Body Language at the Saatchi Gallery

I recently went to see the new show at the Saatchi Gallery. It's called "Body Language". There were a lot of colourful varied pieces with a lot of different influences. Sadly, my trip there was sort of ruined by two groups of students there on a school trip. They were really uninterested and making it very difficult to appreciate the art. So I rushed through the gallery staring longer at the pieces that intrigued me most. 

One of my favourite things about the Saatchi Gallery is that they integrate paintings, photographs and sculpture. This then leads them to use the space in a really interesting way, and it may be part of the reason for why I keep going back. They also always have things that you can't see any where else. The selection of pieces is always broad and diverse and thought provoking even if all you're thinking about is the composition.

The Saatchi Gallery is just one of my favourite places in London and it makes me happy to live here. It is one of the few places where I can be completely alone and be surrounded by ideas without feeling lonely or overwhelmed. 

Here's their website: http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/body_language/

The Trafalgar Chelsea

When walking around Kings Road in Chelsea, you may get bored and need a drink. Go to the Trafalgar. Not only do they have drinks but they have amazing french fries too. We stopped inside to get away from the cold and grab a drink while resting our legs. Sadly with these winter days you feel like its ok to have a drink at 4pm, “hey, its already dark”. I indulged in a large glass of rose and sat in a comfortable armchair with no intention of moving again for a while. 

They play relaxing music low enough for you to have a casual conversation and not have to yell. There are so many tables that you don’t eavesdrop on anyone else either. They have about 10 different beers on tap, I challenge you to taste them all! They also do a discounted beer of the day. 

I really liked having a break there, sometimes everyone needs a little pick me up after a day in the cold. If you live around there I really recommend an afternoon in the pub with friends. 

Here’s their website: http://www.thetrafalgarchelsea.co.uk/

Brandy Melville

Having strolled down Kings Road several times I’ve stopped by Brandy Melville countless times. I love this store, they have so many cute details to decorate the place and to make it personal to the location it’s in unlike other international brands’ branches. The staff is always really friendly and willing to help but they don’t pressure you in the changing room area by letting you try on as much as you like and take your time. The decor plays on old and new, the stairs look run down in a rustic kind of way. They only do most of their clothes in one size, relying on their motto “one size fits most”. 

They also have a great selection of jewellery compared to other high street stores their items are thought out in relation to their brand and if you had the money you could just wear Brandy Melville clothes. They always play casual fun loving music to keep you in the store longer. All I need to keep me in the store is touching their clothes. Somehow they’ve found a way to make all their clothes super soft and lovely. I’ve been tempted to buy a sweater in every colour just because I know I’d look nice and feel like I’m wearing a blanket.

You can browse their collections online, but if you’re looking for some great basics for your closet that you want to last you a long time go take a look. They also have some fun and quirky items. This spring they had a top which said “you can’t sit with us” (like the line from Mean Girls). 

Here’s their website: http://www.brandymelvilleusa.com/

Manicomio Poco

With a name like that this place doesn't tend to appeal to Italians because a Manicomio is where they send people who are mentally ill. But maybe these people are mentally ill over the food. Anyway, I went there on a monday for a late lunch and it was pretty crowded, we sat outside because the weather was pretty nice. I got a sparkling water and looked at the day menu to then decide which dish of the day I wanted to take.

I really like it when places have day menus because it makes me feel as though the ingredients are fresher and the chef pays more attention to the dish because they make it less often. As we were waiting for another friend my friend Daniella and I ordered the same dish. Gnocci in tomato sauce but it wasn't just the kind of pasta that you have at home. It was really really tasty, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Even scooping up the sauce with the last gnocci I had left.

I honestly think the food was worth the uptight environment, and it was easy to split the bill. I think I might go there again, on my next visit to the Saatchi Gallery. After all it's a filling meal for a reasonable price (about 15 pounds), and that way I wont spend money on snacks in the afternoon. 

Here's their website if you want to check them out: http://www.manicomio.co.uk/chelsea/poco-cafe

Also this cafe is called "Poco" after its name because it's the cheaper and less fancy version of the restaurant. Which is simply called "Manicomio". 

Amorino

I have been to Amorino, the ice-cream shop in Chelsea and Soho. I chose different flavours both times but I really enjoyed their ice-cream. Its creamy but not too creamy and the natural flavours of the ice-cream really stand out. A small cup costs 3,50 pounds but its really worth it because you do get a lot of ice-cream and they let you have a taste of a few flavours before you buy it so you know you're choosing something you like.

The first time I chose Licorice flavour and I loved it. The second time I chose Passion-fruit and "Agrumi" which is a combination of all the citrus fruits. Passion-fruit was a little sour for me but I loved Agrumi, I think it has become my favourite flavour this year. I think what I like the most about Amorino is that they have many people behind the counter so you don't have to wait long to be served. And their ice-cream is just so good. 

Also, their logo is one of those cute fat angels shown in Italian Renaissance art. The name Amorino comes from the little angels that acted like Cupid. Here's their website: http://www.amorino.com/en/

Paper Exhibit: Saatchi Gallery

I've probably said it before that I'm a huge fan of the Saatchi Gallery. I've even joined their mailing list, and therefore become a Saatchi member. This way I always know if there's something good, and new to see. A few days before I left London for the summer I got an email saying there was something new, a Paper Exhibit. 

So I invited a few friends to see the new collection with me. Upon arriving I realized I had already seen the art in the ground floor and I was hoping there was at least 4 rooms filled with new things. And there were. I was really impressed by the different things people created with paper. 

There were paper coffee cups with intricate drawings all over them. There were huge wall hanging drawings which had several tiny details as well as huge sketching features. There was also an installation filling a whole room made out of coloured paper kites. But I think the best thing I saw was trees cut into paper shopping bags. They were so tiny, so perfect, and it really looked like the tree was fully made by the cut out on the top of the bag, which then created the correct light on the tree.

It's usually hard to describe art with words, so I'll let the pictures speak more than me. But the exhibition ends soon, and its really worth seeing, if innovative art is something you think you might like. Or it's just a good place to hide from the rain and broaden your knowledge of the visual arts. 

Here's the gallery's website: http://www.saatchigallery.com/

Anthropologie

The only thing I've ever bought from Anthropologie are books. But the inside of their stores make you wish you could afford all their other products. Every dress seems to have enough details to tell a story, and every cute little bowl has a print you've never seen before. I tend to go to Anthropologie with my friend Daniella because she buys the clothes. I've hunted through the their sales racks but still have never been able to buy anything.

However I do appreciate their selection of books a lot. They have slightly more interesting cooking books and their other books range from autobiographies to DIY books. Maybe I just like their books because of the pretty covers, but I've found that the books I've bought from there I actually read. Which is generally a good sign because I've had some books on my shelf since uni started and I still haven't looked through them once. 

Anthropologie is nice because the warm colours of their stores make you somewhat feel at home, and unlike most shops they tend to have nice seating areas where you can just soak you surroundings. In the shop on Regents Street they have a whole wall of plants, which I think is pretty cool. 

Here's their website: http://www.anthropologie.eu/uk/page/home

Joe & The Juice

When I was walking around Chelsea with my friend Kristin we decided to stop at Joe & the Juice because we had never been to one before and we really needed to sit down. From the moment we walked in it definitely felt happy, relaxed and friendly. We spent a few minutes trying to figure out our order. I obviously looked at the food first, typical me. 

I got a tuna and avocado sandwich, which they call a Tunacado, which I find pretty cool. Kristin then asked what the barista would recommend, and she got a random one he has talked about. However I was too intrigued by the name of the "Iron Man" juice, so I just had to get that one. 

The two baristas were really friendly, and funny. The younger one was kind of flirty and he jokingly suggested that he'd give us his number, which we just laughed at. We then went over to a table, sat down, and started talking about our assignments. He brought over our drinks and my food, and the sandwich was wrapped in tracing paper which I think was really cool because it stops the oils from getting on to you hands and its somewhat creative and different. 

As we left the two baristas said "bye girls" and blew us an air kiss goodbye. It was just so funny and cliché that it make Kristin and me laugh really hard. Here's their website: http://joejuice.com

Frock Me!

On the 19th of May I went to the Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair in Chelsea Town Hall. When I was a kid I remembered going to this town hall to see many different things. I think there was one time I remember really well because I was surrounded by like pink and beige clothes, it was a Burberry sample sale. This time I recognized traits of the building but not much else. 

We paid our 2 pound entrance fee, and walked inside, astonished by the number of stands selling clothes from different eras. I'm very picky with vintage clothes, they need to actually be old and represent something from the past to me, instead of being something from a few years ago with a label I recognize. Both my friend and I were able to find something we liked that wasn't incredibly expensive. However there was this one princess chiffon dress which I would have loved to own but it was a little out of my price range (280 pounds). 

Everyone selling things was really friendly allowing us to try things on, and when we didn't have enough cash, to go to the machine across the street to get money for the item we wanted. We got to hold a phone-bag which was used in the film "An Education", and see clothes that could have been featured in the Marie Antoinette film. Overall, it was like a little fairy tale. The next Frock Me! event is on the 8th of September, but there is also one on the 20th of October too. 

Here's their website: http://www.frockmevintagefashion.com