LoveEast.53

Jan/Feb 2020 

ISSUE 53 

FREE 

Hooksmith Press 

Foreign Affairs 

The Leveller 

Project Green Thumb 

Mark A C Brown 

and more... 

That grand old 

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- Henry David 

Thoreau 

Your East London: People | Food | Culture

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Hello East London! 

Happy New Year! I'm really excited to be starting 

2020 with the 53 rd edition of LoveEast and the 

beginning of a new decade seems like the perfect 

time to give these pages a bit of a refresh, so you 

may notice a few design tweaks. I’d love to know 

what you think. 

Inside, we meet Foreign Affairs, a theatre company 

with a difference; visit Hooksmith Press's Russell 

Frost in his amazing Leytonstone studio; get 

the skinny on gardening (now's the time to start 

planning) with Project Green Thumb, and discover 

some famous street art in Newham. 

We get a refreshingly honest view of parenting from 

the co-founders of The Leveller and chat with Mark 

A. C. Brown about his feature film, Guardians. 

We also have a review of the recently published 

Where are the grown-ups?, a story set in the East 

End, as well as some great features on food and 

drink, wellness and fitness, and, for the history buffs, 

some treasures from Walk Hackney and The Gentle 

Author. 

My aim for this year is to continue seeking out the 

fabulous people, places and things to do in East 

London. I want to shine a spotlight on our many 

unsung heroes. Are you with me? 

Cheers, 

Kaz 

Editor & Creative Direction Karen (Kaz) Ay 

Copy Editor Yolanda Powell 

Contributing Writers 

Diane Warrings 

Mathew Heath 

Roger Love 

Sean Gubbins 

TalkChanges 

The Gentle Author 

COVER, CONTENTS AND PAGE 34 IMAGES: Todd Kavonic 

| Welcome to your local magazine 

What's inside... 

East Life 

Culture 

Paper Ships 

Et Cetera... 

14 TalkChanges 

22 The Gentle Author 

24 Walk Hackney 

25 Roger Love 

26 Eating in - and out 

30 What to do with the kids 

32 What's on 

The Leveller on happy 

parenting 

Mathew Heath reflects 

on Newham's street art 

Getting into the garden 

with Project Green 

Thumb 

Theatre without 

borders: Meet Foreign 

Affairs 

Mark A C Brown on 

directing the feature 

film, Guardians 

Ruth Badley's Where 

are the grown-ups? 

Russell Frost: 

Printmaker and owner 

of Hooksmith Press 

LoveEast are media partners with East London Radio and Trapped in Zone One and is a member of the East End Trades Guild. #SupportLocalTraders 

To advertise in LoveEast Magazine, please call 07590 609 557 or email karen@chomp.me.uk for further information. PLEASE NOTE: the booking deadline 

for the March/April edition is 7 th February. LoveEast Magazine is produced and published by Chomp Creative Limited. We cannot be held responsible for any 

errors or omissions, nor endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. © LoveEast Magazine 2020; all rights reserved. No reproduction 

can be made without permission. Be kind to the planet; please recycle. 

E: karen@chomp.me.uk | T: 07590 609 557 | W: loveeast.london | T: @LoveEastMag | I: @loveeastmag 

Art 

6 

8 

12 

4 

16 

10 

18 

LOVEEAST Jan/Feb 2020 3

| Culture 

Theatre can happen anywhere 

with Foreign Affairs 

Formed 10 years ago and based in De Beauvoir 

Town, Foreign Affairs Theatre Company is 

the brainchild of actors Camila França, who is 

Brazilian/Portuguese, and Trine Garrett, who is 

Danish. Along with a multinational ensemble of 

theatre professionals, they bring award-winning 

world drama to English-speaking audiences, with 

an eye to exploring topical social and political 

issues. 

The organisation came about when, after 

completing drama school, it soon became 

apparent that their ethnicity meant they were 

quite often excluded from roles they would have 

relished. As Camila puts it, “I will always be seen as 

‘the Spanish maid.’” 

Refusing to accept defeat, they decided to create 

their own opportunities and brought together 

4 LOVEEAST 

a group of like-minded contemporaries to put 

on a production at The Lord Napier in Hackney 

Wick, which, at the time, was nothing more than 

a derelict squat. That performance expanded to 

more productions and soon people were asking 

when their next show was. 

Theatre beyond borders 

Camila and Trine are passionate about what they 

do and, for them, it’s about inclusion, building a 

sense of community and connecting people, in 

addition to being able to produce and perform. 

They are all about crossing boundaries and 

breaking down barriers – of culture, of language 

and of the performance space itself. 

Their productions won’t be found in traditional 

theatres, instead they choose a DIY approach by 

inhabiting unconventional spaces and, to-date,

| Culture 

“Give us a cardboard box 

and a scarf and we can do 

something with it.” 

they have put on plays in galleries, cafes and various other locations, 

including a shopfront window. By bringing in various elements to 

transform the space as well as being responsive to the space itself, 

they create something unique and often intimate. As Trine says, “Give 

us a cardboard box and a scarf and we can do something with it.” 

Having seen their recent production of the acclaimed Danish play 

The Warmhouse, I can attest to the fact that their strategy makes 

for interesting theatre that engages the audience. In fact, there 

were points at which I felt as though I were a voyeur rather than an 

audience member – it was that effective. 

In addition to making theatre, Foreign Affairs offer a Professional 

Development programme in conjunction with the British Centre 

for Literary Translation, whereby language translators have the 

opportunity to learn and experience what it means to translate for 

the stage. They also run youth programmes for young and emerging 

theatre makers, delivering a series of workshops in the community. 

The company operates on a ‘Pay what you can’ model for their 

performances, with a range starting at £9.00. You can become a 

member for £36/year, which includes free access to all in-house 

productions and events and serves to support their Pay What You 

Can scheme. 

FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

Rose Lipman Building, 

43 De Beauvoir Road 

N1 5SQ 

foreignaffairs.org.uk 

info@foreignaffairs.org.uk 

T @WeAre4nAffairs 

I @weare4naffairs 

FB @WeAre4nAffairs 

Images: Foreign Affairs Theatre Company 


| East life 

The Levellers' 

co-founders Victoria 

Dunsdon and Sophie 

Dollar are on a mission 

to put balance back 

into parenting 

Image: Ben Hutton 

What prompted you to start The Leveller and 

how did you choose the name? 

We’re old friends and found ourselves on 

maternity leave at the same time. We were doing 

the usual new parent ‘stuff’ together - music 

classes, baby sensory… the dreaded soft play! Until 

we realised that while our children were having 

fun, we really weren’t. It felt like such a waste of 

our precious time together. 

So we decided to do things differently. Less 

compromise and sacrifice, more time spent doing 

things we’d all enjoy. We spent ages researching 

exhibitions, restaurants, live music, books, you 

name it, that had something for both adults and 

kids. Which is where the idea for The Leveller came 

from. We wanted to share our experiences and 

challenge the crazy, child-centric status quo. Help 

families see that there’s another way: one where 

everyone’s needs are met, that puts children and 

adults on the same level. So The Leveller felt like an 

obvious name for it! 

'When everyone's happy, everyone's happier' is 

such a good tagline; tell us a bit more about that 

concept. 

When we do things that everyone enjoys, we all 

get so much more out of our time together. The 

kids delight in seeing their parents engaged and 

present and we're more likely to connect as a 

result. 

What sorts of activity do you promote? 

A huge breadth of things from exhibitions, outdoor 

activities and restaurants, to books, recipes, games 

and music. You name it! The key factor in deciding 

whether something is a leveller is that there must 

be something in it for both adults and kids. It 

doesn’t need to be expensive or a grand gesture 

– great memories can be made in the smallest 

6 LOVEEAST 

moments, like a quick kitchen disco or some cloud 

spotting! 

You both work and have young families; how do 

you find the time to manage this as well? 

I guess, like all parents, we just do our best to 

get everything done. We’re deeply passionate 

about opening people’s eyes to how much better 

family life can be with more balance. The changes 

we’ve seen in the quality of our family time since 

becoming more leveller-minded are definitely 

worth the hard work! 

What do you see as the biggest challenge for 

young families at the moment? 

The perception that our children should be the 

centre of the universe. Experts believe that 

this obsessive focus is resulting in anxious and 

exhausted parents, and a generation of entitled 

children who lack the resilience to thrive. It doesn’t 

make sense for anyone. 

Where do you see this going in future - what 

would you like to see happen for The Leveller? 

We want to see more and more families reaping 

the benefits of better balance. 

After the success of our Family Food Experience 

with celebrity chef José Pizarro restaurants, we’ll 

continue to create great Leveller events in areas 

where families are currently missing out, plus we 

have our own products in development too. If we 

can get a groundswell of parents experiencing and 

championing family life “on the level” we genuinely 

believe everyone will be happier! 

THE LEVELLER 

W: the-leveller.com 

I: the__leveller/ 

T: 07739 715 353

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| East life 

E6 resident Mathew Heath asks, 

getting more colourful?” 

I don’t mean the many spring flowers or the beautiful 

parks, though that certainly helps, I’m talking about 

graffiti/spraycan art that has been popping up more 

and more in Newham. 

I think I first came to Newham as a teen in 

1986 when the older lads in my hometown had 

identified what we would call a “hall of fame” (i.e., 

some walls where there was a lot of good graffiti 

art) somewhere in West Ham. We would come 

up early in the mornings to avoid any trouble and 

go to these places – West Ham, the Half Moon 

theatre, Covent Garden, Westway - to hone our 

own styles by photographing and then copying 

some of the letters. 

Of course, I didn’t realise then, as a 14 year old, 

that one day I would make Newham my home, 

get married and bring up my family here while 

somehow maintaining a love for this sometimes 

maligned art form that had its roots in 1970s New 

York City and spread across the globe (as did the 

hip hop music that accompanied it). 

As teens, in suburban Essex, our first exposure 

to graffiti art was via a documentary called Style 

Wars and a book called Subway Art. Graffiti 

grew from messy “tagging” (writing your name/ 

nom de plume on every available surface) to big 

colourful lettering and characters, to a respected 

art form that moved into galleries. Some of the 

experts from back in the day, Mode 2 of The 

Chrome Angels (who won a lot of commissioned 

pieces in the 80s) can now command thousands 

of pounds for his artwork. Banksy, whose roots 

were in the Bristol scene, probably needs no 

introduction. 

So this brings us to Newham. The first 

commissioned graffiti art I noticed was in the 

8 LOVEEAST 

Images: Mathew Heath

“Is it me, or is Newham 

| East life 

Itaewon MYL 

Mr Cenz 

Dan Kitchener 

early 00s (and is still there) at the end of Harold 

Road, off of Green Street. More recently, I noticed 

a “hall of fame” along the Greenway by Memorial 

Park while running. You can also see two huge 

murals by Dan Kitchener – one in Plaistow (tiger 

pic) and one off of Romford Road (Stratford 

end). Also in Plaistow is a mural by Mr Cenz and 

round the corner, the Secret Weapon pub is 

decorated by Itaeown of MYL. 

So how long is it before Newham has graffiti 

walking tours like Brick Lane or Shoreditch? And 

do you agree that it's making Newham a more 

colourful place to be? 

Mathew has lived with his partner (now wife) in 

Newham since 2003. In the daytime, he does marketing 

and elsewhere does parenting, running, drinking of 

coffee and buying and listening to lots of music. Follow 

Matthew on twitter: @here_comes_B 


| Paper ships 

Uncovering one family's secrets: 

Where are the grown-ups? by Ruth Badley 

age. 

Where are the Grown-ups? is a true story that takes the 

reader through three generations of an East End Jewish 

family. Part history, part memoir, Ruth's search to 

uncover long-buried secrets brings understanding and 

acceptance to what was a complex and often painful 

mother-daughter relationship. It deals with family 

dynamics, and how misunderstandings can shape 

us and leave their indelible mark to linger long after 

we've become adults. 

The book 'begins at the end,' as Ruth's mother 

lay dying in hospital, with Ruth reflecting on their 

fraught relationship and her childhood in 1960's 

Stepney. As often happens in these situations, 

she feels a need to delve into her family history to 

answer unspoken questions, and the book travels 

back to the 1930's, where family secrets are 

buried. Ruth's maternal grandmother had died in 

childbirth, yet no one talked about it. Why? The 

details are sketchy and now, there's no one who 

remembers what happened, or, if they do, they 

aren't saying. 

The characters are sharply etched and keenly 

observed, and there is a poignancy and rawness in the way Ruth 

describes her childhood, in particular, depicting the angst that accompanies one's coming of 

Ruth's search to uncover the mysteries of her family history takes the reader back in time to an East 

End that is very different from today, yet her story will resonate with those who have had difficult 

family relationships. It reminds us that our parents are not one-dimensional, as we so often assume, 

and that they have their own demons to conquer. It's also a testament to familial love, however 

convoluted that can be, and that, alongside age and the wisdom of experience, forgiveness and 

understanding often come late in the day. 

RUTH BADLEY 

W: ruthbadley.com 

T: @RuthBadleyPR 

I: @ruth.badley 

FB: @wherearethegrownups 

Where are the grown-ups? is available at the Brick Lane 

Bookshop and Newham Bookshop as well as online. 

10 LOVEEAST

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| East life 

Now's the time to start thinking about your garden 

and Project Green Thumb's Alison Touzout has 

some great advice 

Tell us about Project Green Thumb; how did it 

begin? 

Well, my husband Muzzy (Mr. Green Thumb) and 

I have both been immersed in green all our lives, 

so the roots go deep but Project Green Thumb 

really came into its own a couple of years back. 

We were both already in the industry, with Muzzy 

doing a lot of hard landscaping work like decking 

and paving and fencing while 

I was teaching gardening 

and running community 

gardening programmes in the 

East London area. We had 

been toying with the idea of 

bringing our skills together 

to start our own business 

but just didn’t quite know 

how. Then, as if by magic, the 

answer appeared in front of 

my eyes, quite literally. 

I was planning a series of 

gardening sessions at East 

Ham library where I ran a 

weekly garden club for the 

over 50s and was hovering 

over the gardening shelf for 

inspiration when this book popped into view. Its 

title was How to start and run your own gardening 

business. 

I was, like, Whoa! Spooky! 

Needless to say, I grabbed it off the shelf, took the 

book out on loan, read it page to page in about two 

days and persuaded Muzzy this was the answer and 

we should just go for it. We followed every step in 

the book, thought of a name, bought the t-shirts, 

printed the flyers, bought the van, added a few 

more tools to the collection and within a couple of 

weeks we were set up and ready to put the word 

out. We’ve not looked back since. 

Do you have a favourite garden task? 

Anything to do with plants, definitely. It’s where I 

get to use my creative colour and artistic skills; my 

knowledge of when, where, how and why plants 

should be added to a scheme; digging them in, and 

of course, the cherry on top, plant shopping. It’s not 

really a task at all, more of an obsession/addiction. 

12 LOVEEAST 

What's the most satisfying aspect of your 

business? 

Seeing a project being transformed from an idea in 

my head to an actual finished garden with all the 

colours and styles and curves I’d originally sketched 

on paper. When the last plant goes in and you step 

back to watch a big broad smile spread over your 

client’s face, that is very satisfying indeed. 

And the most challenging? 

I think most landscapers will 

agree the biggest challenge 

is rain. A bit of drizzle is 

totally acceptable but when it 

comes down in bucketloads, 

like it did throughout most 

of October and November 

last year, it is so hard to get 

things done. Taking up old 

turf becomes a mud wrestle; 

trying to use electrical 

equipment such as hedge 

trimmers or cement mixers 

is a dice with death; painting 

fences just turns to pretty 

puddles, and laying paving in 

the rain? A big no-no! 

Do you have a favourite plant or flower? 

That’s a hard one. There are a billion to choose from 

and I always seem to be finding new favourites. 

Right this minute it has to be Chinese witch hazel 

but if I absolutely had to choose just one all-timer 

it would be lavender. A, because it smells amazing. 

B, because bees and butterflies love it. C, because 

it comes in shades of purple and white which 

complement so many other colours. D, because 

it has so many medicinal uses and E, F, G and H, 

because it’s extremely low maintenance, lasts for 

years, needs very little water and thrives in poor soil. 

What's the most common mistake people make 

when planning their garden? 

Lack of proper planning, for sure. 

Proper planning of a garden is quite detailed but 

also essential if you want a garden that really thrives 

and enhances your entire living space. There are 

a lot of elements to consider and it can be a bit

| East life 

daunting for most people, but anyone with private 

outdoor space in London is truly blessed and should 

absolutely make the most of it. 

With proper planning your garden should be a 

vibrant, healthy, colourful addition to your home 

where you can relax, heal and connect with nature, 

so it’s really important to get it right. Seeking 

professional advice is always a great idea but that’s 

not to say you can’t have a go yourself - and I have 

actually written a step-by-step guide to help you 

plan and design your own garden. It’s fun and 

informative and you can find it on our website. 

There’s also lots of before and after pictures of 

various projects we’ve done, so take a look through 

the site and grab some inspiration! NOW is the 

perfect time to start planning ahead for the warmer 

days of 2020 because, I don’t know about you, but I 

don’t want to miss a single second of being outside 

when the sun finally does come out. 

Aside from clearing weeds, what's your 'go-to' 

quick fix to spruce up a garden? 

Always have a couple (or several) really pretty pots 

strategically placed around the garden. What you 

are looking to achieve is instant colour and impact 

all year round, so buy whatever plants are currently 

in bloom and pop them in, but here is the trick, 

don’t take them out of the pots they came in! 

Take daffodils and tulips, for example. They are 

stunning when they are in bloom but, in reality, they 

don’t last long at all so keep them in another basic 

pot that fits and hides inside the pretty pot. When 

the daffodils start to die, lift out the pot and swap 

them with the tulips, which will now be starting to 

bloom. When the tulips die back, swap them out 

for something like freesias or irises. I think you get 

the idea. Basically, there is a flower in bloom every 

month of the year, so you just keep swapping out. 

And, part two of the trick…don’t throw the fading 

plants away. If you choose perennial plants (ones 

that spring back to life every year) then what you 

should end up with is a collection of plants that you 

can hide around the corner but bring back to front 

and centre stage when at their peak, every single 

year. Its quick, it’s easy and it will save money in the 

long run. 

What inexpensive, low maintenance plants would 

you recommend to a rookie? 

That’s easy. Herbs. 

Not only are they inexpensive but many of them are 

evergreen, need very little to no maintenance and 

will happily grow in poor soil conditions. They also 

bloom, smell fabulous, can be used fresh in cooking 

or dried for teas and pot pourri or, if you are feeling 

really adventurous, then made into balms, creams 

and salves. They have powerful healing, anti-ageing 

properties too. The list of benefits goes on and on. 

I’m a big fan of herbs. Can you tell? 

Project Green Thumb 

East London Gardening Services 

W: projectgreenthumb.co.uk 

FB: projectgreenthumb/ 

I: @projectgreenthumbuk 

P: projectgreenthumbuk 

Images: Project Green Thumb 


| Wellness 

Talk Changes: Why your mental health is important 

We all know the term ‘mental health’, but 

what does this really mean? Our mental health 

includes our psychological, emotional and social 

wellbeing and it is essential to living a healthy, 

balanced life. It affects how we think, feel and 

behave every day. It helps determine how we 

cope with stress, relate to others, and make 

decisions. Mental health and physical health 

are closely connected. Poor mental health can 

make it difficult to manage our physical health. 

In turn, problems with physical health can have 

an impact on mental health. 

It can be normal to feel low or anxious from 

time to time. For example, the term ‘January 

Blues’ relates to this time of the year; following 

an exciting time that can be stressful and fast 

paced, with lots to juggle and do, we can be left 

feeling a bit down. We may have less to plan 

and look forward to. This feeling tends to be 

short-lived, but is quite common. Our thoughts 

may be occupied with concerns about the 

past or future. We may feel less motivated to 

do things or avoid things altogether. We may 

notice small changes in our eating or sleeping 

habits and may have less energy. 

There are many different factors that could 

affect mental health; something difficult or 

stressful could have happened recently in your 

life or you may feel you’ve been struggling for a 

while. You may not be sure why you are feeling 

low or worried but talking with a friend or a 

therapist may help you figure this out. 

Exercising, getting a good night’s sleep, eating 

balanced and healthy meals, opening up to 

others, taking a break, trying something new 

and remembering something you are grateful 

for can all be helpful steps towards taking 

care of yourself. These can feel difficult at first, 

so start small and avoid setting unrealistic 

expectations for yourself. If you have noticed 

changes in your mood, relationships or ability 

to cope day to day there is support for you. You 

can visit your GP or if you have a GP in City and 

Hackney and are over the age of 18 you can 

refer directly to our service, Talk Changes. 

As part of the NHS we are a free talk therapy 

service offering a range of psychological 

therapies. We start by offering an assessment 

to discuss how you are feeling and what may be 

helpful for you. 

Find out more and make a referral by visiting 

our website: talkchanges.org.uk 

Talk Changes is a confidential 

NHS service that helps tackle 

common mental health 

problems, such as depression 

and anxiety, which affect one 

in four of us. 

14 LOVEEAST

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| Culture 

We catch up with Mark A. C. Brown, writer/director of 

the award-winning feature film, Guardians 

This is your first feature film - and congratulations; 

it's bagged numerous awards. Was the making 

experience for this different from making shorts 

and, if so, in what way? 

Thanks. My experience in making shorts, in 

particular my last one, Corinthian, is what led me 

to believing I could do Guardians. I, quite naively, 

decided that, as I’d shot Corinthian in a day and 

had some success, then it should follow that I just 

do that for 10 days and, voilà, I’ve got a feature. 

The odd thing is that is sort of how it worked out. I 

used most of the 

same crew and 

went in with the 

same attitude 

to timekeeping 

and budget and 

by the end we 

had a feature 

film. What I did 

find out along 

the way is that 

you get a lot less 

shooting time 

per minute on 

screen when 

doing a feature 

compared with 

a short. So the 

pace was a lot 

faster and we 

couldn’t be as 

flamboyant as 

we had been on 

Corinthian. But 

ultimately I think my naivety is what got Guardians 

over the line. If I’d known the differences and 

difficulties jumping from shorts to features then 

I might have not have jumped into doing it in the 

first place. 

Tell us what inspired the story. 

The story was inspired by my moving to the East 

End from North London. I live down by the river in 

Limehouse and it’s a very interesting place with a 

very different feel from Crouch End. The East End’s 

chequered past is written all over the place from 

the Georgian townhouses next to council blocks, 

16 LOVEEAST 

old boozers dwarfed by the skyscrapers of Canary 

Wharf, the riverside warehouses and mills turned 

into executive apartments, the canals meeting at 

the Thames. I found it quite inspiring and I’d had 

several ideas for films that I could set around there. 

But Guardians, through necessity, got over the line 

first. I had access to one of the aforementioned 

townhouses and a great old boozer. So I wrote a 

story centred around what I had to hand. And the 

Guardianship scheme, which essentially employs 

actors and normal humans as low-level security 

for large 

properties, was 

a good way 

into putting 

disparate 

characters 

together in 

an unusual 

situation. 

Have you had 

any experience 

of being a 

property 

guardian 

yourself? 

No but I know 

a few who 

have. So I 

filtered a few 

of the stories 

I’d heard into 

the plot of my 

film. But I had 

to downsize the house as our house is relatively 

small in comparison to a lot of these places that 

people get to look after. Mansions and all sorts. 

And I liked the metaphor of an empty house. I 

thought it was something that worked for both the 

lead characters. For one it represents them as a 

person, empty. For the other, it is a fairly salubrious 

vessel waiting to be filled with their fantasies of a 

life they could never have in reality. 

The film is billed as a dark comedy thriller and it's 

certainly that. From a viewer perspective, do you 

have a favourite scene?

| Culture 

A few of Guardians' numerous awards 

I like the shower scene. I won’t go into what it 

entails but it makes me laugh a lot. 

What was the most difficult scene to film? 

The shower scene was logistically difficult due to a 

fair bit of action happening in a very small space. 

But there is a party scene that wasn’t easy to do. 

We only had a limited amount of people and again 

a small space, so to put across the kind of party I 

had in my mind wasn’t easy. And there is a reveal 

in the scene that I cocked up so we had to edit 

around it. It still sort of works but it could have 

been better. 

Was there a significance to basing it in East 

London and how did you choose the location? 

The location is my house. So I chose it because 

I knew it very well and could have total control 

of the location. I know every little weird corner, 

cranny and creak in the place and so I tried my 

best to use that knowledge to milk the house’s 

cinematic potential. And I think the house is a 

good representation of the eclecticism of East 

London. It’s 200 years old and has seen all sorts 

and, like the East End itself, a lot of that history is 

etched in the walls. Each room is its own character, 

which makes up the personality of the house. 

Aside from financial investment, what's the biggest 

challenge of making a feature film? 

Scheduling. We had no money so people were 

often working around other jobs. Our First 

Assistant Director, Joe, had a hell of a job trying to 

put together a workable shooting schedule around 

people who could only work on certain days. Then 

getting it seen. It cost the same as the shoot to 

do screenings, festivals, markets. And with a film 

this small its not easy getting the right people to 

take notice. It took a lot of time, patience, faith and 

again naivety. 

And the richest reward? 

As I made it with my best friends, whom I have 

been working with for 15 years, the fact that we 

have something to represent that is fantastic I 

think. We’ve all had our ups and downs over the 

years, so to have this one thing that we all did and 

to have it as well received as it has been is hugely 

rewarding. 

Any advice for budding filmmakers? 

Work with good people. People that can do the 

things you can’t and people that you connect 

with, that you enjoy working with and who make 

you better. Guardians, along with most of the 

things I have done over the years, would not have 

been possible without the people that I have 

collaborated with. From the inception of the idea 

to the production, post-production, screenings, 

festivals and now its VOD premiere on Sky Store 

and Virgin Media (from 2 December) there hasn’t 

been a moment where I haven’t had someone 

there to improve, edit, push, criticise, advise and 

support me. 

What's next for you? 

I have two scripts in development. My script 

Limpet is what I hope will be my next directorial 

venture. It’s a horror/comedy and we have just got 

a really cool executive producer on board with 

excellent horror pedigree, so that is pushing ahead 

and very exciting. And then there is Harmony. A 

horror script that I wrote for my partner in my 

company Braine Hownd Films, Phil Haine, who is 

directing. That is going into production in April. 

FIND OUT MORE 

guardiansfilm.co.uk 

T: @GuardiansBHF 

FB: @guardiansfilm 

markacbrown.com 

T: @MarkACBrown 

Images: Braine Hownd Films 


| It's Art baby, Art! 

Inside the studio: 

Meet Russell Frost, 

printmaker and 

owner of 

Leytonstone's 


18 LOVEEAST


It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of print, and old-fashioned 

printmaking in particular, so the opportunity to visit Russell 

Frost in his Leytonstone studio was one I was not about to pass 

up, extremely cold Sunday morning notwithstanding. 

Once inside what can only be described as a very compact 

space, I immediately spotted several wooden plan chests 

– beautiful objects in themselves. I was also struck by the 

sheer amount of printing equipment, which included several 

presses and seemingly endless drawers bursting with the 

most extraordinary collection of wood and metal letter and 

illustration blocks. I was in my element, and the more we talked, 

the more I wanted to know. 

Born in Canada and raised in a remote National Park, in the 

South Island of New Zealand, Russell’s work references a 

connectedness to place and is also inspired by his childhood 

love of collecting Kiwiana and other ephemera; mostly objects 

that he’d rescued ‘while scouring the dumps’ as a youngster. 

Many of these finds, such as old matchbooks, cigarette packets 

and tiny tins, hearken back to a different time and evoke 

feelings of nostalgia for the craftsmanship that produced them. 

Russell also has a passion for flyfishing and, after gaining his 

degree in Landscape Architecture, he worked as a professional 

Flyfishing Guide for about seven years before getting back into 

design. After he had met and married his wife, who is British, 

they relocated to the UK and have now been in Leytonstone for 

several years, where he runs Hooksmith Press in Church Lane. 

In talking with Russell, it’s clear that he’s a man who loves what 

he does. He has a respect for, and a love of, typography and 

of the written word. That, coupled with a relentless creative 

spirit and a keen eye for detail, culminates in beautifully 

produced, handcrafted, limited edition prints and cards. He’s 

also a walking, talking encyclopedia regarding letterpress (and 

flyfishing). 

Russell sells an array of prints and cards, both online and at 

the shop, as well as taking commissions. Go have a gander at 

his website; better yet, pop by the shop to really appreciate his 

beautiful work. The shop is open most weekends from 11am 

- 6pm, and at other times by arrangement; you can also ring 

or text during the week and if he’s nearby he’ll happily come 

down. 



“Letterpress is a medium 

which allows me to 

collect and re-use 

elements from the past 

to create something 

new; a tangible and 

tactile connection 

to history and a 

continuation of a craft.” 

20 LOVEEAST 


54 Church Lane 

Leytonstone, E11 1HE 

W: hooksmith.com 

E: workshop@hooksmith.com 

T: 07450 292 792 

T: @HooksmithPress 

I: @hooksmith ) 

FB: @HooksmithPress 

P: pinterest.co.uk/ticklishtrout/ 

Images: Todd Kavonic

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| The Gentle Author 

Spitalfields Nippers 

Pigeon fancying has always been a 

popular tradition in the East End. 

Horace Warner collected boots for children 

who had none and some of his photograph 

record the delivery of the new boots. 

This little girl is leaning on a parsley basket. 

Parsley came by train from East Anglia and 

children were paid to bunch it up. 

In the last years of the nineteenth century, Horace 

Warner took a series of portraits of some of the 

poorest people in London - creating relaxed, 

intimate images that gave dignity to his subjects and 

producing great photography that is without parallel 

in his era. 

22 LOVEEAST 

SPITALFIELDS NIPPERS 

Horace Warner 

This boy is wearing Horace Warner’s hat 

for the photograph 

Born into a Quaker family that had its roots in 

Spitalfields in the seventeenth century, Horace was 

a Sunday school teacher at the Bedford Institute 

which still stands in Quaker Street. The wealth of the 

family business, Jeffrey & Co - the wallpaper printers 

who printed William Morris’ wallpaper - enabled the 

Warners to be generous benefactors to the Bedford 

Institute which offered practical support to the 

residents of Quaker St and the surrounding courts and 

alleys. 

Horace’s photographs revolutionise our view of 

Londoners at the end of the nineteenth century, 

by bringing them startlingly close and permitting 

us to look them in the eye. Unseen outside the 

Warner family for more than century, most of these 

breathtaking photographs have been published for 

the first time by Spitalfields Life, including biographies 

of many of the children.

| The Gentle Author 

Walter Seabrook 

Walter was born in 1890 to William and 

Elizabeth of Custance St, Hoxton. At 24, he 

was conscripted and fought in World War 

One but returned to marry Alice Noon on 

Christmas Day 1918 at At Matthews Bethnal 

Green. He lived nearby in Gibraltar Court 

and worked as an electrician, having three 

children and dying in Ware, Hertfordshire in 

1971 aged 81. 

Abigail Springett in all her 

best clothes 

Abigail was born in 1893 in Wapping. Her father 

William came from Marylebone and her mother 

Margaret from Old Street. Both parents were 

costermongers. Adelaide’s twin sisters Ellen 

& Margaret died at birth, and her other sister 

Susannah died aged 4. Yet Adelaide died in 

1986 in Fulham aged ninety-three. 

Jessica & Rosalie Wakefield 

Jessica was born in 1891 and Rosalie in 

1895. Their parents were William & Alice 

Wakefield, a printer and housewife. 

Jessica married Stanley Tayler in 1915 

and lived until 1985, aged 94. Rosalie 

married Ewart Osborn in 1918 and had a 

son named Robert. She died in 1979 in 

Waltham Forest, aged 84. 

Images courtesy of The Gentle Author 

The Spitalfields Nippers created a garden in Quaker Street off Brick Lane 

Spitalfields Nippers by Horace 

Warner, with an introduction 

by The Gentle Author, is 

available from Spitalfields Life 

books for £20. 

spitalfieldslife.bigcartel.com 

The Gentle Author writes daily 

about the culture of East London at 

spitalfieldslife.com. You can also 

follow @thegentleauthor 

on twitter. 


| Walk Hackney with Sean Gubbins 

Contrasting ‘19s past 

The Hackney Gazette’s review of the year in 

December 1919 recalled local flooding, similar to the 

horrendous event in north-west Hackney just a few 

months ago. Unlike this year, in 1919 the floods were 

due not to burst water mains but to the overflowing 

River Lea. They made motor and tram traffic 

impossible along parts of Lea Bridge Road and 

flooded Hackney’s electricity works at Millfields. 

As now, there was a housing problem in 1919. 

No fewer than 3 million people lived in a state of 

overcrowding; 758,000 in London. One street in 

Hoxton, reported the Gazette, had 733 people living 

in 29 houses, divided into 168 lettings. Innovative 

Shoreditch Borough, taking advantage of recent 

powers given to councils by the 1919 ‘Homes Fit 

For Heroes’ Housing Act, was planning to erect 40 

new flats in New North Road (St. Leonard’s Court, 

recently demolished). 

A sight not familiar to us 100 years on is a terrified 

horse galloping down Mare Street. Just before 1919 

ended a tramcar collided with, and overturned, a 

horse-drawn van near Hackney Station. Extricating 

itself, the horse bolted. PC Herbert Dignan (of 108, 

Graham Road) dutifully tried to apprehend the 

animal but was knocked down in the process and 

recuperated at the German Hospital. 

As the New Year approached, had a young woman 

come to Hackney for a job, she might have taken 

this one of many advertised in the Hackney Gazette: 

daily servant in Stamford Hill at 15 shillings (75p, 

or about £42 in today’s money), per week, with 

two hours off per day. Had her “beau” followed her 

to Hackney, he could have worked as an Ostrich 

Feather apprentice at up to 17 shillings and sixpence 

(17/6) per week, taking a front room in a house close 

by, with use of gas ring, for 6/6 per week. 

To celebrate the festive season, they might have 

gone to see Noni and Horace Nathano Bros in 

comedy at the Hackney Empire with Toni Hearn, the 

Lazy Juggler. Or maybe she would have preferred 

to see the comedy drama Men Happy Though 

Married featuring Enid Bennett at the Alexandra 

Cinema Theatre, Stoke Newington Road, while he 

went with his mates to play billiards on 10 of the 

‘finest tables’ at 134 Kingsland Road. Had they been 

24 LOVEEAST 

Image: Sean Gubbins 

able to afford it, they could have hired a 6-seater 

‘motor Landaulette’ from Coles in Southgate Road 

for a Christmas outing with friends. In answer to its 

appeal for funds, at this time of giving, the couple 

might have spared a few pennies for the struggling 

Metropolitan Hospital. 

Just as the Hackney Gazette signed off its last 

editorial of 1919, I too wish you, “A Happy and 

Prosperous New Year. May it be abundantly realised 

in the experience of all.” 

Looking for something to do one weekend? 

Intrigued to find out more about Hackney? 

Look up walkhackney.co.uk and pick a walk 

that takes your fancy. The next four are in this 

edition's What's On section. I look forward to 

welcoming you on one of my walks.

| Roger Love on Fitness 

Making a difference – every damn day 

One of my long-term clients made a big 

change to his life recently. 

To complement his resistance-training - 

weights and bodyweight - he bought a 

month-long pass at a yoga studio in south 

Hackney and resolved to go every day one 

way or another. He is a middle-aged, handson 

dad who works long, hard hours, and 

certainly doesn’t fit the cliché of the yoga 

bunny. 

But he is determined and wants to be as 

strong and mobile as possible for his whole 

life and he succeeded in his daily goal … and 

then repeated it the next month. The yoga 

is feeding into his strength training, and he 

is feeling increasingly flexible and light of 

mood. 

As we discussed this, I found myself inspired, 

and it got me thinking about 'daily practice'. 

I remembered another client, a mum of 

two in her late 30s, who did a month of at 

least 30 minutes of exercise a day - weights, 

swimming, running, circuit training in her 

garden - and the journalist friend who ran 

three miles a day for a year (1,095 miles in 

total) and is now a respected ultra-runner. 

Too often, when we, as a society, talk about 

exercise we do so in the form of prescriptive 

guidelines - what’s the minimum we can 

take to be fitter? 

We are advised to do at least 150 minutes 

of moderate activity a week (or 75 minutes 

of vigorous activity) and do strengthening 

activities at least 2 days a week. 

This is great. Maybe, though, we should be 

thinking more about doing exercise every 

day. Not necessarily an hour of intense 

weights or Spinning, but something - even if 

for just 10 minutes - significant. 

One hard-as-nails American trainer, Bobby 

Maximus, encapsulates this in the phrase: 

‘Every damn day.’ 

A nutritionist friend puts at the heart of his 

weight-loss plan doing something - anything 

- daily. 

I am also reminded of the London Fields 

osteopath who told a client, who feared that 

getting into his 40s was making him creaky, 

not to be ridiculous and that, if he did 50 

press-ups a day from now on, he would still 

be doing 50-a-day at the age of 80. 

So, as we launch into January, how do you 

start your daily practice? 

You could go for the monthly yoga pass. 

Stretch, off Broadway Market, and Yoga on 

the Lane, in Dalston, among many others, 

offer unlimited yoga for just over £100 a 

month. 

For variety, London Fields Fitness Studio do 

a £35-a-month pass offering an eclectic mix, 

including circuit training, yoga and dance. 

You could mix the classes up with your own 

practice at home. 

For free, you could resolve to do 10,000 steps 

or 10 burpees or three sets of press-ups every 

day. 

This may not be what you do all year, but it 

would get you started. 

For me, I have two daily practice resolutions 

for 2020. One is to get better at using 

parallettes - low parallel bars - so will aim to 

do holds on them daily. Also, I would like to 

do another 100km walk this year, so I will be 

stretching my hamstrings … every damn day! 

Roger Love Is a personal trainer based in 

Netil House E8. rogerlovept.com 


| Eating in with Diana Warrings 

Black rice with warm winter greens, roasted 

chestnuts and orange dressing 

After the Christmas period, we all like to eat healthy meals that are packed 

with nutrients but still are delicious. This tasty antioxidant-rich black rice 

dish fits the brief nicely; it delivers a good amount of plant based proteins, 

minerals, vitamins and fibre. It can be eaten warm or cold, so it is worth 

making a bigger batch. You can also top up on proteins by adding a boiled 

or poached egg or some leftover chicken (Serves 2) 

Image: Diana Warrings 

Ingredients 

(organic if possible) 

300g cavolo nero (1 bunch) 

40g samphire (a handful) 

100g chestnuts 

150g black rice 

1 garlic clove – finely sliced 

1 organic lemon 

5 tbsp olive oil 

A pinch of sea salt 

For the dressing: 

(mix ingredients in a jam jar 

and set aside) 

Juice of one orange 

3-4 tbsp olive oil 

1-2 tsp maple syrup 

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 

1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar 

A pinch of pepper 

26 LOVEEAST 

Method 

1. Pre-soak the rice for 3-4 hours (or overnight), rinse well and cook 

per instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, drain, rinse, add 

1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, mix well and set aside. 

Black rice is particularly nutty and keeps a little crunchy even when 

cooked. 

2. For dry roasting the chestnuts, pre-heat the oven at 200C. To 

prepare the nuts for baking, use a sharp small kitchen knife and 

carefully cut a small cross into the peel on the flat side. This will 

make it easier to peel them later. Spread the chestnuts on a baking 

tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until the skin opens at the cross 

you cut in and they are tender inside. Remove the peel when they 

are still warm, the peel won´t come off as easily once they are cold. 

3. In the meantime, place the samphire in a bowl, cover with boiling 

water and leave to sit for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. Do 

not add any salt as samphire is naturally very salty. Mix the dressing 

by simply putting the ingredients in a jam jar and shaking them 

well. 

4. Next, rinse the cavolo nero well and roughly chop into bite-size 

pieces. Bring well-salted water to a boil, add the cavolo nero pieces 

and simmer for 5 minutes. Then drain, rinse with cold water to keep 

the green colour and set aside. 

5. Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a medium size pan, add the finely sliced 

garlic and sauté at low heat for 1-2 minutes, next add cavolo nero 

and samphire, mix well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Finish with a 

squeeze of lemon. Again, do not add any extra salt before tasting 

the vegetables. 

6. Thinly slice the chestnuts. Serve the black rice topped with the 

winter greens, sliced chestnuts and a generous drizzle of orange 

dressing. 

Enjoy! 

Diana Warrings is a Health & nutrition content producer, recipe developer 

& well-being cook. Follow her on Instagram: irmagreen.com

The verdict is in: Judge & Jury at the 

Courthouse Hotel, Shoreditch 

If you’re looking for a sophisticated 

atmosphere where you can actually 

have a conversation over a pleasant 

meal without having to shout, Judge 

& Jury is a great choice. 

| Eating out 

Sitting in what was once the 

courtroom of the Grade II-listed Old 

Street Magistrate’s Court, diners are 

surrounded by rich, wood panelling 

and some courtroom memorabilia. 

There’s a lot of history to the building 

itself and the Krays stood in this very 

room at their first criminal hearing 

back in 1965. Leaving the past aside, 

let’s get onto the food. 

The menu covers all the usual bases 

(fish, meat, chicken, veggie) and we 

felt it had just the right amount of 

choice. We had a bottle of House Red 

(Le Troubadour) alongside rib-eye 

and chicken mains with a duck breast 

starter and a side of broccoli, which, 

I am happy to say, was not overcooked. 

Portions were generous but 

not overwhelming and the food was 

tasty indeed. We skipped dessert and 

finished with an espresso to round out 

the evening. 

The service was excellent and our 

waiter was helpful yet unobtrusive. 

Prices are not exactly inexpensive, but 

certainly not overpriced, with a very 

reasonably priced wine list, and our 

meal came to £77 excluding service. 

Hotel restaurants can often serve 

merely as a convenient and – dare I 

say – rather bland stop-off for guests, 

so it’s refreshing to find one on our 

doorstep that has some character and 

personality. 

Images courtesy of The Courthouse Hotel 

JUDGE & JURY 

The Courthouse Hotel 

335–337 Old Street 

EC1V 9LL 

W: shoreditch.courthouse-hotel.com/ 

eat-and-drink/judge-jury/ 

E: Shoreditch@Courthouse-hotel.com 

T: 020 3310 5555 

T @HotelCourthouse 

I courthousehotelshoreditch 

FB @Courthousehotelshoreditch 

OPENING HOURS 

Sun – Mon: 12.00 – 17.00 

Tue – Sat: 12:00 – 23:00 (last 

order 22:30) 

FOOD & DRINK 

Starters from £6.50 

Mains from £14.50 

Sides: £4.50 

House Wine from £20.50, 

£6.50/glass 

Desserts from £6.00 


| Eating out 

Lifting the spirits at Hacha Bar 

Tequila is one of my all-time favourite tipples, so when the opportunity 

arose to sample Hacha Bar's Mirror Margharita, I could hardly refuse. 

Tequila is one of my all-time favourite tipples, so 

when the opportunity arose to sample Hacha Bar's 

Mirror Margarita, I could hardly refuse. 

Launched in April 2019 by Tequila Ambassador 

Deano Moncrieffe, the idea for Hacha was to bring 

Agave to the area, and with an evolving menu of 25 

different tequilas, mezcals and lesser known agave 

spirits to choose from, I'd say he's succeeded. 

We had their signature cocktail, the Mirror 

Margarita, which, rather impressively, has been 

voted 7th Best Cocktail In The World by Time Out. 

Uniquely, the Mirror Margarita is crystal clear – quite 

different from your standard, cloudy Margarita. In 

terms of flavour, it’s deliciously – and dangerously 

– moreish. There's also a selection of wine and beer, 

although with such an array of tequilas to choose 

from, I doubt I'd be tempted. It’s all about the 

tequilahhh for me. 

Aside from the cocktails, I was impressed with the 

fact that Hacha uses shredded beef and chicken in 

their tacos; anyone familiar with authentic Mexican 

food will know that this is a sure sign that they know 

what they are doing - no mince to be found here! 

Images courtesy of Hacha Bar 

Hacha’s interior is bright and welcoming, and 

Deano is friendly and generous with his extensive 

knowledge. Well worth a visit for tequila lovers and, 

if you're a tequila virgin, this is a great place to take 

the plunge. 

HACHA BAR 

378 Kingsland Rd, 

Dalston E8 4AA 

hachabar.com 

hello@hachabar.com. 

I: @hachabar 

Open Tuesday to Saturday 5-11pm 

DRINKS & NIBBLES 

Cocktails from £9.50 

Single serve spirits from £6.50 

Mini tasting ‘flights’ from £18.00 

Beers from £4.95/bottle 

Wine from £6.00/glass - £22.95/ 

bottle 

Small plates/sharing from £5.00 

Tostadas from £5.95 

Tacos from £6.95 

SHOP 

The Mirror Margarita is also sold in 

500ml bottles containing four large 

cocktails to take away and enjoy at 

home for £35 00. 

You can also purchase a select 

range of agave spirits but you might 

need to take out a second mortgage 

first as prices start from £120. 

28 LOVEEAST

Stronger, Fitter, Faster 

Lose Weight, Get Fit, Improve Quality of Life 

1 to 1 Studio Space 

Michelle Crawford Bsc(hons) psyc, Dip Sports Psyc 

Fighting Fit Studio 

36 Gossamer City Project, London E2 9FN 

Tel: 07805 612127 

michellept.wordpress.com 

@Fightingfitbow 

@fightingfitstudio 

The Green House 

London Office Space for 

Social Impact Organisations 

from £230 per person pcm + VAT 

www.bethnalgreenhouse.co.uk 

info@ethicalproperty.co.uk 

01865 207 810 

244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, 

London E2 9DA 

Ethical_Property_Love_East_Half_Page_TGH.indd 1 LOVEEAST Jan/Feb 09/12/2019 202011:45:129

Arts 'n Crafts 

Little Artists London offers an array of child-friendly 

workshops at CreatePlace, St Margarets House in 

Bethnal Green. littleartistslondon.com/workshops 

Kids' activities at The Yard - play, discover and make. 

the-yard.co.uk 

Family-friendly Pottery Workshops at Wonderland 

Ceramics, 237 Victoria Park Rd, E9 7HD, Weekdays 

11-1pm, 1-3pm, 3-5pm, £30 pp. £30 adults / £20 kids. 

wonderlandceramics.com 

Royal Docks offers all kinds of kids' activities including 

arts & craft, sport, storytelling etc. royaldocks.london/ 

whats-on 

Kids' Yoga 

East of Eden in Walthamstow has Parent & toddler 

yoga classes and Yoga for Kids aged 5 - 9. edeneast. 

co.uk/what-we-do/yoga/kids/ 

MoveYoga in Roman Road has Mum & Baby yoga 

classes: movestudiolondon.com/classes 

Wonderland Ceramics 

Time to be Creative 

237 Victoria Park 

Road 

E9 7HD 

Ph 020 8985 1214 

Ceramic Café, 

Pottery Painting, 

unique gifts, Children's 

Birthday Parties, team 

building, and lots of fun 

www.wonderlandceramics.com 

info@wonderlandceramics.com 

Indoor & Soft Play 

Kidzmania indoor playground, Hackney Downs. 

kidzmania.co.uk 

Hackney Playbus 

hackneyplaybus.org 

ZAPSpace Trampoline Park, Stratford 

zapspace.co.uk 

FlipOut E6 Trampoline Park, East Ham 

flipout.co.uk/locations/london-e6 

Music, Dance & Drama 

The Half Moon Theatre in Limehouse has some great 

Puppetry & Children's Theatre including Thumberlina 

on Sat 11th Jan 11am - 2pm, Mimi and the Mountain 

Dragon on Thu 16th Jan 11am - 2pm and Tom Thumb 

on Sat 25th Jan 11am - 2pm. Half Moon Theatre, 43 

White Horse Rd, Limehouse E1. halfmoon.org.uk 

Tots Gigs monthly morning series of acoustic gigs for 

parents who want to see a great gig in the daytime and 

bring their babies in tow. soundscreativeprojects.co.uk/ 

whatson/ 

Children’s Creative Movement & Dance classes at 

Chisenhale Dance Space. chisenhaledancespace.co.uk 

ShowKids - performing arts training aged 5 - 16 in 

Clapton, Forest Gate & Stoke Newington. 

showkids.co.uk 

Reading & Writing 

Discover Children's Story Centre offers all kinds of 

events and is SEN friendly. 383-387 High St, Stratford 

E15 4QZ. discover.org.uk 

Chatterbooks reading groups have various locations; 

find one near you: readinggroups.org/groups 

Creative writing for 7-14 yr olds, first Wednesday 

of the month, 4.30 - 5.30pm at Dalston CLR James 

Library. hackney.gov.uk/libraries-whats-on#dalston 

Cinemas 

The Castle Cinema: thecastlecinema.com 

Genesis Stepney: genesiscinema.co.uk/ 

GenesisCinema.dll/Home 

Picturehouse Hackney: picturehouses.com/cinema/ 

Hackney_Picturehouse 

Picturehouse Stratford: picturehouses.com/cinema/ 

Stratford_London 

RichMix Shoreditch: richmix.org.uk/events/type/film 

Rio Cinema : riocinema.org.uk/RioCinema.dll/Home 

30 LOVEEAST

Splish Splash 

Find an indoor pool near you: swimming.org/ 

poolfinder/ Just put in your post code and voilà. 

Parks & Recreation 

Check out Living with Warmth, a children's what's on 

guide for Hackney & Islington. livingwithwarmth.com 

Brampton Park 

openplay.co.uk/view/1458/brampton-park 

Bow Creek Ecology Park 

visitleevalley.org.uk/en/content/cms/nature/naturereserve/bow-creek/ 

Central Park, East Ham 

openplay.co.uk/view/317/central-park 

Clissold Park 

hackney.gov.uk/clissold-park 

Homerton Grove Adventure Playground 

hackneyplay.org/homerton-grove/ 

Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground 

wapa.org.uk/about.html 

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park 

fothcp.org/kids 

Tumbling Bay Playground in the north of Olympic 

Park 

queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/thingsto-do 

Victoria Park 

towerhamlets.gov.uk 

Inclusive Adventure Playgrounds 

Designed for young people with disabilities/additional 

needs and supervised by trained, CRB checked staff, 

& offer a variety of activities for stimulating & inclusive 

play in a setting that supports the child's requirements 

and also gives support to their families. 

Hackney Adventure Playground, Clapton 

FB: @KIDSAdventurePlayHackney 

Terence Brown Ark, Canning Town 

FB: @AmbitionAspireAchieve 

theaaazone.com/terence-brown-arc 

City Farms in East London 

Fun filled animal activities to keep the kids busy. Many 

have arts n' crafts activities and clubs as well. 

Hackney City Farm: hackneyyoungarts@gmail.com 

Mudchute City Farm: mudchute.org 

Newham City Farm: FB: @NewhamCityFarm 

Spitafields City Farm: spitalfieldscityfarm.org 

Stepney City Farm: stepneycityfarm.org 

Horse Riding 

Lee Valley Riding Centre: leevalleypark.org.uk/go/ 

horseriding/ 

Aldersbrook Riding: aldersbrookriding.co.uk 

Docklands Equestrian Centre/Newham Riding 

School: docklandsequestriancentre.com 

Schedules vary so be sure to check times & availability on websites or contact details. 

Visit myeastlondon.online for more listings and to list your event for free. 

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK 

FARADAY PREP SCHOOL 

WWW.FARADAYSCHOOL.CO.UK 


| What's on 

January 

WED 1 JAN 

H Hello 2020 H 

Music Quiz Night at 

The Red Lion, 132 Stoke 

Newington Church Street, 

N16 0JX. HRuns every 1st 

Wed of the month. INFO: 

frontierpubs.co.uk/yourlocal/the-red-lion-stokenewington-pub/ 

THURS 2 JAN 

Date-ercise - Fitness class 

for singles at Right Path 

Fitness studio, 20 Gravel Lane, 

Liverpool Street E1 7AW, 

7:30 - 9pm. 18+ and tkts £20. 

HRuns every Thursday. . 

INFO: rightpathfitness.co.uk 

SAT 4 JAN 

10K Run Series at QE 

Olympic Park, starts at 9:30am 

and you can go at your own 

pace. £19 

Register by the 2 nd 

HRuns every 1st Sat. INFO: 

https://bit.ly/2E1U3gs 

MON 6 JAN 

Draw with Neon Pastels in 

Ultra Violet Light - Neon 

Naked Life Drawing at The 

Queen of Hoxton, 1-5, Curtain 

Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3JX, 

7:30 - 11pm. Tickets £14 + 

booking fee. INFO: queenof-hoxton.eventcube.io/ 

events/22589/neon-nakedlife-drawing 

TUE 7JAN 

The Importance of 

Being Earnest (played by 

immigrants) at Tower Theatre, 

16 Northwold Road, Stoke 

Newington, N16 7HR. 7:30pm 

with 3:30pm matinees on 

Saturdays. HRuns thru the 

18 th . Tickets from £12. INFO: 

towertheatre.org.uk/ 

32 LOVEEAST 

Dalston Jazz Jam from 

8pm at Ruby's Bar & Lounge, 

72-76 Stoke Newington Road, 

Dalston N16 7XB. 8pm, Free 

admission but advanced 

booking recommended. 

HRuns every Tues, Wed & 

Thurs. INFO: rubysdalston. 

com 

WED 8 JAN 

Circus-theatre show This 

Time opens the London 

International Mime Festival 

2020 at Shoreditch Town Hall. 

Runs thru the 18th; check their 

website for other LIMF events. 

INFO: mimelondon.com/ 

festival/ 

Drag Bingo at The Queen 

of Hoxton, 1-5, Curtain Road, 

Shoreditch, EC2A 3JX , 7pm 

- midnight with eyes down 

and looking for the first round 

at 8.30pm sharp! Bingo cards 

£1or £5 for a strip. HRuns 

weekly. INFO: queenof-hoxton.eventcube.io/ 

events/22595/drag-bingo 

FRI 10 JAN 

The Chef's Table Supper 

Club: Michelin-trained Chef 

Aidan Brooks, creator of 

Eleven98 brings you his chef's 

table concept: an innovative 

and sustainable fine dining 

tasting menu, 7 - 10:30pm 

at 227B Victoria Park Road, 

Hackney. HReservations 

essential. INFO: eatwith. 

com/events/ 

46234?date=2020-01-10 

SAT 11 JAN 

Gin Journey in Shoreditch, 

2 - 6:30pm, includes gin 

samples & cocktails, distillery 

visit and more. £70 + booking 

fee. Location TBA one week 

prior. HRuns weekly. 

Register to find out more: 

ginjourney.com/uk/london/ 

Lower Clapton History Walk: 

Literati and Revolutionaries; 

11am-1.30pm. Meet: on steps 

of The Round Chapel, E5 0LY, 

£10/£8. INFO: walkhackney. 

co.uk/lower-clapton-walk/ 

SUN 12 JAN 

Foreshore Secrets 

photography walk, 9:30 - 

11am, meet outside the Globe 

Theatre, New Globe Walk, SE1 

9DT. Tickets: £9.50/£7.50. INFO: 

thamesfestivaltrust.org 

TUES 14 JAN 

The Strange Tale of Charlie 

Chaplin and Stan Laurel at 

Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces 

Alley, Whitechapel, E1 8JB. Runs 

thru the 18th as part of London 

International Mime Festival. 

INFO: wiltons.org.uk/whatson 

THURS 15 JAN 

Winter Lights Festival 

throughout Canary Wharf, 

4 - 10:30pm and it's FREE. 

HRuns thru the 25 th . INFO: 

canarywharf.com/arts-events/ 

events/winter-lights-jan- 

2020/?instance_id= 

SAT 18 JAN 

Big Green Clothes Swap 

at the Queen of Hoxton, 

1-5, Curtain Road, Shoreditch, 

EC2A 3JX. 12-4pm. INFO: 

queenofhoxton.com/whats-on/ 

Beginners Bike Maintenance 

Course at Bikeworks, Lee 

Valley Velopark, Queen Elizabeth 

Olympic Park , Abercrombie Road 

E20 3AB; 10am - 4pm. INFO: 

bikeworks.org.uk 

Not Another Indie Disco, 

10:30pm -3:30am at O2 

Academy2, Angel Central, 

16 Parkfield Street, Islington, 

N1 0PS, 6 - 10pm, 18+ bring 

ID. Tickets £6 includes entry 

to Club de Fromage HRuns 

every Saturday INFO: 

notanotherindiedisco.com 

Check out myeastlondon.online for more events. 

You can also upload your events for free. 

SUN 19 JAN 

Woodford County High School 

Indoor Boot Sale, 9:30am - 

12:30pm at Woodford County 

High School, High Rd, Woodford 

IG8 9LA. Admission 50p, Pitches 

£14 (tables provided, booking 

essential) INFO: woodford. 

redbridge.sch.uk 

January 10K Run at Victoria 

Park, £19 +£2 if you enter on 

the day. Age 15+. Registration 

8:30am for 9:30am start. INFO: 

findarace.com/events/ 

victoria-park-10k-january 

SAT 25 JAN 

H Burns Night H 

Dalston History Walk: Rural 

Hamlet to Industrial Suburb, 

11am-1.30pm. Meet: Dalston 

Lane entrance of Dalston 

Junction Station, E8 3D. £10 

/£8. INFO: http://walkhackney. 

co.uk/dalston-walk-3 

Intermediate Bike 

Maintenance Course at 

Bikeworks, Lee Valley Velopark, 

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 

Abercrombie Road E20 3AB; 

10am - 4pm. INFO: bikeworks. 

org.uk 

SUN 26 JAN 

City of London Dollshouse 

Festival, 11am - 5pm at the 

Tower Hotel, Saint Katharine's 

Way, E1W 1LD. Tickets £8/£4. 

INFO: dollshousefestival.com 

TUES 28 JAN 

Amaricana Fest UK 6pm - 

midnight at Oslo Hackney, 14 

Bohemia Pl, E8 1DU. 18+ bring 

photo ID. HAlso Fri 29 th Tickets 

£27.50 covers both nights. INFO: 

oslohackney.com/events/liveamericanafest-uk-showcase/ 

FRI 31 JAN 

London Remixed Festival, 

8pm at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal 

Green Rd, E1 6LA. 18+, bring 

ID. Tickets from £11.19. INFO: 

londonremixedfestival.com

| What's on 

February 

MON 10 FEB 

Arcola Participation Queer 

Collective presents Qtopia, 

7pm, and Housewerk, 8:45pm 

in Studio 2 at Arcola Theatre, 

24 Ashwin St E8 3DL. HRuns 

thru the 15 th . Tickets for each: 

£15/£12. INFO: arcolatheatre. 

com 

FRI 14 FEB 

Valentine's Day 

Loud in London Valentine's 

Special at O2 Academy2, 

Angel Central, 16 Parkfield 

Street, Islington, N1 0PS, 

6 - 10pm, Tickets £13.50. 

INFO: academymusicgroup. 

com/o2academyislington/ 

events/1291958/loud-londonvalentines-special-tickets 

SAT 15 FEB 

Rights and Arts Engagement - 

talks, discussion, practice sharing 

and networking, EC2A 3BA 

11:30am - 4:30pm at Autograph, 

Rivington Place, £6/5. INFO: 

http://bit.ly/2QTIsaP 

SUN 10 FEB 

Cheer on the runners at the On 

London Half Marathon at 

QE Olympic Park or enter to run 

yourself. 9:30am - 1pm. INFO: 

londonhalf.com/event/queenelizabeth-olympic-park-halfmarathon-2020/ 

THURS 20 FEB 

Arcola Participation 50+ presents 

Lysistrata, 3:30pm in Studio 

2 at Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin 

St E8 3DL. HRuns thru the 

22 nd . Tickets: £15/£12. INFO: 

arcolatheatre.com 

SAT 22 FEB 

Hoxton History Walk: Mad 

Houses and Music Halls, 

11am-1.15pm Meet: entrance 

to Hoxton Station. £10/£8 

INFO: walkhackney.co.uk/ 

hoxton-walk-2/ 

Beginners Bike 

Maintenance Course 

at Bikeworks, Lee Valley 

Velopark, Queen Elizabeth 

Olympic Park, Abercrombie 

Road E20 3AB; 10am - 4pm. 

INFO: bikeworks.org.uk 

SUN 23 FEB 

Arcola Ala-Turka presents 

Bahar Noktasi, a Turkish 

adaptation of A Midsumme 

Night's Dream, 8pm in Studio 

2 at Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin 

St E8 3DL. HRuns thru the 

27 th . Tickets: £15/£12. INFO: 

arcolatheatre.com 

THURS 27 FEB 

BrewLDN Festival at The 

Old Truman Brewery, 91 

Brick Lane, Spitalfields E1 

6QR. HRuns thru 29 th . INFO: 

brewldn.com 

FRI 28 FEB 

Clean Break's Young Artists and 

Arcola Participation presents 

Inside This Box, 8pm in 

Studio 2 at Arcola Theatre, 24 

Ashwin St E8 3DL. HRuns 

thru the 29 th . Tickets: £10/£8. 

INFO: arcolatheatre.com 

SAT 29 FEB 

Intermediate Bike 

Maintenance Course at 

Bikeworks, Lee Valley Velopark, 

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 

Abercrombie Road E20 3AB; 

10am - 4pm. INFO: bikeworks. 

org.uk 

Heart of Hackney History 

Walk: Trace Hackney’s 

story from Saxon 

settlement to city borough, 

11am-1.15pm.Meet: steps 

of Hackney Town Hall, Mare 

St., E8 1EA. £10/£8. INFO: 

walkhackney.co.uk/heart-ofhackney-walk-2/ 


| Parting shot 

34 LOVEEAST

Hackney 

personal 

trainer 

P R O J E C T G R E E N T H U M B 

T H E ' U R B A N G A R D E N ' 

L A N D S C A P E A N D M A I N T E N A N C E 

S P E C I A L I S T S 

Call: 07453 421 377 

Check our website for the full list of gardening services 

www.projectgreenthumb.co.uk 

Friendly & 

experienced 

Free trial session 

www.rogerlovept.com 

CBD & Hemp Wellness Centre 

Opening Hours: 

Monday through Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm 

hempsmile.co.uk 020 8525 0577 38 Chatsworth Road, Hackney, E5 0LP 


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