So, I was attracted to Blackburn + Sweetzer's story about this British shop Monocle (conceived based on their Monocle mag) soon-to-land in Brentwood for several reasons: first, I actually lived off Marylebone High Street–the original shop's location–for like a year in college.  (I did the usual junior year abroad thang, but loved it so much that I took another semester off and stayed to work at a documentary production company there called Uden Associates).  So, I admit it, nostalgia drove my initial interest: ah, the freeing days of being totally broke, out every night until 8am and hungover everyday until going out again.

Suddenly, sipping my peppermint tea and snacking on raspberry granola, I feel like a grandma.

Second, naturally I'm no stranger to the concept of a store evolving from another medium–from Giant Robot stores on Sawtelle and in Silverlake (closing sale through March 28th–FYI) to the former Vice store at Sunset Junction to airports' CNN, USA Today and Fox News (barf) stores–BUT Monocle doesn't seem like a design-only magazine, so it's an interesting crossover.

The peeps at Monocle (mag edited by Wallpaper founder and Financial Times columnist Tyler Brûlé) collaborate with designers or design houses to create unique items like linen-back notebooks with Germany's Brandbook, Hinoki candles with Comme des Garcons, scarves with Drakes London.  They're opening shops in Tokyo and NYC this year too.

Third, this high-end cool kid shop has decided to open up shop in . . . Brentwood?  Brentwood Country Mart seems like such an odd choice, as the neighborhood is quaint, but hardly filled with edgy shoppers (more like bleached blonde, Ugg-sporting moms noshing on Pink Berry and pushing babies in Bugaboos or toting around their legging and Ugg-clad toddlers).

But we shall see.  Time will tell.  A bird in the hand . . . what am I talking about???

xo – Grandma N.

Disclaimer: I'm so tired today, I'm not thinking straight (too much wild tea and granola last night), so bare with me.