Tuesday, 21 August, 2018
Liat came to stay for about ten days. We looked about a bit other than our visit to the Tate Modern.
Liat’s visit
Esmeralda visits, Playing groupie in Brick Lane, the impressive St Pancras Grand, and a short visit to Broadway Market
Sunday, 25 February, 2018
Just about able to see Esmeralda, who was visiting from Bologna for the first time since 2004 or maybe 2003. I was just recovering from having a virus but now Krish was sick and it was tough to tell if I could leave him alone or not. The day before I’d been to my mentor assessment day and then come home to find Krish in bed barely able to lift his head.
Thank God for the NHS. They advised me over the phone to get hold of the doctor, who then called me back to talk about his diagnosis and off I rushed to the drugstore before it closed. After just one double dose of antibiotics, Krish could get out of bed and inhale some steam. Relief! And some hope for the next day.
Esmeralda arrived in Dalston some time around noon and we set off pretty quickly to do some exploring.
No surprise that I followed my usual route. We made a quick stop at Shoreditch Church, then a peek into Leila’s, Arnold Circus and the glorious buildings on Boundary Estate.
Not many photos of that area today – I was feeling better but tiring quickly. Redchurch Street looked good, Boxpark was doing its retail thing, and on down to Brick Lane, watch some salt beef beigel action and a beeline to Meraz.
I ordered what I always do – no objections from Esmeralda. What is it? The tarka dhal (I really like their version), the sag aloo (not too spicy today), tandoori lamb chops sizzling wonderfully, and Es was brave enough to ask if they’d make a small portion of chicken korma – Of course! So delicious after a week or two of rather bland food. Esmeralda was pretty happy. What was really cool was the owner, Sami, arriving and coming over to shake my hand and say he hadn’t seen me for a long time. Oh, the groupie in me!
Embarrassing how I love this sort of encounter and I had one more to come.
I’m a huge fan of graffiti artist, Fanakapan. His art is so well executed – the 3D images he produces are spectacular. The first one I ever saw, in Star Yard, I honestly thought was a metallic helium balloon stuck on the wall! It was totally 2D but you’d never have guessed it. When we got into Star Yard, the first thing I saw was a hideous metal shed now built into one corner! The yard will never be the same! What’s it there for? There was an artist up a ladder working on the large wall at the entry. It was difficult to make out what he was doing but then a graffiti tour guide wandered by and mentioned the word Fanakapan. When he left, I asked the man on the ladder ‘Are you Fanakapan?’ He said he was and I managed to say that I was a huge fan of his work and delighted to meet him. He came down the ladder, asking my name and shook my hand. I had seen him before but never this close up. The piece he was working on wasn’t obviously his work and wasn’t finished. We moved on.
Later that night, I saw a photo of the finished work. It had only appeared to be far from finished. It was in fact an amazing piece of anamorphic art – you can see it at https://www.instagram.com/p/BfgYq8JhsGm/?hl=en&taken-by=fanakapan I must go back and see if I can take it from the right angle. He let me know on Instagram what to do:
So now you know too!
We took a quick look at Christchurch, Spitalfields Market, and Artillery Lane, then on to Liverpool Street Station to put Esmeralda on the train to Borehamwood, her next stop. Continue reading “Esmeralda visits, Playing groupie in Brick Lane, the impressive St Pancras Grand, and a short visit to Broadway Market”
Food and Dolls
I love going to La Chapelle. It’s a restaurant that is housed in what was the assembly hall of my mother’s old school, Central Foundation School for Girls. When I first came to London, they were in the middle of demolition and I was sad that it was disappearing. So I was pleased that a piece of the school was still standing. It was slowly transformed into a fantastic restaurant space, La Chapelle, by Galvin.
I’ve had almost perfect meals here, with a few exceptions. I always go for the discounted meals, a few pounds off or a free cocktail thrown in. It’s not the cheapest place to eat but it’s far from the most expensive.
My friend, Caroline, and I went to La Chapelle at the end of January. I chose the roast beef and she chose pheasant. In a way I felt I copped out but I knew they do a great job on a roast and I don’t make it at home.
A delicious meal and for once I couldn’t finish the whole three courses and had to go without my usual coffee, which is served with a beautifully presented bowl of treats – truffles and macarons. Another time!
Anyway, look out for those deals and let me know how you like La Chapelle! Continue reading “Food and Dolls”
A street art walk around Commercial Street and Great Eastern Street
Wednesday, 30 January, 2018
The end of January! Did I mention how grey and dark it’s been? Yes, I have.
Today in my free time I wanted to go find the new street art pieces by Alice, one of my favourites. In view of my walking resolution, I had the route figured out to get to them and then make my way home, taking the bus after the thirty minutes were up.
Again, my map reading skills (or lack!) let me down. I wandered around on the wrong side of Commercial Street for a while, wondering where Quaker Street was.
I always feel pretty foolish when I get lost. In this case, I know I have walked along Quaker Street many times. I can even picture it but Google had to guide me to it by voice. Hanging my head in shame.
Then when I found it, I discovered a David Bowie piece and a lot of reconstruction but no Alice! 
The whole neighbourhood is painted and pasted and I could never photograph it all, although I do keep trying. It wouldn’t matter since most of the time there’ll be something painted or pasted over what I’m carefully recording – it’s a full time job.
Continue reading “A street art walk around Commercial Street and Great Eastern Street”
A fast visit to Spitalfields Market
Sunday, 17 December, 2017
On the run up to Christmas, there’s one place I wanted to visit and that’s Spitalfields Market. It was raining and cool but it takes only eight minutes by train from Hackney Downs, our nearest train station, to Liverpool Street, the closest station to Spitalfields. There’s so simply no excuse to stay away!
(This history: “Spitalfields takes its name from the hospital and priory, St. Mary’s Spittel that was founded in 1197. Spitalfields served as a microcosm of this polyglot society, the ‘melting pot’ fusion of east and west. Historically, it has played host to a transient community – primarily for new immigrants. From its small beginnings in the 17th Century, Spitalfields Market blossomed…trading six days a week. By 1876 the market had fallen into decline”…a former market porter called Robert Horner…started work on a new market building which was completed in 1893 at a cost of £80,000. The market moved to Leyton in 1991 but at the end of 2005 the Spitalfields regeneration programme restored the original market area. Today it’s filled with “designers / makers and artists selling fashions, homewares and accessories or a treasure trove of vintage and antique clothing, furniture and other wondrous oddments!”
This was going to be a whirlwind visit, and I’m sure I’ll be back many times to talk more about Spitalfields but today I walked through, had some lunch, looked at some stalls and left! I was puzzled to see that so many new official looking freestanding kiosks had sprung up and wondered why they were there and if they were permanent. While I love food, I’m not happy with how so many London markets are turning into overpriced food courts. I didn’t let this take away from the charm of this lovely market, part old, part new, always thriving as it changes day to day.
I had a coupon for Wagamama so had a small lunch, or at least I thought it might be a small lunch since I chose a child’s meal. Mistake! There was too much food. The ramen was way too big for a child and was bland , flavoured only with Sriracha sauce. The hirata buns (bao) were as nice (and as tiny) as always and could have been enough! Lesson learned. Not a huge fan of Wagamama but a coupon is a coupon and the service was fast and friendly. Free lunch!
