Posted on

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!”

Bronze Sculpture
Bronze Sculpture – must find out the story behind this

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.

The market was ready for Christmas. In the bottom photo a large pile of Christmas costumes was ready for who knows what to come.

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!


Continue reading “A fast visit to Spitalfields Market”

Posted on

Christmas in London’s west end – part deux

Friday, 15 December, 2017

My experiences of Christmas time in the city are diverse. I’ve spent time in London, Toronto, Budapest, Berlin, Birmingham, Lincoln, Bath, Orange County, and San Francisco – at Christmas or in the lead up to Christmas. Cities have unique ways to display their affection for the season and all of them have been magical in their own way.

I expected Germany to be go more spectacular and their markets were indeed quite lovely but surprisingly understated. On my list is a visit to the Nurnberg Christmas market, which I hear is the most famous of all German markets, dating back at least to the 17th century. I’ve been to Nurnberg and I know the setting would be perfect.

Budapest at Christmas has been the most special time for me, especially when the days are shared with Chanukah. Both festivals run side by side and intermingle.  Perhaps later this year I will go back there and travel on to Nurnberg from there.  On my list!

But I’m not here to talk about Budapest right now. London!

I wonder what New York City Christmas is like. Judging from previous visits, I suspect it’s pretty full-on and perhaps flashy. London is also full-on but in a delightfully understated way despite all the colour and light. Somehow it feels natural to see the Christmas scenes in a city that has no snow and can otherwise be shabby. And Christmas is everywhere. Turn a corner and there’s more. Overhead, along the streets on railings and windows, hanging from balconies, glimpsed through doors and windows. Christmas takes over.

I was determined to see the things I’d missed on my last visit. And, although I did cover quite a bit of ground, I know I still didn’t see it all. I did my best! Following are more photos than you may care to see…

Oxford Street lights
Oxford Street lights

Continue reading “Christmas in London’s west end – part deux”

Posted on

Quick visit to Whitechapel, The Geffrye Museum and Dalston Eastern Curve Garden

Thursday, 14 December, 2017

Christmas is ever closer! It feels like I haven’t been out as much but in fact, looking back over the last week, I’ve seen and done a lot. I’ve just had my second cup of tea and am ready to share.

On Thursday, we had a great day quite locally. It’s days like this that help me understand why we are still here in the east end (for some, a no-go zone) and not moved on.

I had a list of things I’d like to do and, amazingly, we did them all. First we went back to Ambala in Whitechapel and bought samosas, pakora, and three kinds of sweets.  From here we strolled over to Middlesex Street (Petticoat Lane) so that Krish could check out the runners’ shop. We were surprised to see that there are new buildings still rising out of what used to be a slum area. The fact they are going to be so tall made me a little sad. Slums are not a good thing, even cleaned up, but these higher buildings will definitely change the neighbourhood – the look, the feel, the real estate value, the lifestyle, the inahbitants, the visitors – immensely. Change is inevitable.

East London Mosque
East London Mosque

Sweets at Ambala, WhitechapelSweets at Ambala, Whitechapel

We jumped on a bus to the Geffrye museum. The Geffrye Museum isn’t a well-known one. Most visitors to London wouldn’t have it on their radar, but it’s one of my very favourites.  The museum explores ‘the home’ from 1600 onwards. It does this with ‘rooms’ displayed as it would have been at the time. The museum itself is housed in 18th-century almshouse buildings. At Christmas time, the rooms are decorated as they would have been in that era. I’ve been there every year that I’ve been in London since 2002 and, although I can skip through faster these days, I don’t tire of it.

That day there was a craft fair. We browsed but didn’t buy. Crafts are deservedly but prohibitively expensive these days.  Then we did a high speed run through of all the rooms! Zoom!

The Almshouses - Geffrye museum site
The Almshouses – Geffrye museum site

Christmas interiors at the Geffrye - guess the era!
Christmas interiors at the Geffrye – guess the era!

Which is your favourite?

There’s something fantastic about free museums. It gives a more casual atmosphere to things and allows you to dip in and out of them over the year and not become bogged down in the experience. London is special for this.
Continue reading “Quick visit to Whitechapel, The Geffrye Museum and Dalston Eastern Curve Garden”

Posted on

Angel, cooking Mexican food, and snow!

Monday 11 December, 2017

It’s dark before 4pm these days. That seems so early. I can totally understand why there are so many festivals that involve light and fire. I’ve gathered my Christmas lights, placed some strategically, bought the smelly candles, and hunting down the elusive Chanukah candles. (This is getting harder so I think I’ll buy two boxes!) Strange they should be so hard to find in a heavier than average Jewish environment.

At any rate, the living room is slowly taking on a Chistmassy look. It’s a  bit of a jumble at the moment but eventually a bit more effort will snap things into shape.

Jumbled Christmas views
Jumbled Christmas views

I’m also whimsical about my Christmas – Chanukah mix. I have one ancestor who converted to Judaism and I wonder if  it was Mary Ann who snuck the traditions in, or was it merely adaptation across the years after all the various branches migrated to the UK.

One day last week we went out to Angel. It’s a zone 1 area just north of central and just a 20 minute bus ride away from Hackney. Angel retains its independent nature, despite all the chains and franchises that have stealthily crept in. There are lovely churches and greens, a wide high street, a fancier stretch of restaurant after restaurant, three cinemas – two indy – and some mews areas. Soon a new mall will open and it will be interesting to see how this might change the way it looks and operates.

The mews area of Camden Passage has a lot of little shops and cafes. Like most similar places, the prices are a bit steep here. This year it’s not looking as seasonally attractive as other years and the grey weather doesn’t help. I’ll go back after dark when the lights will cheer things up. Meanwhile I did enjoy looking at the windows but didn’t venture inside anywhere.


Continue reading “Angel, cooking Mexican food, and snow!”

Posted on

Hip Hackney and the beautiful West End Christmas

Thursday 7 December, 2017

The orphanage
The orphanage

The cheek of London restaurants. Even Hackney, one of the most deprived areas – it’s gentrifying. New builds are springing up, the hipsters are moving in. They call it Hip Hackney. This is probably news to many of its original residents but these days shops are slowly moving in to cater to the hip. Restaurants open – if only one of them would produce food that I wanted to eat regularly… There are a few coffee bars that I like to go to but they too are succumbing to the crazy pricing and predictable snacks. At Raw Duck I struggled with the menu to find something small and not ridiculously priced when I went there with Lisa. What I had was delicious and the service attentive.

For £6.50 I chose two small homemade crumpets topped with a few slivers of cheese and a good deal of lime pickle. I meant to ask if the pickle was made in house. It tasted the same as from the jar. All appreciated but I wonder at the price. Lisa paid the same for her charred bread (read burned toast) and housemade orange marmalade. Removing the ricotta to make it vegan didn’t reduce the price. The coffee was pleasant enough.

Whatever you say, when you’re in zone 2 you don’t expect to pay zone 1 prices but you will. Every time.

Crumpets at Raw Duck
Crumpets at Raw Duck

It’s good to see Lisa. I feel for her that, after weeks now, she is still living in a hotel room even if it is a quite nice one. The best thing, though, is how close she is now. When she moves, it won’t be so easy.

On Saturday we went to Netil Market and to Broadway Market. The market is somehow smaller. Have I remembered it properly? We wandered about. It’s still mostly food. Most of it is easy to resist, no matter how lovely. The prices are high for street food but that’s the trend. It’s lovely to be out. I ate some falafel with salad and pickles and thought, yes I’m back.

These brioches...
These brioches…
Victoria Yum, Netil Market
Victoria Yum, Netil Market
Bread at Broadway Market
Bread at Broadway Market

Continue reading “Hip Hackney and the beautiful West End Christmas”