I really dislike people who say "I'm bored" and expect something to happen on a whim. Either stop being boring or go out there an make something happen. A few weeks ago I wanted to explore the Leake Street Tunnel (also known as the "Banksy Tunnel" or "Graffiti Tunnel") as I heard there was a street art competition going down and during my casual wanders I stumbled upon the House of Vans indoor skatepark, the opening of which I covered this time last year. Serendipity and all that 🙂

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House of Vans Virtual Reality

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At it's core House of Vans is an indoor skate park, a live music venue, an art gallery, a cafe, a bar, and a cinema. It's basically a cultural hub for the new generation of young Londonders which is why it was fascinating to see how they would react to the VR headset that accidentally fell out of my bag. I think the picture on the left is very telling with a 5 year old instantly hooked on the virtual reality experience.

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House of Vans was actually a perfect place to test out this medium as it was in this very venue where I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey for the first time, a movie that continues to have strong cultural and somewhat historical significance. The introduction of VR into the mainstream is going to turn a number of established industries, such as film, on it's head. In a world where everyone is looking for that fulfilling experience, whether it's skateboarding or a piece of art, the progress of technology will bring us closer to that intangible feeling.

The fascinating thing about the picture above is that the kid is not even using a full VR headset. It's just a mobile phone with a virtual reality case that anyone can get for less than £10. With the latest 360 video capabilities of YouTube I expect everyone to have an understanding of this experience by this time next year. If you ever tried VR please leave a comment below, I'm truly interested as to what you thought of it.

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House of Vans, London

House of Vans itself was filled with some fantastic individuals who clearly appreciate the opportunity Vans has provided and take care of it as one big family. The place providers lockers, food and other on site assistance should you require it but it's worth popping in for a visit (it's free!) and see the venue in full.

Make sure to visit the official House of Vans website to get the full list of upcoming events (Back To The Future next week anyone?) or just pop in for a visit if you're in the area:

Address: Arches 228 - 232 Station Approach Road, London SE1 8SW
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STYLEGRAM

Make sure to check out my latest photo journal from Budva in Montengero and my shoot with ASOS Menswear for the 'As Seen On Me' campaign. You can also use the links below to stay connected 🙂

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A few weeks ago the National Portrait Gallery was holding an Audrey Hepburn exhibition and seeing as I've seen her face all over Tumblr and Pinterest over the last few years I joined up with Krissy D from INTERLACED to find out more about this style icon.

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As girls are usually late for any kind of meeting I decided to explore the area and see if there's more to Trafalgar Square than meets the eye. Trafalgar Square actually holds a huge significance in my life as it was here around 13 years ago that I got my first taste of London as I climbed on top of one of the bronze lions that adorn Nelson's Column. A little fun fact about the lions is that they were actually melted down from the cannons aboard French and Spanish ships that had taken part in the Battle of Trafalgar.

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NATIONAL GALLERY

Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, Phone: 020 7747 2885, Established: 1824

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National Gallery and the adjoining National Portrait Gallery were opened to the public on 10 May 1824 and since then it's undergone a number of cosmetic and architectural changes, most notably the work on renovating the Parthenon-esque front of the gallery.

Although we know the structure as it stands today, at the time it received public criticism before it was even completed, as an early version of the design had been leaked to a newspaper.

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The entire National Gallery is a living exhibit as you feel like you're walking through the history of art, starting with early Christian fresco's and finishing with some postmodern art of the 20th century. The entire gallery is a mathematicians paradise with perfect angles and symmetrical shapes adorning the place and 4 huge glass domes letting in natural light from the outside.

The National Portrait Gallery was also a welcome surprise as I've just started getting into people photography and it helped me realise the importance of feeling relaxed when taking as well as posing for photos. As a photographer it gives you much more flexibility if your subject is relaxed and comfortable being around you.

The 3D printed model of Tim Berners-Lee (best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web) got me giddy as without him it would be impossible for this technology to exist in the first place. Although still in it's infancy 3D printing has the potential to seriously disrupt a number of global industries. If you're interest in these kinds of things check out my latest TECH ROUNDUP.

The Audrey Hepburn Exhibition was an interesting one as it showed the snowballing nature of success and just how different the media landscape was in the 50s. Although looks didn't hold her back, it was Audrey Hepburn's charm that won over many writers and producers who wanted to work with her despite the obvious lack of experience. The wall of magazine covers at the end of the exhibition don't do justice to her career which has spanned well over 4 decades but serve as great motivation to anyone thinking that it's too late to start.

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STYLEDESK

I'm a sucker for some trinkets so decided to pick up some snaps and polaroids to decorate my room. Images of Audrey were of course a must, a young David Bowie as well as some close ups that caught my eye. No room would be complete without a CEREAL Mag (this one focused on New York) and the latest Farfetch Curates coffee table book in which the focus was on all things design in 2015.

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STYLEGRAM

Make sure to check out my latest photo journal from a photowalk organised by Richard Harris and my shoot with ASOS Menswear for the 'As Seen On Me' campaign. You can also use the links below to stay connected 🙂

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

If you ever want to see London from a completely new dimension I always recommend a trip to The Shard's Viewing Gallery. For around £20 you can go 800ft up the 1,016ft high skyscraper and see the breathtaking views around. It's located just south of the Thames in Southwark and walking distance from the London Bridge underground station.

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The ideal time would be to go at dusk as you get to see the city slowly change before your very eyes from a bright European city to a dark, almost Blade Runner-esque neor noir metropolis. You have plenty of time to look around so don't rush the pictures, your Facebook friends can wait. Instead try to see how many famous landmarks you can find with the naked eye and try to take in the view.

My little sister was in town so what better way to impress a 13 year old than thrusting her right into the deep end of a new town. Teens seem to be preoccupied with their mobile phones so I was kinda glad when hers ran out of juice and we managed to grab a few snaps together.

I would consider The Shard my favourite building in the world as in my opinion it's iconic. It's a feat of architectural engineering as it has 11,000 glass panels (which equals to around eight football fields) and was only recently pipped by the Russian Mercury City Tower as the tallest building in Europe. I would also consider it iconic as it's a perfect representation of the time and culture in which it was built and just like the Tower of London across from the river it will stand the test of time.

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THE SHARD DETAILS

Address: 32 London Bridge St, SE1 9SG
Floors: 73
Construction started: March 16, 2009
Height: 309 m

Architecture firm: Broadway Malyan
Architect: Renzo Piano

Hours:
Monday 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Friday 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

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STYLEGRAM

Make sure to check out my latest post 'A Mindless Wander' and also an interview with the supremely talented Themba Erik in which we talk about urban photography and our creative aspirations.

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Another weekend has come and gone and without even noticing, Autumn has slowly crept upon upon us. I hope everyone has had a fun filled summer (I certainly have!) but don't despair as the gloomy days can be swiftly turned around. The great thing about London is that you're never short on things to try and do. 2am on a rainy Tuesday? Not a problem. There's bound to be that free concert/gallery opening/social event you can attend to keep yourself occupied.

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#THEBLOGGERSMARKET

#TheBloggersMarket is back! Hosted by the lovely Liv from What Olivia Did and her girls (Carrie from Wish Wish Wish, Lucy from Shiny Thoughts, and Dunya from Dearest Deer) the event built on the success of the first Blogger Market held back in January.

Although predominately a girl / girl blogger event it was still great to run into some familiar faces such as Joseph from Unlimited by JK, Ben from 21st Century Gent and Miguel Santana who has an eye to die for (seriously, check out his Instagram, it's ridiculous).

The place was filled with energy and bloggers who got straight down to business - finding the perfect outfits from the clothes rails and boxes dotted around the room. Hair and makeup top ups were held in adjacent rooms as well as a live music performance by Shannon Wardrop so there was something on offer for everyone.

Make sure to follow the blogs above as undoubtedly there will be another bloggers market underway and it would be awesome to see you all there!

The Bloggers Market was held at the stunning Hoxton Hotel in Holborn. Address: 199-206 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD, Telephone: 020 7661 3000

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WATERHOUSE SQUARE

My eye is always wandering and on my way to the bloggers market I simply had to take a peek through a doorway I saw across the road.

Boy was I glad I did as behind it was Waterhouse Square, an internal courtyard at the rear of the Prudential Assurance Building (commonly known as the Holborn Bars).

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Famous for it's red gothic architecture, Waterhouse Square was designed between 1885 and 1901 by architects Alfred Waterhouse (who also designed the Natural History Museum and Manchester Town Hall) and his son Paul Waterhouse. If you're a fan of historic architecture this has to be one of the go-to places in London.

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CATCH THE LAST RAYS

You might think that summer is the perfect time for a picnic but don't discount autumn just yet! There's nothing better than being impulsive, grabbing a hamper, a close friend and a bottle of red to make the most of the warm rays the sun is giving us.

Green Park and Hyde Park are my particular favourites but if crowds aren't your thing then finding a secluded spot in Regents Park is your best bet.

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VIVIAN MAIER

Vivian was an American street photographer who rose to fame in 2007 after a collector from Chicago found a number of boxes filled with negatives and began uploading them to sites such as Flickr in the hope of finding the creator.

Critical acclaim and interest in Maier's work quickly followed and looking at her pictures it's easy to see that she had a knack for unique captures.

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Her framing and experimentation with double exposure photography got me hooked and the more you explore her photos the more likely you are to find one that sticks with you for some time. I believe all great art should do just that.

The Vivian Maier Exhibition is being held at Beetles & Huxley until 5th of September (this Saturday!) so if you're by Picadilly Circus make sure to stop by. Address: 3-5 Swallow St, London W1B 4DE, Telephone: 020 7434 4319

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I've long held a fascination with architecture and I can never quite put my finger on why that is. I mean, who can really explain the things they're attracted to? I just find it extraordinary that whichever structure you look at, whether it's The Shard or a little flat at the end of your street, they all started out as an idea in someones head.

To go from something intangible like a thought to New York's Guggenheim Museum is a huge leap of imagination and creative endeavour and the amount of work that it took to achieve is impossible to comprehend.

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ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

The Royal Academy of Arts is an independent, privately funded institution run by prominent artists and architects for the purpose of enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate.

A stones throw away from the Vivian Maier exhibition the Royal Academy of Arts is a pleasure to stroll through as the courtyard is enveloped by Burlington House, an ornate seventeenth century mansion  that the Royal Academy of Arts have called home since 1867.

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As Burlington House is situated bang in the middle of modern-day Mayfair I decided to try my hand at some people photography in the hope of capturing some real London style. Suffice to say it didn't take long as one of the member of the Academy was nice enough to let me take a few snaps.

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The Royal Academy of Arts is open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 7 days a week. Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD, Telephone: 020 7300 8000

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STYLEGRAM

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are some of your favourite places to see in London? Let me know by leaving a comment below and check out my latest post from MONTENEGRO. To follow Style Division and keep up to date visit:

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