Saturday 30 November 2013

The CSAQ Christmas Lights Switch On 2013!

The 4th annual Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Christmas Lights Switch on was again a huge success, as large crowds gathered to mark the official (because we are the home of Christmas, obviously) start of the Christmas period!

A huge thanks go to the children from St. Michael's on the Mount Primary School for another wonderful performance of carols this year. And also to the staff of the school for organising them so brilliantly and taking up countdown duties.

We again serviced, installed and will be providing the power for the lights, and also provided the mince pies, home-baked goodies and mulled wine (though it didn't last long!) for the switch on. Aren't we nice.

Here's some pics...

The carol leaflet lovingly created by St. Michael's.

Gone in 60 seconds - The mince pies and mulled wine
The expectant crowd gathers...
And though we don't count ... it might have been record crowds!
The carols
Singing along!
And they're on! (At the second attempt)
And don't they look just lovely...

Thursday 28 November 2013

Christmas Newsletter!

 

CHRISTMAS TIME - MISTLETOE AND STUFF!

SHOP's favourite time of year is here again!! Who saw that coming?!

The Christmas Lights are going up on the Steps outside, as you read this, and we'll be shortly trimming
SHOP - turning it into a little vintage grotto, like we do!




We'll be extending our hours (Yay!), so that the SHOP-elves can get a few more hours in in the Christmas workSHOP, but also closing (Boo! but Yay!) a couple of days in support of Buy Nothing Day and Do Nothing Day!

Halloween and our Secret Escape event were proper good (see blog), make no mistake. If you missed out and you're feeling sorry for yourself, then you're just going to have to work that little bit harder!

If you will insist on being a turkey, get your gobble on and see what's going down at SHOP this Christmas...
 
 

NEWS


SHOP's Secret Escape...

You may well have heard by now, that the Secret Escape destination was Madrid!

It  was a really fun weekend and we can't thank those
Secret SHOP Members who came along, enough for making it so!

The details - but not that many 'cus it's a secret - are included in the blog.


SHOP's most outrageous event ever and it just made us want to do more!
OPENING HOURS!

We'll be opening three Sundays through December:

Sunday 8th, 15th, 23rd: 12pm - 4pm

We'll be closing for our Winter hibernation from:

Tuesday 24th December - Monday 6th January

Buy Nothing Day
Do Nothing Day



As some of you will remember every year we "celebrate" Buy Nothing Day by closing for a day around this time of year. Well, this year, Adbusters (the creators of BND) are also "celebrating" a Do Nothing Day. A day where you just do nothing - now there's something we can all get behind, right?!

SHOP will be closed:
Monday 16th December for Buy and Do Nothing Day
 

EVENTS



SECRET SHOP
"SECRET SANTA"

Throughout December on Twitter!

Keep your eye on our Twitter timeline, and once a week we will tweet a 'Secret Santa sign'. If you're the first to tweet us when you see it, you will receive a very special Christmas present from SHOP!

Keep 'em peeled like an orange (or satsuma, you know, the Christmasy one people put cloves in)!

CHRISTMAS STEPS - CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON!

Friday 29th November

6pm - carols
6.30pm - switch on
(times approx!)

A reminder the fourth annual Christmas Steps Christmas Lights Switch-on is this Friday!

Mulled wine, mince pies, carols and ... oh yeah, Christmas Lights!
 

Monday 25 November 2013

Monday Stock Blog: Accessories!

These accessories are not accessories to crimes against fashion - they are accessories to KILLER outfits!

Yes! Count those puns!

Here they come...
I'd kill for this bag!
Scarf - ace.
Resevoir dog-tastic
Tie me up
Evade capture and flee the country in style
Hats, or as they are known in the criminal underworld: head disguises
These jewellery pieces may look innocent, but they are really secret radio links to Dame Judy Dench at MI5* *trades description disclaimer: they are just jewellery really

Monday 18 November 2013

SHOP Secret Series: Secret Escape!




This weekend just gone (16 – 17th November) saw SHOP’s BIGGEST and most ambitious secret event since records began.

After placing the message in the monthly newsletter calling for people with 'an adventurous spirit', '£500' and of course their 'passport' to take part, we were surprised at just how many of the SHOP club members actually had all three of those things.

As is the law with SHOP secret events, we're keeping the minutae under our hats, but we will tell you this: we went to Madrid! And it was incredible!

It's a city we're familiar with and the escapees(?!) were treated to a cocktails on the roof of the Mercado San Antón; taken on a shopping trip to Malasaña, taking in a coffee stop at a Micro-Poetry cafe; Pimientos de Padrón at the Mercado San Miguel; topped off with dancing till 6am at a tiny club in Chueca - like a proper Madrileñoooooos.

Here's some pics!

Malasaña at dusk
Micro-poetry
A mushrooms high at Mercado San Antón

Pimientos de Padrón at the Mercado San Miguel

Keep your eyes out on the Twitter, on the website, or on the Newsletter for the next Secret Event ... whenever that might be ... it's a secret!

This message will self destruct in the 1, the 2, the 3 ........................................................

Monday Stock Blog: Home Is Where The Wares At!

As the nights draw in you'll no doubt be spending a few more evenings at home, snuggled up in front of the telly. The problem is there's never owt decent on the telly ... so why not have some nice things about the house to look at instead, hey? WHY NOT?!

Here's some suggestions...


Iiiiiiin one: Bully's special prize!
Time Travelling Slebs #254: Grace Dent.
Frame, set and match.
*S-Cream!*
You dirty jars.
Aaaah, push it!
Stock photo for a fancy pants.
Material world.

Monday 11 November 2013

Monday Stock Blog: Women's Jumpers and Tops!

The days are short, the nights are long and shivery - BUT! It means we can all wear jumpers and shirts without feeling guilty (don't tell me you don't know about jumper-guilt).

This week we have a fine selection for the laydeeeeeez!

*CHRISTMAS JUMPER CLAXON!*

Bow-tiful Jumper Dress!


Is it a Jacket? Is it a Blouse? We don't care, we love it anyway!
There are eleven words for how fookin amazing this shirt is!
You too can now pretend you are a Flight Attendent!
Did we use 'bow-tiful' yet?
Mice One!
Don't you step on my blue wooly jumper
This shirt has parrots on it!!
What a litte cutey!