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AFROBLUSH
"Musings of an Afropean" – Afropean culture and lifestyle blog
Posts tagged “London”
London has a personality and style of its own- from grand to edgy, modern to heritage and urban to shabby chic.
It’s impossible to define the vast, sprawling, living, breathing entity that is London city, but there is an unmistaken essence that can be identified through the radar of places it hosts. from shops, street markets, corner pubs, local restaurants and my recent favourite…
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…pop-up restaurants.
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Pop up restaurants have increased in popularity across the city, with their fluidity, exclusivity and intimate settings, coupled with an element of punk rebellion. Typically only available for a few nights, weeks or months, these nifty eateries provide a fantastic platform for visionary chefs and entrepreneurs to gain exposure and build a following alongside aspiring or professional chefs in a free-range fashion.
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Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen
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Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen is a perfect example of a pop up restaurant that share’s London’s diversity, eccentricity, quirkiness and independence of spirit. The temporary dinning event and catering services merges its Ghanaian roots with a contemporary dining experience, that I would co-sign in saying is home spun, home cooked, always fun, relaxed and always tasty!
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“Born from creating a ‘pop-up’ Ghanaian restaurant in her live/workspace in Hackney Wick
in the summer of 2011 as part of Hackney Wicked Arts Festival,
Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen has grown with popular demand.”
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Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen held its most recent event ‘Ghana goes Sky High with Platterform’ at London’s Sky Rooms. The event held every Thursday offers a three course meal, served overlooking the Thames. On the menu for the evening was:
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Starter
Red Red with Kelewele (v)
Slow cooked black eye beans in palm oil with sweet fried plantain in ginger and chilli
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Mains
‘Nkatenkwan’
Peanut Butter Stew w / lamb, yams and sweet fried plantain
(veggie option available)
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Grilled Tilapia
Delicate fish marinated in fresh ginger and garlic, gently spiced, served with rice and sautéed peppers and onions
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Kenkey w/Kentumere
Maize dough dumpling served in a corn husk with a spicy sardine, kale & tomato sauce and Shito hot chilli sauce on the side
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Dessert
Chin Chin Banofee Pie
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The food was as promised, tasty and bountiful! I said to Zoe on the evening, that I couldn’t remember when I last had tilapia that was as good as my mum cooks it. Regrettably, I still feel that London lacks good mid-range African restaurants, and having visited a few, I have yet to come across another African dining experience that is equally priced providing well cooked food in a creative, modern and authentic way.
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So with that said, well done and many thanks to the ZGK team, I had a fantastic time!
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Fancy a taste? Get Tasty next Friday 24th May @London’s Pipdish, Islington!
Book here
http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/539054/Zoes-Ghana-Kitchen/42002/ZGKs-PopUp-Challenge-event
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Menu
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This spring The Campaign for wool showcased its most expansive exhibition of wool at London’s stunning Somerset House. With dates recently announced for October, here are some reasons why wool is not only cool (especially when they come in the form of neon sheep), but it has evolved to produce a fabric that has become one of the most effective natural forms of all-weather protection known to man.
http://www.campaignforwool.org/
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A few facts about wool:
1) Breathable- Wool has a large capacity to absorb moisture vapour and sweat next to the skin making it extremely breathable.
2) Multi-climatic- Wool is active, reacting to changes in your body temperature to keep you warm when you’re cold but releasing heat and moisture when you’re hot.
3) Durable- A wool fibre can be bent 20,000 times without breaking and still have the power to recover and return to its natural shape so top quality wool products stay looking good for longer. The natural elasticity of the wool fibre means it stretches with the wearer, but then returns to its natural shape, so there is less chance of garments sagging or losing their shape.
4) Biodegradable- When a natural Merino wool fibre is disposed of it takes only a few years to decompose and can be used to put fertility into soil for crop growing. Most synthetics on the other hand, are extremely slow to degrade.
The Campaign
The Campaign for Wool was a collaborative initiative and is a global community involving farmers, textile manufacturers, carpet makers, fashion & interior designers and artisans from around the world. Stepping into WOOL HOUSE at the stunning West Wing of Somerset House in central London, the house was a beautiful vision of wool as a modern, versatile, lifestyle fibre curated into home furniture, flooring, clothing, accessories and other stunning decorative pieces.
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The Campaign for Wool was curated by Arabella McNie who was determined to show wool as a modern and versatile fibre, inviting leading interior designers to offer their vision in seven individual rooms showing how the design community uses the fibre extensively within their work. Exclusive room sets included work from Donna Wilson, Ashley Hicks, Josephine Ryan, Anne Kyyro Quinn, Mary Fox Linton of Fox Linton Associates and Kit Kemp who featured alongside a huge wool art installation commissioned by the Campaign from the acclaimed Dutch tapestry artist, Claudy Jongstra.
Wool in Fashion
The Campaign has seen to date, WOOL HOUSE also showcased three rooms dedicated to fashion, including a space showcasing fine woven fabrics and live tailoring while two others will celebrate the importance of wool in the fashion industry. It’s often forgotten that wool has dressed people throughout the ages – and throughout time it has also developed into a soft, luxurious fabric that is suitable for any occasion and any climate. The advantages of wool as a fabric are many – it’s warmer in winter but cooler in summer; it holds its shape better than synthetics and it’s longer-lasting. It is also fully biodegradable – a garment made of 100% wool will, at the end of its very long life, biodegrade but synthetics can linger in landfill for years.
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The Campaign for Wool, whose Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales, is funded by the British Wool Marketing Board, the Woolmark Company, Wool Council of New Zealand and other wool organisations across the world including those in South Africa, South America, Norway and the USA.
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Taken 04.04.13
Rathbone Place, London
On Monday I the last show from The Weeknd’s long awaited UK tour. Having played in cities such as Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester, the melodic man of mystery performed the last of his shows at the Electric Ballroom Camden. It was a fantastic show.
-Laura Donaldson from Drop Out UK, summed up my thoughts on the night down to T.
“Tickets for the gig sold out minutes after their release in December 2012 so the buzz was huge. Fans are said to have started queueing outside the venue at long before the doors opened in hopes of getting a good spot.The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, hit the stage almost two hours after the doors opened and fans started cheering eagerly as the opening bars of High For This rang out into the Ballroom.
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The Weeknd is an artist who could easily fall fatal to too much hype but fortunately, after this performance, he has blown any doubt out of the water.
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The star managed to captivate and amaze both the male and female members of the audience. With the blue-and-purple-hued lights turned down low, Tesfaye cut a down-to-earth figure in his signature black puffa jacket and trousers. Aided only by a guitarist, a drummer, and his personal DJ, The Weeknd stormed through some of his biggest hits including ’Loft Music’, ‘Wicked Games’, ‘Crew Love’ and ‘The Knowing‘. One highlight of the night was when The Weeknd played ‘Glass Table Girls‘. The track is from his first mixtape, ‘House Of Balloons‘, and fans went crazy for it.
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The Weeknd’s performance was only an hour-and-a-half long, which is a shame as he has such an impressive back catalogue considering he’s only been around for a short time. It would have been amazing to have heard more tracks, especially from his most recent mixtape, ‘Echoes Of Silence’.
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With this UK tour, The Weeknd has proved that he is more than deserving of all the buzz that surrounds him. He pulls off performances effortlessly and flawlessly and this can only be the beginning for this incredible artist.”
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Laura Donaldson- The Drop Out(UK) http://www.dropoutuk.com
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“despite food being something that is common to all of us,
it touches everything important to who we are as people.”
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Over the last four weeks, Diesel’s Regent Street pop up store Diesel Village, has been my culture playground. From music, film, food and fashion, the store has been an insightful celebration of creativity, passion and spirit behind Diesel’s motto ‘For Successful Living’.
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Leveraging the ‘Studio Africa’ campaign, Diesel, in association with Grazia, transformed the pop up store into an urban and authentic African dining space. The evening was a hub of tasty activity as Diesel teamed-up with Zoe’s Ghana Restaurant to create ‘The Chop Bar’ pop-up restaurant, followed by a live set from DJ Good Doggy, and a stunning performance by Parisian singer Jessica Fitoussi.
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On the menu was a three course West African cuisine which fused traditional Ghanaian dishes with a contemporary dining experience. The food was home spun, home cooked, and set within a vibrant and laid back environment. On the night, Zoe and her team served traditional Ghanaian food including Zoe’s famous Peanut Butter Stew, Red Red, Fried Plantain, Yam Yam balls and more.
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WHAT I ATE
Appetizers:
Mini Mashed Yam Balls; Kpakpko Salsa, Scotch Bonnet Salsa and Shito sauce; Kelewele – Ginger and chilli plantain; Plantain Chips; Chin Chin Biscuits
Starters:
ZGK’s Moyin Terrine – (Terrine of Black Eye Beans w/shrimp, chicken & hard-boiled eggs and green peppers)
Mains:
Agushi – Palaver Sauce- (Stewed lamb with ground melon seeds and spinach)
Dessert:
Nkatse Cake- (Peanut Brittle with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream)
The food and drink of Africa reflect local influences, in addition to a glimpses of colonial food traditions, including use of food products like peppers, groundnuts and maize introduced by the colonizers. Generally speaking, sub-Saharan African cuisine is a combination of traditional fruits and vegetables, milk, and meat. Ghanaian main dishes unlike other cunalyes, are organized around a starchy staple such as rice, fufu, banku/etew, kenkey/dokonu, tuozafi, dzidzii, akplidzii, yakeyake, eto, akyeke, etc. with which a sauce or soup saturated with fish, meat or mushrooms are served.
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So if you haven’t had West African (or African) food before, Zoe’s Ghana Restaurant is a great place to start!
For information about Zoe’s Ghana kitchen, check our her Facebook page. here.
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My first time with palm wine…
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As we were finishing our starters, we were introduced to a calabash bowl, which we were going to sip palm wine from. As cool and collected as I may have looked on my exterior, I was in fact dead excited. Palm wine is something I have only ever read about in African literature (my thoughts go back to when I read the Concubine by Elechi Amadi).
“The main thing was the payment of the bride price to the family of the deceased husband. Palm wine was tendered and gifts exchanged. The people regarded marriage as a highly respected institution” The Concubine, Elechi Amadi (1966)
So as the process of sipping palm wine from the calabash bowl was in full swing, the cultural significance of food had never been so apparent. Here I am, drink palm wine (which is still such a big deal for me), and passing it round across a vibrant selection of people who I have never met before, and despite our differences have all been brought together and are all drinking from one calabash. Although, it might sound quite whimsical, it was strange, and it was also beautiful.
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It’s made me really think about the significance of food within culture, and despite food being something that is common to all of us, it touches everything important to who we are as people. It marks social differences and strengthens social bonds, and as societies change/merge/develop, so will our foods, and those who eat it.
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I love how The Chop Bar emphasised how the fusion of foods and culture molds a society into a culturally diverse nation. It was a delightful opportunity to celebrate the culinary creativity coming out Africa and I strongly believe that through Diesel’s ability to fuse parts of African culture together, it provides an invitation into the different elements of the continents culture. Which I see sparking a global curiosity, which can provide exciting, entertaining and insightful cross cultural learning experiences.
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Enjoy the rest of the pictures from the night ;-)
(Ladies from the night)
- (The amazing singer Jessica Fitoussi)
-(DJ Good Doggy on the 1′s+2′s)
-(For the less glamourous pictures follow me on instagram ;-) @afroblush)
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If there’s one woman who deserves recognition on International Women’s Day, it is my fellow market research, and hair and beauty enthusiast, Natalie Clue. A leader in championing the visibility of black beauty products, companies an professionals in the UK, she’s also the founder and powerhouse behind the networking and mentoring event Keziah CONNECTIONS – an organisation for the professional, enterprising Woman of Colour with a Passion for all things Beauty.
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I have had the pleasure of knowing Natalie as business woman and more importantly as a friend, which is why I was ecstatic to see her as a speaker at this year’s Women of the World (WOW) Festival, speaking on the ‘Politics of Afro Hair’. For centuries, women of colour have been told that their hair in its natural state isn’t good enough, raising a range of vital and emotive questions from; Do we judge black women by whether or not they straighten their hair? Is the afro still a political hairstyle? And do Michelle Obama’s bangs really matter?
Other speakers include: Keysha Davis, editor of Blackhair magazine, journalist and writer Funmi Fetto and journalist Eva Simpson. Chaired by jounalist and author Hannah Pool.
Don’t miss out
Tomorrow- Saturday, 9 MARCH 2013,
11:30AM – 12:30PM
Level 5 Function Room @ Royal Festival Hall
Book your tickets here
http://wow.southbankcentre.co.uk/events/weave-vs-natural-the-politics-of-afro-hair/
The WOW festival will be hosting a diverse programme of keynote talks, performances, concerts, talks, gigs, debates and free music will be on offer as woman from around the globe come together to discuss and debate the issues that concern us the most; attracting hundreds of women and men from all walks of life – a true celebration of diversity. Throughout the festival the very best of recognised and emerging female talent from across all fields will be represented from politics to the arts, economics to fashion, science to health, sport, business and education.
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Last Friday, also included vibrant collection from Nova Chiu, graduate from London College of Fashion who I also saw last year as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s ‘Ones to Watch’ show for AW12.
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Nova Chiu’s highly textured, beautiful AW13 collection was inspired by Nam June Paik’s ‘Electronic Superhighway’, which is permanently on display at the Lincoln Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington. Electronic Superhighway was a critical piece, conveying American culture, and its obsession with television, moving image and bright shiny things.
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I strongly believe the AW13 collection is a step in the right direction for Nova Chiu. Despite her SS13 Collection receiving some criticism for moving away from heavy ‘ethnic inspired’ embroidery, to more diluted silk prints. In contrast, I felt that her SS13 complimented the burst of colour and floral prints that were predicted to dominate Spring/ Summer look books for 2013.
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Furthermore , her AW13 collection will be a colourful and bold alternative to the floral print that I can only assume we would have exhausted by the end of the season.
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The Nova Chiu aesthetic is one which sits on the very border of what might be considered good and bad taste. It is a precarious position – the difference between what works and what doesn’t is subtle – but it is a position occupied by some of the most innovative and noteworthy designers in fashion, so it is exciting indeed to watch the development of this fledgling brand.
Charlotte Gush- Pheonix Mag
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Covent Garden, London
13.02.13
Love is slow to suspect but quick to trust;
slow to condemn but quick to justify;
slow to offend but quick to defend;
slow to expose but quick to shield;
slow to reprimand but quick to empathise;
slow to belittle but quick to appreciate;
slow to demand but quick to give;
slow to provoke but quick to help;
slow to resent but quick to forgive.
The word 'endure' is a military term. It means driving a stake into the ground.
It's like saying, 'I'll stand my ground in loving you.'
Last night I attended the launch of Finsk & Skin by FINSK Shoes.
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Hosted and held by Samson Soboye, owner of the Soboye Boutique, FINSK sowcased an electric selection from their Spring Summer 2013 Collection.
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Instantly I was in awe of the vibrancy and the apparent complexity in their structural composition.
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The talent behind the FINSK Shoes is Julia Lundsten, originally from Finland and a graduate from London’s Royal College of Art. Lundsten has been the winner of the prestigious Manolo Blahnik Award for two years running, with her collection described as ‘exquisite, divine and perfect’ by Manolo Blahnik himself.
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Having seen samples of FINSK Shoes online, I initially expected the collection to be colourful version of United Nude’s take on incorporating structural engineering and architecture to footwear. However, once I saw, held and tried the shoes myself, it was instantly obvious that FINSK Shoes are clearly distinctive in their own right, unapologetically fierce and certainly give credit to Lundsten limitless imagination.
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It also didn’t surprise me to hear that Julia Lundsten’s father was an architect and her mother an interior designer, as both influences are strongly evident in her designs. Additionally, FINKS Shoes collection is all made ethically in Brazil; the production process is as ethical as possible and all leathers used in Lundsten’s designs are by-products of other industries.
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Stylish people on bikes.
There is something about a bike that makes for a chic and trendy street style accompaniment. What makes street style so popular is the ability to capture a still moment in a fast and ever changing environment. Living in the city I almost always see something/someone beautiful and by the time I have searched my over sized bag for my bridge camera, the moment’s gone.
Street style photography is so impactful because it’s a visual reflection of culture and style at that exact time; models, stylists and a set haven’t been pre-arranged or curated. Which is why I think the presence of a bike adds to the essence of mobility and catching someone in an organic and yet fleeting moment.
Although only a casual cyclist myself I love reading cycle style blogs, most probably because I like the idea of being stylish and on the move; which is why I was excited to see that H&M Life have also paid homage to stylish people on bikes.
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H&M LIFE
Bicycles are having a moment right now. Cycling shorts were all over the catwalks this season and many an editor have given up taxi cabs during fashion week in favour of high-heeled rides on city bikes to get to the next catwalk show. No more traffic jams and a firm bum are both stellar incentives, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a gaggle of street style photographers snapping away at your chic cruise down the street either!
An abundance of fashionable bike styles are following in the wake of this trend and as the temperatures rise it’s safe to say that bike style is the new street style. From Silver Lake to Shoreditch, Shimokitazawa to Le Marais, hipsters are hopping on their fixies to play the latest fad among the cool set – bike polo. The bikes used by this set match their get-ups; sleek and much-loved single gear rides to go with muddy shorts, tight Le Coq Sportif t-shirts and multi-coloured bike caps worn at a rakish angle. But if this is all a little too testosterone-laden for you, perhaps the retro looking bikes with heavy frames, high handlebars and comfy seats that have become a non-negotiable ingredient in Tweed Runs worldwide and part of daily life for many cycle aficionados is more up your alley?
Dutch Bakfiets, British Pashley, and Japanese Tokyobike all cater to our current love of old-fashioned rides, but it’s China’s simple and sturdy Flying Pigeon that’ll make you the coolest gal in town. In the People’s Republic of China these bikes were one of the few ways to display a hint of wealth, and now retro-loving chaps and chapesses worldwide are discovering their appeal. Add a wicker basket, a helmet in the shape of a tweed hat, clip-on handlebar flowers and a cute pannier to carry your terrier and you’re set to go!
High-res version
This is my jam of the week called ‘Thrift Shop’ by Macklemore. I love the song, and you KNOW I love to thrift.
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I am wearing one of my favourites today, thrifted denim shirt I copped from a charity shop in Brussels. Paying homage to all my thrifters and thriftettes!
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I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I – I – I’m hunting, looking for a come-up
This is f***ing awesome
I wear your granddad’s clothes
I look incredible
I’m in this big ass coat
From that thrift shop down the road
I had a great opportunity to have a chat with one of my favourite PR people Deborah (@chewing_the_fad), from one of my favourite PR companies PurePR London. Here is a snippet from our chit chat on beauty products and hair care.
Have you always been interested in beauty?
My interest in beauty comes from being on the receiving end as an ordinary consumer, and from having a background in journalism and the media’s influence on perceptions of beauty and societal consumption. A large part of my dissertation at university focused on the varying consumer habits across between different races.
Do you give and take recommendations of beauty products?
I take recommendations quite seriously actually, I am always interested in what people are using and why. I follow a handful of great beauty bloggers, some of which have become good friends to. I especially love Khadijat from Dija’s World and Natalie from Beauty Pulse London. Both have worked in the industry know their products and have a clear way of articulating the products to their audience.
What products have been recommended to you recently?
I have combination skin, which means I get typically dry on my cheeks and neck, but produce a lot of oil around my nose and t-zone. Several friends, beauty experts and bloggers have recommended that I use Tea Tree products, in fact a colleague was kind enough to buy me some. I have been using The Body Shop Tea Tree set for over six months now, and my t-zone is definitely more manageable!
What’s your beauty routine?
Daily, I wash my face with either Clean & Clear Exfoliating Face Wash and I’ve also started using Elemis facial wash. After my facial wash and exfoliation, I use The Body Shop Tea Tree range skin toner and mattifying gel.
What do you use on your hair?
My hair thirsty! I have always been told to keep my hair away from water, but on the contrary it grows much faster and feels healthier when washed regularly. When my hair is short like it is now I can afford to use thicker products so I use Toulou Organics Hair Butter, I am a big fan of their products! When my hair starts to grow a bit and I want my curls to have a bit more definition I use Label.M curl cream by Toni & Guy, which is light on my hair and smells delicious.
(Click image to enlarge)
How have things been for you since going natural?
I didn’t over think the whole going natural thing, I just knew I had had enough of extensions and asked my hair dresser to take it off, all off! Getting my big chop was so liberating. I feel like my look matches my personality, whereas when I had a long curly Brazilian I felt that I was trying to look attractive to the rest of the world maybe… and not necessarily myself and my definition of what was attractive was what I thought the world’s definition of what attractive was (I think I’m rambling, but I hope you know what I mean). Since I went natural I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“I would like the market to be open and inclusive”
I have gone natural before, but this time round things have been a lot easier. Before I found that there wasn’t much natural hair care education available, but this has since changed due to the rise of natural hair blogs and PR companies putting more emphasis on natural hair care products. Philip Kingsley does a great job with educating about natural hair which is why I love the products, he’s doesn’t specialise in afro hair products, he just incorporates it into his range like a standard, which is exactly what I feel companies should be doing. It doesn’t have to be mainstream and then Black people’s products. I would like the market to be open and inclusive.
