Valfré

http://valfre.com

Valfré, founded by artist Ilse Valfre in 2012, is an accessory and apparel label. The products are so delightful, and are perfect for the Dark かわいい look, which I have searched for in vain for... Well, not too long, but ling enough. As well as caps and crop tops, there are dark かわいい patches and iPhone cases - the little accessories needed to affirm your Dark かわいい style. I especially love the prints on sale, which show some of the items in context in humorous, yet dark circumstances. Try "happy tears" for size. The prices are a good range for a store which (and here I'm pretending to understand business) concentrates on a small amount of products and is designed by one team/artist.

Big love.

Super かわいい。

For other Dark かわいい , see 

http://instagram.com/michellemoe

http://instagram.com/camilladerrico

Sandholt Bakarí

As a follow up to bar Bravó, just a little way down the road (NW I believe) is Sandholt bakery. I haven't much to say apart from they can cook up a mean pastry.

Very popular at different times of the day, with large queues forming in the takeaway area at the front, and a seated area further into the shop.

With pretzels, savory and sweet pies, cakes, and biscuits all under the same roof, why would you leave?

They also have a useful way of organising takeaway orders, much like the system used in shoe shops and post offices - take a number. Less pushing and shoving in a tiny shop, more happy costumers.

Bravó

When walking down the highstreet of Reykjavik, the inevitable happened. It started to rain yet again. Music was pouring out of all doors as the Icelandic Airwaves festival was underway -- Bravó for a reason unbeknownst to me stood out and drew me in. The music was great for starters - Weval had just started to get ready for their set and the place was brimming with people. Even for somewhere so stuffy, it was remarkably snug as opposed to claustrophobic.

The beer was great, as well as the wifi signal - do we rely on anything else these days? With a pint of Einstök pale ale coming to 900

Íkr

(aprox. £4.60), the prices were pretty good (especially compared to most bars in London).

Deffo worth a visit when in town.

Country Living - flashback to summer

Everyone living in London knows, through the thousand complaints, that there is nowhere else they'd rather live - so being dragged to the remote of remote countryside for vacation is a culture shock to say the least. Clearing the lungs of smog and hoi polloi is apparently healthy.

Things that we encountered once arriving:

The residence was so remote that it took us a few days to realise the phone lines were down - only after sweeping the yard and sitting down to take a well earned faff-about did we realise that the wifi didn't work due to lack of phone lines. The only way we got them online was because no one could contact the house to confirm our arrival.

The next day, the water to the entire village was cut, though due to the remoteness, we had no real way of knowing whether it was only our house.

When the water did finally come back, and the phone lines (and wifi) had come back, there was such a large storm that the electricity was cut. 

All in all, this relaxing country retreat has exhausted me, and I cannot wait to get back to the metropolis, and overcrowded commutes.

Japan Centre

いらっしゃいませ！

If you're ever looking for something a little different, either in terms of food, magazines, booze, and snacks, the Japan Centre has it. Granted, the magazines are in Japanese, but if you can read it, take a good gander. 

19 Shaftesbury Avenue, London. W1D 7ED. (Just off Piccadilly Circus).

With tonnes of Pocky ポッキー, melon soda メロン・ソーダ, melon bread メロン・パン, and other ridiculously good Japanese snacks, it's hard not to pop in as soon as you're in the vicinity.

If you're thinking of having dinner, right at the front of the shop, just as you get off the escalators, there are fridges with portions of nosh and pudding at reasonable prices for a pretty tasty lunch break.

Camden Rocks 2015

Let's talk about how good Camden Rocks 2015 was.

Running to Camden and eating takeaway in the queue was a slow start to the day, with people patiently waiting in the sun for ticket/wristband exchange.

Before I get to the music, everyone's annoyed by bouncers, that's just a fact. Though non of them asked for ID this year (even though you need to be at least 18 for a wristband last year some were just casual bouncers who pissed off the crowd for no reason) they did stop people entering certain venues because of overcrowding. Now this sounds like a good idea, but when they finally let you in when the set is over... Well, that does tend to piss you off.

Bands to watch out for which are genius:

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing,

Longy, (they played everywhere, a bit like Funeral For a Friend)

Jaws,

Glen Matlock,

Josh Flowers and the Wild,"Interpretive dance is still welcome" - "Don't get too sunburnt, get really pissed",

and obviously While She Sleeps - this may not seem like an obvious, but their fanbase is so tight and vibey, and the moshpit was so good that there is no way I won't see them again even for the vibe. It helps that the band is awesome and the music is bitchin.

Bullet For My Valentine were also there, and people went quite mental for them - at least half of the bruises I've accumulated are due to overzealous moshers. There were even tufts of hair on the beer-stained floor when us punters started to take our leave.

There were many more bands, but it's rather a struggle to run everywhere for hours, pushing past the crowds and tourists.

Longy in Brewdog

Longy on the lock

Josh Flowers and the Wild in Dingwalls

Tourist not bothering to pay for a ticket so just shadowing gigs

Jaws on Dingwalls' main stage 

While She Sleeps in Electric Ballroom

Glen Matlock being awesome in Proud

Snog on Southbank

Because summer is a happy time, and Snog is awesome, there is now a neon pink bus parked on the Southbank looking awesome and smelling of delicious fresh fruit. As always, the people working there are really rather happy and really rather stunning - I'm pretty sure they model in their spare time.

For delicious frozen-yoghurt joy, pop into either their London stores or their bus on the Southbank.