Sunday 11 September 2011

The Neighbourhood


I love Hackney. It has a high crime rate, a high unemployment rate and parts of it looks like a shit heap but the things that attach stigma to a place are often the things that help to bolster its authenticity. I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride when the Tesco delivery man refused to get into my lift because my building was 'too ghetto'. I guess that means I'm 'ghetto'. I am totally cool with that. Here are some of the awesome things within ten minute's walk of my East End ghetto.


This is the view from my balcony. Not exactly green fields and rolling hills but if you appreciate the urban sprawl, and I do, it's a constantly changing and always fascinating landscape. It's also good for spying on people.


This cafe serves amazing French toast but they only have ONE bottle of maple syrup which can cause friction between the clientele.


There are a lot of Turkish restaurants in Hackney but this one is my favourite, mostly because it's about 30 seconds from my house. They don't sell proper Turkish tea but they do bring you Turkish Delight with your bill, which no one except me ever wants to eat.


Have you been worrying about Richard Blackwood? Good news, he's still alive and at the Hackney Empire basically every weekend (and sometimes weekdays too). Not such a fall from grace - I saw Wynton Marsalis play here last summer.



I know this probably doesn't count as it hasn't technically finished being built yet, but I can't WAIT for the Hackney Picturehouse to open. 4 screens! 3 bars! No more schlepping to the Aubin or the Rio, both of which are too pretentious to sell pick n mix, which is secretly the only reason I even go to the cinema!


This place may not look like much, and it actually looks far worse when the shutters are open, but they will do a fine job of shaping and polishing your nails for a mere £6. Just not on a Sunday.


I'm guessing 'Casa De Carnes' means 'house of meat', which sounds tantalising - unfortunately this is just a really cheap good quality Brazilian butcher shop which is actually made of bricks.


I felt a disproportionate amount of pride when London Starnight Supermarket and Video was mentioned in the Guardian - it's where I go when I want bean curd candy or to source ridiculous ingredients when I decide, ill advisedly, to open up the Ottolenghi cookbook and try again.


I admit I've never been in here and you can probably see why - it's the most terrifying looking 'shop' I've ever seen in my life and, I'm leaping to conclusions here, definitely a front for some kind of Mafia/Yakuza/secret poker game HQ.


Shonky sign aside, Green Papaya is widely thought of as the best Vietnamese restaurant in East London. It's impossible to get a table at the weekend without booking, and when you've finished your meal they'll helpfully, pushily bring your bill without you asking for it. They also bring After Eights with your bill, so that's OK with me.



I haven't traveled much but I'm willing to put it out there, as a totally objective fact, that the E5 Bakehouse (under one of the railway arches next to London Fields station) sells the most delicious bread in the Western world.


London Fields was looking very beautifully Autumnal this morning. The best
lido
weather may be behind us but there's still plenty to do around here if you know where to look and you stay away from dark alleyways and shady characters.

4 comments:

  1. does the turkish restaurant sing you happy birthday when you tell them it is?

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  2. yeah - no free cake though

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  3. I just stumbled across your blog -- I really love your writing! You're hilarious and interesting and I ended up reading way more than I planned to.

    I'll be back...!

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  4. Thanks so much! I know my sister is a huge fan of your blog too, your photos are gorgeous

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