Forward Features Friday Finds!

• Fashion: Perfect patterns

Patternity x Clarks collaboration debuted at the beginning of the year and we’ve been drooling over them ever since. David, the lucky thing, received a pair for his birthday last week and it most certainly is love. Pattern and print specialists, Patternity, and the father of practical shoes Clarks, have teamed up to create these little lovelies. The collection includes two styles (David is rocking the black, as below) with the other colour way being ideal for the upcoming Summer months. Lovers of graphic-led product will fall head over heels for this collaboration, why not bag yourself a pair.

• Interiors: Full of beans

Made.com is full of wondrous interiors, from the bizarre to the classic, their collections fit all year round, no matter what season. That’s why we’re jumping for joy with these outdoor beanbags! These oversized, cosy cushions come in a range of designs and colours including the below geometric print and at the moment if you buy 2 then you get £20 off! Pass the mojito and light up the barbie, we’re getting comfy for the Summer!

• Food: A marketplace for Cheese & Wine

With a claim to fame like “The smallest wine bar in town!”, we couldn’t not try Bindlesticks. Based in Tooting Market, this little hidden gem serves cheese and wine to the masses of South London – or at least the ones who know about it. We visited recently and were pleasantly surprised with the warm atmosphere and more than reasonable prices. A bottle of red will set you back a modest £10 and the cheese is served at a rate of “whatever you think is fair”. With live music, it’s a great way to spend a Thursday night. However, keep an eye on their Twitter to ensure it’s open, as they are sometimes at the mercy of the market!

• Places to go: Canal cruising

Head to The Drunken Monkey in Shoreditch in the Summer and outside you’ll find a small boat bobbing on the canal. Now if you’re lucky, like we were, you may have bagged yourself a Groupon voucher. This entitled us to grab a cocktail, head on to the boat and sail along Regent’s Canal until we reached Broadway Market, from there we had an hour to entertain ourselves before jumping back on to the boat and returning to a dim sum feast. We imagine that these rides will start again soon now the sun has decided to say hello so the best thing would be to follow them on Twitter for updates and check out their website for more details.

• Just because: Summer lovin’