Northern Nostalgia

Vintage shop in Reykjavik, Iceland. I now have a new obsession for vintage capes.....my search starts today.

Vintage Vacation

I travelled to the very weird but equally wonderful Iceland to explore one of the most unsettling places I have ever been. It is a place that involves all the senses and therefore it is hard to put into words all the textures, sounds, smells and tastes I experienced on this vintage island where the inhabitants spend most of the year in non-stop daylight and then the other half in mostly darkness where daylight never quite appears. It is a remarkable place and I feel so honoured to have had this amazing opportunity..... hello Ben and thank you

Joni's Birthday Bash

Yesterday in Toronto Joni Mitchell gave a rare performance and got up on stage to sing a few songs which were all rewarded with a standing ovation. It was Joni's 70th birthday tribute (I can't believe it!) at Toronto's Massey Hall. I have the above vintage pic of her on my wall at home and I love it because it always makes me smile. Joni Mitchell was a huge part of my life musically in my teens, and I still listen and love her music today. I am off to listen to my favourite of the moment "The Circle Game" from her 1970 album Ladies of the Canyon.Its title refers to Laurel Canyon, a center of popular music culture in Los Angeles during the sixties. Wishing a Happy Birthday to this wonderful musician, poet and artist.

Someone has bought my dream house! I went for my usual dog walk yesterday to the beautiful Waterlow Park and went to look at 'my house' and daydream about living there. The house has been up for sale since last year. It is named Winter House and is located on the charming Swains Lane right next door to Highgate Cemetery - go and pay this house a visit. The stunning home was designed and owned by John Winter (1930-2012) a man of great taste and talent, he worked with Charles Eames and had a personal collection of Eames furniture. He then went on to work with Erno Goldfinger before setting up his own practice. Winter house is widely regarded as one of Britain’s most important Modern houses, and is one of only a small handful to be given a Grade II* listing by English Heritage. He lived in the house with his family until his death in November last year.

Clarice In My Kitchen

This beautiful work of art by Clarice Cliff was passed on to me from my parents. Hello Mum. And to my Dad you are in my thoughts today as it would have been your birthday. A big thanks to them for giving me this biscuit jar as I always loved it as a child and now it sits on my kitchen shelf. Clarice studied at the Royal College of Art where I found myself spending some of the best years studying in 1989. Her work is striking and has continued to be sought after by Art Deco ceramic collectors. I am a lucky girl!

Red Velvet Day

Cake, Cafe and Collectables - Its my 3 favourites in one place! And this gem of a place is on 265 Archway Road - 20thcquarters. I met Robert the owner who collects and sells the most stunning collection of vintage Danish Furniture. If it is your passion then pay a visit or look him up, info@20thcquarters.com

The Staircase To Heaven

I went yesterday to view a house in Highgate, North London with Reem as she is looking for an inspiring property to buy. We saw this 1960's ex-council property on the market now for just under a million! I fell in love with this stunning staircase. The house is in need of complete modernisation but if you are interested and fan of 60's architecture then find it on The Modern House website or book in for a viewing and experience the best communal garden in London.

Valentina In Vintage

This is the lovely Valentina standing on the South Bank looking great in her vintage trench coat and ankle boots. The coat was a brilliant find from Asos.com. I had a great day, thanks for coming!

The Zeitgeist Automobile

Vintage car and vintage dress - my beloved classic white BMW will be my preferred mode of transport for the next month delivering flyers and spreading the word. And when the sun shines I will take the lid off (that's roof to everyone!).

Audio Girl meets Audio Gold!

Today I met the wonderful Audio Gold people (heres their website) and sorted the music for the Zeitgeist Market on July 14th! Thank you to Ben the owner for the use of some speakers and old-school equipment. Its very exciting as the brilliant musician Phil will be the dj for the day, that is Phil Winter of the experimental folk band Tunng who are about to release their amazing 5th studio album Turbines http://www.tunng.co.uk/. Available in a few days on the 17th July, check it out. Phil will be a vision of sound on the stage at the Zeitgeist Market playing some inspiring tunes and selling a variety of Audio Gold new and vintage hi-fi, vinyl and accessories. It is going to be a unique day.

Vintage Festival in SpringSummerAutumnWinter

My treasured friend Claire and I backstage at Reading Festival in 1992 when Nirvana played. Check out the wiki page for details of the 'Live at Reading' album.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_Reading.It was a moment in history.

And now 21 years later the incredibly creative Claire is responsible for the most inspiring and stylish interiors blog - 'SpringSummerAutumnWinter'- showcasing new talent and the latest trends in the interior world... it is a dream to look at. Here is the link http://springsummerautumnwinter.co.uk/blog/

The Furniture Flea

Yesterday I paid a visit to the brilliant Vintage Furniture Flea organised by Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair in the striking venue York Hall in Bethnal Green. Check out the website for offers and event dates judyvintagefair.co.uk

This is one of the best vintage furniture markets I have been to and in a really appropriate venue with lots of space and natural light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Hall. The hall is known as one of Britain's best venues for boxing matches but yesterday it was full of wonderful vintage furniture and homeware. I was on the lookout for exhibitors for the Zeitgeist market and I found some stunning collections for sale. Check out the following for very inspired pieces - www.vintageprint.co.uk provide iconic prints from the past, www.jamsironwork.co.uk sell stunning industrial lights although they only had a few left after a near sellout day, hello to Sarah and Andy. And finally the wonderful and very stylish Mods & Rockers where I talked to the lovely owner Paula, modsandrockersvintagemoderistfurnishings.com. Hoping to welcome you all to the Zeitgeist Market in July!

Fabulous Flyers

The first Zeitgeist Market is now 5 weeks away! The flyers are ready for delivery to a variety of locations around London.

The first venue to display them has to be my favourite Crouch End building, the Hornsey Library built in 1965 and is a Grade II Listed Building. I read the following on the British Listed Buildings website about the design of the building "The library was designed with wit and vivacity, to impart a sense of energy and modernity to reading and cultural events. It was conceived on a grand scale, designed to impart a sense of spaciousness at even the busiest times". I am a Hornsey Library fan, taking out books, DVDs and audio books on a regular basis - it fits in with my vintage lifestyle! Look at these striking photos of the building...

Laid-Back Chic

I love and thus want this! It was designed by Ashish and is on sale at Browns - brownfashion.com. Ashish was born in New Dehli and trained as a fine artist. He has a reputation for hosting inspired and captivating shows and creating feel good pieces. I thought I was so bored with all the text used in fashion and art but this one is special indeed. Ashish seems special too and very interesting, here is a photo of his flat interior which is very different to his fashion designs. His home is full of very cool flea market finds. Now I want the sweatshirt and his flat!

Busy Little Barboot

It was a great event at the Crouch End Barboot on Friday and a busy one too. Here are some photos from the night.

Vintage collection from Echo Beach and Setareh

It was a busy night indeed inside the Haberdashery with a lively band playing which meant this cosy venue was full to the brim with fans wanting to listen to the music. It got very hot inside and being such a lovely evening I decided to make the most of it and moved my clothes rails out onto the street.

Wearing my favourite dress of the moment - a vintage 1970's pink shirt dress.

Lovely Louis - the first 'Item Of My Week"

This striking dress by the French Designer Louis Feraud is the my very first 'Item of My Week'! Congratulations to Louis, sadly not around any more (1921-1999) but of course he left behind an abundance of beautiful clothing.From the mid-1950s he was dressing the Parisian elite and designed the wardrobe of Brigitte Bardot for many of her movies (read my previous posts for one on the Bardot beauty). And so this stunning silk printed dress will be on sale at the Barboot event this Friday and I cannot imagine I will be going home with it, goodbye I will miss you! It is hard sometimes to part with my some of my treasures but I do love to find the right person for the items, like finding Cinderella over and over again! I do however own a few pieces by Feraud and I am always looking for more to add to my collection. I promise I will keep you informed.

Dusty Day Out

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday and I found myself unloading my car outside the stunning venue 'The Round Chapel Old School Rooms' on Lower Clapton Road.

I was there to set up my "shop" at the brilliantly named 'Dusty Fingers' Hackney's New Vintage Night Market (Hello Shep and Carolina!) This is a great was to spend some time if you are in the area on a summers evening - 30 stalls of furniture and fashion, delicious cakes by The Vintage Tea Set and a beer or glass of wine included in the entrance fee. On my table last night was my collectable original Bambi book illustrated by Walt Disney, see below a photo of one of the framed drawings. The whole book is so beautiful, the colours and style are charming. I saw the film as a child and loved it, the charming story of the little white-tailed deer. It came out in 1942 produced by Walt Disney and was based on the book 'Bambi, A Life In The Woods' by Austrian author Felix Salten who actually wrote it for an adult audience. Walt Disney then reworked it for a younger audience and the animators after a visit to the Los Angeles Zoo set up a small zoo in the studio with a pair of fawns, rabbits, skunks and ducks for sketching. It is classic and very memorable having a variety of effects on its audience - Paul McCartney credited the shooting death of Bambi's mother for his initial interest in animal rights! And so last night the beautiful little Bambi sat alongside vintage belts, bangles and sunglasses and the little white-tailed deer looked happy.

Something I will never be able to part with however is my precious little Bambi style brooch I have had since I was a child. I was given it by my great aunt and have treasured it ever since. These days I wear it on my vintage black velvet Jaeger jacket.

Handbag Heaven At The Haberdashery

Here is a selection of my vintage leather handbag collection, the whole story can be seen this Friday at the Barboot event. I adore so many of my bags that I would love to keep them all and use a different one every day! They are all made in beautifully tactile leather and are in very good vintage condition.

Its Barboot Time

This Friday night I will be selling my Echo Beach vintage fashion and accessories at the brilliant Barboot event at The Haberdashery in Crouch End along with 14 others including my favourite - Seterah with her Rock & Roll vintage styles. Keep an eye on the blog this week for photos of some of the gorgeous things I will be selling. Here is the poster with all the details...

Tiger Tiger Burning Bright....

This was my favourite item I sold this week - a black crepe silk kimono style jacket with a stunning painted tiger on the back. It always gives me such pleasure to find the perfect customer for the item and yesterday I sold this unique piece to a lovely girl at the Vintage Market in Crouch End. It was destined to be for her and she agreed to me taking a photo for my blog, so thank you tiger girl! See you again soon.....

Bardot + Ray

I was selling at the vintage market today in North London and I found this beauty - A 1960's advert for Brigitte Bardot parfum which has now joined my Echo Beach vintage collection. The influential and iconic Bardot retired from movies at the young age of 39, after starring in 47 films, to become an established animal activist. She is one of the best known and most beautiful sex symbols of the 60's and here she is .....

Another 60's beauty was on my table today - this stunning and classic pair of original aviator Ray Bans, with the very crucial engraving of B&L (Bausch Lomb)on the glass proving them to be the real Rays. Only the best from Echo Beach vintage!