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ISSUE 49<br />
Headway East London<br />
The Big Lunch<br />
Mark Anthony<br />
LADA<br />
Stef's Brownies<br />
And lots of other stuff<br />
Spring needs to stand<br />
up to winter and kick<br />
it in the snowballs<br />
- Unknown<br />
Your East London - What's on - Food - People
Big days and<br />
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2 LOVEEAST
Welcome to your local magazine<br />
Dear neighbour<br />
Is spring actually here or are we going to get<br />
another Beast from the East? Whatever the<br />
weather, there's loads to read in this edition.<br />
I'm honoured to showcase Headway East London,<br />
a charity based in Hackney supporting those living<br />
with the effects of serious brain injuries. Headway<br />
and their members are absolutely incredible.<br />
Singer/songwriter and Shoreditch Radio DJ Mark<br />
Anthony does a Q&A with us and we also find out<br />
about Stoke Newington resident Kerris Ohlsson<br />
who has been hosting The Big Lunch for ten<br />
years.<br />
Although it's been around for 20 years, the<br />
Live Art Development Agency (LADA) was a<br />
new discovery for me and it was great to find<br />
out about what this Bethnal Green-based arts<br />
organisation does.<br />
Instagram always provides me with eye candy<br />
and discovering Stef's Brownies is no exception.<br />
We also review a new book by Michelle Mason of<br />
Columbia Road's Mason & Painter.<br />
Our regular contributors never disappoint: The<br />
Gentle Author on saving the Whitechapel Bell<br />
Foundry, Bell from Bow on kids and festivals,<br />
Roger Love gives 14 fitness tips and Sean Gubbins<br />
talks about Hackney's Almshouses. Vinarius tells<br />
us about Italy's Marche region and in the food<br />
department we have a great recipe from Diana<br />
Warrings and a review of SoBe at Well Street<br />
Kitchen. Don't forget the Kids & What's on pages<br />
for lots of cool stuff to do and see in your East<br />
London.<br />
Cheers,<br />
Kaz<br />
karen@chomp.me.uk<br />
07590 609 557<br />
@LoveEastMag<br />
@loveeastmag<br />
loveeast.london<br />
I N S I D E<br />
East life<br />
4<br />
10<br />
Community<br />
16<br />
Art<br />
14<br />
18<br />
Book review<br />
17<br />
Regular features<br />
13 Bell from Bow<br />
20 The Gentle Author<br />
24 What to do with the kids<br />
27 Wine guide<br />
28 Eating in - and out<br />
30 WalkHackney<br />
31 Roger Love<br />
32 What's on<br />
Introducing Headway East<br />
London<br />
We do a LoveEast Q&A<br />
with singer/songwriter and DJ<br />
Mark Anthony<br />
10 years of the Eden Project's<br />
'The Big Lunch' in Stoke<br />
Newington<br />
LADA celebrates its 20th<br />
anniversary<br />
Stef's Brownies shares the art<br />
of fondant<br />
A guide to styling using<br />
botanicals and reclaimed<br />
objects<br />
LoveEast is a proud member of the East End Traders Guild<br />
Cover image by Cecilia - follow her on Insta: @Mileendmoments<br />
To advertise in LoveEast Magazine, please call 07590 609 557 or email karen@chomp.me.uk for further information. PLEASE NOTE: booking deadline<br />
for the June/July edition is 1 st May. LoveEast Magazine is produced and published by Chomp Creative Limited. Chomp Creative Limited cannot be held<br />
responsible for any errors or omissions, nor endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. © LoveEast Magazine 2019, all rights<br />
reserved. No reproduction can be made without permission. Be kind to the planet; please recycle.<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 3
East life<br />
In the blink of an eye…<br />
I first came across Headway East London on twitter; they had posted something about an<br />
art exhibition that caught my eye, and, always curious about all things East London, I had<br />
a look at their feed. I soon discovered that the charity has been around for twenty years,<br />
supporting those living with the effects of serious brain injuries. I was struck by the way<br />
they wrote about their members and events on social media - it felt real, rather than a 280<br />
character press release. It also felt positive rather than scary, and, let’s face it, we all tend to<br />
shy away from these sorts of things, as though if we learn more it might happen to us. I felt<br />
compelled to learn more.<br />
In January, Headway had a fundraiser at the<br />
Pembury Arms in Hackney – a games night hosted<br />
by Five Points Brewery - Headway being one<br />
of their two chosen charities for 2018 (a great<br />
thing for local businesses to do). While there, I<br />
came across Headway’s magazine, Matter, which<br />
is produced by its members. It’s a beautiful<br />
publication – a voice for the stories of brain injury<br />
survivors; raw, real, incredibly touching and so<br />
honest. As I read it on the bus home, I laughed<br />
and cried in equal measure, and what really spoke<br />
to me was the fact that these people allowed<br />
themselves to be so vulnerable, sharing their reallife<br />
experiences of what has to be one of the most<br />
devastating events anyone can imagine.<br />
Headway was already on my radar but that<br />
sealed the deal, so I met up with Laura, the<br />
communications manager, in early February for a<br />
chat and to see Headway for myself. The first thing<br />
that struck me as I walked through the door was<br />
the atmosphere; positive, upbeat and incredibly<br />
friendly. It really felt like a social club, which is<br />
essentially what it is for Headway members.<br />
The Headway members are amazing – each and<br />
every one an absolute hero. Try and imagine for a<br />
moment what it means to experience something<br />
like this – one day you’re going about your<br />
business, living life, and suddenly all that’s wiped<br />
away – literally in the blink of an eye, and not by<br />
your choice. And the thing is, it can happen to<br />
any of us at any time - a stroke, a car accident,<br />
the fickle finger of fate – whatever. It changes<br />
everything and the struggle to find and rebuild<br />
your identity afterwards is arduous and often<br />
lonely. The stories in Matter are full of integrity,<br />
4 LOVEEAST<br />
honesty and love; they give an understanding and<br />
insight into what it’s like to lose yourself and find<br />
yourself again.<br />
As we talked through what to focus on for the feature<br />
it occurred to me that rather than give you facts<br />
and figures and a PR blurb, it made sense to share a<br />
member's story from the magazine. It was difficult to<br />
choose just one, but Mike Hoyle's story encapsulated<br />
his experience, and echoed the experiences of other<br />
members. So here you have it on the following pages,<br />
reproduced from Mike's original layout in Matter.<br />
TO FIND OUT MORE<br />
Headway East London<br />
Timber Wharf<br />
238-240 Kingsland Road<br />
London, E2 8AX<br />
020 7749 7790<br />
info@headwayeastlondon.org<br />
headwayeastlondon.org<br />
@HeadwayELondon<br />
@Headwayeastlondon<br />
HOW YOU CAN HELP<br />
Donate, bcome a Friend, fundraise or volunteer:<br />
headwayeastlondon.org/support-us/<br />
Visit their online shop:<br />
headwayeastlondon.org/support-us/#shop<br />
Buy Matter – it’s a beautiful publication and a great<br />
way to learn more and support the charity:<br />
mattermag.org<br />
Photo collage by and © Mike Hoyle
East life<br />
A L B A T R O S S<br />
THE WORLD BEYOND<br />
WORDS & IMAGES BY MIKE HOYLE<br />
MY HEAD<br />
How can you recognise yourself in a life defined by events outside of<br />
your control? Using a collage of quotations and autobiography, Mike<br />
makes an essay in self-understanding, and reflects on photography<br />
as a way of reaching across the gap between our interior lives and<br />
the world we share.<br />
“Do not ask me who I am and do not ask me to remain the<br />
same.” – Michel Foucault<br />
On examination he presented as a young man: casually dressed and<br />
wearing tinted glasses. He was carrying a video-camera and tripod.<br />
His behaviour was somewhat inappropriate and he was rather jocular<br />
in his manner.<br />
This is about what happens in everyone that can’t be<br />
written down. This is about what moves in everyone.<br />
Several times during the interview he asked if he could video<br />
me, which was declined. He said that this was because he likes<br />
videotaping new people he meets, and enjoys looking at the<br />
videos again. He appeared mildly anxious.<br />
I was living quite happily, without a story to tell or anything<br />
to worry about, except the usual teenage identity-angst.<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 5
East life<br />
Clearly his history is very complicated and he is not able to give a detailed outline of his past. A<br />
more detailed letter or neuro-psychometry report would have been helpful. Nevertheless I shall<br />
relate the history of the patient as he has given it to me today.<br />
He is originally from ------. He has little recollection of the accident that he had when he<br />
was 18 years old. He says he has lost all memory of six months from around that time.<br />
It was a bright sunny day in the hills, or so I am told. I had photographed the<br />
wedding of a local farmer and was collecting the developed colour pictures from<br />
a laboratory in a nearby town.<br />
His father, who was the doctor for the area, attended him at the scene.<br />
Witnesses reported that I had zoomed past them on my motorbike towards a<br />
blind bend on which two cattle-trucks were overtaking.<br />
He was unable to give a clear history as to what has happened to him since his accident up to the<br />
present day.<br />
I became conscious of my father wiping my bottom. This was my first spark of<br />
awareness after the accident in 1983. It seemed strange that an adult should have<br />
this intimate relationship with his parents. After a brain injury, you are sometimes<br />
treated like a child. In a way, you have the body of a child.<br />
From accounts of friends who had visited me in hospital in ------, my journey<br />
in this helpless state gradually formed into a story. My language was uncensored:<br />
I swore at everybody and told them what I thought. My mother was shocked.<br />
I broke a chair over my brother during an argument. These incidents alter the<br />
narrative in your head. What were you like? Were you an animal?<br />
My impression is that this man suffers from cognitive impairment and personality change, most<br />
likely related to frontal lobe dysfunction as a result of his head injury.<br />
Unlike in the films, recovery from an accident is a painfully slow process. There<br />
is no eureka moment when you suddenly become normal, get out of bed<br />
and continue with your interrupted life. Like Alice’s fall down the rabbit-hole,<br />
recovering awareness is surreal, slow and alarming; and even now, life seems like<br />
just one accident after another. What had happened to my cognition? What had<br />
happened to my balance and sense of place in a room?<br />
"Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went<br />
down to look about her and to wonder what was going to happen next." – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s<br />
Adventures in Wonderland<br />
The process of recovery involves a collision of the private and the personal: being<br />
observed, studied, catalogued and assessed in your most intimate habits. I had<br />
read that it is better to be philosophical about life, so I read a lot of philosophy:<br />
6 LOVEEAST
East life<br />
Photo collage by and © Mike Hoyle<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 7
East life<br />
"Discourse is not the majestically unfolding manifestation of a thinking, knowing, speaking<br />
subject, but, on the contrary, a totality, in which the dispersion of the subject and his<br />
discontinuity with himself may be determined." – Michel Foucault, The Archaeology of<br />
Knowledge<br />
At some point after I left the hospital, I was advised to come to London by a<br />
chain-smoking, bored (or cool) woman at a ‘spectro-photography’ workshop in my<br />
nearest city. I managed to get into a London university, where I learned the theory<br />
behind the power of the photographic image. This was my rehabilitation back into<br />
the world of the arts. Photographs anchored my identity: through them, I was able<br />
to create a story of my past life. I was introduced to philosophers who wrote on<br />
the psychic subject; the history of the treatment of mental illness; truth, reason,<br />
and knowledge.<br />
The idea of eliminating all personal elements of knowledge would, in effect, aim at the<br />
destruction of all knowledge – Michael Polyani<br />
At some point it was suggested that I should live on disability benefits for the<br />
rest of my life. I was ashamed. I had come to London to educate myself and find<br />
meaningful employment, only to be told I was too damaged to make a meaningful<br />
contribution to society: a useless unproductive albatross around the neck of every<br />
working person in Britain, trying to compete against the rest of the world in the<br />
‘new global economy’.<br />
I still have perseveration, or the persistence of a single thought, making<br />
me repeat the same thing, with a loss of what the medical jargon calls ‘flexible<br />
thinking’. When your disability is cognitive, it is hard to separate your problems<br />
from madness or insanity, and in popular culture, madness is used as a metaphor<br />
for otherness. There is a certain stigma attached to mental impairment which is<br />
not connected with more ‘heroic’ disabilities, first in line to be made bionic with<br />
their state-of-the-art articulated limbs.<br />
After the death of my old self on the northern roads, I have been given a<br />
second chance at life: reborn, in a disabled body, with a troubled memory and an<br />
anxious mind. This second chance is about rewriting my own history,<br />
What do you do when you cannot compete, in a world which is all about<br />
competition? You have to view life philosophically. The past is dead, but not<br />
gone. Try to live in the present moment, if only you are fast enough – unimpaired<br />
enough– to recognise it for what it is, and not just what you think it might be.<br />
Catch it; capture it; as a photographer tries to do – with the old Quaker maxim<br />
ringing through your ears: “Not for oneself, but for everyone.”<br />
8 LOVEEAST<br />
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L o n D o n E X P ERT I S E . L o CA L LOVEEAST K n oWAPRIL LED- MAY g E2019 9
Culture<br />
LoveEast catches<br />
up with singer/<br />
songwriter and DJ<br />
Mark Anthony<br />
Originally from Finsbury Park, Mark<br />
Anthony grew up on the border<br />
of Stoke Newington and fell in<br />
love with music from an early age.<br />
With a passion for Hip Hop and<br />
Rap, he and his mates could often<br />
be found hanging out and writing<br />
raps, eventually forming The Meds<br />
Collective. We find out what it's like to<br />
live the dream.<br />
Images courtesy of Mark Anthony<br />
You began your music career with rapper Hi<br />
Breed and singer Paul Lee, and eventually<br />
formed The Meds Collective, and released two<br />
albums and, from what I understand, enjoyed a<br />
spell of relentless touring; all in quite a short span<br />
of time. Tell us a bit about that experience.<br />
It was a great experience and a really great learning<br />
curve. For about five years, all we did was write,<br />
record, rehearse and perform music. The creative<br />
process of being in The Meds Collective was fun,<br />
inspiring, unpredictable and, on the whole, really<br />
good fun. But we also worked very hard too, often<br />
with very little sleep, but all in all, the good times<br />
outweighed any of the times when we felt either<br />
tired or run down. At the time, I just considered<br />
myself very lucky to be doing what I loved best,<br />
with my closest friends.<br />
Best bit about gigging and touring?<br />
The gigging and touring was always our favourite<br />
part of being in The Meds Collective, as we got to<br />
constantly visit new places and meet new people.<br />
It was just like being on a boys holiday a lot of the<br />
time.<br />
And the worst?<br />
The lack of sleep and hangovers.<br />
Your album Reckless Caution was released a<br />
couple of years after the The Meds Collective called<br />
it a day; what was it like to become a solo artist<br />
rather than a member of a band?<br />
It was definitely odd at first, because whilst I was in<br />
the group, I was able to blend into the background<br />
quite a bit, which I was more comfortable with; as<br />
I never considered myself to be a lead singer or a<br />
frontman.<br />
So, after my solo album was released, doing all of<br />
the promotion for it as a solo artist, as opposed<br />
to being in a music group, was extremely nerve<br />
wracking for me, to the point of uncomfortable at<br />
first.<br />
Even though your music is firmly rooted in Rap<br />
and Hip Hop, a lot of the songs on Reckless<br />
Caution - Thank You in particular - bring to mind<br />
70’s soul music; bands like The Temptations, The<br />
Spinners, The O’Jays, etc. Would you consider that<br />
era a significant influence on your music?<br />
10 LOVEEAST
Culture<br />
100% yes! I have always been a huge fan of music<br />
groups including The Temptations, The Stylistics,<br />
The Delfonics and The Floaters; so music of that<br />
genre has always had a big influence on my<br />
songwriting. The beat for the song Night Cruising<br />
from my album Reckless Caution, was influenced by<br />
the song, Keep On Lovin' Me, by The Whispers.<br />
You also collaborate with other musicians - most<br />
recently featuring as the lead vocalist on the<br />
track Lonely City, on James Myhill's album Crooked<br />
Electric Cottage, and on the title track<br />
from m0p3’s Nursery Crime, both released late last<br />
year. Tell us a bit about that process.<br />
Well I’m always recording music and some of that<br />
is either as a solo project, or in collaboration with<br />
other artists. In both of the cases you mentioned<br />
above, it was basically the producers who came<br />
with the music ideas and just gave me free reign to<br />
write and record some lyrics over their instrumental<br />
tracks.<br />
I’m lucky enough to now have my own recording<br />
studio away from London (Studio 35 in<br />
Hertfordshire), so the work rate tends to be a lot<br />
quicker nowadays than it may have been in the past.<br />
You currently host The Evening Session radio show<br />
on Shoreditch Radio. How did that come about?<br />
A few years ago, the owner of Shoreditch Radio,<br />
Delroy Philogene, was looking for DJs and<br />
presenters to fill some slots on the radio station, so<br />
we ended up having a meeting at the Shoreditch<br />
Radio studios and I was offered a slot. Simple as<br />
that, really.<br />
I’ve been<br />
presenting The<br />
Evening Session<br />
for over four<br />
years now and I<br />
absolutely love<br />
doing the show.<br />
I’ve also been<br />
lucky enough<br />
to interview<br />
a number of<br />
musicians on<br />
the show, from bands such as The Specials, Blur,<br />
Madness, The Brand New Heavies and UB40 to<br />
name a few; so I’ve been very lucky.<br />
Which experience would you say is the highlight of<br />
your career so far?<br />
Whilst touring the Reckless Caution album, I was<br />
lucky enough to tour with The Gorillaz on part<br />
of their world tour, which was a truly amazing<br />
experience. It was amazing meeting people like<br />
Pauline Black (The Selector), De La Soul, Noel<br />
Gallagher, Jehnny Beth (The Savages) and the<br />
American singer Kali Uchis. Releasing the Reckless<br />
Caution album was also a highlight in itself.<br />
What’s next for you?<br />
Well, I’m always recording new music, so whether<br />
the music ends up being released in the form of<br />
either an album or an EP, remains to be seen; but<br />
I’m sure it will come out in some form at some point.<br />
TO FIND OUT MORE<br />
@mark_aofficial<br />
@markanthonymusicuk<br />
@markanthonymusic1<br />
LISTEN<br />
soundcloud.com/mark-anthony-music<br />
mixcloud.com/markanthonymusic<br />
Catch Mark's show on Shoreditch Radio Mondays 9 - 10pm<br />
WATCH<br />
youtube.com/markanthonymusicuk<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 11
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12 LOVEEAST
Bell from Bow<br />
Taking a kid to a festival? You are braver than me<br />
It’s spring and thoughts are already turning to summer, and which festivals my motley crew of friends will be<br />
attending. I’m invited, but seriously? Festivals? With a kid? Pah. Don’t make me laugh. You’ll never see the 9pm<br />
band on the main stage because you’ll be in a sweaty tent playing white noise to your kids to ease them to sleep<br />
whilst the ravers on bad pills in the tent next door come down from their high. You’ll start drinking early, because<br />
y’know, you’re at a festival, and the hangover will kick in before the day is out. Then you’ll have to deal with kids high<br />
on glitter face paint and candyfloss, whilst also battling dehydration, a pounding headache and the steady thud of<br />
the dance tent. Your phone will run out of battery so you can’t watch emergency CBBC. You can't text your husband<br />
to bring some loo roll back from the bogs for snotty noses because you gave your baby wipes to a girl who fell in a<br />
puddle. And you can't access the festival app to find the kid zone.<br />
You’ve earmarked money to pay the school fine for taking Sammy out. Fine or no fine, I'm pretty sure that the<br />
Rainbow Play tent is going to do more for their creative energy than maths and spelling in an overly-warm classroom.<br />
On top of this, you need to feed the kids and whilst the food at festivals has gone from dire to dreamy in a few<br />
short years, you know you don’t get change back from a tenner per head. Despite your brilliantly packed Fjallraven<br />
backpack, you’ll lose your sun cream / sunglasses / flower crown / phone charger and have to pay way over the odds<br />
to replace them. I don’t have teenagers but I can only imagine the day starts with you handing over cash, and ends<br />
with you worrying about why they are back late.<br />
Camping is a horror, because the kids go to bed late because it’s so exciting, and wake up early, because it’s light, hot<br />
and sweaty. If you hit Glasto in a rainy year, they will wake early because the tent has leaked, and then get tearful<br />
when they fall in a puddle. If you’ve packed the McLaren, you’d better hope you can dig it out of the mud when the<br />
inevitable happens (although in a sunny year, a pram is an excellent booze transporter, as is a Trunki).<br />
There will be a glorious window, when the sun hits that sweet point in the sky, your kids wave their hands to Ed<br />
Sheeran (come on, you aren’t cool enough for Stormzy now) and you feel like you’ve nailed it. Cool parent 101. Enjoy<br />
this, because this is what you’ll remember. But be aware that the long walk back on the aforementioned sugar-high<br />
will lead to a tantrum, you’ll be going to sleep with a toddler foot in your face and you’ll miss the Foo Fighters because<br />
you’ll have been in a queue for the loo with one of the kids.<br />
Despite my views on festivals, I’m excited for the return of In the Neighbourhood, a weekday programme of free<br />
activities, taking place between the two weekends of All Points East (the new Lovebox). Come down to Victoria Park<br />
for free outdoor cinema, live music, entertainment, theatre, arts, sports and wellbeing – and loads more. There’s also<br />
street food and pop-up bars to ensure the grownups are happy too.<br />
Kicking off on the second May bank holiday, and taking place across the May half term, In the Neighbourhood will be<br />
a fun destination for you and your family.<br />
ABOUT CELINE<br />
Mum from bow, gin addict, perma-knackered, fan of food, coffee<br />
and cheese. Follow Celine for more adventures in parenting:<br />
@bell_from_bow<br />
@bell_from_bow<br />
bellfrombow.com<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 13
It's art baby, art!<br />
Live Art Development Agency (LADA) celebrates<br />
its 20 th anniversary<br />
The Live Art Development Agency (LADA) was<br />
established in 1999 by co-founders Lois Keidan and<br />
Catherine Ugwu, and is now recognised as one of the<br />
most vital and instrumental creative spaces in the UK.<br />
Based at Garrett House in Bethnal Green, it has an<br />
extensive library of performance art videos, resources<br />
and publications as well as a free, open access study<br />
room. LADA hosts a range of programmes, curatorial<br />
projects and residencies that support and nurture<br />
artists from diverse backgrounds, and at its heart is a<br />
desire to provide artists with the space and freedom<br />
to stimulate new processes and approaches in order<br />
to develop their practice. It creates conditions in which<br />
diversity, innovation and risk in contemporary culture<br />
can thrive.<br />
LADA - and live art itself - gives agency to artists who<br />
often don’t have a voice in more mainstream practices;<br />
it refuses to be defined by traditional categories of<br />
what people think of as art, instead challenging that<br />
very idea.<br />
Tiny Live Art (Development Agency) by Robert Daniels,<br />
featuring Martin O'Brien<br />
including emerging artists, and artists from culturally<br />
diverse backgrounds.<br />
LADA is marking its 20 th Anniversary this year and<br />
is celebrating with a series of initiatives throughout<br />
the year. The recent March launch of the publication,<br />
Agency, A Partial History of Live Art, and a series of 20<br />
limited edition artworks, Tiny Live Art (Development<br />
Agency) by Robert Daniels kicked off the celebrations.<br />
Future events include a radio series on Live Art<br />
histories and futures for Resonance FM; a box set of<br />
20 postcards representing key LADA projects and<br />
initiatives, and a series of free events at their home at<br />
The Garrett Centre – Live Art on the page, the stage<br />
and the screen.<br />
Images © and courtesy of LADA<br />
The Garrett Centre, Bethnal Green<br />
All aspects of LADA’s work are informed by issues<br />
of difference and diversity, and are grounded in a<br />
commitment to creating the conditions in which<br />
innovation, experimentation and risk can thrive, and<br />
to developing new forms of public engagement and<br />
new discourses around the nature, role and value of<br />
contemporary culture.<br />
LADA particularly supports the most challenging<br />
artists, practices and ideas of contemporary culture,<br />
14 LOVEEAST<br />
TO FIND OUT MORE<br />
Live Art Development Agency<br />
The Garrett Centre<br />
117A Mansford Street, E2 6LX<br />
020 8985 2124<br />
info@thisisliveart.co.uk<br />
thisisliveart.co.uk<br />
@thisisliveart<br />
@thisisliveart
Business focus<br />
Re:Store refill shop in<br />
Hackney Downs Studios is now open!<br />
Image © and courtesy of @kitoates<br />
Re:Store is now open, offering customers a more<br />
conscious way to shop, with no single-use packaging in<br />
sight. The business was created to reduce unnecessary<br />
packaging and plastics in to order to positively impact<br />
the planet, whilst being accessible and affordable.<br />
Customers can bring their own containers to refill with<br />
store cupboard and household essentials. Our range<br />
of store cupboard essentials includes grains, pulses,<br />
rice, pasta, oats, nuts & seeds, herbs & spices, oil &<br />
vinegar, tea & coffee and confectionary such as The<br />
Vegan Candy Company pick ‘n’ mix and raw chocolate<br />
raisins.<br />
Household & cleaning products to refill include Fill Co<br />
laundry liquid and fabric conditioner, washing up liquid,<br />
multi-surface cleaner and liquid hand soap.<br />
We have teamed up with London-based producers to<br />
offer locally made brilliant products to our customers.<br />
One example of this is Kombucha on tap from<br />
Kompassion Kombucha who brew the product locally<br />
in Hackney Wick. Customers can buy a bottle to<br />
refill in store or bring their own bottle to refill with the<br />
two delicious flavours of Scotch Bonnet Chilli and<br />
Sarsaparilla Root. We also stock award-winning Kinda<br />
Co vegan cheese made in East London, and work<br />
with LeLe’s vegan cafe in Clapton and Ombra italian<br />
restaurant in Bethnal Green to offer some of their<br />
fresh products on a ‘special’ basis.<br />
You will find a range of sustainable bathroom &<br />
lifestyle products including Chilly’s water bottles, Self<br />
Care Co soy candles, rCup reusable coffee cups and<br />
Fit Pit natural deodorant.<br />
Re:Store can be found at vibrant & creative<br />
destination Hackney Downs Studios nestled between<br />
a yoga studio, cocktail bar, record shop and loom<br />
weaving workshop, as well as nearby popular cafes<br />
and pubs.<br />
Quote ‘LoveEast’ in store for a 10% discount<br />
until 31 st May. Subject to terms & conditions.<br />
Re:Store<br />
Hackney Downs Studios<br />
17 Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT<br />
restorerefill.co.uk<br />
instagram.com/restore.refill<br />
facebook.com/restorerefilluk<br />
LOVEEAST FEB - MARCH 2019 15
Community<br />
The Big Lunch: it's a community thing...<br />
Photos courtesy of and © The Eden Project<br />
One of our mantras at LoveEast is ‘It’s a community<br />
thing”. We live by this and fervently believe that<br />
the more we connect within our neighbourhoods –<br />
getting to know each other, supporting local traders,<br />
being involved in our schools and local organisations -<br />
the better life is for everyone. East London is certainly<br />
no stranger to a good old fashioned street party, of<br />
course, with its long history of neighbourhood gettogethers,<br />
but as life gets busier, street parties tend to<br />
become an item on the To Do list. The Eden Project<br />
wanted to change that, and created The Big Lunch in<br />
2009 – an annual event held up and down the country<br />
each June. Stoke Newington resident Kerris Ohlsson<br />
got involved early on and has been holding The Big<br />
Lunch on her street ever since. Here, she reflects on<br />
how her community has come together through the<br />
event.<br />
Kerris, a retired lawyer, has lived on the street for,<br />
as she says, “a very long time!” and has seen the<br />
neighbourhood change as people move in and out.<br />
“There are people living here who I never see through<br />
leading different lifestyles, or working different hours,<br />
16 LOVEEAST<br />
until Big Lunch day.” She describes The Big Lunch as<br />
providing a date in the calendar that everyone can<br />
reserve to meet, eat and share with their neighbours.<br />
Relationships have been forged through the planning<br />
and organizing of this annual event, and Kerris has<br />
also become close friends with the core group who<br />
come together each year to plan The Big Lunch. The<br />
group is a real mix of ages and backgrounds, and<br />
when they first got involved, they found they enjoyed<br />
meeting up in local cafes and bars for planning<br />
sessions just as much as they enjoyed the event itself<br />
- a great example of how a sense of community is<br />
developed.<br />
To Kerris, that sense of community feels like family.<br />
“Every time we see each other we have a little chat<br />
- we look out for each other,” she says. “It’s just what<br />
we do. If we see someone we don’t know as we’re<br />
walking along we smile and say hello; we try to bring<br />
people in. I say ‘we’ because that’s what it feels like,<br />
we’re all part of a community.”<br />
Last June, Kerris and her neighbours in Farleigh<br />
Road were joined by The Big Lunch ambassadors<br />
Ainsley Harriott and Jo Brand. Jo Brand said: “It’s so<br />
heartening to see events like this taking place. There’s<br />
such a mix of people just having a chat and a bite to<br />
eat. Everyone’s nattering about what’s going on in the<br />
neighbourhood and how they can help each other.<br />
This is what communities should be like. We’re all so<br />
busy these days that I think we’ve forgotten how to<br />
be good neighbours.”<br />
Ainsley Harriott added: “One of the great things<br />
about Farleigh Road is that they’ve been putting on<br />
this party for 10 years. They look forward to it, it’s the<br />
community that you bring out, the neighbourhood<br />
that starts to have that collective bond.”<br />
The Big Lunch 2019 takes place on the 1 st and 2 nd of<br />
June so get planning if you’d like to take part.<br />
ABOUT THE BIG LUNCH<br />
The Big Lunch is the UK's annual celebration for neighbours, an<br />
idea from the Eden Project, and takes place each year in June.<br />
For information on how you can hold a Big Lunch event visit:<br />
edenprojectcommunities.com/thebiglunchhomepage<br />
ABOUT THE EDEN PROJECT<br />
The Eden Project is an educational charity and social enterprise<br />
that creates gardens, exhibitions, art, events, experiences and<br />
projects that explore how people can work together and with<br />
nature towards a better future. Find out more on their website:<br />
edenprojectcommunities.com
Book Review<br />
A sneak peek at Michelle Mason's new book,<br />
Flower Market - botanical style at home<br />
Michelle Mason, designer and co-owner of Columbia Road’s vintage emporium Mason & Painter, is<br />
passionate about interior design and styling. Her interest in styling with flowers and plants is intrinsically<br />
linked to the market itself, and her new book was born out of a desire to share tips on styling and making<br />
the most of seasonal plants and flowers.<br />
If you are mad about flowers and plants and<br />
want to make the most of them, this book is for<br />
you. It begins with two sections on inspiration<br />
– one by season and one by colour, and moves<br />
on to describe how to create a look using simple<br />
objects such as ceramics, glass and metal, as well<br />
as reclaimed objects. The book is packed with<br />
handy tips and practical information on choosing<br />
houseplants, plant care, flower arranging, drying<br />
flowers etc. and is an excellent resource for<br />
beginners as well as seasoned flora-istas.<br />
Mason's styling is practical and resourceful and<br />
her ability to integrate unusual objects with floral<br />
or plant displays is nothing short of inspirational. A<br />
cricket ball, a few old books, even an old chopping<br />
board can bring a display alive. She is also keen to<br />
pass on the message that you can make the most<br />
of what you already have with a bit of thought and<br />
lateral thinking.<br />
Homes are as individual as the people who inhabit<br />
them, and it’s great to see so many examples of<br />
how one can enliven even the dullest of spaces.<br />
The book itself is beautifully<br />
designed and rich with images;<br />
it’s a book that will take pride of<br />
place rather than be hidden on a<br />
bookshelf, and readers will enjoy<br />
it and refer to it often.<br />
Photos courtesy of and © Michelle Mason<br />
Flower Market - botanical style<br />
at home is available from the 4th<br />
of April.<br />
GET THE BOOK<br />
Mason & Painter<br />
67 Columbia Road, E2 7RG<br />
@masonandpainter.co.uk<br />
@MasonAndPainter<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 17
It's art baby, art!<br />
Stef's Brownies' extraordinary edible sculptures<br />
If art is something beautiful created with imagination and skill, these fondant<br />
wonders more than fit the bill.<br />
'Stef's Brownies' began when Stef's partner taught<br />
him how to make brownies in order to add to his juice<br />
bar winter menu. The brownies soon became a hit and<br />
Stef began to exlore other aspects of baking, namely<br />
cake decorating.<br />
Experimenting<br />
with premade,<br />
fondant<br />
decorations, Stef<br />
soon discovered<br />
the joys of<br />
creating beautiful<br />
and unusual<br />
cakes.<br />
Eventually, he<br />
was approached<br />
by a friend who<br />
wanted a cake<br />
for a charity<br />
event but with<br />
a caveat - all of<br />
the decorations<br />
had to be made<br />
by hand. Having<br />
never done this,<br />
it was a challenge<br />
to say the least,<br />
but one Stef<br />
embraced, thus<br />
beginning his<br />
journey into the art of fondant.<br />
Cake designs are copyrighted in order to protect each<br />
maker's brand, and bakers can be sued for breach of<br />
copywrite if they replicate another's design. They are<br />
able to interpret the design but there must be at least<br />
seven distinct differences in order to make it a new<br />
creation. So, if a client wants a themed cake (a Disney<br />
character for example), it has to be an interpretation<br />
rather than a replica. While Stef accepts specific<br />
commissions, his favourite projects are when the<br />
client gives him the freedom to let his imagination go<br />
wild.<br />
He also firmly believes that cakes should be as<br />
individual as the recipient, and he has an innate ability<br />
to listen to, and interpret what a client is after. That,<br />
combined with an imagination that knows no bounds,<br />
18 LOVEEAST<br />
means that the end result is always personal and<br />
thoughtful.<br />
One of his biggest and most ambitious projects<br />
early on was the Enchanted Forest cake, (shown<br />
on this page)<br />
commissioned for<br />
a 30th birthday<br />
celebration. Using<br />
new materials and<br />
methods, Stef<br />
wanted to push<br />
himelf out of his<br />
comfort zone, and<br />
that he did, with<br />
the result being<br />
an almost 20”<br />
high, four tier cake<br />
with a plethora<br />
of forest-like<br />
decorations.<br />
As Stef says,<br />
"When you’re<br />
entrusted with<br />
total freedom<br />
on the design<br />
of the cake the<br />
possibilities are<br />
endless. Flower<br />
wires were used<br />
for the first time,<br />
in addition to mini spotlights and hidden flickering<br />
fairy lights operated by remote control."<br />
Wait, what? Mini spotlights and fairy lights IN A<br />
CAKE??<br />
Yes - you can have fairy lights in a cake; you can also<br />
have audio, and it's all operated with the flick of a<br />
switch. Check out Stef's website to see videos of how<br />
this all works..<br />
In addition to the lights, playing with hues of colours,<br />
layering and height provided depth and dimension for<br />
the Enchanted Forest cake. Much attention was given<br />
to everything including the fold of leaves, the curve of<br />
the vines etc.<br />
Another ambitious project was a birthday cake where<br />
the client wanted something very specific - a lion and
It's art baby, art!<br />
Lion and Mini Cooper 'Safari' birthday cake<br />
Teapot cake, based on a popular kid’s story called The<br />
Tiger Who Came To Tea<br />
Images courtesy of and © Stef's Brownies<br />
3D Popcorn Cake for a movie themed birthday party<br />
Rocket themed birthday cake with removable rocket<br />
and talking cube reciting launch countdown<br />
her child's Mini Cooper toy car. As<br />
a means to blend the two objects<br />
together, Stef chose a 'Safari'<br />
theme and modelled the car from<br />
photos of the toy car.<br />
From a rocket themed cake with<br />
a talking cube that does the '10,<br />
9, 8...' countdown at the press of<br />
a button - with the rocket itself<br />
being constructed and attached<br />
in such a way that it could be<br />
removed to be kept as a souvenir,<br />
to a cake that literally looks<br />
like a box of pop corn, nothing<br />
appears to be impossible in Stef's<br />
confectionary world.<br />
TO FIND OUT MORE<br />
stefsbrownies.co.uk<br />
@stefsbrownies<br />
@stefsbrownies<br />
@stefsbrownies<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 19
The Gentle Author<br />
How you<br />
can Save the<br />
Whitechapel Bell<br />
Foundry<br />
20 LOVEEAST
The Gentle Author<br />
In the East End, we are proud to have the Whitechapel<br />
Bell Foundry, the most famous bell foundry in the<br />
world. Dating from 1570, it is also Britain’s longest<br />
established business - although there is evidence that<br />
bells have been made in Whitechapel since 1363.<br />
This was where<br />
Big Ben was cast,<br />
also the Liberty<br />
Bell which became<br />
a focus for antislavery<br />
campaigners<br />
in America in the<br />
nineteenth century<br />
and, in our own time,<br />
the bell in the 9/11<br />
commemorative<br />
garden in<br />
Manhattan was cast<br />
in Whitechapel.<br />
It was a national<br />
tragedy in 2017<br />
when the building<br />
was sold, the staff<br />
lost their jobs and<br />
the equipment was<br />
auctioned off. In<br />
June that year, the<br />
foundry changed<br />
hands, sold first<br />
by bell founders<br />
Alan & Kathryn<br />
Hughes for £5.1 million to East End property<br />
developer Vince Goldstein who resold it on the<br />
same day to Raycliff Capital, the company of<br />
the American plutocrat Bippy Siegal, for £7.9<br />
million. Subsequently, Raycliff have acquired<br />
two additional sites at the rear of the bell<br />
foundry and plan to redevelop the entire<br />
location as an upmarket boutique hotel with<br />
the foundry itself becoming a restaurant.<br />
Now, the developers<br />
have submitted<br />
their application<br />
to Tower Hamlets<br />
council for a<br />
change of use from<br />
foundry to hotel<br />
and local residents<br />
get to have their<br />
say. Would you<br />
rather have the<br />
Whitechapel Bell<br />
Foundry converted<br />
into an upmarket<br />
hotel or would<br />
you rather it was a<br />
foundry, continuing<br />
a tradition of casting<br />
bells in Whitechapel<br />
that dates back to<br />
1363?<br />
A choice has to<br />
be made and<br />
Tower Hamlets<br />
council must<br />
establish which<br />
is the ‘optimum viable use’ – this is a term in<br />
planning law which means the ideal purpose for<br />
a building. Since the Whitechapel Bell Foundry<br />
was built as a foundry and worked as a foundry<br />
for centuries, it is self-evident that this is the<br />
optimum viable use, not a boutique hotel.<br />
United Kingdom Historic Building<br />
Preservation Trust (an independent charity<br />
under the founding patronage of His Royal<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 21
The Gentle Author<br />
22 LOVEEAST<br />
A choice has to be made<br />
and Tower Hamlets council<br />
must establish which is the<br />
‘optimum viable use’
The Gentle Author<br />
Highness, The Prince of Wales) have announced<br />
a partnership with Factum Foundation (a<br />
global leader in the use of technology for<br />
the preservation of heritage and maker of<br />
sculptures for some of the world’s most famous<br />
artists). Together, they have the resources to<br />
save the Whitechapel Bell Foundry by buying<br />
the buildings off the developer at market value<br />
and re-open them as a foundry, re-equipped<br />
with up-to-date machinery, for the production<br />
of bells and art casting.<br />
Unfortunately, recognising that there is a viable<br />
alternative to their boutique hotel proposal,<br />
Raycliff Capital have appropriated the language<br />
of their rivals by claiming they are actually<br />
‘reinstating a foundry,’ meaning that bell<br />
polishing will happen in the lobby of their hotel<br />
sometimes. The reality is they are reducing<br />
the foundry use by nearly 90%. In spite of<br />
this attempt to muddy the waters, I think the<br />
difference between a boutique hotel and a bell<br />
foundry is quite obvious.<br />
You can help save the Whitechapel Bell Foundry<br />
as a living foundry for future generations by<br />
submitting an objection to the boutique hotel<br />
proposal to Tower Hamlets council.<br />
Please take a moment to write your letter of<br />
objection. The more objections we can lodge<br />
the better, so please spread the word to your<br />
family and friends.<br />
HOW TO OBJECT EFFECTIVELY<br />
Use your own words and add your own personal reasons for opposing the development. Any letters which simply<br />
duplicate the same wording will count only as one objection.<br />
1. Quote the application reference: PA/19/00008/A1<br />
2. Give your full name and postal address. You do not need to be a resident of Tower Hamlets or of the United<br />
Kingdom to register a comment but unless you give your postal address your objection will be discounted.<br />
3. Be sure to state clearly that you are OBJECTING to Raycliff Capital’s application.<br />
4. Point out the ‘OPTIMUM VIABLE USE’ for the Whitechapel Bell Foundry is as a foundry not a boutique hotel.<br />
5. Emphasise that you want it to continue as a foundry and there is a viable proposal to deliver this.<br />
6. Request the council refuse Raycliff Capital’s application for change of use from foundry to hotel.<br />
WHERE TO SEND YOUR OBJECTION<br />
You can write an email to:<br />
planningandbuilding@towerhamlets.gov.uk<br />
or<br />
you can send a letter to:<br />
Town Planning, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG<br />
The Gentle Author has a plethora of stories, history and images about life in Spitafields and writes a post every day. You can<br />
read them at spitalfieldslife.com. You can also follow @thegentleauthor on twitter.<br />
Images © and courtesy of Charlotte Dew, Curator & Consultant, Museums/Galleries<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 23
Arts 'n Crafts<br />
Little Artists London offers an array of child-friendly<br />
workshops at CreatePlace, St Margarets House, 21<br />
Old Ford Road , Bethnal Green ,E2 9PL. Days, times &<br />
booking info: littleartistslondon.com/workshops<br />
The Makers Guild at The Yard - play, discover and<br />
make; Fridays during term time. the-yard.co.uk<br />
Turn discarded materials and items into fun and funky<br />
treasures in these monthly Crafty Kids Parties at<br />
Poplar Union Sat 2 Feb & Sat 2 March, 1:30-3pm; £5,<br />
ages 4-12. Info: poplarunion.com/event/crafty-kidspartywomen-of-the-world-inspired-puppet-making/<br />
Music & Dance<br />
Tots Gigs monthly morning series of acoustic gigs for<br />
parents who want to see a great gig in the daytime<br />
and bring their babies in tow. Check website for dates<br />
& times: soundscreativeprojects.co.uk/whatson/<br />
Children’s Creative Movement & Dance classes<br />
Saturdays at Chisenhale Dance Space. Times and ages:<br />
chisenhaledancespace.co.uk<br />
Reading & Writing<br />
A fun storytelling and toys session for under 5s,<br />
Tuesdays, 11am - noon in the children's library at<br />
Homerton Library. Come and listen to stories, music,<br />
play, participate in simple activities and meet other<br />
parents and children. Just turn up. Contact: Homerton<br />
Library on 020 8356 3000.<br />
Chatterbooks reading group for 8-12 year olds with<br />
quizzes, competitions and prizes. fourth Tuesday<br />
of the month, 4.30 - 5.30pm at Dalston CLR James<br />
Library.<br />
Creative writing for 7-14 yr olds, first Wednesday<br />
of the month, 4.30 - 5.30pm at Dalston CLR James<br />
Library.<br />
Splish Splash<br />
Find an indoor pool near you: swimming.org/<br />
poolfinder/ Just put in your post code and voilà.<br />
Kids' Yoga<br />
East of Eden in Walthamstow offers Parent & toddler<br />
yoga classes on Mondays, 11 - 11.45am and Yoga<br />
for Kids aged 5 - 9 (term-time) Wednesdays 4:15 –<br />
5:00pm. Info: edeneast.co.uk/what-we-do/yoga/kids/<br />
Parks & Recreation<br />
Check out Living with Warmth, a children's what's<br />
on guide for Hackney & Islington with a playground<br />
and child-friendly cafe and attractions map:<br />
livingwithwarmth.com/london<br />
Hackney Wick FC offers a variety of football<br />
opportunities for children of varying ages and<br />
abilities. Contact Bobby Kasanga for info: Niaman.<br />
hackneywickfc@gmail.com<br />
TryTime Rugby at Victoria Park for kids aged 2.5 - 7.<br />
Info: trytimekidsrugby.com/victoria-park<br />
Bow Creek Ecology Park - wildlife haven in the urban<br />
environment: visitleevalley.org.uk/en/content/cms/<br />
nature/nature-reserve/bow-creek/<br />
Clissold Park - paddling pool, fountains, tennis court<br />
and skate-park plus an aviary and animal enclosures,<br />
multi-use games area and dog-free play area: hackney.<br />
gov.uk/clissold-park<br />
24 LOVEEAST
Homerton Grove Adventure Playground - free, open<br />
access playground and youth service for children 6+.<br />
Under 6's welcome if supervised: hackneyplay.org/<br />
homerton-grove/<br />
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground - free, open<br />
access playground offering a wide range of indoor and<br />
outdoor activities. Under 6's welcome if supervised:<br />
wapa.org.uk/about.html<br />
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park runs a variety of clubs<br />
and events including Bow Beasties Wildlife Club and<br />
the Forest School. Info: fothcp.org/kids<br />
The Tumbling Bay Playground in the north of the<br />
Olympic Park has rock pools, tree houses, wobbly<br />
bridge etc.: queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/<br />
things-to-do<br />
Victoria Park is ready for Spring with all kinds of<br />
activities. Look for their PDF events guide for details,<br />
dates, times etc. on the Tower Hamlets website:<br />
towerhamlets.gov.uk<br />
Inclusive Adventure Playgrounds<br />
Designed for young people with disabilities/additional<br />
needs and supervised by trained, CRB checked staff, &<br />
offer a variety of activities for stimulating & inclusive play<br />
in a setting that supports the child's requirements and<br />
also gives support to their families.<br />
Hackney Adventure Playground, Clapton<br />
FB page: @KIDSAdventurePlayHackney<br />
Terence Brown Ark, Canning Town<br />
theaaazone.com/terence-brown-arc.<br />
htmlhackneywickfc@gmail.com<br />
Hello! We are Little Artists London.<br />
We plan and deliver fun and creative art<br />
parties too. Tell us a little bit about your<br />
event and request our party event package.<br />
t: 07882 396 557<br />
info@littleartistslondon.com<br />
@littleartistslondon<br />
www.littleartistslondon.com<br />
Be sure to check times/availability via the<br />
websites or contact details provided.<br />
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK<br />
FARADAY PREP SCHOOL<br />
WWW.FARADAYSCHOOL.CO.UK<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 25
Lizzie Thorne Flowers<br />
East London Florist<br />
Beautiful and Bespoke<br />
flowers for your Wedding,<br />
Event or just a special<br />
occasion.<br />
lizziethorne.com | info@lizziethorne.com<br />
Fighting Fit Studio<br />
Personal Training | 1 to 1 studio | Free consultation<br />
TO BOOK:<br />
Michelle.PT 07805 612 127<br />
michellecrawford23@gmail.com<br />
www.michellept.wordpress.com<br />
Instagram: @fightingfitstudio<br />
SPRING OFFER:<br />
Ten PT sessions for the price of nine<br />
Fighting Fit Studio, 36 Gossamer Gardens, London E2 9FN<br />
26 LOVEEAST
The wine guide<br />
Italy’s hidden gem: Marche<br />
Italy is celebrated for its winemaking traditions, especially from famous regions<br />
such as Tuscany, Piedmont or Sicily but sometimes you can find incredible and<br />
unique products from unexpected places. Marche is one of them.<br />
Tucked away between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic Sea, Le Marche is probably one of Italy’s least<br />
known regions. Historically, it was part of the Papal state while nowadays it is considered a gateway region<br />
between the northern and southern parts of the country.<br />
To give an idea of the full potential of the wines from Marche I am going to talk about two completely different<br />
products made from autochthonous (local to me and you) grape varieties: Verdicchio and Vernaccia di<br />
Serrapetrona. The first is more mainstream and well-known, while the other is incredibly rare and unique.<br />
Verdicchio is considered as<br />
one of the classic Italian white<br />
wine appellations, particularly<br />
famous during the 80s, when it<br />
was sold by big cooperatives in a<br />
very distinctive, green-coloured,<br />
fish-shaped bottle. Things have<br />
changed dramatically since then<br />
and it is now made in a much<br />
leaner style - recently rediscovered and appreciated for its dryness,<br />
mandarin fruit and nutty character. The name Verdicchio comes from the<br />
Italian word verde (green) for the characteristic green hue of its grapes.<br />
There are two zones of production: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, which<br />
is situated along the coast, and the much smaller area of Verdicchio di<br />
Matelica, located further inland and with its vineyards at higher altitude,<br />
resulting in a lifted lemon acidity and minerality in its wine.<br />
Vernaccia di Serrapetrona is a<br />
sparkling red wine made only<br />
with Vernaccia Nera grapes<br />
from a very limited area (just 172<br />
acres of vineyards for the whole<br />
appellation) near the little village<br />
of Serrapetrona. The vinification of<br />
the wine follows an old and unique<br />
method of production (apparently<br />
first used in medieval times), which is both lengthy and sophisticated<br />
and involves sun-drying a portion of the grapes and going through three<br />
different fermentations. The final wine has really no comparison with any<br />
other product; something between a Super Lambrusco and a sparkling<br />
Valpolicella-Ripasso. It comes in two versions: secco (dry - although with<br />
some residual sugar) and dolce (sweet - a luscious style) and always with<br />
a nice, velvety texture, dry fruit and wild cherry aromas and a delicate<br />
bitterness on the finish. It’s a wine that takes you back in time and can be<br />
used as an aperitif or to accompany a dessert. It can be matched with all<br />
sorts of food and is ideal with cheeses, charcuterie and meat-based, spicy<br />
dishes.<br />
Vinarius directly and exclusively imports both wines from the producers<br />
and sells them retail at the shop and online.<br />
VISIT US<br />
536 Roman Road, Bow E3 5ES<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Mon & Tues: 12 - 7pm<br />
Wed - Fri: 12 - 11pm<br />
Sat: 11am - 11pm<br />
Sun: 11am - 10pm<br />
Food is served Wednesday to<br />
Sunday from 6:00 pm.<br />
We take reservations for private<br />
and corporate parties and wine<br />
tastings.<br />
GET IN TOUCH<br />
store@vinarius.london<br />
020 3302 0123<br />
SOCIAL MEDIA<br />
@VinariusLondon<br />
@vinarius_on_the_roman<br />
vinarius.london<br />
SHOP ONLINE<br />
With FREE delivery to E3, E6,<br />
E8, E9 postcodes only. Terms<br />
and conditions apply; please<br />
check our website for more<br />
information.<br />
Sponsored by Vinarius<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 27
Photo courtesy of and © Diana Warrings<br />
Eating In<br />
Diana Warrings' Veggie Broth Pho<br />
This lovely veggie pho is bursting with flavours and is rather<br />
quick to prepare compared with a regular pho. I chose<br />
mushrooms as a plant based protein, but tofu works fine too or<br />
you could go for both if you like. Rice noodles or, for those of<br />
you who are carb-conscious, courgetti, complete this dish rather<br />
well.<br />
From a nutritional perspective you can expect a fair share of<br />
antioxidants from all the fresh ingredients. They are added<br />
towards the end, which means they keep more of their nutrients<br />
than their cooked counterparts. Served in a soothing and<br />
warming veggie broth, a true late Spring dish! If you like a bit of<br />
heat in your pho, you can add some fresh or dried chilli to your<br />
liking.<br />
Serves 2 - 3.<br />
Ingredients<br />
1 tbsp of coconut oil<br />
4 small cloves of garlic - finely chopped<br />
2 shallots sliced<br />
1 medium hot chili – pierced or cut in half for more heat (remove<br />
seeds to control the heat)<br />
2 stalks of lemon grass sliced<br />
2 - 3 inches of ginger - finely chopped<br />
Spice mix<br />
2 whole star anise<br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
1 tsp of ground coriander<br />
1/2 tsp of ground fennel seeds<br />
1/2 tsp of dried ginger<br />
2-3 ground black pepper corns<br />
1/2 ground clove<br />
1 tsp of coconut sugar (or mix in 1 - 2 tsp of<br />
5 Chinese Spice)<br />
1 - 2 tbsp tamari sauce<br />
1.5 - 2 litres of organic vegetable stock<br />
1 - 2 tsp of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste<br />
Garnish per person<br />
1 - 2 carrots - finely sliced or shredded<br />
3 - 4 dried (soaked) or fresh Shiitake mushrooms- per person<br />
1 Jerusalem artichoke finely sliced or shredded (add some<br />
lemon juice to keep its colour)<br />
1 - 2 spring onions - sliced<br />
1 cup of Cavolo Nero, savoy cabbage or kale (roughly chopped<br />
and blanched with boiling water)<br />
1 - 2 tbsp mung bean and alfafa sprouts<br />
1/4 fresh lime per person<br />
1 - 2 cup of rice noodles or courgetti (optional)<br />
Extra chilli - sliced (optional)<br />
A handful of fresh mint, coriander, Thai basil- roughly chopped<br />
Method<br />
1. First heat the oil in a large pot and gently fry the<br />
ginger and shallots at medium to low heat until<br />
golden brown, then add the garlic and spice mix and<br />
cook for a minute or two to enhance the flavour of<br />
the spices. Keep stirring in order to mix spices and<br />
other ingredients well. Careful not to burn the spices,<br />
take the pot off the hob if needed. Next add hot<br />
vegetable stock, lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon<br />
stick – cover with a lid and simmer at a low heat for<br />
45 minutes to 1 hour.<br />
2. Cook the noodles according to the packaging until<br />
‘al dente’, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.<br />
If using dried mushrooms, it’s best to soak them in<br />
cold water for a few hours. Hot water speeds up the<br />
process. Adding the soaking water to the broth gives<br />
it some deeper flavours.<br />
3. Once the broth is ready, remove the whole spices by<br />
straining the broth through a sieve, return the clear<br />
broth to the pot, add tamari-sauce, lemon juice, salt<br />
and pepper to taste, simmer for another few minutes<br />
before serving. I like to keep the spices in the soup for<br />
further infusion, but this is optional. If you leave them<br />
in, pour the broth into the bowls through a sieve.<br />
4. In the meantime, prepare the garnish. Wash the<br />
vegetables. Peel and shred or thinly slice the carrots<br />
and Jerusalem artichokes (add some lemon juice).<br />
Slice the spring onions and roughly chop the Cavolo<br />
nero and then blanch. Roughly chop the herbs.<br />
For extra freshness it's best to prepare the vegetables a<br />
few minutes before serving. Serve the piping hot broth<br />
in a nice deep soup bowl with fresh vegetables, rice<br />
noodles, garnished with fresh herbs and bean sprouts.<br />
Add more tamari and chilli to taste.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Diana Warrings is a Health & nutrition content producer, recipe developer & well-being cook.<br />
28 LOVEEAST<br />
irmagreen.com
Eating Out<br />
LoveEast tries out SoBe, the latest food<br />
residency at Well Street Kitchen. Vegans,<br />
you may want to look away now...<br />
Let's face it: supper clubs, pop-ups and restaurant<br />
residencies have long passed the 'trendy' mark and<br />
are now firmly a part of our culinary landscape.<br />
This is no bad thing: it gives up-and-coming chefs<br />
a chance to get their work known, and it provides<br />
opportunities for smaller eateries to share the load.<br />
Collaborations happen, businesses are launched<br />
and we all get to try out new food experiences.<br />
The newest kids on the block are SoBe (short<br />
for South Beach, as in Miami), which recently<br />
opened in the evenings at Well Street Kitchen. The<br />
brainchild of self-confessed burger addicts Tom<br />
and Alex, their 'Miami-inspired burger joint' recently<br />
launched at London Fields Brewery Taproom to<br />
rave reviews, and we can certainly see why.<br />
Four of us went to test drive SoBe in mid February<br />
and the verdict was a unanimous thumbs up. The<br />
food was delicious, the burgers and their fixings<br />
were generous - but also eatable (unlike many that<br />
are so big you can't get them into your mouth) and<br />
we thought the branding on the buns was a nice<br />
touch. We didn't try the vegan option but it must<br />
be good, judging by what we had. Alex was our<br />
host and could not have been friendlier or more<br />
helpful.<br />
The food<br />
SoBe has two types of burger on offer, as well as a<br />
chicken and a vegan dish, regular and sweet potato<br />
fries, and a slice of key lime pie to top it off. Three<br />
local beers and three cocktails are also on the menu<br />
and the price is spot on - there aren't many places<br />
in London that I can think of where you can get a<br />
really decent meal plus a drink for £20!<br />
We love the Well Street Kitchen anyway - who in<br />
the area doesn't? It's a cosy, friendly oasis, and a<br />
great place for brunch or a cuppa - so we're really<br />
happy to see them collaborating with SoBe; a<br />
definite win-win for everyone.<br />
SOBE @ WELL STREET KITCHEN<br />
@sobeburger<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Wed - Sun 17.30 - 22.30<br />
Also available on Deliveroo<br />
COST<br />
From £20pp for a full meal including a drink<br />
WELL STREET KITCHEN<br />
203 Well Street, Hackney, E9 6QU<br />
0208 533 6275<br />
info@wellstreetkitchen.com<br />
wellstreetkitchen<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Mon - Fri: 8am to 4pm (Kitchen closes at 3pm)<br />
Sat & Sun: 9.30am to 5pm (Kitchen closes at 4pm)<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 29<br />
Photos courtesy of and © SoBe
Walk Hackney<br />
Hackney's Almshouses<br />
Walk the length of today’s Hackney, from Stamford<br />
Hill to Shoreditch, and you can find evidence<br />
of some of the thirty three almshouses once<br />
established in the area. Founded in what was<br />
then countryside, they were instigated by wealthy<br />
individuals, for local poor, or by a City Livery<br />
Company for its<br />
elderly members,<br />
usually in groups<br />
of 6 to 12 women<br />
or men. Perhaps,<br />
because of its<br />
proximity to<br />
London, over<br />
half of these<br />
almshouses were<br />
in Shoreditch.<br />
Not all were<br />
Christian<br />
establishments.<br />
The Pacifico<br />
Almshouses,<br />
in south-east<br />
London Fields,<br />
were for elderly<br />
members of the<br />
Jewish Sephardic<br />
community. Still to<br />
be seen in Egerton<br />
Road, Stamford<br />
Hill, are the<br />
buildings of the Emanuel Almshouses, after they<br />
transferred from Whitechapel.<br />
These foundations were not just for the English.<br />
Mossbourne Academy Victoria Park now occupies<br />
the chateau-esque building which housed 40 male<br />
and 20 female French Huguenots. In 1688, London’s<br />
Dutch Church established a house for poor church<br />
members, towards today’s Liverpool Street station.<br />
In 1865, the almsfolk moved to Kent.<br />
As the fields around them transformed to bricks and<br />
mortar, most of the almshouses closed or moved.<br />
The buildings of some survive. The Ironmonger’s<br />
Company sold the Kingsland Road site of Sir Robert<br />
Geffrye’s foundation of 1712. Its inhabitants having<br />
moved to Kent, the buildings became a museum.<br />
The building which housed Robert Aske’s 1689<br />
foundation, established by the Haberdasher’s<br />
Company, is still to be seen in Hoxton, now<br />
apartments. The most recent to close were Bishop<br />
Wood’s at Clapton Pond, dating from 1669. Their<br />
sale realised funds to purchase another property<br />
to provide more<br />
accommodation.<br />
Others only<br />
left their<br />
names behind.<br />
Goldsmiths Row,<br />
south of Broadway<br />
Market, is named<br />
after Richard<br />
Morrell’s 1705<br />
foundation for<br />
the Goldsmiths’<br />
Company. Retreat<br />
Place, west of Well<br />
Street, is named<br />
not for fleeing<br />
soldiers but for<br />
Robinson’s Retreat:<br />
almshouses<br />
endowed in 1812 by<br />
Samuel Robinson<br />
for twelve widows<br />
of non-conformist<br />
ministers.<br />
Five of Hackney’s almshouses survive. The oldest<br />
was established in 1666, at the behest of Dr William<br />
Spurstowe, in Sylvester Path opposite ‘The Old<br />
Ship’, for six women of ‘good life and conversation.’<br />
The foundation has expanded and now occupies<br />
its fourth successive building, Spurstowe House, in<br />
Navarino Road. Its doors have opened to men, no<br />
doubt of good life, if not conversation.<br />
Photos courtesy of and © Sean Gubbins<br />
Looking for something to do one weekend?<br />
Intrigued to find out more about Hackney?<br />
Look up walkhackney.co.uk and pick a walk<br />
that takes your fancy. The next four are in this<br />
edition's What's On section. I look forward to<br />
welcoming you on one of my walks.<br />
30 LOVEEAST
Roger Love on Fitness<br />
14 ways to kick-start your spring fitness drive<br />
Hackney-based personal trainer Roger Love looks at some simple ways for<br />
you to start to improve your fitness.<br />
DO something even if it's not<br />
perfect. Mood follows action - and<br />
just getting started by hook or by<br />
crook is the answer. A few pressups,<br />
a brisk walk, or a run round the<br />
block all count. It doesn't have to be<br />
perfect to be a great start.<br />
DO a HIIT class at home. Great for<br />
trimming up and improving cardio<br />
fitness, a classic High Intensity<br />
Interval Training format is a Tabata,<br />
which is 20 seconds of hard work<br />
followed by 10 seconds of rest for<br />
eight rounds. Do it with jumping<br />
jacks, and then, as you feel stronger,<br />
burpees or mountain climbers.<br />
SET a goal that is audacious for<br />
you. If there is not chance of failure,<br />
it’s not a goal, it’s a check-list to be<br />
ticked off.<br />
TRY a class you have never tried<br />
before, whether indoor cycling,<br />
ballet-inspired barre, or a martial art.<br />
The big Hackney studios, such as<br />
London Fields Fitness Studio, The<br />
Refinery in Well Street, and Blok in<br />
Clapton, offer a huge variety.<br />
CHECK out The Petchy Academy's<br />
public Sports Club, near Hackney<br />
Downs. It offers super-affordable<br />
Zumba, Spin, pilates and much<br />
more. www.petcheyacademy.org.<br />
uk/TPA-Sports-Club<br />
BECOME a runner by using a<br />
Couch to 5k app or website, which<br />
starts you off with a mixture of<br />
running and walking.<br />
IF you are running already, sign up<br />
to the RunThrough Easter Victoria<br />
Park Race - there are 5k, 10k and<br />
half-marathon options - on Good<br />
Friday, April 19. www.runthrough.<br />
co.uk<br />
IF you are ready for a bigger<br />
running challenge, sign up for<br />
the Virgin Sport Hackney halfmarathon,<br />
which is on Sunday May<br />
19 and wave to your neighbours as<br />
you go past. www.letsdothis.com/e/<br />
virgin-sport-hackney-20127<br />
GET walking. It is underestimated as<br />
a way to improve your fitness. Walk<br />
with purpose, start with 5k and<br />
build up to 10k. As well as getting fit,<br />
you get to see things and go places<br />
you might not otherwise.<br />
LOOK for a bigger walking<br />
challenge run by Ultra Challenge.<br />
You have probably left it too late to<br />
join May’s Richmond to Brighton<br />
walk - which I am doing - but there<br />
are plenty of other options… and<br />
there’s always next year. www.<br />
ultrachallenge.com/<br />
BUY an alarm clock and ban your<br />
phone from the bedroom to help<br />
you get better sleep.<br />
PICK a meal - breakfast, lunch or<br />
dinner - and commit to improve it<br />
every day.<br />
MAKE overnight oats in the<br />
evening for breakfast the next day.<br />
Put rolled oats in jar, soak them<br />
in almond milk, and then build up<br />
layers with fruits, nuts, seeds and<br />
yoghurt. There are plenty of great<br />
recipe ideas online. You could<br />
start by looking at writers such as<br />
Madeleine Shaw, Joe Wicks, and<br />
Hackney's own Anna Jones.<br />
TRY yoga. It is great for joint issues,<br />
arthritis, repetitive strain injuries,<br />
back pain, digestion, anxiety and<br />
depression, as well as flexibility<br />
and strength. Yoga on the Lane in<br />
Dalston runs beginners classes five<br />
times a week and workshops to get<br />
you started. www.yogaonthelane.<br />
com/ However, there are plenty of<br />
other options. One thing we are not<br />
short of in East London is yoga.<br />
Roger Love Is a<br />
personal trainer based<br />
in Netil House E8.<br />
rogerlovept.com<br />
Photos courtesy of and © Roger Love<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 31
What's on<br />
Record Store<br />
Day 2019<br />
Record Store Day 2019 takes<br />
place on Saturday 13 th April.<br />
Record Store Day is the one<br />
day of the year when over 200<br />
independent record shops all<br />
across the UK come together to<br />
celebrate their unique culture.<br />
Special vinyl releases are made<br />
exclusively for the day and many<br />
shops and cities host artist<br />
performances and events to mark<br />
the occasion. Thousands more<br />
shops celebrate the day around<br />
the globe in what’s become one<br />
of the biggest annual events on<br />
the music calendar.<br />
MORE INFO<br />
recordstoreday.co.uk/home/<br />
LOCAL INDIE RECORD SHOPS<br />
Lion Coffee & Records<br />
118 Clapton Road, E5 0QR<br />
lioncoffeerecords.com<br />
Tome Recordss<br />
234 Graham Road,E8 1BP<br />
tomerecords.co.uk<br />
Stranger Than Paradise<br />
Mare Street Market, 117 Mare<br />
Street, E8 4RT<br />
strangerthanparadiserecords.com<br />
Love Vinyl<br />
5 Pearson Street, E2 8JD<br />
lovevinyl.london<br />
Matters Of Vinyl Importance<br />
163 Hoxton, N1 6PJ<br />
mattersofvinylimportance.com<br />
World Of Echo<br />
128 Columbia Road, E2 7RG<br />
https://worldofechomusic.com<br />
Flashback Records<br />
50 Essex Road, N1 8LR<br />
and<br />
131 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 7DG<br />
flashback.co.uk<br />
Rough Trade East<br />
Draywalk, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL<br />
roughtrade.com<br />
Clerkenwell Music<br />
27 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL<br />
exmouth.london/brill/<br />
April<br />
MON 1 APRIL<br />
Opera Up Close presents Mary,<br />
Queen of Scots at The Old Church,<br />
Stoke Newington Church St.,<br />
N16 9ES, runs thru 13 th April,<br />
7:30pm, tkts £15 - £35. INFO:<br />
theoldchurch.org.uk/whats-on/<br />
TUES 2 APRIL<br />
Queer Spaces: London at<br />
Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82<br />
Whitechapel High St., E1 7QX,<br />
runs thru 25 th Aug, FREE.<br />
INFO: whitechapelgallery.org/<br />
exhibitions/queer-spaces-london-<br />
1980s-today/<br />
THURS 4 APRIL<br />
Private view for Saturn featuring<br />
Alex Schady & Marc Hulson,<br />
6.30 - 9pm at Transition Two,<br />
Two, 110a Lauriston Rd, E9 7HA;<br />
runs thru 5 th May. INFO: info@<br />
transitiongallery.co.uk<br />
FRI 5 APRIL<br />
Sounding Bethnal Green - Eastern<br />
Europe at St John on Bethnal<br />
Green, E2 9PA 1 st & 3 rd Fridays<br />
each month, 7-9pm INFO:<br />
grandunion.org.uk<br />
SAT 6 APRIL<br />
Hackney Downs History Walk - A<br />
Brook and an Island, 11am - 2pm,<br />
meet: Entrance to Hackney<br />
Downs Station, E8 1JE, £10 (£8<br />
conc.) INFO: walkhackney.co.uk/<br />
hackney-downs-walk/<br />
SUN 7 APRIL<br />
Absofab Vintage Retro Market<br />
upstairs at Leytonstone Social<br />
Club, Harvey Rd E11 3DA from 12-<br />
5pm; pre-1990s fashion, music,<br />
homestyling etc. Free. INFO:<br />
07956 221 710<br />
Yin yoga to live music every first<br />
Sunday of the month, 6 - 7pm at<br />
Sadhana, Dalston Works, Martel<br />
Place, E8 2FR, open to all levels.<br />
INFO: sadhana-wellbeing.com<br />
MON 8 APRIL<br />
Flesh and Bones: Life Drawing<br />
at Hackney Attic, upstairs at<br />
Hackney Picturehouse, 270<br />
Mare St., London E8 1HE, all<br />
abilities welcome, £ 15/session,<br />
all materials provided. INFO:<br />
picturehouses.com/cinema/<br />
Hackney_Picturehouse/film/fleshand-bones-life-drawing-class<br />
Folk music by Sam Kelly & Ruth<br />
Notman, 7.30pm at Rich Mix, 35-<br />
47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1<br />
6LA, £14. INFO: richmix.org.uk<br />
WED 10 APRIL<br />
Vinyasa Open Yoga, 8 - 9pm at<br />
Sadhana, Dalston Works, Martel<br />
Place, E8 2FR, open to all levels.<br />
INFO: sadhana-wellbeing.com<br />
Jennings Couch solo with<br />
Milena, Rosina, Keri & Donavon<br />
King at Loves Company,<br />
Imperial Hall, 104-122 City<br />
Rd, EC1V 2NR. INFO on FB: @<br />
Lovescompanylondon<br />
FRI 12 APRIL<br />
Afrotech Fest at Rich Mix, 35-47<br />
Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA,<br />
runs thru the 14th. INFO: richmix.<br />
org.uk<br />
SAT 13 APRIL<br />
Record Store Day - see sidebar<br />
TUES 16 APRIL<br />
Happy Days by Samuel Beckett at<br />
the Tower Theatre, 6 Northwold<br />
Rd, Stoke Newington, N16<br />
7HR, runs thru the 20th. INFO:<br />
towertheatre.org.uk<br />
LADA Screens: Katherine<br />
Araniello, a celebration 7pm at<br />
Live Art Development Agency,<br />
The Garrett Centre, 117A<br />
Mansford St. E2 6LX, FREE but<br />
need to book. INFO: thisisliveart.<br />
co.uk/whats-on<br />
Raising the Roof an all-star<br />
comedy night in aid of Refugees<br />
at Home at the Backyard Comedy<br />
Club, 231 Cambridge Heath<br />
Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 0EL,<br />
7.30pm, Tkts £10/£15. INFO:<br />
backyardcomedyclub.co.uk<br />
FRI 19 APRIL<br />
Good Friday<br />
Widown's Bun Ceremony 3pm<br />
at The Widow's Son, 75 Devons<br />
Rd, Mile End, E3 3PJ. INFO:<br />
widowsson.co.uk<br />
E15 Jazz Sessions at Stratford<br />
Circus featuring Robert Mitchell<br />
Project, Theatre Square, Stratford,<br />
E15 1BX. INFO: stratford-circus.<br />
com<br />
Sounding Bethnal Green - Eastern<br />
Europe at St John on Bethnal<br />
Green, E2 9PA 1st & 3rd Fridays<br />
each month, 7-9pm INFO:<br />
grandunion.org.uk<br />
SUN 21 APRIL<br />
Easter Sunday<br />
MON 22 APRIL<br />
Easter Monday & Earth Day<br />
THURS 25 APRIL<br />
Fighter at Stratford Circus Arts<br />
Centre, Theatre Square, London<br />
E15 1BX, runs thru the 27th,<br />
INFO: stratford-circus.com<br />
SAT 27 APRIL<br />
Heart of Hackney History Walk<br />
- Where Hackney Began, 11am-<br />
1.15pm, meet: Hackney Town Hall<br />
Steps, Mare St., E8 1EA, £10 (£8<br />
conc.) INFO: walkhackney.co.uk/<br />
heart-of-hackney-walk-2/<br />
Big Dig Day at Cranbrook<br />
Community Food Garden,<br />
Cranbrook Estate, Bethnal Green,<br />
11am - 3pm. INFO on FB:<br />
CranbrookCommunityFoodGarden<br />
Family Jazz Sessions at Stratford<br />
Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford,<br />
E15 1BX. INFO: stratford-circus.<br />
com<br />
German electropop band Lali<br />
Puna, 7.30pm at Rich Mix, 35-47<br />
Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA,<br />
£11. INFO: richmix.org.uk<br />
SAT 30 APRIL<br />
LADA at 20: As Seen on TV at<br />
Live Art Development Agency,<br />
The Garrett Centre, 117A<br />
Mansford St. E2 6LX, FREE but<br />
need to book. INFO: thisisliveart.<br />
co.uk/whats-on<br />
32 LOVEEAST
What's on<br />
May<br />
WED 1 MAY<br />
Restored Almshouse Tour at the<br />
Geffrye Museum, 136 Kingsland<br />
Rd., E2 8EA, check website for<br />
times and additional dates. INFO:<br />
geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/<br />
events-calendar/<br />
THURS 2 MAY<br />
Gainsborough's Girls by Cecil<br />
Beaton at The Tower Theatre,<br />
16 Northwold Rd, N16 7HR,<br />
runs thru 11 th May. INFO:<br />
towertheatre.org.uk/index.htm<br />
FRI 3 MAY<br />
Devised specifically for audiences<br />
with profound and multiple<br />
learning disabilities (PMLD),<br />
The Isle of Brimsker at Stratford<br />
Circus Arts Centre,Theatre<br />
Square, Stratford, E15 1BX, runs<br />
thru the 4 th . INFO: stratfordcircus.com<br />
SAT 4 MAY<br />
Queens Yard Summer Festival<br />
across 20 venues in Hackney<br />
Wick, music, art, culture etc. INFO<br />
& TKTS: percolatemusic.co.uk/<br />
queensyard/<br />
The Assembly Market at<br />
Abney Hall, Stoke Newington<br />
Church Street, N16 0AS. INFO:<br />
theassemblymarket.com<br />
SUN 5 MAY<br />
The Assembly Market at<br />
Abney Hall, Stoke Newington<br />
Church Street, N16 0AS. INFO:<br />
theassemblymarket.com<br />
Queens Yard Summer Festival<br />
across 20 venues in Hackney<br />
Wick, music, art, culture etc. INFO<br />
& TKTS: percolatemusic.co.uk/<br />
queensyard/<br />
Yin yoga to live music every first<br />
Sunday of the month, 6 - 7pm at<br />
Sadhana, Dalston Works, Martel<br />
Place, E8 2FR, open to all levels.<br />
INFO: sadhana-wellbeing.com<br />
MON 6 MAY<br />
Bank Holiday<br />
WED 8 MAY<br />
Craft Week events with the<br />
Lettering Arts Trust at the Geffrye<br />
Museum Graveyard Garden, 136<br />
Kingsland Rd., E2 8EA, runs thru<br />
12 th May. INFO: geffrye-museum.<br />
org.uk/whatson/events-calendar/<br />
FRI 7 MAY<br />
E15 Jazz Sessions at Stratford<br />
Circus featuring Robert Mitchell<br />
Project, Theatre Square, Stratford,<br />
E15 1BX. INFO: stratford-circus.<br />
com<br />
SAT 11 MAY<br />
Haggerston History Walk - Rural<br />
Shoreditch, meet: Entrance<br />
to Haggerston Station (East<br />
London Line), Lee Street, E8 4DY,<br />
11am-2pm, £10 (£8 conc.) INFO:<br />
walkhackney.co.uk/haggerstonwalk/<br />
Yin Yoga, 4.30 - 5.30pm at<br />
Sadhana, Dalston Works, Martel<br />
Place, E8 2FR, Dalston, open to all<br />
levels. INFO: sadhana-wellbeing.<br />
com<br />
Cute Owl Festival, 7:30 - 11pm<br />
at The Old Church, Stoke<br />
Newington Church St., N16 9ES,<br />
Early Bird £5, Gen Adm £7. INFO:<br />
theoldchurch.org.uk/whats-on/<br />
MON 13 MAY<br />
Digital Listening: The Future<br />
of Music in the Age of Digital<br />
Fragmentation 6 - 7pm at<br />
the Museum of London, 150<br />
London Wall, EC2Y 5HN, FREE.<br />
INFO: gresham.ac.uk/lecturesand-events/digital-listeningfragmentation<br />
FRI 17 MAY<br />
E15 Jazz Sessions at Stratford<br />
Circus featuring Shirley Smart<br />
Trio at Stratford Circus, Theatre<br />
Square, Stratford, E15 1BX. INFO:<br />
stratford-circus.com<br />
King Hedley II at Theatre Royal<br />
Stratford East, Gerry Raffles<br />
Square, Stratford, E15 1BN, runs<br />
thru 15 th June, tkts from £10.<br />
INFO: stratfordeast.com/whatson/all-shows/king-hedley-ii<br />
Sunday 19 May 2019<br />
Midcentury East furniture<br />
& interiors 10am – 4pm at<br />
Goldfinger's Haggerston School,<br />
Weymouth Terrace, E2 8LS, £10<br />
on the day £9 online advance.<br />
INFO: modernshows.com/shows/<br />
WED 22 MAY<br />
A Thousand Splendid Suns at<br />
Hackney Empire, 291 Mare St., E8<br />
1EJ, runs thru 25 th May. INFO:<br />
hackneyempire.co.uk<br />
FRI 24 MAY<br />
All Points East Festival at Victoria<br />
Park, Victoria Park Rd, E9 7BT,<br />
runs thru 2 nd June. INFO:<br />
allpointseastfestival.com/#home<br />
SAT 25 MAY<br />
Upper Clapton History Walk -<br />
Hackney’s Riviera, meet: Abney<br />
Park Cemetery Gates, Stoke<br />
Newington High St, (bottom of<br />
Stamford Hill), N16 0LH, 11am-<br />
1.30pm, £10 (£8 conc.) INFO:<br />
walkhackney.co.uk/upper-claptonwalk-2/<br />
SUN 26 MAY<br />
Monthly opening of Hackney's<br />
oldest building,St Augustine's<br />
Tower, behind 354 Mare<br />
Street, E8 1HR, 2pm, FREE.<br />
INFO: hhbt.org.uk and FB: @<br />
StAugustinesTower<br />
MON 27 MAY<br />
Bank Holiday<br />
FRI 31 MAY<br />
London History Day<br />
Hackney Town Hall & Vaults Tour,<br />
5 - 6:30pm, Hackney Town Hall,<br />
Mare St., E8 1EA, FREE. INFO:<br />
eventbrite.co.uk/e/hackneytown-hall-tour-and-vaults-londonhistory-day-tickets-54850990790<br />
Writers'<br />
Workshops<br />
Newham Writers Workshop<br />
Review the work of fellow<br />
writers in a supportive workshop<br />
setting. Discuss your work, help<br />
to review the work of others,<br />
or just listen to what’s going<br />
on. Drop in sessions on the 2 nd<br />
Monday of every month. Open to<br />
all levels of writing.<br />
WHERE<br />
Stratford Advice Arcade<br />
107-109 The Grove<br />
Stratford E15 1HP<br />
WHEN<br />
Thursdays 7 - 9pm<br />
Drop ins: 2 nd Monday of the<br />
month, 2 - 4pm<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
Full: £35/year<br />
Assoc: £10/year<br />
MORE INFO:<br />
newhamwriters.wordpress.com<br />
The Hackney Writers' Group<br />
A free writers group that<br />
meets monthly in Dalston.<br />
For meetings, people bring<br />
a piece that they have been<br />
working on for others to give<br />
comment. They intermingle their<br />
own free work, with (if they<br />
feel so inclined) assignments or<br />
themes that they set. There is<br />
no obligation to read anything<br />
at a meeting, and you can just<br />
come along and listen, comment<br />
or have a chat about writing. Oh,<br />
and buy a drink or two to keep<br />
the pub happy. Open to all levels<br />
of writing.<br />
WHERE<br />
Upstairs at The Talbot<br />
109 Mortimer Road<br />
Dalston, N1 4JY<br />
WHEN<br />
First Thursday of the month<br />
7:00 - 9.:30pm<br />
MORE INFO<br />
Facebook:<br />
groups/791267780886644/<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 33
LoveEast is delighted to announce that we have<br />
formed a media partnership with ELR - We've<br />
got lots of plans in the works so stay tuned!<br />
ELR is your local, online radio station, run entirely by<br />
volunteers from the East London community covering<br />
eight boroughs and with a reach of up to three million<br />
listeners.<br />
www.eastlondonradio.org.uk<br />
Listen TO ELR on mixcloud: mixcloud.com/EastLondonRadio/<br />
Follow ELR on twitter: @EastLondonRadio<br />
Like ELR on Facebook: @ELondonRadio<br />
Are you passionate about football?<br />
Do you have a desire to inspire children to love and develop their game?<br />
Do you want to build on and increase your coaching skills?<br />
The Atoms FC are recruiting Level 1 Coaches!<br />
We will also consider and support the right candidate in achieving<br />
their Level 1 badge.<br />
We are a grassroots development club based in Canning Town. Our core sessions run<br />
on Saturdays 10.30 - 12.30 at Hermit Road Park, along with occasional friendlies and<br />
tournaments.<br />
To apply please contact Eustace Bellevue on 07950 321 296 or ebelno1@yahoo.co.uk.<br />
www.theatomsfc.teamapp.com<br />
34 LOVEEAST
Hackney<br />
personal<br />
trainer<br />
Friendly &<br />
experienced<br />
Free trial session<br />
www.rogerlovept.com<br />
From butchers to bakers, galleries<br />
to garages, manufacturers to<br />
manicurists and coders to cafes,<br />
The East End Trades Guild is<br />
campaigning to make affordable<br />
working rents and rates a reality<br />
for all of east London’s diverse<br />
independent businesses.<br />
Find out more about our campaign<br />
and how you can join:<br />
eastendtradesguild.org.uk/<br />
Your safety is<br />
our concern<br />
Specialising in alarms, CCTV, concertina grilles<br />
and safes, we are the most comprehensive<br />
lock-based service available<br />
Empire Security, 8-20 Well Street, E9 7PX<br />
020 8986 7921<br />
LOVEEAST APRIL - MAY 2019 35
Halo Floors is a well-established flooring business based in<br />
East London. We supply, install and renovate wood floors.<br />
Specialists in restoring engineered floors.<br />
FREE QUOTES<br />
SAMPLE SERVICE<br />
SANDING<br />
GAP-FILLING<br />
EXCELLENT COMMERCIAL RATES<br />
ALL WOOD FLOORS SUPPLIED<br />
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT<br />
HALOFLOORS.CO.UK<br />
FOR ENQUIRIES OR A FREE QUOTATION CALL<br />
m:07957 580993 t:020 7503 1965 e:bobowen@halofloors.co.uk<br />
halo_floors<br />
halofloors