Scandinavian Kitchen

Take La Chance... (little shops we like # 13)

This is not really a "Little Shop" but more of a bit of a success story from Denmark.  La Chance are exclusive Danish designed bracelets and they are really lovely - and recently they have been getting really good press in the UK...

The original La Chance Chinese Lucky Charm is made up by ceramic pieces shaped around the 12 Chinese Zodiacs for 12 years of luck. It is glammed up with 14 carat gold or white gold plated beads and Swarovski crystals.

Each of the 12 animals has accordingly to Chinese astrology each their personality and special abilities.
The legend is that before leaving this world, Buddha invited all the animals of the world to a feast. Only twelve animals arrived. And Buddha decided that a human being born in each animal’s year would inherit its traits. Therefore are people born in the year of the ox known as stubborn, hard working and decision makers, while those born in the year of the dog are loyal and faithful.

And a bit of name dropping too - these bracelets have been seen lately on Dannii Minogue, Sarah Harding, Peter Andre, Depeche Mode, Fearne Cotton, Miss England, Emmanuel Adebayor (Man C football God), Pixie and Peaches Geldof, Stacey, Lucie and Rachel from the X factor, Rcahel Stevens, Kid Rock, Boris Becker, Jesse Metcalfe - and the list goes on.

If you have a look at La Chance's UK pages on Facebook, you can enter their current weekly comptitions to win a bracelet - it's definitely worth doing for your chance to own one of these beauties... 

More info click here http://www.la-chance.info

For the facebook competiton, look here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42716022396

Our favourite Scandi Kids shop is selling online

We love Kidsen in Kensal Rise - they have all the Scandinavian children's clothes and toys and nursery stuff that we love.  And now they've gone onto selling on-line, so if you don't quite fancy a trip to West London, you can shop from the comfort of your own armchair.

Kidsen stock all the really cool Scandi brands - from Miniature clothing to BRIO toys and prams and even all the Pippi Longstocking stuff.

Have a look at their new fancy pancy website here http://www.kidsen.co.uk/

The coolest doll's house in the world - the Stockholm Lundby

Little shops we like #11

Lars Gregersen makes ceramics.  A trained potter from Denmark, he is now UK based and he makes some really lovely stuff - from vases to cups and mugs and everything inbetween.

We really like his stuff and wanted to share his site with everyone - you can check out his full collection here www.soendergaarddesign.co.uk

 

Little shops we like # 10 - Gretanord.com

A lovely girl called Emilie runs a wonderful  online store called Greta Nord, which stocks and sells lots of hand crafted Swedish fashion accessories.  Try them for the wonderful clogs, funky hats and really nice jewellery.

You can find out more stuff by clicking here http://www.gretanord.com

Little shops we like # 9 - mind your chops, the knife's sharp...

We sometimes get accused of featuring little businesses that are all about clothes and fancy stuff.  Well, not today:  our friend Chris and his Swedish wife Rebecca run a little business taking care of people's knives.  Yes, really - companies like these do exist and this one in particular is a really wonderful and friendly service.

We've been using them at SK for years now - but a while ago they launched their domestic service too - and can pick up from any London address and return to you in a few days.  

So, if you need your Globals sharpened before you carve that Gravad lax, try them out - they are worth it (although, mind your fingers afterwards, Chirs and Rebecca do a terribly good job).

http://knifesharpeningcompany.com

We love it when two good things find each other...

Certain things belong together.  Cinnamon and buns.  Hot and dogs.  Egg and Kalles Kaviar.

We were very pleased this week when we heard that two of our "Little shops we like" have started working together, namely the most excellent Scandinavian children's shop in Kensal Rise KIDSEN and the lovely brand called "Nothin' but a muffin".

You can now find the Nothin But a Muffin stuff in KIDSEN - from their bibs to towels and sleeping bags.

KIDSEN is here (on Chamberlayne Road - just across from Kensal Rise station) and Nothin' but a Muffin is here

Little shops we like # 8 - Nordic Balance

The lovely Johanna runs a company called Nordic Balance - a well-being company that encourages balance in everything they do- from  personal training to nutritional advice, massage, yoga, sports conditioning and pilates. It all comes together to form a holistic approach to training, focussed not only on your body, but also on your eating, your state of mind and general wellbeing.

Nordic Balance has long been popular with both locals and ex-pat Scandies alike - and the feedback we have gotten is great, so if you're looking to kick start your fitness or general wellbeing, give them a buzz to see if they are right for you.  If you quote Scandi Kitchen when you get in touch they will give you a complimentary initial assessment and nutritional advice as well.

Their website is http://www.nordicbalance.co.uk

Little shops we like # 6 - Nothin' but a Muffin

Two great gals, Corinne and Lesley, decided a little over a year ago that there was a gap in the market for really great quality baby stuff in funky patterns and designs - and not just pink and light blue.

So, they set about designing a range of durable and adorable things - from bibs to towels to sleeping bags.  The result is the company Nothin' but a Muffin and they've just launched their range and online shopping on their website - click here for more info

It's really great stuff and all handmade - well worth a look to see if there's something in their for your own kids or as a great Christmas present.

Little shops we like #5

Corina from Sweden has worked as a TV producer for many years and then decided to start a family.  With her two daughters now 2 and 4, she has decided to open her own childrens' shop in London.  And the result is fantastic.

Based in Kensal Rise, KIDSEN stocks everything you need for babies and toddlers - it is basically a one stop shop that sells anything from prams to clothes to food.  Lots of the stuff they sell is imported from Scandinavia - so it is a great place to go for the extremely popular Scandinavian designed kids clothes.  KIDSEN has also been chosen as a partner for BRIO buggies and prams that are launching in the UK very soon, so if you're on the look-out for a pram, it is a great place to stop by.

You can read more about KIDSEN here

 

Little shops we like #4

Anna Wetterlin is a Swede, living in London.  She set up her own company designing and selling Swedish style children’s moccasins – meaning no more slipping and sliding for the kids running around inside.

With a background in fashion, Anna set about designing the wonderful little Moccis, as she calls them.  Moccis are made of ecotex certified materials and the leather soles allow the little feet to move freely and for the baby’s muscles to develop properly. 

Anna’s Moccis are doing well and are currently available in UK, Ireland, Germany and Sweden.

You can find out more about Anna’s super-cute Moccis here

Little shops we like #3

This post refers back to an older post about nice little shops

One of the things we get asked about most from the people in the Scandinavian community is childcare.  Generally, in the UK, this can be a bit of a minefield but it gets harder when you need childcare that speaks the same language as your kids and you don't happen to be living in your own country.

Nordic Childcare is set up by Minna and Minna from Finland - both are highly educated childcare specialists and have worked with children for many, many years.  Nordic childcare and babysitting provides ad-hoc babysitting as well as planned ones - and they can also find bespoke Nannies and Aupairs who have the linguistic skills families may require.

All Minna and Minna's people are not only CRB vetted (police checked), they have strict reference checks and most are either studying towards childcare qualifications or already have them.  We have heard good stuff back about Nordic Childcare after passing on their detials to people who have enquired via us.

You can contact Nordic Childcare on the address below or pop along to the Mamma Evening this Thursday where they'll also be there.

Nordic Child Care Ltd, 235 Fulwell Park Avenue, Twickenham TW2 5HD

By email:       info@nordic-childcare.co.uk

By phone:      020 7221 7079 / 07833 761658 / 07779 290385

 

Postcard from Heather and Jo #1

Jazz band in Malmo

Hello from Sweden, SK regular Heather and her friend Jo here, on holiday in Sweden via Copenhagen, sending you a few postcards over the coming week (sadly no photo today as can't attach camera to PC).

On arrival at Copenhagen airport, I found it rather funny to see a little sardine tin like pod full of smokers squashed in, smoking that cigarette they have not had for a few hours. You could barely see them for all the smoke!! The joys of the smoking ban, maybe these will start popping up at London airports too!!

We wondered through the large shopping street without spending a single ore, past shops with names we found funny such as a shoe shop called 'Dope' and a ladies clothes shop called 'Kinky Bitch', who know's what those shoes were made from or who the clothes were for, but we didn't hang around to find out. We would like to come back to Denmark and don't want a Danish criminal record! I'll leave the criminal record to my borther who is at Climate Camp in the UK!

Our boat tour of Copenhagen's canals in the glorious sunshine would have left us very sunburnt had we not found some free suncream at a basketball event by the town hall. That however may have covered up our blushes at seeing the Little Mermaid's behind!! An ice cream later and we were off to Malmö.

Described by some as being the Copacabana of Sweden we were looking forward to sunning ourselves on Malmö's long strech of beach. Frankly if that is what the Copacabana looks like, we don't want to go!! Admittedly the pouring rain and driving wind did not help!

A lovely outdoor performance by a jazz saxophonist did end our visit in a memorable way and as we leave we have seen a poster on the back of a bus saying "Live in the Grand Canyon of Malmö"! Clearly the city is not satisfied with having the tallest building in Sweden and has designs on being much grander. I love it! I look forward to the "Las Vegas of Malmö", the "Big Ben of Malmö" and the "Ayres Rock of Malmö"!

Off to Göteborg........

Little shops we like #1

Welcome to a new thing here on our blog.  There are lots of really cool businesses we have found out about since opening Scandi Kitchen - some are Scandinavian, some are British - but all are small and going for it. 

We really want to celebrate people who take the initiative to do different things, to do stuff they are passionate about.  So, over the next while you'll find us writing a bit about other places we think you should check out.

Introducing a Danish girl who has a fashion shop on Etsy (an on-line portal for selling hand-made stuff).  She makes clothes out of stuff that "has been something else before" - extending the life of some un-loved curtains, old coats made into dresses et cetera - really innovative.  She also has a kid's label where she customises stuff for little babas.

Check out her stuff here and here