London Calling

[CeaBee]

Re: London Calling

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think there is a lesson to be learned in all of this! </div></div>

stay home?

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CeaBee</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think there is a lesson to be learned in all of this! </div></div>

stay home?

</div></div>

No way

More like I need to take vacations more often so I get more R&amp;R overall and then I wont get sick when I travel Good logic, aint it?

[evanovitch]

Re: London Calling

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
wen u come bak , if u bring anyting fi mi,sen him fi deliva it...i ongle ax fi him cause mi no wan u fi pay nuff postage n mi know seh u need u rest afta u trip...send him cause mi have di $20,000 mi did promise u n mi know u truss him fi carry it...him mite tek a couple days r weeks fi come bak wid it cause di printing press ongle put out $1 at a time fi mek sure of di quality...

but i wi mek sure dat noooo odda ooman bout di place moless err ahmmm ,a mean move een pon u property...fi mek sure, i wi even put him up in MY room so dat i can tell u weh him deh at nites...see how mi good to u </div></div>

you can chat pure [censored] when you ready eh?

Bout see how you good to me ~kissteet~

go ahead and hold your breath until he arrives...I am sending him out the door now, so you can start right away

Well, I am back home but I need to take the next 2 or 3 days off work cause I have one hell of a cold/flu/bacterial infection

Cant even hear out of my left ear at the moment. I mean completely deaf in it. And I cant speak more than 2 sentences without coughing up a lung The plane trip was pure hell cause my eardrum wanted to pop

trip good though...overall.... inspite of being sick from start to finish.....post pix later. </div></div>

poor baby....u no haffi suffah so..sen di 6 footah come fi get some fevah grass weh mi a grow...u dont know seh it wi cure u since it still a grow tru all dis snow

hope u feel betta doah babes

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

Let me jump around a bit. In terms of sightseeing my main goal this trip was to experience as many markets as I could. doing Madam Tussaud and that kind of stuff of of no interest to me...especially since I have see it all enough when I was a kid.

As for the markets, the weather wasnt at all cooperative since walking around in the rain wasnt the most brilliant idea. But I did manage to get to a few. Some more than others My absolute favorite market is <span style="font-weight: bold">SPITALFIELDS/PETTICOAT LANE.</span> I visited these 2 (which are right next to each other so I consider them as one) at least 3 times. In addition Liverpool Street is kiddy corner to the market so you are in the heart of other historical and interesting things to do in London as well.

Thanks to those who provided info on their favorite markets. I used that as a guide to pick which ones to visit. A few markets have apparently gone down hill (like Ridley market) so when I mentioned them to my family they said it would be a waste of time to see them when others are probably more interesting.

Markets of note are:

1. Spitalfields
2. Petticoat
3. Brixton
4. Borough
5. Walthamstow

<span style="font-weight: bold">Walthamstow Market</span> is one of the longest markets in the U.K. Again wear decent walking shoes and bundle up because you will be outside for a long time. This was the first market we hit they following day after we arrived. Mum used to shop there when I was a baby and bought much of my clothing there. My cousin loves it because there a few good fabric stalls where she buys much of her fabric to sew with.

The market is a good mixture of different vendors - produce, clothing, household items, jewelery etc.

&quot;Attached&quot; to the Walthamstow market is a large mall that had some decent stores in it. That is to the right.







Here is the Wikipedia blurb on the market:

<span style="font-style: italic">The High Street is dominated by Walthamstow Market, which began in 1885, and occupies all but the last 100 metres of the street. It is reputed to be a mile long, but in fact measures approximately one kilometre. The market is open five days a week (not Sunday or Monday), and there is currently a Sunday farmers' market. The street is lined with shops: a selection of high-street chains, but also many independent small shops specialising in food, fabrics, household goods etc. as well as cafés. The overall tone is downmarket and unique. There are two patches of new-ish development: at Sainsburys, and The Mall Selborne Walk covered shopping centre[6] both of which have large multi-storey car parks.
The historic central library on the High Street was modernised and expanded in 2006 - 2007, although there were claims that this was at the expense of book holdings. According to the Waltham Forest Guardian, &quot;almost a quarter of a million books have gone missing from Waltham Forest libraries amid claims they have been burned or pulped&quot; and the borough's library stock fell by 60% over the two previous years.[7] At the same time, a large plot at the corner of High Street and Hoe Street was set for substantial redevelopment as a retail space. This site previously contained the town's central Post Office and a shopping arcade, originally built in the 1960s. Plans for the redevelopment of this site fell through in 2005. It is now just a pedestrianised area with benches.</span>

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling


After nuff shopping we had to warm up and put some food in or bellies. We settled on a Turkish Coffee shop in the area. I wasnt up a strong coffee yet and had a really nice latte instead along with a vegetarian ciabitta sandwich The owner of the coffee shop owned the cafe/bakery directly across the lane way from the shop so the food came from the other side

Inside the Turkish Coffee Shop:





Note: All pictures of stores and people, I got their permission before snapping. Everyone was happy to have photos taken.

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

hope u feel betta doah babes </div></div>

I'll ignore the rest of the fart you are chatting and say thank you for this part only

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

Since we had no desire to end the shopping spree just yet we headed over to Harrod's which some pix were already posted above.

Walthamstow Central station is a major station so it is very easy to connect to other parts of London from The Selborne tube was built a few years back - I believe in anticipation of the Summer Olympics. We hopped the bus and headed off to Harrod's.

Travel in London is expensive.... 2 pounds for each leg of your journey. It makes more sense to purchase a <span style="font-weight: bold">day pass for 6.30 per day or do what I did - use an Oyster Card and load that for travel.</span> I think the fare drops to 1.30 per leg with the Oyster card. Either option it will save you loads of money vs. you buying a regular priced ticket.

Here are a few more pictures from inside Harrods.












And of course the memorial is still up.It actually looks much nicer and less gaudy from the first time I saw it a year after their deaths.

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

A little steel band playing some tropical music on a cold English night



Dont recall if I posted this picture of Oxford Street after our tour of Harrod's, but here it is anyways.



Across from Harrod's is this incredible bakery that the posh people buy their wedding cakes etc from. My cousin looked into getting the anniversary cake from them but a<span style="font-weight: bold"> 1000 pounds per cake</span> was breaking the budget





I bought a couple of the lemon tarts and strawberry tarts you see in the back and that set me back almost 15 pounds....but they were heavenly





Not a fan of doughnuts but these were incredible Jam-filled and divine

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling

Their opening blurb on the home page says it all about Spitafields:

<span style="font-style: italic">Welcome to visitspitalfields.com, the best independent guide to Spitalfields-connecting you to the most exciting areas in London.

Escape from the cloned high streets and discover 'hidden gems' from fashion, arts to interiors and property, as you wander through areas steeped in history but recently immersed in creativity and cutting edge style.

Follow the links on this site to discover the best shops, bars and restaurants. There’s 5 different local markets to choose from including the famous, Old Spitalfields Market which has been voted Best London Market 2 years in a row. Enjoy!

Old Spitalfields Market, or simply 'Spitalfields' as it is fondly known, is the world-famous East London destination. Home to a flourishing creative community, Spitalfields has over the last 14 years secured a place at the forefront of interiors, fashion, the arts and food.

It has been the site of a busy market since 1638, when King Charles gave a licence for flesh, fowl and roots to be sold in what was then known as Spittle Fields. Three hundred and sixty odd years later and now located within the historical Horner Buildings, the market continues to be the setting for a thriving narrative.

In one day a visitor to the market's stalls and independent shops can pick up anything from fair trade cushions and rare vinyl to lovingly crafted notebooks and hand carved toy trains. There are jewel encrusted vintage boots for individualist tastes, reconditioned art deco sofas for elegant sensibilities and an excellent array of food for all hungry bellies!

Situated 5 minutes from Liverpool Street Station the market has wheelchair access and is buggy friendly, with no escalators. It currently attracts 25,000 visitors per week.

Market Info:
Monday &amp; Tuesday: General Stalls
Wednesday: Deli/ records &amp; books (1st &amp; 3rd of the month)
Thursday: Antiques
Friday: Fashion &amp; Art
Saturday: All shops &amp; no stalls
Sunday: Busiest day

Opening Times:
Open all year round.
Market Stalls: Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm and Sundays, 9am - 5pm.
Restaurants: Monday to Friday, 11am - 11pm and Sundays 9am - 5pm.
Retail Shops: Monday to Sunday 11am-7pm.

How to get there:
Local bus routes: 8, 242,149 and 67
Liverpool Street Station: BR, Central, Hammersmith and City, Circle and Metropolitan lines.</span>

Like I mentioned earlier, I absolutely love this market along with Petticoat Lane.

Beginning area of Petticoat Lane





Stores along Petticoat Lane



Beautiful Home Decor store. Went back with Mr Nylah and bought a few small items later in the week.




Olive Store that shut down recently due to the recession and weakened pound



The day was wet and damp on and off so the best part of it was spent under the covered section of Spitafields

Entrance to Spitafields now

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling


At the entrance was a Japanese vendor who made stunning (I think) block prints. I purchased 2 smaller ones ad had every intention of returning later to buy one of the bigger ones. Unfortunately, I didnt make it back on a week end when this vendor is around



One of the bigger prints I was jonesing for.



This is the best part of the market: unique, one of a kind designers everywhere. You buy stuff that you will not see anywhere else.

Kinda like Haute Couture for the working class

Organic cupcakes...Dont ask cause I dont know why either



Speaking of one of a kind designers, here is one of my new favorites I bought a couple of peices from this guy and have every intention of ordering more later....
MasterFurse Designs

A shot of his wrap around wool skirts.



I am sure only a few of you will be intterested in the next set of pictures but here is the skirt that I bought



You can wrap it a million different ways from Sunday so I had to take pix to keep all he was telling me straight.






His wife designs all the jewelry and accessories. I bought one of these as well.



Really nice quality stuff And this is true for the majority of vendors in this market. Most work from home or small studios designing their clothes and or jewelry and sell their items each week at the market. It isnt overly expensive for one of a kind items. The only tricky part is that you dont have anywhere to try on certain clothing like this dress I wanted.

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling


A next gorgeous dress in the market. Most pieces average around 40 to 60 pounds.

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling


The entire area around Spitalfields had been derelict for years. At one point the City of London wanted to level the old market and build flats or something stupid at one point. But the Historic Society (whose office is around the corner) stopped its demolition. A compromise was made and the market was restored with modern touches but still retained its historical roots. I think they did a fantastic job blending the old with the new.

[nattydreadgirl]

Re: London Calling

Lovely report....Thanks for sharing.

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling






There are TONS of good restaurants to choose from



Dr Maarten store. Remember these from the 1980's They have gone uptown now



The windows above the stores are actually flats that people live in. This used to be a poor working class area and thru the preservation society people have been able to pass down these flats to the next generation without struggling to pay for them

[Nylah]

Re: London Calling


One of the bakery vendors. We picked up some coconut macroons but were sorely disappointed I didnt like them at all. Just didnt taste right.



Mum bought some of the scones for us and again, I didnt like these one bit. I scooped out the raspberry jam and clotted cream and left the yuckie scone part alone



I was losing energy really quickly but still wanted to explore. So we decided to find a restaurant to eat at and for me to have some time to gather a bit of strength. We choose a Brazilan Tapas place called Las Iguanas It is located in the heart of the market. Cant miss it.

Really really good food



We ordered a few tapas and some hot beverages to warm us up.

Chicken quesdillas with brie and papaya salsa



They called these prawns but I think they are crawfish



Now we could have had another plate of these they were so good Salfish and potato fritters oh man, were these good




Ubiquitous nachos good still