Wednesday 16 July 2014

Eastward Ho

It is no news to anyone these days that the unseen centre of hipness in London has been steadily moving eastward for some time.  However, I was still flummoxed to find what appeared to be a fully formed street of beautiful shops that combined the achingly hip with actual covetable items,  not ten minutes from where I live, on Wilton Way, E8.




I have to admit a vested interest in the area:  I had been asked to take part in a pop-up shop on the street by Rosie Harkness of Rose Tinted PR, who is showcasing some London creatives (jewellery, photography, clothing, accessories, home furnishings) in a lovely space at 79A Wilton Way for the summer months.

So I went to take a look....







and found a collection of pretty shopfronts, with just the right amount of grit to keep their character. (This photo still from Monocle's short video on the same, worth watching for a more in-depth view, and a much better pic than the one I took.)

First off, Violet Cakes, run by Alice Ptak (formerly pastry chef at Alice Water's Chez Panisse) which for anyone with a leaning towards sugary carbs is essentially heaven. Here a close-up of the some of the goodies courtesy of Violet Cakes....









Mayfield's,  'neighbourhood dining room' with a deeply charming exterior.  A peek at the menu confirmed this as a 'must eat here'  location...






Borough wines, where a question about Spanish wines led me to a rare grape and delicious bottle. They also have a serve yourself option where you can re-fill a bottle with a decent red, white or rose, the whole beautifully laid out.



Here is the tag from the bottle that came home with me...






There is plenty more to see with Broadway Market just around the corner, so the next sunny day you have, brace yourself for a high beard and skinny jean count, and make the journey yourself.  Pick up a few cakes from Violet's, a bottle of wine from Borough and wander around the corner to London Fields where they have planted a wild flower meadow, and enjoy a happy foray into East End cool.

ps. Here's a little sign I saw as I was leaving...if anyone knows what it might be, I would love to know.



xeileen


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