The Staple - Liberty

Palace of Dreams

I've touched on the joy of shopping at Liberty before, but this past week has really seen a zenith in my appreciation of the store. The Christmas cardholders event was an absolute pleasure, free glasses of wine, beautiful objects wherever you cast your eye, gorgeous guests and staff, and some of the most civilised shopping surroundings possibly anywhere. Particular highlights were seeing my dream sofa - previously discussed with a friend a couple of days ago - and more or less faling in love with it; a button-backed Chesterfield chaise longue in thick cerise velvet. Unfortunately at £2650, it costs almost 6 months worth of rent. One can dream. However, the Christmas shop yielded some gorgeous decorations and gifty items; as did the stationery department. As did the cosmetics and beauty hall. As did, almost, the menswear hall. And the shoe department. It's not just exceptional well bought-in and selected pieces that make Liberty great, but the entire experience of civility and hallowed surroundings or a gorgeous Arts and Crafts building. Liberty has a presence that Selfridges and Harvey Nichols with their steel and glass and marble and thick swathes of people and music just cannot match. The one thing that could make it better would be a well-stocked magazine department, and possibly a better area for men's grooming. But, this would merely be fiddling with perfection. Liberty is, quite simply, diving and I urge you to visit it at some stage over Chrtistmas to escape the histle and pick up some truly fabulous gifts. Other Staples:
Liberty department store
HOPS! pub in Covent Garden
Rediscovering the first Bloc Party album, 'Silent Alarm'
A green, double-breasted winter coat
Julien Maclaren-Ross' 'Bitten By The Tarantula'
The George on Great Portland St.
Seeing old Bond films on ITV - Christmas is here!

The Staple - Apple

[Insert Apple pun here]

So, as a result of the deathly illness that has struck me, I've spent nights in with my trusty laptop on which I am typing now, and I've been reminded just how important the internet, and available access to it have become. The free wifi has been a little intermittent this week, and without it, I've felt more isolated than I expected. However, typing as I am now, with a full fan of internet signal, sitting on my bed with the Mac balanced on a B-Store shoebox and the Guillemots in the background, I'm reminded of just how lovely it is to have this invisible connection with the world. And, perhaps more importantly, a device so ergonomic and efficient that if my wifi disappears here, I can pack up and go to Camino (or anywhere with interweb) and set up in 30 seconds. There's something appropriately edible about Apples; the glossy finish, soft touch and veritable malleability which makes using them a complete pleasure to use. The idea of a fully portable, uncomplicated portal which can store all my music, photos, writing and can allow me to book tickets, talk to my mates, do my banking, shop, meet people, even work is fabulous. And the added bonus of looking like a spare prop from 2001 is the icing on the cake. I am truly a convert; after years of crashing, boxy beige PCs and constantly breaking laptops, Apples really are top banana. Other, less pun-worthy Staples this week:
Apple laptops
The Baz Luhrman-directed Chanel No. 5 advert
Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes
A diamante spider brooch
Thornton's Advent calendars
Ian Curtis' biopic, 'Control'
Nutella

The Staple - Throat Spray

Cold Comfort Advice

Unfortunately, it's finally hit me. That fucking cold that goes around the office, gradually taking out your podmate and your boss, but which you seem to stay immune from. I staved it off during the weekend, but three nights of varying degrees and genres of indulgence have done it. My tonsils are back and this time they're bigger than before. I've been through this many times; I've no idea why. I think it might have something to do with a slightly hectic lifestyle, not really eating properly (different types of cheese for dinner and lunch is not a varied diet), but every few months or so, my tonsils suddenly decide to take over my throat and stop anything being enjoyable. I'm always quick to dose up with spoonfuls of honey, Dolitabs (miraculously tasty French paracetomol), vitamin C, Echinacea, Strepsils, Lemsip, and whatever else I have lying around in the cupboards, but this stuff is the best. It tastes so minty that it makes your eyes water; and spraying it into your throat is not the most attractive of propositions, but damn, it's good. It's immediate, portable, and a fetching shade of emerald green. The only bad part is that as I'm writing this, it's in my desk drawer at work; a photo will follow shortly. It's neither glamorous, nor expensive, but this is the one thing that I have for colds that I know is actually going to make me feel better. Once again, Boots prove that they are the best in the land. All hail the pharmacists! Aside from a stinking cold, other Staples this week include:
Antiseptic throat spray
Brora grey cashmere wristwarmers
Obscure Teutonic bleeps from a certain curly-haired mate's iPod
The Big Chill House in King's Cross
Having friends who can help with legal stuff
Hovis 'Seed Sensations' bread
A hot, well-brewed, sweet cup of tea

The Staple - Duvel

An Evening With...

So Saturday night was upon us, and after a little light retail therapy along the python of Oxford Street, we retreated to a good old Sam Smiths. Deciding to reconvene later and East, three of us headed back to mine. Where we stayed, happily ensconsed in pasta 'n' pesto, Duvel (absolutely perfect for an evening in; dark and tasty; a good 'session beer' in DadSpeak) and cheese straws. Who needs the hassle and hustle of the pub when you've got control of the music, - both volume and genre - good beer which isn't £4.50 a pint and comfortable surroundings on which to loll. And some of the best conversation, with no need to get as slaughtered as possible before the bar shuts, and spend valuable time with your mates queueing for drinks. When you realise that there's not anything that really suits your collective mood, and everything is so far apart, take refuge in your own home, chill with mates. It's perhaps a symptom of getting older, or perhaps a little serving of London ennui when leafing through the Guide, or maybe even a rebellion against blowing £40 for a few pints in somewhere vaguely interesting, but I have to say it was a lovely evening. Thanks to the fantastic company of Alvin and Julia, I'm kind of coming around to the idea that staying in, while perhaps is not 'the new going out' (what a vile phrase), but it is, at least, an alternative. Give it a try; it's a mini adventure. Other Staples this week:
Staying in on a Saturday night
Duvel beer
Candie Payne's album 'I Wish I Could Have Loved You More'
A black velvet blazer with an antique silver butterfly brooch
Kiehl's Creme de Corps
Paul Auster's book, 'Moon Palace'
Uniqlo's Pantone knitwear

The Staple - Checkered Scarf

Wrapped in checkered wool

As winter draws in, I am becoming increasingly alarmed at just how cold it's getting. It seems that my confient predictions of an Indian Winter when I bought my Paul & Joe gabardine mac in last year's sales were wrong. It's fucking freezing. I was out at 6am on Saturday morning, and not drunkenly coming back from a night out, but working with friends on a video shoot, and although I had 4 layers on, the cold still got through. Despite this, there's one item which I have had for many years now which has always kept my neck warm. This checkerboard scarf was charity shop gold. A £2.99 purchase from Help the Aged in Ilkley, it's been with me for years, across the globe, up mountains, to festivals and along pretty much every street in London. I am very much a scarf person; summer, winter, evening, day; I feel a little underdressed without a scarf. I once read that a Parisian can never have too many scarves about their person. This is one of the few maxims that I have ever followed; although I do realise the absurdity of it. Scarves are practical, easy to wear, cheap (mostly) and complete an outfit; giving it a certain flair that makes you stand out, particularly in such a dull place as the City. A scarf is a true Staple; ephemeral yet essential, the sort of thing that you buy or find that whenever you use it, it brings a smile to your face. Other Staples this week:
The Hideaway pub in Archway
Andrew Bird's album 'Armchair Apocrypha'
Papier Mâché octopus tentacles
A long woollen checkerboard scarf
Risotto from Strada
The lush colours and gorgeous cinematography of Stephen Poliakoff dramas (yes, I know i Stapled it last week)
A hardbacked paper diary