On Thursday I am flying to America for a quick trip, which will mostly involve a wedding of one of my friends, but which will also hopefully act as a minibreak of sorts where I get to destress!
I’m really excited about going, as I love flying, and I’m flying Virgin Atlantic which I always think of as having proper planes, rather than those crappy ones that may or may not break apart that any budget airline seems to wheel out! I am also obviously really excited to see my friend, meet her fiance, and of course go to a wedding!
But with attending a wedding also means buying a wedding gift, which is a tough ask for any wedding really. However this gift buying was compounded by the fact that there were a few special criteria involved:
1. It couldn’t be too big, as I am flying, and I kind of dont want to check in luggage unless I have to
2. It couldn’t be too delicate, as I am flying, and I kind of don’t want it to break!
3. It couldn’t be too expensive, because I dont really have much money and also I am expending quite a lot on the tickets!!
So with those criteria firmly in mind, I set off to Tottenham Court Road yesterday where I thought the veritable mine of furniture shops would surely guarantee me a success.
After a couple of hours despondently traipsing round not being able to find anything that fulfilled all 3 criteria, I wandered into Heals, which is basically a snazzier and funkier version of Habitat.
I managed to find a present in there, but I also saw these amazing pieces of serveware which I thought I definitely had to share! (There were more pieces in the shop but online I could only find a few pictures)
They are porcelain renderings of takeaway cartons, which would generally be made of disposable material, except the artist has made them into china! Genius! There was a whole range of stuff..
I really liked the juxtaposition of the informal feel of the china pieces but also the slight formal edge that the china actually brings. I could imagine using these pieces when I’ve actually brought takeaway home when friends come round, and I don’t want to actually use the plastic cartons, but I don’t want to bust out some ‘grown-up’ plates!
I especially fell in love with the salt and pepper pots above, and was seriously considering buying them as a wedding gift, but turned them down as a) I could really see them breaking in my bag! and b) they are the kind of thing, I think, that you really need to match a set to, and I definitely didn’t have that kind of money!
Although I didn’t end up buying them, I thought they were really cool and unique in today’s serveware market and definitely worth a share!!
I’ll let you know how the presents I did buy them went down when I come back from the US. Until then, its hush hush!
I will hopefully be getting another post up before I fly out, and then look out for a bumper US post on my return next week!
