Did you know Romania has a museum dedicated to Icons on Glass?

In keeping with tradition I escaped abroad to ring in the New Year and for 2018 I chose the region of Transylvania in Romania. Yes I did encounter Dracula but I’m saving that for a different post…

On New Years Day I took a trip to a small village around 30 minutes taxi ride from the town of Sibui called Sibiel, home of the one-of-a-kind Museum of Icons on Glass (The Zosim Oancea Museum). Yes it’s very specific but that’s what I love, finding specialist museums, odes to different crafts in the most unexpected of places. Sibiel is one of the smallest villages in Romania and houses one of the largest collections of icons painted on glass in the world. There’s around 600 of them in the museum which opened in the early 1970s.

What on earth is an icon painted on glass?

I hear you! It’s not something I had heard if. Essentially they are paintings of religious leaders painted on glass. These icons are respected Christian figures and were painted by monks and peasants. It’s an artform that began in Transylvania at the beginning of the 18^th century with its peak creation from 1750 to the end of the 19^th century. Although it is mainly associated as a Transylvanian craft, neighbouring districts have since made their own variations.

So what is the museum like?

When you arrive at the tiny village of Sibiel, you’ll first see a vast church in the centre beside a rather picturesque graveyard and adjacent to that is the museum. It’s spread over two floors and both floors have a number of rooms all with walls and panels filled with these glass painted icons and other Romanian crafts such as fabrics and textiles, beaded jewellery and egg crafts, though the focus is very much on the bold, colourful glass paintings.

It’s a fairly rustic space and the theme of the images does start to get a bit similar if you look at all of them however each one is very much an individual piece and they are in very good condition.

And now the art technique…

If you head to any modern craft store today you’ll easily find a glass painting section with pens and pots of liquid paint you can apply to jazz up your glasses but the technique for these icons is far more complex – they are actually painted under the glass not on top of it. That way the art is protected by the fact there is a glass layer on top.

It’s thought that whole peasant families were involved in the process of painting these glass icons. This could be tasks like preparing pigments, tracing designs or even making the frames. The brushes used to paint the icons were handmade too from materials like hairs of cat’s tails and goose quill pens. Once painted the glass was varnished and the icon then placed inside a frame, often a decorative one.

Worth a trip?

Absolutely! The village has a real fairytale feel about it with wells and a stream running through it, it’s nice for a little wonder.

There’s a quaint craft shop in the village centre (only accepts cash so come prepared) and if you’re lucky, the museum staff will also open up the church for you to look in and admire further Romanian artistry.

Inside Sibiel’s church

Well worth a visit!

There’s more about Sibiel on its dedicated website. http://www.sibiel.net

 

 

 

 

 

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. 

How to survive Camden (a guide for over 30s)

Portraits by: Horaczko Photography

Camden Town. Any alternative teen growing up in London (or those visiting the UK capital) will confess that Camden is the stuff their dreams are made off. A sea of subcultures, united by their individuality, finally having a space they can call their own, and most importantly, go shopping in to find all the things they will never be able to source on the high street, like psychedelic hooded tops, fluorescent plastic jewellery, rare vinyl records, quirky items for their bedroom, gifts for hippy chick friends and of course; infinite places in which to pick up hair dye.

At 15 I remember hanging out here, being in awe of all the clothes, while stocking up on Aubergine Stargazer hair colour. These people around me were my tribe, none of them went to my school, but oh how I wish they did. Here was where the hip folk hung out and I was pretty much one of them. This feeling though fuelled by passion, sadly doesn’t last beyond your 20s.

It’s a fact that as soon as you hit  your 30s, Camden is suddenly a no-go area: you’re no longer cool and you’ve been replaced by humans half your age. But does this mean you can longer enjoy it?

My view is this: you can, but you need to take a different approach and attitude. The same types of shops you loved in your younger days may no longer appeal but that’s ok, there are others to explore. Accept that and move on. It’s the only way to survive.

Where age doesn’t matter…

A few Camden haunts that you can fully appreciate when you’re well into your 30s and beyond, without fear of feeling like everyone else there could potentially be your own teenage child…

Tea & Crafting
And relax! If it’s craft and travel you’re after quite literally, than look no further than Tea and Crafting, Camden’s very own crafty haven. Regular workshops run here, all of which include materials, tuition and of course: tea and cake. There’s no need to commit to a course, you can simply turn up and do workshops that interest you, from weaving to calligraphy, during evenings and weekends…the adult in you can finally feel like ‘yes there is a space where I can feel at home in Camden that isn’t as ludicrously as loud as Cyber Dog, but is equally as cool.’ Head to their website to see what’s coming up.

Canal boating
One for adults and kids, there’s no denying that a trip on the canals is one that fills everyone with excitement, especially if you board the departure that gives you entrance into London Zoo. Yes there will be children, but you and they will be so excited you won’t even notice each other.

Jazz Café
There’s a lot of bars in Camden and while some will undoubtedly be occupied by ageing rockers who have been coming to Camden their entire life, you will see a lot of kids too. Bigger bands play in epic venues like the Roundhouse and here you may find yourself at a gig with fans who look underage but that’s when you just need to allow it and remember you were young once.

The venue you probably didn’t go to when you were a teen but is filled with appeal now you’re 30 and upwards is the famous Jazz Café. A bit rough round the edges and with an intimate charm, Sunday’s are a perfect time to visit for some laid back sounds post lunch.

Camden Stables Market
With over 50 food stalls in this part of town, it’s where to come when you’re hungry. Filled with more tourists than youth, you’ll feel slightly more at ease navigating this quarter where you’ll also find all the usual Camden creativity like fashion, jewellery, quirky gifts and homewares.

Regent’s Park
Get off at Camden Town tube, skip the crowds and head straight up to this iconic park where it’s perfectly acceptable to laze on the grounds, wonder through the well-pruned gardens and even get a bit cultured watching sunset over Regent’s Park mosque amidst lake views. If you’re going any time soon the Frieze Sculpture exhibition is still on too.

Opt for Camden, rather than Camden Town
Venture further afield, Chalk Farm, Primrose Hill, Mornington Crescent…Camden isn’t just about the markets. Go to the places that the youth have no interest in, find a coffee shop or quaint café, read the papers in peace and breathe in the solitude that doesn’t exist when you’re right in the thick of this buzzing part of London, that can only be enjoyed when you step off the beaten tourist track.

Where to stay clear of unless you want a teenage trip down memory lane and aren’t afraid of the fact that everyone else looks so young they are practically babies…

Electric Ballroom
The indoor market just near the station as you exit on Sundays is filled with fake vintage clothing and gothic attire. Even if you are a goth, there are better places to shop: leave this haunt to the youth.

The main high street
Truth is it’s not just weekends Camden is busy 24/7 but good luck to anyone who tries to navigate the busy main thoroughfare at peak times. If it can be avoided, do so at all costs. Leave it to the youth who have the energy for this craziness, opt for the back and side streets instead…peace at last.

Final warning…
I’ve positioned this post within the Wish List section as Camden is a shopper’s paradise but be careful, be honest and don’t buy anything that you would have wanted to wear when you were 15…because no one wants to be mutton dressed as lamb.

Portraits by: Horaczko Photography

Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam

There are around 300 museums in Amsterdam, more than any other city in the world. From beer production and house boats to galleries filled with masterpieces and modern art, it’s impossible to get bored here – creative inspiration is all over Amsterdam.

One museum that merits a visit if you’re a fashionista is the suitably stylish Museum of Bags and Purses.

There’s plenty to look at (over 5,000 bags!) but it’s the information plaques that are surprisingly interesting, especially in the historic areas (there are bags here from as early as 16,000). The Museum is based over several floors, starting at the top, with the earliest bags leading you through to a temporary exhibition that changes, through to icon, modern handbags.

Look out for pop art bags…

Real animal bags like this leopard one…

Beautiful beaded bags…

And the one I really, really want, a lips clutch!

Handbags have been a thing since earliest times, even in the Middle Ages folk had bags tied to their belts and right up until the 19th century, as this was before clothes had pockets. Once men got pockets in trousers and jackets their need for bags declined but women continued using them, in particular wallets became a place to store love letters.

There’s an opportunity to look at bag-making materials, techniques and fixtures too like…

Intricate needlework techniques

and bags with silver frames…

But my favourite were the novelty bags. Mice playing a card game on top of a hamper?
Now that’s my kind of handbag!

There’s a beautiful tearoom in the museum too and a shop packed with handbags so you can take home a memento from your travels.

Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam
www.tassenmuseum.nl

Planning on visiting lots of museum while you’re in Amsterdam? Get yourself an IAMSTERDAM card. They last 24, 48, 72 or 92 hours, give you free public transport, a canal boat trip and free ntry to most of the cities galleries and museums.

It’s well worth checking out.

Momtaz (CraftandTravel.com)