Kentish Town Treasures

Its a Sunny Sunday in London and everybody is in a good mood. Inevitable, I felt inspired to write you about our lovely day in North London. One that you could probably enjoy too, in the future.

Going out for long walks and cycling has become the norm, and I must say we quite enjoy it. I do miss wearing heels, but those days will return soon. In the meantime, walking/cycling to a new cafe or restaurant, where we can grab some goodie goodies, is my new favorite pas time. And believe it or not, if the sun is shining, you could spend all day doing that. We tell you how.

09:00 - 11:00AM RELAX - Wake up and enjoy a Cuppa whilst preparing to go out. What are you going to wear? Where are you headed? How are you going to get there? It’s beautiful out there (hopefully)!

12:00 SET OFF - Today’s choice is Panadera, a filipino bakery from the owners of the infamous Mamasons ice cream parlour two doors down. I could go on and on about this place, but it’s better if you read our review here. If you’ve already eaten, just grab the ice cream. It’s totally worth it.

Now if you are not feeling your sweet tooth, you still have got choices around. E.Mono is a staple Turkish grill and kebab restaurant in the area and Franco Manca’s pizzas never fail to disappoint.

13:00 PICNIC - Once you’ve pick up your goodies. Where are you going to eat? If you are walking, we suggest heading to Primrose Hill, whilst if you are cycling, we would suggest heading to The Hill & Pergola Gardens off Hampstead Heath. It’s off the beaten track and it’s a beautiful spot where to sit back and relax.

15:00 TIME TO HEAD BACK

15:30 PIT STOP - Did you think that was it? Surely you still need some more goodies to take home? We are becoming quite the cheese, wine and charcuterie connoisseurs these days and the Autentique Epicerie & Bar in between Kentish Town and Tuffnell Park is a nice stop where to grab some of these. If that isn’t enough, a few blocks down you’ll also encounter the Theatre of Wine, a quirky wine shop that is also a fabulous place to taste some delicious stuff.

Enjoy and stay safe

TCB xx

The Best Pool Parties in London

I genuinely had my hopes that London would give us one last summertime vibes before the summer ended and here it is folks! To celebrate, we’ve come up with a list of our favourite spots where to have a little dip whilst enjoying this glorious weather (and possibly a glass of Rose). All organised by areas so that you don’t get lost!

Happy days,

TCB xx

EAST LONDON

In our opinion East London has some of the best pools or lidos (as they call it in England) in the city, though I may be biased since we are all from East London over here :) From public to private pools, you’ll find something for every budget. One thing is for sure: get a booking in place or else prepare to cue for a couple of hours.

London Fields Lido is probably THE place to be when it comes to East London. Definitely a people watching spot but equally a great space to swim in warm waters all year round as the pool is kept at an average temperature of 26 degrees all year. Entry cost comes at the bargain of 6GBP.

Hackney Marshes is the unofficial lido of 2020. Tucked away in the fields of these massive green, you’ll find people swimming in the River Lea like we’ve gone back in time. This is usually not allowed given all the industry running near the rivers, making the water not appropriate for swimming. However, given this year has caused most of these manufacturing plants to close or pause, locals have been able to get a dip in this part of town.

Stoke Newington’s West Reservoir Center (next to Woodberry’s Wetlands) is a great choice for those who like swimming in the nature. You can not only swim here but also take sailing and kayaking courses! Only thing will say is that for our Mediterranean blood this water is rather on the cold side, so make sure it’s a hot day before you dip in :)

Lastly, the only private pool worth mentioning in East is Shoreditch House. Walking into this rooftop pool will make you feel like living in a Hollywood movie. Red and white stripe sun loungers by the pool and fabulous cocktails for fabulous and creative people is all you’ll find here. Make sure you have a member friend who can take you! The Curtain Hotel also has a beautiful rooftop pool (exclusive only to members and hotel guests), but Shoreditch House is definitely the biggest player.

NORTH LONDON

North London comes second in our ranking of favourite outdoor pools in the city, and that is probably because of Hampstead Heath´s Ponds. Difficult to find if you are just walking by, this magnificent green space has hidden not one but three ponds within it. A gentlemen’s pond, also known for its funky business inside it; a ladies pond (Kenwood’s Ladies Pond) that reminds us of what it could have been living in the 50s; and a mixed pond, much easier to find, but equally much more busy and less entertaining than the other two. These are natural pools, that means you’ll be swimming in stagnant (though crystal clear and sulpha clean) water, probably with some ducklings around! We find it adorable. You can book your ticket for the beautiful price of 4GBP on the link here

Parliament Hill Fields lido is also another great option for a more standard public pool. Spacious and clean, a perfect option for an afterwork dip. Also it’s only 3-4GBP an entry, kind of unbeatable at that price! At the time of this post, the link to book your ticket is this one

SOUTH LONDON

We are no experts in the South-West London part of town, but we have lots of good friends that do! And they’ve recommended 3 great choices for the southern side of London. All are public and pretty big lidos, accessible all day and with some courses afterwork. Again, make sure you book your slot or you may be waiting for hours to get in!

• Brockwell Lido

• Tooting Bec Lido

• Hampton Pool

WEST LONDON

We must say, unless you are willing to spend the dollah, you’ll struggle to find a good public pool in West London. Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park is probably your best bet. However, this is not our favorite and therefore would not recommend a day out here. It is crowded, noisy and not necessarily the cleanest spot.

Having said that, there are a couple of private pools worth mentioning.

• The Berkeley Hotel near Knightsbridge has an excellent rooftop pool where for the expensive tag price of 150GBP you’ll get a full-day pass (or 45GBP for a half-day pass) in one of the most exclusive pools in town. Needless to say, it’s beautiful, and you’ll feel part of a Wes Anderson movie. The service is, of course, on point.

• Similarly to Shoreditch House, White City House has a fab rooftop for those members and friends of the exclusive Soho House.

And that’s all for now, folks. Enjoy the sunshine!

TCB xx

A Day Out with Dali, in Figueres

Are you living or Visiting Barcelona but would love a little nip out of the city, for a change? We’ve got you covered; the answer you are looking for is called Figueres.

Home of Surrealism King Salvador Dali, Figueres is a small town up north in Catalonia, approximately 1h 40 minutes away from Barcelona City Center. The city has amounted vast culture through the years and now not only it hosts the Theatre-Museum Dali, that the artist himself directed and decorated, but also a historical toy museum and a historical museum from the area, Alt Emporda.

A perfect day out there? Here you have it:

12.00 - Grab a ticket to the Dali Museum before hand and spend a couple of hours enduring the crazy-ness that this genius went through. Pro-tip: if there aren’t any guided tours at the time, make sure you chat to the guards on each room, they are extremely knowledgeable and they will be please to give you some anecdotes and information :)

2.00 - Grab yourself lunch at perhaps the best restaurant in town: Bocam. They have a cutsie little terrace set up on a sidewalk and the food is terrific. Also the deserts are Dali-themed! Win, win.

Post-lunch: As you walk through the streets of Figueres, endure some of the beautiful modernist buildings such as the old-school theatre El Jardi, worth a visit.

If you are still up for more culture, then the city will provide. Check the Figueres Castle.

Otherwise, sea-town Roses is only a 20-min ride away, get in the car and jump in the sea, enjoy the sun shining and some yummy and refreshing ice-cream.

Et voilà! Sadly, time to go home. What a day!

TCB xx

10 Things To Know About Travelling To Cuba

• Travelling direct to Cuba (from the UK) is only available via a packaged holiday online. If you want to book flights only you’ll need to get on the phone with Virgin (the only airline that flights direct) and sort everything on the phone.

• You will need a visa before entering the country. This usually is provided to you by the airline but please double check as you won’t be allowed in the country otherwise.

• You can only get cuban currency once you are in the country, and it’s better if you get cash in Havana as ATMs get scarce when you travel through the country.

• Internet is extremely limited. You will only have access to it in public parks and international luxury hotels. In order to get access to internet, you’ll have to get “internet cards” which you can buy for USD4 either at these hotels or for USD2 at the bank or postal services. These cards will give you internet access for ~1hr

• Staying at private “casas” (cuban apartments) is a must and part of the experience. Not only you’ll get to see how cubans live but also will get to interact with the local community and live in colonial-style apartments during your stay. If I can only recommend you one thing for this trip is that you stay at Miriam and Sinai’s Casa in Old Havana. This was by far the best decision we made on this trip. The girl’s hospitality was fantastic (Miriam is like a Cuban Mamma!), and throughout the trip they hooked us up with other casas when and where we needed. They also helped us get private salsa dance lessons and booked us in the hottest restaurants in Havana.

• You can travel the country on frenzy public buses (‘viazul’). Whilst a little bit tricky to buy online, it is definitely worth spending the time doing so as the seats get booked up pretty quickly and you wouldn’t want to get stranded while in transit! They are the only cheap and cheerful option unless you book yourself a car, which is advise against on (they are very old cars and they tend to break down unexpectedly), or a private taxi.

• There is a pre-set itinerary that the government seems to want you to follow: Havana-Trinidad-Vinales and if you try to do it the other way around is slightly more complicated to achieve. Nevertheless, we are stubborn and manage to do so on public bus very successfully!

• Salsa lessons in Havana or Trinidad are a nice taste of Cuba. Cubans are extremely friendly (and patient) and they will help you get some of their moves in you if they can. Both Havana and Trinidad are known for their salsa, there are a few clubs were to practice. However, if you are a beginner, I would start by getting private classes as the clubs can be a little intimidating!

• Mojito is the national drink and you’ll find it quicker than water. And cheaper than £1.

• Food all over the country is quite average compared to a westernised palate. But you have to acknowledge that they still live in socialism and food is scarce. Tourists get more food than locals and are making affordability of resources more difficult.

  Be kind! Safe Travels :)

The North Series: Crouch End

Crouch End
Day Tour

What to do and not to do in this northern part of the city

I’ve been told Crouch End has never really been a destination, but if you happen to stumble upon that direction, you sure can have an awesome day out!

Get rid of that terrible Saturday hangover by feeding your palate at Beam. Great for brunch lovers, with plenty food choice, from shakshuka to the traditional eggs benedict or avo toast, and delicious freshly made juices, coffee and teas.

If you need home deco, then you’ve reached a great area. We’ve managed to score a couple of great gems in the area: Junk N8 Disorderly for fabulous vintage/ antique furniture and Jealous Gallery and Print Studio for very funky art.

One of the things that we liked about this neighborhood was just walking around discovering new little shops or stopping by to admire quirky things like the clock tower in Crouch End’s main road. There’s plenty of little cafes and bakeries, but Dunn’s is renowned in the area as it’s been providing fellow citizens with bakery since almost 200 years ago! Legends.

Another little shop close to our heart is Soup Dragon’s Toy shop. Family run, offers great and unique pieces for kids. A perfecto stopover if you are heading to some family event and don’t want to come empty handed.

As the ease into the evening, it’s time to relax. Book yourself into a Fierce Grace session (closest one is in Muswell Hill) to unwind all the week stress and finish your night trekking to Alexandra Palace (‘Ally Pally’) for a rewarding post-hot-yoga beer whilst seeing the sun go.

What a wonderful day that was!

TCB xx

24 hours in Singapore

24hrs in Singapore

Renown as a gateway to many other countries in South East Asia, Singapore is a city of abundance, luxury and cleanliness. IIf you are just passing by or starting your trip here, find some recommendations from the TCB team on what to do and where to eat. All in 24 hours!

Start your morning with a Singaporean breakfast. A rather simple brekkie that is perfect for sugar-lovers: coffee, soft boiled eggs and a French toast. It’s not served in fancy hotels but rather in local cafes, where you’ll mostly find local peeps (duh). We ended up at a tiny café near Orchard Road where the owners barely spoke any English, despite the venue being full of silly inappropriate jokes, all in English. It was fun!

Now time to put some sunscreen on and get your airy clothes out of the suitcase: it’s time to explore!

If you are not into getting hot like the weather here, you are in like, cause you can pretty much travel around central Singapore without stepping outside of any building. Most shopping malls connect to public transport and these are also short distance from the main attractions, ta-dah!

Having said that, you’ll have to step your feet out to get to the Gardens by the bay, Singapore’s very own Avatar’s Pandora, where gigantic ‘supertrees’ (50 metre tall tree-like structures!) jut out of a pretty manmade garden. There’s also a Flower Dome (that is, a greenhouse with exotic plants) and an indoor waterfall called Cloud Forest that will pretty much keep you entertained for most part of the day. Around 8ish in the evening, you can return here to enjoy the light & music show, if you are into commercial poppy music and laying in the grass while enjoying some street food and beers, you’ll love this.

Grab lunch at Ding Tai Fung, OF COURSE. Who would travel to this part of the world and not try their delicious suite of dumplings? If you happen to be dining at the Paragon Center, then we suggest you finish up your meal with a dessert at Janine Wong’s little shop, a true delicacy you’ll only find in Singapore or Tokyo, so definitely unique!

Now that you are all sugared up and filled with goodies, why not heading to a museum for some culture? The lotus shaped ArtScience Museum

Lotus shaped ArtScience Museum is one of our faves. It gets the likes of children and adults, that’s a success, surely?

There’s always time for shopping and for that we suggest you browsing around the thousands of shops on Orchard Rd. No trip to Singapore is complete without a walk down Asia’s most famous shopping street.

Woo, that was a tiring day! Unwind with a shower and get ready for dinner. Pre-dinner drinks to be had at Marina Bay Sands with la crème de la crème. We suggest booking as this place gets rather busy. No need to eat here as it’s slightly expensive but definitely worth checking as you can also see the light and music show from here.

Now It’s dinner time and we suggest you try the infamous chilly crab at Jumbo Seafood or head to the old-school satay market Lau Pa Sat for some good ol’ chicken satay, amongst a whole variety of things

Karaoke to round up the night and it’s time to go to bed.

What a banging 24 hours!

TBC xx

Hot Pockets in LA

Photography by Simply Adri

Silver Lake and Melrose could not be more different from each other and yet be so similar. One is youthful and unpretentious and the other the complete opposite, but both cry hipster out loud.

If you are looking for great vintage shopping and delicious and unique food spots, then Silver Lake is probably more your cup of tea; whereas if you prefer a bit more upscale shopping and tons of uber cool cafés and terraces, then Melrose & Fairfax are problaby more your thing. Having said that, the latter hosts one of the biggest Flea Markets around the area, and on a weekly basis! So things can get confusing here...

As I said, both are great spots, so if your undecided on where to go on this sunny day, then I suggest you check out traffic times and decide where you want to be!

If you head to Silver Lake, you are in for some good vintage loving. Sleeper, Foxhole and Furst of a Kind were definitely my faves. Also,  The Maven Store does not sell loving but their curated selection of current clothing and accessories is worth checking out.

If you head to Melrose, then start your morning at Kosher News with a bit of reading. This is probably the biggest magazine store in the area, if not all of LA. Once you've got your coffee fix, it's shopping time!

Every time I come to the states, I need to go to Marc Jacobs. It kind of feels like a staple to me, and despite the clothes being too expensive for my taste, the handbags and accessories are awesome and affordable. 

If you want to be the cool kid in town, of course you need to check out Supreme and GOLF, the newest opening from Tyler, the creator.

Passing by Melrose without stopping at Paul Smith would be like going to London and miss the Big Ben. It's such a staple! That pink wall needs some good loving. Next to it you'll find Reformation Vintage, a new concept for its original flagship, curating vintages from all over the globe. If you are ready to splash, then Maxfield should be your last stop.

They are my latest faves. Soon hopefully yours, too. And if you are missing my favorite #foodiemonster spots, then you should see my next post coming. NEAAAAT!

TCB cx
 

90210

If you wanna feel like a star, play like one. If you ask me, that calls for a ride out to West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Don't you think?

Nothing feels better than riding your old-school american car through Sunset Blvd, music playing, glasses on and sun shining. Ok, that’s a lie; a drink at Chateaux Marmont or breakfast by the Cabana Pool at The Beverly Hills Hotel is pretty spot on too. Of course, we did both. When in Rome, hey!

I must admit, LA has proven to be super fun. Despite the never ending driving and constant traffic, I got to meet tons of beautiful people, which made my trip a thousand times better so far. Adventures definitely taste better with great company.

TCB xx

Photography By Karina, at Overdressed LA

City of Angels & Superstars

City of Angels

Los Angeles certainly is peculiar. City of Angels and Superstars, this is a place like no other.

Everywhere and anywhere you go in LA, you’ll need a car, and as a result, you won’t be able to see many people in the streets. But there is always a silver lining in every cloud: as people and cars spread out, LA becomes your own set and you are star at this movie.

As one of the few people that walks in this city, beware you can get fined for jaywalking, that is, crossing the street when there’s no crossing or red lights are on. CRA-ZY.

Each area has a different vibe, and pretty much every ethnicity has its own neighbourhood: Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Little Armenia,… you name it.

Hollywood is a touristy place, probably comparable to Leicester Sq and Picadilly in London, and you’d only go there for a specific reason, or when somebody is visiting. Having said that, it would be sad to miss it. People watching here is super fan, and you get to see the walk of fame while at it.

Hollywood has a decadent feel to it, in my opinion. Many stories have happened here and nothing has changed for a long time because of it. It feels Hollywood is doomed to live off the golden times, and we all love it because of it, of course.

TCB xx

Photography by Simply Adri

WHAT I WORE:

Vintage GUESS shirt
ZARA Red Skirt
Leather Sandals (oldie)
Handmade Strawbag
GIGI x Vogue Eyewear cat eye sunglassess