Wednesday 2nd August: Notting Hill Carnival 2017 launch

August signifies the final count-down to Notting Hill Carnival, which is my favourite weekend of the year!  Friday night was the official opening party with performances from Ebony Steel Pan with Eternity Percussion, different dance routines and costume display by Sunshine Arts .  Here you can see the traditional mas characters including The Midnight Robber and Pierrot Grenade, made using the Trinidad tinsel braiding that I LOVE.  A theme to the night was honouring the recent events to the local Grenfell community with a Calypso tribute by Alexander D Great.

Follow the Carnival Arts & Masquerade Foundation on Instagram to see my photos from Trinidad Carnival earlier this year and what will follow in London later this month.

Tuesday 1st August: Rinkoff Bakery

 Since writing my own guide to London, I have discovered a couple of things that I wish I could edit back in.  One of these jewels is Rinkoff Bakery in Whitechapel.  It came to my attention via Instagram that the Beigel shops in Brick Lane were selling sub-standard rainbow beigels and the original was infact from up the road.  I made a pilgrimage on the quest for the perfect spectrum swirl and found exactly that!  Their rainbow not only has more hues in the mix but it twists in a beautiful whirl rather than just being hap-hazard blobs in the bake.
BUT this is not the only exciting eye-opener!  The family business which has been running since 1911 also bakes traditional Challah breads, Sourdoughs, cheesecakes, muffins, croissants, Danish pastries and an extensive array of crodoughs (croissant / doughnut).  I went a little crazy and bought many, many things including accidentally both a pain au raisin aswell as a Chelsea bun - I LOVE raisins!  Everything was fresh, massive and the best I've had in the city.  This includes a salmon and cream-cheese beigel made to order.
I keep finding reasons to go back, so I thought I'd just share this revelation with my readers!

Thursday 27th July: Lakwena's "The Future's Gold" at KKOutlet, Part 2

I missed the private view for Lakwena's show but have now visited and its truly AMAZING.  She has painted every piece of wall on the premises and covered the floor in gold to match the foil in the prints.  You can take a piece of the exhibition home with you in the form of patches and pins with the same messages and anecdotes as the canvases.  I couldn't resist a rainbow one for my coat of many colourful patches which bares the irresistable sentiment "The Best Is Yet To Come"!  Indeed it is, Lakwena just gets better and better............ I can't wait to see what she has lined up next!

Follow her on Instagram here. 

See the 1st post from the show here.

Thursday 27th July: Lizzie King for 56 St James

Just before 56 St James go on their annual Summer leave for August, here's the latest update on the artwork!  Lizzie King has painted her first double window commission by covering their corner exterior with her signature illustrative style.

Check out more of her murals here and get down to 'Stow for the best coffee, cocktails, brunch, lunch and sharing platters whilst Warren is still on the tools til Sunday 31s July.

Thursday 20th July: Worldwide Festival 2017

Highlights of this year's Worldwide Music Festival in Sete (South Of France) included Henry Wu's daytime beach set, then Sun Ra Arkestra and Sampha's night time concerts in the amphitheatre.  I was too immersed in the moment,  having too much fun to capture any of it so a second post will cover those live performances.  For now, here are my atmos snaps of the day-to-day antics from the 1st party at the Modern Art Museum to the subsequent dances in the sand.  The final frame is of Shabaka Hutchings from his slot with The Ancestors including drummer Tom Skinner (in the background).  Luckily for us, our flat was on the hill above the outdoor venue so we could hear the rehearsals streaming in live thru our windows opened out to the sea view............ not too bad, not too bad at all!

Wednesday 19th July: Africa Utopia at The Southbank Centre

Africa Utopia is a free annual festival celebrating the arts and culture from the African Diaspora at The Southbank Centre.  There is a market of independent traders with a whole range of products from Kente textiles to Shea butter cosmetics, beaded jewellry, letter-press prints, photography and books.  There was a fashion show of new emerging designers and block party of music and live performances on the embankment stage till the end of the day.  The final song to be played out was by Fela Kuti which was a perfect soundtrack for our dancing feet in Fela socks!!!!

See archive Africa Utopia posts here and here.

See Phoebe Boswell 's 'Duniake' cushion fabric in an archive post here.