The Paper Architect touch

by Maria Zherebtsova

When was the last time that, as a grown-up, you have been touched by magic? Well, it happened to me last Thursday at exactly 9pm, when I, together with a rather scared looking group of people, not more than 10 people in total, were ushered into a room made completely out of cardboard. Then, the lights went out and after two minutes I no longer remembered that I was in Leytonstone Library, but already somewhere far away. Curious thing – the mind!

The Paper Architect is a story of a creative person never being quite alone despite his worldly solitude and asceticism, of the infinite power of the mind to challenge the reality of what you “see”. It is a play about the fragility of this process and of the dangers of “real” life for someone with the power of imagination so vast that we can really make static paper objects come alive.

It is pure alchemy going on in front of your eyes. It is your own private magic.

The play touched me incredibly, to tears actually and not because it was incredibly sad (which I suppose it was), but because I really felt like a kid. They were the tears of awe.

Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award

Davy & Kristin McGuire

The Paper Architect

Flower Workshop for Kids

Kids love to create, to imagine and to dream. This is both their natural skill and a rightful activity, which comes as a perk of the age group. So what better way to let their imagination run free, than inspiring them with real stories about invention and creation.

Catiouche Academy of Big Dreams was created by Lana Berglas, Creative Director of luxury brand Catiouche London, to encourage kids of all ages to ‘dream big’ by attending regular events with people-Inventors, Entrepreneurs and those who can teach kids creative skills, but most importantly show them a world of ideas.

The first workshop by the Catiouche Academy is on Sunday 10th February, called ‘My Beautiful Bouquet for My Beautiful Mummy’. It’s designed to get kids to learn about the world of floral design and to inspire them to look to nature for ideas. Led by Natasha Van De Minkelis of Flower Fashion, it’s a really fun way to see flowers in a new light and to get creative.

This Sunday’s workshop has been fully booked within hours, but do look out for future events and updates from the Catiouche Academy on their Facebook Page: Catiouche London or email info@catiouche.com

Five fun facts about flowers for kids in the meantime!

Catiouche Academy fact number 1: Broccoli is a flower as well as a vegetable.

Catiouche Academy fact number 2: In the 1600s in Holland, a single tulip bulb could cost more than a house.

Catiouche Academy fact number 3: in the tropics orchids grow high in the trees rather than on the forest floor

Catiouche Academy fact number 4: Bamboo can be a fast growing plant, some types can grow almost a metre in just one day!

Catiouche Academy fact number 5: The  blooms of the roses are edible and have the flavors of green apples and strawberries.

Boxing Day will be fun!

Conran store in South Kensington has created the most spectacular windows this Christmas. The pear shaped bells and giant balls evoked the true festive spirit and a real life Santa climbing the stores of the building was a favourite with kids.

 

Now that the sale sign has gone up and the stunning designs are gone, a quick look at the goodies on sale. Do go, it’s a delight for the whole family.

The store was decorated with neon signs and ultra modern lighting, signposting between Kids, Home, men, women and stocking fillers.

The kids section has a lot of retro inspired gifts from a Harmonica to cooking sets, Wizard of Oz book edition and great lighting for kids.

We were especially interested in spotting one of these: the socks for the young champions by Trumpette. Beautiful packaging http://www.trumpette.com/

 

Happy shopping on this Boxing Day!

Magical Christmas for Kids by Catiouche London

What do kids love most at Christmas? Sparkles, magic, presents and stories. Stories is what makes the festive season so magical for kids. We love the brands with stories and this is why Catiouche is the brand we want the most this Christmas.

 

The luxury night wear brand for kids, Catiouche London, creates beautiful organic garments with prints from the Catiouche bedtime stories. Written by the author Santa Montefiore, the stories are about the girl Catiouche and the cat Max, their dreamy adventures and magical landscapes.

 

The latest story by Catiouche is called ‘The Red Planet’ and is available as a print on the soft Christmassy blanket.

Catiouche hold a number of interactive events for kids throughout the year, featuring bedtime stories by Santa Montefiore and their latest nightwear creations, so it’s worth keeping up with their announcements on their Catiouche London Facebook Page

The brand can be purchased online on http://www.catiouche.com/

 

Why are you tired, you are at home the whole day!

It is the one question that puzzles dads who go to work every morning and come back ‘tired’ after work. It’s a question so many people who never had to look after kids just cannot fathom. Yet the question which is bound to drive every mother and child carer insane.

Picture this, like in the Hollywood movies where a person gets to be somebody else for a day, you wake up a CEO of a global company of some rocket science industry, but your company is in deep crisis, you don’t know what is wrong but the walls are shaking, your share price is rocketing down, the media are calling you every minute ready to shift a blame on you, your advisors are contradicting themselthes, nobody knows what is going on, your head is spinning, you don’t have a minute to even think of eating, you can’t sleep because the company crisis calls are ringing in your head. You have no idea when it is going to end, you go about life in a haze, constantly worried, starved of sleep, starved of any other thoughts, you can’t see friends…

And then you come home and your partner asks you ‘What on earth is wrong with you?? You don’t do anything the whole day, just sit at work!’

Every mother, father or childcarer is that confused overwhelmed CEO.

The WOW Factor: a special report from LFW 2012

You might not possess many things, but what you do MUST have, is the ‘wow’ factor! says photographer and our guest blogger Julia Flit, after visiting Somerset House during London Fashion Week 2012.

LFW 2012, British Fashion Council

After going through the most beautiful ballgowns at V&A and satiating my curiosity about classy and very pretentious dresses, I moved to the hottest trends of today’s fashion at LFW. The burst of colors, shapes, textures, stones, crystals, feathers, and much, much more were overwhelming! This year’s inspiration for most of the collections is a crazy mixture of sixties, nineties and futuristic styles.

It is quite odd but many designers seem to be obsessed with Minnie Mouse this season and her big ears have proved to be a big influence on their creations. Brands from Ebay to Stephen Jones and Sister by Sibling have created perfect outfits to satisfy Minnie Mouse fans. Minnie Mouse Must Haves Auction ebay.co.uk/minniemouse

The highlight of the day for me has been Mawi – a collection of the most beautiful and most glittery handbags. You won’t go unnoticed with one of these jewels. Also the team was beyond all praise! Very loud, very eccentric and very entertaining!

You might not possess many things, but what you do MUST have – is the ‘wow’ factor!

by Julia Flit. You can also find Julia and her beautiful photography portfolio on www.jum-art.co.uk

 

This Weekend: Russian Wave Festival

Yummy & Olympic is attending this great Festival of contemporary Russian culture on Sunday 16th September. We think it’s not to miss. Cartoons and animation is from 12pm till 13:00 and its free. And of course it’s “Masha and Medved”, the favourite with all kids who watch it!

 

RUSSIAN WAVE

Sunday, 16 September 2012, 11am – 11 pm

Riverside Studios, London SW6

Breaking on the banks of the Thames for one day only, Russian Wave is a celebration of contemporary Russian culture. This 12-hour programme will immerse you in the turbulent world of contemporary Russian culture, revealing how a nation renowned for its heritage can still rock the boat with revolutionary innovation. Russian Wave will be awash with cinema, literature, theatre, art, music and animation, and will be giving you a chance to try thefinest Russian cuisine. Come and meet people on the same wavelength in a vibrant atmosphere, and explore the depths of Russian culture now.  Get caught up in the current!

More about Russian Wave: www.russianwave.org

Russian Wave Film programme will showcase new Russian cinema by presenting four films, all award-winners at Russian and international film festivals.

Громозека
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-DnpERBNqA

Patria o Muerte – «Родина или смерть»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4d-nGVeDMQ

«Безразличие»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72K26epiBZU

«Царь»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86VdfZ0MPyU

Contemporary animation. The best in contemporary animation – sure to delight adults and kids alike. Free entry! (12:00-13:00)

Russian Poetry Wave will transform Riverside Studios with live performances of English and Russian poems throughout the day. As part of an open culture project in London, a series of discussions on contemporary literature will take place between literary specialists representing both the English and Russian language. There will also be books in Russian and English on sale at the book stand.

Russian Book Bar – choose the perfect book for you whether it’s on Russia, from Russia or in Russian. All the books can be borrowed, bought or won in a special raffle.

Get a taste of Russia! Pirogi, pelmeni, medoviki, smetanniki and more! Come and join this celebration of Russian cuisine and dig in to Russian delicacies, freshly prepared by a team of chefs from Russian Revels and Sobranie Restaurant, in the Riverside Café and on the terrace.

iPainting at Russian Wave is a unique chance to witness the creation of a piece of 21-century art and become a part of it at once. Young Russian artist Nadja Ryzhakova will be with us all day with her digital easel at the ready to capture the scenes, faces and the atmosphere of the fest. Come and watch the recorded step-by-step process of iPainting live at our screens and be prepared to find yourself iPainted!

All this, plus award-winning contemporary art, music and lots of other Russian zabavas (fun and games) for all the family.

Let’s get together and make some waves!

Box office: www.riversidestudios.co.uk, 020 8237 1111

A dolphin called Andy Murray

Poor kids. Another week and there will be nothing to watch on TV. Who cares about SpongeBob’s squarepants and Spiderman, when somewhere very close to planet Earth, in fact right all over it, are the real superheroes. Tangible, their superhuman bodies totally normal and perfectly human.
I don’t know about other kids, but the Olympics had a profound effect on mine. So much that a mosaic dolphin in the pool – a lovable creature which was lovably called Gogo has been renamed into Andy Murray (pronounced Handy Marri).

And if i am to continue to be a lovable parent, I am required to immediately find Basketball, Badminton, Beach VolleyBall, Ping Pong, Water Polo sport clubs in addition to Tennis, Judo, Swimming and Football.

I am off on my mission and of course taking recommendations, numbers. Coaches and sport teachers are in for their grteatest year yet.

Fact.

 

 

Watching Olympics with kids: an eye opener

Apart from a superb introduction to the inspiration that sport can be to kids, the olympics 2012 have proven to be an incredibly powerful lesson in the foundations of philosophy, ethics, physics, genetics, fashion, maths, geography, international relations and a host of other very important and fancy adult subjects. Do you want to know why?
Geography is self explanatory: by day 7 of the London olympics my 6 year old was naming the countries correctly, identifying them by the colour of the uniform and the flag on the scoreboard. The 4,5 year old was commenting on fashion, i was surprised to hear that she could settle on anything that is not a pink tutu. A note for the future and excellent role models to keep in mind (perhaps they will go as far as replacing the oinking family).

Now, Philosophy was derived at via geography. here is the statement: ‘Mum, we haven’t travelled at all. We haven’t been to North America, South America, Canada, Bahamas, Africa and other places. We can’t waste time’ I liked it, in his mind it was a smallworld – one world with no boundaries and restrictions and full of powerful, strong and fit people. Even if that statement dismissed having travelled to most countries in Europe, still, it’s a perspective, a healthy one.
Ethics, what does it mean to loose and to win. Are there terms such as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. What place does the old motto of ‘it’s participation that matters most’ has in the world of modern olympics? I couldn’t find it and neither could my son. It’s all or nothing today, winners and losers. Sadly?

Maths, almost as the result of the ethical shift towards the winning – its the endless medal count refresh, it’s the ‘we’ and ‘them’ but at least it’s a healthy maths lesson for the little ones. The one they don’t notice and hugely enjoy.

Physiscs, genetics, some interesting observations on body weight and a certain shape that athletes of each sport have. A fascinated look on their faces when they see an athlete fly in the air for the long jump. How is that even possible? Why do darker people always win the running and where in the world is Bahamas and Jamaica?

Its a brilliant eye opening experience and an interest that i hope will continue even after the games.

Olympic Friday

As all countdowns go, they inevitably get to the magic number and the clocks stops today. It’s a perfect Friday to get all drawn in by the super powers of the athletic sports men and women. Ready boys and girls?

Team Y & O is wearing sportswear by Yummy & O.L.M.P.C and getting ready to watch the real gods of sport in action.