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/

Hermes at the Saatchi Gallery

In May 2013 there was a craft fair at the Saatchi Gallery. The craft people showing their work were people from the Hermes workshops in France. There were many different different mini studios set up showing the craftsmen at work. There was a leather worker, a tie maker, a print maker, a bag maker and a watch maker. It was incredible to see all the work behind one item which we then get to hold. 

There was a live show showing the silk printing of the silk Hermes scarfs. The presentation had a man explaining the process and the actual person doing the printing. The man explained that yes Hermes do use machines but "Hermes has found the perfect balance between man and the machine" for all of their products. The work surface in the Gallery only had enough space to print two scarfs at a time being a table of about 4 meters in length. In their workshop (they do not like you calling it a "factory"), the table is 100 meters long, so that they can print more scarfs at once. 

The technique has very many steps, each colour has to be printed on in different layers, starting with the darkest and then going to the lightest. However if the darkest colour takes up a lot of space on the silk then it must be printed last because it will remain wet longer than the lighter colours. In their workshop their tables have heaters underneath so that the ink dries faster. Also everything in their workshop is monitored, the temperature of the silk is measured so that it can be the perfect humidity and the ink stays on the silk the longest possible. 

Every year they come out with 10 prints for the fall and 10 prints for the spring. Out of these prints the colourists must come up with 20 different colour combinations on the same pattern where then only 10 get selected. All the heads of the international branched of Hermes then come together in Paris and select the coloured prints that will sell the most in their countries and make their order for the factories. Occasionally certain prints are brought back in new colours to update the old designs.

Each of the Hermes designs are meant to show a story, every image they print they collected from around the world. Culture is a very important thing in the Hermes family. After seeing into the way Hermes works at this work shop, I was inspired to try to work with them. Companies who have a story mean a lot to me, and I think its important to cherish tradition as well as bringing in modern things and they are able to do this with their scarfs. 

Here's the Saatchi Gallery website: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/

and here's the Hermes site: http://uk.hermes.com/

Swapaholics

Googling cool things to do in London multiple times I came across "Swapaholics". Its a group of people who organize clothing swaps. You show up, hand in your clothes that you no longer want, and depending on how many items you get then you get a paper with that number written on it. You can browse through everyone's clothes and pick out what you like but you can only take away a maximum of pieces, the number of pieces you leave with can't exceed the number you showed up with. Until the free for all in the last 30 minutes of the event. 

My friend and I arrived pretty early so we were able to be-friend one of the ladies working there who happened to have the same name as me. We were able to browse a lot before other people showed up, and I was able to find a few cute things. They also set up that during the event there would be live music. It was a guy and his acoustic guitar. He sang and played, performing really famous songs, which I happened to quietly sing a long to. 

I really liked the experience of trading clothes because everyone kind of felt like a mini community. It was fun  and I'm definitely going again. I just need to collect up some clothes I no longer want. They do these events every few months around London, this time it was in Hackney, but previously it has been in Earl's Court. 

Here's their website: http://swapaholicsuk.com/

Sadler's Wells

On the 16th of May my friend Daniella and I were lucky enough to go see the ballet at Sadler's Wells in London. We chose to see this ballet because it was advertised all over the tube, and it was based on a story we both know very well, The Great Gatsby. With the release of the film this year we thought it was only appropriate to see the ballet as well for a full cultural immersion. 

Even though there was a huge struggle getting everyone to stand so that we could get to our seats everyone attending the ballet was super friendly, the couple sitting next to Daniella recommended we go to a cute french style restaurant near Piccadilly Circus which I still intend to go to. Once the music starts everyone goes silent and the ballet begins. After each scene the whole crowd claps every dance move is elegant, graceful, and perfect. 

It was like a community of art lovers, the art just happened to be movement. Everyone was so friendly and happy to be there and its rare to find moments like that around London where everyone happens to be in a hurry to do their own thing. I really enjoyed going to Sadler's Wells and it was worth the money I spent on the ballet (36 pounds). I'm going to constantly check their website until they show something else I'd love to see. Here's their website: http://www.sadlerswells.com/

The Diner

The Diner is a really cute American style restaurant, you can also go there to play pool, or just drink. You don't really have to go there at meal times because they serve a set menu at all times of day which is really good for me because I'm always hungry. They have a few different branches but most recently I went to the one in Angel. 

I have had their milkshakes, and they're really good, but recently I tried their Root Beer Float. That is a drink with Root Beer, but with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream as well, because the ice-cream interacts with the fizzy drink really well creating a sort of milkshake consistency. Their french toast is incredible, but sadly not as good as the one at The Breakfast Club. However it's also yummy because they drench it in maple syrup here. I love their burgers. 

With my Float I got a cheese burger and it was amazing. All the layers fit together perfectly and I had a bunch of mouth watering bites. I tend to have a big problem with burgers, the yummier they are the more I get of them all over my face and hands. I had a really good time there, and my friends spoke in Swedish with the waitress which gave me a more homey feel. Also, the five of us fit pretty comfortably in the booth we were given, and the table wasn't too wide so we didn't have to scream across it to let our friends hear us. Overall, it was a good and quick meal, I think next time I just want to go there for a drink and let the ambiance of the place soak in. Here's their website: http://www.goodlifediner.com/

Zaza

Walking down Portobello Road you stop at all the market stalls but somehow I never stop at the restaurants around it. This time I was finally able to look around a bit more, and I decided to stop at a place called "Zaza". This place has Italian ice-cream, or as I like to call it "real ice-cream".

I chose the smallest size cup, for 2,50 pounds, and the flavour licorice. I know, I know, its a weird flavour, but since this one summer I tried it in Sicily I can't get enough. It was amazing, it had a very subtle taste with a pang at the end. The store also had Italian candy and other Italian desserts.

The ice-cream flavours they had were all really cool for example there was; amarena, zuppa inglese, cassata, and many others. It was great because they had the English descriptive name on the top of the label and then the actual Italian name underneath. The people serving were all Italian except for one person that seemed like he was new at the job because he was still learning how to use the touch screen on the till.

The place has a few small tables in the back and around, there's also a stack of pillows that you can grab to make your seat more comfortable. Being such a small shop gives it more personality, and it reminded me a lot of an ice-cream place in Milan. I really want to try some of their other flavours when I go back to Portobello. Here's their site: http://www.zazagelato.eu/index.html

Albion

 If you want to go out for incredible brunch in east London go to the Albion in Shoreditch. Its an organic food shop specializing in breakfast food. You have to walk through the shop section to get to the seated brunch area.

Everything is white and beautiful with several rustic details. The edges of the tables have a cute metal trim, and you can look into the kitchen from the floor. Its nice to see the chefs cooking your eggs, and you can what other dishes they are preparing for inspiration for the next time you go there to eat.

I ate eggs and bacon on toast and orange juice. Their orange juice was the best one I've tasted so far in London. And they offer you the choice of white or brown bread for your toast, which i really liked. My friend Kristin got a museli dish and she asked for cinnamon as well and the staff didn't make a fuss about it unlike  in many other places.

You may need to wait a while before you're seated in the weekend but its worth it. Here's their webpage:http://www.albioncaff.co.uk/

Vibe Cuts

On the 21st of April I got my haircut. But you see, it wasn't just a plain haircut, I got my haircut in the street on Brick Lane in East London. The group of people doing the haircuts are professional hairdressers and they really do know what they're doing. It seems a little sketchy and uncomfortable at first, but I think any time you cut your hair it makes you a little uneasy. 

The hairdressers belong to a hair salon near Liverpool Street Station named Johnny's Place (http://www.jonnysplace.co.uk/). I got my haircut from an Italian girl, she asked me what I wanted and I showed her where I thought it was appropriate to cut. Unlike a normal hair cut, they don't wash your hair in a sink in the middle of the street but they have spray bottles where they dampen the hair in the area it needs cutting. A woman near me got lots of different layers cut into her hair so her hear was almost fully wet, whereas my hair only got wet at the bottom. 

After a couple of snips here and there my hair was done, and I was really happy. This street haircut cost me 25 pounds, a lot cheaper than my usual hair dresser in London. If you feel daring and you need a trim, I really recommend you go to Brick Lane on a Sunday and get your haircut. Its fun and it will always be a cool story to tell. 

Broadway Market

In Hackney, near London Fields every Saturday there is a market called Broadway market.

You can buy clothes, food to eat on the spot and food to take home. 

There are stands with traditional French cheese, different types of organic olive oil stands, salami stands and fresh juice stands. One of the best things is that you get a sort of sense of community between you, the traders and the people in the crowd.

I have gone there two Saturdays in a row, the first time buying cheese and hams, the second time I bought a playsuit and organic olive oil. In the summer you can go to London Fields and sit in the park while enjoying your food. There are two coffee stands who make incredible freshly brewed coffee for a reasonable price unlike the chain coffee shops.

Overall I was really happy to be there, and nothing is too expensive, it's more price-y than your local Tesco but its worth it for the quality and difference in flavour. I can't wait to cook with my olive oil.

Lichtenstein

On Tuesday the 16th I went to the Tate modern to see Lichtenstein's work. I really enjoyed it. I played a game with myself to see where there were flaws in his patterns and designs. It was nice that they divided the rooms by the different movements in his work. 

There was a room for landscapes and another on "art about art" which had pieces done in styles similar to other artists of his time. The exhibition took about an hour and a half to walk through. Some of the rooms were too small to see the works well especially because his pieces are all extremely large, so I didn't get to feel the full power of many of the pieces. 

His style was very repetitive and after seeing a few displays the interest of the viewer was a bit lost. I think his work would be shown well integrated with other artists of his time. The exhibit costs 12.20 pounds for students and about 15 for others. I don't know yet if I want to become a Tate member or not.

Below there's a picture of me with pop art make-up on based on Roy Lichtenstein's work.

Asos, Internet Phenomenon

I've become a huge online shopper over the past few months. Its really bad for me because I've become a frequent buyer so they email me almost everyday, and I always find something I like. Generally I only order from places that have free shipping because I like only purchasing a few cheap items. My two favourite English stores are inlovewithfashion.com and asos.com , both have a variety of products and they reflect on my style.
Asos actually means "as seen on screen". I'd like to think that since their a company with only an online market that their clothes are comfortable and they are true to size. My only problem with Asos is that they run out if my size really quickly. At inlovewithfashion both the s/m and the m/l fit me so its not hard to find what I like. Overall I should probably stop shopping since I already have a lot of clothes but its my addiction.

What is a foodie?

To me a  a foodie is a person that enjoys all types of food, but also all qualities of food. We relate the price of food to the taste of it. So we understand that cheap food can't taste as good as expensive food, but you can also find a lot of very high quality food at reasonable prices especially in a place like London.

One of my possible backup careers is "food critic". I love food that much. A lot of my favourite food is food people learn to love because its an acquired taste. I also love certain really plain dishes, especially when the ingredients are fresh.

I will always appreciate a plate of spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and fresh basil. If you've ever seen the film "eat, pray, love", the scene where Julia Roberts goes to Italy and starts eating real Italian food, that is the kind of pasta I would kill for.

Having lived in Luxembourg I also enjoy French cuisine. I've got a weak spot for "foie gras". Let me explain, it is processed duck liver or goose liver. It sounds disgusting, but it is one of my favourite foods. To eat foie gras you need to have the right bread, generally, it is brioche bread, which you slice and heat in the oven. You then spread a thick layer of foie gras over one slide of the bread, be careful when you do this, cause most of the time the bread cracks into smaller bits.

In France there is a similar food called "pate". The difference between foie gras and pate is that pate is any processed meat that is made into a paste, foie gras is a type of pate specifically made of duke or goose liver. Unfortunately the method for making foie gras is very inhumane. The farmer force feeds the geese and ducks until the explode, practically.

I'd like to think that I am open to eating any type of food. I have yet to try snails, fried mars bars, and several other dishes. If you have any suggestions of food I should try, let me know!