11am-5.30pm
   Friday to Saturday 11am-6pm
   Sunday noon-5pm

   Deep Fried Mars Bar from University Cafe

   

   

   Oh yes, I went there. And it was disgustingly delicious, too. The University Cafe is also home to traditional Fish Suppers and all manner of deep-fried food (they can do deep-fried Cadbury Creme Eggs on request).
   University Cafe
   87 Byres Road
   Glasgow G11 5HN
   Tel. 0141 339 5217

   Part 3 coming tomorrow.
   Click here for a Wee trip to Glasgow, Part 1.
   Click here for a Wee trip to Glasgow, Part 3.
   

5. Birdy pick of the week

   January 18, 2010 12:56 pm 4 Comments

   

   

   

   
    
   

   

   

   UK-based Urubbu stocks a beautifully designed line of greeting cards, as well as hand-carved and painted Brazilian wooden birds. They're fair trade items, and are sourced directly from the artisan.

   Urubbu is stocked in the following UK shops:

   Soma Gallery
   Clifton Arcade
   Boyces Avenue
   Clifton Village
   Bristol BS8 4AA

   The Lollipop Shoppe
   44 Trafalgar Street
   Brighton BN1 4ED

   Bliss
   5 Raeburn Place
   Edinburgh EH4 1HU

6. Wee find: The Cat in the Shoe

   January 14, 2010 7:12 pm 6 Comments

   

   

   

   Just wanted to show you more of the whimsical work by The Cat in the Shoe, which I discovered at The Maisonette in Glasgow. Based in Hackney, East London, The Cat in the Shoe hand-stitches totally original fantastical creatures using vintage, recycled and new fabrics.

   The long-necked stripey pie girls remind me of Alice in Wonderland (apparently Lewis Carroll was inspired by the long-necked figures on the brass fireplace in the main hall at Christ Church College), whilst the furry deer girl is a little more Where the Wild Things Are. Delightfully quirky and original.

7. A wee trip to Glasgow, Part 1

   January 13, 2010 6:05 pm 14 Comments

   
   

   The Maisonette
   Tucked away upstairs on Cresswell Lane, this relatively new addition to Glasgow’s shopping scene is a veritable crafty delight. The brainchild of local craft collective Made in the Shade, the boutique showcases a beautifully-edited selection of pieces by local designer-makers, as well as crafts from around the UK.

   

   
   

   
   
   Look out for knitted creatures by ex-local Donna Wilson, screen-printed totes by Show Pony and 'pie girl' by The Cat In The Shoe. I loved Angharad Jefferson’s hand-embroidered cushions and framed artworks, which feature her own illustrations of UK TV soap legends as well as portraits of her old school teachers. 

   

   And for something a wee bit birdy, don’t miss Clare Nicolson’s vintage fabric lavender sachets, £7. I was also rather charmed by Ding Dong Design’s hand-knitted finger puppet – I spied Bjork in her legendary Marjan Pejoski swan frock, for £8.
   The Maisonette
   Upper Floor
   De Courcy’s Arcade
   Cresswell Lane G12 8AA
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Wednesday 10am-6pm
   Thursday 10am-7pm
   Friday to Saturday 10am-6pm
   Sunday noon-5pm

   W2 Store
   I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised and excited to stumble
   across W2 in the middle of vintage shop territory.

   

   The former Commes des
   Garcons guerilla shop has been reinvented as W2, stocking the likes of
   Margaret Howell and Adam Kimmel alongside quite a few of the Commes
   lines and Junya Watanabe. Keep an eye out for Commes wallets, fragrance
   and some lovely pieces from the PLAY line (I loved the cheery red and
   white polka dot macs). The shop's manager, David, is also really nice
   and welcoming, and extremely knowledgable about all things Commes. A
   real delight.
   W2 Store
   10 Ruthven Lane
   Glasgow G12 9BG
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 11am-6pm
   Sunday noon-5pm

   Starry Starry Night
   One of Glasgow's best vintage clothes shops, Starry Starry Night offers
   a vast selection of well-priced gear for both men and women.

   

   Best for
   glittery costume jewellery (I found some really lovely brooches) as
   well as vintage kilts (around £55) and argyle jackets (around £45).
   Starry Starry Night
   19–21 Dowanside Lane
   Glasgow G12 9BZ
   Tel. 0141 337 1837
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 10am–5.30pm

   Relics
   This over-stuffed hoarders’ haven is more car-boot sale
   explosion than shop. But tiptoe carefully around some rather
   precariously-placed vintage wares, and you’ll find quite a few well-priced
   gems.

   

   I managed to find some very sweet Danish Nymolle plates, as well
   as some old British children's annuals, postcards and a fantastic
   collection of vintage glassware. 
   Relics
   Dowanside Lane
   Glasgow G12 9BZ
   Tel. 0141 341 0007

   Kember and Jones
   A cheery deli and cafe nestled in the heart of the West End, Kember and Jones is crammed with all sorts of foodie delights.

   

   The upstairs loft cafe boasts an impressive daily specials board with seasonal produce (the curried parsnip and apple soup was doing a roaring trade on my visit), alongside a hearty breakfast and lunch menu. I couldn't go past the heart-stopping display of cakes, especially the carrot cake with a generous slab of cream cheese icing. Drool.

   Kember and Jones
   134 Byres Road
   Glasgow G12 8TD
   Tel. 0141 337 3851
   

   Click here for a wee trip to Glasgow, Part 2.
   Click here for a wee trip to Glasgow, Part 3.

8. A wee trip to Glasgow

   January 7, 2010 1:49 pm 13 Comments

   

   It looks like January is going to be a month of catching up on all my holidays in 2009 (I've got folders stacked with stuff to tell you about – look out for Paris and Copenhagen over the coming weeks), but first I have to tell you about my wonderful trip to Glasgow in December.

   I was delighted to meet up with blog/Twitter pals I like and Sarey Poppins, who were very kind and took me out for dinner and a movie one night. I also scored some early Christmas presents: a Sarey Poppins' clasp purse in a wonderfully vibrant Grayson Perry for Liberty print (see above), as well as a bundle of postcards and cards from I like, featuring all manner of kitschy, retro and quintessentially British images. 

   

   

   You can buy sets of I like's cards from her Folksy shop.

   More on Glasgow coming tomorrow…

9. A wee trip to Vienna

   January 6, 2010 6:20 pm 26 Comments

   

   Being an 'orphan' in another country at Christmas often means that you have to make a concerted effort to be anywhere but stuck at home on your own, so this time we headed off to lovely Vienna with some friends. (Last year it was New York – read about it here.) Sadly the trip was blighted by sickness and angsting over lost luggage, but we did make the most of the famous Christmas markets which are dotted around the city.

   

   

   

   The best markets were at Schonbrunn Palace, which we visited on Christmas Day. There were oodles of Christmas baubles and decorations on offer, as well as traditional Austrian and German Christmas crafts.

   

   

   

   Admittedly some of it strayed towards naff territory, but some of it was truly lovely, like straw dolls, hand-carved wooden nativity sets and intricately iced gingerbread.

   

   

   

   And the food. Oh lordy. We indulged in all the festive treats on offer, from raclette on bread and pretzels to twisted fried potato crisps and chopped up apple pancake, all washed down with copious mugs of warm gluhwein as we huddled around a table in the biting cold.

   

   

   

   
    
   Afterwards we headed out of the cold and took a tour around the palace itself, which is rather like a mini Versailles with gilt furniture and flocked wallpaper. Definitely worth a visit.

   There were more culinary adventures to be had at the Sacher Hotel, which is home to the legendary Sacher torte. The cafe is quite sumptous and rather conveniently located opposite the Albertina gallery, so the rich chocolate cake provides the perfect antidote to gallery fatigue.

   

   And if you're after a truly excellent Wiener schnitzel, you might like to head to the very cosy Figlmuller restaurant, where the super-thin portions arrive bigger than your dinner plate, and accompanied by a traditional potato salad with lamb's lettuce.

   

   p.s. We didn't do it this time around, but I also thoroughly recommend a visit to the the wonderful Hundertwasser Museum – and don't miss his wonky apartments up the road.

10. If you have a spare minute…

    January 5, 2010 7:56 pm 10 Comments

    

    A very belated happy New Year to all my dear readers. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and you're getting into the swing of 2010. Sorry I've been a bit slow posting lately – I've been away on holidays and came home very sick.

    In the meantime, if you're a fan of Wee Birdy and you have a spare minute, I'd be super, super grateful if you could nominate me for the 2010 Bloggies. Last year I was thrilled to be nominated for 'best-kept secret weblog', and I'd love to be considered again this year.

    You need to nominate at least three different blogs in the awards, so now is your chance to show your love for all your favourite reads (if you need any inspiration, check out my blogroll on the right hand side of the page).

    You can nominate a blog in more than one category, so since I cover a few broad topics you might like to consider Wee Birdy for 'Best European blog' or 'Best art, craft and design blog'. It's up to you!

    After you've voted, scroll to the end of the page, enter the two verification words and
    your email address.

    You'll then receive an email with a link – it's very important you click this link as your vote nominations aren't entered until then.

    Thanks everyone – nominations close January 12! Click here to vote.

11. Birdy pick of the week

    January 3, 2010 7:05 pm 10 Comments

    

    The Birds hand-printed tights, US$20, from Yes Natalie's Etsy shop. You can also pick up a pair from Swanfield in Kingly Court, London.

    (via Style Bubble)

12. Happy Christmas!

    December 25, 2009 6:00 am 14 Comments

    

    Bestest best wishes to all my dear readers for a glorious Christmas and a very happy New Year. Thank you so much for clicking away on Wee Birdy in 2009, may your days be chirpy in 2010.

    love Top Bird xxxx

    p.s. This limited edition screen-printed card by James Brown comes from one of my favourite Wee Birdy shops for 2009, the very dreamy Frank in Whitstable. Oooh – look how sunny it was back then!

13. Shopping in London: Caravan

    December 22, 2009 12:07 pm 14 Comments

    

    When I first moved to London three years ago there wasn’t a lot happening on Redchurch Street … but my, how things have changed. With the opening of Terence Conran’s traditional British caff Albion at Boundary Project, as well as a slew of pop-up shops, boutiques and galleries, not to mention its proximity to Shoreditch House and Tea, Redchurch Street has evolved into East London’s latest destination for hipsters and cool kids.

    

    But don’t let that put you off. Especially when there are so many delights to be discovered at Caravan, which moved from its Spitalfields Market location 18 months ago. The brainchild of interiors stylist Emily Chalmers, this cosy and welcoming boutique is filled with the kind of lovely stuff you never knew you really wanted (or so desperately needed), like angel wings for candles, toadstool lamps and white ceramic owl money boxes.

    

    
     
    It’s superbly edited and excellent for last-minute gifts, especially for those who love their stuff feminine and quirky with a vintage edge. And you can pick up some exceptionally well-priced things and get change from a tenner, like ceramic animal jugs (£8.50 each), small furry deers (£9.95) and hare snowdomes (£8.50).

    

    

    

    Caravan is also the main retail outlet for Deborah Bowness’ distinctive hand-printed wallpaper, as well as the main UK stockist for iconic Jielde lamps. There’s also a variety of glass display domes from £29 – perfect for showcasing your favourite pieces Victorian-style (see what I mean about things you never knew you wanted?).

    

    

    The online shop is equally lovely, with a good selection of some of the shop’s best-sellers, as well as a new
    sy and inspirational blog.

    

    Keep an eye out for super-friendly shop-cat Bagpuss, who may just come and rub his head on your shins as you consider your purchases.

    Caravan
    3 Redchurch Street
    London E2 7DJ
    Tel. 020 7033 3532
    Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map

    Opening hours:
    11am – 6.30pm every day until Christmas Eve.
    Special late night opening until 8pm every Thursday

    Click here for nearby shops I’ve reviewed in East London.