Weekly News

With the summer holidays rapidly approaching, parents will be looking for creative ways to keep the kids entertained over the long school break. If you are looking for something different to do with the kids this summer, the Smartbox ™ Family Days Out package could provide the perfect solution.

Priced at just £39.95, there are 45 fun activities to keep the whole family entertained, including a visit to the Bushcraft Workshop in South Wales where you are instilled with ancient bushcraft’s most fundamental skills.

For creative kids, a trip to Great Torrington’s glass blowing centre will provide an unforgettable experience. Discover how red hot molten glass is removed from the furnace and then transformed into goblets, vases, jugs and lead crystal glassware. You will even be allowed to take your masterpiece home as a souvenir.

Other experiences in the Smartbox Family Days Out gift box include:

· Fudge tasting in Bath or Cambridge

· A day at the Pony Centre, Cornwall

· Exploration of WWT London Wetland Centre

· Manchester United Stadium Tour, for football fans young and old

Smartbox gifts are available from selected high street stores and their online counterparts, including John Lewis and Clinton Cards, or directly from http://www.smartbox.com/uk

1.Describe how you felt when you first set up Molly Brown London.
Relieved. There were so many moments when I was totally out of my depth but I had to keep going, mainly because I had already told all my friends about it!

2. What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?
Establishing quality contacts with jewellery manufacturers, most of the people I approached wouldn’t help so it was rather soul destroying until I finally made a breakthrough. I don’t have any jewellery design training either so setting up a collection from scratch with no previous experience was hard. I was so relieved the day after our press launch and the feedback was extremely positive. Having said that as the brand grows, I think I probably have some of the biggest challenges still ahead…

3. What is your favourite piece that you have designed?
I love the Aurora Collection. I wanted to design the perfect Christening collection and took inspiration from The Sleeping Beauty fairytale. The Collection features three sterling silver and enamel fairies which each bring a gift to the baby girl which is depicted by a freshwater pearl. The fairies are incredibly pretty, very delicate and have such lovely detailing such as the 9ct gold slippers – and their little legs wobble!

The UK’s largest collection of David Austin roses has spectacularly burst into bloom at The Alnwick Garden, creating a stunning display of summer colour and fragrance.

Over 3,000 of the David Austin English Roses, known for their full flower and strong scent, have now bloomed in The Garden. There are over 200 varieties of this fashionable rose, which combine the forms and fragrances of the more traditional roses with the repeat flowering of modern roses.

Some of the varieties include Strawberry Hill, Ballerina, Buttercup, Summer Song and the specially produced Alnwick Rose.

The effect of the flowers is a magnificent display of colour for weeks on end and an amazing scent which fills the noses of visitors to The Garden from 100 yards away.

Trevor Jones, Head Gardener at The Alnwick Garden said: “The Alnwick Garden is the only place in the UK to see the David Austin roses in such large numbers. The sweet scent of the roses is amazingly powerful and hits you before you enter the walled garden. They are such beautiful, full-flowered roses and the burst of colour is magnificent.

“We’d urge those who’d like to see this stunning display to come and visit us over the next few weeks to get the full impact of the colour and aroma of these very special flowers.”
The Alnwick Garden has become known worldwide for its gigantic Treehouse, mysterious Poison Garden, beautiful water sculptures and unconventional - yet family friendly - garden design.

Opening times: 10am - 6pm (last admissions 5.15pm).
Visit: www.alnwickgarden.com for details.

Special Note: Images courtesy of The Alnwick Garden

Penelope & Parker and Selfridges are proud to announce the launch of Penelope & Parker's second collection, AW 2010/11. This covetable collection of work wear bags will be available exclusively, for one month, in store at Selfridges London, Selfridges Birmingham and at Selfridges.com from 1st August.

The second collection debut’s Penelope & Parker’s two newest styles, the Lara bag and the Tabitha bag. With the introduction of luxurious new colours and prints, including a timeless black patent and a gorgeous new croc print in glazed plum, the collection is perfect for fashionistas not afraid to follow work with play.

Following its huge success, the iconic Roxy Bag will also be re-released in a limited edition python print – utterly irresistible for the sophisticated female with a mischievous nature.

“Penelope & Parker is at the forefront of what the fashion world is looking for from luxury leather. With its sense of style and practicality coupled with quality of materials, its work wear bags are the perfect addition to our growing range” comments Elizabeth Selvey, luggage buyer for Selfridges.

“The new collection continues to sum up what Penelope & Parker is about – luxury leather combined with functional designs – elegance with an edge!” added Melissa McDonald, Head Girl, Penelope & Parker “With a constant nod to fashion and function the appeal of Penelope & Parker is that you can carry the products between work and play.”

The Grove is set in a 18th century mansion and lies within 300 acres of Hertfordshire countryside - it is London’s cosmopolitan country estate. With an abundance of exquisite period features, the Mansion is the romantic historic heart of The Grove. The Donneraile and Garden Room adjoin each other and are perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies and receptions. In the West Wing, the contemporary Amber and Ivory rooms have been designed for larger weddings. The Amber can accommodate a banquet for up to 420 with a dance floor and the elegant terrace outside opens onto a beautiful parkland landscape. The Ivory is ideal for a smaller wedding, accommodating a banquet for up to 80 with a dance floor and stunning views of the formal gardens. For summery celebrations, The Grove has two idyllic locations for a luxury wedding marquee, beside the golf greens or inside the intimate and glamorous Walled Garden.
(www.thegrove.co.uk)

VUE WESTFIELD TO SHOW REMAINING FIFA World Cup GAMES in 3D
Die hard football fanatics in London can forget about England’s woeful World Cup performance and enjoy the best of the world’s best players battle it out in amazing 3D at Vue Westfield London.

The exclusive screenings will bring an astonishing sporting experience to those new to the wonders of 3D – players will virtually leap off the Vue screen, free kicks will curl into the audience and goal celebrations will really come to life, all in glorious three dimension.

What’s more, Vue Westfield is fully licensed so viewers can grab a beer, put on the funky 3D glasses and sit back in the comfortable seats to watch the likes of Van Persie and Torres show off their skills as they all fight to be World Champions.

Matt Singleton, General Manager at Vue Westfield says; “Everyone who has seen 3D has been blown away by it! We’re really excited about bringing this unique sporting experience to cinema-goers in London. England may have gone home early, but with so many good teams left, watching the tournament in 3D will bring the excitement to life.”

They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them . . .a perfect marriage of word and picture’ – Philip Pullman

 

‘I have long been a passionate Moomin appreciator – it’s not just Tove Jansson’s wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design’ – Lauren Child

2010 marks the 65th Anniversary of the Moomins which have enchanted generations of children and adults alike.

And in July & September 2010, Puffin will publish a stunning new range of high quality picture, board, activity and novelty books, using Tove’s original characters and artwork, to commemorate the anniversary and introduce the characters to younger readers.

Rights for these new books have already been sold in 14 languages and secured a co-edition print run of circa 600,000 copies!

The first novel starring the Moomin family, written and illustrated by Tove Jansson, was published in 1945. Three years later, the Finn Family Moomintroll was published and met with immediate acclaim. It was quickly translated into English, leading to the international success of the Moomin books. The books have now been translated into over 40 languages and been adapted for television, film, opera and radio.

FAMILIES FLOCK TO WOODLAND ARTS FESTIVAL
Hundreds of families from the North West are heading to a Staffordshire woodland in August for the sell-out Just So Festival. The Just So Festival is a family arts festival, which has been dreamt up by two Macclesfield couples who’ve spent years visiting traditional festivals with their children and finding much of the entertainment to be off-limits. They’ve set up a camping weekend in 65 acres of unspoilt Staffordshire woodland where everything - from traditional fairground to artificial beach, from gypsy bands to top name authors - is aimed at giving children and their parents a magical experience.

Camping tickets for the festival have sold out –four months ahead of the event itself, with many of the campers travelling from across the Northwest. While the organisers can’t help but celebrate it does mean that many people are disappointed at not being able to come along for the whole event. Already, indeed a number of people have been in touch to see if festival organisers can squeeze just one more family. The bad news is that they can’t - but the good news is that there are plenty of day tickets still for sale.

Festival Director Sarah Bird said “We are absolutely thrilled! There has been huge interest and excitement about the event, with tickets selling fast as soon as they went on sale. We’re very excited about meeting all the families who are coming in August.”

Highlights from the programme will include music sessions for tots from the Manchester Camerata, Parkour training sessions from some of the UK’s top free-runners, following the Fairy Queen trail with the Fairyland Trust, and one of the organisers favourites, a party with the Moomins.

According to festival director Rowan Hoban, “families will be able to go on this amazing journey of the imagination, participating in a medley of art, craft, music and theatre within a beautiful natural landscape”.

The experience of families going along to the Just So Festival will be a far cry from your average festival. Camping is in small woodland glades. There will be an bedtime noise curfew (though the local rabbits and hedgehogs may not comply), and a large and comfy nappy changing area with changing mats and wipes laid on. The loos will, of course, be lovely.

THE OLIVER GOLDSMITH® SUNGLASSES CLASSIC COLLECTION

Oliver Goldsmith® Sunglasses have the most influential design heritage of any eyewear company still in production. Since 1926 the iconic British eyewear brand, whose aficionados include Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Michael Caine and Sophia Loren, has been instrumental in opening people’s minds to the idea that sunglasses are a key accessory to any outfit.

The international re-launch of the brand in 2005, led by Claire Goldsmith, Oliver Goldsmith’s great granddaughter, has seen its timeless designs reclaim their rightful place on the shelves of discerning high end boutiques, design stores and retail destinations worldwide.

Oliver Goldsmith has been described by the V&A Museum as the “originator of fashion eyewear”, and “to eyewear design what Vidal Sassoon is to hair and Mary Quant to clothes” . During the first era of the label’s popularity in the 1960’s, the sunglasses frequently appeared in the pages of every major fashion magazine – including Vogue, Tatler, Queen, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar.

Reborn for the 21st Century, the label has proved equally popular with today’s fashion cognoscenti and has been worn by contemporary trendsetters including Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Jude Law, Jessica Simpson and Gwyneth Pal­trow.

The Oliver Goldsmith® Sunglasses Classic Collection continues to grow with over 30 styles now available as Claire Gold­smith continues to release styles from the family private archive. By taking the exact designs from previous collections and combining them with the world’s most skilled production partners, Goldsmith remains true to the core values of her family business.

The Oliver Goldsmith® Sunglasses Classic Collection is stocked in:
Harvey Nichols, London SW1 – 020 7235 5000
Browns, London, W1 – 020 7514 001