On Tuesday lunchtime I was invited to celebrate the opening of the new look Pedlars General Store and Cafe in Notting Hill, London. Feet weary (I'd forgotten how much walking is involved in getting about the capital) I was soon revived with an excellent espresso and a pick of the most irresistible sandwiches and pastries. I was warmly welcomed by the Pedlars team and had a fantastic time discovering the delights of the refurbished store and cafe, and learning more about Pedlars new baby of a festival, The Good Life Experience. Smokin' music from Paprika brought a flavor of the festival fabulousness to come and bright sunshine and glamourous smiles filtered the store (Cerys Matthews and Bill Granger were there - if I dare to name-drop).
Pedlars General Store and Cafe is a treasure trove of vintage goods, fine stationary, cool creative magazines, fun prints, bags, homewares and more (you can also buy sweets and fresh bread here) all oozing Pedlars signature style of colourful, cheerful and character full products made to last a lifetime. Set against a luminous background of the prettiest pale blue walls offset with splashes of neon pink and orange at every turn, I must confess, this is interior heaven. A huge window and oversized statement lamps flood the space with light.
The new cafe area, towards the back of the store, has an ambient mood with its dreamy aqua colourway, squashy cushions, patinated table tops and wooden stools. This is the perfect place to hunker down for good coffee, eats and chat.
The Good Life Experience is a new venture for Charlie and Caroline Gladstone, co-founders of Pedlars, but one that they are more than qualified to deliver. Their three prime passions are culture, food and the great outdoors (in fact they've written a family focused book of the same name) and this one day festival in Flintshire, Wales will encompass all three. Charlie and Caroline are keen to bring an outdoor adventuring vibe to their festival with activities such as bushcraft skills on offer. Cerys Matthews (recently recognised for her services to music with a MBE) is curating the music whilst the Howarden Estate farm Shop and Glynne Arms are curating the food. The Good Life Experience is set to be an all round feast for the senses.
My time at Pedlars gave me a taste for the feel good outlook on life: forget mass production insist on buy to last, slow down, have fun, get outside and make time for simple pleasures such as music and cooking from scratch. 
Readers, I'd love to know what you think of Pedlars new look store and ventures.
