600 SWEDISH MEATBALLS, COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

Today I made 600 Swedish Meatballs! Getting ready for my big Swedish Christmas party and Christmas Eve itself.
I used 6 kilos of meat but here is there recipe for 1 kilo

You need

500 gr mince beef
500 gr mince pork
100 ml breadcrumbs
2 finely chopped onions fried in butter until golden
2 eggs
1 tbsp treacle
1 tbsp olive oil
100 ml lager
1 tsp allspice
salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together well. Roll into small balls and fry in butter for approximately 10 minutes. Done! Serve cold or warm with cream sauce, mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam (Ikea has it!). I will freeze mine!

RASTAFARI CHRISTMAS AT HARRODS ETC IN LONDON

Mix 1800 century, Rastafarian and lots of white and you will get the latest Christmas "trend". This is this years look at Harrods, more creative and unpredictable than ever!
At Anthropology at Kings Road we saw these rugged little Christmas threes like Rastafarian hair!
All a bit middle class grungy look to me! Fun though! Whatever next?

White Christmas @ Selfridges, like a Swedish "Santa Lucia". Fresh & decorative.

Visit the Swedish Christmas Fair, last day tomorrow 12-17, 6 Harcourt Street, London.

Frozen, photo exhibition by Christina Johannesson @ 28 Crawford Place W1, London, until 20 November & 26-27 November.

Christmas by design @ Conrans in London.

LAURA ASHLEY SPRING AND SUMMER 2012, FASHION AND INTERIOR DESIGN!

Laura Ashley showed off their new collections for next year in Mercer Studios in Covent Garden. It was nice to get the feel of spring when winter has just started! Lovely flowery cushions welcomed you to the "show".
Darling Buds, a collection of spring blooms and pastel colours. Fresh!
OFF THE WALL, a collection inspired by art, Scandinavian design and 1950-is colours and patterns. Just up my road!
TWILIGHT TONES. Elegant and sophisticated and calming!
Flowery and romantic and a bit retro, very "Laura Ashley". Feminine and timeless!
EMPORIUM, a bit more trendy and up to date, but still very classical, as it should be with LA!
CASUAL CHIC, reminds me of my Swedish Heritage, Gustavian, with a hint of romance...perfect for the calm bedroom...

Sir Terence Conran now being interviewed @ the Design Museum London. "The way we live now". Could have been a little more "personal". Still very good & as usual for the Designmuseum, very manageable.

Versace @ Southbank this morning. Impressing H&M-bag!

MINI STOCKHOLM INTERIOR DESIGN GUIDE ETC...

My home town! Stockholm. I was there two weeks ago and this is what I want to share with you! Above, I went for a drink with a friend @ STORSTAD, nice restaurant and bar. It has been on the scene for quite a while now but is still going strong! Odengatan. This place use to be a pizzeria where I use to hang out when I was in my late teens. Half a pizza and a carafe of red wine/person. The staff use to laugh at us for having our own carafe....
I am a member of the STYLISTGRUPPEN.SE. A network organisation for stylists in Sweden. I managed to be able to attend one of their meetings. This time held at Trendgruppen.se , showroom and office. They are in charge of PR for Alessi, Royal Copenhagen, Gense and Mairo. Above some of Alessis latest products.
Fabric by Mairo, china by Royal Copenhagen and Alessi (coffee cups). Cutlery by www.Gense.se.
The interior design shop R.O.O.M. can be found at PUB, Hötorget, Stockholm City Center. Look at this fab interior with elements o the 50:ies. Nice...
Tures bar and brasserie in the Sturecompaniet (Grev Turegatan entrance) has always been my lunchtime favourite. Newly refurbished it has gone a bit more "french".
Matteus, in Sweden famous for its colourful porcelain from Portugal, has just launched this "wooden" new collection. I love it! www.matteus.se.
On the second floor @ PUB (Hötorget, Stockholm City, Drottninggatan) an art projekt has started where you can find art under £ 1.500 to buy and take away, or just to enjoy during lunchtime.
Christer Sandelin, pop star turned artist, have got himself on a heavy diet to pose as David Bowie on this Bowie tribute art of his!
Lotta Voltaire and her sister Renée are well known ladies on the Stockholm food scene.
Lotta, model turned chef, bakery owner and now, shop owner had recently open @ PUB in Hötorget. "I have always wanted to play shop, she says".
Systrarna Voltaire, (The Voltaire Sisters) new shop @ PUB, Hötorget.
Chairs made from recycled t-shirts! R.O.O.M. @ PUB, Hötorget.
More 1950:ies, wallpaper from Sanderson etc. Interior from R.O.O.M., PUB, Hötorget.
Forest inspired Christmas is the trend this year. More from R.O.O.M., PUB, Hötorget.
Svenskt Tenn, these days an institution in Stockholms posh quarters of Östermalm, has had a recent refurbishment and more space by moving the offices out!
Unfortunately I found it lacking inspiration and boring! What use to be a source of ideas and with interiors full of colour and unexpected mixes, was now plain and without excitement. www.svenskttenn.se. Shape up!

CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

Christmas comes early this year, again. I guess because it has been so warm for the season that you are not really in the mood yet. But the shops cannot wait. Above, romantic and with inspiration from nature, www.lawandcompany.com, in Stow-on-the- Wold in the Cotswolds, UK.
More ideas from nature. Why not pick your own pine cones and decorate with!
Or buy new stuff from this gift shop in Stow-on-the-Wold.
Letters are still fashionable on the interior design scene. Here in House etc in Stow-on-the-Wold.
Very simplistic and graphic in London's Regent Street, Spanish Zara!
More traditional but still with it, Brook Bros, Regent Street, London!
More to come soon!