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Shoreditch walks and Supper Clubs

18-24 June, 2018

The tree is growing more leaves from the stumps daily. I’m taking a Monday photo each week to show its progress.

11 June
11 June
18 June
18 June
25 June
25 June

On Wednesday we walked to Shikumen in Aldgate. It was a long, meandering walk and sometimes it felt like we looped too much and came back not so far from our last point. I should try to map it. Just behind Broadway Market there are some interesting art pieces. I know I’ve seen this area before but not sure if the art is new. Probably not.

Repurposed phone booth
Repurposed phone booth

When we reached the top end of Brick Lane, we bumped into Rosie from Krish’s volunteering. We had a brief chat and then moved on.

The walk was a bit of a struggle and, at the end, our favourite dish at Shikumen the crispy prawn with garlic, chili and cashew.

Friday after the Falls Prevention exercise class, Lisa and I went to Palm Vaults, which is a vegetarian/vegan coffee shop. It’s so girly in there! I had an iced coffee and sweet-talked my way to getting half a salad. At Palm Vaults, which also has a Soho branch, there are absolutely no dairy milks for coffee and it’s card only. This is becoming more common – shops that don’t take cash. And the drinks are inventive and trendy – beetroot, lavender, rose, turmeric, teas I’ve never heard of….at a steep price!

When I was a teenager, my parents were in a supper club. In those days it meant that a group of friends, and friends of friends, got together in one person’s home once a month or so and that person would cook the meal. It seemed a great idea at the time. In London the concept of supper club is somewhat different. Continue reading “Shoreditch walks and Supper Clubs”

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Old Street and Palatino – in pictures

Thursday, 14 June, 2018

Thursday, I went to the doctor to get another blood test. I was relieved to hear the phlebotomist I didn’t like the last time was away. The replacement nurse was great. Blood taken and off I went.

I was meeting my friend, Tom, at a restaurant I’ve been wanting to try for quite some time, Palatino in Clerkenwell.

Old Street is a nice Shoreditch street with a lot of interesting things to look at and some good cafés. There’s also some cool architecture and street art (which I’ll photograph when I’m not rushing off to a meeting. However, the station and the roundabout aren’t very nice.

Along the way to Palatino, which was a longer walk than expected, there was a lovely little garden.

Palatino has a great Instagram feed. All their food looks great. Every time I see something like that, I’m curious to see if they can live up to the photography. The space is on the ground floor of a new block of flats. As you walk inside, there’s a desk for residents and the co-working space on your right and the restaurant is on the left. It’s a bright and modern place so it’s easy to sit and relax and wait for Tom, who has to come from South East London.

The food was very nice, not spectacular. I started with the Anchovy, stracciatella, toast followed by a tender Pappardelle with a pork and beef ragu – half size. Finally, we splashed out on dessert. Mine was an Apricot, Hazelnut and Rosemary tart. Tom thought there was too much rosemary but I quite enjoyed the combination. His panna cotta with strawberry was also delicious. The service was friendly and efficient. It’s a good place for lunch with friends.

On the way back in the bus, I came across this shopfront. I was tired and actually fell asleep for a stop or two. The next bus was packed to the door and I was happy to get home.

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Foiled Plans, Shoreditch and Whitechapel

Thursday, 24 May, 2018

What a crazy and too-warm day I had! After starting out so late yesterday I decided that I’d make an earlier start to see the London Hospital Museum. It’s been on my list for just ages. I took a quick look online for the location, decided where to have lunch, and added the Citizen M Hotel into the mix since the lobby concept looked interesting.

I started from Dalston Junction, a short bus ride from here and after three stops I arrived at Shoreditch High Street Station.  Hard to remember what it was like before this line arrived in the area. So convenient and a pleasure to ride.

Dalston Junction station
Dalston Junction station
Arriving at the cavernous ticket hall at Shoreditch High Street Station
Arriving at the cavernous ticket hall at Shoreditch High Street Station
Outside, a cornucopia of colourful street art
Outside, a cornucopia of colourful street art
Redchurch Street, eerily quiet
Redchurch Street, eerily quiet

I had decided to go to Dishoom and try their signature dish, black dal. It’s my second visit, my first being with my friends Mylene and Michele a couple of years back. This is billed as Indian street food. There’s a big effort to make the place look like somewhere in India, with lots of attention to detail in the fixtures, furnishings and ambience. Since I’ve never been to India, I can’t say how authentic it is.

Verdict – that black dal is fabulous. There were spices that I couldn’t quite figure out. Definitely one to research and make at home! I also had bhel, which I thought would be a refreshing contrast to the spicy, creamy dal. The drink is a sweet and salty lemonade. Perfect choice! £15 later…

I left Dishoom and headed over to Shoreditch High Street to find the hotel. I searched and searched. I had the address, I had the map, I even had the voice GPS on and, even after two complete circuits of the small block, I could locate neither a sign nor an entrance. It’s a mystery! I’m a bad map reader but this is ridiculous and way too time-consuming, so I headed for a bus over to the museum. At least I saw some nice art.

Pretty diverse art at the back of Great Eastern Road and Shoreditch High Street
Pretty diverse art at the back of Great Eastern Road and Shoreditch High Street

If I was frustrated by not finding the hotel, I was due for more confusion. After first not finding the street with the museum because I was talking on my phone and not focussed enough, I then couldn’t find the museum anywhere. I looked again and again. It’s supposed to be in a church between Newark Road and Stepney Way. I could find no such thing. This puzzled me no end but no amount of looking or checking turned up anything that resembled a church or signage for the museum. There were, however, some original buldings around the hospital – reminds me of childhood. I was getting warmer and sweatier and on my third circuit, I headed for the bus home. Foiled twice in one day!

Old homes around the new London Hospital
Old homes around the new London Hospital

I’ve looked at the map at home since, with a cooler head. I think I may know what I did wrong. I’ll try again in the next week or two.

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Amhurst Road, Hackney Downs Studio, and Evelyn Court

Wednesday, 23 May, 2018

A busy day planned today! It started with a trip to the doctor where I asked about my leg pain and inability to walk like I used to. Of course, it’s to do with my arthritis and the fact I tore my meniscus several years ago. Advice is to lose some weight (noted) exercise my legs every day (noted) and to take better pain relief (noted) – I noted all these with some trepidation. The final bit of advice – This is normal and natural. Don’t beat yourself up! I like this new doctor.

On the way back from the doctor, I checked out a new cafe called Fingers Crossed on Amhurst Road at Shacklewell Lane.

A not-flaky-or-chocolatey-enough chocolate croissant and a perfect handmade no-sugar chai latte at Fingers Crossed
A not-flaky-or-chocolatey-enough chocolate croissant and a perfect handmade no-sugar chai latte at Fingers Crossed

Around the corner from the doctor is a little inner yard full of artisans of many kinds. You would definitely have to know it was there to venture in. So I did walk in there to see how things were. I was surprised to see that they are building new places back there – looks like studios etc, and the cafe/events centre was padlocked so I’m not sure if it’s just an overnight or a permanent thing. Will keep checking on that!

Somewhat hidden entrance to Amhurst Studios from Shacklewell Lane
Somewhat hidden entrance to Hackney Downs Studios from Shacklewell Lane
Some of the older Studios in the yard
Some of the older Studios in the yard
Work on new studios at Hackney Downs Studios yard
Work on new studios at Hackney Downs Studios yard
Going back up to Amhurst Road from Hackney Downs Studios - local secret
Going back up to Amhurst Road from Hackney Downs Studios – local secret

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Green Park, and Piccadilly for lunch

Sunday, 20 May, 2018

I love going to the Galvin restaurants. A few months ago they closed what I think was their original location on Baker Street and customers (including me) got a conciliatory fifty percent off invitation to their Piccadilly location. At first I didn’t think I would make it since Krish is not a fan. Then my friend Caroline let me know she was free for lunch on the 20th. Booked!

Sunday morning dawned warm and bright so I set off as soon as I could, allowing lots of time to get there. For one thing, the Hackney Half Marathon was on. Since 7am the organisers had been outside planting beacons and Road Closed signs. They were very loud, as were the dozens of drivers who came along afterwards when they discovered their way was blocked. Add to this, Krish yelling out of the window for everyone to shut up and it wasn’t the most peaceful of Sunday mornings!

The five way junction closed for the marathon and eerily empty
The five way junction closed for the marathon and eerily empty

So off I set on foot, knowing there were no buses to the station today. I had decided to take the overground and underground for once. I am  not fond of underground travel so this was a challenge for me.

In the end, I got there so quickly it was silly. five super-packed tube stops from Highbury (which is itself only five to ten mins by overground from Hackney Central). I’d decided to wear a dress and some new shoes since Caroline is always impeccably dressed. I thought about throwing my running shoes in a back pack and decided not to carry that into a fancy hotel.

The way to the tube at Highbury is so claustrophobic
The way to the tube at Highbury is so claustrophobic
The platform isn't much better but there was only a one minute wait
The platform isn’t much better but there was only a one minute wait
Escalator Green Park
A major obstacle for me is going down an escalator. I ask people to stand in front of me – vertigo! This is a shot upwards at Green Park

Coming out of the station into Green Park is crazy. Instant green trees everywhere in such an urban area. Green Park leads down through St James’s Park and on to Buckingham Palace. St James’s is my favourite park in central London but today I wasn’t going to get there. Meanwhile, Green Park was resplendently green and dotted with deckchairs – a very amusing British custom.

Stunning entry to the park from the underground at Green Park
Stunning entry to the park from the underground at Green Park
Deckchairs out for the sun worshipers at Green Park
Deckchairs out for the sun worshipers at Green Park

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