Amelie

Everybody was surprised when I told them I´d never wached Amelie.  And now, I understand!
Thanks again Maria for this present!

It´s so inspiring. I always liked to think I watched the world from another point of view, enjoying the small details I found  on my way like the walk Amelie gave to the blind man or ljust ooking for different figures in the clouds. And lately, I think just being kind to others can change this world.

These days aren´t good. I´m really overwhelmed by finishing the Residency program and sad because I´m alone. So if someone asked me today  if I believe in miracles my answer would be: not today. But it´s true, like the old man says to Amelie, my bones aren´t made of glass, and I can take the hits of life and stand up for myself and think:
-fresh air is healthy
-I have to prepare myself for a surprise
-I have to take a risk

And even if I looked disconnected from the world like the girl in the painting right now, I know everything will be fine in the end. It´s difficult nowadays for a dreamer to find another dreamer. But perhaps soon I´ll find a good man that knows all his proverbs properly.

For now, I enjoy noticing details no one else does and dreaming of travelling as much as the gnome in the garden of Amelie´s father.

Video from YouTube.

DAY 64: Visiting the neighbors

Today was a National Trust Saturday. I went to Fenton House and 2 Willow Road. Both, really near my home. And both beatiful but completely different from each other.

2 Willow Road

This house was designed and built by Ernö Goldfinger in 1939 for he and his family. It was a big problem to buid such a modern house in a neighbourhood full of cottages.
I know that if you look at it now, probably, it looks from the 60s. But try to think you are in the late 30s. This house was so ahead of its time!

I love the idea of a house with lots of natural light, lots of big windows. A house with flexible rooms, because, the walls can be remove in order to achieve bigger spaces. The furniture was designed by Ernö, and you can also find some furniture designed by his daughter. And, of course, everything can look a little like Ikea, but, realise! this was the base for the modern design we buy nowadays.
I like that everything was tought for his family, for his wife (an artist), for the life style. They love to throw parties for their friends, mainly artists. And you can also find a lot of art in this house.

I really enjoyed it. No photos, copyright issues, but I bought the book.
If you come to visit, take the guided tour.

Joint ticket for 2 Willow Road and Fenton House

2 Willow Road

Flask Walk

It´s a little street full of curious shops. Like a toy store dedicated to girls, a beatiful garden store, a second hand and antique book store...

Flask Walk

Pub detail

Perrin´s Court

This stret is not as famous as the Flask Walk, but I like it more. With great coffeshops, romantic restaurants, and fantastic shops (art galleries, quilt store...). My favorite: the Oak Studio. I bought some brouches and earrings for my collection. But the stationary is beatiful also.

Perrin´s Court

I had to make an stop in Louis Bakery, a Hungarian bakery, really famous here in Hampstead, and bought myself a sweet pretzel.

Hungarian bakery

Fenton House

This is a 1686 towhouse with a lovely garden. And if you get the joint ticket for 9 pounds you can visit 2 Willow Road as well.
Here, my favorites:

*Porcelain room: it was a small smoking room, now has two vitrines full of porcelain figures.
*The needlework you can find in everyroom. As looks impossible to make for me, looks amazing.
*Oriental room: this was the library. I love the porcelain and the small bottles collection.
*Green room: my favorite! with enamel colletion (little boxes) that I envy.
*The views of the garden you can get from different rooms.
*Rockingham room: the cabinet with porcelain cottages that were used as pastilles burners.
*Drawing room: in a painted in a bright yellow with some great porcelain figures.
* The view from the balcony!!!, you can see all Central London from there.

*THE GARDEN, now, it´s full of daffodils and topiaries, but in the summer I think it must be a little paradise.
I love gardens and parks, so, I´m not very impartial about them. I just love them. And this garden is great.

Fenton House gate

Little oriental bottles

the view from the balcony

I love Hampstead. It´s a beatiful place, a great neighborhood. I love its little streets, the cottages with their color-painted doors, its original shops...
I´m gonna miss so much!!!!!!

The Bright Young Things

After Harrods, we started walking, and found out the Victoria and Albert Museum was still opened.
And then, a surprise!

It was Friday late at V&A (Once a month they open till 22,00)
This time was an oportunity of stepping into the glittering world of photographer Cecil Beaton.

The "Society of Bright Young Things" was a group that had become synonymous with glamour, money, celebrated names and lashings of snob appeal in the early 20s. They celebrated parties and meetings, some of them at V&A Museum. They must have been the coolest young people of their time. And that´s the reason this late night is named after them, to celebrate with vintage glamour.

Everybody was wearing a tiara and and top hats, and some 20s style beatiful dresses. A shame I didn´t know this before, I really would have enjoyed to wear a tiara while had a coctel drink.
Live jazz music, played by the Dixie Tricklers (http://www.dixieticklers.co.uk/), the coolest band!They sounded and looked so great (their vintage style is the best!).
Games (Scavenger hunt), lectures, live theater plays and lightdrawings altogether.

It was a lovely night.

Lightdrawings by Hugo Dalton

The Dixie Ticklers

DAY 44: Markets Day

Today it was sunny (thanks God!). And since Sunday mornig=Market morning, i went to the most original markets in town.

Pettitcoat Lane Market

A place full of cheap stuff. Don´t go there if you´re looking for original things. I didn´t like it. I only made it for a block and left.

Spitalfields Market

The neighbourhood doesn´t seem to be the best one. But the Market has nice shops and lots of stalls. 

I found it a little unoriginal and overpriced. Though a very few stalls had goergeus things.

I really liked the Vintage Eyewear stand, shame I don´t need glasses right now.

In front of the Market you find Christ Church. The churches all look alike, but I like how the sky looks in this picture.

Vintage eyewear

Christ Church

Columbia Road Market

Walking a few blocks to the North I found Columbia Road. It was easy to be guided to the market since people came walking with flowers in their arms.

As usual a lot of people. This market has a peculiarity: the air smells great. Like thouthand flowers, Lavender and Herbs all together. Lovely.

The shops are special. Every shop is like a little world. And they have original stuff, and luckily, very affordable.

Here, my favorites:

* L´Orangerie (No. 162): Really elegant Vintage jewelry, bags, hats and some clothes hand-picked by its owner. They have some brouches and earrings I´d never seen before. I bought two vintage earrings, to use as brouches (8 pounds the pair). A lot of the jewelry comes from France. You can also find some special Italian soaps.

*Jesse Chorley and Buddug (No. 158): This shop deserves a special mention. Everything there is beatiful!, from jewelry to house decor, I loved all. Every little thing is a piece of art. Vintage, home-made Art. You can spend hours there trying to decide what to buy.

* StART Space & StART Coffee (No. 150): Great Art, and a beatiful small patio at the back to have your coffee.

* Keeping House (No. 144): Every piece of kitchenware and cooking utensils you need, or you just need to have because they´re so beatiful!

* Bob & Blossom (No. 140): Lovely clothes and nostalgic and vintage toys for children. I bought a Swan pencil sharpener.

* The Powder Room (No. 136): Here you can get a vintage makeover and glamourous 1940´s hairstyles.

* Such and Chew (No. 130): Vintage candy tins and sweets.

* The Garden Shop (No. 120): Beatiful garden tools and flowerpots, seeds and everything for the stylish garden.

* Treacle (No. 110-112): beatiful teatowels, mugs and china. And simple baking (lovly cupcakes).

* Nom (No. 102): Nice and stylish ceramics and wooden utensils from Asia.

* Pot Luck (No. 84): Nice china, but, in the basement you´ll find funny house decor, children aprons, and vintage-look jewelry. I bought myself 3 plastic brouches that look from the 50´s.

* Vintage Heaven and Cakehold (No. 82): I thought every piece of china tea sets from the past was broken, but, I was wrong. Here there´s lots of vintage teacups, teapots, plates, etc.

* Supenice (No. 106): Original stencils and stickers to for wall-decor.

Columbia Road Market

Vintage Housewear in Vintage Heaven

Nom, 102 Columbia Rd

Samosas and Falafel

LÓrangerie

Jesse Chorley and Buddug

StART Space

Keeping House

The Powder Room

The Powder Room

Such and Chew

Treace, 112 Columbia Road

Treace

Supenice

Brick Lane

I was feeling really well after such a nice time I spent in Columbia Road, where everything is cozy and kind.
Brick Lane, is full of cool people. Vintage clothes, hats and jewelry shops, old vynil records stores.

I stopped in the No. 159 and queued for 15 minutes in the Beigel Bakery to have a butter beigel (made in Heaven!) and a doughnut with a delicious strawberry jam.

Urban stencils, Grafitti and Street art really good.

When you reach the "Tea Room" antique market, you can find beatiful vintage stuff. Sellers turn a little grumpy if they catch you taking pictures, though.
And then, you can have Food from every country in this world you wish. However, every kind of food is made by Indian people mostly. But again, smells delicious. An even you can get Food from Argentina (empanadas and steak).

If you continue dawn the steet you find more Asian restaurants and shops.

Beigel Bakery, 159 Brick Lane

Butter Beigel

Antiques at "the tea room"

Bengali shops at Brick Lane