Before Christmas I travelled to my favourite place on earth (that I’ve been to yet-this might change as I plan to travel lots!) aka London. If you ask anyone who knows me they will know how much I love London. I have books, bags, cups. etc. emblazoned with iconic London symbols such as Big Ben, red buses, red telephone boxes, Trafalgar Square etc. I used to live in London and my love of London has never really left me. In fact, I got o London more often than I go to anywhere else in Europe, I love it that much! As Dr. Johnson said:
‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’
My favourite place in London is Brick Lane. With it’s mix of vintage shops, cafe’s, bars and amazing street art, Brick Lane always has something to offer the alternative, vintage, hipster or curious person. From the fantastic Brick Lane Bookshop, where you can get awesome books and really cool canvas tote bags and other book related awesomeness!
There’s also a deluge of places to eat but one of my favourite places (pictured below) offers fresh falafel, good beer and live music. What else would you want on a Friday night (or even during a weekday!)?
The street art on Brick Lane is always changing and evolving and it helps to have your ear out to hear about any new and amazing graffiti murals. Get it, ear out?
There are also some really quirky shops; ranging from vintage to gadget to food shops. My favourite shop is called, ‘This Shop Rocks’ (just up from the junction with Bacon St), which sells vintage clothing, accessories and furniture. I’ve been known to blow my whole London budget in one visit to this shop! But it’s well worth it as you can get 1940s vintage gems for a fraction of the cost in other vintage shops. Talking of quirky shops, what about a sale on legs?
Couldn’t resist that photograph! It made me laugh when I was taking it to the amusement of passers by who looked at me as I was mad taking a photograph of a random sale sign! If you keep on walking to the top of Brick Lane there is an excellent bar called ‘Casa Blue’ on the junction of Brick Lane and the Bethnal Green Road. There’s also a brew dog across the road for Craft Beer enthusiasts, myself included.
If you turn right and keep walking towards Old Street, there is more awesome graffiti and art work. Including these two old London Underground trains with painted faces! The messages ‘Let’s adore and endure each other’ and ‘Stay Human’, are pretty accurate for this tempestuous times we live in. If we remember these messages we shall endure what lies ahead in 2017. Alternatively, like me, you could just spend your time on Brick Lane buying amazing vintage clothes and eating fantastic food! A day-trip I highly recommend!