shop – The Cultural Exposé

My weekend in pictures: December 5

Matilda — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 09:00:27 +0000

I checked out the new Good & Proper Tea tea shop near Old Street station (it’s so cute – and they do crumpets!) and that Ann Veronica Janssens yellowbluepink installation at the Wellcome Collection. Real talk: I nearly had a panic attack in that misty room. My advice? Go with a trustworthy friend who you don’t mind clinging on to…

All pics shot on a Canon 5D Mark 1 with a 24-105mm.

My first time visiting the Wellcome Collection on Euston Road. What a quirky venue!

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Quirky pop-up We Built This City returns to Carnaby Street

Matilda — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 08:30:48 +0000

I stumbled across We Built This City a few months ago. It was a Friday evening and I found myself in that awkward position of needing to kill a bit of time, but couldn’t be bothered to drag myself to the nearest Starbucks for an extra hot chai latte and the wi-fi. So I strolled along Carnaby Street, popping briefly into Monki for a pair of new earrings, and eventually found myself gravitating toward’s WBTC’s chaotic graphic display, all the more intriguing because of the bold, creative references to London:

Just discovered this wonderful, alternative souvenir store on Carnaby Street. Seriously funky fresh.

A photo posted by Matilda (@megerecooper) on Aug 28, 2015 at 10:35am PDT

It didn’t even dawn on me that the pop-up, which sells city-inspired gifts and souvenirs from over 300 home-grown designers and artists, wasn’t a permanent shop – so I was pleased to hear that it’s recently returned for the festive season.

Along with their usual fun stuff, they’ve now set up a Christmas shop offering cards, decorations and a Christmas jumper printing service in collaboration with London design duo RUDE (they’re ace) – and if you’re feeling creative, you can sign up to one of their creative workshops that include jewellery-making, the art of wrapping and even how to make a Christmas piñata.

How cute are these? We Built This City staff rock the Christmas jumpers you can design yourself

The shop is currently open and can be found at 56 Carnaby Street, but for more details, visit www.webuilt-thiscity.com

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Somewhere you should go… Beautiful Crime Concept, Covent Garden

The Cultural Exposé — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 11:35:26 +0000

If you’re looking to get your mitts on some exclusive art this Christmas, a new pop-up art store featuring rare works from established and emerging artists will be coming to Covent Garden this winter. Beautiful Crime Crime Concept (BCC) will offer a range of prints and gifts showcasing pieces from 25 artists, including Tracey Emin, Banksy and Jonathan Yeo. The temporary venue will also host a series of interactive events such as “Mug Shot My Face” on November 30th: artist Russell Marshall with turn you into a “beautiful criminal” in the style of his acclaimed screen prints of celebrity mug shots (see below). Until then, you can visit the store from November 15th until December 29th – and for more info about forthcoming events, visit: www.beautifulcrime.com

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Somewhere you should go… Brixton Village

The Cultural Exposé — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:00:53 +0000

Formerly a well-kept secret known as Granville Arcade, Brixton Village became increasingly popular this year, especially since Brixton local and the Guardian food critic Jay Rayner profiled it as “home to the most vibrant restaurant scene in London”. But in fact it’s much more, a perfect gem of a market that houses all a Londoner needs for a perfect Saturday afternoon: fresh coffee and juices, an Italian ice cream shop, fish stalls, Colombian butchers selling hand made sausages, greengrocers, vintage stalls…. and being Brixton, it keeps it real, multicultural, bustling and alive. Brixton Village is no Spitalfields, no sterile Covent Garden. This is where real Londoners come to eat, shop and talk.

You can access the Village through the blue arched entrances from Atlantic Road or Coldharbour Lane. And if you’re hungry, I highly recommend:

Okan, the Japanese pancake house;
Honest Burgers, for the real home-made variety made with 35 day aged beef;
Elephant for their masala chai and their spicy Pakistani street food;
Kaosarn for authentic Thai;
Take Two for its amazing jerk chicken;
Etta’s Seafood for their crab fritters and lemon calamari;
Brixton Cornercopia for modern English meals;
And Bellantoni’s or Casa Sibilla for simple yet pleasurable Italian food.

If you just want a hot drink and a chat, you can’t do better than Relay Tearoom for their spicy African chai and red velvet cake or Federation coffee for the best New Zealand flat whites in South London.

But Brixton Village is a fashionista’s haven too. Start off at United 80 for funky music, handmade leather clutches and stylish dresses made from Nigeria’s ankara fabric. Then check out Brixi for quirky unique pieces for your home, Circus for up and coming London designers, Saloon 97 and Bella West for vintage dresses and accessories as well as the Parisian run Leftovers and the 1950s vintage glam shop Rejuveante. Prices are cheaper than London’s more familiar jaunts – a vintage John Galliano dress was recently spotted at Rejuvenate for as little as £50.

With all that Brixton Village has to offer, no wonder locals long to keep Brixton Village to themselves, just a little bit longer – but if you’re a newcomer, we’ll let you off. (Words: Isioma Daniel) (Picture: Andy Broomfield )

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Somewhere you should go…Nobrow Shop and Gallery

Matilda — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:00:14 +0000

Lovers of graphic novels and evocative art will be amazed by this tiny shop and gallery in Shoreditch, which has spent the last three years championing independent publishing and well-produced art. Stocking everything from custom-designed books and comics (they’ve got a screen printing studio in the basement!) to quirky toys and trinkets, it’s got the feeling of a spot you can shamelessly hang out all day in – especially as they host free exhibitions too. The illustrations on display is wonderfully leftist (see pics from the recent House of Gold show) and it’s Nobrow’s penchant for renegade art which makes this place not only special, but worth dropping into the next time you swing by Shoreditch. File under: “I know this great little place in London…”

Nobrow Shop and Gallery is based at 62 Great Eastern Street. For more info, visit www.nobrow.net.

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