KATBERRIES: London

Showing posts with label London. Show all posts

/ 03 July 2014 / Leave a comment

BRICK LANE {ALTERNATIVE LONDON}

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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: 'DIN Condensed'; font-size: 30px; text-align: center;">ALTERNATIVE LONDON</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">A couple weeks back, when I was visiting London, I went on an Alternative tour, after getting a strong recommendation from my friend who went a few days before me. It was a walking tour, focused on the street art of East London. <a href="http://www.alternativeldn.co.uk/" target="_blank">This is their website</a>. You have to book beforehand, but it's worth it. {Also worth mentioning is that they run on a pay-how-much-you-want basis.}</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">I took my camera and marched to the statue of a goat outside the Spitafields market - the meeting point. The tour lasted about two hours and I found out loads about East London and its past. Even if you're a Londoner yourself, it's still pretty informative, as you get to hear about a different side of things. I found out a lot about street art too, and that walking through Brick Lane you can spot all kinds of creatures. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">The artist whose work is in the first picture paints windows and then scratches the paint off in place. The results are pretty effective and in case the police stop him, he apparently says he's just cleaning the window from the paint. Clever guy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">The second picture is a mural by Lily Mixe, one of few female street artists. I'm only showing you a small detail here, but if you google her name, this wall is one of the first to come up. It's always very detailed and intricate and what I imagine a pain in the neck to create! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Below are some mouthwatering treats.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: 'DIN Condensed'; font-size: 30px;">STREET ART AND CHOCOLATES</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">First of all, I don't have muddy hands, it's cocoa! I got it all over when I was trying to pull these treats out of a cellophane bag. The one with a bottle is a baileys bonbon, yum, but my personal favourite is the sparkly caramel in the little cup. These chocolates, they don't even look like food anymore. They're are from a corner shop on Brick Lane called Dark Sugars. It has all kinds of bonbons and even though they look a bit plastic, {in a good way}, you</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> can most definitely eat them. It's recommended, even! Just beware, you pay what it weights and if you go wild, well, expect the price to go up exponentially too.</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> You are welcome to get your hands dirty. I did.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Now onto the small statue of a female body with wings; you can find loads of little statues on camp posts, there's about 40 in London, just look up! Each is one of a kind. The reason why I'm showing you this particular one is because the wings were actually crafted from a real dead pigeon wings. Not sure it that's a WOW or an EW moment. Feel about it as you wish.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Darth Vader is one of my favourites too. It was done {illegally} at night and the artist{s} <strike>got</strike> <i>drove</i> a lifting platform all the way from the other side of the city, wore hi-vis vests and closed off the streets around that building. They pretended to be proper contracted workers. One of them actually directed traffic. What a cheeky {but brilliant} idea.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">On this tour you'll also find out how East London has been shrinking for the past few years and how it really should be protected as something different, something unique that you won't find anywhere else. I agree. Protect this diversity before it disappears. What do you think? Would you rather see London become all modern with tall glassy buildings? Me, I prefer it with its slowly diminishing charm and character.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I've seen how much street art has evolved over the years and it's amazing that every time I walk through Brick Lane, I find it changed. The walls change every few months, like in a gallery. I have to admit, I don't much like the look of graffiti, but I love what these artists are doing now. Bringing fine are to the streets.</span></span><br />
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adventures, diary, England, London, travel

BRICK LANE {ALTERNATIVE LONDON}

ALTERNATIVE LONDON A couple weeks back, when I was visiting London, I went on an Alternative tour, after getting a strong ...

/ 25 June 2014 / Leave a comment

NEAL'S YARD {COVENT GARDEN}

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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">So I mentioned that Covent Garden is one of my favourite places to visit in London. There's always an opera singer or a classical musician showcasing his or her talent inside. I've always wondered how much money they earn doing that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">When you walk through the little underpass, you'll find two huge pans with paella being cooked in the open space. I've not tasted it, but it always looks so mouthwatering. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">When I've had my fix of Covent Garden, I like to walk to Piccadilly and pop into the Whole Foods store there. They have a hot foods section where I once had the yummiest chicken in a spicy sauce. After that, an obligatory walk down Regent Street is in order. I walked into a Zara home store - I've not seen one before, and they have the prettiest bed linen! And it's not even <i>that</i> expensive.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I went inside GAP too, I've always thought they only did sporty things and a sort of not-up-my-street wear. How wrong was I. Their new summer collection is to die for. Crisp white cotton dresses with pockets. POCKETS! And they fit perfectly too. If only they were included in the 50% off summer sale...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Did you know about Neal's Yard? What are your favourite places in London?</span></span></div>
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adventures, diary, England, London, travel

NEAL'S YARD {COVENT GARDEN}

NEAL'S YARD I found it! Neal's yard! I saw a picture of it on Pinterest two years ago and I didn't even be...

/ 20 June 2014 / Leave a comment

COLUMBIA ROAD

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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">Coord, Dorothy Perkins // Jacket, Esprit, thrifted</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: 'DIN Condensed'; font-size: 30px;">STROLLING THROUGH THE INFAMOUS FLOWER MARKET</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Lo and behold, I am joining the hundreds of bloggers praising the Columbia Road flower market. How original of me, right? But honestly, if you're in London over the weekend, take a walk through there. Well, more of a slow feet shuffle - it's a popular place to go on a Sunday morning. Even before you make the turn to Columbia Road, you'll see lots people carrying fresh flowers wrapped in brown paper. That's when you know you're {almost} at the right place. And when the wind blows the right way, the smell is divine. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">This past weekend, it was about sunflowers and peonies, mostly peonies. They looked fresh and soft and I kind of wanted to take a bath in peony petals. I didn't. But I assumed the slowest pace I could and looked at all the colours in awe. It really was beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">I had a great time visiting friends and places in London these past few days. I'm lucky to have some of my long time friends living in London right now. It felt real nice to see them, we used to live on the same street years ago!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">This was also the first time I went to London and it was neither extremely hot {shout out to the 35 degree heatwave of July 2010}, nor extremely cold {January 2013 and Hyde Park covered with about 3 inches of snow}. When the sun shone, it was just right. That's a good weather to dress for. I'll probably do an outfit post with this DP coord, don't you love it? {If not, just look at the people's expressions in the background.}</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Anyway, apart from the sunflowers, I think my favourite display was that of the blooming cacti. I've never seen so many of them flowering at once! When I look at the picture, I feel like it doesn't even belong, like it's been taken somewhere else. Mexico, or Arizona. I'd take them all if I could. Have you ever made the trip to Columbia Road Flower Market? It's there every weekend!</span><br />
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adventures, diary, England, fashion, London, outfit, travel

COLUMBIA ROAD

Coord, Dorothy Perkins // Jacket, Esprit, thrifted STROLLING THROUGH THE INFAMOUS FLOWER MARKET Lo and behold, ...

/ 18 February 2013 / 2 Comments

WHEN IT SNOWS IN LONDON

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W_IlVBmf-93AC32kYJBTVonrvJJaRsjLyKEE0BUas_fWMFJsjdjIJ0aiPUKlZmBDyqI8-d845dO63AII2ZbEQNRAymu5moKZbfkiYfico0rA4dbnzukOqMVbW75QaY8-j4gaw7XPVTw/s1600/DSC_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W_IlVBmf-93AC32kYJBTVonrvJJaRsjLyKEE0BUas_fWMFJsjdjIJ0aiPUKlZmBDyqI8-d845dO63AII2ZbEQNRAymu5moKZbfkiYfico0rA4dbnzukOqMVbW75QaY8-j4gaw7XPVTw/s640/DSC_0291.JPG" width="785" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRifZ2sTZ9xqU9wPBJRM1Gg-XHexyqiJGoi8_Mcc2h6q1LlbjXlrqotQXtbfS1yFkil4STHBoCTFZnQNx-bBTlcnb-yHlMtSn1_UelO1yh6RHr15M1G5kmeGTfBq14FMTdnuaTThGyu_A/s1600/DSC_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="1173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRifZ2sTZ9xqU9wPBJRM1Gg-XHexyqiJGoi8_Mcc2h6q1LlbjXlrqotQXtbfS1yFkil4STHBoCTFZnQNx-bBTlcnb-yHlMtSn1_UelO1yh6RHr15M1G5kmeGTfBq14FMTdnuaTThGyu_A/s1600/DSC_0289.JPG" width="785" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQwrqA45d4aEfhcj9GOb7vw1NP_V7RmFbiKyYxK3z1BqOuiYASPvqw8U3WD2L0PGOg0qfaO13_FkSza21utkuSOmUpmUzxEKK-sElX-u8ILTIqEztQUp_ZrXKieYNLVuCA9XjD4x7-xw/s1600/DSC_0281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQwrqA45d4aEfhcj9GOb7vw1NP_V7RmFbiKyYxK3z1BqOuiYASPvqw8U3WD2L0PGOg0qfaO13_FkSza21utkuSOmUpmUzxEKK-sElX-u8ILTIqEztQUp_ZrXKieYNLVuCA9XjD4x7-xw/s640/DSC_0281.JPG" width="785" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdydCBy2P_aQ7hyphenhyphenide_rFz1pn1kkVGlEgZtjeInnecq7thV3uxxA4YJ10T1o0DbK5_Fag6iMjOtCZsKP_d3UFx6-ZxHGEpM_jfWnNoyUdUF56joLIu8eYiuWxB3CpEDjHiIYTHmerCdMU/s1600/DSC_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdydCBy2P_aQ7hyphenhyphenide_rFz1pn1kkVGlEgZtjeInnecq7thV3uxxA4YJ10T1o0DbK5_Fag6iMjOtCZsKP_d3UFx6-ZxHGEpM_jfWnNoyUdUF56joLIu8eYiuWxB3CpEDjHiIYTHmerCdMU/s640/DSC_0295.JPG" width="785" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD98kT5FsJsUftzBXq7Mt0Una9pXzZRMqec6raDMee8n3ySSJHHvGSKXRgKfmT2kx3PNybQyuYx4C0Xnch9aQAcOZoHFEk6HQa8_0XvuuOh6VxAc8LSeeWNUWO-9Gey1J65iiOvCWRFk/s1600/DSC_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="1173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD98kT5FsJsUftzBXq7Mt0Una9pXzZRMqec6raDMee8n3ySSJHHvGSKXRgKfmT2kx3PNybQyuYx4C0Xnch9aQAcOZoHFEk6HQa8_0XvuuOh6VxAc8LSeeWNUWO-9Gey1J65iiOvCWRFk/s1600/DSC_0292.JPG" width="785" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">When it snows in London, you go to Hyde Park. It is essential that you wear ankle boots with a bit of a heel and no hat. It is also essential that you walk in the wrong direction, realise that, turn into a different one and after another twenty minutes find out that it is still not where you wanted to be. You leave the park to walk on the road next to it and arrive safely at Buckingham Palace. It does not matter you've just spent two hours rummaging around Hyde Park to get to the Palace even though you didn't really want to see it in the first place.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I mean, what is so special about it? It's one of the tourist attractions I honestly don't get. Forgive me for saying so, but I think it's boring. It really is. Oh and I don't much like Shakespeare, I thought I may as well throw it out there now that I'm disrespecting one of the great British monuments.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">It's all good though, because you capture people stretching next to the great statue of... someone (forgive my ignorance), and because later you find a very good eatery at Piccadilly Circus. It's called Whole Food (or Foods?) and it's reasonably priced. They have a hot counter and you eat the best chicken thighs in the best sauce you've had for some time. Then, you find the closest Starbucks and hide inside there for a while, stealing all the warmth.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'puritan'; font-size: 11px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center;">♥</span></div>

adventures, diary, England, London, travel

WHEN IT SNOWS IN LONDON

When it snows in London, you go to Hyde Park. It is essential that you wear ankle boots with a bit of a heel and no hat. It is also essentia...

Latest Articles

/ 03 July 2014 / Leave a comment

BRICK LANE {ALTERNATIVE LONDON}

/ 25 June 2014 / Leave a comment

NEAL'S YARD {COVENT GARDEN}

/ 20 June 2014 / Leave a comment

COLUMBIA ROAD

/ 18 February 2013 / 2 Comments

WHEN IT SNOWS IN LONDON

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