Hello Readers
I am on a mission to rediscover London. After living here for over a decade now, I find myself in patterns and ruts adhering to the daily grind… cramming in studio time, gigs, videos and all the busy Piney stuff on top of work work work. It's a viscous cycle and if I don't do something to break that pattern I will soon be mayor of Burn Out City.
So, I have made a list of cool stuff to do in London to remind me why I live here.
Because we all know London is one of the finest cities in the world, right? There is the best theatre, modern dance, art galleries, music of all types, fashion shows, pop up restaurants, cocktail clubs with secret doorbells, tranny bars in Soho, foodie markets, dog beauty contests, kitsch bowling and indie discos alongside the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare's Globe… every night one is spoiled for choice, able to do just about anything at any time (apart from ordering blueberry pancakes at 3AM - if anyone finds a place like that in London, please let me know!)
Anyway, it is so easy to find oneself suffering from tunnel vision; when all we see is what we already do as a course of habit. It can be a real drag, the same-o/same-o, and one could forget why we chose to live in The Old Smoke in the first place.
… and so I've made a list, because I don't want to lose sight of why I live here, that it's not just about paying bills and cramming in as much work as possible. It can also be about the good stuff. I need to make time for the good stuff.
Now, my idea of the good stuff might be different from yours… but join me on my 'Rediscovering London' Mission if you wish, and feel free to post your ideas on this here blog forum. Thanks!
Today, I went to explore a part of London that I've never been to before. Golders Green. Golders Green is historically Jewish - popping up as a London suburb in the 1800s or so… though it is more diverse in these modern times, there's still a hub of kosher delis, bakeries and shops. Some local attractions tend to be closed on Saturday (the Sabbath) so bear that in mind if you're planning a trip to G.G.
This zone 3, North London destination may not be everyone's cup of tea. However, I had a fantastic time exploring. I browsed the many charity shops (there are so many, that I lost count!) charity shop staff was quirky and attentive, prices were very reasonable and there was a good mixture of genuine vintage and designer labels as well as your typical discarded Top Shop and Primark fare; I bought a few Christmas presents (yes I always start early with that kind of thing) and enjoyed whiling away the afternoon on the little high street there.
I went to the Paradise Bakery and bought a chocolate babka that was AMAZING. I had a coffee-flavoured gelato at Bella Del Gelato and a good strong kosher coffee at SoYo. Though what makes a coffee kosher, I'm not sure… does it need to be blessed by a rabbi?
I went to Golders Hill Park for a walkabout before the weather changed. And then had some fresh sushi at Cafe Japan.
All in all it was a grand day out...
Stay tuned for the next instalment! I wonder what I'll do next?
xx
Piney
