Lowry Baker

Yesterday my friend suggested we meet for brunch at Lowry and Baker at the end of the Portobello Road.
“Where?” I asked.
"Don’t you know it?” she replied.
No. I don’t. And I instantly get the feeling that I should. (I was right.)

Lowry and Baker, a one-roomed café with outdoor tables, near the Golborne Road, opened in 2010 and has a very loyal local fan base – who are pretty damn protective (one customer told me not to take photos… evidently incase the details of their secret sanctuary and refuge from the closeby chaos of Portobello were to ever be revealed.)

Coffees and a gorgeous menu of homemade food are served on mismatched crockery laid on wonderful, eclectic furniture (the lady next to me outside is eating some lavender shortbread off a child’s school desk.) I had the poached eggs with crushed avocado and parma ham on sourdough. Angels sang.

During my feast 3 friends of mine walked out… Errrrm… Does everyone know about this place?? Well they do now. Sorry locals - It’s time to play nicely and share.

L.K.Bennett Campaign

L.K.Bennett’s new advertisement campaign features ‘real’ women – not some A List actor, size zero model or brooding teenage musician – but real life muggles (albeit smoking hot ones) of differing ages and professions.

Their new ‘Life Is The Occasion” campaign includes, amongst others, an obstetrician, a compliance analyst, a textile designer – AND an environmentalist. Yes, the ever so gorgeous Sophia Rogge (above, whose beautiful sarongs for Coral Conservation I have previously written about) is one of L.K.Bennett’s chosen ambassadors.

A Big Apple Bite

With one day in Manhattan to spend after the festival before my return to London, after a flutter in the shops, I made sure to visit my three favourite Big Apple destinations with my sister and Jack;

1. Cafe Angelique on Bleeker Street

Founded in 2002, this little café brings a touch of Europe to New York and is one of the most relaxing and calm places to stop for coffee or lunch in the city. The menu is delicious (I had the chicken, mango and goats cheese salad) and the pastries, croissants and stuffed cupcakes (I know, who knew? Wow!) are just too tempting to ignore. The welcoming and friendly staff swirl adorable hearts on the tops of their frothy coffees (try saying that 5 times in a row…) and when my refreshing slushy iced mint lemonade arrived, served in a small carafe, my sister immediately grabbed it before I could – who could blame her?

2. The High Line - New York's 'Park In The Sky'

1.5 miles long, built 30 feet in the air in the 1930’s this structure supported the freight trains which transported meat and baking supplies from the (now very trendy) Meatpacking District in West Chelsea into the city. As no trains had run on the High Line since 1980 the structure was due to be demolished until the Friends of the Highline (including Diane Von Furstenberg and Edward Norton) formed a coalition with the City of New York in 1999 to preserve it and create an elevated public park in its place.

The High Line opened in June 2009 and every time I visit New York I love to take a stroll over the old sleepers above the city and its crazy hustle and bustle, and take a breather amongst all the lush flowers, grasses and trees that grew wild during its dormancy - this time I went at sunset - magical.

3. La Esquina - Between Kenmare & Lafayette

Hidden below the neon lit, corner taco deli, beyond the toothless, dismissive doorman, through the small door stating ‘Employees Only,’ through the kitchens, you will eventually arrive at a dungeon like, speak easyish, Mexican restaurant.

This place is great and I try to visit each time I go to NYC. Wrought iron gates, waxy candelabras, colourful Mexican tiling, great music, great food… And a selection of over 100 types of tequila… Another Margarita anyone?? Yesh Pleash…

I can sleep on the plane tomorrow…

Escape to New York

Watching the news on television last Sunday night and witnessing from afar the worse riots Britain has seen in over thirty years, I was quite relieved I had chosen that particular weekend to escape to New York. Literally. I went to the Escape To New York festival on the Shinnecock Reservation on the east end of Long Island.

Organised by Freddie Fellowes (modeled on his Cambridgeshire Secret Garden Party) and entrepreneur Rocco Gardner, New Yorkers and British aliens alike, all travelled the ninety miles outside Manhattan for a weekend of frivolous festival fun.

When I think of festivals in the UK I envisage wellies, mud and fancy dress; It is practically a prerequisite of the Secret Garden Party to attend looking as weird and wonderful as possible and my disheveled friends returning from Glastonbury this year looked like they hadn’t slept or showered in 4 days (they hadn’t.)

E2NY was NOT this kind of festival.

Attracting a much more style savvy and well groomed crowd, with a chic ‘glamping’ area consisting of rows of crisp white teepees and safari style tents, hot showers in porter-bathrooms, and delicious catering by The Fat Radish, I stealthy buried my silver latex leggings and pink wig at the bottom of my bag – Thank God I had just had a pedicure…

Aside from the usual festival staples (multi-coloured wayfarers, floral hair accessories, denim shorts, pixi boots) there was a definite nod to our Native American hosts (feathers in girl’s hair, moccasins on their feet) and an elegant trend also appeared; short shorts with long sleeved tops and bikini tops with flowing maxi skirts – a more demure way of keeping/looking cool.

Various clothes and accessory stalls were scattered around the reservation but ultimately there were three that stood out as the most popular, unique and exciting;

1. The StyleLiner

The glamorous Joey Wolfer drives all over the world in her 20 foot refurbished potato-chip truck – a veritable treasure trove filled with limited edition clothing and extraordinary accessories available to the flocks of fashionistas at private parties, social events and festivals. Starting successful ventures is in her blood (her great-great grandfather started Marks and Spencer) and I foresee the StyleLiner becoming extremely successful... After all, this is not just any StyleLiner… This is Joey Wolfer’s StyleLiner… (Sorry, I couldn’t resist…)

2. The Monocle Order

A new online member’s club for sunglasses founded by Alex Van Klaveren and Zoe Nightingale. Once you buy a pair of full priced sunglasses you will become a life-time member to the club, receive a steel membership card and be entitled to buy all subsequent pairs for half price (up to twelve per year.) The stylish sunglasses are selected from all over the world and include ranges from Karen Walker, Lotho, Cassius, Waiting For The Sun and May Fourteenth. Join up now whilst membership is still free.

3. Roarke

Designer Mignonne Gavigan and former Bergdorf Goodman buyer, Laetitia Stanfield’s exquisite collection bib necklaces, headbands and bracelets are all stop and stare striking. Each piece created is hand beaded in India and crafted from sequins. beads and costume gems, with a chiffon backing. I adored the headbands, although their bib necklaces were sensational – serious statement pieces.

As for the festival’s music?

For me, the standout acts were Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros (I wanna be in their gang!!) who’s song ‘Home’ was a serious crowd pleaser, and exciting newcomer Gary Clark Jr. - a twenty-seven year old blues guitarist reminiscent of the late Jimi Hendrix, he had the crowd blown away, worshipping him.

I look forward to escaping back to New York again next year.

Debit Buy - ASOS Peter Pan Dress

I really like Peter Pan collars and have recently bought this pleated (still very fashionable) Asos navy dress (also available in burgundy, left.)

Its perfect for the summer but can easily be worn with tights and boots in the autumn.

RRP. £35.00

Butterfly, Flutterby, Butterfly By

Beautifully delicate with bright, fairy like wings, seeing the year’s first butterfly brings a smile to most people’s faces. We are immediately filled with the excitement and hope that, similarly to this vibrant creature, newly emerged from its dark cocoon, we too will imminently be throwing off our snug duvets, tossing aside our UGG boots and surfacing into the warm light of summer (bless our British optimism and wishful thinking...)

When I went to The Butterfly House at the Natural History Museum I was faced with 100’s of bright and beautiful tropical butterflies from all over the world, many species of which are currently under threat from climate and habitat change. I was all a'flutter (and a'fluster... Wow... Butterflies like it hot and humid...) and soon found myself standing statue still, arms stretched out, in the desperate hope of looking like the perfect butterfly landing strip… It was at this particular moment my boyfriend disappeared across the pavilion, making sure he did not also look deranged by mere association.

There are tables to see the butterflies feeding with their straw like mouths, a hatchery window for visitors to see pupae growing, eventually emerging into butterflies (this cycle can take up to 137 days so there’s no guarantee you will see anything more exciting than eggs and larvae) and best of all – the mirror on your way out (to check if you are harboring any mischievous escapees) unintentionally elongates and slims you beyond all recognition, leaving you feeling like Giselle… Now that IS wishful thinking!

The Butterfly House is open until 11th September 2011

Movie Moment - Harold and Maude

A director friend of mine, Patrick Sisam, holds a Sunday ‘Movie Night’ at his house roughly every 6 weeks. A bunch of our friends get together, have supper (Patrick’s famous chilli) and after listening to a presentation about his chosen film, we all watch the movie. Sound geeky?... Don’t get too despondent, we are all wicked cool…

Last night we watched Hal Ashby’s cult black comedy, ‘Harold and Maude.’ The idea of a 19 year old boy falling in love with a 79 year old woman seemed, at best, wildly unrealistic – and then you meet Maude… And then you get it. Everyone falls in love with Maude.
Harold (Bud Cort) is obsessed with death; he drives a hearse, regularly traumatises his mother by elaborately faking his own suicides and attends funerals for fun. Maude (Ruth Gordon) however, is obsessed with life – free spirited, energetic and fabulously eccentric, she obeys no rules and lives her life passionately and spontaneously.

It is during their relationship (one of the sweetest, if not the most visually mismatched I have seen) that Maude, with all her exuberant zeal, saves Harold from his downhill spiral and teaches him (and the viewer) to enjoy life.

Sophia Rogge - Coral Conservation

Corals Are Cool

The beautiful and fragile coral reefs of the world are in crises. Under serious threat, from global warming and destructive fishing practices to name but two, the destruction of these organisms has become such an important issue that in many areas they are considered endangered species.

Enter: Sophia Rogge, The Caped Coral Crusader.

Ok… Perhaps not caped, but definitely decoratively wrapped.

Sophia, a talented artist, is making coral conservation fashionable. Her debut collection of eco friendly beaded sarongs depicting beautiful kaleidoscopic corals and made with environmentally safe dyes in India, come in a range of colours (Kaledia, Blush, Cobalt and Amber – my favourite's the Kaledia) along with a Kaledia Mini sarong, and the Summer Scarf - the softest and prettiest around.

I Wannem. All.

10% of all Sophia’s eco beachwear sales go to Corals for Conservation who work with local fishing communities and the tourism industries in restoring damaged reef areas and protecting the coral reefs for the future.

Available from her website and reasonably priced (from £30 – £95) Sophia believes coral conservation is everyone’s problem so her range is refreshingly more affordable and accessible than other such stylish ranges.

Here is a picture of me wearing the much sought after Summer Scarf. (Jeans by H&M. Shirt from Topshop.)

I assisted Sophia on her photo shoots for the collection - see the collage below for some 'behind the scenes' pictures. Also featured in the photos are makeup artist Charlotte Cowen and model Willow Crossley (with her son Wolf!)

Best Of London - Kalita Al Swaidi

Kalita Al Swaidi, 29, is an aspiring TV presenter and celebrated lingerie designer (her embroidered chiffon knickers make the best presents - Kate Moss and Kylie are both said to be fans.) Kalita lives in West London (with one of the most enviable, stylish wardrobes in the city) and was named after the beautiful flower that grows on cactus.

Here Kalita shares her London Favourites;

My Transport - My Rover Mini

My Cocktail - A Margarita with a best friend at Santo towards the end of Portobello Road.

My Date Night - With my 'lover' at The Oak; cocktails upstairs and pizza downstairs and maybe, some tequila and pole dancing next door at Crazy Homies. Or, karaoke and sake at a dive bar in Soho.

My Sunday Brunch - With family or friends at Julie's Restaurant – especially on a sunny day on an outside table – order the roast chicken and bring your children or your dogs (they even have a Sunday crèche for the little ones if you want to enjoy some cocktails in the sun.)

My Boutique - Austique for all the special little things – either to cheer yourself up on a rainy day or for the best birthday gifts.

My High Street Store – Topshop (especially their online website – great for secret buying from your desk when you are going on holiday on Friday and need to be in the office all the hours before.)

London¹s Best Kept Secret - Black cabs – the cabbies give the best advice and tell the best jokes.

My London Icon (Past or Present) – The pigeons… It has to be…

www.kalita.co.uk