POLO IN THE PARK

For the first time in over 70 years, the hallowed turf of Hurlingham Park will thunder with the hooves of high-class polo ponies. Players from all over the world will battle each other in a furious display of horsemanship and polo strategy to win the ultimate polo prize - The World Polo Series.

Between the 5th-6th June 2009, the inaugural tournament of The World Polo Series will take place in Fulham, Central London.

Shall enjoy trading at this event, more my kind of people...might even wear me Ralphie!

ELLESSE COMPETITION

ellesse is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the design competition CREATE TENNIS ART. Uber cool illustrator and typographer Si Scott designed the flyer and will be part of the jury; the iconic Italian sportswear brand has also collaborated with textile print superstar Kate Gibb and Greek animation genius Babis Alexiadis (check his animation here http://vimeo.com/4150738). Two great inspirations to enter the competition!

The winning designs will feature on http://www.ellesse.com/50thAnniversary/ and will be showed during the ellesse 50th anniversary party in Rome in July 2009. Eva will attend the event in Rome as part of her prize and also receive £1,500 and a fully paid 3 month design-based work placement.

You too could be part of the ellesse 50th anniversary celebrations, win €4,500 and be sent to the ellesse 50th anniversary event where your work will be on display. An opportunity you shouldn’t miss...

All you have to do is create a piece of art or design to commemorate the ellesse 50th anniversary inspired by the brand’s Italian heritage and sporting roots in tennis. The categories for the competition range from fashion and textiles, right through to fine art, sculpture, street art, graphics and digital. Deadline is May 10th and all the details and application form can be found on http://www.ellesse.com/50thAnniversary/

Updates and news can be found on the competition’s facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/ellesse/53970558799#/pages/ellesse/53970558799?ref=nf

SUPER TROOPER

After being sent an email to check my van/blog the night before it was by remarkable coincidence that Nikolai, the founder of Rift Trooper should find the next day on a visit to London that I be the first thing that greeted him exiting his taxi in Marylebone. After a cup of my finest and a Portuguese pastry he told me that he is no longer doing the original and pioneering site that strove to highlight all that was good about sneakers, streetwear and general stuff but last year started doing his own blog.

With its snub nose, the resemblance of the H-van to Darth Vader is quite obvious. So why someone would want to transform a perfectly good looking vehicle to look like this is beyond me. It should be melted down into bats and the owner given a right good hiding.

PLUS ONE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

Plus One magazine did an interview with me a couple of weeks back. To have a look download the latest issue.

SELECTISM

Steve Monaghan, one of the lads I used to know from Duffer, has kindly let me babble on about Cwtch and the H van on his Selectism blog. Check it.

SQUARE MILE ROASTERS

Having found inspiration from Gwilym Davies the recently crowned UK Barista of the year my coffee journey has led me to East London based Square Mile Roasters. Recently started by James Hoffman (himself a former UK Barista champion) and Annette Moldvaer, SMR has already made serious in-roads into becoming one of the most up-front roasters in the UK today. From his coffee tinged teeth and the fact that he was brewing on a super rare Synesso machine that is the price of a small car I could see that he was very serious about coffee. His passion oozed into his patter like a freshly brewed espresso when he explained that they operate a system whereby they produce seasonal blends rather than same one throughout the year. They've just moved in to the Spring espresso which is composed of two different lots of coffee from two different origins (80% Del Obispo from Huila, Columbia and 20% Fazenda Monta Alegre from Minas Gerais, Brazil). It is a very clean and sweet espresso with notes of black cherry, toasted nuts, treacle and chocolate, with a soft buttery texture.

I've just taken stock of the new blend so if you would like to try, come see me.

JUST UPPED MY CAKE GAME

Ask any Welsh person and they'll tell you that their Mother or Grandmother makes the best Welsh Cakes. Unfortunately they don't, my Gran did. Having not recorded her recipe before she passed away I had to cobble it together from other family members. The result, a magnificent mouthful full of memories! Not quite the standard of my Gran's but an admiral effort that definitely merit being sold on the van. In addition I shall be doing some Teisen Lap and some Patagonian Black Welsh cake called Torta Negra Galesa.

BEACHDOWN FESTIVAL

Although not until August Bank Holiday weekend (28th-31st) I'm particularly looking forward to trading at this festival. They've just announced that Grace Jones will be headlining but the rest of the line up also looks spot on! Particular resonance for me will be Grandmaster Flash. 'White Lines' is one of only two tracks that I've ever learned the words to ('Baggy Trousers' being the other). Will also be nice to see the Furries again. Last time I saw them live was in the Afan Lido, Port Talbot in 2005. After a grand stage entrance on a golf cart to the A-Team soundtrack, they proceeded with a mellifluous concert that culminated in the anthemic 'Don't Give A F*%k that sent the 3000 seater arena into madness! Which leads me nicely to the last artist that I'll be dusting off the weejuns for, Prince Buster. One of the original ska, rock steady pioneers Prince Buster will no doubt get all the old rude boys skanking in their birkenstocks.

MIDCENTURY MODERN SHOW

Sunday 29th March will once again see me trading at the Midcentury Modern Show. Set in the light and bright 60’s concrete and glass Christison-designed refectory and the South Cloisters at Dulwich College, Midcentury is fast establishing itself as the number one destination for sourcing the antiques of the future without the huge retail mark-up.

WALLPAPER ARTICLE

Nice bit of press recently. Okay, it was done back in Novemenber but I've never been one to shy away from a modicum of belated pomp. After a phonecall to them to try and generate a bit of exposure it turned out the relevant contact had seen the van and sampled one of fine cappuccinos the day before. To see the whole article.

LOVEBOX WEEKENDER

Just been confirmed that I will be trading at this years Lovebox weekender. Rolling deep in my Michelins with the Sourced Market alliance, I will be part of an ensemble of the finest vendors taken from the likes of Borough Market.

More events/festivals will be posted when confirmed.

NOT SMILING LIKE A CHESHIRE ST CAT

Sidle past the DVD sellers avoiding the glare of the Hi-Vis vests and every Sunday you'll find me on Cheshire St, E2. Quite often throughout the day people will ask if they can take a picture of the van but it came as complete surprise when an old friend emailed to say that there was small gallery of pics on Flickr. Having had a look through them I thought this one summed up the market nicely.