Where to fulfill a chocoholic’s fantasy: Choccywoccydoodah’s Secret Garden is the stuff of dreams…

I don’t think any of the 15 girls present at my friend’s hen party actually thought there was such a thing as too much chocolate. Within just a few bites of the fantastical spread laid on for us at our private booking at Choccywoccydoodah’s Secret Garden however, we had fallen into cocoa comas. Never before had any of us witnessed so much of the brown gooey stuff (and I’ve previously worked in a chocolate factory!)

With the bride-to-be

Giant swing chair

The chocolate has arrived!

Thankfully the sundaes were for sharing

More chocolate coming up!

Every angle of the secret garden is Instagram gold

Secret garden shenanigans

Wash down the chocolate with champagne or strawberry smoothie…yum!

Plates of melt-in-the-mouth tiffin bars were served to us alongside brownies, sponge cakes, honeycombe, waffles, churros with pots of liquid chocolate, steaming mugs of hot chocolate, dipped strawberries, cookies and biscuits and huge ice-cream filled sundaes dripping in chocolate sauce, as well of course as chocolate in its purest form.. While you can find these utterly indulgent menu items at the legendary chocolate stores London café, just off Carnaby Street, the best was to immerse yourself in their joy is by booking their private Secret Garden, one of the most beautiful indoor gardens I’ve ever seen, located a floor above the public café.

Kitted out with an impressive Alice in Wonderland fairytale theme, there are heart shaped chairs, giant swings, a water fountain, colourful blooms, archways, rabbits and even a lamb, grazing on fake grass. Detail is everything and the entire space feels like the pages of a children’s story from every angle you look at it from.

The chocolate is special, but the design is what makes it well worth the booking and you only need nine other friends to make it affordable. Hire of the secret garden is available for two hours and is charged at £300 for 10, making it just £30 per person for an experience which involves eating to your absolutely fill of chocolate and spending quality time in gorgeous surrounding in your favourite company, (and let’s face it, just two minutes away is department store Liberty where you’ll struggle to find a box of confectionary that costs less than £30.)

Surreal and very naughty (this is an afternoon tea where there are no savoury dishes) and as because we booked our slot at 1pm, we ate chocolate, more chocolate and nothing but chocolate for lunch. Well it was a special occasion, though believe me, one couldn’t do it every day.

After all of us as reached our fill it was like we’d barely made a dent in the spread but luckily they hand out doggy bags sat the end so you can take the leftovers home with you, and while most of the girls declared they wouldn’t be eating chocolate in a long time, I confess that by evening I was ready for another munch.

Find Choccywoccydoodah’s Secret Garden at Foubert’s Place, off Carnaby Street in London. On the lower ground is their chocolate shop, and upstairs below the garden in their cafe. 

Hotel review: Why I want to live inside Haymarket Hotel

Is Haymarket Hotel an art gallery or a hotel? I’m going with both. A colourful, creative, oasis of sheer delight, Haymarket Hotel (run by the Firmdale group) takes sleeping away from home to a whole knew level. Comfy? Yes Welcoming? 100%. Clean? Absolutely. Spacious? Totally? Good food? Hands down. The tick box elements are easy to complete, but where this London retreat gets its Wow Factor and personality is in the design and décor. We’re not talking ‘finer details’ either. Character is in the every essence of every  decision made, whether that’s with centering the Brumus Restaurant around a striking, colourful painting of an African woman with her sparkly shoe collection, the fish print toilets in reception, with a felt elephant parade on the walls, or in the giant lamps that stand at the foot of the magical, sunset themed indoor swimming pool, where it actually feels like you are wadding into another world.

(Haymarket Hotel library)

If you’re after somewhere to hang out, to take a break from the craziness of Piccadilly Circus, in Central London, the public conservatory allows visitors to be enveloped by the beauty of this visionary space…but if you’re staying here overnight the treat really begins.
There’s a chic art lounge library filled with handcrafted furniture and furnishings, and of course, the chance to experience your own slice of creative heaven inside one of the boutique hotel’s bedrooms or suites…where basically I nearly died from delight.

Haymarket Hotel: One Bedroom Suffolk Suite
There are three of these suites within Haymarket as well as a number of two bedroom suites but what struck me on entering is how on earth they managed to get me a room that so immaculately matches my current hair shade?
What are the chances of finding a bedroom in shades of pink, blue and white? That was my initial shock. After that I was overjoyed by stumbling into a beautiful living room filled with colour.From the mannequin in the corner through to the framed fabric wall hanging and rose print cushions: this suite was Everything. The vision of Interior Designer Kit Kemp MBE (imagine going to her house for tea?), the Co-Owner and Design Director of Firmdale Hotels, has a book called Every Room Tells A Story, where shares her inspiration behind designing the hotel rooms, which include working with artisans and crafts people from all over the world, making every room completely different.

Yes. Firmdale Hotels are the ultimate places to stay for fans of Craft and Travel.
That pool!

One of the most thoughtful touches in the room was a shelf of records and a record player to play them on, so of course I did just that before heading down for a dip in the pool, which temporarily, while the hotel’s new bar is being fitted, has a poolside cocktail bar adding to the ambience. I also had a peek inside the hotel’s meeting rooms which are in keeping with the hotel’s delightful décor.

Breakfast buffet selection with the best granola ever

Kedgeree with a delicious spicy sauce & avocado on the side

Friendly staff and yummy food are part of the experience here, the hottest shower I’ve ever had and comfy bedding that cocoons you into a perfect’s night sleep are luxuries that enhance your stay even more,  even when it feels like it can’t be enhanced anymore.

Fun, fabulous, fashionable…I can’t think of a more perfect place: now when can I move in?

All the Haymarket Hotels are gorgeous…enjoy the pics online before booking a stay. www.firmdalehotels.com Get more of a taste in this video interview with Kit Kemp.

Momtaz Begum-Hossain
Images: CraftandTravel.com

 

 

 

 

Utopian Design – A look back at the inaugural London Design Biennale

(Chakra View, India, image: Ed Reeve)

Back in September Somerset House became a homage to contemporary design from 37 countries in a new annual exhibition called the London Design Biennale. The theme was Utopia By Design and each country was asked to depict what Utopia means to them.

(Installation by Albania)

Consisting of installations, artworks, protypes and experiences, visitors where able to interact with world-leading architects, designers, scientists, writers and artists.

I first came across the buzz of the event on social media. The exhibition, although lasted three weeks was part of London Design Week. This event stood out because of the ‘international appeal.’ The chance to visit 37 countries in one exhibition was too exciting an experience not to embark on, so I popped along on the last weekend to have a look at what it was all about.

Split across different, floors, wings and even outside the venue, it was a mammoth exhibition and a day (as I had also heard on the grapevine) wasn’t enough, but I took in as much as I could, and as well as discovering the fascinating backgrounds to each piece, I also took the opportunity to pose in the exhibitions -well, the backdrops were made for Instagramming!

From roaring digital fireplaces (Germany) to huge animal swing chairs (South Africa) and a giant gumball machine dispensing water (Saudi Arabia), there was plenty of imagery and objects to spark the imagination, and installations so striking they were instantly memorable.

I think I managed to get around to see all of them. Here were my favourites…

PAKISTAN
An installation entitled Daalaan, this was a huge room filled with beautifully printed textile hanging and wooden stools that spun round; sitting on them was a perfect break to all the walking around the exhibition entailed. Created by Karachi based Coalesce Design Studio, their interpretation was that Utopia is ‘a place where strangers become friends.’ Consisting of architecture, design, furniture and fabric screen prints made from henna dyes, it had a relaxing and welcoming feel and it was a pleasure to relax there, (as much as one can at a busy public exhibition!), and take it all in.

INDONESIA
With its sci-fi spaceship theme, this was one of the most fun exhibits. The literature accompanying the exhibition was fascinating and told of an agreement assigned by 29 countries in 1955 to create a satellite. It consisted of a floating satellite surrounded by interesting dome like structures.

TURKEY
A ‘wish machine’ – with a name like that, this was already going to be one of my favourites! A cultural tradition deeply rooted in the ancient Anatolian faith and found in ancient Greek, Kabala and Persian beliefs, Wish Machines operates on a simple mechanism that involves affixing a note or a memento to a branch of a tree as an act of hope.

SPAIN

The Spanish offering consisted of a tube you walk through with distorted mirrors at the end that symbolised a ‘utopic next century city’, a habitat where technology, life standards and health coexist, even when natural resources are scarce.
It’s a scary thought that this is an actual reality: we will have to face such times.

AUSTRIA
I get over excited whenever I see lights so this kinetic light installation had instant appeal. The theory on the other hand of why it lit up was one of the more complicated of the entire exhibition.
I’m not going to try to explain it because in truth it went ovr my head in a too-academic-for-a-public-exhibition-kind-of-way, but aesthetically speaking I had much appreciation for it.

LEBANON
A real-life miniature city was set up for this alfresco exhibition where artist Annabel Karim Kasser recreated a bustling street scene from Beirut including a wet shave bar, falafel hut and juice bar. Attention to detail was everything and the falafel, which was on sale, tasted great!

INDIA

(Image: Bradley Barnes)

The India space Chakra View was one of the major commissions and took up an entire wing. Weaving together India’s cultural heritage it used traditional textiles and ancient mythology, with modern design innovations to portray a sense of modern India. Colourful creative and a complete experience, stepping into the main space was a joy from every angle it was viewed from.

CraftandTravel’s Editor posing by the installation

Alongside the exhibition there was a number of talks at The London Design Biennale and I attended one chaired by Priya Paul, Chairperson of The Park Hotels in India. I was keen to go because I stayed at their Kolkata hotel in 2014 and loved every minute of my stay. Cool design was present in every aspect of the hotel and it remains one of the most memorable places I’ve ever stayed in. Priya chaired a discussion about contemporary design in India and in particular, the role Indian crafters and artisans play in it.

Priya is an avid supporter of art and crafts and invited respected figures from the Indian design world to give their thoughts on the subject, including Rajshree Pathy, Founder of India Design Forum who created the colourful Chakra View installation.

A common theme in their discussion was around how businesses (such as hotels) can incorporate the work of artisans and crafters to help preserve their heritage which I thought was a positive approach. Certainly design-led hotels, rather than chains which look the same, can have unique, one, off and hand-crafted pieces as part of their décor, though of course it was be amazing if bigger chains could also see the value it would have.

The discussion began with some observations by Author Sunil Khilnani who explained that design has been important in India for 60 years – in 1958 the India Report was the blueprint for the national institute of design who were committed to contemporary design being part of India’s heritage.

He commented how Gandhi was an anti-industrialist because he didn’t like how mass produced goods could mean the loss of handicrafts. Bringing the conversation up-to-date,  Researcher Alice Ciccolini described her own experiences of the jewellery industry where the children of mastercrafters do not want to work in the industry, so work is being done to encourage them to see the benefits.

One issue is that middle-class wealthy Indians are going to art school and becoming artists but the lower paid artisans and crafters who are poor, cannot see the value in what they are doing, so this gap between how art and craft is perceived needs to be changed.

Practicality wise the mobile phone has been beneficial to crafts people as they can now cut out the middle-man and take orders directly. Priya also referenced the resurgence there has been in the weaving industry and how wealthy Indians appreciate owning hand crafted pieces as a form of patronage.

A fascinating conversation which informed my visit to the exhibition, it made me realise how important the ‘talks’ that are programmed alongside exhibitions are; I’ll certainly be looking at attending more of them for future exhibitions I visit.

For more information about the exhibition visit www.londondesignbiennale.com

Momtaz Begum-Hossain, CraftandTravel.com

Queen’s Gallery, Bangkok: Crafts from the Hands of the Hills…to the Hands of the Queen

Colourful, character-filled and creative, Crafts from the Hands of the Hills…to the Hands of the Queen is a textile-based exhibition which opened at The Queen’s Gallery in Bangkok on August 1^st 2016 as part of the auspicious celebrations to mark Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 84^th birthday. Combining the techniques of hand-weaving, sewing, hand-embroidery, hand-stitching and patchwork, each piece of work on display represents different elements of life in the Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand, a region that’s rich in arts and crafts.

There are approximately 22,530 hilltribe artisans from across 620 villages who are members of the Queen’s support projects whose aim it is to help rural people earn a living through craft skills, many of whom were involved in the creation of the exhibition.

In theory it seems like a commendable project, in reality it is so much more. Visiting this exhibition is a treat for all the senses. Spread across five levels you are led through a rainbow of beautiful work, each one is imaginatively composed with minute details showing intricate craft skills. This isn’t just an exhibition for those with an appreciation for ‘crafts’, it’s art of an exceptional level where you’re constantly surprised by the quality of the work.

Being an appreciator of all things colourful, the first thing I noticed when I walked into the exhibition was the use of colour. It is intrinsic to every piece. They aren’t all made up of vivid hues – it’s more that there are clever colour schemes and palettes at work that together create a remarkable effect.

From a distance the pieces look like interesting examples of textiles but look closely and you’ll uncover stories and depictions of real life. The King and Queen of Thailand spent time together in the hills and during these trips were able to get an understanding of the needs of the rural community, such as the need to improve agricultural techniques, which they addressed, and it’s these visits and moments that are captured in the stories to such a beautiful effect.

Looking around I was taken back by the charm of each piece. I love textiles but I’ve never seen such passionate work before. I’ve been thinking about the exhibition a lot since visiting it. It’s so easy to go somewhere on holiday with a long to-do list and then forget to do everything but if you’re in Bangkok this exhibition will be one of the memories that stay with you.

Here are some of my favourite pieces on display – if you get a chance, go and see  them in real life:

Peaches: a way to conserve forests
Peaches are a cold climate fruit and their cultivation in the hills was tested and proved successful.

Live-changing sturgeon
Because of the cold climate in the hills it’s hard for aquatic animals to survive. The queen initiated an experiment to raise Siberian sturgeon by purchasing fertilised eggs in Russia. By 2014 the project proved successful and led to the first caviar being produced in Thailand.Royal provision of coffee plantations
The royal couple encouraged the hill tribes to grow Arabica coffee in substitute to the narcotic plants they used to grow. They grow in shady areas and benefits contribute to decreasing deforestation.

Symbols of forest conservation
The Queen initiated a project to protect forests from deforestation. Communities with outstanding conservation are awarded with flags inscribed with the motto ‘ Conserving the forest in order to protect our lives’

Fireflies

Rajini Tomatoes
Cultivation of tomatoes have helped increase income for the hilltribes that grow them.

Rainbow trout farming
Trout became a food source and can generate income for hill tribes.

Production of honey
A special hive was built for Indian honey bees where they were able to forage for food which benefited fruit and vegetable orchards.

Details & close ups

Hands of the Hills…to the Hands of the Queen runs at The Queen’s Gallery, (near Phan Fah Leelart Bridge), Bangkok, Thailand runs from 1 August – 11 October 2016. Open 10.00-19.00hrs every day except Wednesdays.

There is an activity programme to accompany the exhibition including handicraft training workshops from the six hilltribes, performances and dressing up in hilltribe costumes, running every day:

Lisu tribe: making Lisu cords

Mian (Yu) tribe: Mian embroidery and making Mia cords

Akha tribe: Akha embroidery

Karen tribe: Weaving with waist loom and Karen embroidery with Job’s tears

Hmong tribe: Hmong applique, weaving of hemp cloth, wax drawing on hemp cloth

Lahu tribe: Lahu embroidery and Lahu bamboo basketry

Pop into the shop of the top floor of the gallery to buy some handmade Thai crafts too:

Momtaz Begum-Hossain
Editor-in-Chief, CraftandTravel.com visited the exhibition on the opening day

ALL IMAGES: CraftsandTravel.com

Scarf Stories – How Yogi Joshi Gets Design Inspiration From The Himalayas

Growing up amidst the snow clad mountains of the Himalayas which inspired Kipling to write the classicJungle Book, Yogi Joshi the designer of luxury silk scarves Yogy Ramaused the picturesque memories from her home town as her muse. She recalls with a distant, wandering expression: ‘I grew up surrounded by beauty in its rawest and most natural form – farms, rolling hills covered in snow. What more inspiration could one need? Every scarf tells a story, and these stories have been expressed through my artwork which is presented on each scarf.’

What makes Yogy Rama so unique, is that each distinct scarf has been tirelessly designed by herself, which is why she only designs an exclusive eight pieces per collection. Impressively, the entire design and production process takes one month per scarf. She enthusiastically explains: ‘When I start drawing, it takes me to another world. Once the concept is envisioned, it goes onto a canvas which takes almost a month.’ As an artist, Yogi also experiences her fair share of frustrated moments: ‘I have those artistic tendencies when I think, I just want to throw it away. I’m one of those people who can start in the morning at 6am and carry on until the night – I don’t even stop to eat!’ We all have our favourite cravings to help us sustain during all-nighters and so does Yogi as she exclaims, ’I live on green tea!’

Although Yogi has been living in London for the past six years, her designs are created using an 2,500 year old ancient art technique called Madhubaani, which Yogi cites as ‘a very authentic art form, when art was created using simple shapes. ‘Madhu’ means honey and ‘baan’ means jungle or forest, meaning ‘sweet forest’. With real Madhubaani art, everything is covered in different patterns with no space and a lot of colour. There is no real structure to it, unlike modern painting. Madhubaani is very exaggerated and colourful. Yogi explains: ‘This is what makes my designs very enhanced, ornate and striking. Things don’t have to be in their real proportion, so you can go crazy with your imagination.’ Together with her vivid reflections and distinct art techniques, Yogy Rama’s collection is nothing like any other scarf line out there, as she clarifies: ‘my designs are very niche, because of the art forms. There are very few artists who are hand drawing their designs. They are my memories and they are unique to me. They have no structure or connection to reality. I’ve tried to depict them in a contemporary way. There is nothing out there that is as detailed and intricate.’

Yogi developed her artistic flair from her mum, as she reveals: ‘my mum taught me these ancient art forms. I wanted to incorporate Rama into the branding and logo as a tribute to her, since to me she is the foundation of any art form because I learnt from her. My mum is the root and I am the baby flower. She still gives me feedback and she is my biggest critic!’

Although art seems to be in her blood, Yogi only adopted art full time recently as she discloses: ‘I did my degree in civil engineering and completed my masters from Rutgers in America, after which I was a structural designer where I worked with bridges and industrial structures. I shifted my work from structural engineering to management. But then three years ago, I quit my job as I decided to do what I always loved. I started drawing again, but I really didn’t know what to do with them, until my husband saw some of them and said I should take this further.’

However, despite her husband’s identification of true talent in his wife, Yogi continued to pursue her passion as a hobby rather than a career, she continued: ‘I started making jewellery out of silver, gold and precious stones. I realised I loved high-end fashion and got the idea to utilise my unique knowledge and expertise of ancient art forms. The satisfaction I get as an artist is like no other, as there are no boundaries. With a content look on her face, Yogi muses: ‘It feels rewarding, like I have achieved something when I am painting. It’s like these scarves are because of me. You get that feeling that you can create something – this is you.’

In order to reach women from all backgrounds and to suit every individual persona, Yogi details the versatility of her scarves: ‘I wanted to design for women who want to feel elegant and be confident. The scarves really make a statement, as each design goes with a different personality. They are feminine, free and comfortable. I have met so many women who love colours but are afraid of being flamboyant. Women of any ethnicity can look good with a scarf, as you can style it as you wish. Many of my clients are African women who wear the scarves around their heads, since the colours go well with their cultural dress. You can go for the sassy look by tying it around your waist or you can become an Arabian princess by wrapping it like a decadent headpiece. The best thing is, when you wear a scarf, you don’t need accessories. When you’re in a rush, you don’t have time to find and wear your jewels. You can just grab your scarf and it completes an outfit.’

Following the success of her sumptuous scarf collection, Yogi plans to further expand her colony of designs, as she divulges: ‘Due to popular demand, I hope to introduce kaftans and sarongs. Staying true to my brand, my designs will always represent the beauty of the Himalayas and my nostalgic memoirs, assisted by the use of the treasured Madhubaani methods.’

To buy Yogy Rama luxury silk hand-made scarves and to keep up-to-date with her latest collections go to:

Yogy Rama
Twitter
Facebook

Interview by Fariha Sabir

 

Mumbai Taxi Art

It’s usually Indian trucks that get all the attention with their bold painted typography and graphics but a new trend is starting up in Mumbai where by taxi interiors are getting the full on arty treatment. Read about the story and see more journey enhancing images over at Designboom.