A new blog

I have been too busy to update this blog but I will be starting a new blog soon... hopefully, it will be a better one.

Ideas to live by

Spitalfields market at night

Last week, I attended a D & AD event hosted by the School of life and one of the speakers, John-Paul Flintoff, mentioned something quite timely and intriguing. He suggested that we should live each day as if it was our last and he used the Buddhist philosophy to illustrate his point: the fact that we never know what will happen next, we should appreciate each moment of our lives. Ironically, his point was made when disaster struck Japan the next day...

What would you do if you find out that today is your last day on earth? Would you still be bothered by the annoying remark made by your colleague the day before ? Would you still fuss over the bad service your received at lunchtime? Sometimes we are so bogged down by the minor discomforts or insignificant events in life that we lose perspectives of the whole picture. Sometimes we need to step back and not take everything so personally and seriously, life is really too short for that!

For the past week, my sleep has been greatly disrupted mainly due to the psychological effect of watching the continuous media coverage on Japan. Hence it's hard to imagine what it must be like for the victims who survived the disasters or just ordinary Japanese citizens who have no idea of their country's future. But I also received good news from my Japanese friend in Toyko... she gave birth to a healthy baby girl one day after the earthquake! She assures me that the Japanese people are stronger and more resilient than ever and they are all helping each other out during the most difficult time even though they know it may takes up to 10 years to rebuild their country. Her reassurance makes me admire them even more, and I am hopeful that they will be able to get through this eventually.

Despite all the unsettling news around the world at the moment, life has to go on... In London, sunny blue sky has been seen on and off for the last 2 weeks, so perhaps spring is really just round the corner? Seeing cherry blossoms around town is uplifting and they add colours to the dull winter cityscape. As usual, I have been busy attending cultural events around town but many of them were less £10, proving that there are still bargains to be found in the midst of cuts and recessions... From now on, I will include the prices I paid for each event just to give people an idea of what I get for my money...


A sunny day in London


Exhibitions

One of the most cost-efficient way to enjoy the cultural side of London is to become members of major institutions or museums. Since I joined the Art Fund a few weeks ago, I have been enjoying exhibitions around town for either 1/2 the listed price of free of charge. I just wished that I had discovered this earlier!!

British Art Now 7: In the days of the comet @ Hayward Gallery (£5 with Art Fund membership)
It got pretty good reviews by critics but I have mixed feelings towards this show. I think some of the work are incomprehensible and a bit pointless (i.e. the naked guy watching the fire on a bench!) but there are some memorable ones like American artist Christian Marclay's The Clock. Personally, I think that Newspeak: British Art Now Part 1 at the Saatchi Gallery was better and now I just need to see Part 2 before it ends next month.

Robert Mapplethorpe: Night work @ Alison Jacques gallery (Free to all)
Mapplethorpe was huge and influential in the 80s and this exhibition curated by the Scissor sisters featured his artwork for the Night Works album. Divided into two locations on Berners Street, the exhibition included photographs, sculptures and installations. Some of the photographs are still shocking after all these years and they remain as powerful statements that reflect the political, cultural and sexual climates of the time.



Robert Mapplethorpe

Gabriel Orozco @ Tate Modern (£5 with Art Fund membership, normally at £11 each!)
Although I enjoyed the exhibition, I honestly think that £11 is too expensive... after paying £15 for the Gauguin exhibition, I was determined not to be ripped off by Tate Modern again!
Otherwise, Orozco's work is playful, insightful and diverse, ranging from photographs, paintings, sculptures to large installations. My favourites include 'La DS', a car sliced lengthways but put back together as a long one-seater without the engine and 'Ventilator', a ceiling fan with rolls of toilet paper attached to it. Unlike many other contemporary artists, Orozo doesn't create art to shock, instead he reinvents everyday and found objects that we can relate to. If you are not familiar with Orozco's work, then this exhibition will be a good starting point.


Talk

D & AD president's lecture: School of life - Ideas to live by @ Logan Hall (£10 for non D & AD member)
This sold-out talk was a taster for the School of life and was divided into 4 segments: 'How to spend your free time' by Cathy Haynes, 'How to be cool' by Nick Southgate, 'How to live with technology' by Tom Chatfield and 'How to change the world' by John-Paul Flintoff. Entertaining, thought-provoking and relevant, the popularity of the School of life may indicate that our hedonistic society or culture is finally coming to an end...

D & AD sharp'ner: What is a great idea? @ Vibe bar (£5 for non D & AD member)
What makes an idea 'great'? It's quite hard to define but the four speakers from the creative industry came together for one evening to try and answer this question.

Buddhist sculpture: Antony Gormley @ British Museum (£5 for non museum member)
Who would be more qualified than Gormley to give a talk on Buddhist sculptures? Probably not that many. However, I don't think he is the most engaging speaker, so there were some flat moments during the hour long talk, having said that, it was still a great opportunity to hear about his journeys around Asia and his views on Buddhist sculptures.


Antony Gormley


Theatre & dance

The red shoes @ Battersea Arts Centre (freebies from Timeout! Otherwise it's £17.50 each)
Every now and again, I would enter certain Timeout competitions to try and win cinema or theatre tickets, and I got lucky this time round! Since this show received many positive reviews, my friend and I were really looking forward to it. We love the venue (an old town hall) and the informal setting of the stage and seating area, though our backs did get tired and achy by the end of the show. It all started off well, quirky, funny and energetic but it kinda lost the plot and went down hill half way through. As the storyline got darker, it got messier and a bit out of control, it was a shame because it could have been better. However, the overall performances were great and it was refreshing to see something unconventional in this wonderful building.



A bold stroke for a husband @ Bridewell Theatre (£6.50 for online booking/ £7 at the door)
I have never been to a lunchtime theatre show before... now I think it's a fantastic idea and would definitely go again in the future! I sometimes find theatre shows overpriced and too long, so it's great to go to a one-hour show with excellent performances and under a tenner! This debut production by Little bear is fun and uplifting, and it makes you want to escape the cold weather in London and fly to Spain right after the show!!

Connect festival: High Res @ Sadler's Wells (£5)
This bargain show provided us a chance to see professional choreographers working with local people including employees from the Islington Council and youths from housing estates. Highlights of the evening: Octomino performed by Rough Youth dance company and Man alone/ A Night up West! by Dancers from Company of Elders (whose average age is 79!). A sharp contrast between the youth and the elderly but both equally inspiring and engaging, Octomino was energetic and powerful whereas the elderly ones were humourous and entertaining.


Tango

Alejandro Ziegler Quartet @ Conway Hall (£5 for the 30 min pre-milonga concert or £15 for the whole evening including milonga with 2 sessions of live music)
This relatively new but talented Argentinian tango ensemble performed only one night at their debut in London and there were less than 30 of us at the pre-milonga concert. Where were all those tango music lovers? If this had taken place in Asia, the tickets would have been sold for a lot more and would probably be packed... it's times like this that makes me appreciate the cultural diversity of cities like London and New York. Yet it is also a shame because with so many cultural events going on in these cities, it's easy to miss them as well!


Alejandro Ziegler Quartet


Films

Mapping Subjectivity: Experimentation in Arab Cinema from the 1960s to Now @ Tate Modern (£5 per ticket)
A special film season that celebrates the talents from the Arab World since the 1960s, the timing is perfect as we observe the unsettling political conflicts and crisis unfolding in many of the Arabic countries at the moment. A good opportunity to see films that don't get general releases in cinemas or on DVDs.

The Tangier 8 (Morocco / France 2009)
In 2009, Tamaas, an international non-profit arts organisation, invited eight poets and filmmakers from France, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States, to Tangier to make short films about the city. Experimental, artistic, haunting, subtle, emotional and dreamy... not every film works but it is the concept and feeling that matter most.

Cracks/ Fissures (Morocco 2010)
I want to like this film but I find it hard to partly because it is too suffocating and distressing for me. There is nothing wrong with the acting nor directing, but pain and neediness of the characters is quite unbearable. Perhaps the director has succeeded in pushing the boundaries but it was too much burden for the audiences to carry. An emotional draining film.

Norwegian wood (2009)
I usually try not to read film reviews before seeing a film but I couldn't help noticing the mixed reviews for this highly anticipated film. Despite being a fan of Murakami for almost 20 years, it has been a long time since I read Norwegian wood, so my memory of the story has faded over the years. I wasn't quite convinced by the choice of director when I first heard of the project. Although I knew it would be a beautiful and sensual film, I was afraid that it would be too artistic and self-indulgent. However, in this case, perhaps self-indulgence is needed to convey the messages of loss, pain, narcissism and self-destructiveness. Ignoring the original novel, I actually think that this film works on its own and was quite pleasantly surprised by it. Not only it is beautiful and raw, but it also captures the loss of innocence and the pain of growing up and bereavement. Perhaps my opinion will change when I re-read the novel but I think the director's brave attempt has paid off even though many others might disagree with me.


T.V.

Broadwalk Empire (Sky Atlantic) - How overrated is this show? I just can't get into it! Yes, it is nicely executed and well performed but it's hard to feel for any of the characters. The pace and storyline are not the issues here, it's just boring! Disappointing.

The Big C (More 4/ Channel 4) - Surprisingly, this comedy drama about a middle-aged housewife diagnosed with cancer turns out to be better than I expected and this is all due to Laura Linney. She brings joy and energy to the show and now I am hooked!

Wonders of the Universe (BBC2)
Is Brian Cox the new Judd Law? This ex pop-star scientist is using his charm and 'soft' power to change the way we view science and it works! He is making science more accessible to all and apparently, more students are enrolled to study physics at schools! I can't say I am his fan but I think the subject/ programme is very interesting and I am sure it would have been a completely different story if it was narrated by an elderly professor!

Agony & ecstasy: A year with ENB (BBC4)
In the last two years, BBC4 has become one of my favourite T.V. channels. This behind-the-scenes documentary series bring viewers to the English National Ballet where we see the real lives of ballerinas. Forget 'Black Swan', this is the real deal!


Cafes

Fernandez & Wells @ St Anne's Court, Soho
It's easy to miss this small cafe in the Soho alleyway. There are only a few tables but it doesn't feel too packed unlike the always busy Princi nearby. Most of the clients here are in media and film production and so I keep overhearing topics on the showbiz. The coffee here is good but the pastel de nata/ Portuguese custard tart is even better! The texture of the custard is smooth and not too sweet and the pastry is crispy and flaky, probably one of best I have tasted in London!


Coffee and pastel de nata

London review bookshop cafe, Holborn
I wanted to try this place out 2 weeks ago but it was completely packed, so I came back again only to find the place packed again! With the slightly warmer weather, I decided to sit outside in the courtyard with my coffee and cake. I was told that they use organic expresso blend from Monmouth coffee, no wonder this place is packed all the time... it's the Monmouth effect!!


Coffee & cake


Restaurants

Donna Margherita, Lavender Hill
Only because the cafe at the Battersea Arts Centre hadn't opened that we decided to try this rustic-looking Italian restaurant opposite and I was glad that we did. The pizza here was thin and tasty, accompanied by friendly and efficient service, this is a real local gem!

Poppies fish and chips, Spitalfields
London used to have at least one fish and chips shop in every local area, but then most of them closed down in the early 90s... and now we are seeing a mini revival. Unlike other new fish and chips restaurants, this one is owned by a retired fryer who has been in the business since 1953. The 1950s decor and staff outfits seems fun but I didn't see a smile from anyone until they said goodbye to me! In terms of food, the fish was fresh but it was slightly under-seasoned and the batter was not crispy enough. The wine was reasonably-priced and merely drinkable. The prices are not cheap here and with so many competitions in the area, I think it needs to try harder esp. before the novelty factor wears off.



Poppies

Yo! sushi
I usually try to avoid chained restaurants and cafes but sometimes I would pop in if I was in a rush. It has been years since I dined at Yo! sushi but I was hungry and craving for sushi, with not many options in the area, I decided to give this place another try. About 30 minutes later, I left the place feeling that I have been ripped off... £20 for 5 plates of mediocre food was simply outrageous! No wonder tourists constantly complain about the food in London, now I am starting to know why...

Nature's retaliation

In the last few days, I was glued to the T.V. watching the horrific images emerging from Japan and like most people, it's hard not to be emotionally affected by them. Even for a country that is so advanced and prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis, it just couldn't be prepared for a catastrophic disaster like this. It's time like this that we remember how fragile humans are, no matter how 'powerful' or 'rich' you are, you still can't avoid or predict death. We often forget how little control we have over our fate and yet we spend so much time and energy to be 'in control' and 'secure', how foolish are we?!

One day before the earthquake in Japan, another earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale hit Yunnan Province in China but it was over-shadowed by the bigger disaster in Japan. Both events make me feel that there is something seriously wrong with our planet now. I am not sure if earthquakes are happening more frequently in recent years but they are definitely happening in larger scales, think of Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, New Zealand and now Japan. Besides earthquakes and tsunamis, we are also seeing more extreme weathers like floods, snow, hurricanes and droughts etc. Despite the arguments between scientists and the global warming skeptics, I feel that one doesn't need to be a scientist to sense that something is not quite right!! Is this nature's retaliation on humans? Since we continue to destroy nature/ our environment, perhaps all these disasters are nature's way of warning us to stop behaving selfishly. In Buddhism, understanding the relationship between nature and humans is a key part of its teachings, and to me, it makes so much sense. We, humans need to understand that everything on this planet or in the cosmos is interlinked and we can't simply see ourselves as 'individuals' and act recklessly for our own benefits. We are our biggest enemies, and if we continue to be driven by greed, power and all kinds of destructive desires, it won't be long before we indirectly wipe ourselves out. The natural disaster and man-made nuclear threats in Japan are reminders for us to reflect and make changes, we must act mindfully and take responsibilities for our own actions for the sake of our planet and future generations.

A hint of spring in London

The colourful Central St Giles in Holburn, designed by Italian architect, Renzo Piano

Despite the sudden drop in temperature, a hint of spring is finally here because I saw daffodils and 2 cherry trees starting to bloom in Coram's field a few days ago! Everyone seems to be friendlier when the sun is out, it's no wonder why Londoners are so obsessed with the weather here!



Coram's field


Exhibitions

Threads of feeling (The London Foundling Hospital's textile tokens 1740-1770) @ The Foundling Museum
The biggest attraction of London is that no matter how long you have lived here, you will always discover something new or somewhere you have never visited before. I didn't know much about the Foundling Museum before, but I read a review on its current exhibition (ending today) and so I decided to pay a visit. The exhibition is small but extremely touching, it exhibits swatches of fabrics pinned to the registration documents when abandoned babies or children were first sent to the hospitals (something quite common during the 18th century Britain). Besides the fabrics/ ribbons, there are also handwritten notes written by mothers who were probably devasted by the choices they had to make. It's hard to imagine how they must have felt at the time. The museum also exhibits photographs and art collection from the demolished Foundling Hospital, as well as work related to the composer Handel, who was a Governor and benefactor of the hospital.




The Foundling Museum


Laurie Anderson, Trisha Brown, Gordon Matta-Clark. Pioneers of the downtown scene, New York 1970s @ Barbican art gallery ( until 22 May)
With a rather uninspiring and restricted layout at the Barbican art gallery, it's probably a nightmare for curators to try and turn it into something interesting and inspiring. It has been done before but I often find the split personalities within one exhibition because of the odd layouts of the upper and lower galleries. At this exhibition, again, I think some of the rooms work better than others, but it's probably not surprising given the variety of work including live performances, videos, sketches, photography and sculptures. The various live performances are definitely highlights of the exhibition, but the videos and the concepts behind their work are also intriguing. I particularly like Matta-Clark's 'Splitting' esp. the remains of the structure as well as Brown's 'walking down a building'. It must have been pretty interesting to be an artist (or film maker) in New York during the 1970s especially under the influence of Andy Warhol a decade before. Unfortunately, Soho is no longer THE place for emerging artists, the high end shops and trendy restaurants have completely changed the atmosphere of this area, so it is quite refreshing to see or imagine the rather artistic Soho before it became completely commercialised.


Cafes

The Expresso room
On Great Ormond Street, there is this tiny coffee shop with maybe 4-5 seats inside and a few outside. It's minimalist, laid back and very 'Monocle' (a descriptive term that I invented!). I didn't try their expresso but their standard coffee is not bad except for the slight acidic after taste. Having said that, it's still so much better than the chained coffee shops and I am tempted to come back again just to try their expresso...


The Expresso Room

Bill's cafe, restaurant & store
This relatively new cafe opened in the new St Martin's courtyard is interesting because it is a deli/ grocers, cafe and restaurant all combined in a 2-storey space. The decor is fun, with stacks of goods on shelves, dried chillies and colourful tissue paper hanging from the ceiling. The menu is an all day menu with lots of healthy juices to choose from. I thought the food tasted great, but the service was not so up to scratch (slow and inattentive) even though there were hardly any customers when I was there! I just can't imagine what it would be like during busy hours!



Bill's cafe

Barbican food hall
I guess the Barbican is trying to update its image, so they have come up with this new food hall concept, basically a sort of deli and canteen combined in one. However, from my observation, I am not sure if this would appeal to their members who are mostly over 55! I am not discriminating against them but while I was there, they looked and acted totally confused (actually not very surprising)! At the entrance, there is a large table full of cakes and sandwiches, but the plates are hidden away at the end, so many people were not sure what they are supposed to do! And while queuing to pay, one woman was making a fuss about the slippery bowl, then another over her wine... thanks to them, the cashier got distracted, miscalculated my bill and then dropped the change onto my plate of food!!! Despite the new decor, I don't think the staff here are well-trained (esp. when in comes to dealing with the rather difficult customers), perhaps it's best to come here for a coffee rather than a meal next time!


Shops

Near the British Museum, there are two interesting shops, one of them is the London review bookshop, an independent bookshop with a cafe overlooking a small square (with seating outside) which is probably a nice place to hang out in the summer. Next to it is the paper crafts shop, Blade rubber stamps, which sells a large selection of rubber stamps and other DIY products. A fun place to be inspired if you like stationery and paper crafts!


London review bookshop & Blade Rubber stamps


Dance

Bartabas - Ko Murobushi @ Sadlers Wells
I am a fan of Sadlers Wells and I usually love the performances shown there whether it is tango, flamenco or contemporary dances. This one, however, I failed to engage with and I could tell from the audiences' reactions (and critics' reviews) that I was not the only one! The marketers marketed this as the first-ever dance performance with real horses on stage and so it got everyone excited, well, at least until the horses finally came on stage (which was about 15 mins after the opening) and then it all went downhill again. Even for someone who meditates regularly, I found it hard to keep my patience/ focus and not let boredom slipped in and pulled my mind away from what was going on on stage! Yes, it was visually intriguing and the horses were amazing too but overall, the show was like a failed experiment! I am sure that Mr Murobushi is an accomplished dancer in his own right but his performance just didn't translate well here, plus it was not helped by the rather annoying voice over... it all felt too self-indulgent and self-conscious, way beyond the audiences' reach!


Music

BBC Symphony Orchestra / Yamada: Music by Rachmaninov, Takemitsu and Thomas Larcher (with violinist, Isabelle Faust) @ Barbican
After the disapointment earlier in the week with the show at Sadlers Wells, I was pleasantly surprised by a different kind of performance at the Barbican. Honestly, I rarely pay to watch live classical music, afterall, there are free afternoon concerts in town and live broadcasts on radio three, so why bother paying? Well, the answer I realised is that it is really interesting to watch the conductor interacts with the orchestra on stage and it is much more emotionally engaging than listening at home.
I decided to see this after watching a CNN interview with Sir Simon Rattle, unfortunately his show was sold out, but this raising Japanese conductor's debut in London caught my attention. I was so glad that I went... I am no connoisseur in classical music, but I thoroughly enjoyed the evening esp. the second part with Rachmaninov's Symphony No 2 in E minor. It brought tears to a Japanese lady next to me and I could see lovers sitting closer to each other (I was sitting upstairs). The effect of the music was profound and immediate, it was just fascinating to watch the young conductor, the orchestra as well as the audiences' body language, something that I didn't expect before the concert!

Rain, sun and more rain!

The magnificent St Pancras Renaissance Hotel (will open in March)

I have decided to change the format and writing style of this blog, instead of writing whenever I feel like it, I will write a weekly summary of my week in town, hopefully, it's interesting enough since I don't have a 9 to 5 job (who does anyway? It's more like 8 to 8 for most people these days!).

There was so much rain last week which was quite depressing, luckily, there was one day of sunshine and I happened to be pottering about in town, so the day turned out to be quite pleasant. Of course, this fab weather didn't last and the miserable weather returned again just in time for the weekend.

Last weekend, I joined a walking group and went to Epping Forest, embarrassingly, I did not know its located beforehand, so was quite surprised by the short distance from London. Although it did not rain on the day, the ground was very muddy and we all ended up with mud allover our bottoms! However, it was still nice to be in nature and to socialise in a very different kind of setting.


Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge (built for Henry VIII in 1543)





Epping forest


Exhibitions

Gilbert and George:Urethra Postcard Art@ White Cube Gallery
I managed to see the exhibition before it ended. From a distance, the two rooms full of touristy postcards and telephone booth flyers (collected over 12 years) looked like beautiful graphic works; on closer inspection, each frame turned out to be 12 repetitive images laid out to form a rectangle with an extra one in the centre. Perhaps not as ground-breaking as their previous exhibitions but the humour and nostalgic factors were there. My post exhibition questions are: Will we still see working phone booths in 10 years' time? Or will they just end up being London's 'tourist attractions'? Or will they be reinvented to serve other functions? I guess we will have to wait and see.




Urethra Postcard Art at White Cube in Green Park

Coated: Above and below the surface of painting @ The Crypt Gallery
I have walked past this place so many times and the statues have always fascinated me but I never knew how to get into the gallery! If I have to choose the spookiest gallery in London, this will definitely be on the top of my list! I could feel the chill as I walked down the stairs, although the exhibition itself was interesting, I was more captivated by the gallery space and its ambience. To think that this was a 19th century burial ground and war shelters during the two World Wars made this gallery more unique and rather creepy...








The Crypt Gallery


Sheela Gowda: Therein & besides @ Rivington Place, Shoreditch (until 12th March)
I like this interesting buidling and gallery space in Shoreditch. Gowda's sculptures work well in this space and looks great from the outside too.



Sheela Gowda @ Rivington Place


Picasso to Julie Mehretu: Modern drawings from the British Museum collecrion/ Images and sacred texts: Buddhism across Asia @ British Musuem. The two free exhibitions are worth seeing but I ended up spending most of my time in Sir Percival David's room full of exquisite Chinese porcelain. His collection is huge and simply eye-opening, some of the work is even finer than the museum pieces that I have seen in China! I have been to the British Museum countless of times but there are always something new to discover each time, it's just an incredible place!

Chinese porcelain @ British Museum


V & A Late - Archive Live
My friend and I decided to go for tapas on a Friday evening followed by a visit to the V & A. This monthly event is always very popular, so not surprisingly, the place was packed when we arrived.
I think these late openings of museums are great, there are less kids, less tourists and has a more relaxing vibe. Besides the V & A, Barbican, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy of Arts also have regular late night events. Personally, I think it's a much better way to spend Thursday or Friday evenings than drinking in packed pubs and bars!


V & A at night


Talks

The Royal Institute of Great Britain, Mayfair
I have never even heard of this place before! I attended an evening talk at this charity institution and was really quite impressed by it. The museum in the basement is about science and is open until 9pm, there is also a cafe, a cool-looking restaurant and bar called Time and Space.



Royal Institute of Great Britain

Glug: Things to make and do @ Cargo, Shoreditch
I can't say that I am a fan of Glug, but I was interested in the talks especially knowing that Creative Review was involved. The night was a mix-bag, waiting outside in line was not cool, having to wait 1.5 hr before the talks was not cool, having to stand during the talks was really not cool but the worst part was when people fought and almost trampled on each other to grab a free poster... that was simply scary! However, the talks were pretty interesting and the free food/ drink voucher was a nice touch, though the chaos and bad organization did put me off going to their events in the future.



'Scary' graffiti opposite Cargo in Shoreditch


Cafes

Ginger and white, Hampstead
Ginger and white is a small cafe in Hampstead, serving good coffees, simple meals and cakes, produce are sourced mostly from within the UK. There is a communal table, sofas and window seating, it's relaxing and the prices are not bad for the area.




Ginger and white


Drink shop & do, Kings Cross
I have wanted to come to this funky and kitsch shop/ cafe in Kings Cross for a while but never managed to do so until last week. I think the owners have done wonders to this space especially in the middle of the rather gloomy and uninspiring Kings Cross. It's bright, airy, colourful, unpretentious and chilled. The menu is quite basic but the prices are cheap and the service is friendly. There is also cocktail list, so it might be nice to come here in the evenings or attend one of their crafts workshops.






Drink shop & do

Bánh mì Bay, Holborn
This one-year old Vietnamese cafe/restaurant was surprisingly busy on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The decor here has a 'spring' feel, probably because of the soft colour scheme. Although I was tempted to try their Bánh mì, the depressing weather has made me opt for the crab bánh canh (rice flour noodles) instead. The taste of the broth was not bad but I couldn't really taste much of the crab. The Vietnamese coffee was not bad, though a bit too sweet for my liking. It's not bad for a quick lunch but I would probably go to Bea's of Bloomsbury next time if I am in the area.



Vietnamese coffee @ Banh Mi Bay


Shopping

Lamb's Conduit Street - This is a rather interesting street because it has some cool independent shops and has a village vibe to it. There are shops like Dark room (concept/ lifestyle), Folk (fashion), Kennards (deli/ grocers) and the of course, The People's Supermarket.

I shopped for first time at The People's Supermarket and I found their vegetables cheaper and fresher than the big supermarkets. Although their food selection is not huge, I did find some interesting items and surprisingly spent less than £10 for some substantial shopping! Although I am not a member, I am supportive of independent stores, so I will definitely shop here again in the future.


The People's Supermarket


Dark room - cool concept store


The 'cute' Lamb pub on Lamb's Conduit Street


Architecture in Bloomsbury

I like the Bloomsbury area in Central London partly because there are many historical architecture, squares and hidden gems. I started my walk from Kings Cross, passing Euston Square, UCL, SOAS and eventually ended up in British Museum. It was a very pleasant walk, helped by the sunshine... amazingly, even the buildings look much better when the sun is out!


UCL main building


Waterstones book shop on Gower Street


Church of Christ the King


Senate House


Victoria House


Lovely balcony


Russell Square Hotel


Other interesting sights:



The coolest bookshop I have ever seen!


Protest in town


A Mongolian yurt in the SOAS campus