We ♥ Brixtoncornercopia!

Sparkle & Spin ventured out of our little blue door last week to go and check out Brixtoncornercopia a tiny new neighbourhood resturant and cornershop run by Anne Fairbrother who is passionate about ultra-local food and sustainability.

Located in the vibrant heart of the upcoming Brixton Village Market, Cornercopia celebrates the abundance and diversity of food available on our doorstep. On the shelves you can find Damson jam made from fruit fresh from the gardens of Lambeth and honey from South London bees jostling for space next to Brixton Pound Sauce, made using ingredients sourced in the nearby Brixton Market. All the foodstuffs on the shelves are handmade instore or by local people with the furthest sourced items coming from only a few miles down the road in Croydon.

The restaurant menu changes daily reflecting the seasons and primarily uses market sourced, locally grown or foraged ingredients. The concept is brilliant creating a community hub that is sociable, environmentally and economically sustainable and unites neighbourhood suppliers and consumers. They recently won won 'Best Green Business' at the Lambeth Business Awards so with everyone giving the thumbs up we think you should pop in and give them a try! Plus the food is absolutely delicious!!

65 Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour lane, London, SW9 8PS

For reservations call 07919542233 or 07404566663

We can't believe it's over.... BBC 4's The Killing

Here at Sparkle & Spin we have a love affair with all things Danish and over the past few months BBC 4's acclaimed crime thriller The Killing has won our hearts. With it's gritty naturalism, intricate plot and beautiful cinematography the Danish series has had us all sitting on the edge of seats trying to figure our who dunnit, where does Sarah Lund buy those sweaters from and how can we get hold of the lamps hanging in Thesis' and Pernille's kitchen!!

We've gone into mourning since the series came to it's conclusion on Saturday but we do think The Killing is just another sign that the Danes do it best, from kids wear, furniture to TV shows.

It has been almost eight years since Stine Goetrik introduced popular Danish kids brands Katvig, Ej Sikke Lej and Freoli to the UK market and now like The Killing they have obtained cult status over here, loved by Mums, kids and the like. We think you can't beat the Danes for their great design, style, colours and quality so head over to Sparkle & Spin and meet all our favourite Danish designers :)

Take a Bow and Curtesy We Have Royal Visitors!!

We feel very honoured to have to a special Royal visit from the King and Queen to mark the new season at Sparkle & Spin. Come and take a bow or curtesy and check out their Royal Highnesses as they cut the ribbon and declare Sparkle & Spin open for SS11!!

Something for the Weekend...... The Oxford vs Cambridge Goat Race

No it's not a typo there is actually a Goat race happening this weekend. While the two universities battle it out on the river, two goats - one named Oxford, the other Cambridge - will take part in a dash around Spitafields City Farm!! The event has an official bookie and sweepstake so Dad will be able to have a flutter!!

Spitafields City Farm, Weaver St (off Brick Lane & Buxton St), London, United Kingdom E1 5HU

http://www.thegoatrace.org

Nautical & Nice

As most of you Sparkle & Spin fans know we love a stripe or two!!! As always Katvig have done us proud and this season they are celebrating the nautical stripe and we can't get enough of their super cute blue striped cardigan with contrasting coloured details and a red anchor print on the reverse. For the girly girls we love the stripe in a simple sleeveless dress with a navy anchor print. Katvig's cute canvas shoes add a finishing touch and are perfect for the park or the beach we think they are a great addition to your little ones Summer wardrobe.

Midcentury Madness

We had a great time at Midcentury Modern Fair last weekend. We met lots of lovely people and spent a lot of time having furniture envy. For those of you that couldn't make it we recommend checking out Kicsi Haz for great Mid-Century Eastern European Design and Ellen Calvert who makes wonderful upcycled home furnishings. We can't wait for the next Fair although I think we need a bigger house first!

We ♥ These!!

How cute are these necklaces from Hillier London!! These unique animal pendant paperclips-18-carat gold wire twists are taken from Kate Hillier's signature collection. What more can we say except we want one (or two)!!

PS. check out her animations too!

Hillier London

Something for the Weekend.... Midcentury Modern Fair

We shall be heading over to Dulwich College this weekend, not to check out the school, although it is an amazing building, but to check out the Midcentury Modern Fair. A fantastic one-day show of collectible designs from the last century, mixed in with contemporary future classics Midcentury Modern is a great opportunity to snap up rare or unusual products or if you're us just have a good old fashioned nosey!!

10am–4pm, Sunday 20th March 2011
Dulwich College, SE21 7LD
Entrance £7 on the day, Children under 14 free

These Shoes Were Made For Walking....

We adore these little soft slip on shoes from Molo. Perfect for those first steps or just to finish off an outfit, they are super cute!

We ♥ These!!

We can't get enough of these Yohji Yamamoto Furoshiki bags made exclusively for the Victoria & Albert Museum. Definitely one for the wish list!! Yes Please!!

Spring Is In The Air In SE22

Sparkle & Spin Spring Cleans

Spring is traditionally the time for Spring Cleaning and here at Sparkle & Spin we've had a virtual lick of paint and cleaned up our web page. We think it looks all sparkly and new and we would love to hear your feedback. Remember to sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear about new products, discount codes and more!! Go and check us out www.sparkleandspin.co.uk

Something for the Weekend....St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival

We will be celebrating the luck of the Irish this weekend and heading to Trafalgar Square for the St Patricks Day Parade and Festival. Promising to be a proper Irish knees up the London event will feature traditional and modern Irish dance and live music, carnival floats and orange, green and white as far as the eye can see. We know that Dad's hoping he can fit in a pint or two of Guinness!! So come along and celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland.

The St Patricks Day festival takes place at Trafalgar Square from 11.30am - 6pm, Sunday 13th March 2011. The parade begins at Green Park and finishes in Trafalgar Square.

Have a Flipping Great Pancake Day!!!

Have a flipping great Pancake Day!!

We did!!

Out & About Wear

There's still a chill in the air so this jacket from Ej Sikke Lej has the number one slot in our wardrobe space. With it's cute silver printed reflective Mr Owl detailing it will keep the little ones warm, dry and looking funky!! Also available in orange.

Something for the Weekend....Maslenitsa Russian Festival

A Russian festival that celebrates the start of spring before Lent, the Maslenitsa London event gives you the chance to sample the culture, music and food of Russia without having to head to the airport. There'll be a mixture of traditional folk and contemporary music, a childrens theatre, food stalls and more. We can't wait to rock on to the sounds of Moral Codex and have a dance to Russian folk techno outfit Bayan Mix, who knows after this adventure maybe we'll add some Russian tunes to our ipod playlist! We've also promised Dad he can sample a blini or two ;)

The Maslenitsa Russian festival London event takes place from 12.30pm - 7pm, Sunday 6th March 2011. The event takes place at Trafalgar Square. Admission is free.

Rain, Rain Come and Play...

We've got some great new wellies from Bergstein in stock and we all love jumping in muddy puddles!! Combining a classic design with great colours they are fun and practical..... get ready to be splashed. Available in blue, yellow, red and grey.

It's Time For Your Close Up..... Say Cheese ;)

Here at Sparkle & Spin we are happy snappers and love taking photos. We are now available to book to take great shots of you and your family on location. Drop us a line at hello@sparkleandspin.co.uk for more information. We love this photo of cheeky chappy Frank who just looks great in a Katvig velour zip up!!!