Designer goodies for Christmas?

I watched with interest as The Vault, "Design Store" took shape a few months ago. It looked a little out of place to me. A wee bit too chichi for the area - and it seems that I wasn't the only one looking at this local issues website.

Apparently set up by own of the Kiwi founders of the very successful, GBK burger chain, this is the first London store of what turns out to be a NZ venture, whose motto according to its website is " the objects with which we adorn our lives are not only a reflection of ourselves but of our past, present and future culture " - this makes me think it is even more pseud than I had at first thought, but the NZ connection does explain the decor which appears to be a carbon copy of the shops on their NZ website.

But will this work in West Hampstead? I am curious. I personally think it is a little overpriced and partly this is because it has sourced much of its goods from New Zealand. Although these 'objects' are generally very nice and high quality, I wonder if this store has missed the boat? With a greater emphasis on green values permeating the country and Camden specifically, do people really want to pay 20 quid on a trinket that has travelled the world to make it into your stocking?

I'm not sure. Time will tell no doubt.

ooh la la - another chain restaurant

I see that ooh laa lla, or ooh la la, or ooooohh something or other has shut. This is a bit of a shame as they did try. I quite enjoyed the food last time I went, although the experiment that was the interior decor may well have been its downfall.

I remember looking it up when it opened and noticing that it had rooms above. These now seem to be branded as "291 Suites". They look rather nice from the website and probably a handy addition to the hotel room situation in the area.

The restaurant is to become another chain - Strada this time. Opening in Feb 08 according to their website. Probably not something we really need, but no doubt I and most of the neighbourhood will frequent this more frequently than we did the ooh la la variety.

Christmas lights on West End Lane

I quite liked the understated white lights of the last few years, so was rather put out with the brightly coloured, childlike festive lighting that Camden provided this year.

They have grown on me though - West Hampstead isn't really posh enough for the white ones.