A Weekend in East London

I bought my little Canonet 28 (pictured above)  for £8 in a charity shop on Whiteladies. I wanted to challenge myself with an uber analogue camera because I thought it might help me take better pictures in general. Unfortunately, I took an entire roll of film without feeding it through properly so my first experiment was a complete disaster; I mourn the loss of those black and white snaps more than I should. However, I didn't let it defeat me and VOILA we have a complete roll of photos. I need to work on the focus a bit more, but I'm just so pleased that none of them came out dark and shadowy. These are completely naked, no edits just the whimsy fuzz of sunshine and feeling content. 

It felt very indulgent to use an entire roll of film for one weekend, but I was so desperate to find out if the camera was working. These are from a little London weekend break a few weeks ago. I went to a film workshop on the South Bank and then wandered down to the river towards Tower Hamlets with my coz. The Sunday morning was so fine. We walked through Brick Lane up to Columbia Rd Flower Market where we basked in the sunshine, listened to street artists and marvelled at the flowers. I can't believe that it's taken me this long to properly explore East London - it's where my people are at! I felt so at home. I kept pointing out houses that I'd like to live in and parks that I'd like to sit in and cafes and bars I'd like to drink in. It was like inspiration overload. There was also such a huge sense of community that I feel is often missing from the parts of London I often frequent and it's given me so much hope that moving to the capital next year doesn't have to be soulless and corporate. I love how cultures smash together in smells and sights and sounds. I felt proud and excited. More importantly, they make really good coffee. 

The Stay-cation

There's something about breakfast in bed that makes an ordinary day feel spectacular. Even if there's no one to bring it up for you, it's still a cosy feeling to wander downstairs make some yummy eggs and then bring them back to your mess of blankets and books. I was supposed to be in Paris last weekend but unfortunately my plans fell through. Instead, I set about making being at home as special as possible. I put some film into my camera, spent a few days in London wandering around the galleries, bought some sharp pencils to write with, had a coffee in Santa Fe, wrote letters, devoured novels in a duvet cocoon and went for a photowalk in the woods. Sometimes being at home is enough. It's not Paris, but it's more than enough. 

Coffee Diary: Recent Haunts

Workshop Fitzrovia - I stumbled across this place on my way to Kaffeine and made a mental note to try it out another day. It's a very small, narrow cafe with lovely details, but very few seating options. It's definitely a 'take-out' cafe. The baristas were very friendly and knowledgeable, although when I was there the manager and designer of the store were taking photos of the place and blocking the customers way to the counter, which seemed counter productive to me (pun intended) Unfortunately they were also a bit rude about it as well, so even though I enjoyed my Flat White (the espresso is quite floral tasting and yes I know how bizarre that sounds, but try it and you'll see what I mean!) I didn't feel especially welcome and don't think I'll be returning. There are too many other options. However, on account of the lovely baristas, I'll encourage you to pop in at least once on your way out of Oxford Street. 

Fernandez and Wells, Beak Str. - Now I know the whole point of a coffee blog is to go and try new places, but this chain is just TOO good and sometimes you don't want to risk disappointment. I nipped into this lovely shop and grabbed their signature Stumpy on my way to the theatre to watch Lord of the Dance (long story) a few weekends ago. I'll go so far as to say, that I think it's my favourite coffee in London and so flipping consistent. For a proper review click the link otherwise GO GO GO GO GO!

Coffee Diary: Kaffeine, London

About a week ago my friend posted this Buzzfeed on my timeline. As a coffee enthusiast I started dreaming up roadtrip plans to visit all the best coffee shops in the world. Thankfully there were a few shops closer to home, one of which is Kaffeine on Great Titchfield Str. in London. Now I remember going to Kaffeine a couple of years ago and really enjoying it. It was pretty quiet then but now the shop is a constant hum of activity. I decided to pop in after an interview in town because I was pretty curious about something called The Flight. The Flight is, from what I can tell, a unique coffee tasting experience that started at the cafe last year. It consists of three coffee based beverages: an espresso, cascara tea and a cappuccino. The idea is to introduce customers to their guest coffee, in a way that allows them to really taste the brew. What I love about this place is how obviously passionate and knowledgeable the baristas are - apparently you have to have three years of coffee making experience before you can work behind their bar! I was served by an incredibly enthusiastic barista who explained The Flight 'guidelines' and described the flavour of each beverage impeccably. You start with the cascara, a palate cleanser  made from coffee berries and blended with early grey tea. Once your palate is suitably cleansed, you sip the espresso slow and meaningful, letting all the citrusy, dense goodness fill your mouth with happiness. Then you finish the rest of the cascara and start on the PERFECT cappuccino. I chose to have mine with  Kaffeine's very own almond milk (50p extra) and let me tell you that was the best cappuccino I've had in a LONG TIME. The almond milk was the perfect mix of malt and vanilla, which when combined with the dense, citrus espresso created a rather delightful tasting experience. Also, they managed to get the most consistent foam I have seen with almond milk and it didn't sink whilst I was fraternising with the other drinks so BRAVO Kaffeine baristas! Folks who love coffee as much as I do, this really is a MUST-DO on the London coffee scene. Hop to it!

COFFEE DIARY: Fernandez and Wells

As you turn off Regentstr. into Beakstr. a delicious tranquility breezes along the bricks and catches its breath right outside this understated cafe. So understated in fact, that I almost missed it completely. I'd asked a few friends to recommend me their favourite London coffee haunts and the Fernandez and Wells chain was definitely the winner. In terms of style it reminded me a lot of Monmouth Coffee sans communal seating. It was also very peaceful when I arrived and I was able to get a prime-people-watching spot by the window. I was served by possible the friendliest Barista in London, it was his first day on the job and his enthusiasm was infectious. If you're reading this Barista-man, THANK YOU FOR HAVING SUCH A SUNNY DISPOSITION. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to have, I said I was huge Flat White fan and was told to try the Stumpy. Little did I know that this little coffee beverage actually originates from the cafe on Beakstr. so I definitely made the right choice. It is essentially a small Flat White and slightly stronger than a Cortado. The coffee was exquisite. As for the cafe itself, it's the perfect place for a quiet catch-up with a friend or a chance to catch up on your reading/notetaking. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be returning, as well as checking out the other stores around the city. 

London Perspectives

“Go where we may, rest where we will,

Eternal London haunts us still.” 

― Thomas Moore

When I look at photographs of London on pinterest they all seem rather shiny and there never seems to be anyone out and about. I took these on a quick stop-over during the Easter holidays and I'm really pleased with how they turned out. They reflect what I see. My London is busy and hectic, grainy and dirty. I love that one quick turn into a side-street can shift the pace from chaotic-commuter to bumbling-bruncher. It has the reputation of being unfriendly, yet London contains some of my favourite strangers; from the Cafe Nero barista at Waterloo station, to moleskine man in Foyles on the Southbank, to the ticket lady at Charing Cross, to the eccentric playwright in the Royal Court Bookshop and the barista on Beakstr. whose first-day-on-the-job enthusiasm made the sun shine brighter and the coffee taste sweeter. The city has always been a constant in my life and though I have never called it my home, I have lived many a significant moment within it's geography. Not all these moments have been positive; some of the darkest seasons in my life have been very much synchronised with the South West train service up to Waterloo. But it has also spurred most of my childhood dreams from prima ballerina, to painter, to writer and now actress; all of which have been explored among the plethora of London theatres, galleries and bookshops. More recently the city has become a place to catch-up with special friends, the ones that help you put the world right, whose sofa-bed soaks up the tears of lonely lostness and dinner time conversation reminds you that a belly-laugh is one of your five a day. Whatever the next few months and years hold for me, I know that London will be a part of it. I may never call it home, but it will always be a city of unrelenting significance. 

A Softer Side of the Capital

These photographs have been sitting in a folder on my computer for far too long. After a long, cold and wet start to the year, I cannot help but lean forward into spring-time sentimentality. Even though these pictures are from the past, they give me a glimpse of what is to come. Life might be throwing me lemons and heartache and unsharpened pencils, but I have never felt more hopeful. When I stop to look at the life that I'm building for myself, I'm surprised to find that it is nowhere near as pathetic or miserable as I anticipated. Inspite of the apparent emptiness, it is brimming with joyful opportunity. 

What about today makes you feel hopeful?

COFFEE DIARY: Monmouth Coffee

On my last trip to London-Town my bestie recommended the Monmouth coffee chain to me. That afternoon I found myself coffee-starved and alone, so thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. I went to the original store in Covent Garden on (wait for it) Monmouth Street and found it a very small, smart cosy little place, packed with equally smart looking people. Yet despite it's slick first impressions, the atmosphere was undoubtedly friendly and made all the more so by the communal seating arrangements. This can feel a little intimate. I was told by one of the Baristas that they are often the meet-cute cafe for many a blissful couple. Mobile phones are not permitted at the tables, but if the forced-socialness doesn't put you off, then it's weirdly relaxing. 

I ordered a flat-white, which came promptly and lived up to all my post-Berlin coffee expectations. The milk complimented the espresso perfectly, the foam was silky without being too cold and the coffee they used was warm and sweet. The coffee-curious among us will appreciate the leaflet explaining all their blends, which you can buy to take home. For those of you who are not coffee-fanatics, they also offer non-coffee options and a selection of cakes. 

If I'm honest it did feel a little bit crowded but I have heard that the other stores are slightly bigger, so it's worth checking those out. I certainly will be next time I'm in town. Anything for that perfect cup of coffee, eh?

An Evening at the Proms

It's become a bit of an annual tradition to go 'promming' during the Summer Holidays. The BBC Proms is a season of around 70 concerts that are held at The Royal Albert Hall during the Summer. For £5 on the day you can obtain a standing ticket for the arena, which is known as 'promming'. This is because the concerts used to be held outside and were called Promenade Concerts as the audience could stroll around the area whilst the music was playing. Nowadays there's less strolling and more sit-down-stand-upping, as people start to lose the feeling in their legs. Even if you're not a classical music enthusiast or expert (I am certainly neither) it is still an wonderful experience. There's something about listening to a live orchestra that makes me feel infinite. Plus, watching the soloists is completely mindblowing! My two favourite pieces were Debussy's- La Mer and Ravel's Daphnis e Chloe - Suite No. 2 - I found them so uplifting!

It's also a great place to people watch, because the mix of people standing in the arena is completely random. You'll find yourself standing shoulder to shoulder with students, businessmen and businesswomen, families with small children, families with big children, old men, reviewers with notepads and tourists. The Proms also exude a real edifying britishness that makes me feel proud of my heritage. Also, strolling around South Kensington in the Summer evening glow is pretty magic too.

One year, I'd like to buy a season ticket and stand in the arena every night, but that will have to wait until I'm slightly richer and actually live in London. Have you ever been to the Proms? What do you like about it?