No Beauty School Dropouts

Jumping back in time on the page has been the general trend this week so I thought it only natural to reminisce on another girly trend, but this time, on the 1950s: glamourette-style beauty parlours.That's right, Pink Ladies, it's time to puff up your lips, paint your nails and powder your noses. I've had enough already. Enough saving-up and enough self-pampering. I'm tired of counting every pence in my coin purse and I'm tired of using my home as a beauty salon. While I am one to generally lean towards the "do it yourself" treatments at home, you know, for the conscience, I also like to think of myself as a working woman, sometimes, albeit very rarely, who needs some QT with luxury and superficiality.

So this is my new haven of girliness, The Powder Room, by the one and only Powder Puff Girls, who successfully opened shop last year on Columbia Road and who have decided to lend us ladies a good hand by opening a Pop Up location on Marshall Street, in the delightful Newburgh Quarter by Carnaby Street. The little boutique is always buzzying with cheeky girliness, as you listen to side conversations of surprise engagements and wedding proposals at the counter next to yours. The staff is delightfully 1950s, with bleached-blonde chignons and long false lashes. Not to mention adorably dressed in pastel pink uniforms. You'd think you were transported back to Frenchie's Beauty School in Grease, and Frenchie is your stylist though she's no dropout.

So go ahead, indulge. Whether you need a quick fix like the "Busy Bee " manicure, the "Speedy Hairdo" or the "Jiffy makeup" for £15, or a more luxurious experience like the "Late for a Date" expert package for £30, you'll be sure to get exactly what you want. And if you're around on the weekend, you can get yourself the royal treatment by snacking on biscuits and sipping on tea while getting your makeup done. Walk in or book an appointment for yourself or a group of girlfriends. I guarantee you, it's well worth it, and well deserved.

Powder Room

Pop Up Parlour
34 Marshall Street
W1F 7EU

Powder Room
Full-Time Parlour
136 Columbia Road
E2 7RG

Snob Food Limited

My unequivocal love for food has made itself quite public through this blog, and I have no shame for it in my heart. I am, and forever will be, a die hard foodie; a closet fat kid if you will. I was once scolded by an English teacher for eating a candy bar in class. It was disturbing my classmates, she said. "It is frowned upon in this school to treat the classroom like a cafeteria." That God awful teacher with a God awful bad ear for foreign languages, and who insisted the sound "the" was pronounced "zhe". Keep in mind, this was the French system, where rules made educators feel more worthy than their students, and most of all - it made them feel powerful. Most of the time, these rules were completely uncalled for or even made up. Since when has eating a candy bar in class disturbed anyone? I don't think so. Ever since I was a little girl, I've tricked my mind into believing that I didn't like sweets - for the sake of keeping my grades up, I guess.  

But now that it's no longer a matter of grades and being liked by your teachers, it's a duty of mine to try to enjoy (and share) my guilty pleasures to their fullest potential. Like this new discovery of mine, the awesomely handsome snob food cafe called Napket. No guilty consciences allowed in here. Licking your upper lip like the first time you stepped into a candy store is recommended. Better yet, it's encouraged. Think of that movie Chocolat. Johnny Depp isn't the only delicious thing worth saving your appetite for. Think of a chocolate torsadé or a double chocolate brioche for breakfast. Think of colourful summer salads, made up of puy lentils, bloody beetroot, fresh parsley and feta cheese for lunch. Think of a bowl of freshly cut tropical fruit for dessert and a frothy chocolatey cappuccino to keep you from falling asleep at your desk. No sin here.

The makers of Napket clearly have a passion for design and beautiful things. What with the oak-wood walls, the library-bar look and the romantic lighting, everything about the decor shouts out elegance and taste. And of course, the yummy dishes are as fancy as they are delicious, and are best enjoyed on Napket's regal chairs, reading the latest Metro gossip under a stylish chandelier - no less.  Who's teaching who a lesson now? Or should I say "whom"...

 

You can find Napket in various locations throughout London:
61 Piccadilly, W1J ODY
5 Vigo Street, W1S 3HD
6 Brook Street, W1S 1BB
34 Royal Exchange, EC3V 3 LP
342 Kings Road, SW3 5UR

Back to the Retro Future

I'm normally not such a huge fan of the old rancid smell of vintage shops. It's nauseating. At times, completely repulsive and a huge deterrent in my ability to enjoy my time browsing through the racks of a shop. But my last visit to a certain vintage boutique made me feel quite open-minded about the whole experience. Yes, the smell of old clothes somewhat permeated the air above and around me, but taking it all in, I was more impressed by the quality of the garments than overwhelmed by the sweet smell of old clothing. Plus, it's always a nice surprise to leave a shop in London with only £40 less in your bank account.

Pinch your nostrils no more, zesties, as I am talking about London/Stockholm's one and only Beyond Retro, located in the West End and Brick Lane: the magical kingdom of retro shopping, and the best place to find a special something for a special occasion. Lately I've had quite a thing for vintage boots. I'm a big sucker for cool, riding-style boots, and I'm all about the summer dress-fall footwear combination. Check these out, for £35 or less.

Speaking of summer dresses, lately, and I don't know about you, I've been really eager to whip out that flowery summer dress from the dark corners of my closet. It's been just a tad too prickly outside though, and I haven't mustered up the courage or warm blood to slap one on. Here is an example of a summer dress, for less than £30, that will take you straight to the outdoors of California just by wearing it. Summer barbecue coming up, anyone? A chilled Margarita please, and some Mamas and the Papas as background music.

I've also experienced a sudden urge to acquire one of those awesomely cool felt hats - one with a feather sticking out from a silk ribbon on one side. The Bavarian-style one. Or just a simple English-style one like this one below. Gotta love the Alexa Chungness of this gorgeous piece of head-wear.

That's just it, isn't it? Alexa Chung shops here! Or does she? If not, does she even know that there are about a trillion denim shirts to choose from in this uniquely cool retro boutique? And that once you've got a denim shirt, well you pretty much got yourself an outfit. Oh, but smack something else on your toosh than a pair of leggings, please I beg you. There is nothing less sexy than a girl in just leggings.  Check out the rack on that girl! (or lack there of).

I mean, check out the denim shirts on that rack!

Beyond Retro - Vintage Shop

110-112 Cheshire Street, London E2 6EJ

58-59 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JY

Let the Bling Bling Make a Bing Bang

After months of searching and digging around London; after days of surfing the web for their London-based shop, I finally found my all-time most favourite jewelry designer, and believe it or not, they're smack in the middle of Liberty's! I discovered Iosseliani back in NYC at my friend Ashley's store Honey in the Rough (though they hail straight from Rome). Her lovely boutique featured a broad range of pieces, which always seemed way out of my league and more importantly way out of my price range. In fact they were so out of my range that I dragged my mum down there one time just so I could vicariously live through her, and watch her as she purchased one of the most unbelievable pair of earrings I've seen under the £300 price mark. 

I stole from her jewelry box often, the days in NYC when I came uptown to do my laundry. My god what a devilish child I was! I would dig through her jewelry box like I always did when the drying cycle was in full throttle and the noise of my clothes banging against the walls of the dryer would make more noise than my fingers rummaging through her jewelry box. There they were. These beauties were calling my name and it was a sudden love affair between myself and those gorgeous diamante objects. The reason I said that they were out of my league is that I never considered myself to be a diamante-wearing kind of a gal. I've always preferred the simple studs or button-size pearls over the bling-bling and the watermelon-sized jewels. I'm more of a t-shirt and jeans kind of a gal. But come on now, you can't help but notice how smashing a pair of stunning earrings can look as they frame a woman's face so gracefully. Even it's with a pair of jeans. Or accessorizing an evening dress. It's a sight for sore eyes.

Speaking of bling, Iosselliani is also a pro when it comes to rings. Their rock n' roll rings represent chic and modern glamour and will accessorize any outfit, from the day wear to the evening wear. You'll turn heads and toes around. Women will salivate for these, and men will be hypnotized by these monster diamonds, when they see you reaching for your champagne glass! Wear them together or wear them single-banded, both options are appropriate and both stand out in the middle of the crowd.

Needless to say, I'm a little obsessed with the bling. But let me assure you that this is not any bling. It's the bling you steal from your mum's jewelry box and it's the bling you love to wear for years on end. And the fact that Liberty's features a few of Iosselliani's most beautiful pieces, earrings, bracelets and necklaces, makes me slightly uncomfortable. And for the quality and shine of these tiny pieces of art, you're making quite a bargain , and a long-term investment at that. So don't under do it. Over do it. Iosselliani wants you too.

Scandinavia Dreamin

You'll remember the excitement I felt back in December, as I wrote about the St Lucia festivities that take place right around the Christmas period in Sweden. The Norwegians and the Swedes have another long-standing tradition of celebrating the summer season with a day of outdoor fun, eating, drinking and dancing around the maypole. The 17th of May, being the National Day for Norway and the 25th of the June, being the Midsummer festivities for both Sweden and Norway. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to celebrate Midsummer with a couple friends in Sweden and I still foster fond memories of the day. What better way to celebrate the start of summer than by eating herring, fresh crayfish and drinking Aquavit while dancing around the maypole with inebriated Swedes? I say none. I have never met or encountered a people more elated about summertime than the Scandinavians. There's something about sunshine that brightens up their faces. It's almost mechanical. Like they've been stuck in a dark hole all year round, watching the sun set and the moon rise 365 times before summer, the real fun, can finally begin - the day of Midsummer.

The Midsummer Swedish Maypole

I am a huge fan of Scandinavia and its many festive traditions and have been ever since a dear friend of mine from Oslo introduced me to her culture my Freshmen year of college and when a couple years later, my lovely Swedish man, traveled with me to his motherland for the Midsummer celebrations. Navigating through the Norwegian Fjords last summer made me even more positive that this is a culture I respect and will remain fascinated with for years to come.

The advantage of living in a city like London as an expat, as opposed to living in a city like, say Liverpool, means that certain products and facilities, are at arms length when you are missing your home country and all of its cultural and culinary offerings. Living in London during Midsummer means that you can find places to be when the festivities take place. I witnessed the exciting Swedish festivities with excitement last year in Hyde Park and I look forward to trying out the Norwegian 17th of May festivities in Southwark Park.

17th of May in Southwark Park, SE16

You can also be sure to find the stores to purchase the goods from when you are hosting a dinner party and you want to impress your Swedish and non-Swedish guests. Scandinavian Kitchen has been my go-to Scandi place for my Senapssill and pickled Smorgas Gurka cravings as I work right down the street.

 Pickled Herring, in various sauces

 Sweetened Pickles

 Scandinavia's Favourite: the Wasa Toast Bread

The Scandi Kitchen is also a cafe, where you can sit and enjoy meatballs, pizza (Swedish cabbage) and beetroot salads, shrimp and dill on toast and lots of many other delicious dishes. Quite kid-friendly as well, Met Mum and I enjoyed a lovely lunch there a couple weeks ago, while her adorable daughter Little L licked her lips from the Maribou chocolate milk she was sipping.

 Swedish Maribou Chocolate

Scandinavian Kitchen
61 Great Titchfield Street
W1W 7PP
0207 580 7161

A Mean Bean Cappuccino - the Only Way to Start the Day

This is my first coffee post. Not because I don't like it, au contraire. Coffee is a big weakness of mine. I need my cappuccino fix daily. The vicinities of my work have not been too promising when it comes to coffee joints, and I find myself struggling to find my fave and regular coffee-on-the run spot.

But wait no more, the best coffee in the West End has made its self known! And the winner is...Reynolds on Eastcastle Street. With a coffee blend so rich and so flavourful, you'll find that this mean cappuccino gives you that amazing sensation any good cappuccino should give you: the feeling of being bad. Like you've just sinned so badly, you're gonna get whipped. Like you're eating a sweet so vicious, a piece of chocolate so delightful, or a chewy chunk of toffee. But actually, it's just coffee. And it's good.

They offer a range of other products as well: fresh and healthy salads, cute and plumpy sandwhiches, organic crisps and delicious snacks. Their selection of sweets is even better. Pain au chocs, croissants and more. Dip their scrumptious banana cake from Borough Market into it, and then you've got yourself a sinfully good breakfast feast or an even better snack attack.