You cannot miss out on the The Big Issue London Special out on the 14th of June. It is brimming with amazing Wedge vouchers with over $475 in savings, local street knowledge about Golborne Road and your favourite watering holes.
It is jam-packed with 22 vouchers from independent Wedge shops all over London. And it is not only this issue, EVERY Big Issue will be bursting with Wedge vouchers. So get your hands on one quick, they will go like hot cakes!
Here is just a small taste of what you can get from the first Wedged-up Big Issue.
2-4-1 on our Burgers, Stacks & Salads at The Grand Union, Brixton | Camberwell Grove | Camden | Islington | Kennington | Kentish Town.
£50 off spectacles OR £25 off sunglasses at Zack's Eye Clinic, Kings Cross | Warren Street
£10 'Funny Money' to spend on anything in store at S&M Cafés, Spitalfields | Smithfields | Islington | Portobello | O2 | Leadenhall
To get your hands on these vouchers plus many more great savings, visit your local vendor to pick up a copy from the 14th June.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Thursday, 27 May 2010
An Ode to the DVD Store
I don't know if you have noticed or not, but DVD Stores are slowly disappearing. Not only the small stores have suffered during the recession, large stores like Blockbuster have been hit too. It wasn't that long ago when I used to forensic the shelves of DVD stores, searching for those cult movies from my childhood. But now, the local DVD store seems to be internet hire sites. Sure, this is convenient, but what about the discovery of something new? Whilst fingering through rows of DVD's in a shop, I would always discover some strange movie that I probably would never have entered into a title search online.
All this hit me when I wanted to re-watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a movie bursting with childhood memories for me. And what struck me after a search for local stores was the lack of them- independents and chains. They are a quickly disappearing breed, much like toy shops I have noticed.
During my search I did find a gem, Video City on Notting Hill Gate. If you are looking for a DVD they will have it, or they will track it down for you. It is this immediacy of the DVD store that I miss. Walk in, browse (which is half the fun) and walk out with a movie. Call me old fashioned, but I'm not the biggest fan of online shopping and I hope DVD hiring does not dissolve to this. For now, I will keep hiring my DVD's from a shop, and swapping little film reviews with the owner- something you cannot replicate online.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
All this hit me when I wanted to re-watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a movie bursting with childhood memories for me. And what struck me after a search for local stores was the lack of them- independents and chains. They are a quickly disappearing breed, much like toy shops I have noticed.
During my search I did find a gem, Video City on Notting Hill Gate. If you are looking for a DVD they will have it, or they will track it down for you. It is this immediacy of the DVD store that I miss. Walk in, browse (which is half the fun) and walk out with a movie. Call me old fashioned, but I'm not the biggest fan of online shopping and I hope DVD hiring does not dissolve to this. For now, I will keep hiring my DVD's from a shop, and swapping little film reviews with the owner- something you cannot replicate online.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Simple Acts of Kindness
This morning I opened an email from my mum in Autralia, expecting the normal family gossip; who my brother is dating now, how hot the weather is there compared to London- the usual stuff. But I was completely gobsmacked by her email, reading something that I never expected to read.
Three months ago I had lost my Oyster Card, with my Australian Driving License inside it and twenty pounds. To mine, and my mum’s surpise, it has turned up at my home address in Melbourne with a little note saying, ‘I found this somewhere in Old Street’. No return address, no reward wanted, just a simple act of kindness. This got me thinking, what good deed can I do to make someone’s day that little bit better? And the chain reaction of paying it forward ensues.
One of our Wedgers, Katherine, was subject to a simple act of kindness. She was buying juice in a newsagents during our last long, cold Winter. She handed over the carton and coins, when the shop keeper remarked, ‘It’s cold outside,’ looking at Katherine’s naked hands. ‘Here, have some gloves,’ he said, taking a pair from behind his counter and handing them to her. She was completely warmed, not just her hands, by this lovely gesture.
What small things make your day? A smile in a shop, and a shopkeeper engaging in conversation with you? Someone holding the door open, or letting you out of the tube before people pour in? Small gestures like this can turn around someone’s day, and make that figure next to you a fellow human being.
Written by Lauren Ottaway.
Three months ago I had lost my Oyster Card, with my Australian Driving License inside it and twenty pounds. To mine, and my mum’s surpise, it has turned up at my home address in Melbourne with a little note saying, ‘I found this somewhere in Old Street’. No return address, no reward wanted, just a simple act of kindness. This got me thinking, what good deed can I do to make someone’s day that little bit better? And the chain reaction of paying it forward ensues.
One of our Wedgers, Katherine, was subject to a simple act of kindness. She was buying juice in a newsagents during our last long, cold Winter. She handed over the carton and coins, when the shop keeper remarked, ‘It’s cold outside,’ looking at Katherine’s naked hands. ‘Here, have some gloves,’ he said, taking a pair from behind his counter and handing them to her. She was completely warmed, not just her hands, by this lovely gesture.
What small things make your day? A smile in a shop, and a shopkeeper engaging in conversation with you? Someone holding the door open, or letting you out of the tube before people pour in? Small gestures like this can turn around someone’s day, and make that figure next to you a fellow human being.
Written by Lauren Ottaway.
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
One for the Local Shops!
As an Australian living in this city, independent shops really speak London to me, and for many Londoners, it is important to keep this link with the past alive. It is not only the shops and the shopkeepers though; it is the spaces they inhabit. The little alleys, cobbled little streets, decorative pub fronts and unique markets are not only great for tourists, but they are where you can discover London from years passed.
The Brixton Market, including the three arcades Reliance, Market Row and Granville, are now listed as Grade II buildings. This was in response to outrageous redevelopment proposals, and this time the little guy won.
The Brixton market is the largest thriving hub of Afro-Caribbean culture in the UK that seamlessly combines its 19th century charm of tiny, irregularly shaped independent shops, with a small amount of modern retail. Can you imagine this place, with its smells, sounds, the flavour and essence of Brixton, being replaced with one giant modern retailer? It is nearly impossible to capture this with modern architecture. Now the unique Brixton Market is a little bit safer, for the time being.
Enjoy your local shops, markets, spaces and any little places you love near you, because they are part of us, that’s where our memories are, and hopefully, will continue to be made.
Written by Lauren Ottaway.
The Brixton Market, including the three arcades Reliance, Market Row and Granville, are now listed as Grade II buildings. This was in response to outrageous redevelopment proposals, and this time the little guy won.
The Brixton market is the largest thriving hub of Afro-Caribbean culture in the UK that seamlessly combines its 19th century charm of tiny, irregularly shaped independent shops, with a small amount of modern retail. Can you imagine this place, with its smells, sounds, the flavour and essence of Brixton, being replaced with one giant modern retailer? It is nearly impossible to capture this with modern architecture. Now the unique Brixton Market is a little bit safer, for the time being.
Enjoy your local shops, markets, spaces and any little places you love near you, because they are part of us, that’s where our memories are, and hopefully, will continue to be made.
Written by Lauren Ottaway.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Take your Lunch to the Park
Buds are blossoming, birds are tweeting (and the rest of the world is too), days are getting longer and dresses are getting shorter; spring is upon us! But a lot of people, including us in the basement in Lower Marsh, struggle to see the sun and get our daily hit of Vitamin D. We have a small luxcrete behind a curtain where the new spring rays fight to get through, but that is all the sunshine we get here at Wedge. We have improvised by plastering a lush green forest to the back wall, and dotted our office with palms and greenery; but this is not enough when you enter the basement leaving the beautiful sunshine behind.
We have a lunch rota where we take turns in making lunch for the team, which means everyday we get a different home-cooked meal and save a wedge at the same time. Yesterday our Wedger on lunch duty, Claire, suggested a Wedge picnic. What a brilliant idea we all thought! She popped up to our local independent grocer, Greensmiths and bought:
1. 1 loaf of brown bread
2. 1 tasty cucumber
3. 1 block of mature cheddar cheese
4. 8 boxes of apple juice
5. 8 big red juicy apples
6. 8 packets of crisps
We each had a little packed lunch to take to the local Waterloo Millennium Park and Chrissy’s yoga mats (because she was off to teach yoga later that night). Sat on a grassy knoll, in between the huge, fiery tulips and daffodils worshiping the sun, we devoured our sandwiches in daylight, our skin prickling with natural heat, rather than the bar heaters beside our desks. This was a natural boost to our day.
It was inspiring to sit outside all together for lunch. There is something about a sunny spring day that makes you breathe in a little deeper, hold your head up a little higher, and forge that wintery frown into a blossoming smile.
We urge you to open your plastic-wrapped sandwiches in a park today with your colleagues and enjoy the warming weather. Fresh air and rosy cheeks can change the perspective of your office in an instant. And you may even discover something about the street you work on during the bustling lunch hour. Instead of running in and out of the sandwich shop and then back into the office, take your time and sit somewhere to watch your street go by.
We will certainly be taking advantage of this every sunny day in Lower Marsh, so you may just happen to us see enjoying our lunch in the park.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
We have a lunch rota where we take turns in making lunch for the team, which means everyday we get a different home-cooked meal and save a wedge at the same time. Yesterday our Wedger on lunch duty, Claire, suggested a Wedge picnic. What a brilliant idea we all thought! She popped up to our local independent grocer, Greensmiths and bought:
1. 1 loaf of brown bread
2. 1 tasty cucumber
3. 1 block of mature cheddar cheese
4. 8 boxes of apple juice
5. 8 big red juicy apples
6. 8 packets of crisps
We each had a little packed lunch to take to the local Waterloo Millennium Park and Chrissy’s yoga mats (because she was off to teach yoga later that night). Sat on a grassy knoll, in between the huge, fiery tulips and daffodils worshiping the sun, we devoured our sandwiches in daylight, our skin prickling with natural heat, rather than the bar heaters beside our desks. This was a natural boost to our day.
It was inspiring to sit outside all together for lunch. There is something about a sunny spring day that makes you breathe in a little deeper, hold your head up a little higher, and forge that wintery frown into a blossoming smile.
We urge you to open your plastic-wrapped sandwiches in a park today with your colleagues and enjoy the warming weather. Fresh air and rosy cheeks can change the perspective of your office in an instant. And you may even discover something about the street you work on during the bustling lunch hour. Instead of running in and out of the sandwich shop and then back into the office, take your time and sit somewhere to watch your street go by.
We will certainly be taking advantage of this every sunny day in Lower Marsh, so you may just happen to us see enjoying our lunch in the park.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Walking in Kensington and Chelsea with Wedge
Visiting the independent shops in Kensington and Chelsea has not only been a walk back in time, but also a discovery of the creativity and individuality of the local shops in the area.
Kensington and Chelsea have long been known for its unique shopping areas, and when you get down on the street and discover the independent shops you normally just walk past, you find out that this really is true.
I have been fortunate enough to interview many independent shops in the borough for Wedge. Sitting at their counters, I have had countless chats with business owners about the past fifty odd years of establishment, the changes they’ve been a part of and the generations they’ve witnessed. Their shops are a part of them, exhibiting their many years of trade and change to reflect the times. But some shops, like the wondrous giftshop Pickwicks at 3 Holland Street is still the same as it was forty-five years ago. Before Pickwicks, the owner Jacqueline Leberne worked at a Dickensian shop called Pickwicks Papers, a local shop selling newspapers. And this is what she later named her cottage-like giftshop after, housing an array of hand-picked items like coasters and porcelain ornaments.
It is an inspiring step back in time being privy to shopkeeper’s stories and I urge you, next time you visit an independent shop, have a chat to the owner; they all have amazing stories to tell, and they love telling them!
When visiting shops, I was frequently greeted by a friendly, furry staff member. And I will never forget Elvis, the snuffling little pug who, when he looks at your with those big googly eyes, you have to give a pat. He trots around Fifi Wilson’s beautiful clothing boutique on Godfrey Street, making sure everyone is happy and well dressed.
Another interesting character I met was Dodo, the wandering pigeon of Notting Hill, the footwear boutique on Portobello Road. The friendly staff leave the door slightly ajar so Dodo can wander in and out, inspecting peoples shoes and then perching on his little bucket in the corner of the shop. Children can come in and hand-feed Dodo some bread and admire the feathered little shopkeeper. Having a pet in your home creates a certain calm, and pets in store adds that small personal touch and is a talking point for many customers.
Getting to know the amazing array of independent shops in Kensington and Chelsea has been an experience I will never forget. It has changed the way I shop; now I take in the whole establishment, from the old awnings to the pride a shopkeeper takes in their business. Go local and discover the unique shops you’ve never visited. It is worth having a chin-wag with your local shopkeeper and his dog; they might have some interesting stories and secrets, or be able to tell you some history about where you live.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
Kensington and Chelsea have long been known for its unique shopping areas, and when you get down on the street and discover the independent shops you normally just walk past, you find out that this really is true.
I have been fortunate enough to interview many independent shops in the borough for Wedge. Sitting at their counters, I have had countless chats with business owners about the past fifty odd years of establishment, the changes they’ve been a part of and the generations they’ve witnessed. Their shops are a part of them, exhibiting their many years of trade and change to reflect the times. But some shops, like the wondrous giftshop Pickwicks at 3 Holland Street is still the same as it was forty-five years ago. Before Pickwicks, the owner Jacqueline Leberne worked at a Dickensian shop called Pickwicks Papers, a local shop selling newspapers. And this is what she later named her cottage-like giftshop after, housing an array of hand-picked items like coasters and porcelain ornaments.
It is an inspiring step back in time being privy to shopkeeper’s stories and I urge you, next time you visit an independent shop, have a chat to the owner; they all have amazing stories to tell, and they love telling them!
When visiting shops, I was frequently greeted by a friendly, furry staff member. And I will never forget Elvis, the snuffling little pug who, when he looks at your with those big googly eyes, you have to give a pat. He trots around Fifi Wilson’s beautiful clothing boutique on Godfrey Street, making sure everyone is happy and well dressed.
Another interesting character I met was Dodo, the wandering pigeon of Notting Hill, the footwear boutique on Portobello Road. The friendly staff leave the door slightly ajar so Dodo can wander in and out, inspecting peoples shoes and then perching on his little bucket in the corner of the shop. Children can come in and hand-feed Dodo some bread and admire the feathered little shopkeeper. Having a pet in your home creates a certain calm, and pets in store adds that small personal touch and is a talking point for many customers.
Getting to know the amazing array of independent shops in Kensington and Chelsea has been an experience I will never forget. It has changed the way I shop; now I take in the whole establishment, from the old awnings to the pride a shopkeeper takes in their business. Go local and discover the unique shops you’ve never visited. It is worth having a chin-wag with your local shopkeeper and his dog; they might have some interesting stories and secrets, or be able to tell you some history about where you live.
Written by Lauren Ottaway
Monday, 22 February 2010
A Gastronomic Tour with Your Wedge Card
Getting local with your food is the ‘mot du jour’ lately, and with good reason too, since not only is it better for the environment, and has fewer carbon food miles, it also supports your local communities. What better way to do it than with your Wedge Card round all the local independents in London? So whip out your Wedge Card we’re going for a little tour round London town!
Starters - Our little tour begins in the heart of Wedge land; a fantastic cluster of shops located in and around our office and Waterloo Station. Get your meal off to a sumptuous start with salad from Casse-Croute on Lower Marsh; they offer wonderful combinations of beans, pasta, couscous, quiches, and many Middle Eastern inspired delights. And with your Wedge Card you get a free cookie with purchases over £5-bonus! Onto Greensmiths, a stone’s throw away on Lower Marsh, to top up those salads with a whole host of olives; they sell pots of black, purple, bright green and your standard ’olive’ green fare. And why not grate some candy beetroot for the perfect finish on your starting salad? These make a wonderful colourful addition to your salad, and are guaranteed to please. And if you’ve started your shopping a little late in the day why not stop by for a speedy snack which comes with a free tea or coffee when you spend £5 or more in the café after 3pm.
Mains- It’s now time to trek it across to the Nutritious Food Gallery in East London, Broadway Market. This shop does what it says on the tin, and is worth a visit just for the conversation with the owner. But yes, we know you’re here to stock up for your dinner…And fish is the dish of the day! You’ll get a fantastic 15% off fish when using your Wedge Card and you can then pick up your accompanying veg whilst here. Now that you have got the starters and mains sorted, it’s time to head down to Bedales in Market Street at Spitalfields Market for the perfect wine accompaniment. The expert noses of Bedales will help you choose the best to bring out the all the different nuances and flavours in your meal. And if you fancy stopping by for a little tipple yourself, late afternoon, Bedales offer half price on corkage after 3pm with your Wedge Card.
Cheese Platter- No meal is complete without the cheese course, and La Fromagerie fulfils all your Wedge needs: 10% off for your favourite wedge of cheese. Find them in Marylebone and Highbury.
Dessert- And all of you with sweet tooth out there, never fear, the gastronomic tour with Wedge is not complete without a visit to a cake shop! Head to The Spence in Stoke Newington Church Street, N1. There is a cake for all tastes: chocolate, heavenly cheesecake, frangipane fruit tarts, and gluten free polenta lemon cake among many.
Coffee- An after dinner espresso is perfectly finished with Rococo Chocolates, located in Avenue Mews, N1, King’s Road, SW3 and Marylebone High Street, W1U. A tantalising 10% off their tempting treats; may we suggest a bittersweet dark chocolate truffle to add that luxurious touch to the end of your meal?
Written by Nadia Bunce
Starters - Our little tour begins in the heart of Wedge land; a fantastic cluster of shops located in and around our office and Waterloo Station. Get your meal off to a sumptuous start with salad from Casse-Croute on Lower Marsh; they offer wonderful combinations of beans, pasta, couscous, quiches, and many Middle Eastern inspired delights. And with your Wedge Card you get a free cookie with purchases over £5-bonus! Onto Greensmiths, a stone’s throw away on Lower Marsh, to top up those salads with a whole host of olives; they sell pots of black, purple, bright green and your standard ’olive’ green fare. And why not grate some candy beetroot for the perfect finish on your starting salad? These make a wonderful colourful addition to your salad, and are guaranteed to please. And if you’ve started your shopping a little late in the day why not stop by for a speedy snack which comes with a free tea or coffee when you spend £5 or more in the café after 3pm.
Mains- It’s now time to trek it across to the Nutritious Food Gallery in East London, Broadway Market. This shop does what it says on the tin, and is worth a visit just for the conversation with the owner. But yes, we know you’re here to stock up for your dinner…And fish is the dish of the day! You’ll get a fantastic 15% off fish when using your Wedge Card and you can then pick up your accompanying veg whilst here. Now that you have got the starters and mains sorted, it’s time to head down to Bedales in Market Street at Spitalfields Market for the perfect wine accompaniment. The expert noses of Bedales will help you choose the best to bring out the all the different nuances and flavours in your meal. And if you fancy stopping by for a little tipple yourself, late afternoon, Bedales offer half price on corkage after 3pm with your Wedge Card.
Cheese Platter- No meal is complete without the cheese course, and La Fromagerie fulfils all your Wedge needs: 10% off for your favourite wedge of cheese. Find them in Marylebone and Highbury.
Dessert- And all of you with sweet tooth out there, never fear, the gastronomic tour with Wedge is not complete without a visit to a cake shop! Head to The Spence in Stoke Newington Church Street, N1. There is a cake for all tastes: chocolate, heavenly cheesecake, frangipane fruit tarts, and gluten free polenta lemon cake among many.
Coffee- An after dinner espresso is perfectly finished with Rococo Chocolates, located in Avenue Mews, N1, King’s Road, SW3 and Marylebone High Street, W1U. A tantalising 10% off their tempting treats; may we suggest a bittersweet dark chocolate truffle to add that luxurious touch to the end of your meal?
Written by Nadia Bunce
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