Kentish Town Market

Pop-Up Market at The Abbey Tavern, Kentish Town

I am really looking forward to my first market at the lovely Abbey Tavern in Kentish Town, it makes a change from have drinks and a boogie there!

There will be a BBQ and lots of lovely stalls including vintage and gift - so get yourself on the tube/bus and get yourself to North London.

Sunday 15th July 2-7pm (you can even have a lie-in!!!)

Stateside Summer

Stateside Summer

Well I've some new product ideas and exciting news are in the pipeline - but you'll have to hang in there a little bit longer as I don't want to jinx thing by blabbing too soon! 

A recent trip to Chicago threw up some new ideas, it's always great to get away an chill out for a few days to see something in a different light,  let new ideas sink in and figure out what direction to go in. Chicago was fab, sunny, friendly, clean, some great eateries and we stayed in a lush suite in the lovely MileNorth Hotel, which was a skip, hop and jump away from Neiman Marcus and a plethora of other fine retailers...heaven!

My problem has always been too many ideas and reigning them in but I have ben trying very hard to stay focused and hopefully this will all pay off in the next year. 

All very cryptic I know but it will all become clear very soon x

Enjoy the sunshine!

Holiday Time!

Holiday Time!

I'm quickly trying to eat my tuna salad + type at the same time which has proved unsuccesful as I now have hiccups eeek

In 4 hours my holiday begins.....well starts by staying at an airport hotel tonight due to crack of dawn start tomorrow morning. Toronto + Chicago here I come, my boyfriend is having a bit of a moan about the 8hr flight and possible risk of boredom....however I'm not an in-flight entertainment expert so told him to stock up on magazines, newspapers, watch a couple of films, eat and sleep.

My sister has the groundwork done on the quality cafes in Toronto so I'll be trying them out and she is going to take me round the vintage/inde shop scene tomorrow - very, very excited and can't wait to take pictures of all the new inspirational ideas I'm going to see.

Going on holiday has  to be one of the best feelings ever, apart say from when you miss the flight due to bad, bad, bad, London traffic (and partly because you were planting a Jasmine plant when you didn't have time) and then having to celebrate your birthday at Frankie & Bennys in Gatwick airport............not my best birthday/holiday memory ever I can tell you.

This year my feet shall be firmly on Canadian soil to celebrate and it's cocktails all the way :-)

Summertime & the living is easy......

Summertime and the living is easy..............

Ah, finally summer is in the air! My favourite season of the year, I am a summer child hence the love of roses perhaps!  I've lots of new candle ideas floating around and a recent visit around the shops has given me some great inspiration.

My real favourites are Liberty and Anthropologie, and possibly The White Company just for it's lovely, sparkling whiteness. 

Fever on Eastcastle Street has a great vintage vibe and I loved their 'wildflower' window display with a cool mix match of old jugs, jars and bottles on the old trunk.....very lovely indeed.

Food for the soul.

17.08.12 Caffine

Last week's issue of The Stylist had a coffee, one which included  a top 10 cafe list - so In a moment of caffine fueled madness I decided I was going to try all 10! 

 Friday 13th is a good a day as any to start and so I did by visiting the vibey Kaffine on Great Titchfield St., given it's just around the corner. 

So one flat white later, Kaffine is 100% recommended and they do a really good laymington cake.

Sunday 15 April - next on the list Monmouth - in my opinion the mecca of all things coffee, as I dragged my other half along with the promise of tea we found the Borough Market cafe CLOSED, disbelief, confusion, a bit of moaning and complaining on my behalf.  We then in our wisdom decided to do the 20 min walk to the Bermondsey branch also closed - admired the lovely blue shutters, not a coffee bean in sight!

At this stage it was lunchtime, I had not had a coffee - there was nowhere to get coffee so we continued to the O2 to see the Thin Lizzy exhibition and ended up in.......Costa with a mocha, sharing a soggy sandwich, followed by a lemon & poppy muffin to 'lift' the spirits' Soul destroying. 

Mon 16th April was a better day, I finished work and having checked opening hours, trotted off to Flat White in Berwick St. I needed a no fuss kick so a Macchiato it was and it was good, better than good.... the best macchiato. ever. 

I don't have anything else to say, just go there and try it out.

2 down 8 to go and since my anger has subsided I will be trying Monmouth again ;-)

21.03.12 Crafty Fox Market, Brixton

The Crafty Fox, Brixton

This weekend I'm packing my bags and heading south of the river to Brixton for the Crafty Fox Spring Market.

40 designers, crafters, makers all under one roof! It's going to be a good one I can feel it....

Check out craftyfoxmarket.blogspot.com for details.

Having a little bit of  a wick drama - or lack of wicks as the case may be....no wicks no candles ahhhhh! Trying not too stress out and I have a back up wick plan just in case :o)

14.03.12 Landmark Occasions

Landmark Occasions

There are certain times in everyone's life that stick out as a moment in time, in my case my First Holy Communion, dropping my Aunt to Shannon airport to fly back to New Orleans in 1985, the day my first dog died.....the time my second dog died :o(, my first kiss, the day my little brother was born, my Deb's ball, my Leaving Cert results (with by big fat E in maths and A1 in Art), the first time I moved out of home to college and lots more.

On Saturday 10th March however was an extra special landmark - the first time I have stocked a REAL bricks and mortar shop AND one of my soy candle's was the first thing to sell, how exciting!

Roses & String is a fab pop up shop on Queen's Parade, Walm Lane, Willesden, North West London.....just a quick skip and a hop down from the underground station and also the area that is home to my favourite Indian restaurant - Kadiri's yum, yum.

Owned by partners Laura and Heather, Roses & String is home to some great handmade products and well worth a visit if your in the area (along with Nest cafe if your in need of a cuppa!)

Check out their website for details rosesandstring.com