Welcome to 2017! You made it through one of the strangest and let’s face it, gloomiest years in a long time – but you’re out the other side. It’s time to start fresh and make this year amazing. However, January blues are a real thing and with a belly full of cheese and crackers and a bank account that’s emptier than it’s been in a long time, January is always a hard one for Londoners. Well, for anyone really. But do not fear, there’s also something to do in London. There’s always something to make you feel healthier or simply get you out of the house. Here’s your end of January survival guide…

Free boot camp sessions

When January hits, you’ve drank all the gin and feel like a physical pig in blanket – what else is there to do but sweat it out? Boot camps are the perfect place for it. A lot of them offer a free trial class too – yay! It may seem impossible to do when there’s more ice than green grass outside, but put on an extra pair of socks and get going. Check out British Military Fitness for classes in 37 different locations, Fit for a Princess that’s for women only and Our Parks classes that are always free!

Hot yoga hopper

This much-loved form of yoga is a secret of the stars and is a blessing for sweating away all those Christmas drinks and gaining mindfulness and calm for the beginning of the year. It’s yoga but with heat… 40 degree heat to be precise and with only 40% humidity in the room. Take advantage of studios’ introductory offers and make it cost effective. There are so many located all around London so you can sample until your hearts content – or until you can perfect the downward dog. Some favourites are: Yoga Haven located in Clapham, Richmond and Islington who have a variety of different packages in their January sale and an introductory offer for new students. Hot Yoga Society in London Bridge offer 20 days membership for £35 and Hot Power Yoga which is a bit cooler than other studios (28 – 32 degrees) and have an introductory 30 day membership for just £40.

Sweaty Betty workout classes

Another free fitness class! London really is wanting us to get active. The workout brand offers free in-store classes with certified instructors. They have a class for everyone; from yoga to 80’s aerobics to bootcamp. Get sweaty and treat yourself to some shopping! You can book classes one day in advance and there’s classes at most branches in London. Check out their website to find out where, when and how to get your hands on a spot: http://www.sweatybetty.com/page/fynder/

Magical Lantern Festival

As the Christmas lights have dimmed and pavements are fast becoming Christmas tree grave yards, keep the spirit alive with a Magical Lantern Festival at Chiswick House and Gardens. Turns out you don’t have to be a Disney Princess to experience a lantern spectacular! From the 19^th January their doors will open for you to ‘Explore the Silk Road’ an adventure through Europe, Egypt, Persia, India and China. Keep an eye peeled for a luminous sculpture of the Houses of Parliament!  It runs until 26^th February and tickets are priced from £16.50.

House of Minalima

Calling all muggles! An exhibition of works by Minalima (responsible for the design collaboration on Harry Potter as well as the Fantastic Beasts phenomenon) is open and free for you to enjoy – but only until February 4^th! Hidden in Soho, in a creaky shack (no, it’s not the Weasley’s house) is the most intimate and interesting exhibition of them all. Crossed with a entrance gift shop and a gallery, this attraction showcases everything from props used in the films, prints of newspaper fronts from all the Potter films and all the memorabilia you cold wish to see. Honestly, it’s 3 stories high and full to the brim. The first floor is dedicated to Fantastic Beasts work whilst stories 2 and 3 is all about Potter. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop on your way out!

Alternative London Tour

Explore more of London, like we always say we will do. Delve into the lively East End and discover all that it has to offer from the experts. Alternative LDN have come together to show you what they love about their area; the graffiti, the sights and everything else in between. The guides are locals who are either involved in the local community or are well known street artists – they are the bible. They offer the tours on a pay-what-you-want basis, so if you think it’s great, then get out those notes. They offer their tours on foot, on bike, tours of pubs (my first choice) and even tours of the local graffiti. Visit http://www.alternativeldn.co.uk/ for more information.

La La Land

One of the hottest and most anticipated movies of the year (albeit we are only 9 days in…) is La La Land starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. I had to put this one in, as I am eagerly awaiting it’s release! Not only that, but I am still choosing which of London’s amazing cinema houses to watch it at. Electric Cinema in Portobello with foot stools and leather arm chairs, Picture House Clapham with carefully hand picked beer to accompany my film or maybe Rich Mix Cinema in Shoreditch for a real artist and film lover experience? If it’s as good as the critics are saying, I may just got to them all.

Natural History Museum

Farewell Dippy, the beloved dinosaur has been welcoming visitors to the museum for 120 years. He’s currently being flat-packed to be taken on a 2 year nationwide tour – well, we couldn’t keep him forever could we? His 3 and a half week dismantlement means that Hintze Hall, the famously intricate masterpiece, will be closed to visitors until he has been packed away.  We’re all sad to see Dippy leave the capital (after all, he is a capital fellow), but this is a reminder that we shouldn’t take the world-class, and best of all free, museum on our doorstop for granted.

Top Secret Comedy Club

Unfortunately, not so secret anymore! We all need a good laugh in January and this is a perfect night out with friends, date night or even a work night out – comedy is for everyone, after all. As it showcases some new, some unknown and some random stand ups, the tickets are very reasonable! On a Thursday, you can get an adult ticket for just £5, but are only £10 on other nights too. There’s a bar selling reasonable drinks and easy, central location – what more do you need?

One New Change

The frost is out and London has never looked so pretty than in Winter time, so why not look at our City from a brand new angle? One New Change is a beautiful shopping centre with an even better view. Bypass the shops (well, try…) and head to the glass elevator and ride it all the way to the top. There is the most perfect view of St Pauls – like you’re stood on top of it. Look to your left and London is open before your eyes. It’s a secret London spot.

The post Weekly London Affairs appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

Neon will never die in Gods [sic.] Own Junkyard. More wonderland than warehouse, gigantic disco balls hang between numerous clever and downright saucy signs that offer a glimpse into a collection that began over 50 years ago with a man named Dick Bracey.

The lights first fired up in 1958 behind the doors of Electro Signs, a business specializing in fairground and circus lettering. It was not long until Dick’s son, the late Chris Bracey, joined his father’s fluorescent line of work – clearly, neon flows through Bracey blood.

In the early 70s, [Chris] Bracey was after something more – carnivals were not the neon pinnacle. So he got his foot in the door of a very different, but no less riské scene – the heart of Soho. His clientele, including the infamous Kray brothers, were now as red lit as the signs themselves but it was only a matter of time before Bracey would seek to push the envelope further.

In 1998, American light artist, Bruce Nauman, was exhibiting at the Hayward Gallery on London’s Southbank. Neon featured heavily and Bracey realized the potential of neon to illuminate more than just sex in Soho. He began to salvage and restore film signs and experiment with materials such as gold leaf and radioactive krypton gas. The result was “Sodom and Gomorrah mixed with art” and the world could not get enough.

The works are available for hire and purchase although Bracey was renowned for once turning down a £30,000 offer for his “God Save the Queen” – each piece of artwork is a new love that he would have rather kept. While the price tag may be more than a little steep for the average punter, you can offer up your own things for a customized neon resurrection. Anything goes – from smashed car doors to wheelbarrows. Delightfully, neon has no limit.

Sadly, Chris Bracey passed away due to prostate cancer in 2014. His glowing legacy, however, carried forward by his wife, Linda, and two of his three sons, Matthew and Marcus, shines on.

This year is the third time that Gods Own Junkyard has returned to where it all began – the Soho Streets, the very soul of neon. The kick ass collection, in collaboration with art gallery, Lights of Soho, is called ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.’ Adding depth to the usual commercial festive displays, the exhibition pieces are a vivid finger to the dystopia of 2016.

Need to know

Exhibition: ‘Always Look On the Bright Side Of Life’: Lights of Soho, 35 Brewer Street, London

• Until January 23rd, 2017
• Opening Hours: 10am-6pm for public; after 6pm members’ only

Gods Own Junkyard: Unit 12, Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, London E17 9HQ

• Opening Hours: Friday & Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 11am-6pm
• Grab a bite to eat at The Rolling Scones Café found within the enclave

If you would like to make a donation to Prostate Cancer UK on behalf of Chris Bracey, you can do so here.

All photos are courtesy of Gods Own Junkyard

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Kamile Kaselyte, 23, describes herself, as an “accidental fashion insider.” Her rushed, last minute choice to study fashion business at Istituto Marangoni London campus has evolved into an intriguing relationship with the fashion industry. She calls it a full-time marriage as since then it has taken over her life. When asked about her first job, Kamile tells The Urban Watch that when she was 18-years-old, she was confident enough to stop the CEO of Bottega Veneta at a store opening to hand in her business card, leading to a sales internship at the label. While still at the university, she was already organising sales campaigns for TOM FORD and screening people’s, who were double her age, CVs at Kering fashion conglomerate.

Her fast-paced life has not changed since. Kamile spends most of her days overseeing marketing for the influential French fashion magazine L’OFFICIEL, mingling with fashion influencers and curating her two promising fashion start-ups. Today we sit down with Kamile, a young aspiring entrepreneur, to find out how to carve out your own niche in this competitive industry.

For some, fashion means nothing more than a pair of nice shoes. For others – it’s a way of living. What does fashion industry mean to you?  

I did a degree in fashion business and my first take on fashion was that it is business. It’s a perspective that very few people have before starting out, but I think it’s essential to understand that it’s based on the principles of business. Once you have this understanding, it sets you apart from others.

But, of course, that’s not the reason to fall for fashion. For me, fashion is about finding your identity. And the most fascinating thing is that it works not only for customers wearing labels; from designers sending unique messages or brands selling their well – packaged dreams, to bloggers turning into influencers only when their identities speak beyond repetitiveness.

If you had to summarise in two sentences what you do, what would you say?

I am a freelancer and an aspiring entrepreneur in fashion business. My areas of interest are PR, marketing and new fashion ventures.

What is your unique selling point?

I think my uniqueness comes from the fact that I don’t have one tagline and I have done many things in the industry. It’s harder to tell what I have NOT worked on. I may not have heard what affiliate marketing is three years ago, yet my start-up Share2Style is now based on that: we help fashion bloggers advertise thousands of brands with a purpose of monetising their influence. With each project, you learn something that broadens your mind.

When we started our second start-up with a focus on virtual styling, I still wouldn’t believe in securing funds so quickly. As a result, we are in the process of building something really exciting. So, I guess that my unique selling point is about being all – having a well-rounded personality, trying things out and attempting to understand how different things come together to shape the fashion world.

You have your hands dipped into so many different fields, from PR and sales to styling to running a start-up. Is it a sign of boredom or expertise? 

Sometimes people limit themselves with one career path and I choose not to, because I like to think I can explore things. If I can give my very best to a few projects at the same time – I would prefer to do so. These days it’s about being everywhere, doing things that keep you excited because you don’t know where it’s going to end. It’s the era of freelancing, entrepreneurship and #GirlBoss attitude. But it’s good to remember to stick to one industry and mine is definitely fashion.

These days it’s about being everywhere, doing things that keep you excited because you don’t know where it’s going to end. It’s the era of freelancing, entrepreneurship and #GirlBoss attitude.

What is the hardest stereotype you had to fight in the industry? Can the fashion industry overcome it? 

There are many stereotypes in the fashion industry. But what really struck me when I first came to London was the feeling that the world of fashion belongs to somewhat exclusive group of people and that it’s extremely difficult to become one of them. This industry is not what it seems to be – you don’t need to be 5’10 tall or dressed from head to toe in Alexander McQueen. But I only understood it when I landed my first internship at TOM FORD. I met the people who shape the industry and they were nothing like The Devil Wears Prada characters. They were more real: intelligent, but fun, maybe competitive, but always fair.

These days’ social media makes a great impact on what people think or believe. If people were to think and dig deeper before sharing and shouting out loud about things they never experienced, many stereotypes would be almost non-existent. It’s good to talk about things, yet some really bizarre messages become viral that way. And that’s very much applicable in fashion. That’s where people start believing in stereotypes and labelling things.

If people were to think and dig deeper before sharing and shouting out loud about things they never experienced, many stereotypes would be almost non-existent.

What are 3 best pieces of advice you can tell anyone who would like to break into the fashion world?   

1. Set no limits. Experience matters, but attitude is everything. These days nobody can stop you from knocking on the doors of fashion houses, sending thousands of e-mails, contacting people on LinkedIn or inviting a CEO for a coffee to discuss future opportunities.

2. Be Fashion is the industry where unique selling point matters. Speak more languages; know the cool designers before they become mainstream and know how to differentiate yourself in your field. 

3. Build solid online presence. If I can’t find you on Google – then more or less you do not exist. Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, personal page/blog and even what you share on Facebook – it does  Additionally, it’s good to establish your expertise by posting on professional networks, like Quora.

And best non-career related advice for loving life and 2017? 

Don’t say yes when you want to say no. Life is about doing things that make you happy and being with people that inspire you.

Fashion Weeks: 3 DO’s and 3 DON’Ts 

Do look impeccable.

Do research about designers before attending their shows.

Do network with people around you.

Don’t take many selfies or pictures with celebrities.

Don’t forget to put mini snacks in your bag to keep you going throughout the day.

Don’t come late to fashion shows or presentations: since you won’t get in or your seat will be taken.  Being ‘fashionably late’ does not work here.

What job would you choose outside the fashion industry?  

I think I’d be a film director. I am fascinated by cinema and for years I had this secret hobby of creating short movies. Somewhere in my house I still have my Hollywood Film Institute diploma reminding my passion for aesthetics, fictional stories and evoked emotions. In a sense, it’s very much like fashion.

What is your guilty pleasure? 

My guilty pleasure is binge – watching the TV series I like. I honestly can’t stop if the plot is gripping.

How do you see the fashion industry changing? Is fashion-tech the next big thing to watch out?  

I see those changes from two different perspectives. The first one is that we are going through a phase where designers, models and even marketers radiate different standards of beauty. And this beauty is about defects, global problems, and, undoubtedly, uniqueness.

And the second one is definitely about being digital, tech-savvy, geared towards artificial intelligence, complex algorithms and virtual reality. I find it fascinating since fashion is so dependent on consumers. Eventually, we are starting to give customers 360 – degree experiences and at the same time we get so many insights on who they are and what they crave for. That’s when fashion becomes even more meaningful.

What is it like being a woman in the fashion industry? Have you experienced any sexism?

It’s one of those industries you would expect to be associated mainly with women. Even though fashion seems perfectly tailored for us, dominance in design – lead or other executive positions belong to men. But that doesn’t change the feeling of being in it: we represent the dreams, the glamour and at the same time we make decisions that eventually shape the face of fashion. For me— it’s empowering.

Have I experienced sexism? I thought I was being treated in a sexist way when I went for a final job interview round in Amsterdam at one of the most respected fashion corporations. After a good deal of tests and in depth interviews, they shortlisted me and another candidate who was male. When he was announced to take my dream job at the time, I immediately requested feedback. I knew my scores from tests and interviews were equal compared to my male counterpart’s. When I heard rumours that for a three – year role they’d prefer to take a man just in case a woman decided to take maternity leave— it left me speechless. But I have to acknowledge the fact that the line is always very thin and it may simply have been my character traits that didn’t open those doors for me back then.

Is the fashion industry making it work for plus-size women? Tim Gunn, Emmy-winning co-host of the show Project Runway, says it is not.

Absolutely not. Fashion industry has made some efforts, but definitely not something significant, sustainable or impactful for plus – size women to appear on the catwalks or billboards. But it’s a long process – it’s similar to overcoming stereotypes.

Edited by Demi Vitkute

The post Kamile Kaselyte: Breaking Stereotypes in the Fashion Industry appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

At Camden Lock Market, take a left after the freshly squeezed orange juice stand and you will find the best (and possibly the tiniest) cookie bar in London and the World, Cookies & Scream.

Two teenagers are behind the bar. One, a girl with blue hair and tattoos from her forearms to her fingertips, and the other a pallid boy with thick black hair casually spiked out. They create the punk-goth vibe as much as the hand-chalked skulls that decorate the menu.

Picture stacks upon stacks of cookies and a really good-looking selection of cakes, brownies, pies and doughnuts (the full range is available at their larger Holloway Road location.) You can get your cookie or donut fix in an  ice cream sandwich form!

All products are free of gluten, wheat and refined sugar and nothing contains animal products. So that’s no butter, no eggs, no real chocolate and, what’s more, everything is low fat… not that you would notice.

Vegan never looked so sinful.

Deciding what to get is going to be the hardest decision of your life. Fortunately, you can always come back another day to pick up whatever you couldn’t fit in. You need a slice of their Cookie Pie in your life. It’s a thick-as-f#*k cookie that oozes melted choc and peanut butter. So. Freaking. Delicious.

And then there’s the TO DIE FOR cherry-almond blondie (do get it heated) and a tonne of Scream Shakes that are so wonderful that you will want to take them intravenously. Their old school vanilla comes highly recommended.

Note that their products do contain nuts and soya so, sadly, you might have to give this place a miss if you have allergies.

Insider Tip: For a change from the ubiquitous underground and busses, you may like to take a canal boat from Little Venice to Camden Lock. It takes 55 minutes and costs around £8.50 depending on which company you go with. Timetables can vary according to seasons so be sure to look it up before you go. 

Cookies & Scream, £

Locations:

The Market Hall, Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF

10-5pm daily*

130 Holloway Road, N78JE

10.30-7pm daily, Saturday 10-8pm*

*Check their instagram for updated opening hours.

http://www.cookiesandscream.com/

The post Cookies & Scream: Vegan Never Looked so Sinful appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

“The Choir with No Name (CWNN) runs choirs for people who have experienced homelessness and other men and women on the margins of society[…] Our first choir – in King’s Cross, London – was founded in 2008 by Marie Benton, a professional musician and at the time also a senior project worker at homeless accommodation provider St Mungo’s.”

Christmas brings up all manner of feelings up from our past, present and future years. If Christmas is about family, peace and joy? Splendid. If your Christmas is vile and star spangled? Aces! If your Christmas is a mishmash of traditions, emotions, waifs and strays? Snap.

Proudly, fellow Londoners give time, food and heart to charities and make a humungous difference each year. The groundwork for our seasonal good will, amongst others, was laid by Charles Dickens. Unlike him, my words will fade and my ideas will remain in the ether, but, my greatest hope is that my words will touch one person and inspire a talking point.

A Christmas Carol is, without a doubt, the most beloved of family favourites. It has given Bill Murray, Michael Caine and the Muppets a stage for our delight. The tale was crafted by a Dickensian wordsmith, but, could easily be penned in London today.

Dickens helped build The Ragged School, providing free education for children in the inner-city.  The movement got its name from the way the children attending the school were dressed. Most of us, me very much included, are unexplainably blessed to be part of a Christmas story, or, many different Christmas stories. We have all the makings of a white Christmas, but, sway much more joyfully towards Bad Santa.

The author directing my words would say that,” Every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” But, I like to think that even the greatest misers amongst us, can still find a little magic.

On a Tuesday evening in 2010, there was a carolling unfolding in the backstreets of Kings Cross. There were no bells and whistles, there was mulled wine and stale mince pies. The first and last carols belted out were those lovingly conducted for The Choir with No Name by one Marie Benton. On that day, London stood proudly Dickensian, a “good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.” I can’t say it better, so, I’ll revert to the unsung folk behind The Choir with No Name.  Its foundations are being built by those people. Its history and imagination should be described by those people.

Not one person that I know is free from vices…greed, gluttony, selfishness, envy…

Whether it be Dickens, Marie Benton, or, me… there are occasions amid idle whims and ridiculous dreams that make ragged and unconventional things utterly extraordinary. This Christmas Carol is perfect. It has ragged and eccentrically shambolic inclinations and welcomes the unfashionable kinks, troubles, joys, adventures and catastrophes that make life a bit awkward. It has the balls to be unconventional and weird even though this is the one time of year that has a step by step guide attached to it.

From humble begins, so much can flourish. The Choir with no Name, formerly of the streets of London is slowly and sensationally spreading its very simple message of equality, hope and faith as it unities displaced, distressed and downtrodden communities with the simple goodness and care. It’s not really that complicated… however many centuries we seem to drag it out!

Dickens had this to say about A Christmas Carol: I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. At the time that he wrote A Christmas Carol he was very concerned with impoverished children who turned to crime and delinquency in order to survive. “This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want.”

The post What the Dickens… The Choir With No Name appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

There is a definite chill in the air, and, dare I say it, I am beginning to think of Christmas. As temperatures plummet again, the bookies have slashed the odds on a white Christmas.

I am a fan of the Christmases of yesteryear, and, despite the odds, I still have a little faith squirrelled for a white Christmas. This season, the snow bunnies at Crystal Ski Holidays have teamed up with the Met Office to create the ultimate snow calculator, Remember That December?  

Remember That December? has analyzed 25 years’ worth of snowfall and depth data from the to look in detail at the three most memorable white Christmases as well as attempting to calculate the likelihood of snow on the big day.

Martin Nolan from Crystal said, “The will-it, won’t-it aspect of snow on Christmas Day is something that Brits talk about every year. Here at Crystal, snow is vitally important for our business so we wanted to create something fun that would celebrate this. The experts at the Met Office know that snow is notoriously one of the most difficult types of weather to forecast, but we hope that our fun snow calculator will help those wondering about a white Christmas.”

Using Met Office’s historical data, the Snow Calculator shows that there’s good news for Scotland— with many regions seeing a high chance of snow (55 percent). The East of England also has a good chance of a white Christmas— 26 percent likely that they’ll see the white stuff. Although for people in Yorkshire & The Humber, East Midlands and North Wales there will be no winter wonderland as they all welcome only a 9 percent chance of snow. The South suffers a similar fate with South Wales and the South West seeing a 12 and 14 percent likelihood of snow. Away from the Highlands it’s only the North East and the West Midlands with odds of snow nearing 20 percent.

Rosalie Fairbairn, Partnership Communications Manager at the Met Office said about their involvement in the campaign:

“We were delighted to help with Crystal Ski Holidays’ fun Christmas campaign that celebrates the positive side of snowfall in the UK. Although we cannot endorse any of the predictions made by the snow calculator, and we know in the UK that weather history isn’t a great way of predicting the weather future, we’re pleased our historical data can give people a nostalgic trip down memory lane to Christmases of the recent past. The snow calculator is a bit of fun but as Christmas Day gets nearer you can find out if snow is actually forecast by visiting the Met Office website.”

Keep an eye out, Remember That December?

The post Snow or No Snow? That is the Question! appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

“All sorrows are less with bread,” claimed Cervantes in the 1500s. Our obsession with the Chelsea (area in southwest London) bun and New York bagel prove that more than five hundred years later, Cervantes is still right… but which snack is a bite above the rest? Let’s take a deeper look.

Chelsea buns can be traced back to the 1700s, to the Old Chelsea Bun House bakery where 50,000 people, Hanoverian royalty among them, turned up to queue for the first baker’s dozen. The buns, often paired with hot cross buns to celebrate Easter, quickly achieved cult status with a following to match. A strong police force was required to keep the Good Friday queues calm; the buns themselves were sold out of shutters in the side of the bakery lest riots ensued.

While Chelsea buns have been whipping crowds into a frenzy since their inception, bagels have also charmed the masses for decades. Bagels made such an impression that in the early 1900s, a select group of people decided that they liked them so much that they would, effectively, put a ring on it.

Cue the International Beigel [sic] Bakers’ Union. For years, bagel production in New York was tightly controlled by this bagel monopoly. An exclusive society, only sons of the original members were allowed to join the fold; wannabe bagel-bakers were threatened with broken legs if it appeared they were going to be baking their own bagels on the sly.

What about the bun and bagel of today? Both, in fact, are bastardized versions of their ancestors; the two have been super-sized and reinvented in crazy flavors at the behest of hangry Instagrammers, outraging bagel and bun purists alike. A blogger even called for government action, proclaiming, “This kind of perversity should be prohibited by law.”

One of the most controversial elements in this bread-ataclysm came out of Lender’s Bagel Factory. They opted to steam rather than hand-roll and boil the dough, managing to double if not triple the output of their traditionalist neighbors. The resulting “roll with a hole,” however, lacks the iconic chewiness of its predecessor, a loss that Mimi Sheraton, former New York Times’ restaurant critic, finds to be “completely deplorable.” We wonder what Sheraton would have to say about the rainbow bagel deviants that ‘broke’ Instagram this past year.

Bagels may prove more popular online but the Chelsea bun is no less revered. Since its inception, it quickly became a literary muse, popping up in the works of Charles Dickens, Anne Manning and Lewis Carroll. In the 1700s, a local poet even wrote an ode to the humble Chelsea:

Fragrant as honey and sweeter in taste!

As flaky and white as if baked by the light,

As the flesh of an infant soft, doughy and slight.

            – Anon.

Candid, artistic and not just a little disturbing (“flesh of an infant”?!) this poem is the icing on the proverbial Chelsea bun.

So, let’s review. The Chelsea bun wins the tale of the origins because the fact that Chelsea buns caused actual bun fights is too good to go unrewarded. The bagel also gets a point, however, for having a history that enabled a Beyoncé reference. And so we arrive at a tie but there can be only one winner and when it comes down to the wire, nothing beats a bagel in our books, not even the poetic creations of sheer bun-induced madness. Roll on bagels! We salute you.

Edited by Ivy Joseph & Demi Vitkute

The post New York Bagel or Chelsea Bun? appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

I have been talking about it for weeks, my housemates have been eating mince pies since they hit the shelves – but this week it’s officially the start of Christmas. I hope you have all been getting festive and enjoying the magical, joyful, and downright amazing things that London has to offer. Even a stroll down Regent Street will get you in the Christmas mood. But don’t worry, even if this is not your most favourite time of the year, there’s so much going on this week that will keep you occupied.

1. The London Shuffle Club, Shoreditch

If you, like me, thought Shuffle boarding was just for OAP’s in retirement homes then prepared to be very surprised. Of course London has taken something completely random and unknown and made it cool – it’s what we’re good at! this is 21,000 square feet of fun, drinks and (just to make it that much better) pizza. Prepare yourself for your new favourite night out. There are 8 shuffleboard courts, 2 corn hole courts and a 22ft table shuffleboard.  Just before you think this is boring exercise that you won’t be good at – there’s also a motorbike serving process to all of those in need of alcohol, a DJ booth to keep you boogying ad a pizza kitchen to keep you fuelled. Who knew physical exercise could be this fun? A court and a margarita please!

There’s no need to book a court – just show up! But, if you are the organised kind and like to prebook, every booking receives a complimentary shuffleboard lesson courtesy of their in-house shuffleboard specialists. You’ll be a pro in no time.

www.londonshuffle.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMi6XadDOfA/?taken-by=ldnshuffle

2. Trainspotting LIVE (£25.00 at The Vaults, Waterloo)

This has been receiving rave reviews; according to Box Dust it’s ‘seventy-five of the most intense, funny, and moving minutes of theatre’. Brought to you by In Your Face Theatre’s Scottish cast for the 21st anniversary production this brutal, raw and unapologetic version of the legendary book, play and film is an experience in itself. This is not your regular theatre showing – it’s interactive (yep, even the ‘worst toilet in Scotland’ scene…) as the audience you will be immersed in the story and the characters. If you’re a fan of the story, and can’t wait for Trainspotting 2, quench your cravings with this beauty. The show is set in The Vaults in Waterloo and the tickets are £25, it’s a bargain not to miss! The show is running until 15th January. Book your tickets at their website: http://www.trainspottinglive.com

3. The Drop Off

Here’s another chance to get fully involved in a theatre experience; for you to create the excitement of an adventurous night. The Immersive Ensemble are back with their biggest setting yet and it’s set to be the best. Become the lead actor in the newest interactive show in London; with over 9 million extras and a mission that will take you on trains and boats, it’s a mysterious night to remember. This time, you’ll be stepping into shoes of some of England’s most loved characters and making your way around Central London pursuing leads, solving problems, interacting with theatre actors at every turn; even seeing some iconic and famous sights on the way, as well as a few drinks provided for you on the way. The plot will take you to some of the most famous places but some unknown territory in London too – this is before you embark on a high escape provided by Thames Rockets. With only 12 tickets for each date, it couldn’t get more intimate. Tickets are priced at £65 (over 18’s only).

4. Love Actually at The Exhibit, Balham – 4^thDecember

It wouldn’t be my weekly list if I didn’t include a Christmas activity, now would it? This one is extra special as it’s one of my all-time favourite Christmas films. The Exhibit in Balham is an independent cinema, bar and restaurant – what does it not do?! Located right next to the tube and train station in the centre of Balham, it’s the perfect place for a rendezvous. Get your cinema ticket on their website for £9 or if you are really feeling the Sunday fun get yourself a ticket and a mini bottle of Prosecco for £15! Whilst you’re in Balham on Sunday, look out for the switching on of their Christmas lights – watch the cute streets light up for December!

The post What Not to Miss This Week in London appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

1. Ginny and Caro

After being in great careers within large companies for over 20 years, Ginny and Caro decided to quit and start a new life where they could better spend their time serving their communities with wild food.

Inspired by “fruits, nature and culinary heritage” they built Wild at Heart Foods in 2011, a start-up that manufactures and sells traditional homemade accompaniments for meats and cheeses.

“We realized wild things had became very trendy but people were scared to pick things for themselves, and we wanted to help people eat wild things,” says Ginny while she kindly offering me a cracker dipped in their new wild garlic mayonnaise.

Their range of products includes natural and wholesome chutneys, wild garlic pesto, mayonnaise, relishes, preserves, jellies and fruit cheeses. You can buy their products at Lakeland, Selfridges or online.

2. Froosh

Inspired by everything fruit; Froosh specialize in 100% fruit bottling and nothing else. All natural fruit smoothies with no additives, no sugar and not from concentrate.

Froosh Smoothies is an independent Swedish company with more than 60 percent market share in Scandinavia. According to their website, Froosh Smoothies “give consumers a convenient, delicious and healthy way to get more fruit into their diet and make it a little easier to live a healthy life.”

After being offered a sample of the Starfruit &Yuzu, I could taste the ripeness of a mix of tropical fruits as if just freshly squeezed off the trees. A must have for healthy eaters and drinkers who want to save time and effort with an instant smoothie.

Among their combinations are mango and orange, pineapple, banana and coconut, blueberry and raspberry, and orange, carrot and ginger. Plus there are fruits you’ve never heard of, like Yoozo – a citrus fruit from Japan. The complete range can be found here.

Find Froosh in specialty retail stores like whole foods and Harvey Nichols or contact them directly at info@froosh.com

Froosh not only specialize in award-winning smoothies but also in helping developing nations. They base their business on the trade not aid concept. “We want to purchase products which come from the developing countries and bring them out of poverty by buying their products,” says Christian Iönne, Froosh’s Export Manager who’s bringing a new definition of healthy smoothies to the UK market.

3.  Pulsin

“We started off just making energy balls in one of our mums’ kitchens in Gloucester; replacing bad confectionary snacks with healthy foods,” Andrew Powell, Business Development Executive at Pulsin says.

Tired of looking for an all natural and all healthy snack? Be tired no more – a protein bar from Pulsin will ensure you are stocked with enough energy for a hectic day. According to their website they use the best quality, natural non GM or ingredients, shaving minutes off your next healthy snack search at the food store.

They make a wide range of plant-based protein bars that promise to “give you sustained energy release, strengthen your immune system, make you feel fuller for longer, support healthy body function, boost your brainpower and enrich your life.”

But that’s not all. The good guys at Pulsin didn’t forget about the next generation, and have created a variety of delicious, healthy bars for kids. Also if you are a busy gym goer and want a quick whey protein boost during a golden hour, Pulsin have got you covered with their muscle recovery drink

Check their website to buy directly or go to Wholefoods or Planet Organic.

4. Nomnom Chocolates

What does it take to turn an old deserted factory into a successful business? A team of youngsters all under the age of 25 have built a start-up around their passion and favorite snack: Nomnom Chocolates.

“We like our confectionary bitter and our companies sweet which is why we want our little company to be owned by the people that enjoy our chocolate,” Liam Burgess, Nomnom Founder says.

These guys are so dedicated that everything is done by hand, from blending the best cacao beans in the world to even the wrapping. The bars are hand wrapped individually in a golden thin foil to seal ridiculously good chocolate.

After a taste of the orange marmalade filled chocolate; I couldn’t help but finish the whole 110-gram indulgence in under a minute.

Order today here or on Facebook, for yourself or someone you care about. The taste will take you to another level of chocolate consciousness.

5. Dark Woods Coffee

Particular about your morning coffee? Ever thought about having a relationship with coffee that isn’t via Starbuck’s or Costa? Have you wondered what separates good coffee from real good coffee? Dark Woods Coffee does exactly that.

“When we started, we wanted to go down the middle. Mid roast designed to have the freshness and fruitiness of quality coffee, which would work better with milk but not a roast so dark as to destroy the character of the coffe,” says Paul Meikle-Janney, Managing Director, who has been making coffee for 18 years. While he brewed me a long black expresso, the smell was so good that I’d picked up a bag of the Good Morning Sunshine blend before I’d even tasted it.

In London Dark Woods coffee can be found in Harrods. It’s also available in lots of farm shops and can be purchased online.

6. Olly’s olives

One of the most enthusiastic people I met at the fair was Oliver Hiscocks. He quit his full time job and founded Olly’s olives,  admitting “I am an absolute olive fanatic.”

His daily passion for olives starts at 6 a.m. in the morning  when he gets up, heads to the production unit, gathers the olives and marinates them all by himself with no additives, preservatives or chemicals. He just makes “natural olives in fresh and flavorsome marinades.”

Olly wants to revolutionize the way we incorporate olives in our daily eating. “I was bored with olives and someone needed to jazz it up, shake it up and help olives achieve 100 percent of their potential,” says the 24-year-old entrepreneur.  He offers six different flavors – Fiery Chili, Garlic & Basil, Sweet Ginger with Chili & Spring onion, Gherkins & Pesto, Silverskin Onions & Vinegar, Honey & Lemon.

“Olives have been around for centuries and those Ancient Greeks didn’t have any chemicals at hand to quicken the process. We are following in their footsteps to make sure our olives are produced in the most natural way possible. This not only looks after them but also gives you the best tasting olives,” adds Olly.

Try a box today and don’t blame me for the addiction; blame the maker.

7.  Upwards!

Upwards! provide amazingly scrumptious, all natural gluten-free calzones oozing with delicious fillings wrapped in a perfectly crispy pizza base. The innovative packaging means they can be freshly heated from frozen, becoming crisp and crunchy in just 3 minutes flat.’ So says Geoff Hunt, Upwards Founder.

There are four indulgent flavors to make your on the go snacking experience one to remember: Hunter’s Chicken packed with olives, garlic, peppers and onions.  Greens & Grains with Kale, spinach and cream cheese. Margherita plus with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onion. Lastly, for the sweet toothed – and my personal favorite, Hazelnut & Creamy Chocolate.

The product is about to hit the market, and you can order by contacting Geoff on geoff@upwardsfoods.co.uk or visiting Upwards Foods.

8. Nina Bakery

While cruising around the many food and drinks stands, I lay my eyes on Nina Bakery, producers of authentic stone oven Pita bread from Israel since the 1930’s.

The fresh smell was present all around the stand and I couldn’t resist trying the artisan six centimeter pita filled with cream cheese and strawberries. “Our pitas are baked according to a special slow baking process in authentic stone ovens. Both this and an old, well kept family recipe provide the most delicious pita,” a young Israeli lady at the stand tells me.

After the bread is warmed it’s so easy to cut open by hand, – no need for a knife. The bread is also firm and won’t break easily, meaning you can fill it with as much as you’d like.

The bread comes in many different shapes and sizes. “If you would like to provide your customers with an artisanal product, slow baked in a stone oven, with the best quality entirely natural ingredients, for almost 80 years according to a family recipe, you should have them experience the Nina pita” says Marlies Wolters of Nina Bakery Europe. For more details visit www.ninabakery.eu

9.  Poptang

Staying in on the weekend and watching the latest hit on Netflix? Grab some of the new – and only, tangy popcorn on the market. Poptang, a tangy, fruity flavored and yummy popcorn.

Currently Poptang comes in two delicious flavors – orange and apple, both in 20g and 70g packs. You can find them in major supermarkets but be warned, they’re surprisingly addictive!

10. Tyga

Fan of Indian food? Want to create authentic dishes yourself? Then order the new meal kits by Tyga: Beautiful spice and paste blends posted to your home so you can cook up delicious curry recipes with half the faff. Just add a few fresh items.

The recipes change every month and are created, inspired and infused by Matt Griffiths and his wife, who love everything Indian.

Matt likes to keep things simple. By following the 3 steps below, he promises to up-skill your cooking experience.

The idea is:

• Tyga chefs create mouthwatering recipes using authentic ingredients
• The ingredients are smartly packed in Tyga spice boxes and delivered to your door
• Then they’re prepared by you. Just add a few fresh items and follow the chefs at Tyga.tv

Follow their latest recipes and watch training videos on their Facebook page.

Edited by Sarah Huntington

The post 10 of London’s Most Creative Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories of Success appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

Celebrate Shakespeare at the National Theatre with a free app for iPad and iPhone – now available to download.

2016 seems to be the year of every British literary anniversary, including the 400^th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. So it is with joy that we welcome the latest tool for sharing the stories, secrets and innovations of the Bard.

Designed and expertly curated by the National Theatre, the free app allows users to access an incredible archive of Shakespearean works via a modern channel.

After 55 main-house Shakespeare productions, the NT has cast the likes of Peter O’Toole, Sam Mendes, Maggie Smith and Derek Jacobi, remaining true to the roots and ideals that emanate from Shakespeare’s lines.

The app is packed with videos, production photographs, costume and set designs, annotated scripts and more. It gives a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the NT and demonstrates Shakespeare’s continuing relevance to the modern stage.

The National Theatre Shakespeare app is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The NT is part of the Shakespeare400 partnership coordinated by King’s College London.

Edited by Sarah Huntington

The post The National Theatre Introduces Shakespeare App appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.