Handmade in Britain: The Annual Contemporary Crafts and Design Fair

Forget trudging the high street this November looking for the best Christmas gifts. Here at The Amazing Blog we want to make gift shopping a luxurious and pleasurable experience. Handmade in Britain are hosting The Contemporary Crafts Design Fair in Chelsea Old Town Hall, where you can find 120 of the UK’s finest designer-makers.

This is an interactive shopping experience where you'll have the opportunity to speak to each designer to help understand their work and discover their influences. They'll be on hand to help you pick out the perfect gift - think of them as your own personal shopper. The event is sponsored by House of Artisans who are also hosting a late night shopping even on the 14th November, so plenty of time to pop on down after work. The event will host a variety of exquisite and luxurious products, including ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery and silverware.

Beautiful ceramics can really hold a room together, talented artists such as Elizabeth Renton, Chito Kuroda and Jill Ford will showcase their different styles. Choose from muted toned tableware, modern porcelain pieces, and contemporary vases. The likes of Samantha Sweet, Elin Isaksson and Vicky Higginson will also display their beautiful and elegant glass art/vessels.  It is surely going to be a feast for the eyes, as well as the wallet.

Winter may be upon us, but the numerous textile stalls will leave you feeling cosy in their range of knitwear from Hattie Kerrs and Katie Mawson. If you don’t feel like succumbing to winter clothing, keep the colour in your wardrobe with vibrant silks from Taisir Gibreel. There is something to appeal to everyone’s taste. We are particularly excited at the prospect of Catherine Aitken’s collection, the Scottish designer is known for her quality tweeds, the pure strength and luxury of her work. Take some time for yourself and indulge. Step out of your jewellery comfort zone and take a look at the unique pieces showcased by Sabine Konig, Victoria Walker, and Joana Cunha to name a few. The innovative, vibrant and unique pieces would make the perfect gift this Christmas, or cheeky treat for yourself. It doesn’t end there, silversmiths like Adrian Hope and Sally Cox will also showcase their stunning silverware both contemporary and traditional. Spoil yourself with some lavish new Christmas tableware. 

This is a rare and unique shopping fair that is not to be missed, so get on down to Chelsea Old Town Hall from 13th-15th November 2015. Book your tickets here or pay £10 on the door.  

Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair

Something special is happening this weekend at The Old Finsbury Town Hall. An event that The Amazing Blog and every fashionista won’t miss no matter what. Whether you’re a vintage lover or simply curious we will be expecting you at the new edition of the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair, this Sunday 25th October.

This unmissable carousel of colours and style has been nominated for a London Vintage Award for a reason. It offers 50 stalls displaying womenswear, accessories, textiles and menswear, where you can indulge your inner fashion addict! Step inside and forget about 2015 while browsing among unique and exclusive stylish creations from the Victorian Age to 1980s.

With only 2 months until Christmas, this is the perfect place to pick up an original and totally unique gift, and if you're worried about sizes/little flaws, head on down to the Yellow Room for all your altering needs.

If you’re thinking that it’s all about dresses and jewels, you’ll be surprised. Juggling between a pair of shoes and a bag that you absolutely have to have, you can rest your tired shopaholic-feet having your nails done at the Vintage Salon. Alternatively enjoy a traditional English Afternoon-Tea in the Tea Room des Artists accompanied by vintage-flavoured bands like The Polka Dots Dolls and The Marjory Belles.  

Jump in an old-fashion painting for one day and renew your closet with something that you only will own and nobody else. The event will start at 11am and will go on until 5pm; the price at the entrance is £4, students can enter for only £2.

Festival of Heat

Here at The Amazing Blog, we have come across an event to spice up your weekend. The Festival of Heat is London’s leading Chilli Festival for the past 3 years, the work of Mercadito Productions. Heat-seekers everywhere join to celebrate various cultural uses for chilli, including the different eating, growing and cooking methods.

The Festival is attracting both aspiring and established talent; there will be producers, market traders and chefs from all over the UK. A few names you may recognise are hot pepper sauce brand Encona, Mushemi Fire, Zambian Chilli Products and Grim Reaper Foods Ltd. Encona will be this year’s sole sponsor of The Festival Kitchen, a fun and educational area with cooking demonstrations, food workshops and tasting activities for the whole family to enjoy. Whether its sweet and mild you’re after, or hot and fiery, Encona will have the sauce for you. They will also offer a range of delicious marinades to put life back into dull meal times; these are available in Korean BBQ, Jamaican Jerk BBQ and Moroccan Harissa. The exotic names are enough to make the mouth water.

Flavour Gurus from The World of Zing and Made in Hackney share their tips in master classes, workshops and demonstrations in the Festival Kitchen. In which you can learn ‘How to make a good curry’ and ‘Cooking with chilli to achieve the perfect heat’. For budding spice sellers, you can even pick up top tips on marketing your own hot sauce.

The Festival Kitchen Debate will hold several special guests, whom are to be announced. This is a hub of discussion around issues that affect us as consumers. You can have your own say on why we should buy from local producers and ask where it is our food comes from. If you want a break from all of this information, there will be DJs and bands providing music from across the world. There will surely be something to suit everyone as the music follows the multi-cultural theme, expect anything from live folk music to Bangladeshi dancing. In an ever growing multi-ethnic community it’s important to learn about different cultures, food and music are the social centres for most, making it the perfect place to start.

If you want a fun-filled and informative day out, make sure you attend the Festival of Heat  for just £7.50 per person, children under 16 go free if accompanied by an adult. The festival takes place on the 27th September 2015 in Red Market, London.​ 

Thame Food Festival

Here at The Amazing Blog, we have found a fantastic foodie’s day out! The eighth annual Thames Food Festival takes place in a beautiful historic market town in Oxfordshire on the 26th September, bringing you a host of celebrity chefs and of course superb food and drink. There is even the chance to show off your baking skills in The Big Thame Bake competition that will be judged by a few celebrity bakers. These are certainly ingredients for a brilliant day out.

Raymond Blanc OBE will be making the short journey from Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons to cook live for us in the cookery theatre. Watching him is a joy as his talent and passion for cooking could inspire anyone to get in the kitchen. He will be joined by Sophie Grigson, for those of you who are unfamiliar; she has opened Sophie’s Kitchen at the Story Museum in Oxford. Here, she offers various homemade food dishes for all to enjoy, as well as offering a children’s class to educate and inspire a love of cooking from a young age. I’m sure many of us would’ve appreciated this knowledge when learning to cook for ourselves. Sophie will also incorporate some of her favourite dishes from the café in her session.

The festival isn’t for adult enjoyment only, they have organised the first ever cooking demo catering specifically for children, taught by MasterChef winner Natalie Coleman. Children will have the opportunity to learn the basics on how to cook and try new exciting foods, a perfect way to keep the kids proactive in the kitchen. Adults will be able to see an interview with Natalie and purchase signed copies of her new book Winning Recipes for Every Day.

If baking is more your forte, Richard Bertinet will share the secrets behind his sell-out bread making classes. This is a fantastic way to learn a few tips and tricks if you missed out on the classes available at The Bertinet Cookery School. The baker will even be signing copies of his many baking books in the pop-up book shop. Be sure to clear some space on the kitchen shelves, this book shop is a space in which visitors will have the chance to meet an array of celebrity chefs and build up their cookery book collection.

Arguably, the most exciting part of the day is the festival’s very own baking competition. The Big Thame Bake gives visitors the opportunity to rise to the occasion and show off their own baked goods. The winners will be awarded their prizes by none other than Frances Quinn, the Great British Bake Off Winner in 2013. Along with other Bake Off contestants, Luis Troyano, Miranda Browne, and Howard Middleton, Frances will then be interviewed by Lotte Duncan.

Give you and your family a fun, food-filled day out by checking it out here. The Thame Food Festival takes place from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 26th September 2015 in the heart of Thame town centre. If you are interested in participating in the Big Thame Bake, sign up here for only £5, of which is donated to a local cause. 

Afternoon Tea Week 10th - 16th August 2015

Here at The Amazing Blog we love a good cuppa and a slice of cake, and therefore can’t wait for all the festivities of Afternoon Tea Week 2015 to begin.

From the 10th - 16th August the biggest celebration of tea time treats in the world is happening all over the country, although many of the biggest and best events are right here in London.

Among the events is a Historical Afternoon Tea at Dennis Severs’ House with Kerstin Rodgers aka Ms Marmite Lover, one of the country’s most successful bloggers. On Friday 14th August Kerstin will be creating a historical, Georgian themed Afternoon Tea and baking from historic recipes. The event begins at 3pm and you can’t buy your tickets here.

If you’re more into the baking side of creating a great afternoon tea, definitely check out The Bakewell Baking Festival, which takes place from 14-16th August at the Bakewell Showground. The festival boasts an amazing line-up of culinary talent including Stacie Stewart, Edd Kimber, TV’s Fabulous Baker brother Tom Herbert, baked-Alaska-gate Bake off star Iain Watters andBake-off star Howard Middleton. Tickets start from £7 and can be purchased here.

For a truly immersive afternoon tea experience the InterContinental London Park Lane are offering the opportunity to enjoy the limited edition Scents of Summer Afternoon Tea in the company of Executive Chef Ashley Wells and Bespoke Perfumer Nicola Pozzani of Floris London. Here you'll experience how the evocative notes from Floris fragrances; such as freshly cut grass, jasmine, bergamot, citrus, and rose, are skilfully crafted into the sandwiches, scones and cakes, including bite-sized Jasmine tea cakes garnished with edible flowers, bergamot and blackcurrant flower macaroons, Peach Melba mousse, and a grapefruit and almond tart with violet cream. This limited edition afternoon tea costs £45 per person and available until the 27th September 2015. Book your table here.

If chocolate is more of your thing renowned artisan chocolatier paul.a.young fine chocolates has created an Afternoon Tea Week Collection.  The delicious afternoon tea favourites that we all love have been reimagined into truffles including scone, jam and clotted cream, treacle tart and Pimms! To get your hands on some of these moreish treats head on down to your nearest paul.a.young shop.

This is just a selection of all the events being held. For more information and exclusive offers please visit Afternoon Tea Week’s website.