I have been an Ottolenghi fan for a long while now so I was super excited when the group's charming General Manager, Basia, found time to chat with me in their Islington store whilst I was in London recently. Delivering a visual food feast through engaging counter display formats, the food presentation is testimony to the saying 'what the eye does not see, the heart does not desire" ... once you've clapped your eyes on the food you can't help but want to buy and try.
Sadly, here in Oz, our food laws do not allow for unprotected food which puts something of a dampner on the deal unless you are clever with your design.
Before establishing the business Yotam Ottolenghi was pastry chef at Kensington Place, which just happened to be a fave dining destination when I lived around the corner whilst working as a pastry cook at Hamlins of Kensington. Trained at the Cordon Bleu, and once the head pastry chef at Baker & Spice, Yotam's cookbooks are must haves for their simplicity of ingredients delivering complexities of flavour.
This was the first time I'd been to the flagship on Upper St in Islington. It was well worth the outrageous taxi fare to get there given the Tube was on strike! #lovelondon #ottolenghi #yotamottolenghi #loveit
I think she's looking forward to a Jam Fancy and a nice cup of tea.
Magical, whimsical, wonderful windows launched Selfridges The Shoe Galleries ... see story below.
If you worship shoes then you should say a little prayer of thanks for The Shoe Galleries. Selfridges cut the ribbon on 3250 m2 (13,500 sq ft) of heavenly heels the week I was in London. Knock-out windows and a waterfall of pop coloured paper shoes filled the store's central void in what can only be described as a stunning VM story. Designed by architect Jamie Fobert, there are six different salons each with their own look. Over 5000 pairs are placed like objects in an art gallery. Luxurious fixtures and fittings feature throughout and 11 different boutique brands have their own salons fitted out in a distinct style. Chanel has recreated Coco Chanel’s apartment and Ugg Australia has gone for the sophisticated ski chalet look. Big designer names, along with 30 exclusive designs for Selfridges, made me slightly relieved I'm a size 42 (a first!) as that puts some serious limits the amount of shopping damage one can do in an hour or two. The next time you're in London and want to kick up your heels you now know where to go.
I thought this a simple yet eye catching use of the 'golden arches' that said a lot about the brand via design rather than signage. This store was somewhere in the Leicester Square vicinity.
For readers who have never heard of Julia Child (I could easily say err hello?! ... but I have to remember you might not be a foodie) the movie Julie & Julia put JC back on the public agenda. She was my hero when I ditched corporate life at 30 and trecked off to London to attend cooking school. For those not in the know, Julia Child was a formidable woman who revolutionised American cooking (played brilliantly in the movie by Meryl Streep). Half a century later JO (Jamie Oliver) has educated a whole new audience on the joy of cooking, although his influences are Italian rather than French. Either way, both deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for their contribution to humanity (according to me that is). Jamie's Italian, Covent Garden, London.
One of my pet hates is crappy sandbags used to hold down an umbrella in an alfresco seating situation. I liked this neat solution that I spotted in London.
As a kid growing up in a very small country town I loved nothing better than to go to a clearing sale with my Father. I've been a junk skunk from an early age and my home is a mix of modern and mid century pieces that I've collected over the past 30 year. I am a big fan of Emily Chalmers Flea Market Style, her tome to an interior taste that is right up my bower bird alley if you know what I mean. I finally got to snoop around the increasingly gentrified Shoreditch where Emily's shop, Caravan, is a little show stopper on Redchurch St. Big thanks to Emily for sending through some snaps to add to my pics. If you can't make it to London go on line for a lookie see at the fab things you will find here.
Hans Geiger invented the Geiger counter (a measure for radiation). Kurt Geiger invented faaaaaabulous shoes. His latest shoe counter in Covent Garden radiates clever design elements. Low ceilings (approx 2.2m) are created with a reflective soft fabric (which I thought was mirror until I touched it and it moved). Brilliant lighting, raw timber, mirror, and tones of red and grey all reflect and bounce off one another to make the store appear three times its actual size. The shoe chandeliere is a an absolute show stopper. My words don't do it justice at all. The staff were fabulously friendly but said 'sorry, No' to photos but took the time to give me the PR contact. This is a common company line response from big fashion brands and until now it has been met with a 100% no response from every email I've ever sent. Much to my surprise and delight I got a response and referral to the girl in the know who sent me these photos the very same day. If I measured 'professional and polite' with this Geiger counter I'd say they are off the scale! Find Kurt Geiger in the new Covent Garden (just over the road from the huge Apple flagship store).
Only 4 weeks until I head off for the PODs annual ERA (Euro Retail Adventure). Doing lots of late night research and lining up interviews... which lead me to discover these bold coloured bicycles promoting a new Bombay inspired cafe. Fab looking web site. I hope the food tastes as good as the photos promise. Via flickr
