Superbly located on the corner of Sclater Street and Bethnal Green Road their spacious and stylish salon is right on the cusp of Shoreditch, Brick Lane and Spitalfields- just meres from BoxPark and Shoreditch High Street tube station. The space is stylish yet delicately laid-out with a stunning collection of vintage mirrors, fabrics and kitsch items scattered about.

Drew & Nadia are both very candid that this brother & sister venture has been a steep learning curve ‘If you’d told me when I was young that I would have a business with my sister I never would have believed a word of it’ explains Drew with Nadia nodding in complete agreement. ‘It”s definitely been tough at times, particularly right at the start when we were getting the space ready and were living together for a while as well- there was a lot of stress to deal with.’ However, it is now clear that they have each found their footing and place within the business.

Drew and Nadia are no strangers to success already, having established careers working for some of the most prestigious salons in London. Nadia has already been recognised as a Session Stylist of the year for Cosmopolitan and Colourist of the Year in the Charles Worthington Awards whilst Drew was nominated Men’s Hairdresser of the year at the British Hairdressing Awards.

The salon, spread over two floors, offers ample space for clients to get cut, styled, coloured or receive any of the wide selection of beauty treatments available including waxing, nails and eye treatments. A Cut & Finish starts at just £37 for men and £42 for ladies which is great value for money given the prestige if the young company and their expensive location. So, next time you need some beautifying, make sure you pop on down to FOSTER LONDON- you won’t regret it! Opening Hours are Mon & Fri 10am to 7pm Tue/Wed 10am to 8pm Thu 10am to 9pm Sat & Sun 10am to 6pm

Cargo is located in the heart of the graffiti strewn Shoreditch/Hoxton area and the club is something of a focal point for local graffiti. Its original brick walls feature some fine works of art including a Banksy mural. As an attraction for music, the venue is famous for its club and DJ nights, occasionally showcasing cutting edge live acts. You can keep up to date with what’s on at the venue by visiting www.cargo-london.com.

The nearest station to Rivington Street is Old Street Railway Station which is about 6 minutes to the south west. Those visiting the area will be impressed at the amount of bars, eateries and street art all within 1-4 minutes’ walking distance, creating a creative social buzz some feel akin to that of the area surrounding the street’s namesake in New York’s Lower East Side.

What’s gone wrong? Time was that my flashy pinstripe suit, big shiny watch and branded car were enough to wow the punters. No need for me to waste my time on learning the market, or any of the other hard work that mugs like base property specialists put in.

I thought I was getting away with it, running circles around all those squeaky-clean estate agents that claim to actually deliver great customer service. Yawn! Customers are there to be milked for every fee you can throw at them, that’s my philosophy. Just promise them some ridiculously unrealistic price for their property – anything to get them locked in to a contract, and never mind what you actually sell or rent it for. People don’t trust dodgy estate agents, but they need us.

But now the “good guys” actually seem to be winning. More and more estate agents are on the straight and narrow. Customers are wising up – landlords and tenants are checking estate agent reviews and picking well-regulated estate agents. Those goody-two-shoes over at base are doing a roaring business based on great customer service, and winning awards and recognition to boot!

I need to fix this now – no-one gets the better of Captain Flash! The important thing is not to panic. Take a deep breath. There’s no need for me to do anything hasty like actually changing the way I work! No, all I need is a bit more flash, and the punters will be falling at my feet again.

I’m off to rebrand my minis…

Fed up of Captain Flash? Find out why base property specialists are different, and check out our special offers!

Sh! Women’s Erotic Emporium scooped Business of the Year & Shopping Venue of the Year award

Hoxton Salon picked up Beauty & Wellness Venue of the Year

It is always great to hear local businesses do well- we are off to the ESTAS (Estate & Letting Agent Awards) tomorrow which we have been shortlisted as a Top North London Letting Agent.

Reviews, however, much more than awards or prestige, give you a genuine insight in to a business, the service it provides and the experience it gives its customers. That is why these businesses should be very proud of their performance on QYPE. Other notable businesses on QYPE are:

St. John Bar & Restaurant in Farringdon, the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch, Wedge in Islington and Ye Old Mitre in Farringdon. It s clear we have some great places on our doorstep. If you have a favourite we would love to hear all about it.

Many of you may already be familiar with Junky Styling. Established in 1997 by Annika Sanders-Nicklinson and Kerry Seager-Sze the idea first took to the streets over in Kensington gracing the street market stalls. However, it wasn’t long before they outgrew their stall settings and a shop was badly needed. Our local area was only just starting to really take off by this time so, convinced by friends and cohorts, Annika and Kerry came to Brick Lane to explore the Truman Brewery…..and there they stayed.

In love with the location, the Truman Brewery has been their home for 12 years…..until now. With the growing commercialisation of Spitalfields Market, the Truman Brewery and the surrounding retail units they wanted something fresh yet local.

I first came across Junky Styling in Christmas 2010 when my big sister paraded around in her ‘big’ Christmas present- a beautiful winter coat from Junky Styling (courtesy of our father and her other half). It was/is stunning and I have been vowing ever since to visit their shop.

Here at base we don’t usually handle commercial property but, as luck would have it, one of our London Landlords was let down at the last minute and desperately needed a new Tenant. We offered to do what we could and, with the help of the guys at Dominion, I was soon introdcued to Kerry and Annika. I showed them the shop the next morning and the rest, as they say, is history- less than two weeks later Junky Styling opened the doors to their new shop on Hackney Road.

A great setting and a great space they are located between Shoreditch High Street and Columbia Road and, despite opening just last week, already look well at home. The garments they create, for men & women, are fantastic. Quirky, edgy, stylish items and accessories to suit those with exquisite taste.

As a bonus, Junky Styling are dressing our office for the ESTAs (Estate and Letting Agent Awards) at the Hilton Park Lane on Friday 20th April- stay tuned for photos of us on the big day!

So, if you don’t know them, or haven’t been in to see their latest lines, get down there. You will be met with smiling faces, a passion and enthusiasm that is positively contagious and some of the most amazing garments you have ever set your eyes on. Get on down to Junky Styling at 21 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, E2 7NX

It’s difficult to name every  graffiti and street artist that has contributed to artwork in this image, although the signature Muro & Matem is prominently incorporated into designs sited to the left of the huge slightly ominous looking  cockroach occupying a rooftop vantage point. This bug is one of two street savvy ‘roaches erected for the White Cross Street Party (happening again this year, Saturday 21st July-Sunday 22nd July) and is a creation by independent non-profit artist Ronzo. Further artist credits can be given to Txemy  and Inkfetish, while the left hand side wall features the work of Eine  on the bottom four panels- his design in support of the charity Shelter. The eye-catching “Let’s Adore and Endure Each Other” was painted by Steve Powers, a legendary New York City artist who once wrote under the tag ESPO (Exterior Surface Painting Outreach). The work was created for the Moniker Art Fair, and you can see the piece being created on Babelgum.

The slightly surreal looking disused tube carriages create an eye-catching addition to the urban landscape, out of place sitting perched upon a disused viaduct, and ingeniously, they house artists of varying types in work spaces that form part of a charity project run by an organisation called Village Underground.  It supports a close-knit community of creative practitioners, businesses and organisations in its not-for-profit studios.

The idea to use redundant tube trains as work space came from Auro Foxcroft, a furniture designer and project director. For a mere £100 he secured the carriages which were otherwise destined to be scrapped, but the further negotiations for planning permission, removal, siting of carriages and so on was a lengthy process and cost an estimated £25,000.
Now the carriages are creatively buzzing, eco-friendly studios;  recycled goods running on green power, and facilitating the creation of art in an inspiring urban context at a cost affordable for artists who may not otherwise be able to fund their own work spaces.

Resourceful, recessive Britain at its best.

We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for the ESTAS 2012, a reflection of our outstanding customer service. The ESTAS, Estate & Letting Agent Awards, recognise the best letting agents in the country based on feedback from landlords. We are one of just nine North London letting agents nominated in our local category.

The ESTAS are based purely on research into customer experiences, not just recognition by fellow letting agents. 33,000 questionnaires were completed by customers during the competition, answering questions about the quality of service they received from their agent.

There are 17 regional categories, and Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be given in each area, as well as national winners. The regional and national winners will be announced by Phil Spencer, the TV Property expert at the 9^th annual ESTAS ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane on 20^th April.  Phil says “I think it says a great deal about company who’s prepared to stand up and announce to customers and competitors that they believe in providing the best possible service and they’re happy to prove it.  These awards help agencies to focus on customer service levels and that’s why so many sign up each year”.

We would like to thank all of our London landlords who took the time to vote for us. Stay tuned to find out what happens on 20th April, and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for instant updates on how we get on at the big event! Read our full response to being nominated for Letting Agency of the Year on our Awards page.

I recently stumbled across a fantastic new additional to the local area on the way to value a property the other day- Pitfield London on Pitfield Street in Hoxton, N1.

From interior designer Shaun Clarkson and textile designer Paul Brewster this exciting new venture only opened this past winter and reflects  their  bold,  whimsical  tastes  creating  a  retail  and  exhibition  space  that  is  pure fantasy and escapism. Clarkson and Brewster discovered the area’s charms almost 20 years ago, having lived and worked in the neighbourhood  long before it became the place to be, so are far from ‘new kids on the block’.

A much-­‐needed  addition to this edgy corner of the city, Pitfield delivers on so many levels- it’s a stylish curiosity  shop as well as  a  curatorial  space  with  a  constantly  rotating  exhibition  of  local  London designers where craftspeople  and  artists  sit  alongside  well-­‐established  international  brands,  design classics, re-­‐invented items, vintage pieces and Clarkson’s and Brewster’s own designs.

The  Pitfield  Café  is  an  extension  of  the  lifestyle,  bringing  Clarkson’s  designs  to  life  in  an environment  that  people  can  experience  and  buy  into.  The  café  offers a meeting place and an inspired gathering place in which to socialise or work. Clarkson and Brewster  have  partnered  with  Eddy Grappy  who  designs  the  menu  and  runs  the  café.  Freshly ground,  specialist  coffee  will  be  complemented   by  brownies,  muffins,  cakes  and  luscious,  fluffy meringues  made  on-­‐site.    On  the  savoury  side,  super-­‐healthy  salads,  sandwiches  and  pizzas,  all  using local produce, will also be on the menu. Pass by their window and you will see why it is virtually impossible to resist stepping inside!

What’s more, the café is furnished with found items and reworked vintage pieces- all of which are unique and for sale. “If somebody wants to pay for the chair he is sitting on and walk out with it, we can arrange that,” says Clarkson. “Or if they like the cake stand, they can buy that too.” Pitfield will continue to change and evolve regularly. In what is effectively a raw space, the vignettes created by Clarkson and Brewster will always compel, inspire and draw in the creative and curious. Their work can never be described as bashful: it is dramatic, sometimes over the top and always incredibly rich in cultural and historical references.

Either way, their designs belie a perfectionist’s eye for detail and an absolute passion for every single item  in  the  room,  be  it  a  distinctive  mid-­‐century  vase  or  some  unusual  wallpaper  from  a  small manufacturer in California. Nothing is an accident. With Brewster’s unparalleled  experience in the textiles world, coupled with his sharp exquisite taste, pattern  and  colour  will  be the  order  of the  day.  Brewster’s  work  with  designers  such  as Versace, Gianfranco  Ferre and Diane von Furstenberg  has allowed  him to bring an elegant splash of tasteful excitement to the interiors environments he helps to define.

Most of us have been in a signature Shaun Clarkson-­‐designed environment,  be it the Harvey Nichols bar, the bar at the Oxo Tower, the Dukes Hotel Bar or a seemingly simple but wonderfully loud La Porchetta pizza restaurant, all of which exude Clarkson’s unique and vibrant style.

Brewster and Clarkson’s beautiful east London house was recently featured in World of Interiors magazine and was photographed in all its glamorous glory with their fantastic collections of objects found at car-­‐boot sales, flea markets and antiques fairs. Equally, their two other country retreats in Norfolk, Carrington House and Cliff Barns, are stamped with their unwavering spirit, hallmark clashing patterns and unforgettable colours. It is this very spirit that will be transported straight into Pitfield, the only store of its kind in London. “I’ve been designing  for 20 years,” says Clarkson.  “And it’s now time for us to open this space and bring a bit of our fantastical lifestyle into a retail environment.”

There are lots of boozers around here, old characteristic pubs, but it’s fair to say we’re one of the oldest cocktail bars – even at just 3 years of age!

Shoreditch is a great place to work, live, eat, drink, stumble home from and to (occasionally). But I guess our expertise lies with the drinking part (not the stumbling). The idea behind Callooh Callay is that it bridges the gap between “party bars” and “craft cocktail bars”. Yes, we have DJ’s and quirky decor, but we also make some of the best drinks in the capital and were recently voted 29th best bar in the world. We don’t think that in order to have an amazing cocktail you need to sit up straight, listen to jazz music, and order from a menu that’s so complicated and pretentious it may as well be written in Latin. And if you’re in a bar with cool music and a lively crowd, there’s no reason to be drinking watery mojitos from a plastic cup. It’s something we feel passionately about, so we work hard at it.

I should probably mention the wardrobe, as that’s what people know us for! Callooh Callay is comprised of three rooms. The Bar, The Lounge, and The Jubjub Bar. The Lounge is accessed through a wardrobe, and The Jubjub Bar is hidden behind a curtain, up a stairway, and through a locked door – all very secretive and exciting. Sometimes people forget that drinking is supposed to be fun, we try to ensure that it is. The award winning interior was actually designed and created by another of company featured in local news- dtwo design

Our menu changes seasonally, right now we’re very excited about Spring/Summer drinks, and the weather seems to have caught up with us too. My personal favourite is probably the Marmageddon – it’s basically a Margarita with OCHO Tequila, beer, and Marmite. The new menu launches on April 2nd, and we recommend booking. If you like the sound of what we’re about check out our website, follow us on facebook or twitter or email us at info@calloohcallaybar.com or just pop in and see us at 65 Rivington Street.

They offer the full range of interior design, consultation and project management services across the Workspace, Retail and Hospitality sectors and currently operate out of their offices in The Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. Because of their hands-on approach with a roster of fantastic builders and fabricators they guarantee to deliver projects on time and on budget- how many companies do that?

To date they already have an impressive array of clients ‘under their belt’ including: Asos, Mainframe, Raw TV, Mother London, Saturday Group, Lbi and Lucy in Disguise.

Here’s what Lily Allen had to say about Jackdaw after the worked with her on Lucy in Disguise: ‘Alex and Pippa worked tirelessly to create a beautiful, beautiful space for us on an incredibly tight budget and within a very short period of time. It’s kind of unbelievable what they managed to achieve and even more amazing that they managed to pull it all off with smiles on their faces. An absolute pleasure to work with, highly recommended.’

So if you are looking to launch a new space or revitalise the one you are currently in then maybe you need Jackdaw- why not give Alex & Pippa a bell today?