He’ll be signing copies of his latest book “Patrick Demarchelier” at the Clic Gallery from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

This book features over 400 of his most famous color and black and white pictures. From fashion photographs published in Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar to his work with celebrities and Princess Diana, this book beautifully  regroups his complete career.

Soho.com.co y Honda escogieron dos fanáticos de la vida en dos ruedas y les propuso una aventura: que recorrieran buena parte de Colombia en moto, con equipos de video e internet, y que nos cuenten qué pasa en su recorrido.

Sígalos, viaje con ellos y vea lo que es viajar en moto por el país.

No se pierda ni un minuto de lo que va a pasar en la vida de estas dos personas. El viaje se transmitirá de forma permanente a través de nuestro especial editorial VIAJEROS (donde podrá verlo en el home de SoHo en la Pestaña, PONER EJEMPLO) donde no sólo podrá los detalles de su viaje, sino también todas sus experiencias en las motos. Conozca su itinerario, siga sus crónicas diarias en nuestro portal y a través de sus perfiles en redes como Twitter y facebook:

No se pierda a los Viajeros Honda desde este sábado 28 de Noviembre por SoHo.com.co

Itinerario de los viajeros en moto para que no se los pierda.

• 27 nov: Bogota, Fusagasugá, Melgar, Girardot e Ibagué.
• 28 nov: Ibagué – Armenia
• 29 y 30 nov: Llegan a Palmira y Cali.
• 1 Dic: Cali- Buga y Tuluá
• 2 Dic: Tuluá- Cartago y Pereira
• 3 Dic: Pereira, Chinchiná y Manizales
• 4 y 5 Dic: Manizales, Medellín, Itagui y Medellín
• 6 Dic: Medellín, Puerto Triunfo y La Dorada
• 7 Dic: La Dorada, Honda, Facatativá, Madrid y Mosquera
• 8 Dic: Mosquera, Cota, Chia, Cajicá y Zipaquirá
• 9 y 10 Dic: Zipaquirá, Bogotá.

Fuente: SoHo

This is the first  ever photo shoot done for The Black Nouveau. The images are for the header photo of the site and will be applied as soon I learn how to edit my CSS and add the photo! lol. The shots are courtesy of my good friend Leia Jospe, she did a fantastic job and I thank her so much. I wanted the theme of the shoot to be “Dandy meets Dirty”, I thought the location of the Jay Maisel building in Soho, with its graphic graffiti art was the perfect spot. I took the idea from the Graffi-Couture spread out of the October 2009 issue of Vogue Paris. With Raquel Zimmerman posing in stunning couture designs while in front of this beautiful graffiti mural. The shoot came out better than I could have expected and I sincerly thank Leia for her hard work! Here are some of my favorite shots from the shoot…

James

All photography by: Leia Jospe

美味しいと評判で行ってみたかったプレミアム・ハンバーガーチェーン、Byron（バイロン）。でも今まで、ケンジントン&チェルシー等ロンドン西部にしかなかったので行けずじまいだったが、私たちの行動範囲内にもオープンした。場所はSOHOのど真ん中、Wardour Street 。70年代にロックファンのたまり場だったロック／メタルパブ、The Intrepid Fox（2006年に移転）のあった建物内にある。ロックやメタルファンのたまり場だった頃と打って変わって、明るくこぎれいになった店内は、ざっと白く塗られたレンガ壁やレトロ風の時計と、ヒップな照明、ダークカラーを基調にした革張りのソファやテーブル・椅子等、モダンなデザインがうまくミックスされている。私たちが行った時は偶然オープン初日の11月25日。3時間前にオープンしたという店内は、既にたくさんの人で賑わっていた。

そして美味しいと噂のハンバーガー。スコットランド・ハイランド地方の小農場で牧草で育てられたという牛の良質の肉を使ったパテは、ジューシーで赤みの多いレアに上手く焼かれていて、とろっととろけたチーズ、新鮮な野菜（トマト、レッドオニオン、レタス）と相まって噂通りの味。ただ、フレンチ・フライはラードが使われているのか（ラードを使うとサクッと揚がるからと、イギリスでは揚げ物によく使われる）、ちょっともそもそしてて期待はずれ。でも、オープン初日で、何と食事代金は無料（飲み物代別）！請求書をもらってからそう言われて、もっとオーダーすれば良かったと冗談を言い合った（そんな客が多いから、お店も会計まで言わなかったんだろう）。

私たちはハンバーガーが好きで、ランチで時々食べにいく。最初はHamburger Unionにはまり、その後味が落ちたと感じてからは（その後倒産したのか、再度経営者が代わり、最近、Hamburger +という名に変わったトッテナム・コート・ロードにある店で食べたが、ひどい味になっていた）、Gourmet Burger Kitchenに心変わり。Byronもこれから、ソーホーあたりに出かけた時のレギュラーのランチ場所になりそうだ。

The premium hamburger chain Byron, known for their ‘proper’ back-to-basic hamburger, just opened yesterday (Nov 25th) on Wardour Street, SOHO. We always wanted to go to Byron but their stores are all in the west part of London like Kensington and Chelsea, and we had never been – but now it is in our territory! It is located in the building used to be occupied by 70’s rock hangout, the rock/metal pub Intrepid Fox. Refurbished and transformed, this shabby chic restaurant with roughly painted white brick walls is decorated with retro clock, hip lighting, and modern dark-colored furniture. It was the opening day we passed by and found it by accident – just 3 hours after its door was opened to the public, but there were already many people enjoying their burger.

We got their highly reputed hamburger finally on our hands. The juicy patty, made with free range grass-fed beef from small farms in Scottish Highlands, was beautifully cooked rare and had a perfect match with melted Monterey Jack cheese and fresh vegetables (tomatoes, red onions, and lettuce). But I was not impressed by their French fries – cooked with lard (widely used for frying in UK) I assume. Good surprise was that we were told Byron offered all the customers free meals (except drinks) on their opening day, when we got the check. We were joking that we should have ordered more foods and probably all the customers thought the same, but I guess that’s the thing that Byron definitely wanted to avoid.

We love hamburger and we eat it for a lunch sometimes (but try not too often). First we became a regular to Hamburger Union but we turned to Gourmet Burger Kitchen when we thought that the taste changed to worse – now Hamburger Union seems to be liquidated and its management has changed (I couldn’t find any information for it, though). We went to Hamburger + (changed the name) on Tottenam Court Road and were hugely disappointed by their awful burger and espresso. Now Byron is added to our list of lunch places around SOHO.

… Well it will be this Saturday.

See here some sneaky pics I stole from the interweb from what I believe to be last night’s preview launch.

Looking good Max, congrats!

Apologies for the size of the images… Arkitipintel would not let me increase them.

Tokyo Fixed
4 Peters Street
Soho, London,
W1F ODR

O noua campanie Stella Artois face valuri in NY, prin modul de prezentare si creare al unui print. De ce aceasta campanie ar fi mai speciala? Ei bine, acest proiect se doreste a fi un mic documentar care sa starneasca un buzz considerabil in randul consumatorilor. Modalitatea originala de a iesi in evidenta este insusi modul de creare a printului si nu neaparat conceptul.

Astfel s-a apelat la Colossal Media, o agentie specializata in hand-painting advertising care lucreaza si acum la printul pentru Stella. Cum este creat buzz-ul? In primul rand este vorba de munca manuala, iar arta cere munca, urmand ca in final sa fie apreciata. Cu totii stim ca obiectele hand-made 100% sunt extrem de apreciate, in special in randul segmentului premium.

Daca tot se creeaza o opera de arta, trebuie sa se si auda de ea nu? Pe online se poate gasi “The Ritual Project“, care  asa cum v-am pomenit se doreste a fi un mic documentar in care este prezentata evolutia proiectului asemeni unui jurnal. De asemeni puteti face cunostinta si cu toti cei 17 artisiti care iau parte la creatie.

Genial si de impact, sunt cateva cuvinte prin care pot descrie noua campanie Stella Artois.

Whenever I see Fabio, I wonder why on earth we waited so long to see each other because I really do love his company and his ability to turn even a couple of drinks into an adventure.

We started in the George where it didn’t take long for the conversation to become focused on dark, emotional gossip… and fashion. He approved of my accidental new hairstyle (my fringe is now so long that I can’t see so I put in a big side parting one day and brushed it to the side and voila everyone thinks I’ve had my hair cut and I can see where I’m going) and my new glasses… although he agrees with the idea of getting some vintage 50’s frames and he knows a place. SCORE! I rate Fabio’s style approval pretty happy so that put a smile on my face. Who can’t admire a boy who’s turned his broken jeans into a fashion statement by replacing the button with a yale lock.

We headed to Abeno for dinner where I realised that I had been missing out on the wonder of okonomiyaki for 29 years. Why did NO ONE tell me about this! It’s this glorious Japanese omelette made of cabbage, egg, dough and bits of tempura batter with a filling mixed in… prawn, squid, pork, tofu, etc…. absolutely gorgeous and all cooked in front of you on a hot flat griddle. Just another reason to add to my ever-increasing desire to go to Japan.

And then The Chandos and finally, well Village, because where do you go on a weeknight in Soho… a gay bar, of course. The karaoke was a bit special though and so we decided it was time to call it a night.

Today… I am chilling… well for now. I’m kind of thinking of making some white chocolate brownies… and I have a write-in to run…

All-out success continues for all-in-one Sigma communications platform.

Tellumat’s success with the Sigma communications platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continues, as Vodacom Business signed to include the device in its SME Business Bundle.

Distributed in sub-Saharan Africa by Tellumat Telecoms, the Sigma has enjoyed critical as well as popular acclaim, notes Bennie Langenhoven, managing executive for Tellumat’s Telecoms and Technology Group business units.

In the UK, it has been used by BT to spearhead its SOHO (Small Office Home Office) broadband push. Locally, major network operators and broadband providers including Vox Telecom and iBurst have all agreed to market it to their customer bases.

And Gadget magazine (gadget.co.za) endorses the Sigma as putting small businesses on an equal footing with big companies, given the sheer wealth of converged communication functionality it gives them, affordably and with consummate ease of implementation and use.

Converged services in a box

Ermano Quartero, managing executive of Vodacom Business, says the role of the relatively new business unit within the mobile operator is to take it beyond mobile network services and into full converged telco service provision. It offers a full range of solutions ranging from customer equipment, last-mile fibre access to hosted applications, for SMEs right up to enterprises.

“The Tellumat association is key for us,” he continues. “They supply us with a platform that is vital to our mission, as regards SMEs.”

The Sigma will be re-branded as the Vodacom Business PBX and forms the core PABX and Internet gateway component of Vodacom’s SME Office Bundle, which will also include last-mile Internet access, phone handsets and application hosting.

Rigorous tender

Quartero says Vodacom went through a rigorous tender process. “We chose Tellumat for its credibility in the market, its local support, and of course this device. Everything Tellumat stands for and offers conformed to our requirements. We are pleased to note that their device is also the choice of our parent company in the UK, Vodafone.”

He adds the value of the Tellumat platform goes beyond the product-specific plaudits it has attracted. “Bundling allows us to offer easy monthly subscriptions, ranging from R1500 per month for a basic package to R3000 for the high-end package.”

The basic package includes 5GB of high-speed ADSL or WiMAX data access, Hosted Exchange and SharePoint Portal Services, a router and analogue as well as IP voice. The high-end subscription offers 10GB of data and more handsets.

A winner

“We know it is a winner and are hoping for an enduring relationship,” Quartero adds. “Based on how successful it is exactly, we may offer bigger SME packages based on the same hardware, or other hardware from Tellumat.”

He says Vodacom Business may further extend the bundle to smaller business customers or the home office market segment. “And as soon as we have traction in South Africa, we may take similar bundles to selected African markets, customised for local conditions.”

Langenhoven says the Sigma has spurred continued success for Tellumat, despite the recession. “Our aim is to continue to find the most enabling technologies at the best price for our customers and partners, contributing to the success of all concerned.”

Sometimes I wonder what other women are like on first dates and if they take the online dating thing more seriously than I do. Last night I had the pleasure of observing this first-hand.

I was sitting by myself at a candle-lit restaurant in Soho waiting for a friend who was running late. The Mexican waiter who had a mountain of grease infested hair on his head, kept giving me the eye and would wink at me every time he passed by. He offered me a drink “on the house”…and I foolishly accepted, which basically was like inviting him to pester me all night. I should’ve known better given my experience at the age of 13 with a similar Mexican waiter named Moses, who at the time told my mom he would one day marry me and asked her to never let me wear lipstick in front of the boys at my school. Gross.

As I sat there, quietly sipping on my cocktail, I was shaken up by a gruesome gurgling and high pitched sound coming from the table next to me. “Ahhh hahahahahahahhaha gaaaa ahahaha!!” Alarmed, I turned to discover the source of this horrendous laugh. She was a pale redhead with freckles around the age of 35. When this unattractive lady wasn’t laughing, she would just have an awkward worried expression on her face. There was a stench in the air…it was her desperateness.

Her date was at least five years younger than her, and would smile in embarrassment every time she’d let out the laugh. She not only had the most annoying laugh I had ever heard, but pink blotches started appearing around her neck and chest. Great, I thought…she is clearly breaking out in hives on what seems to be a first date.

However, the hives didn’t stop her from saying what no woman should EVER say on any date, “Yeah Josh, I’ve been on Match.com for about two years now. I was seeing this guy I met on the site and I really liked him…and then he just disappeared. I was heartbroken. I hope you’re not like that. I really want to find that special someone.” The poor dude shifted in his chair and let out a cough. He needed saving.

Then she smiled and leaned in closer to him and asked, “You won’t just disappear on me, right?” I watched in terror as she broke out in more hives. Was this woman out of her mind?! I started fantasizing about starting a 101 dating course for inept women like her or just about how maybe all women like her should be banned from ever having an internet connection. Imagine all those poor guys who would be saved…

‘Josh,’ who I could tell was uncomfortable with having this crazy bitch so close to his face, leaned back in his chair and answered, “Don’t worry about that.”

“Well good, now that that’s settled!” she let out the loudest gurgle laugh again.

But her verbal diarrhea continued. “Ya know, I’ve been thinking of buying a dog, unless I meet someone on Match soon. I think a pet would make it less lonely, don’t you think? I would probably have to get a dog walker during the day though.” I wanted to yell at her date and tell him to LEAVE. What the fuck was he sticking around for?! To make matters worse they were only on the first course and she was too distracted by his presence to even focus on eating her appetizer.

The whole thing was making me nervous, and I wasn’t even the poor fool on the date with her. My friend finally arrived and I got to tune out for a while. When ‘Josh’ was getting the check, I glanced over and noticed that Ms. My Desperateness Gives Me Hives was visibly drunk. Her laugh kept bouncing off the walls and now she was trying to get him to go home with her…hives and all. He told her he had to run to meet a friend but that he would call her. “AHhhhh gagagaga hahahahaha, you BETTER call me!” Then her laughing stopped and the worried face was back, “You probably won’t call…”

Bottom line: some people are just inept daters and they don’t know it. Just sucks for the rest of us who ever have to get stuck on a date with them.

I have to admitt, i immediately went hard while looking at this glitterious Soho crash pad, who said that Porn was necessary to get aroused ?Obviously, I only need a 6000 SF duplex Penthouse condo loft. It has been newly redesigned and renovated with no expense spared to create the most luxurious and important property in Soho and in all of downtown Manhattan.But the price just pissed me off : 14,995,000 $ ! Jesus Heaven Christ, for that amount you can have a mad crazy place in Central Park + another mad crazy home in the Hamptons or Miami…

]]> http://skratchmore.com/2009/11/25/jam-roc-tribute-event/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:51:42 +0000 djpacko http://skratchmore.com/2009/11/25/jam-roc-tribute-event/

For those of us that are alive and well, and forever grateful for the contribution of our present day’s inspiration.

We live for the benefit of life, for the music of the day…

Join in on the experience…

-pacroc-

Vintage shopping is a lot of fun, especially if you know where to go! Some of the best. NO, the best pieces of clothes I have bought in New York is vintage. The city is huge, and shopping vintage is not exactly easy (where to go, whats best etc)… Williamsburg in Brooklyn is allways mentioned as the best place to buy vintage, I am not going to disagree with this. And “Beacon’s Closet” is probably the most talked about shop, but not my favorite (too big). My favourite is The Garment Room, and it’s located in SoHo. All my favourite vintage stuff has been bought here, among them a Burberry trench coat. It’s not a huge store, and it might not be the best, but it’s great! There aren’t a lot of clothes (compared to Beacon’s), but you can find really interesting pieces, like my vintage Givenchy vest. And the lady who owns the shop is SO nice! She knows the store in and out, if you are looking for something ask her, and she will know where to look, if they have it ofcourse. The store is also a “showroom” or something for artists. All the walls are covered with paintings, art installations, you name it! If you’re not going to buy anything, I would have a look anyway!

I have had the pleasure of reading Skinny Bitch and was not effected enough to change my diet. For those of you who haven’t read Skinny Bitch I will give you a brief synopsis: It is essentially a diet book that promotes being a vegan and does so in a very abusive manner. If you are into tough love and being called an asshole for what you eat then Skinny Bitch might be the book for you. Two months into my professional training course at IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) and I think I have finally drunk the kool-aid.

IIN really urges and motivates you to experiment with different foods until you find what your body responds to the best. Everyone is different, no two people will respond identically to the same diet. So 8 weeks later, with lots of time experimenting in the kitchen, my body is now craving whole grains and vegetables non-stop. Who knew? This has really changed the restaurant world for me, because it skeezes me out not knowing where the animal products come from. I am not saying I am never eating out again, that is just plain unrealistic. I am also not saying I am never eating meat again. A burger certainly has its time and its place in this world, but at least when you shop at your local farmers market or Whole Foods you have some idea how the animals were raised.

Souen in Soho is a restaurant that follows the principles of macrobiotics. They claim to use “No refined chemicals, preservatives, meat or dairy products in their kitchen.” I thought that this would be a great place for me to try considering my new found love for grains and organics. I met my soho lunch buddy Lee for lunch there  yesterday and enjoyed some Stir- Fried Noodles with onion, carrot, mung bean sprout, scallion, cabbage, shiitake, snow pea, greens and broccoli in teriyaki and ginger-tamari sauce. It is a common perception for people to think that a restaurant with geeky health food like Souen will have absolutely no taste. This is absolutely untrue; the food at Souen is both tasty and flavorful! I will definitely be returning.

Puro Chile gives New Yorkers a chance to have an authentic Chilean experience. (picture via Village Voice)

Don’t have the time or money to take a Chilean vacation, but still want to experience the South American flavor? Puro Chile in Soho is a new concept store aiming to give customers a chance to experience all aspects of Chile’s culture right here in New York City. With high definition pictures of the country’s landscapes projected through out the store, visitors can feel like they are surrounded by cascading mountains while shopping for smoked razor clams, avacado oil, and native spice mixes from the specialty grocery. Much of the shop showcases a giant selection of the country’s popular wines like Matetic and Odfjell. Because Chile is considered one of the most environmentally conscious nations, the shop features some of the most eco-friendly designers of the country selling handbags, jewelry, and home goods. To make the space even more authentic, Chilean architect Felipe Assadi designed the shop. Puro Chile is located at 161 Grand Street, offering some great holiday gift options!

-Caitlin

Can’t Practice Life

“When I say something, please just listen,
if I don’t get what I need, I’ll be gone in an instant.
You have it all wrong, we will not always glisten,
Happiness is our peak, we can only grow distant.

Why do I use so much of my time with you?
Why do I give so much of my thoughts to you?
Why do I spend so much of my money on you?
when 99 percent of the time, it never comes true.

The things I’ve given you have been too high of a price,
and until this very moment, I have never thought twice.
I will give you many chances, to avoid any strife,
but soon your effort will not be enough, I can’t practice life.”

-Dennis Oh



By Dian Hasan | November 22, 2009

Hotels have long been known for their social roles, and for their ability to continually reinvent themselves to relevant for today’s lifestyle taste. After all, consumer taste seems to change faster than changing bed linens.

In line with the idea of making every inch of the hotel a profit center. First it was the Spa, a permanent fixture in fine hotels today. And now, all eyes are on the best underutilized space: the Rooftop Area!

Here’s a look at how rooftops are rejuvenating hotels across the world. Wether for lounging with cocktail in hand, or pools and spas, launch parties, cool events, film parties… all making their way to the top of the hotel… where it’s Hot, Hip & Happening! And the bright city lights and skyline make for a spectacular backdrop.

I have only in the last year discovered Flat white as a way to drink coffee and I like it.

Two places which do it very well in Soho are in fact part of the same antipodean chain. They are Flat White and Milkbar. They serve up Square Mile Coffee in two quite different but equally cool locations on Berwick Street and Bateman Street. I like the Milkbar logo a lot.

Today, I’m going back to NY for my second trip this year! Luckily, there’s always things to see and do there, touristy or not. My itinerary this year includes a showing of Wicked, a Tyra Banks show taping (haha), Brooklyn and Soho shopping  and lots and lots of yummy eats. Sadly, hamming it up Sasha and Freja-style in Times Square is not on the schedule!

Coincidentally, my latest earworm (though my love is fading a lil) is the appropriate “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ anthem to NY. Be back Friday but will try to post daily and will report back on my trip (or the very least, my Tyra experience)! Take care y’all!

image: vmagazine

I’ve been searching for the perfect solution to my skin breakouts and blemishes and since there are so many skin systems out there with weird chemicals and acids, I decided to go down the natural route with Dr Hauschka’s Daily Face Care Kit for Oily Skin.

My skin complaints date from when I moved to London almost two years ago from Newcastle and many of my friends have blamed the hard water and excess pollution and stress for changes in their own skin.

I popped in to Zest Pharmacy in Soho, a proper neighbourhood chemist, which stocks an excellent range of natural, specialist and French skincare brands.  I had a long chat with one of the owners, a French lady who knew pretty much everything about skincare and had luminous skin to prove it.

She showed me starter kits by La Roche-Posay, Murad, Vichy and Caudalie, but recommended Dr Hauschka for its homeopathic approach to solving skin problems.

I’ve been using the Hydra Medic skincare system by Repechage for about nine months, which I roadtested for ELLEuk.com, but after initial good results, it seems to have dried my skin out.  The Repechage Beta Hydroxy Serum is a great overnight treatment, as it smoothed out all the tiny bumps on my forehead, but the Mattifying Moisturiser is a horrible bright white that made my skin feel tight and uncomfortable.

At just £15 for six travel size products, I thought I’d give it a try and see if I have more luck without the drying chemicals I’ve been relying on for so many years.

The Daily Face Care Kit for oily skin consists of a Cream Cleanser, Clarifying Toner and Normalising Day Oil to be used instead of a moisturiser, as well as three weekly treatments – a Facial Steam Bath, Cleansing Clay Mask and a Revitalising Mask.

On the first day of the trial, I took some time out to do the whole seven step system with all of the products.  I expected the Cleansing Cream to be smooth and rich, but it had an oatmeal consistency that gently exfoliated my skin without drying it. The Clarifying Toner felt refreshing and calmed my skin with extracts of calendula, witch hazel and daisy.

Having used oil-free products for so long and having an almost pathological fear of getting an oily T-Zone, I was sceptical about using the Normalising Day Oil.  I could just imagine my make-up slipping off and suffering a greasy face all day, but I was amazed at how quickly the oil was absorbed.  It’s important to get the right amount and I found that two drops was enough to cover my face.

Dr Hauschka’s skin regime is completely different to any other I’ve tried, as he doesn’t believe in using exfoliators or night creams, as they upsets the natural rhythm of your skin, thus clogging pores and making your skin increasingly dependent on products.

It’s all about normalising skin and making it learn again how to repair itself biologically. I’m still unsure about putting so much trust in my own body to rid itself of the blemishes, as it’s been a bit of a bitch so far, but picking and choosing various harsh and expensive products is probably what’s given it the hump in the first place.

Once a week, you should give your skin an intensive treatment of steam, deep pore cleansing and radiance revealing.  The Facial Steam Bath has a subtle, herbal scent and helps open pores and detoxify skin. Add a few table spoons to a sink full of boiling water, cover your head with a towel and breath in the aromatic steam for five to seven minutes.  Afterwards, my skin, chest and head all felt opened and I instantly had more energy.

Immediately after steaming, you’re supposed to add a thin layer of the mustard-coloured Cleansing Clay Mask and keep your face moist for up to ten minutes (I forgot and my face felt tight and rigid, like it was covered in cement).  After washing it off, I applied the Revitalising Mask, which felt luxurious but not too rich and had a relaxing aroma.

Dr Hauschka’s regime can be a bit of a faff, as they expect you to have an endless supply of clean muslin cloths – cotton wool just won’t cut it, as it absorbs the skin’s natural oils – and enough time in the morning to steam said cloths in between cleansing steps.  However, it is good advice and it just requires a bit more effort and perseverance.

So on day two, I don’t have that tight, under-nourished feeling on my face and haven’t experienced any more painful breakouts, apart from a few spots when the steam and masks brought out the impurities.  I’m impressed so far, but will post updates after a week and when I finish the starter kit.

Zest Pharmacy, 18 Broadwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 8HS

Every busy city girl knows how important it is to multitask, so what could be better than a shop that offers the fun alongside the functional?  The green cross sign outside tells you that Zest is a chemist, but it also has a great range of beauty products and unique gifts.

You can pop in to pick up a prescription and browse the deluxe toiletries from Neal’s Yard, Vichy, Jason’s Organics, and Burt’s Bees while you wait.  Or why not buy a pair of luxury washing up gloves decorated with artificial flowers?  Or perhaps you know someone who needs a decorated garden tool set, Elvis candles or a hand-crocheted toadstool money bank.

There are cards, mugs, cuddly toys and even children’s clothing, so you shouldn’t be short of creative gift ideas.  And if all this shopping gives you a headache, you can grab some paracetamol on the way out!

Whether you’re looking for medicine, bath products or a great present, Zest is the best place to go for health, beauty and gifts.

Zest
18 Broadwick Street
London
W1F 8HS
020 7437 3846
9am-7pm Mon-Fri; 10am-6.30pm Sat; 11am-5pm Sun

Good Mexican food is hard to find in London, so I was delighted when I heard that Beach Burrito Café had opened its doors amidst the fabric shops, record stores and fruit stalls of Berwick Street.  Not only do they serve proper CalMex food (that’s Californian Mexican to the uninitiated), but they also make it quick, fresh and delicious, at unbelievably low prices.

The simple menu offers tacos, nachos, quesadillas, taquitos and wraps, but the burritos are the real stars here.  The fillings range from the usual roasted chicken, shredded beef or garden vegetable to the more exotic carnitas (roasted sweet pork with orange and cola).  Your choice of filling is accompanied by slow cooked pinto beans, chilli rice, shredded lettuce, fresh tomato salsa and cheese, rolled up in a soft and fluffy flour tortilla.

Each dish is made to order so you can specify how hot or mild you’d like it, and you can opt to add some guacamole – a good choice as, like the salsa, the guacamole is freshly made every day.  The resulting burrito is a festival of flavours and a feast large enough to satisfy the heartiest appetite.

Beach Burrito is a great stop for CalMex enthusiasts, Oxford Street shoppers in need of sustenance and anyone with a big hunger and a small budget.  The speed and the price make it a healthy and tasty alternative to fast food.

UPDATE: This café closed due to a redevelopment of the site. The word on the street is that it has reopened as Mexicali (further up Berwick Street at number 26).