Page 113 – A Little Bird

28th February 201813th March 2018

Children’s Workshops at Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum’s run a lovely programme of Children’s Events. The small classes (max 16 children) for ages 5+ always tend to get booked up early so it’s worth planning ahead. Whilst children up to the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult, those aged 9+ can be left unattended so you can drop them off whilst you shop. Here’s what’s coming up:

Children’s Event: Easter Bonnet Making

Make your mark at the parade with a colourfully-styled Easter bonnet. Ages 5–12. 24 Mar, 10.30–11.30am and 2–3pm.

Children’s Event: Easter Egg Painting

Get creative and decorate ceramic eggs to hang from Easter blossom branches at home in this hour-long class. Ages 5–12. 25 Mar, 12.30–1.30pm and 3.30–4.30pm.

28th February 201825th October 2021

Lisa Mehydene, founder of Edit58

House number 58 on a street in leafy Wandsworth is the home of Interiors’ brand Edit 58 and it’s founder, Lisa Mehydene. With over 30 baskets, hundreds of rugs and countless cushions in residence, plus two small twins, it’s a busy household. Self-confessed interiors’ junkie with a faultless creative eye, Lisa has built up her brand via a heavenly instagram presence, with her products now stocked at Liberty. Her idea of bliss is trawling Sunbury Antiques Market for that hidden gem or browsing at The Conran Shop on Saturday afternoon. Here she shares her favourite London haunts:

Image: Delphine Jouandeau for Ringthebelle.com

Where is your favourite place to be in London?

With our children it’s the parks – Richmond or Wimbledon Common get my vote but my kids particularly love the playgrounds in Battersea Park. Without the children it’s a yummy, boozy lunch with my husband and a mooch around the shops or a visit to a gallery or exhibition.

Which London shops do you covet?

Interiors: Howe London, Rose Uniake, Sigmar, Pinch and Petersham Nurseries.

Fashion: Liberty London, The Shop at the Bluebird, Matches (there’s one dangerously close to me in Wimbledon Village), Isabel Marant and Alex Eagle.

Kids: Caramel London, Bonton

What’s it like running a business from home?

It’s 50% joyful and 50% annoying. As you’d imagine, it’s convenient and cosy to work from home, particularly as I have children. But it does mean there are no natural boundaries so your work life and home life bleed into each other and it’s harder to switch off. It drives me crazy how messy it can get with day-to-day work paraphernalia dotted around the house.

Main gripe about London living?

The traffic! And the parking – the cost/hasstle is ridiculous. I also find the constant chat about schools very dull.

What do you miss most when you are away from home?

Waking up in my bed, my family and my husband’s cooking.

Which Edit58 item are Londoners loving right now?

The new Easter bunny heads for children and proving very popular!

And finally, which London restaurant would you visit for your last meal on earth?

It would have to be the River Cafe followed by a walk along the Thames.

28th February 201828th October 2021

Jam Jar Edit

One of our favourite London florist’s, Jam Jar have a new string to their bow. Just-launched, the Jam Jar Edit is the place to find beautiful floral accoutrements including handmade ceramics, flower globes, pressed botanicals and single-stem concrete vases. Keep an eye open for upcoming workshops, like Flower Pressing via their website.

jamjaredit.co.uk

25th February 201827th October 2021

Scented Narcissi from the Isles of Scilly

We are crazy about scented narcissi. The Blue Box Flower Company, on the Isles of Scilly, source their flowers from nine different farms on the islands, and send them to you in smart blue boxes with a card letting you know which farmer grew your flowers, as well as tips on how to look after them so they last longer. Prices start at £26 for fifty stems, shipping is free, you choose your delivery date so the flowers arrive exactly when you’d like them, and of course you can include your own gift message with your order. The flowers arrive tightly budded and in perfect nick, wrapped in pouches that give them enough water for their journey. They last for days and days. Order now for a lovely Mother’s Day gift or for your Easter table.

21st February 201827th October 2021

London Fashion Week Festival

Arguably the designer shopping event of the year – following on the footsteps of its sister event, London Fashion Week! Catwalks, talks and a shopping experience like none other. Still tickets available. Book in advance.

What: London Fashion Week Festival

When: Thu 22 Feb – Sun 25 Feb
From £20 entrance fee; packages vary

Where: The Store Studios, 180 Strand WC2R 1EA

Website: London Fashion Week Festival

9th February 20189th February 2018

Mildred’s Vegan Cookbook

For many of us those that have worked in Soho over the past few decades Mildreds – which originally opened on Greek Street in 1988 but now has branches in Soho, King’s Cross, Camden and Dalston – has been an institution. A bustling café selling the most delicious vegetarian food that was, and is, just as popular with carnivores as their meat-free friends. A couple of years ago founder Jane Muir along with chefs Dan Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman brought out the brilliant Mildreds Cookbook but now the team is back with Mildreds Vegan Cookbook (£25, Mitchell Beazley; www.octopusbooks.co.uk) which is packed with colourful, enticing recipes that never compromise on bold flavours.

The book is divided into brunch ideas including filling and nutritious porridge waffles with Bramley apple sauce, starters and soups, mains and bar-b-que before delving into many of the café’s steadfast favourites – bowls and salads. There are fantastic colourful and crunchy slaws including a zingy, fresh Wasabi slaw that’s our new favourite winter side dish (recipe below) and there are plenty of clever new salad ideas too including tamarind-glazed beetroot with baby spinach, salted pistachio and soya lebneh. Warming, rich curries have always been a mainstay and the aubergine curry, which was a long-standing favourite, has been revived from the Mildreds archives. It’s aromatic, unctuous and utterly delicious. This feels like the food you want to eat at this time of year – clean but comforting, healthy but never feeling anything less than tasty and indulgent.

Wasabi Slaw

This recipe comes from one of our head chefs, Agnes Wala, who

has previously been in charge of our insanely busy salad bar at

our Soho branch. The lovely crunchy texture of the wasabi peas

and the kick of the wasabi mayo make for an interesting twist

on a traditional slaw. It’s great served as a barbecue side or with

Drunken Tempura-battered Silken Tofu (see page 88) or the

Kimchi Burger (see page 110).

As an alternative to Chinese cabbage, you could use a

mild-flavoured green cabbage such as Savoy or white.

SERVES 4–6

½ fennel bulb, trimmed

and cored

200g (7oz) Chinese cabbage,

cored

½ Hispi (pointed) cabbage,

cored

2 carrots, peeled

50g (1¾oz) bean sprouts

2 tablespoons sesame oil

100–150ml (3½–5fl oz) Wasabi

Mayo (see page 181)

80g (3oz) wasabi peas

6 spring onions, finely chopped

1 small bunch of coriander,

roughly chopped

1 Shred the fennel and cabbages very finely.

2 Grate the carrots on the large-holed side of a box grater.

3 Toss the fennel, cabbage, carrots and bean sprouts together in

a large bowl and add the sesame oil and enough of the mayo to

coat but not smother.

4 Crush the vegetables with your hands a little so that they break

down slightly.

5 Crush the wasabi peas coarsely using a pestle and mortar or by

placing in a bowl and crushing with the end of a rolling pin or

similar blunt instrument.

6 Add most of the wasabi peas, spring onions and coriander

to the bowl, reserving some for garnishing. Mix through the slaw.

7 Top the slaw with the remaining crushed wasabi peas, spring

onions and coriander.

22nd January 201828th October 2021

Deciem Shop

Last year, we got hooked on a serum from Niod. We’ve been ordering it by mail ever since but recently, we’ve had to wait a little longer for our delivery as demand outstripped supply. Thank goodness then that Deciem, the parent company behind Niod (as well as the fantastic The Ordinary range and the underrated Hif haircare products) have opened a bricks and mortar store. It’s in Old Spitafields market and is the no frills kind of space you would expect from a brand which has stripped back packaging to make previously expensive skincare ingredients affordable. We’re not visiting the store for a lifestyle experience, however, we just want to get our hands on the goodies! And if we’re honest, The Ordinary range is so cheap (prices range from £4.90 to £12.70) that it’s the sort of place we would consider buying products we might otherwise regard as superfluous. This is a must stop shop for any beauty junkie.

18th January 201828th February 2018

Our Favourite Winter Skin Boosters

A cold winter and the drying effects of central heating are both challenging for beauty regimes – especially if you have skin that is already prone to dryness. We have been giving our skin a January boot-camp and these are our favourite glow-giving boosters.

We are longstanding devotees of face oils and are hooked on Arctic Face Oil by Skyn Iceland. The Camelina oil treatment is really nourishing, absorbs very quickly but still feels plumping and rich, making it perfect for daytime as well as a nighttime treatment. It’s also entirely natural and vegan. £30 at M&S.

Our lips used to get horribly chapped in winter but we’ve found a great solution in Korean beauty brand Holika Holika‘s three phase lip mask treatment. First, apply a lip shaped patch infused with cellulose (and gold, apparently) to cleanse lips and gently massage away dead skin cells. Second, use an over-sized lip shaped pink gel mask, with hyaluronic acid and collagen, to moisturise your lips for 15 minutes. And third, an application of a rather lovely Manuka honey balm – for the resulting super-smooth lips. £8.50

Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Rose oil is one of our summer beauty staples but the brand’s Wild Rose Beauty Balm is a good way to give a superboost in the depths of winter. This multi-tasking balm can be used as a moisturiser but also as an intensely hydrating mask and even a cleanser – each pot comes with a muslin cloth. £38

Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream is the first foray for Kiehl’s into the natural beauty space and this rich nourishing treatment is perfect for dehydrated winter skin. It’s more balm than moisturiser, and needs to be warmed in your hands and massaged in but it gives a fabulous glow and an instant plumping effect. It combines two powerhouse ingredients – Manuka honey and Korean red ginseng root – renowned for their ability to help skin recover from the stress. £49

Sometimes we find we need more than just hydration for a fresh-faced glow. Vichy’s Idealia Peeling is a liquid that can be applied at night – under whatever other products you usually use – and it will exfoliate skin with its peeling action (the cream contains a small dose of glycolic acid). Like a gentle exfoliation this formula left our skin with a noticeable glow and a lovely smoothness with an hour of application – and it did its work while we slept. £30

10th January 20181st March 2018

The Flower Appreciation Society: An A – Z of All Things Floral

Although now several years old, Anna Day and Ellie Jauncey’s A-Z of All Things Floral remains one of our favourite books about flowers. It makes a lovely house gift, particularly in spring when our attention returns to outdoors. Anna and Ellie, an illustrator and textile designer respectively, met while working in a pub where they were working so they could restart their careers doing what was really their great love: floristry. And so, in 2012, The Flower Appreciation Society was born. We love the florists’ wild and naturalistic arrangements, headdresses and posies, and are avid followers of their instagram feed (@flowersociety), and we aren’t the only ones. They’ve provided flowers for just about everyone from Marc Jacobs and Helena Bonham-Carter, to Anthropologie and Miss Vogue. Their book is laid out alphabetically, and it’s lovely to dip in and out of, and learn about everything from the authors’ favourites flowers (about which they give you just the right amount of information), and to how to create a bridal bouquet, to how to condition flowers ready for using, and how bees collect pollen. Their way of decorating a cake using flowers is particularly inspired and unusual, but the book is packed with lots of how-to tips. Between them the girls have designed, photographed, written and illustrated every inch of this book (Jauncey’s bold, graphic crayon illustrations are particularly distinctive), and they’ve done a great job. This isn’t a comprehensive book and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a celebration of flowers and floristry, and anyone who loves a bloom will enjoy it.

5th January 201828th February 2018

Beauty Products for Winter Sun

It might be freezing cold outside the window, but if you’re headed off on holiday in pursuit of some winter sun your make up bag may well be in need of a boost. Out with the heavy foundations and in with the bronzer. The following items are well worth the splurge:

Sisley Self Tanning Hydrating Body Skin Care is an oldie but a goldie. And whilst it doesn’t come cheap, we defy anybody to get streaks with this subtle-smelling fake tan. We also find the bottle lasts for ages – definitely a good investment. £70 from John Lewis

Wearing Factor 30 on the face is all very well but it can leave you looking a little pale compared to the rest of your body. That’s where Tom Ford’s Soleil Contouring Compact comes in handy. You can use the highlighter on the top of your cheeks, the pink on your ‘apple’s and the bronzer all over your ‘sun-hit’ spots. £78 from John Lewis

We’ve always found the colour jump between pale winter to sun-kissed summer skin (and everything in-between) rather frustrating but the problem is solved with Chantecaille’s Radiance Gel Bronzer. Just add as little or as much as you need to your current foundation and you’ve got all colour ranges covered. £51 from Liberty

At the end of a day at the beach or by the pool when you’ve just showered and got dressed for the evening, we love a spritz of this Spa Relax Super Glow Body Oil. The smell of sage, lavender and peppermint is both refreshing and calming and it gives your tan a subtle sheen (and we don’t mean greasy shine!) £25 from The White Company

We were lucky enough to be given a sample of this fragrance at an Estée Lauder press day some years ago and it’s such a great smell of summer that we are still buying it now. A combination of Bergamot, Amber, Tiare Flower, Vanilla and Coconut, we buy the Eau Fraiche for a lighter summer fragrance. £41 from John Lewis

And finally, for the best stay-put waterproof mascara, try MAC In Extreme Dimension Waterproof mascara. It doesn’t clump, covers the lashes evenly and lasts from morning until night. £19.50 from John Lewis

13th December 201728th February 2018

Face Paint: The Story of Makeup by Lisa Eldridge

The make up artist Lisa Eldridge has shown legions of women how to re-create glossy magazine cover looks via her You Tube channel. We might have expected her first book, Face Paint, to follow suit but anyone who is a real devotee of her videos will know that Eldridge is obsessed with the history of make up to the extent that she collects vintage cosmetic items. Instead of being a how to guide Face Paint is an exploration of the history of make up and examines the changing ideals of beauty. Eldridge convincingly argues that “Painting our faces is as much as part of human nature as the need to eat and sleep” and she also demonstrates that the acceptability of cosmetics has a correlation with the status of women in any given society: in Ancient Egypt, women could own land and (perhaps not coincidentally) they also wore kohl, lip and cheek rouge as well as nail colour.

Eldridge shows that whilst fashions change, particular physical characteristics have been consistently thought of as beautiful throughout history: for example, beauties as chronologically far apart as Nefertiti and Sophia Loren have been depicted with heavily defined almond-shaped eyes and have been admired for their high cheekbones, full lips and long necks. This is not merely an academic look at beauty, however: Eldridge has fun explaining the rivalry between Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden as well as how Marilyn Monroe’s make up artist made up her face, and even why the eighteenth century fascination with wearing black patches of silk or mouches on the face developed. Face Paint is a brilliant gift for any make up lover, not least because it can be enjoyed without looking in the mirror.

9th December 201728th October 2021

Stockholm

We recommend you go to this ‘Venice of the north’ in either sunny mid-summer or snowy mid-winter. It isn’t cheap (even compared to London), but it is very easy to get around, everybody speaks English and you are sure to eat some delicious, fresh food. Here are our top tips:

Hotels: Ett Hem, Sköldungagatan 2 114 27 (www.etthemstockholm.se)

This beautifully decorated hotel is the place to stay if you’re looking for a luxurious, comfortable home-away-from-home. Situated in an old townhouse in Ostermalm (it’s a 15 minute walk to the waterfront), there are only 12 rooms all designed by Ilse Crawford. The food is delicious, served either in the kitchen, dining room or garden when it is warm and it’s the attention to detail that really makes it feel so special: from the Spotify lists ready to play in your room on i-Pads to the afternoon cake, baked freshly every day.

Hotels: The Lydmar Hotel, Södra Blasieholmshamnen 2, 111 48 (www.lydmar.com)

Sitting right on the waterfront, opposite the Royal Palace on Gamla Stan, this modern, hip but comfortable hotel is a great place to stay. It is extremely central, has very friendly, helpful staff and a fun bar/restaurant. In the summer, make sure you have a drink on the terrace which looks out over the water. NB There is no sign outside but it’s the building next door to the Grand Hotel.

Hotels: AF Chapman (www.stfchapman.com)

This hostel on a boat probably isn’t for you if you’re planning to stay for weeks in Stockholm but for a long w/e, it is extremely conveniently located beside the old town. A rebuilt traditional white schooner, it is comfortable, clean and above all, cheap.

Shopping and Eating: Saluhall, Östermalmstorg, 114 39 (www.saluhallen.com)

This wonderful indoor food hall, which opened in 1888 and is located in the traditional Östermalm section of the city, is a must for both food lovers and tourists. Even if you don’t stop by to have coffee or lunch (we recommend Lisa Elmqvist’s stall and restaurant for the excellent fish selection), the over-flowing stalls of vegetables, pastries and chocolates are enough to make your mouth water.

Shopping: Svenskt Tenn, StrandvÃ¤gen 5, 114 51 (www.svenksttenn.se)

Founded in 1924, this Swedish interior design shop sells colourful, quirky, craft-inspired designs by founder Estrid Ericson and design partner Josef Frank. From lighting to wallpaper, from matches to sofas, the designs (all made in Sweden) are extremely popular and although they aren’t exactly cheap, they are certainly classics.

Shopping: Lisa Larsson Vintage Shop, Bondegatan 48, 116 33 (www.lisalarssonsecondhand.com) and Stockholm Quality Discount Outlet (www.qualityoutlet.com)

One of the best vintage shops in Stockholm, it’s definitely worth making your way to Södermalm where the trendy, young Stockholmers hang out, to find clothes by YSL and Christian Dior. Stop by Sofo Cafe (www.sofocafe.se) or Cafe String (www.cafestring.com) for fika (coffee and a bun) or have lunch at Pelikan (www.pelikan.se), an old beer hall, for a traditional Swedish meal. If you’d rather stick to modern labels, then take the train to Jakobsberg and then a quick bus (no 567) to the Stockholm Quality Discount Outlet, about 30 minutes outside of the city. Here you will find heavily discounted (from 30-70%) clothes at Acne (which has great jeans from only 400 kronor), Filippa K (one of Sweden’s most successful designers) and Peak Performance (great for skiwear and outdoor clothes).

Outside Museums: Skansen, Djurgårdsslätten 49, 115 21 (www.skansen.se) and Rosendals Trädgård, Rosendalsterrassen 12, 115 21 (www.rosendalstradgard.se)

Step back in time to how Sweden used to be in the eighteenth century at Skansen, the world’s oldest outdoor museum and zoo. There is a pottery, bakery and traditional crafts such as glass blowing and at Christmas there is a traditional food market. It sounds touristy (and there are plenty around) but it does have a magical charm to it. If you’d rather visit an organic garden, try Rosdendals Trädgård, which has a delicious restaurant for lunch.

Indoor Museums: Vasa, Galärvarvsvägen 14 11521 (www.vasamuseet.se) National, Södra Blasieholmshamnen 2, 111 48 (www.nationalmuseum.se), Modern, Skeppsholmen (www.modernamuseet.se) & Fotografisca, 22 Stadsgårdshamnen 11645 (www.fotografisca.eu)

There are some fantastic museums in Stockholm but if you were only going to visit one, it would have to be the 17th century fully preserved ship known as Vasa. The 69 meter warship sunk in 1628 and was salvaged 333 years later. The museum allows you to look at all levels of the ship as well as stand in awe of her detail and size. The National, Modern and newly opened Fotografica museums are all very good. The National, which has a great selection of older Swedish paintings and Modern are very close to each other, whilst the Fotografisca is over on Södermalm. All four museums have excellent cafés for lunch, especially the Fotografica which has brilliant views of Stockholm across the water.

Eating: Riddarbageriet Bakery, Riddargatan 15, 114 57

You can’t come to Sweden without tasting Swedish bread. From limpa to saffron buns, they are all extremely more-ish. Riddarbageriet is famous for it’s great sourdough bread and knackerbread crackers, which even Jamie Oliver raved about when he visited Stockholm last year.

Eating: Saturnus, Eriksbergsgatan 6, 114 30 (www.cafesaturnus.se)

This little café is hidden away up a side street about 5 minutes from the centre of Stockholm and it sells the best (and the biggest) cinnamon buns in town. Run by Italians, it has a laid back atmosphere (the Royal Princesses are known to frequent it), great coffee and delicious food.

Eating: PA & Co, Riddargatan 8, 114 35 and Le Rouge, BrunnsgrÃ¤nd 2, 111 30 (www.lerouge.se)

Whilst lunch can be a cheaper, early (often served between 12 and 2pm) affair, dinner is often later and a far more expensive occasion. It can therefore be a good idea to go to the more expensive restaurants for lunch (Operabaren (www.operakallaren.se) or Matbaren at the Grand hotel for example (www.mathiasdahlgren.com). For a fun night out, we love either PA & Co, a people-watching bistro or if you are after something more romantic, try the red velvet seated Teater Grillen (Teater Grillen). Follow this by drinks in summer at F12 (www.f12.se) outside on the roof terrace or if it is in winter, inside at the newly refurbished Riche (www.riche.se).

Shopping: Bukowski online auctions (www.bukowskismarket.com)

Even if you are only in Stockholm for a few days, it is well worth looking up the Bukowski online auctions to see if you can pick up a Scandinavian bargain whilst you are in town. They have mid-century modern furniture, nineteenth century paintings and a huge array of silverware, jewellery and ornaments. Surprisingly, they are fairly cheap and if it doesn’t fit in your suitcase, you can always arrange to have it shipped back separately.

And finally…take a boat trip to the archipelago

If you are in Stockholm during the summer and have some time on your hands, then walk along the harbour side near the Grand Hotel and book tickets to take a trip to the archipelago. Even if you only have a couple of hours, you can go as far as the first main island, Vaxholm, to have lunch and go for a swim in the beautiful clear water. If you’re short of time or want something a little less sedate, then take a rib boat for a quick, exhilarating ride out around the islands.