Don't Grumble, Go to Whistles!

Below are some lyrics that can really make a gray London sky feel like a bright blue Caribbean one...Ring a bell, anyone?

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...hey! 

Always look on the bright side of life, (pfhh, pfhh, pfhh, pfhh...that's supposed to be a whistle!) I watched the movie the other day. I was literally laughing my ass off. I was, how do you say in cool teen blog/fbook lingo...? ROTFLMAO...oh yeah.

And speaking of Whistles!!!!!...here is a picture snippet of the Suzie Herringbone Biker Coat (what a great name for a coat, really) I so long for from my favourite London shop, Whistles...Santa Claus, hear my wish, Santa Claus, hear my wish...

How cool is it, zesties??? I think it's goooorgeous. And it's perfect for a non-fashioney fashionista like myself. I love it. Well I love anything at Whistles, but I love this coat so so much, I might just go take a little peak at it this weekend...just one more time, for the hell of it.

And while I'm at there, I'd love to get my hands on that adorable little black dress that puts all the other LBDs to shame, and better yet, makes all the morning wardrobe troubles go away. Ah, Whistles LBD, you had me at "hello."

This latest obsession of mine, the Mesh Black Dress from Whistles, goes superbly well with the above coat, some opaque tights and ankle high patent leather booties as displayed above. The look is magnificent! And the fantastic thing is...you can find Whistles in any Whistles shop obviously, at Selfridges and at Harrods! My go-to Whistles store is on Westbourne Grove, right next to the amazing Tom's Deli, surprise surprise.

Give the Podium to Antipodium

Forget about diamonds. Dresses are a girl's best friend. 

Remember when we all started to rebel against macho fashion by swapping the long flowy dresses for the masculine and straight-cut trousers? (and by we, I mean the women of the 40's!). Remember when we all cut our hair boy-short and started flaunting our ankles left and right in an effort to emancipate ourselves from men? What were we thinking??? I say, we go back to our roots, forget about those prejudices and bring back the woman in us we forgot we were!  It's time to say FU to those feminists who think dresses are denigrating and make us inferior to men. It's time to bring back the dress! I have to admit that I, myself, am one of those girls who believes that wearing trousers, if worn right, can be extremely sexy and sometimes even more feminine and flattering than a skirt or a dress, especially if worn right. But there's nothing more attractive than a woman who is proud of her feminine side and flaunts it with pride by slipping into the stereotypical female dress attire. The dress. Ah, the dress. I love it. I have it in all sorts of colors shapes and sizes. I crave it, even! Especially when it comes in an ultra comfy material, like the incredibly soft cotton jersey material. The pajama material, as I would call it.  Yeah, so? It's not like I'm wearing a track suit with the word "Juicy" plastered on the ass! The truth is, the fantastic thing about today's dresses is that, if made properly with women's comfort in mind, they can be made to be quite cozy. That is, to fit and be adjustable to the daily activities of women.

I have discovered that there is one brand and one brand only that has figured it all out. Antipodium creates the most comfortable and sexy dresses you could possibly imagine. Interestingly enough, Down Under expat designers Geoffrey J. Finch and Ashe Peacock, who have made a name for themselves in the Shoreditch neighborhood of London, have successfully created a brand that is at once synonymous with the cool and simple OZ lifestyle, and off-beat and edgy London attitude. The vast collection of Antipodium dresses I have acquired myself is proof enough that this is the good stuff. I don't shop an outrageous amount, but when I do, I invest well and carefully. Here are a couple examples of my brilliant Antipodium purchases.

Grey Jersey Metallic Antipodium Dress, S/S 2007

Black Jersey Shoulder Antipodium Dress, A/W 2009

Antipodium designs can be found in their flagship Shoreditch store on Charlotte Road , but can also be found on Carlisle Street in Soho, Liberty's and Harvey Nichs. If I was up to me, I would stick to the Shoreditch Charlotte Road boutique, which is located right between Old Street and Great Eastern Street, and guarantees an enjoyable shopping experience. But, hey, all places are fantastic. This is London. Try them all!

Non-Fashioney Fashionistas

It's funny because I've never been that fashioney of a person. I like fashion. I wear it, yes. I admire it in magazines and my eye will occasionally stop its self when a cool ad intrigues me on TV or on print. However, I am not at all the fashion type. I don't go crazy over the next IT bag and I certainly don't subscribe to any fashion magazines. Up until last month, I actually didn't know what A/W stood for. I would literally keep asking myself. What do they mean by A/W? Awesome Wear? Another Winter? A What??? I know. It's embarrassing. I am, however, keen to window shop once in a blue moon and I do have my favorite designers (Sonia Rykiel and Isabel Marant) and favorite shops in London. I've never been a huge department store fan. Selfridges makes me woozy and Harvey Nichs is just a tad too euro for my taste. I don't know, it just doesn't do it for me. I like my small boutiques and I completely buy into the personal shopping experience. I love it when a salesperson remembers me and makes me feel uber special (like the awesomely delightful Ashley at Honey and the Rough in NYC). SO when my friend told me last week that my favorite designer's new fall collection, which  I could not find anywhere in London no matter how hard I tried, was featured at a cute shop on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill (as it always has been, Hello?), I jumped at the occasion to make it a special visit last week. And Isabel Marant's Fall collection was there! Among others. Needless to say, Isabel Marant only does Ready to Wear (RTW: another mysterious acronym, OMG, WTF, xoxo!) which is one of the big reasons why she rocks my world. As a French designer, she captures all that is elegant and cool in her designs and she never fails to add a splash of rock n' roll in her outfits. If there's one thing I learned from her inspirational style, it is to never look too matchy matchy. Always always pair up a cute little grey dress with a leather jacket, or always always remember to strap on some biker flat booties with thick tights and a short skirt. Also, you can never wear that thick sweater enough.

I know you're probably sick of me rambling on about Notting Hill, but I cannot hide this zesty gem from you any longer. You must go. Period. Aime is an adorable hidden boutique on the south side of Ledbury Road. From Isabel Marant and APC, to Vanessa Bruno and Les Prairies de Paris, you will find all the cool French designers and styles that you've been missing from your wardrobe all of these long shopping-less months since moving to London! (uh, yeah, I guess that's me). You will love their selection, their shoes and their lifestyle stuff. Their jewelry is also to die for and not outrageously expensive. They even offer a superb selection of Repetto ballerinas and they have the greatest Isabel Marant leopard print flats (note: they go wonderfully well with one of Isabel's silk black dresses). So go take a peak. It's a special place and deserves your attention.


                    Aime Clothing Boutique, Ledbury Road, Notting Hill

A Few of My Favorite Isabel Marant Things 

Black Wool Top With Cotton Belt A/W 09 Collection (like wearing a cloud)

Swarowski Crystal Necklace A/W 09 Collection (Day and Night, it rocks the hell out of any outfit)

Plad Red Dress A/W 2007 (!!!) Collection (Still one of the sexiest items in my wardrobe)

My Quest for London Zest

I hail from New York City and I have been in London for exactly a year! Can you believe it?! I am now a Londoner...or am I?

New York at first, felt like a cold cold place. Large avenues, with tall high-rises, of which you could hardly see the tops. Fancy fifth avenue shops crowded with fancy fifth avenue coop-owners and not-so-fancy midwest American tourists. Long long winters and cold cold autumns. It is, I must say, one of the most unwelcoming places on earth. But after much time and effort spent there, I finally made it mine. My New York. I searched hard and long, but the reward was priceless! The best part was: I found the gems and treasures of New York by being curious, and I was determined to feel at home. Needless to say, I uncovered my New York gems! From Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery on Rivington Street and Billy's Bakery on Ninth Avenue, where the Banana Pudding and the Red Velvet cupcakes melt in your mouth; to Honey in the Rough, THE one dress shop on Rivington, where my friend Ashley Hanosh, exquisite woman and boutique owner, has created a gem of a boutique, where you will find the most delicious dresses and accessories for an experience that is at once friendly and professional; my impression of New York changed once I set foot in these second homes. It is with great pleasure and excitement that I embark on a new journey to discover London's hidden gems and sterling secrets, in an effort to make London my new home away from home.

Billy's Bakery on Ninth Avenue and 21st Street, New York: Oh Yum!

I now live in Notting Hill, well Bayswater to be precise, and I spend hours walking around not only the neighborhood but the whole city, sniffing for the perfect gems, the perfect shops with the perfect stories to tell.I don't find myself in Islington very often. But if I do manage to drag my bumm up there, all the way up from Notting Hill- er I mean Bayswater- I'll make sure I make it a special experience. And it starts all the way from the top of Upper Street by the Highbury tube stop to the very bottom of St Johns Street. I'm not kidding, this is the best 20 minute walk in London (or hour and half depending on if you get lucky!). And this is why: the adorable, magical vintage boutiques of London are all located there, polka-dotting the Islington sidewalks left and right, so much so that you won't know where to look and what to do with yourself.

My journey begins in Islington, where the vintage boutiques and second-hand shops flourish by the minute.

My number 1: Labour of Love on Upper Street. I just love, love, love it! As my friend Liz Lemon from 30 Rock would say (and no she is not my namesake... "Lemon Zest???")... I want to go to there! I swear, you'll love it too! It has everything from one-of-a-kind costume jewelry, and nowhere-else-in-the-world fancy tops and dresses, to awesome repetto-imitation jazz shoes, for great prices! Plus the shop is so tiny, you'll feel like Alice and Wonderland after she's eaten the magic mushrooms.
 

Labour of Love, Upper Street, Islington

My number 2 has to be My Sugarland on St Johns Street.
Now this shop is for pros. The shop owner is a stylist called Zoe Lem and she has a gift. She can pick out fantastic pieces and has created such a beautiful place to display them in, that everything just works wonders. As I was strolling down St john Street, I took a peak inside this attractive boutique, and all of a sudden, found myself to be lured in by all of the fantastic colours, hats, gloves and tights that were on display, and before I knew it, I was touching everything! My fingers were caught in a whirlwind of beautiful vintage dresses and scarves and... I fell in love. The prices are not as kind as you'd hope them to be, but if you're lucky enough and it's sale time or if you happen to find a piece you know or think is calling your name, don't let it go. It's a sign from above!

My Sugardland on St Johns Street, Islington










My number 3 is called Dress for Less on St Johns Street and it is a charming spot. I walked in yesterday and I was completely smitten. The place is a whole in the wall and you probably wouldn't see it if you didn't know about it, but it is perfect! Walk in and find
a rainbow of vintage designer and second hand clothes, jewels and accessories, from the essential Burberry trench to the occasional Jigsaw necklaces and delightful Sonia Rykiel jumpers, all at a price you will not believe! The shop owner is an adorable woman who calls you sweetheart, luv and cheesecake, or something like that, and she makes her bazaar as cozy as your home. You can just walk in, unload, try on a thousand things at once and she will never cringe! It is truly a find and you must go!

Dress for Less on St Johns Street, Islington                  














Dress For Less Necklace, £20

After some intense shopping, walk down St Johns Street and make a right onto Myddleton Street towards Exmouth Market, where you will navigate your way through the fantastic smells of the food stands and go straight down the finish line to grab some green curry like you've never tasted. Finish your day by warming up with a delicious cappucino or latte and a piece of delectable chocolate pie or crunchy meringue from "Sweet Boulangerie and Patisserie." You will not regret it.