GREAT THINGS HAPPEN at our creative British Breakfast – it’s been said that he best ideas happen in the mornings……many collaborations have been born from our weekly breakfast, from songwriters getting together, filmmakers and actors, and now here’s a story about some wonderful creative women….
Once upon a chance meeting at the Brits in LA weekly breakfast at Cecconi’s, three British lasses (Tina, Katie and Kate) came up with the idea for a unique creative business partnership. They conceived creating a gift box of all their speciality crafts. The florist, the chocolatier and the artist. With Christmas around the corner, and of course, every romantic’s favourite, Valentine’s Day, looming, their timing is perfect.
All three came to LA for their own individual reasons but, as with most LA transplants, all came with an aim to succeed in their chosen fields. People tend to equate British products with high quality and this offering is bringing together the best of each of their individual crafts. Quintessentially British with a LA sparkle.
Stylist-turned-artisan-chocolatier Tina set up her bespoke chocolate company (Hawkridge & Sons) which specialises in hand crafted chocolates made with all organic ingredients, with her two sons. Their chocolates are the result of years of research into nutritional health and food production and reflect the team’s discriminating taste as well as their commitment to organic farming, ethical trading and non-GMO ingredients. Most recently Hawkridge and Sons also began collaborating with Byron Blatty Wines, a small, family run business offering a distinctive selection of handcrafted wines.
Artist Katie Brightside believes in community and people coming together to create a unique foundation to see life in a different perspective. Off the back of her success of her 600 feet mural at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Heights, she decided to create a limited edition artisan candle with Hawkridge & Sons to celebrate their British flair.
Lawyer-turned-florist Kate came to LA to set up her floristry business, Foxgloves & Folly. Kate’s bouquets and arrangements have an overarching natural, loose, asymmetrical style and she is very much influenced by her English background. She loves combining this much more natural style of flowers with the glamour of LA and loves this opportunity to collaborate with Tina and Katie in bringing the very best of British to LA. I especially recommend their Christmas gift box option, which you can buy with a 10% Brits in LA Discount. Contact info@hawkridgeandsons.com
For further information on this sublimely talented British trio: Tina Hawkridge: hawkridgeandsons.com or instagram @hawkridgeandsons; Katie Brightside: welcometothebrightside.com or instagram @welcometothebrightside; Kate Norris: foxglovesandfolly.com or instagram @foxglovesandfolly
Window Shopping
I was back home in London last week and it was surprisingly mild. I got to see a show, “The Inheritance” a seven-hour masterpiece at the Noel Coward Theatre – It was worth every minute and and the achy-achy bottom afterwards. Moving, poignant, funny and incredibly well acted. If you get a chance to see it….do! I also got to do a spot of Christmas shopping and see all the wonderful lights on Regent Street and of course the wonderfully festive shop windows. I’m a big kid at heart so HAMLEY’s toy store is always high on my list. Speaking of Christmas we are holding our annual Christmas Party this year at “No More Heroes” (7746 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA) on Monday the 17th of December 7-11pm Tickets are only $10 this year and include a free welcome drink. Please consider bringing an unwrapped toy for the amazing charity, adopt-a-letter. Tickets are available via Facebook group (Brits in LA) or by www.britsin.la
It’s always a great idea to shop locally for the season so why not buy some gifts from BiLA members?
Till next time,
Craig
