Saturday 12th August: Gallery Vicens, Pollenca, Mallorca

Vicens Textiles in Pollenca, the original Mallorcan "ikat" fabric.

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.