Top 10 London City Guides

Posted on by
6

Pic courtesy of @jeera.

This week, @ThatGirl_Chloe shares her favourite London blogs which cover what’s happening in and around London and offer an alternative view of this great city! If she’s missed any of your favourites, please tweet or email her. Enjoy!

1. Londonist –> http://londonist.com

The Londonist has cult following in the blogsphere and has created a real community spirit around their website and Facebook Page, with loads of interesting stories, articles and event listings. A regular feature is Week In Geek, the Weekend Round Up and for when you are cash-strapped (London is expensive!) some ideas of things to do on the cheap.

2. Handpicked London –> Facebook Fan page

With over 80,000 likes on Facebook, Handpicked London is becoming a favourite among Londonites, to get their pick “of London’s most interesting, secret or unusual things”. Also, a little known fact, they also run this site http://ldn.in/ which aggregates interesting blogs and content from other well-known London Blogs (some of which are listed here). Be sure to like their page to find out latest news and events, silly pictures and tidbits.

3. I know this great little place in London –> http://www.greatlittleplace.com

Founded by Rich Brown and Rossa Shanks, I know this great little place in London was born out of pure frustration against the rise of restaurant chains and not having a place to share local knowledge and independent discoveries. In their own words, GLP, “is a collection of thoughts on the best in London’s unexpected special little venues and activities”. The community is heavily involved in contributing to the daily listings, and Facebook and Twitter fans are strongly encouraged to make their own suggestions. In fact because they are so committed, GLP managed to secure over £10,000 in investment from their community and fan base, using a crowdfunder campaign to help fund and re-design their new website.

4. Run Riot! –> http://www.run-riot.com

One of my favourite ‘What’s On’ guide for alternative nights out in London, which mainly covers East London. Split into several categories featuring Art, Club, Dance, Film, Music, Theatre, Think and the Wild Card, Run Riot! generally has something for everyone. If you are looking for something different, then look here first.

5. InFormed London –> http://informedlondon.com

InFormed London features one event per day, that is not to be missed! They cover everything from jumble sales, film screenings, club nights and theatre reviews. Always fresh and updated daily, I definitely recommend you check back here often. They also run competitions and have an impressive blog roll (which includes some of my fave blogs that I have featured here).

6. LeCool London –> http://lecool.com/london/en/current_issue

The ultimate London What’s On Guide which features loads of interesting events and listings in a beautifully designed webzine format. Every week, LeCool London has a varied selection of events from exhibitions, gigs, food, sport, cinema and club night listings. You can also catch up on some London extras by reading their blog which includes London Selected by…The Dead Dolls Club.

7. London Loves Business –> http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com

London Loves Business is a fantastic resource for budding entrepreneurs but also covers London Culture and lifestyle news, as well as upcoming conferences and exhibitions. Well worth the look if you are searching for some in-depth news bites and perhaps even a new career move!

8. Tired of London Tired of Life –> http://www.tiredoflondontiredoflife.com

If you ever find yourself bored, twiddling your thumbs, thinking about what to do on a nice sunny day in London, then check back to this blog. Every day the author features one thing to do in London, with every idea is being different from the last. Get out of the city and visit High Elms Country Park. Make new discoveries, and impress your friends about your insider knowledge!

9. IanVisits –> http://www.ianvisits.co.uk

A bit of a staple for the London blogosphere, IanVisits is full of fascinating facts, news and events. Continually updated with fresh listings, this blog features a what’s on guide, photo gallery and latest news coverage of testing being carried out on the new cable car route over the 02 Arena.

10. Little Miss Random –> http://littlemissrandom.blogspot.co.uk

A recent addition to my ‘London favourites’ bloggers list, is Little Miss Random’s weekly round-up of all sorts of events, clubs nights and venues to visit in London. Every week she writes up her top listings during ‘School nights’ and at the weekend. This week features everything from ‘Dial M for Murdoch’ to Hip Hop Karaoke, and Friday Night Freakshow at The Underbelly. One to be bookmarked!

Featured cool developer jobs at Wave Digital

Posted on by
Reply

A couple of amazing roles for you this week at Wave Digital. For our #fetchtech readers looking to take their next step in Melbourne and join a cool company, check out these below…

Wave Digital builds innovative applications using best practice techniques for large organisations.

Application Developer – Web and Mobile

We’re looking for an experienced back-end developer who knows their stuff to join our expanding team in Melbourne.

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic individual:

  • with an excellent grounding in OO programming,
  • who is a stickler for best practice and takes responsibility for quality control,
  • who prides themselves on staying abreast of the latest developments in their field.

Ideally you’ll have experience:

  • with PHP and/or Ruby
  • writing quality front end code (HTML, CSS, JS)
  • building complex database applications
  • with test driven development and agile methodologies
  • working in a team

Some experience or knowledge in the following areas is a big plus, but not mandatory:

  • DevOps (Linux, Cloud)
  • Business Analysis
  • iOS and Android development

Front-end Developer – Web and Mobile

We’re looking for an experienced Front-end Developer with strong JavaScript skills to join our expanding team in Melbourne.

The successful candidate will be a skilled programmer:

  • who is passionate about best practice for web and mobile,
  • with expert level JS, HTML and CSS,
  • who prides themselves on staying abreast of the latest developments in their field.

You will take charge of all things front-end and be responsible for determining the use and abuse of existing frameworks and libraries or, better still, have the mettle to develop and advocate your own interface development strategies.

Ideally you’ll have experience:

  • building responsive web apps,
  • writing JS that goes beyond JQuery,
  • prototyping, agile and test-driven development.

Some experience or knowledge in the following areas is a big plus, but not mandatory:

  • OS X and Android development
  • Back end technologies and databases (PHP or Ruby)
  • Interface design
  • Project Management

—

Wave Digital is part of the SitePoint Group which is the company behind four of Australia’s most successful web start-ups – SitePoint.com, 99designs.com, Flippa.com and Learnable.com.  You’ll be sharing an office with some of the best in the business!

Wave Digital employees enjoy many benefits, including a nice office, an active social club, proper espresso, free beer, foosball, free gym membership and flexible work arrangements. We set high standards when it comes to our staff but you’ll certainly feel rewarded.

Interested?  Please send your CV to jobs@wavedigital.com.au.

—

Do it!

Interview: Brisbane local, Chiquita Searle

Posted on by
Reply

This fortnight Brisbane editor Lani interviews fashion designer Chiquita Searle about her label ‘Chi The Label‘. You can follow Chiquita on Twitter here.

Where does your passion for fashion design come from and what keeps it going?
There is a strong creative element to my personality which I feel is only ever fully expressed through creating and showcasing my own sense of style. I think each person has their own unique sense of self, and clothes, in my mind is a perfect way to express this. Establishing my own fashion label and sharing what I believe to be timeless and classical pieces with other women, was a natural progression in my own sense of self and expression.

Who do you think is doing cool stuff in your industry?
Black Milk Clothing. What they have done is phenomenal. They are a local business here in Brisbane and even though they are still a relatively new company being only two years old, they are selling 500 units a day. It’s all produced locally in Brisbane and sent to all corners of the world all via their Facebook page and website. It is marketing at its most brilliant.

What was your first job?
The ultimate first job – “Check-Out Chick” at Woolworths.

What’s the biggest misconception about the fashion industry?
That there is such a thing as an “overnight” success. Generally there are many hard years of work behind any fashion sensation. In my opinion, a combination of perseverance, knowing your target market and having an innovative concept is the way set yourself apart from others.

What’s the biggest opportunity and challenge in setting up your own label?
There are many opportunities which come with owning your own business. The ones that resonate with me is the ability to be my own boss, being in a position to help all women everywhere feel beautiful in the clothes they wear to work, partnering with other like-minded women in business and knowing I can overcome any challenge that comes along. The biggest challenge I see would be monitoring cash flow and converting interest into sales which is generally fairly standard for any start up business.

What are some local upcoming events you recommend?
Get Dressed for Success on 19th June at Ice Works in Paddington! It is an event for real women and the Fashion Show will feature “real” women of all shapes and sizes as opposed to your traditional size 8 glamazon. We are partnering with charity Dress for Success which aids disadvantaged women re-enter the workforce. The women involved in this event are all women business owners who have come together to put on a fabulous event for any woman who enjoys some pampering, on trend fashion, champagne & mini cupcakes!

What’s next?
Chi designs for the “real” women and the average woman these days is size 14 – 16. Corporate Divas come in all shapes and sizes and the Chi Team feels that all women are beautiful regardless. We want to make all women everywhere feel beautiful in the clothes they wear to work so are expanding into bigger sizes and will be producing all designs from 8 – 16 . All designs are available for purchase on the Chi website.

Featured job: Digital Editor, Dumbo Feather

Posted on by
Reply

We have an amazing new dream role here on The Fetch blog. It’s for a digital editor for the iconic Dumbo Feather publication. The role is full time and based in St Kilda, Melbourne. More information is included below –>

An iconic independent Australian magazine requires a Digital Editor to lead Dumbo digital and web development, online marketing, PR and social media.

Published quarterly for seven years, and distributed globally to newsagents, retailers, cafes, boutiques and a strong subscriber base, Dumbo Feather is hailed around the world as a design leader, and as a magazine like no other. Acquired by a new publisher in 2010, it is in the middle of a rapid growth period. The Digital Editor will create and implement the strategy that will drive our growth and set Dumbo Feather apart in the digital space.

  • Managing the growth of the Dumbo Feather website, eNewsletters, facebook, twitter, blogs, etc
  • Moderating the Dumbo Feather’s website, facebook, twitter pages and comments
  • Social media channel management
  • Marketing and PR efforts across all digital platforms
  • Ensuring the e-newsletter is sent on time and to standard
  • Liaising with and managing bloggers / web contributors and growing our community of writers
  • Editing blog (and all web) submissions to ensure that all website posts are to standard and meet SEO requirements
  • Sourcing and editing imagery as necessary
  • Writing and researching features / profiles / content for the magazine and online as directed
  • Interviewing (phone and email)
  • Working closely with the business development manager to develop sales strategies driving online revenue and growth
  • Attending appointments and functions as the representative of Dumbo Feather digital
  • Assisting with the development of editorial plans, ad-hoc duties in line with your position’s responsibilities

Key performance indicators

  • Increasing current online engagement (time on site, unique visits and pages per visit)
  • Delivering features/content by agreed deadlines and to a standard that meets the Editor in Chiefs/MG’s criteria
  • Growth of social network communities and mailing list (including maintaining/increasing open rates
  • Managing interns and volunteers
  • And other duties as required

Selection Criteria

Must have

  • Experience managing a large (5,000 plus) community across multiple social networks
  • Experience leading complex web development projects.
  • Basic understanding of HTML, CSS and modern web standards, and experience in managing developers and front-end designers
  • Demonstrated understanding of the business of online publishing
  • Outstanding organisational skills
  • An ability to solve problems creatively under pressure
  • All kinds of ideas we haven’t had yet
  • A passion for extraordinary ideas, extraordinary people, and extraordinary magazines

Application

Email the following to jobs@dumbofeather.com with:

  • Your story (500 words or less)
  • Why you’d like this job (500 words or less)
  • Your CV

Interview: London Local, Natalia Talkowska

Posted on by
Reply

This fortnight, London curator Chloe Nicholls interviews designer Natalia Talkowska.

Natalia Talkowska

Name: Natalia Talkowska

Website: www.natalkadesign.com

Twitter: @NatiTal

Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you have turned your passion into a business?

I illustrate, doodle and design. This is what I have done since I can I remember. My mum used to say: “Give her a pencil and a piece of paper and she’s all set”. Turning it into a business from a late-night hobby was a natural step and was something many people have told me I should have done long time ago.

One of the people I have to give a credit for giving me that necessary ‘wake-up call’ is Darren Robson, an incredible coach and businessman whom I stumbled upon while still working as a full time employee at another company. He was the one to push me to finally start my own business. I took the plunge and never looked back.

How did you get started and what were you doing before you established Natalka Design?

Natalka Design was established in my head for many years now, it just hasn’t been official yet (and I guess many entrepreneurs and business owners can relate to it). There was always some distraction or something else I was busy with and couldn’t commit fully to starting the business. I had been a teaching English as a second language and Art to special needs children, translation services and worked in social media as a Community Manager for an online company. However busy I was, there was always time for designs even if it meant 1am at night and on my fifth coffee. I didn’t mind doing that since it is my passion. I started thinking seriously about setting up my business this year and thanks to previously mentioned Darren and other circumstances it all came into place and Natalka Design is here.

Drawing and design are very ‘on trend’ at the moment. Why do you think this is?

I think that it doesn’t matter if it is a small organisation or the corporate world – everyone needs illustrations and visuals to get their message across. I don’t think it is just a trend – it is a shift in ‘communication’ that will feature more and more as part of a branding and marketing campaigns. I’ve seen visual designers working at conferences, free drawing during speaker presentations and publishing their artwork in ‘real-time’.

These days the information flow is so quick, that using visuals is a quick form of communication. People have no time to read 10 pages of text or get easily distracted during meetings where they have to digest a lot of information just by listening and writing. Helping people to understand a message through illustration, doodle or design makes it so much easier to grasp it and respond to it.

What has been the most interesting job you have done as cartoonist/designer?

I have had so many different projects that it would be hard and unfair to just pick one. However, if I am to give one example, it would be illustrating parts of a book called Ackroyd’s Ark – Two by Two created by actor Sir Timothy Ackroyd who has trusted in my skills since he met me and let me be part of this amazing publication published for charity focused on wildlife animals in Africa called Tusk Trust under HRH Prince William of Wales Patronage. It was a project that is very close to my heart and means a lot to me as I am a big supporter of what they do and I love animals.

What are some of the challenges you face as an ARTrepreneur?

There are always challenges on the way and I guess there is no entrepreneur who doesn’t face them especially when they start a new business. I’d say finding your target market and getting your footsteps into it are not easy but once you’ve connected with the right people and have got your branding and advertising right it is then only a matter of time before you start seeing positive results. I was also a bit anxious about entering the world where there are already many other companies offering services in design. However, I decided not to focus on that as I think there’s space for everyone, also the style and approach I offer is unique and fresh. I think challenges make you stronger and shape your business in the right direction.

When did you move London and what’s keeping you here?

I moved to London in September 2008 to do my MA studies in Polish-English Translation. The initial plan was to finish them and go home… and I’m still here! I guess like many other creatives I just felt London has so much to offer especially for the type of business I run that I just naturally immersed in the creative and entrepreneurial side of it. On the way I met
amazing people and now London feels like second home to me. What’s also keeping me here is that it’s so diverse, multicultural and vibrant. There are always loads of things to do and it never gets boring. I get inspired through so many things around here. Of course, a break from the big city is a must in order to step back for a minute and get your creative flow back on track. Last but not least I couldn’t live without the amazing concert scene in London and delicious coffee!

What are some of your favourite events to attend in London?

Depends on what type of events you are interested in. If you want to get the newest links in tech and business MiniBar or Silicon Drinkabout. I’ve met many interesting people there. I also enjoy events with more relaxed approach where people meet to be sociable and not necessarily talk business. I would definitely like to see more events from The Fetch in London!

What’s next and where do you go from here?

That’s a big question and there are big plans, however I am taking it easy to make sure it’s the right place or time to bring new ideas into life. Apart from services in illustration and design, the plans for the future look bright and although there’s too many running through my head every day I would like to start collaboration on new exciting projects with other organisations and individuals.

Natalka Design is planning to publish educational books for children, books for women (the topic and style strictly confidential as of yet!), create mobile apps and run creative illustration workshops for businesses, individuals and schools.

I would like Natalka Design to push innovative ideas and stand out with what its offer. As I always say: Impossible is just WAY too easy! Put your mind into what you really want to do and make it happen. To be honest, there may never be the best time to do it but if you don’t try you will never know.

Interview: Sydney Local, Renae Mason

Posted on by
Reply

Renae Mason

Name: Renae Mason

Website: awesomefoundation.org

Twitter handle: @awesomefoundsyd and @missnae

Works at: Boomworks by day, Awesome Foundation by night

Sydney has a chapter of the awesome foundation, which is awesome. Can you tell us a little about it?

The Awesome Foundation provides micro-grants for micro sparks of genius and creativity. Every month ten trustees chip in a collective $1000 of their own cash to fund a project, no strings attached. There are currently about 33 chapters in the world providing a great support network and sharing so many inspiring stories, it can be hard to keep up with all the good news!

What do you think is awesome?

Well that’s easy. Every month there’s something new to choose from in the world of Awesome! One of my favourite projects is The Oxford St Design Store, where a variety of quality, local and handmade goods are sold for $1, $5, $10 and $20 respectively. They are also hosting events, an artist-in-residence and a co-working space. It’s great to see this happening right in the heart of Sydney, where rental prices can make this kind of gathering very difficult to pull off.

Some of my other favourite projects just demonstrate what a big kid I am. In Awesome Boston, they built the world’s biggest hammock in a park for all to enjoy. In Awesome LA they installed guerilla swings in interesting locations all over the city (imagine the joy of swinging under a boardwalk as the tide rolls in!), and in Toronto there was a night of cardboard fort building. The designs were epic!

Who do you think is doing cool stuff in our industries?

I like a lot of stuff that’s happening at the edge of industry, with events like Pecha Kucha, TEDx and Trampoline Day. These events empower people to come together and share their unique perspectives.

Also, I’m a huge museum and gallery fan and the work of the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale really stands out from the crowd. The passion for Chinese contemporary art, cultural exchange and audience engagement shines through in everything they do.

Where do you get your information from?

All over the place! I’ve got to admit – my feed reader is bursting with loads of interesting things I will never get the time to read. Mostly I find great links and stories from people I know via Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Goodreads, Foursquare, Instagram, Path, LinkedIn. Yes, I’m an app junky.

What are some awesome upcoming events you would recommend to the Fetch community?

We’ll be holding an epic event as part of Vivid Sydney festival this year. It’s called ‘Awesome Soup’ and the idea is that folks will pitch their projects to the audience, who will then vote for their favourite project, whilst sharing a delicious meal. It’s going to be awesome! Anyone can apply to pitch their awesome idea on the night. Tickets are now on sale on the Vivid website.

How do people learn more or get involved with the awesome foundation?

We’re about to launch our own Sydney website, but for now you can find our more about us here. We’re also on Twitter and Facebook. If you’d like to be considered for a position on the board, we’d love to hear from you at any time – just email sydney@awesomefoundation.org. Likewise, we are open for applications all year round, so head over the website to apply.

Interview: Brisbane local, Jessie Roberts

Posted on by
Reply

Brisbane curator, Lani Pauli, interviews Jessie Roberts. Jessie leads the program development of the QUT Innovation Space.

Name:  Jessie Roberts

Program Designer at QUT Innovation Space 

Twitter: QUTInnovation 

Tell us more about QIS? 
The QUT innovation Space (QIS) is about animating ideas. We aim to foster a community and culture of big-thinkers, innovators and entrepreneurs. We provide a support network and learning platform for people with big thoughts and a passion for action and change.  The QUT Innovation Space is located at the QUT Gardens Point campus and we deliver events, mentorship and community. Our events run through out semester and are either designed to be educational, inspirational or network orientated. We have a community of professional partners that provide support to our members, including a marketing strategist, IP Attorney, Start-up and project management coach. partners that provide advice Our doors are open to anyone with a curious mind, from any faculty, industry or age group.

Who do you think is doing cool stuff in our industries?

River City Labs (Co-working space), The Edge, MIT – Opencourseware (education… awesome & Free!), SEED MAGAZINE (Science + Design + Culture).

What was your first job?

Street Busker (8yrs old, Violin) :)

What’s the hardest challenge you’ve had to face work-wise?
Define what I “do”, what my job title is or the professional ‘box’ that I fit into.  I still ‘um’ and ‘ar’ at parties when someone asks “So, what do you do?”.

What’s the biggest opportunity and challenge for Brisbane to become a truly “Creative City”?
1. Connection – There are a lot of creative and amazing things/people/projects happening in Brisbane. There is definitely room for more connection between these people and projects. I think Brisbane has so many sparks just waiting to connect with the right person in order to turn into flame.

2. Play – Creativity comes from play and generosity. We are a fun group of people…..

On a more tactile level:

Spaces and Hubs. The emergence of co-working spaces (and places like The Edge) in Brisbane really help to foster a community (or communities) of like-minded creative thinkers.  These spaces provide a platform for people to meet and cross paths, to fertalise ideas,  conversations to occur.

What are some local upcoming events you recommend?

David Wyatt: How to be a Future Maker

What’s next?
Continuing to build and develop our mentor program and consultants that support our members.  Now that our events program is running smoothly, we are focusing our energy on further developing our mentor program.