Broadway Market

Who has never heard of Notting Hill or Candem? These two are probably the most popular markets among no Londoners. I remember how excited I was about the markets the first time I came to the capital. I totally fell for Notting Hill market. The neighbourhood is really beautiful and the charm of those antiques pieces, unforgettable. I hate to be so cliché, but my friend and I even looked for the bookshop of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts “Notting Hill” movie (1999). Candem was not as charming, but it was good to appreciate the diversity of this big city. I have gone to Notting Hill or Candem markets just a couple of times since I moved here, there are many small not-so-popular markets to be discovered in the city that those two are not so appealing anymore.


Located in Hackney, (East London), Broadway Market is a really small, familiar and charming paradise for food lovers. This market, which dates from the 1890s, was first inaugurate by Fred Cooke, who started selling jellied eels. The market later grew to serve shepherds driving their flocks to the City of London. But by the Nineties only two stalls where selling their products.



In 2004, volunteers from the Broadway Market Traders’ and Residents’ Association revived the community. It has grown beyond expectations. It is now described as the most successful community market in London. And I am not surprised. If looking for clothes, this is not the best market because there are only a few stalls selling garments, -some interesting retro outfits and also stuff for babies- however, it is a great place to spot new fashion trends.

We got to Hackney Central station, only 10 minutes away from the market and after crossing London Fields, the delicious smell of food announced us that we were near of the market. Picking lunch there is quite difficult: from French crepes to German sausages and a great variety of Eastern food, it is hard to make a choice because everything looks and what is even worst, smells tasty. If the choice is cooking yourself, vegetables, cheese and organic eggs, and so meat and fish are sold aswell.

Time for dessert. What to go for? There are several stalls selling great looking homemade cupcakes, brownies, cakes and alike. I can confirm, without no doubt, that Violet’s cupcakes are really one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. I tried the soft, spongy base cupcake with an Indian Alphonso Mango icing. Yummy! They also have different cakes and cookies, even though their cupcakes are said to be their most brilliant product.

Apart from the market, that street is a great spot for special bookshops. The Broadway Bookshop is quite small and cozy, the atmosphere captivates you as soon as you get in, not any 3x2 best-sellers or any typical titles, a well-read staff willing to help, shelves full of books that make you dream and the inviting location makes you want to come back soon.

Highly recommended, write it down and if you ever come to London, just don't miss it.

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It's only art, but I like it

This weekend the Tate Modern has celebrated its 10th anniversary. Herzog and De Meuron were the architects in charge of the transformation of this former power station into the successful museum that is today. The Tate Modern building has become a symbol of London and the collection itself a reference in contemporary art around the world. Tate is always in the vanguard and for its tenth anniversary they organized "No Soul for Sale", a festival of independents. Defined as "neither a fair nor an exhibition", this convention of artists was a celebration for those who still believe in art beyond the restraints of the market. The noise at the Turbine Hall was a mixed of languages, from chinese to brazilian, -70 independent art spaces from all over the world were invited- and a mixed of art languages aswell, from performance to publications or simple art.

The participants showed their art without any partitions or walls among them, a very inspiring situation which was unavoidably food for thought. Sarcasm about the garbage TV, an installation which transported you to a noisy market just by using a pair of earphones or an amazingly beautiful bunch of roses were among my favourites. The Turbine Hall was a seething mass of people. Talks and film screenings completed the three-day-programme for Tate's anniversary. They made it clear: countries' borders have been diluted and distance is not a problem any longer. The no-walls, policy in this convention of artists made me dream. Honestly, this weekend I've seen the best side of globalisation.

Este fin de semana el museo Tate Modern ha celebrado su décimo aniversario. Herzog and De Meuron fueron los arquitectos encargados de transformar esta antigua central eléctrica en el exitoso museo que es hoy. El edificio en sí se ha convertido en uno de los símbolos del Londres moderno y su colección de arte contemporáneo una referencia en todo el mundo. La Tate está siempre a la vanguardia y para su aniversario organizaron "No Soul for Sale", un festival de independientes. Definido como "ni una exposición ni una feria", está convención de artistas fue una celebración para aquellos que aún creen en el arte más allá de las restricciones del mercado. El ruido en el Turbine Hall era una mezcla de idiomas, desde chino hasta brasileño -70 espacios artísticos de diferentes lugares del mundo estaban invitados- y una mezcla de lenguajes artísticos, desde performance hasta publicaciones o simple arte.

Los participantes mostraron su arte sin ninguna partición o muro entre ellos, una situación muy inspiradora que inevitablemente daba que pensar. Sarcasmo sobre la tele basura, una instalación que te transportaba, según ponías los cascos, a un mercadillo, no se sabía en qué parte del mundo, o un bonito ramo de rosas fueron mis favoritos. El Turbine Hall era un hervidero de gente. Charlas y proyecciones de películas completaron el programa de tres días para conmemorar el aniversario de la Tate. Y lo dejaron claro: las fronteras entre países se han diluido y las distancias ya no suponen un problema. La política de no paredes in esta convención de artistas me hizo soñar. Sinceramente, este año he visto la mejor cara de la globalización.

Legends

"To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much paper and ink" said J. B. Priestley on soccer.

Love it or hate it, football is a masses' sport in many countries around the world. Football can be glamorous, rude, sad, joyful... It's not as honest as it used to be, when Pelé or Maradona played (50s and 60s/80s). Many argue that football has lost its magic, that is all about marketing and making profits...and it might be. However, football is one of the few sports which is able to get together thousands of people in its stadiums, people who travel to another country to support their team, people whose only religion is watching football...

Now Louis Vuitton has launched a new series within its long term campaign about the company core's values, portraying three of the best football players of all times to celebrate the World Cup 2010. For this campaign, infamous portrait photographer Anne Leibovitz captures the essence of the celebrated football legends.

Football has lately become a sport intrinsically related to fashion. Maybe the Beckhams have a lot to do with that. Maybe its the Hollywood-esque way of life of many football players. I might sound slightly idealist here, but to me, football still has the spark and so does fashion. That's why this photo has made my day.

When the legends talk:

Every kid around the world who plays soccer wants to be Pele. I have a great responsibility to show them not just how to be like a soccer player, but how to be like a man.
Pele (Brazilian soccer player, considered possibly world's greatest)

The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, another bit by the head of Maradona.
Maradona (Argentinian soccer player, on goal against England in 1986 World Cup).

"You can't get bored of winning. You can win 10 games in a row but you keep the same will to snatch the 11th. You always need more." Zinedine Zidane (French football player)

"Decir que estos hombres pagaron sus chelines para ver a veintidós hombres darle patadas a un balón es como decir que un violín es madera y cuerdas, que Hamlet es papel y tinta". dijo J. B. Priestley sobre el fútbol.

El fútbol es un deporte que mueve masas en muchos países del mundo. O lo amas o lo odias. El fútbol puede ser glamuroso, bruto, triste, alegre... No es tan honesto como solía ser cuando Pelé o Maradona jugaban, allá por los años 50 y 60 uno, y durante los 80 el otro. Muchos dicen que el fútbol ha perdido su magia, que ahora todo se reduce a publicidad y a hacer beneficios... y podría ser. Sin embargo, el fútbol es uno de los pocos deportes que es capaz de reunir a miles de personas en sus estadios, gente que en ocasiones viaja de un país a otro para apoyar a su equipo, gente cuya una única religión es el fútbol...

Ahora Louis Vuitton ha inaugurado una nueva serie perteneciente a su campaña sobre los valores internos de su compañía. Esta vez el retrato muestra a tres de los mejores futbolistas de la historia (Pelé, Maradona y Zidane), en actitud relajada, jugando al futbolín. La célebre fotógrafa Annie Leibovitz fue la encargada de capturar la esencia de los tres astros del balón para esta campaña que celebra el Mundial 2010.

Últimamente el fútbol está unido intrínsecamente a la moda. Quizás los Beckham tengan algo que ver con ello. Puede que sea por el estilo de vida, un tanto hollywoodiense, de muchos jugadores. Puede que esto suene un poco idealista, peor yo aún veo la chispa en el fútbol y también en la moda. Por eso esta fotografía me ha alegrado el día.

No words need

Everyone has a price

Giorgio Armani has made a deal with the devil, a deal that made him loose his essence. Lady Gaga attended yesterday the MET ball in Armani. Was that Armani? Even if on his website it is said that Armani's spring/summer collection is inspired by Body Art, later it is mentioned that

This season Giorgio Armani creates a collection of pieces empowered by their cut and construction, essentially disciplined but at the same time possessing that special equilibrium achieved through perfectly balanced contrasts – exuberant, head turning, sumptuous. These styles are rich in colour and reference, texture of fabric (satin, taffeta, silk with stiffeners clad in double chiffon to support the structure) and elegant embroidery.
It is this perfectly judged fusion, where the dress has been taken apart and reconfigured without sloppiness or fluttery detail, which brings to mind an eccentric purity derived directly from the Bauhaus. With its pared down look, the geometric formula of the skirt creates movement and emphasises the three-dimensional form of the body, the shoulders slightly prominent or, for a more defined shape, precisely cut at an oblique angle. To underline the prevalence of short compact shapes, shorts are occasionally worn under svelte tunics

*Armani spring/summer 2010

You cannot really appreciate the cut or construction on this kind-of-jumpsuit but let's be honest, it is truly head turning. What is the aim of this outfit? The fast consumer society in which we live has speed up the metamorphosis: Lady Gaga is the natural heiress of Madonna. Madonna used to renew her look every time she had a new album. Lady Gaga radically changes her look every time she appears on stage. But was it necessary for Armani , a man whose company makes $1,6 billion a year, to radically change his style? Is Lady Gaga worth it?

Armani is well known (as said in the unreliable but popular source Wikipedia) "today for his clean, tailored lines". Another well known rule of marketing is making your brand distinctive and easily recognizable. Would you really say that this is Armani? I thought it was Tom Ford the one who had a thing for porno-chic.

It is understandable that he adjusts his designs to her need of shocking outfits, after all he's designing the wardrobe for her tour. However, he should never renounce his gist. What else have a designer, apart from his gist, in this ephemeral times we are living on?

*Lady Gaga in Armani Privé in the last edition of the Grammy Awards