Kahaila

Before Christmas time my friend Matilda set up a make your own head-band workshop, where a group of people from her class and a group of outsiders got together to make any random type of head piece. I was going to attend a Great Gatsby themed party, so of course I went along and made something, or rather, 4 things. 

This workshop was held at the back of a cafe called Kahaila on Brick Lane. My flatmate Charlotte calls it her favourite place on Brick Lane. It's a cute home-y coffee shop that offers a variety of food and drinks, and cake. The indoors is similar to my flat in the sense that they have the same brick walls as we do. But not only that, they have these amazing wooden tables which are really worn out, but not in the sense that they're about to collapse but in a beautiful "I have lived" sense. 

One of the beautiful things about Kahaila is the artwork hung up inside it. They have temporary shows of different art from around the community. Oh and I forgot to tell you, it's a charity coffee shop. Which means they give all their profits to supporting local community projects. So stop by, grab a cake, enjoy the art and feel like you're doing something to help others while enjoying your self. Their sandwiches are good too.

Here's their website: http://kahaila.com/

Brick Lane Bookshop

A few weeks ago I got an insane craving to go book shopping. I wanted to skim through the pages of a book and fall in love with the writing before choosing what to buy. I tend not to like buying books online so the last books I bought were at Broadway Market. Walking into the Brick Lane Bookshop I didn't know where to start looking. They had a huge selection of unusual Christmas cards, and books about East London at the entrance.

After picking up and looking at a few books on the history of East London I already knew I'd have to come back with my dad. My dad is probably one of the best bookshop companions, he tends to know which books should be read and which ones you can leave on the shelf. And the thought of him pulled me towards the back of the book store, to the travel section. Guide books may be a little outdated especially if you're travelling to a city but if you're going somewhere distant where you wont have internet the guide book acts as your life vest or seat belt. 

But again I got distracted, I saw a pile of memorable books from this past century and it reminded me, I haven't read anything by Charles Bukowski and I really should. He seemed to know exactly how to say things in a way that I'd understand. On my next trip to Brick Lane I'll be sure to pop in the Bookshop and pick up a few books to read during the winter months. 

Here's their website: http://bricklanebookshop.org/

Red Hot Exhibition

A few weeks ago I went to see an exhibition at a gallery on Redchurch street. The exhibition is called RED HOT. After seeing a little blurb on Time Out about it, I decided to find out more. The artist (photographer) Thomas Knights noticed the common stigma in the UK of making fun of red heads, stereotypically known as "gingers", specifically the "ginger" male. Bullying towards red headed people is seen very often in British culture especially. As a girl with red hair, I felt like I had to go see the show for myself.

When walking in all the walls of the gallery were covered in photographs of these red headed men. Each image had a little quote next to it, explaining either a bullying experience they lived or a joke, or a statement of inspiration. While reading through these short reflective statements I started to realise that I had been bullied too. When I was 13 I was in the school play and an older student asked me (in a very arrogant tone) if I dyed my eyebrows, because my hair was red and my eyebrows were brown. At the time I didn't even think about the possibility of dying my eyebrows. But I think this experience then lead me to dye my hair black the following year. I think now is the time to say, my hair isn't flaming red, my Italian ID card says my hair is "auburn". And in the past few years it has been getting darker and darker because I don't have time to be outside much in summer. 

This exhibition however made me proud to be different, and it made me notice that having red hair is special. The show genuinely touched me, but I think anyone else could have enjoyed the show too. Hopefully it will become a well known exhibit and tour around the world with more and more images being added to the collection of photographs. 

Here's the show's website if you want to explore more of what I talked about: http://www.redhot100.com/

Muji

Whenever I need to by anything small for the house or school the first place I think of is Muji. I think as a shop they produce amazing quality goods, for decent prices as well as giving us something of design. I recently went there to buy folders, notebooks and highlighters. Unlike other stationary shops in the UK they allow you to pick out the pens you want, in the colours you want and they don't cost £2 per pen. 

They also have bathroom accessories and amazing storage boxes. Every time I go in there I want to buy half the store just so my room will be all organised and matching. Luckily this time I was able to stop myself and only splurge on a new make-up case, which happens to be the best thing I bought there too. It even has a pocket for your toothbrush! 

Overall, I think their simplistic Japanese design is great for the overcrowded and colourful houses of Europe. All their items do their purpose flawlessly and everything is very long lasting. Maybe if you're writing some really long exam papers the pen will run out after the 3rd exam but that's normal of all pens. I just really love everything I've bought there. I got a watch from them back in 2010 and its still perfect. 

Here's their website: http://www.muji.eu/

Mary Janes

I walk past Mary Janes at least once a week on my way to university. When looking at somewhere to lunch I thought of it first. Sadly, the lunch got cancelled but I did however make it there for dinner later on. What intrigues me the most about their menu is that they've reinvented "surf and turf". After going to the street food fair in Dalston and trying a surf and turf style bun I knew I'd be a fan of other surf and turf style food. 

When I found out Mary Janes had a surf and turf burger I couldn't wait to try it. So we took advantage of their happy hour and went there for drinks and dinner. After ordering my amazing burger with lobster I enjoyed sipping on my "buy one get one free" drink. When the food arrived I think I was even more excited about it. They had the most amazing fries, perfect thin and crispy. After a bite of the burger I was completely sold. The food took my breath away.

However the service was a little slow, but that might have been because there was a Christmas party going on by the bar. The venue itself is really cute, there are semicircle booths, glass floors, Victorian chairs and from what I heard a dance floor downstairs. Too bad their only open during the week because it would be a fun place to hang out on a Saturday night especially since its so close to hope.

Either way, the food is amazing, so if you're looking for a little bit of decadence in your life, look no further. 

Here's their website: http://maryjanesbar.com/

Rinkoff Bakery

Since all the hype about the cronut started I wanted to go to the Duck and Waffle, but I also found out that Rinkoff Bakery here in east London makes their own version of a cronut, but they call it a crodough. So one Monday evening I dragged my flatmate Emily there in the rain. 

A cronut is meant to be the combination of a doughnut and a croissant. Covered in sugar and sweet like a doughnut but buttery and layered like a croissant. And let me tell you, the combination is very tasty. Not exactly something light to eat at the end of a meal but interesting, different and probably something I'd love to grab to eat on the way to work once I get a job. 

Rinkoff has 2 bakeries, which close fairly early in the day, we got there in the last half hour they were open. Luckily they still had some cronuts left, I got a caramel Christmas inspired one and Emily opted for the last raspberry one. Now was the cronut worth the wait? Yes. I loved that it combined two pastries I ate almost daily living in Europe. I love that people are being creative in the baking world especially since after a week of croissants for breakfast I just don't like them anymore. I'm much more of a pain au chocolat type of girl. What about you? 

Here's their website if you want to get a cronut yourself: http://www.rinkoffbakery.co.uk/

Nelly Duff Print Shop

Columbia Road is amazing for many things including cute print shops and homeware stores. Each store is the ground floor of a little house, and it reminds me of shopping in small home owned stores. East London takes a lot of pride in the independent. It being shops, cafes, restaurants, everything has its own distinct style and personnel that cares a lot about the place where they work. 

Nelly Duff is an amazing little print shop, they have a variety of different artists' work. Most of the things they sell follow a fun and bright theme. They have a wall of books and cards all showcasing London in a great light. My favourite thing on that wall was a print featuring "Beigel Bake" a store on Brick Lane. 

If I had a stable home for a couple of years I would love to get some prints from here to decorate my home. Who wouldn't want a giant print of a fork next to their fridge? To me, prints are amazing gifts, especially since it shows you know a person's taste, and it's an unexpected gift. If they had a neon elephant I'd love that for my birthday. 

You can browse through their prints here: http://www.nellyduff.com/