Shopping

Red Onion is for me the synonym of creativity, friendly ideas and the „edge”, with which all, even the smallest, things are designed.

The shop offers possibly anything you can dream of for your home – lamps, innovative furniture, stylish and visually attractive objects of everyday use for kitchen (utensils, knives, lunch-boxes in every shape and color) or bathroom (bath cubes packed in funny ways, cosmetics and towels). Apart from that, there are also books, notebooks, clocks, bags, unique jewelery pieces and much more for sale. Also children will feel well here – there is a colorful and most inviting children’s corner in there.

What I particularly like about Red Onion is that their design is not what you usually find in shops offering house accessories and furniture – simple ideas, re-thought and warmed up, just to be served in a different way (or color). Red Onion’s interiors invite the shopper with complex, revolutionary things that you can afford to buy. Also these small corridors between the rows full of fresh designer objects are quite pleasing – you really feel as if you were at home already. Maybe that is why you want to have it all?

This was the first sneaker shop in Warsaw – it was opened in summer 2007 as I was told by one of the shop assistants. Of course there were some sports shops, skate shops and so on, but this was the first one where you could buy original Air Max sneakers or some other crazy colorful models. Something new were also sport shoes for women, before this shop came to life, women mostly had to count on foreign eBays or friends living abroad…

I can remember some promotions and parties here, during which new models were introduced.

The shop now sells not only Nike shoes (hence change of name from Warszawska Nike to 400 Rabbits), but also for example New Balance. Something quite new are also (this is my personal opinion, but I guess you’ll agree with me) adorable Nixon watches in all possible crazy colours: yellow, white, pink, bright red, green or blue. In other words: no boredom.

And I guess this would be the best summary of the first sneaker shop in Warsaw: no boredom here. Never!

I think that this is one of the happiest places in Warsaw. Because how on Earth can you be unhappy holding a cup of lovely hot chocolate prepared especially for you…?

In the café part you can buy hot chocolates (make sure you try the Wedel traditional one, you won’t be able to eat anything for the rest of the week but the chocolate is definitely worth sinning for), coffees, tees and cakes. There’s also a shop where you can purchase some chocolate and prepare a lovely hot chocolate at home – try Kuwertura naturalna (fresh mix of chocolate straight into the milk), this will solve all your problems, I promise.

Wedel is one of the most traditional chocolate shops in Warsaw and they happen to know a lot about the business and about the feelings of their customers as well – somehow you always leave this place smiling. Every occasion is a Wedel occasion (check the spot for some winter / Christmas gifts 2011).

Make sure you also try TORCIK WEDLOWSKI, a traditional wafer with chocolate which is sold in boxes – this was the first sweet thing I can remember from after 1989 so there’s a piece of history to it.

A cafe with an original idea will always be better than a cafe itself. So we have a travellers’ paradise – “Wrzenie świata”, a place to spend time with children called “Pompon”, and a cinema together with cafe – “Stacja Falenica”. Pies czy Suka (Dog or Bitch) is a new design/ concept store where good cocktails are mixed with curious furniture, statuettes, drawings, paintings and clothes.

What really surprised me in the bar was the fact that the only menu was the alcohol menu. As I was driving and a friend of mine also did not want to drink, we were offered a milkshake made of whatever we wanted. The barman said: “Ok, I will prepare something for you” and left. I am Polish and therefore suspicious but our milkshake was really a one-off: milk with peanut butter, orange juice and bananas. Yummy! I was not quite sure this technique of selling things would work in Poland but after trying it I am sure it will.

Make sure you try their cocktails with molecular foam – it’s the cocktails that make them one of the most interesting bars in the city.

It’s not just a new cafe. It’s got workshops and a spa (manicure, pedicure and all other pleasure/ well-being/ nice-looking suggestions on offer) and great gadgets to buy (for example t-shirts straight from the graphic studio Noviki who won the European Design Awards).

The food is ecological with Indian accents (apparently there is a great set lunch menu every day, unfortunately I am unable to check this). Soon there will be meetings with interesting people, the 8th March will host all women with special gifts and great food (every dish we had was a great choice so I am sure this will also be a bull’s eye!).

If you have kids, there is a zone for crawling “pompons”, a zone for acive “pompons” and a zone for playing “pompons”. You can also buy educational toys. Oops, have I forgotten to say that Pompon is mostly a cafe where parents and children spend their time together or enjoy activities aimed at their needs? Well… It’s also definitely for the older youth or the everyoung