Above: I love Alexa Chung’s navy polka dot shirt she has recently been wearing around London.
Left: I have bought a very similar one to Alexa's from Zara. It is incredibly versitile and looks great with denim shorts or jeans. It is also available in cream with black polka dots. RRP. £29.99
In 2007, recovering heroin addict, James Bowen returned to his sheltered accommodation in Tottenham to find a thin, mangy ginger tomcat on his doorstep. Despite limited resources, James began to feed the cat and nurse him back to health. After a fruitless search to find the cat’s owners, James decided to keep the cat he'd christened Bob.
Bob soon began following James across London to Covent Garden where James would spend all day busking for spare change. To ensure Bob’s safety, James made a makeshift lead and purchased a travel card for the feline commuter… Yes, Bob enjoys daily tube rides, curled up on James’ shoulders. Wrapped in a scarf, Bob now spends his days sitting faithfully by James, being petted by adoring strangers and listening to his owner sing.
The relationship lead to the final push James needed to end his drug dependency, “Bob came and asked me for help, and he needed me more than I needed to abuse my own body.”
Alongside the busking, James has a new job as a Big Issue seller and amazingly, received a book deal - the brilliantly titled, heart warming tale, ‘A Street Cat Named Bob.’
“We’re two injured souls looking for someone we can trust — and we trust each other.”
'A Street Cat Named Bob' by James Bowen, £6.99
Like pondering over which came first between the chicken or the egg (I'm still undecided) it is also pretty tricky to pinpoint which came first when discussing the current trend for 1920s fashion and the announcement of Baz Luhrmann’s re-make of The Great Gatsby.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920s novel, The Great Gatsby's most recent film adaptation stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Toby Maguire and Carey Mulligan. With several film stills recently released of Leo looking dapper and Carey looking flapper, I am craving all things fringed and flirty. Luckily London's high streets are filled with drop-waisted flapper dresses, beaded chiffon gowns, glittery headbands and long, lustrous strings of pearls.
(Below) Apparently I am not the only one embracing this deliciously decadent style... Georgia May Jagger, Fearne Cotton, Kate Bosworth, Marion Cotillard, Drew Barrymore and Elizabeth Olsen have all stepped out looking flappalicious.
Tiffany & Co have created sparkling, one-of-a-kind diamond jewellery for Carey Mulligan (left) to wear in the film, and it has been revealed that fashionista Ashley Olsen has generously loaned some of her own dresses to the movie’s wardrobe department from her vintage archive.
Baz Luhrmann's 'The Great Gatsby' is released at cinemas this December
Have you downloaded Instagram yet? Snap a photo, or upload an existing one from your phone’s gallery, enhance it with eleven possible effects and instantly share it on Instagram and any other of your social networks. You can also follow your friends or other creative people from around the world and ‘like’ or comment on their pictures.
Easy. Peasy.
Along with 15 million other users, this free App is fast becoming my new obsession.
Amongst others, I'm enjoying following the boutiques Colette and Diani, drummer Tennessee Thomas, DJ/Presenter Izzy Lawrence and my favourite style bloggers Emily Schuman (Cupcakes and Cashmere) and Alix Blancourt (Cherry Blossom Girl.)
Above: Follow my Instagram at thelondonchatter
'All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers...'
Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924)
Temperley London Sample Sale
Wed 28th/Thurs 29th March, 8am – 7pm
20th Century Theatre,
29 Westbourne Grove,
London. W11 2QA
£1 admission fee.
All sizes and accessories.
New stock added every 4 hours.
Awsa. Pronounced with the same vowel as ‘Awesome.’ This is no coincidence. They are one and the same.
In the past the Scandinavian singer/songwriter Awsa Bergstrom has sung backing vocals for Stevie Wonder, Madonna, P Diddy, Elton, and more recently the amazing Emeli Sandé, but soon after Nick Cave asked her to ‘tone it down in the background,’ Awsa realized it was time to step up and take centre stage herself.
Currently living in West London, and now with a band of merry musicians in tow, Awsa’s soulful electro pop rock has all those who have watched her perform (including me, several times) simply floored. This girl can SING.
I forsee BIG things ahead for Awesome Awsa.
Awsa's hobby is Parkour (just too cool... seriously...) and with this city providing her with a playground for her Free Running who better to ask about their London favourites?
Cocktail - A good Margarita with Stephen Fry at Paramount Restaurant, which I think has one of the best views of London.
Date Night – With Superman Henry Cavill and a bottle/cup of whatever, walking along the Thames at night where anyone can dream big, followed by dinner at the OXO Tower.
Sunday Brunch - Hopefully still with Henry Cavill... at mine! I make the best Sunday Brunch. Alternatively, Smith of Smithfields, which reminds me of a New York loft.
Boutique - Scared of them. The entire concept means you have to have time and taste.
High Street Store - Topshop - It has everything a lazy girl could need.
London’s Best Kept Secret - Heygate Estate, Elephant and Castle. Perfect pearl for Parkour.
Your London Icon - Vivienne Westwood, for being THE definition of 'doing her own thing,' for having a boyfriend 25 years younger than her and looking at Graham Norton like he spoke Alien when he asked her if she "found inspiration in magazines..."
Above: 'If I Could Let Go,' 2010
Left: You can hear Awsa Bergstrom singing live at her next London gig THIS Friday, 30th March at The Notting Hill Arts Club.
Doors open at 8pm and Awsa will perform at 9.15pm.
Tickets £8.00 on the door.
www.awsamusic.com
@awsamusic
Every Sunday since the 1980’s, Columbia Road, in London’s East End, transforms itself into a beautiful and bustling flower market...
Jessica and I went along to experience the heavenly scents and intense colours of this magical oasis on the sunniest of Spring days last weekend. We were instantly surrounded by an oasis of flora and fauna; plants, flowers, seedlings, herbs and fruit trees from all over the world emitting powerful perfumes (jasmine, orange, lily, pine, rose, etc) alongside endless, energetic chatter and chants from the sellers.
The street, and its surrounding maze of small alleys, are lined with cake shops, cafes, pubs, vintage clothes shops, small art galleries and an eclectic menagerie of buskers who enthrall the punters mingling amongst the flower stalls.
One band I watched (left) had an adorable dog tied up to their guitar case… It nonchalantly basked in the sunshine, soaking up the relaxing atmosphere, whilst its owners loudly and zealously entertained us all with some actual Sunday blues.
This market is other worldly... A thoroughly recommended Sunday stroll, coffee in hand.
Every Sunday, 8am - 2pm
30 year old Lissie (Elisabeth Maurus) is a Mississippi raised folk rock artist living in LA. Described as having ‘Laurel Canyon prettiness stewed in campfire and bourbon’ this blonde and freckled singer has a remarkable voice and her debut album, ‘Catching A Tiger,’ is both powerful and honest, “I'm direct, I'm not hiding anything… I don't really know what or why or who I am... but I don't know how to not be how I am."
‘Everywhere I Go’ showcases Lissie beautifully and I find the video incredibly powerful… this is obviously helped somewhat by the enormous elephant faithfully following her.
Whenever I feel a little helpless I find this song to be really comforting… That despite any overwhelming circumstances, I’m never truly alone. I soon feel my spirits lift and smiles always follow. It also reeeally makes me want an elephant. Enjoy this – it’s a special one.
'Angels will follow me now everywhere I go...
Angels will call on me and take me to my home'
