Blog Archives

LIK & NEON

16/10/2014

LIK & NEON is a fun and vibrant space filled with original work which "challenges the regular line of thought." Enter this bright orange shop on Sclater Street just off Brick Lane, and feast your eyes on selection of independent design from emerging and established Illustrators, printmakers and designers. You'll find greeting cards, jewellery, limited edition prints, t-shirts & wind cheaters, tea towels and vinyl independent music.

The shop space was designed by Gitta Gschwendtner and features a one-off lighting installation, incorporating hundreds of plastic milk bottles. It's a tiny space packed with punch. It even comes with resident cats. Four of them! I was introduced to Bobby who was stretched across the counter, apparently Browser, Makita and Oskar were out cruising the streets looking for action! Haha!

LIK & NEON / 106 Sclater Street London / +44 (0)207 729 4650 / www.likneon.com
Images: ℅ Lik & Neon website

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TYPE

14/10/2014

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TYPE. A mix of new and vintage artwork, magazines, accessories, lighting, furniture plus bespoke pieces and a framing service AND what a mix it is. Expertly sourced, selected and created to produce a small and completely fascinating shop. I found it hard to leave empty handed and I only did because of my bursting suitcase. It really is a place where you can find something unique.

TYPE / 66a Sclater Street, London / +44 (0)203 489 7644 / www.typeeast.com
Images: ℅ Type website

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CITEA

9/10/2014

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CiTea - TEA IN THE CITY! You can always tell if something is made with love, and the teas at CiTea are a great collection of exactly that. They have a huge range of organic and ethically produced teas purposefully blended; white, green, black, oolong, herbal and Rooibos teas in their various incarnations. Bottle after bottle of tea varieties and blends to choose from and experiment with. A fabulous little world of flavours to get lost in...

White tea
Once reserved only for Chinese emperors to enjoy, its delicate flavour, derived from fresh, young silver tea buds is mythic. White tea is the most subtle of all tea types, using only the finest leaves from each tea bush with minimal amount of processing. It contains the highest amount of antioxidants and shares many chemical compounds with green tea.
Green tea
Is there anything green tea can’t do?
First of all it’s delicious and a rich source of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds too.
The flavours of green tea can vary from sweet and delicate to oceanic to slightly smoky.
Black tea
Black tea isn't just tasty. It provides enough energy to build empires, stay out late, wake up early or just get through the day. Varieties include English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling and other gourmet teas. Enjoy a variety of delicious flavours, ranging from brisk to malty to spicy to nutty, as well as the many health benefits associated with regularly drinking black tea.
Oolong tea
It’s as fun to drink as it is to say. Its Chinese name means black dragon tea. But make no mistake, oolong is not a black tea. Nor is it green. It’s somewhere in between. Oolong teas are full bodied in flavor and aroma, ranging from green and floral to dark and roasted with many notes between.
Herbal blends
Varieties include Chamomile, Peppermint and many other exciting flavors. Herbal teas have been consumed nearly as long as written history extends. The wide array of aromas and tastes delight the senses, while their healing properties have been lauded by traditional medicine for centuries.
Rooibos tea
Made from a South Africa plant, red bush tea is antioxidant-filled, caffeine-free and produces a sweet, flavourful cup. Rooibos is also known for its high mineral content and blends oh-so-well with many flavours.

CITEA Tea in the city / Prinsengracht 28, Amsterdam / www.citea.nl
Images: ℅ CiTea Facebook page

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MASON & PAINTER

7/10/2014

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I know what you're thinking. Fabulous right?

Mason & Painter. An emporium of old and new. Vintage furniture & French glassware, mid century French garden furniture & fabrics, curiosities, tinware, homewares and gifts. With new stock every week I imagine that going weekly would be super tempting! Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday by appointment, get in early and book yourself a place!

MASON & PAINTER / 136 Columbia Road, London / hello@masonandpainter.co.uk / www.masonandpainter.co.uk
Images: ℅ Mason & Painter website

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MARIE-STELLA-MARIS

6/10/2014

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I love these guys!

Most important to Marie-Stella-maris is clean drinking water, and for each purchase you make they donate a fixed amount towards clean drinking water projects worldwide. Great huh!

In 2010 the United Nations declared access to clean drinking water and sanitation to be a basic human right (Resolution 64/292). This resolution is exactly what inspired the creation of MARIE-STELLA-MARIS. They "strongly believe in the idea of taking care of one another and spreading creativity, personality and style to realize our social objectives. Through sharing our personal interests and by offering a broad range of water and care products we strive to positively change the life of others."

Their store in Keizersgracht is a fabulous industrial space clearly inspired by old school laboratories, and their products pure of intention, created with natural ingredients, and with great packaging. All that combined with the global aid to clean water makes turning to this brand a great choice.