Hot on the Highstreet Week 144: FEED AND READ

Feed and Read is the brightest new pop-up in London. A poetic place to refuel and inspire mind and body.

Holly and Jo recycle and reinvent literature to create beautiful crafts and cards, serve delicious seasonal cakes with endless cups of fairtrade tea, and offer a calm haven to shop-and-swap your books.

I visited the first F&R pop-up at Deptford’s adorable Bearspace Gallery just before Christmas and was amazed by the array of thoughtful decorations and gifts. The transformed gallery space was filled with life, paper flowers adorning the tables, second hand books crying out for attention and a spectacular assortment of fresh cakes. Enamoured by the newspaper bound sachets of loose tea and cute cards, I spent far more than I intended to! Now this creative duo are back at Bearspace due to popular demand and come equipped to satisfy your stomachs and stimulate your thoughts.

Feeding and reading is how every weekend should be spent. Catch this imaginative pop-up at the Bearspace Gallery this Sunday 3rd March 12-4pm.

More information here.

http://feedandreadlondon.wordpress.com/

Surrealist afternoon tea, Sotheby’s

I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend an afternoon than viewing an exhibition of great Surrealist works and nibbling on an immaculate afternoon tea.

Ever been desperate to stare at a Salvador Dali in your salon or admire a magical Magritte? On Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th February Sotheby’s are holding an auction to send off a collection of crazy cool works into new homes and to mark the occasion they have been offering a wonderfully weird and wacky Surrealist Afternoon Tea in their civilised cafe. I was incredibly impressed with this special edition tea: a quaint and quirky mismatched assortment of food to tickle your imagination and tastebuds before enjoying the works on display.

Along with a pot of English breakfast tea guests are presented with a black slate platter of entertaining treats:

Savoury scone with tomato chilli jam and whipped goats cheese

Beetroot paint with pistachio and cheddar biscuit

Pickled cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches

Earl grey cup cake with vanilla mascarpone icing and sugar Dali clock

“I’m not a biscuit” biscuit

Clementine macaroon

Marshmallow clouds

Pink lemonade

Aside from everything tasting delicious, it all looks truly beautiful, little works of art in fact. Pickled cucumber sandwiches with dill and cream cheese are a lovely version of the English classic, the macaroons and cup cakes tasted fresh out of the oven and the biscuits and marshmallow clouds were clever sweet additions. Each element is artfully constructed and decorated with incredible precision. Mixing up the typical traditional tea and adding a touch of the absurd makes this a genius Alice in Wonderland-esque event.

Today is the last chance to taste the Surrealist tea but I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that Sotheby’s design a tea themed around every major auction in the future.

More information here.

http://www.sothebys.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 140

“Tea must be deserved; it is demanding. Every harvest has its own nature, its secrets.” Henri Mariage

As my Parisian weekend draws closer my taste for the finest French fancies is awakened. This trip I am looking forward to seeking out the cute food boutiques: Angelina for hot chocolate, Laduree for macaroons and Marriage Frères for tea.

The iconic Marriage Frères French Tea House has recently opened its first ever UK concession in Selfridges London. This beautiful brand has previously only been available to buy in France, and Selfridges now offers the only chance to purchase the tea in the UK. I couldn’t help a quick glance at the Sefridges colourful concession but am saving the proper look for the original shop in Paris, when hopefully I can taste the special tea. I also intend on visiting the Marriage Frères Museum, a homage to majesty of tea.

Stocking a vast array of unique French teas Marriage Frères are known for their loose tea blends and pretty packaging (I adored the neon pink and gold boxes!). Exquisite teas from all over the world can be found in the boutique, each chosen for their qualities and taste. At Selfridges London the one-of-a-kind counter also allows you to create your own bespoke loose tea blend and package it up as a the perfect gift or tea time treat.

Sophisticated, refined and luxurious Marriage Frères suits London’s sipping society down to a tea!

More information here.

http://www.mariagefreres.com/