Categories / Cars and Bikes

Mini looking for test drivers for electric Mini E

Minie

It's changed a lot over the 50 years it has been in existence (not least, since it went over to BMW), but there's no denying that the Mini is still cool – and you could be one of the first people to drive the new model, the electric Mini E.

You can apply online right now to be one of 20 testers of the new eco-friendly Mini, although it's not free to use. You will lease the car for six months for £330 a month from December, along with the cost of electricity to charge. You also need to be in South East England (which rules us out) and have a private garage, car port or parking space at their home to accommodate a high power charging wall box.

If that's you, you'll get the uber-exclusive car, plus maintenance, servicing and technical assistance from the Mini team, who will no doubt also pop round to check the data-logging units, which are fitted to every Mini E to evaluate each driver's experiences. Applications can be submitted throughout September – good luck!

Electric Mini website

Categories / Art and Photography

Lisa Jones Town signed print

Town

According to her website, Lisa Jones is influenced by 20th century studio pottery and Scandinavian folklore – although you could probably guess that by looking at the Town print.

A really attractive piece of retro-styled artwork, it features a small mythical town as a  two colour silkscreen print, signed by the artist and sized at 50 x 70cm.

It's available at both the V&A Shop and direct from Lisa Jones' site, priced the same at both places – £65.

Find out more at the Lisa Jones website

Categories / Architecture, Property

For sale: 1960s-designed Prestwood house in Great Missenden, Bucks

Prestwood1

Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, built in 1966 and now Grade II-listed, Prestwood house in Great Missenden, Bucks could be yours if you have a large nest egg hidden away.

It's a very distinctive house, designed by Peter Aldington and set on a tranquil 3/4 acre plot, the house is largely unchanged today, with the exception of an added glass pavilion that contains a swimming pool. Which means you still have that large reception room with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open out onto a long balcony with distant views of the Chilterns. All of that and just 45 minutes by train to London.

Read more

Categories / Art and Photography, Gadgets and Tech

Fuji Instax Mini 25 and Hello Kitty Mini 25 – Polaroid-like photography

Instax

Just when it looked like Polaroid was dead and buried, everyone started bringing out new instant cameras – including Polaroid itself. But none are quite so cool as the Fuji Instax Mini 25.

This mini ' Cheki' camera is a collaboration between Fuji and Japanese photographer Yonehara Yasumasa, able to fire out credit card-sized snaps in a flash. Not only that, the Instax Mini 25 also packs in a self-shoot mirror, a close-up lens for focusing from 35cm, intelligent flash, a motorised 3 position, collapsible lens and a two-shutter design for landscape & portrait pics.

Go for the standard white version or the limited edition Hello Kitty Fuji Instax Mini 25, the latter including a signature Hello Kitty sticker, a red camera strap and one pack of Hello Kitty illustrated Fujifilm Instax Mini. Prices for both start at just over £100.

Find out more at the Lomography website

Categories / Design and Interiors, Women's Fashion

Lea Stein at Polkadot jewellery

Leastein

Lea Stein's jewellery makes for an interesting conversation piece, not just because of the varied and whimsical designs she produces. She was originally active from between 1969 and 1981, then started making jewellery again in 1988 once a worldwide market had grown for her work. A wide selection of her work from across the years is available at Polkadot jewellery. The selection features everything from sleeping cats to glamorous profiles of flapper-style ladies, all made from laminated rhodoid. 

Each year she produces a new design, so the pieces can be dated pretty precisely, and given a name. The Fox brooch is her most popular design to date, dating from 1975. Prices on the site range depending on the model but they all are priced roughly around the £30 mark. 

See the range online

Categories / Homeware, Music

Jukebox wall sticker

Juke_box

If you no longer buy vinyl or can't afford the actual thing, you can attempt to capture the cool of an actual jukebox with this jukebox wall sticker. It's a very simplified outline of a Wurlitzer (with the company logo being replaced by the word 'juke box') in mono colour. 

The sticker is made to order by a French company and comes in over 30 colours and, though much cheaper than an original model, is hardly a budget model. The smallest version for sale (150cm by 89cm) costs £98 while the largest version, at double that height, costs an additional £167,

Buy it from Rockett St George