I’ve always been curious about how the whole East End arts scene burst into being around the vibrant cultural hotspots of Brick Lane and Shoreditch. So I couldn’t resist Timberland’s novel invitation to meet for breakfast at their store on Fournier Street and then join art expert Julia Royse for a tour of some of [...]

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Post image for Lu Flux – Luxury for a New Age of Austerity

Lu Flux – Luxury for a New Age of Austerity

by Alison Jane Reid on June 30, 2011

Summer is here! – Let’s all become beautiful magpies in a dream of a whimsical summer dress or Anne of Green Gables pinafore to break hearts and turn heads by British newcomer, and arch princess of luxe reinvention, Lu Flux. I swear it won’t be long before her extraordinary, extrovert, happy clothes find their way into the [...]

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Oval Farmers Market, St Mark’s Church, Kennington, SE11 4PW Every Saturday 10.00am until 3pm, In a perverse sort of way, I could argue that the arrival of Tesco in Kennington has been very good for The Oval Farmers’ Market. Make a beeline for this vibrant, exciting Saturday market, and go early, because there is currently [...]

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A girl needs a little organic satin, lace and pearls… Take some fluttering, sensual flights of fantasy gowns in organic silk, satin and lace; a Hollywood dream girl called Rachel McDowall, star of Mama Mia, The Producers and Chicago – and an extraordinary location steeped in movie history – The Old Cinema Museum in Kennington, [...]

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Post image for The Ventnorian – The Ethical Curiosity Shop

The Ventnorian – The Ethical Curiosity Shop

by Alison Jane Reid on June 3, 2011

A Traditional Shop where you will find a cornucopia of treasures from lace parasols to magnificent children’s toys, eco shampoo and whole lot more. Follow the elegant Victorians, and flaunt a handmade English parasol, the hot accessory of summer. Made to be twirled and paraded in the most feminine, artful way imaginable, the parasol is the [...]

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Post image for Perfect fish and chips beside the sea

Perfect fish and chips beside the sea

by Alison Jane Reid on June 1, 2011

Fish ‘n’ chips beside the sea, is as British as the Last Day of the Proms, summer pudding and a glass of chilled Pimms.  Ventnor is famous for its small fishing fleet and delicious fresh fish and shellfish. Let me tell you where the locals go for perfect fish ‘n’ chips, using the finest sustainable [...]

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Exciting, cutting edge jewellery that makes the heart skip isn’t just the preserve of chic emporiums in Shoreditch or Covent Garden.  Sophie Honeybourne, graduate of the Royal College of Art, is one of the most exciting new talents on the jewellery scene, and she has chosen to return to her roots and open her first [...]

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A short ramble & seafood lunch at The Crab Shed in Sleepy Steephill Cove. Want to feel the wind rustling through your hair and leave the hustle and bustle of the 21st Century behind? Put on your Timberlands and walk the coastal path from Ventnor to Steephill Cove. Expect soaring views across The English Channel, [...]

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Endearing pandas and a towering Buddha bewitch Alison Jane Reid on a colourful tour of central China. China, pandas, exquisite food, a giant Buddha… How could I say no? The offer of a trip to Sichuan Province was irresistible, and two weeks later I arrived in Chengdu in time to see the lights of Tianfu Square twinkling like [...]

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 Natural Retreat

The Recycled Tree House

by Alison Jane Reid on June 1, 2011

Tucked into an ancient wood and just a stroll from the beach, Lisa and LincoLn’s new home on the Isle of Wight sits perfectly in its environment. It’s hard to believe it was once a tired old bungalow. On one of those halcyon, late-summer afternoons, the solent resembles an Impressionist painting. there’s a solitary yacht sail fluttering in [...]

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