July 2016

LOVEEAST 

M A G A Z I N E 

July 2016 ISSUE 29 

Free 

your 

F R E E 

award-winning 

magazine 

Porcelain perfection 

Jo Davies's ceramic craft 

Linh Vu's refugee story 

Summer art for kids 

A Well Street revival 

Your East London – What's on – Food – People

W E S T B R 

I D G E 

H O T E L 

T H E 

W E S T B R 

I D G E 

H O T E L 

T H E 

H O T E L 

T H E 

I D G E 

W E S T B R 

W E S T B R 

I D G E 

T H E 

H O T E L 

THE WESTBRIDGE 335-337 HIGH STREET, LONDON E15 2TF 

T: +44 (0)203 327 4969 E: info@thewestbridge.com W: www.thewestbridge.com 

LoveEast Magazine Readers 

NEW DINNER MENU SPECIAL OFFER 

3 Courses for £21.50 and 2 Courses for £17.50 

(£3 supplement charge for steaks. Available from 5pm until 9:30pm) 

Valid until 31/07/2016 TO BOOK quote ‘LE01’ 

Call: +44 (0)203 327 4969 Email: info@thewestbridge.com Visit: www.thewestbridge.com 

BYO 

BRING YOUR OWN

Welcome to your local magazine 

Dear neighbours 

If you're reading this, it's July, or very nearly. As I 

write it's 23 June, press day for the magazine but 

more importantly, the day we decided whether to 

be European or not. 

LoveEast isn't political and has no intention of 

being so, but I hope we convey one simple 

message and that is the celebration of difference 

and diversity. We regularly write stories about 

the talented people who live here, many of whom 

are of different cultures and nationalities. They all 

have one thing in common and that is they have 

contributed hugely to what makes East London 

so special. 

Linh Vu is a case in point (p4). Her family were 

Vietnamese boat peope who escaped from a 

Communist regime, but who achieved great things 

against the odds. The welcome she received 

when she arrived here is cause for reflection, 

considering the political campaigns we've just 

witnessed. 

I hope you enjoy this month's edition and get to 

find out a little more about the area you live in 

and the people who surround you. 

Julie 

Julie Daniels 

T: 07752 288405 

E: julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk 

www.nutshellpublications.co.uk 

C O N T E N T S 

4 

Linh Vu's escape from 

Vietnam to a new life 

in Hackney 

8 

Potter perfection with 

ceramicist Jo Davies 

12 

Style & Substance: 

locals in focus 

32, 34 

Eat, drink, be merry. 

The best of local food 

& wine 

36 

Check out our legal, 

business, fitness and 

wellbeing advice 

Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag 

Twitter: @LoveEastMag 

Instagram: @loveeastmag 

Cover: Jo Davies ceramic vases. Photo by 

matthewbooth.photography 

To advertise in LoveEast please call 07752 288405 or email julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk for further information. 

Deadline for August edition is 10 July (please allow an extra two days if design is required). Nutshell Publications 

cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in 

this magazine. ©LoveEast all rights reserved. Magazine design, www.ilkadickens.com. No reproduction can be made 

without permission. Please recycle. 

LOVEEAST JULY 2016 3

East life 

Linh at home in Hackney 

Linh Vu fled Vietnam in the 70s along with many thousands 

of 'boat people'. Isabelle Gerretsen hears her story 

Linh Vu was seven years old when she and her 

father, Vu Khanh Thanh, fled the communist 

regime in Vietnam. In the middle of the night they 

boarded a flimsy wooden boat to set out across 

the South China Sea. 

After the communists won the Vietnam War in 

1975, Linh’s family started to plan their escape. 

Her father was a philosophy lecturer in Saigon 

and he knew it wasn’t long before the communists 

would send him to a camp to be "re-educated". 

“Most people who ended up in those camps didn’t 

survive,” Linh says. 

In 1979 she left her home and her mother, 

younger brother and sister behind. They were 

only reunited five years later. 

“I was very frightened,” Linh recalls. “We were 

dressed as local villagers and had to hide in the 

reeds waiting for a signal from the boat.” 

They spent weeks at sea. Most of the time they 

remained on the lower deck, hiding from pirate 

ships. “I didn’t know where we were going.” They 

were finally rescued by a British naval ship and 

taken to a refugee camp in Singapore. After a 

4 LOVEEAST

We had to hide in the 

reeds waiting for a signal 

from the boat 

few months they were moved to another refugee 

camp, this time on Thorney Island in West Sussex, 

where they lived for three years. 

Linh’s father spoke fluent English and became the 

interpreter and head social worker of the camp. 

His important role meant that she was sent to an 

English school in the local village where she easily 

made friends. “In Thorney Island I felt a sense of 

belonging,” she says. “Everyone was incredibly 

empathetic towards Vietnamese refugees. The 

people in the village even threw us a Christmas 

party with presents.” 

East life 

When the camp closed they moved to a council 

flat in Hackney. Linh’s dad set up the An Viet 

community centre, dedicated to supporting 

the Vietnamese immigrants, and when the rest 

of the family moved to London he opened the 

legendary Huong Viet restaurant there. Linh and 

her husband Colin, whom she met while they 

were both studying architecture, followed in her 

parents’ footsteps. Until recently they owned 

Namô (now Viet Vu) in Victoria Park village, before 

passing it on to her brother, Toan. 

Linh has been back to Vietnam to visit relatives 

and retrace her family’s roots. Her parents have 

never been back. “They have always said, ‘We left 

for a reason and we’re not going back while the 

country is still communist,’” she tells me. There 

is also the worry that it would be unsafe for her 

father to return to his village in North Vietnam. 

“He left forty years ago but the people there don’t 

forget and still bear grudges.” 

Continued overleaf... 

Beautiful Plantation Shutters & Blinds 

Introducing the “simply better” shutter range equally at home in contemporary or traditional interiors. 

Solid hardwood shutters… 

at MDF prices! 

25% off selected ranges 

Tel: 020 3418 8877 Email: sales@completeshutters.co.uk www.completeshutters.co.uk 

New Showroom at 90 George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1JJ 


East life 

What makes you most proud? 

How my dad set up the Vietnamese Community 

Centre in early 1980s to help Vietnamese 

refugees resettle and become self-sufficient. 

Where do you hang out in East London? 

Victoria Park village. 

Drawings by Linh Vu 

Best coffee in these parts? 

The Deli Downstairs in Victoria Park. 

Best restaurant? 

Vu Viet restaurant of course! 178 Victoria Park, E9. 

How has the area changed? 

It has become smarter, but it’s hanging onto its 

integrity... just, thanks to all the great locals and 

traders who still live and work in the area. 

Anything you would change? 

The one-way system. 

The area’s best-kept secret? 

Sublime's Other Half: a men's pop-up clothes and 

gift shop. 174 Victoria Park Road. 

If East London were human? 

Joseph's technicolor dream coat – any dream will 

do! 

East London in a word? 

Resilient. 

One of Linh's drawings depicting the food she ate on the 

British naval ship: apples, crackers and Heinz tomato soup 

Catholic with Confucian Tendancies, Linh's father's account 

of his 'adventures' as a Vietnamese boat person is available 

to buy at ow.ly/UjGN301mowO 

Watch Linh's extraordinary film about her journey at: 

ow.ly/9GCO301mojd 

Waiting in the reeds for their flimsy ship 

6 LOVEEAST 

In a small boat on the South China Sea

Always wanted straighter teeth? Visit us at VDental Smile Studio 

General dentistry, specialist dental referral centre, botox, fillers and chemical peels 

www.vdentalsmile.co.uk info@vdentalsmile.co.uk 

95a Eastway Hackney E9 5JA 020 8533 5661 

Revive your home with new windows & doors 

Add value to your property 

Improve energy efficiency 

Increase your security 

Contact Billy Evripidou on 07974 433023 

HENRY & SONS UK WINDOWSin partnership with Blitz Project Management 

Membership no 34206 


East London makers 

Image: Matthew Booth 

Gilded Finch bowls 

Christine Preisig meets local ceramicist Jo Davies 

Jo Davies's love of ceramics was 

kindled as a young teenager 

at school when she had the 

opportunity to work on a 

pottery project. 

The intensity of the work 

and the encouragement of 

the teacher changed her. “I 

just loved the material, its 

malleability and the fact that I 

could be so autonomous with 

just the hands as my tools,” she 

explains. 

Ceramic is a very complex 

material. There are different 

clays, many ways of firing it and 

that’s before you start to think 

about the glaze, where the 

possibilities are infinite. While 

studying in Bath and later at the 

Royal College of Art, she came 

to love those tricky elements of 

her craft. 

8 LOVEEAST 

A harder nut to crack for her 

was the fact that ceramic 

traditions, such as British studio 

ceramics, Stoke-on-Trent bone 

china or South East Asian 

traditions, seemed to weight 

heavily on what is seen as the 

right or wrong way to produce 

ceramics. Jo rebelled against 

that. She wanted to work more 

creatively, artistically – with a 

mind unclouded by traditional 

requirements. 

Jo comes from a sculptural point 

of view. “I wanted to be an artist 

– with a capital A – and was 

probably massively pretentious,” 

she says. Her earlier pottery 

work was mainly wall pieces, 

and nothing with a practical use. 

This changed during her time 

at the RCA when she started 

to focus on making functional 

ware. Vases are her favourite 

things to make. “They are nice 

sculptural vehicles that have a 

use – just about.” 

Over the years, Jo has 

developed a unique aesthetic 

that fuses simplicity with 

humorous details. She works 

exclusively in hand-thrown 

porcelain and sticks to her 

signature black and white glazes 

(with occasional gilded gold leaf 

details). 

It's fascinating to see how she 

morphs a basic piece of clay 

into a sophisticated object. 

Guided by Jo’s skillful hands, 

the clay on the throwing wheel 

takes the shape of a cone 

before it is transformed into a 

beehive and then opened up to 

give it a vessel shape.

East London makers 

She smoothly and effortlessly 

pulls up the sides and brings 

them to a clear form. Once the 

object has dried a bit overnight 

it becomes more receptive 

and can be further shaped and 

sculptured. “I slowly move and 

build tension in the body of the 

piece to really sharpen up the 

form." 

Image: Layton Thompson 

She uses sponges and her 

hands to make sure the final 

piece reflects the liquidity 

of the clay and the flow of 

the throwing process. This 

procedure happens over the 

course of a few days until it is 

ready to go into the kiln. Once 

it comes out it's sanded and 

then glazed. The glazes have 

a very liquid, satin and tactile 

feel and further enhance the 

tension of the piece. For Jo, the 

way an object feels is as equally 

important as the way it looks. 

Asked if she’s still a bit rebellious 

she admits to feeling a bit of 

an outsider in ceramics. Having 

said that, she acknowledges 

that she has just been selected 

for the Craft Potters Association. 

“I’m glad that they like what I’m 

doing but, oh my god, this is 

Jo at work in her studio 

I could be 

autonomous, 

with just the 

hands as my 

tools 

pottery establishment. It is a bit 

weird.” 

Jo offers tuition in wheel-thrown 

porcelain as well as a kiln firing 

service. Studio visits are welcome, 

please get in touch with her to 

arrange. 

A full range of items can be 

bought from her webshop: 

jo-davies.com 

Images: Far left, middle Matthew Booth; right 

Layton Thompson 

From left: Twist Pendant lampshade; Imelda half light; Jo at the throwing wheel 


What's on in July 

MON TUES WEDS THURS 

Weekly 

Pilates, 6.15pm and 

7.30pm. Hackney Forge. 

fiona.maris@yahoo.co.uk 

Global Games 

3.30-6.30pm. FREE. 

Gillette Sq., Dalston. 

For all ages. 

universalboardgames. 

co.uk 

4 

Toddler Street Dance & 

Krump, 3.30-5.30pm. 

FREE. for Kids taster 

classes at the East 

London Dance School. 

4 

American Bingo Club 

6pm. FREE. Ace 

Hotel’s Miranda club, 

Shoreditch. 

11 

Foraging Plants, 

10.30am-3.30pm. 

£16-20. Tower Hamlets 

Cemetery Park. 

11 

Wellbeing sessions 

10am-4pm. £5. Vicky 

Park community centre. 

Contact Rose 

rsrssll@hotmail.com 

18 

Edinburgh Preview 

Season, 8pm. £10. 

Hoxton Hall. 

hoxtonhall.co.uk 

Weekly 

Drop-in Volunteer 

Day, 9.30am-4pm. 

FREE. Tower Hamlets 


Hackney Harmony 

Community Choir 

7-9pm. Practise at 

Hackney City Farm. 

Contact magik_tree@ 

hotmail.com 

Yoga 10.30-11.30am. 

Mum and Babies yoga 

with Clare at Hackney 

Forge, E9. 

Woodburner Music 

Night, 7-11pm. FREE. 

Dalston Curve Garden. 

5, 12, 19 

Storytime for Under-5s 

10am-11.30am. FREE. 

Vicky Park community 

centre, Gore Rd, E9. 

12 

Ady Suleiman, 7.30pm. 

£11 adv tickets. 

Oslo Hackney. 

oslohackney.com 

26 

Cuttin’ It, 8pm. £15/£12 

conc. Until 30 July, a 

new play about FGM 

in Britain comes to the 

Yard Theatre. 

Weekly 

Gingerline 

From £57.50. Secret, 

immersive dining in 

locations along the 

East London line. 

gingerline.co.uk 

Karate 

6.15-7.15pm 

Beginners classes for 

kids & adults, Chats 

Palace. 1st class free. 

Book 07789 961 674 

Adult Pottery 

7-9pm. £15. Drop-in 

session at Hackney 

City Farm. 

Ping Pong 

11am-12pm. FREE. For 

over-50s at Dalston 

CLR James library. 

6 

Morning Gloryville 

6.30-10.30am. £18. 

Oval Space. 

morninggloryville.com 

18-22 

Furniture restoration, 

5-day course for £455. 

The School of Stuff on 

Shacklewell Lane. 

theschoolofstuff.co.uk 

20 

Wellbeing 

Massage, reflexology, 

mini manicure, mini 

pedicure. Book: Rose, 

rsrssll@hotmail.com 

27 

Coffee morning 

10.30am-12pm. FREE. 

Vicky Park community 

centre. 

Weekly 

Pilates (mixed ability) 

7.30pm. Hackney Forge. 

fiona.maris@yahoo.co.uk 

Line Dancing 

5-6pm. £2.50. Sundial 

Community Centre. 

11 Shipton Street. 

peabody.org.uk 

Yoga 

6.30pm. Haggerston 

Park. For more info visit 

ourparks.org.uk 

Mum & Baby Post-natal 

Yoga, 11.30am-12.30pm. 

£8/ £35 for 5. 

Vicky Park. wrayaj@ 

btinternet.com 

28 

Coffee, cake & book group 

10.30-11.30am. FREE. 

Hackney Central library. 

28 

After Hours: Foraging 

6.30-8.30pm. £10- 

12. Tower Hamlets 


7, 14, 21, 28 

Knit & Natter, 1-3pm. 

FREE. Vicky Park 

community centre. 

Materials supplied. 

28,29 

Indie band Spector, 8pm. 

£12 adv tickets. Moth 

Club. mothclub.co.uk 

28, 29, 30 

Ross Sutherland: Party 

Trap, 7.30pm. £6. 

60-min Edinburgh 

preview at Shoreditch 

Town Hall. 

10 LOVEEAST

Life coaching for 

modern lives 

Fast, 

strong, 

fearless 

www.millerandlove.com 

Hackney E8 

ROGER LOVE 

Personal training 

1:1 studio or park 

www.hackneypt.com 


Style & Substance 

Nicola Croucher is a local yoga & 

meditation teacher sharing peace, health, 

harmony & kindness in the East End, and is 

very beautiful inside and out. 

What's important to you? 

Helping people to build inner strength, a 

deeper level of calm, peace and joy, and to 

find a deeper connection to the world. 

What do you love about the East End? 

My Saturdays where I teach at the beautiful 

London Fields yoga studio. Afterwards, I get 

some Gujarati food from Broadway Market, 

then I hop on my pink bike 'Princess' & off I 

go on my own cosmic journey. 

Didier Oliveira is partner of The 

Pattern shop on Hackney Road, which 

has an in-house taylor and sells vintage & 

designer clothing. Didier is a purveyor of 

fashion, ex-model and all round great guy. 

What's important to you? 

Loyalty, friendship & love. Everyone needs 

love instead of war. 

What do you love about the East End? 

I love Ridley Road market, I couldn't live 

without it. TFC I love! The market is the heart 

of Dalston & a part of my weekly life. 

Interviews & portraits by Lady Ray 

12 LOVEEAST

Big days or 

little days, 

we can help 

make them 

perfect 

www.agpriceflowers.co.uk 

217-219 Well Street, E9 6QU 

020 8986 0250 

Calling all Health & 

Fitness Enthusiasts 

for Case Studies. 

LOOKING FOR 

PARTICIPANTS WITH 

BACK, HIP, AND KNEE 

ISSUES. 

Train with a Certified 

GYROTONIC® Trainer & 

Movement Scientist at a 

Discounted Rate. 

Contact for more information: 

079 723 17410 

kindall@themovementblog.co.uk 

www.themovementblog.co.uk 

Come explore one 

of Hackney’s last 

independent high streets 

Market every Sunday 11-4 

Shops, bars and restaurants 

7 days 

chatsworthroade5.co.uk 

Homerton overground | E5 0LS 


Help for hips, backs and knees 

sports clinics, etc, about the 

benefits of Gyrotonic exercise. 

These particular case studies 

will unravel an individual's 

problems related to back, hip, 

and/or knee pain. These are 

common ailments and ones 

which many people suffer from, 

so it's important to understand 

how to cope and retrain the 

body for ease and relief. 

Advertorial 

Do you suffer from back, hip or knee 

issues? The Gyrotonic Method could 

be for you, says Kindall Payne 

If you're a health and fitness 

enthusiast, I'd love to talk to you 

about taking part in a case study 

which will introduction you to 

the Gyrotonic® Method. You'll 

receive 1 to 1 training for just 

£25 per session, with weekly 

progress reports and takehome 

fitness tips and exercises. 

About the Gyrotonic Method 

Gyrotonic exercise stems from 

movements such as yoga, 

swimming, and dance, so 

there is a natural emphasis on 

lengthening the whole body 

to find strength, true range of 

motion and alignment. 

The method focuses on 

spiralling movements to 

increase flexibility. It also uses 

specialised equipment such as 

the Pulley Tower, which consists 

14 LOVEEAST 

of pulley cables with weights, 

a bench, and a set of circular 

moving handles, designed to 

enhance full range of motion 

and optimal alignment. 

Although London is only now 

beginning to catch on to the 

Gyrotonic Method, it has been 

an important and thriving form 

of exercise and rehabilitation for 

the past 20 years in major cities 

such as Los Angeles, New York, 

Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Tokyo, 

and Hong Kong. 

About the case study 

I will use the case studies 

to improve the participant’s 

knowledge about their injury 

and problem areas, as well as 

using the collected information 

to educate other trainers, 

therapists, dance schools, 

More research is needed to 

share the Gyrotonic Method’s 

benefits and generate interest 

and awareness, and your help 

will be invaluable. All case 

studies will take place at my 

home studio in Homerton, East 

London. Give me a call! 

About me: 

I'm a dancer, certified Gyrotonic 

trainer, and Kinetic Chain Release 

therapist. I have over 5 years' 

experience working with people 

of different ages, abilities, and 

backgrounds and I will cater each 

session to your needs, increasing 

fluidity, strength, flexibility, and 

awareness. 

Contact me at 07972 317 410:or 

kindall@themovementblog.co.uk 

themovementblog.co.uk 

The Pulley Tower

“Our gas bill was £350+ a month and we 

didn’t know why. Jason fixed our boiler and 

our bills are now £125 a month” 

Jenny Carmichael ~ customer 

ARE YOUR BILLS TOO HIGH? 

Contact Jason on 07775 338 984 

or email jkf.gas@gmail.com 

JKF Plumbing and Heating 

Quote LoveEast for 10% off (T&Cs apply) 

Your safety is 

our concern 

The most comprehensive lock-based service available 

Empire Security, 8-20 Well Street, E9 7PX 

020 8986 7921 


Well Street Market 

With your support a new and better Well Street Market can 

return to East London, writes Julie Daniels 

Nestled between Victoria Park, London Fields and 

the new Fashion Hub is Well Street. It's difficult to 

say "Well Street" without wanting to add "market" 

but sadly the stalls, along with the word, are a 

distant memory. 

Fortunately, there is a 

determination to change all that. 

Well Street Traders and Residents 

Association (WESTRA) are calling 

on locals and businesses to 

back their Spacehive campaign 

to crowd-fund the return of 

the historic market – as well 

as providing local training and 

employment opportunities. 

Well Street Market will be more than a market. 

It’s an innovative, exciting and bold project to 

encourage and support the local community. 

It's Well 

Street's time 

to shine 

WESTRA hope to transform Well Street into a 

bustling hive of activity, regenerating the area and 

making it a "go to" destination. 

It will become a market street filled with amazing 

produce, and a space that unites the community. 

There will be hanging baskets 

filled with flowers in summer, and 

Christmas lights twinkling through 

the winter. It will once again be a 

street to be proud of. 

Young entrepreneurial talent 

will be nurtured in the Teenage 

Market – providing a free platform 

for locals to showcase their talent. 

There will also be a Student 

Makers Market giving free economic and business 

training to local creatives – making Well Street the 

place to find amazing unique design pieces. 

16 LOVEEAST

Well Street Market 

Integral to Well Street will be a live music stage, 

where locals can book performance slots. The 

market will also develop a music mentoring 

programme encouraging new routes into work. 

WESTRA is also collaborating with The World 

Bee Project to bring rooftop hives to Well Street, 

producing honey to be sold on the market. 

The group’s ideas were informed by what local 

people wanted from their market. Alongside a 

demand for fresh local produce at affordable 

prices, people spoke of wanting a market they 

felt part of and welcome at, and one that also 

provided opportunities for local people. 

“Well Street Market will bring a huge amount of 

positive change to the community, along with 

benefiting local business," said Greg Kirk of The 

Grand Howl café. "It’s Well Street’s time to shine.” 

Well Street needs your support 

Through crowd-funding WESTRA aim to raise 

£82,000 in start-up costs, and are on track to 

receive a pledge from the Mayor of London 

of up to £20,000. There’s been support and 

encouragement from the GLA’s regeneration 

team, together with Hackney Council, but they 

need local residents and business to back the 

project and pledge their support so that the 

market can be up and running later this year. 

It’s an all or nothing campaign, and that means 

that unless WESTRA reach their goal of £82,000 

they won’t receive a penny. 

“We want to celebrate all the energies of our 

community and again make it an exciting place to 

be," says Kay Richardson, WESTRA’s Development 

Manager. "We’ll create pathways into work and 

support local makers and producers; making it an 

exciting, dynamic and creative new place for the 

community to be proud of. We need locals to get 

behind the project and pledge.” 

The Spacehive campaign is scheduled to end on 10 

August. Time is running out and every penny counts, 

so please do help this worthy cause. Make your 

pledge at: 

spacehive.com/well-street-market 

Images, clockwise from top left: Winter Festival 2015; 

Jackie Dacres (Rekindled); Greg Kirk and Ben Cochran 

(the Grand Howl); Nick Stephens (The Gun) 


What's on in July 

FRI SAT SAT SUN 

Weekly 

Night Tales 5pm start. 

£3 entry. Hepscott 

Road, Hackney Wick. 

Victoria Park Craft 

Beer Tour and 

Tastings, 7-10pm. £35. 

designmynight.com 

Pottery hand-throwing 

6-9pm, adults & kids 

12+, Wonderland 

Ceramics, E9. 

1 

New Queer Visions 

6pm. Celebrate LGBTQ 

with the East End Film 

Festival. Club Miranda, 

Ace Hotel. 

1 

Slidy Slide 

£15. World’s Longest 

Tunnel Slide at the 

Arcelormittal Orbit. 

1, 8, 15, 22 

Networx Computer class 

2-4pm. FREE. Vicky Park 

community centre. 

8 

Bowie Post-Glam, £5 per 

ticket. Pre-Pop night at 

Shacklewell Arms. 

15, 16 

Lovebox, at Vicky Park. 

loveboxfestival.com 

22, 23 

Anniversary Games 

return to Olympic 

Stadium. Prices vary, 

britishathletics.org.uk 

Weekly 

Roman Road Yard Mkt 

10-4pm. Roman Road 

Yard market has some 

exciting new traders 

including the great NLR 

vinyl stall. 

Geffrye explorers 

12.30-4.30pm, ages 

3-11yrs. geffryemuseum.org.uk 

2 

Film show, 1.30-6pm. 

£12.50/£10 conc. Forty 

Years of Film in the 

East End showcases at 

Whitechapel Gallery, 

London E1. 

9 

Bird Barmy Army, 10am- 

12.30pm. Meet at the 

V&A building in Victoria 

Park. 

9 

Dalston Music Festival, 

£15-25. Look out for 

details coming soon! 

dalstonmusicfestival.com 

9 

East End Fringe Festival 

Month-long festival 

begins today. 

eastlondonfringefest.co.uk 

9, 30 

Walk Hackney leads a 

local history walk. Meet 

at Dalston Junction 

station at 11am. 

2 hours, £8 per walker. 

9 

Shuffle, 10am. Free-£24. 

24-Hour Festival in Bow. 

shufflefestival.com 

30 

Urban Beekeeping 

Workshop, 10am- 

3pm. £73.45 per 

ticket. Woodberry 

Wetlands. Book via 

woodberrywetlands. 

org.uk 

23 

Urban Makers East 

11am-5pm. Summer 

market at Mile End 

Ecology Pavilion. 

Original art work, 

homewares, ceramics, 

textiles, jewellery and 

loads more. Plus the 

Mini Makers Room 

is back with fun and 

entertainment for the 

children. 

30 

Make your Mark 

11am-1pm. Make Your 

Mark on Vicky Park with 

the community park 

rangers. Meet near St 

Agnes Gate. 

30 

World Cup '66. Again. 

2.30pm. Relive the 

World Cup ‘66 Live 

at the Rio Cinema in 

Dalston 

Weekly 

Kidzmania, 10am-6pm. 

£2-5 entry. 

kidzmania.co.uk 

3, 10, 17 

Children’s Street Dance 

9.15-11.55am. £5-8. Js 

Dance Factory, 

jsdancefactory.co.uk/ 

shoreditch 

10 

The Kenton, Time Out’s 

2015 Most Loved 

London Pub. Euro 2016 

final, 8pm. 

17 

Citadel festival, Tickets 

from £55. Vicky Park.. 

citadelfestival.com 

London-Southend bike 

ride, 7-10am. £20. 

Starting at Vicky Park. 

bike-events.com 

St Joseph Hospice’s 

Summer Knees Up 2016 

12-5pm. London Fields. 

24 

Summer Festival at 

Museum of Childhood, 

11.30-4.30pm. Drop-in, 

all ages. 

24 

Roman Road Festival 

Street food, designermakers, 

workshops, 

Roman Road pop-up 

choir and more. 

31 

Bengali New Year 

Celebrate at the 

Boishakhi Mela, 

Weavers Fields. 

18 LOVEEAST

What's on at Museum of Childhood 

If you’re looking for something 

creative for the kids to do this 

summer, there are still places 

available on the Museum of 

Childhood's two artist-led 

summer camps. Children can 

create films, make giant toy cars 

and have messy fun. Split into 

two age groups (5-10 and 8-11), 

the camps will run weekdays 

from 25 July to 5 August and 

cost from £80 for two days. Full 

details and booking information 

are available online. 

Red Riding Hood © Sonya Hurtado 

Fairy tales, festivals and family fun 

Don't miss Tales, a new display 

of work by local Hackney 

photographer Sonya Hurtado, 

which opens on 23 July. The 

series of 12 images explores the 

imaginary world of childhood, 

set in the context of fairy tales 

and children’s stories. The 

photographs are conceived 

almost like paintings, full of 

colour and vibrancy, with 

inspiration from surrealism, 

film and much more. The 

manipulation of shadow, light 

and colour creates a playful 

and at times almost sinister 

atmosphere. 

Not to be missed is the 

museum’s annual summer 

festival on Sunday, 24 July. 

Whatever the weather, there 

will be a colourful mix of live 

entertainment right on your 

doorstep. The museum will 

come alive with a buzzing 

programme of live music, 

dance, walkabout acts, designer 

stalls, food, face paints, henna, 

rickshaw rides, games and lots 

for kids to make and do. 

For full details and to book a 

place on the summer camps 

visit vam.ac.uk/moc/whatson 

V&A Museum of Childhood 

Cambridge Heath Road 

London, E2 9PA 

Hair studio Hair studio in the in heart the heart of London of London Fields Fields 

offering offering men’s, women’s, women’s, cut & cut colour. & colour. 

“London’s “London’s best colourist best colourist for blonde for blonde hair” hair” 

Time Out Time Out 

www.kennaland.com 

0207 254 0207 1499 254 1499 

47 Martello 47 Martello St, E8 3PE St, E8 3PE 

kennaland_london 

kennaland_london 

kennaland kennaland 


Arts 

Photos: Angie Gough 

Angie Gough discovers how to make 

kids (and their grown-ups) Appy happy 

this summer 

With summer holidays and the 

prospect of long days at home 

(or car journeys to more exotic 

places) on the horizon, I thought 

I’d share my recommendations 

for apps and online options 

to keep the kids happy. I’m 

so often torn between letting 

my three loose on the laptop 

and feeling like a bad parent, 

but there is loads of inspiring 

stuff online that really does fire 

imaginations and give the kids a 

#KickUpTheArts. 

Apps 

When it comes to apps, there 

are plenty of free ones for all 

ages, but our favourites are by 

developer Toca Boca. They're 

affordable (some, not all, are 

free), beautifully designed and 

fun to explore. Kids can design 

their own creatures, make their 

own music, or even get creative 

in the kitchen. No matter the 

app my three invariably recreate 

in real life after a session with 

Toca Boca. 

MoMA Art Lab on iPad 

MoMA Art Lab is a window into 

the wonderful world of the 

museum’s modern art collection 

and full of simple, beautiful 

activities that introduce art 

techniques and, rather uniquely, 

encourages creativity between 

friends and family members. It’s 

free and it’s loads of fun. 

Tate’s Noisy Neighbours app 

is filled with really vibrant 

illustrations and allows users to 

create their own characters and 

record sounds, which makes it a 

big hit in our house. 

As to be expected of an arty 

farty powerhouse like Tate, 

it has a great kids' section 

on the website – they bring 

kids together with artists like 

Hackney resident Camille 

Walala, film the results and 

suggest simple, creative projects 

worth doing on a stay at home 

kinda day. 

20 LOVEEAST

Arts 

YouTube 

A firm family favourite at Arts 

Crusade HQ is Art Hub for 

Kids. American Dad Rob is an 

illustrator who does a weekly 

drawing tutorial with his two 

kids and pops it up on his 

fantastic YouTube channel for 

viewers to draw along. Rob 

takes things so slowly that 

it really is foolproof and the 

sense of satisfaction the kids 

get from drawing their favourite 

characters is pretty ace. Try it, 

no matter the age. 

Make Film Play is another 

YouTube channel worth a look 

for video tutorials on how to 

bring art to life. 

Blogs & Websites 

Craftwhack is a blog run by New 

Yorker Jeanette Nyberg and she 

nails it for ages 8-15 with a great 

sense of humour in all that she 

does. She’s my go-to gal when 

it comes to seeking inspiration 

for easy-to-do activities, most 

recently making giant flowers 

for a Frida Kahlo-themed 

playdate. Yes, really. 

The Artful Parent, Allie No Flash 

Cards and Babble Dabble Do 

are three more worth a look-see 

for arty farty inspiration with an 

educational slant. 

Instagram is an absolute 

goldmine when it comes to 

creative inspiration for kiddos 

and adults alike. Check out Susy 

Rugg, aka @HandyWithScissors 

– an Australian who makes the 

funnest stuff with everyday 

recycled materials – her 

imagination knows no bounds 

and the projects are all simple 

and worth hanging on to after 

they’re done. @ArtFido is 

another account that distracts 

and amazes my kiddos. Visit it 

to see why. You’ll find me on 

there as @TheArtsCrusader too 

of course ;) 

IRL 

For anyone who prefers to get 

their art kicks In Real Life, Art 

Bash and Lemon Art Lab are 

two Hackney-based art clubs, 

happy to give the kids you love 

a #KickUpTheArts this Summer 

and beyond. 

Happy holidays folks. Swoosh! 

Read more on theartscrusader. 

blogspot.co.uk 

Kiddos Oisin & Edie (hiding) following Art Hub For Kids 

View of the bandstand in Victoria Park ©Heather James 2013 

Heather James: art 

Original artwork • giclée prints 

greetings cards • available for sale 

www.plantin.co.uk 

art@plantin.plus.com 


MON TUES WEDS THURS 

Art events 

General events 

Outdoor events 

July 

4 

Pilates, p10 

Global Games, p10 

Toddler Street Dance 

& Krump, p10 

5 

‘Drop-in’ Volunteer Day, p10 

Hackney Harmony Community 

Choir, p10 

Yoga, p10 

Woodburner Music Night, p10 

6 

Gingerline, p10 

Chats Palace, p10 

Adult Pottery, p10 

Ping Pong, p10 

Morning Gloryville, p10 

7 

Pilates, p10 

Line Dancing, p10 

Yoga, p10 

Mum & Baby 

Yoga, p10 

11 

Pilates, p10 


Foraging, p10 

Wellbeing sessions, 

p10 

12 


Hackney Harmony Community 

Choir, p10 

Yoga, p10 


13 





14 

Pilates, p10 


Mum & Baby 

Yoga, p10 

Knit & Natter, p10 

18 

Pilates, p10 


Edinburgh Preview 

Season, p10 

Furniture restore, p10 

19 


Community Choir, p10 

Ady Suleiman, p10 


Storytime, p10 

20 





Furniture restoration, p10 

21 


Yoga, p10 

Mum & Baby 

Yoga, p10 

Knit & Natter, p10 

25 

Pilates, p10 


26 

Community Choir, p10 

Woodburner Music, p10 

Cuttin' It, p10 

27 




28 

Book group, p10 

Foraging, p10 

Spector, p10 

22 LOVEEAST

FRI SAT SUN 

1 

Night Tales, p18 

Pottery & hand-throwing, p18 

New Queer Visions, p18 

Longest Tunnel Slide, p18 

Networx Computer class, p18 

2 

Roman Road Yard market, p18 

40 Years of Film, p18 

3 

Kidzmania, p18 

Children’s Street Dance, 

p18 

8 


Craft Beer Tour,Tastings, p18 

Bowie Post-Glam, p18 


15 


Craft Beer Tour, Tastings, p18 


Lovebox, p18 


9 

Roman Rd Yard Market, p18 

Bird Barmy Army, p18 

Dalston Music Festival, p18 

East London Fringe Festival, p18 

Walk Hackney, p18 

Shuffle, p18 

16 


Update Your Upholstery, p18 

Lovebox, p18 

10 


Children’s Street Dance, 

p18 

The Kenton, p18 

17 


Kids’ Street Dance, p18 

London-Southend bike 

ride, p18 

St Joseph Hospice’s 

Summer Knees Up, p18 

22 


Craft Beer Tour, Tastings, p18 


London Anniversary Games, p18 

Furniture restoration, p18 

23 


London Anniversary Games, p18 

24 


Roman Road Summer 

Festival, p18 

Museum of Childhood’s 

Summer Festival, p18 

29 


Spector, p18 

Ross Sutherland, p18 

30 


Walk Hackney, p18 

Beekeeping Workshop, p18 

Ross Sutherland, p18 

31 


Bengali New Year, p18 


Urban beekeeping 

Dale Gibson holding a beehive frame at one of eight hives on the roof of his home 

Urban beekeeping is a 

thriving industry, discovers 

Rhowena MacCuish 

As with many artisan products, people are 

catching on to the fact that raw honey is a very 

good thing indeed. Naturally, the taste exceeds 

that of its processed cousins and contains far 

more nutritional benefits. 

I recently met Dale Gibson, who runs Bermondsey 

Street Bees. He's carrying on a tradition of 

beekeeping that's almost a thousand years old. 

"Dating back to when the Cluniac monks built 

Bermondsey Abbey in 1082," he tells me. 

Dale rears healthy bees in harmony with 

sustainable surroundings, then harvests their 

honey as a raw artisan food. "Both are immensely 

satisfying occupations. Beekeeping draws on 

many manual skill-sets, as well as a sensitivity 

to the natural world. Done properly, it forges a 

remarkable link between human beings and bees. 

We currently face a big problem in that there is 

simply not enough forage for the bees to gather 

food from. In central London alone there are 

over 3,000 hives per 10km². Each hive needs a 

staggering 20kg of pollen and 50kg of nectar just 

24 LOVEEAST 

to survive – and that's before any honey can be 

harvested for us to enjoy. 

Bermondsey Street Bees is helping to combat this 

problem and works with government schemes, 

local councils and community groups to plant 

suitable forage and turn wasted space into 

thriving habitats that benefit bees and in turn all 

kinds of other wildlife. 

Check out what community groups such as 

Sustainable Hackney are doing in terms of 

planting bee-friendly trees and plants, and head 

to bermondseystreetbees.co.uk for their handy beefriendly 

planting guides. 

To get your hands on their exquisite awardwinning 

honeys visit the Bermondsey Street 

Festival in September, or Maltby Street Food 

Market. 

Honey bees at work

JAMES’ STORY: PART 4 

I never thought I would enjoy it 

quite this much. 

But I’m here after 10 months, up to 4 times per week. 

If you want to exercise on a small budget, with 

professional tuition, on your own terms, amongst 

all the very normal people of Hackney, then look no 

further. London Fields Fitness is where it’s at. 

the end 

£30=130 

classes p/month 

fitness classes - spin - personal training 

FIND OUT MORE AT 

londonfieldsfitness.com / @londonfieldsfit 



Urban Makers East are back with not one but two 

makers markets. LoveEast finds out more 

Urban Makers East are returning to the stunning 

Mile End Ecology Pavilion on Saturday, 23 July 

to host their summer market. They will be 

showcasing a hand-picked selection of designermakers 

and artists. Savvy shoppers can expect to 

find an exciting range of original art works, screen 

prints, homewares, ceramics, textiles, jewellery 

and contemporary miscellania. Their Mini Makers 

Room will be back with summer-themed free craft 

activities to keep the kids entertained. 

Expect workshops, outdoor kids' activities and 

the ever popular Urban Makers Feast with artisan 

food, coffee, ice cream and summer cocktails. 

Trade for Free 

Once again they're calling out for up-and-coming 

designer-makers to apply for a free stall. So if you 

have been trading for less than 12 months and 

have never taken part in a market before, please 

apply. They will offer all the support you need, 

before the market, during and after. It’s a great 

opportunity for a fledgling designer. 

They are also curating a market for the annual 

Roman Road Festival on Sunday, 24 July. A free 

stall is up for grabs here, too. Please see their 

website for further details and how to apply. 

romanroadlondon.com/festival/ 

Photo: © L’ETABLI 

26 LOVEEAST


What inspired you to start Urban Makers East? 

As makers ourselves, living in the creative and 

vibrant East End, we realised that there wasn’t 

anywhere local to showcase our designs. There 

were larger markets, but nothing affordable nearby 

to support designers like ourselves from the Bow, 

Hackney and Mile End areas. 

What's been the highlight so far? 

Our Spring Market at Mile End Ecology Pavilion was 

a real highlight for us. Everything came together 

so well. The traders, workshops, food sellers, the 

people who came to the event, children enjoying 

our Mini Makers Room and the Pond Dipping; it was 

all fantastic. We were thrilled that so many people 

came to support local independent traders. 

Why did you decide to offer a free stall? 

We have been there and we know how daunting 

it can be to take the leap and start trading at a 

market. It can be expensive and the worry is that 

you won’t make any money on the day to recoup 

all your expenses. It’s not just the market costs, it’s 

the props to make your stall look good, insurance, 

the money it takes to make enough stock to sell at 

the market – it can all get stressful. 

What's next for Urban Makers East? 

We're already planning our Autumn and Christmas 

Markets. We're hoping to expand our Urban 

Makers Feast section of the market and have more 

wonderful street food traders and make it a real 

destination for the weekend. It’s an exciting time 

for us, if a little busy! 

Any advice for designer-makers just starting up? 

Come to one of our social events – they're a great 

way to meet fellow designer-makers for advice and 

inspiration. We are always available, through social 

media, phone or happy to meet for a chat. 

urbanmakerseast.co.uk 

LoveEast Magazine is the proud sponsor of Urban 

Makers East 

Urban Makers East Summer Markets will 

be held on Saturday, 23 July, from 11am-5pm 

at the Mile End Ecology Pavilion, and at the 

Roman Road Festival on Sunday, 24 July from 

11am-6pm. 

Founders Jo Croucher, Julia Redgrove and Ilka Dickens 

Delivering the finest seasonal flowers from 

our shop in Victoria Park village. Specialising 

in weddings, events, gift bouquets, and 

signature posies and plants 

Larkspur & Lavender, 211a Victoria Park Road, 

E9 7JN. 0208 533 6589 or 07951 890424 

larkspurandlavender.com 


What to do 

Museums 

Victorian Seaside Summer at the Ragged School 

Museum – every Wednesday & Thursday 27 July- 

25 August, 10am-5pm. Free. 

raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk 

Free drop-in activities every day at The Museum 

of Childhood, including arts and crafts, tours, trails 

and storytelling. For ages 3-12 years. Plus don't 

miss their Summer Festival on 24th. Cambridge 

Heath Road, E2. Plus: check out p19 for this 

month's extra activities. 

Want to be a Geffrye Explorer? There is lots of fun 

to be had between 12.30pm and 4.30pm every 

Saturday at geffrye-museum.org.uk 

Pottery 

On Sundays: Weekly drop-in children's pottery at 

Drama and story-telling 

classes for under 5s 

Has your little one 

got the acting bug? 

Join Sam Seager 

(Bobby from Cbeebies 

Me Too!) and her team 

First class is FREE 

Every Wednesday morning at 

Hackney Forge, 243a Victoria 

Park Road, E9 7HD 

Email Sam at info@actingbugs.co.uk and 

get your child's imagination buzzing 

www.actingbugs.co.uk 

Hackney City Farm, 11am-1pm and 2-4pm. £5. 

Goldsmith's Row, E2. 

Hand-throwing classes at Wonderland Ceramics 

every Friday evening, wonderlandceramics.com 

Stories 

Storytime for the under 5s at Victoria Park 

Community Centre every Tuesday from 10am to 

11.30am. 5 Gore Road, E9. FREE. 

Third Tuesday of the month: 4-5pm. . 

Chatterbooks reading group (ages 8-12) at 

Clapton library. Call 020 8356 7480 for more info 

Karate 

Beginners' classes at Chats Palace. First clas free. 

Book 07789 961674 

Building 

Free Mini Builders at Shoreditch Library for under 

5s and parents. 

Swimming 

London Fields Lido offer swimming lessons and 

they’ve started giving stages 3-8 swimming classes 

again. Go to betterlessons.org.uk for details and 

booking. Plus of course, there's Mile End Leisure 

Centre, York Hall in Bethnal Green and the 

gorgeous Aquatics Centre, QE Olympic Park. 

Children's Centres 

Wentworth on Cassland Road (wentworth. 

hackney.sch.uk), Gainsborough on Berkshire Road 

(gainsborough.hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre), 

and Morningside on Chatham Place (morningside. 

hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre). Meath Gardens 

Children's Centre, 1 Smart Street, E2; Mile End 

Leisure Centre, The One O'Clock Club (Vicky Park 

near boating lake); Overland Children's Centre, 60 

Parnell Road, E3. 

Yoga for babies... 

Baby-focused classes using massage, classical 

yoga postures, stretches and balances adapted 

to their stage of growth. Fridays, Royal Inn on the 

Park, E9.10.45am-11.45am. £6.50. Karen: firsttouchmassage@hotmail.co.uk, 

07902 227 669. 

28 LOVEEAST

with the kids 

Yoga for babies... and their mums 

Yoga for Mums and Babies, every Tuesday 

at 10.15am with tea and biscuits afterwards. 

Hackney Forge, E9. 07958 645 978 or email 

clare@clareday-yoga.co.uk 

Acting 

Diddy Bugs. Try Hackney Forge on a Wednesday 

morning. Cbeebies actress Samantha Seager runs 

acting classes for little tots. actingbugs.co.uk 

Music 

Piccolo music for babies and toddlers, Mondays, 

Wednesdays and Fridays in the V&A building 

in Victoria Park. Toddler class 10am, baby class 

11am. Just drop in. Stefanie, 07708 451 314. 

Baby Music Class in the Straw Bale building at 

Hackney City Farm. 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am. 

babymusicclass.co.uk 

Dancing 

Toddler Street Dance at eastlondondance.org 

Wiggly Jigglers at Rich Mix. Creative movement for 

0-2yrs. Call 020 7613 7498 to book. 

There’s ballet for children at the Hackney Forge 

on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call Mafalda 

on 07550 722 693 for details and check out 

mafaldaballetblog.blogspot.com 

Activity times may change, so please do check on 

times/availability via the websites or phone numbers 

provided after each entry. 

Piccolo 

Singing, Music & Dancing 

A truly fun-packed 

45 minute drop-in 

session for babies 

and toddlers, 

featuring action 

songs, puppets & 

musical instruments. 

“It’s simply 

effervescent!” Now in 

its tenth year! 

Come along and join the fun! 

Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday 

V&A Building, children’s playground Victoria Park, opposite The Royal Inn Pub, 

Grove Road, Hackney E9 7HJ 

Drop - in £5.00 per child, siblings £2.50, Term time only 

For more information contact Stefanie on 

07708 451314 or s_guselli@sky.com 

Join the Victoria Park 

Summer Art Camp with 

Wonderland Ceramics 

from Monday, 25 July to 

Friday, 19 August (for 8 

to 12-year-olds). 

Price is £39 per day. Discount for 5 

to 9 days (£37 a day), or £35 a day if 

booking 10 days. 

The children will enjoy a new craft 

activity each day, from ceramic painting 

& throwing on the potter’s wheel, to 

felting, casting and screen-printing – 

and a play in Victoria Park playgrounds. 

wonderlandceramics.com/wp/art-campvictoria-park/ 

info@wonderlandceramics.com 

020 8985 1214 


Gardening 

provides year round access, and 

makes mowing simple. Beech 

hedges either side add volume 

and structure, and over time will 

frame the wilder area beyond, 

where apple, plum and cherry 

trees form a diminutive orchard. 

Native grasses and beautiful 

weeping birch trees soften 

the far corners, sheltering an 

informal seating area of sunken 

railway sleepers. 

From a tired and unused space (below) to year-round beauty 

If your garden needs a new lease of 

life, we can help, writes Izi Glover 

This was a particularly 

serendipitous garden project, 

that began back in March when a 

LoveEast reader from Bow asked 

us for help with their back 

garden. The old decking in their 

five by seven metre patch had 

long given way, and they were 

looking for some inspiration 

so that they could enjoy their 

outside space once more. 

After a good chat, we came up 

with a plan. Floriferous borders 

were number one on the list, 

with plants to give lengthy 

colour and interest – foxgloves, 

aromatic Nepeta (catmint), 

hardy Geranium "Johnson’s 

Blue", Japanese anemones and 

wafting Mexican feather grass. 

Roses add height and drama 

– Rosa glauca with its hint of 

the wild and Rosa "Fru Dagmar 

Hastrup" for its pointed hips and 

fragrance. A lawn extends from 

the existing patio paving to the 

rear of the garden, making a soft 

relaxation space and giving a 

good year-round eyeful of green. 

Paving set into the lawn edges 

Our landscapers worked hard 

and fast, and within a few days 

the new garden was complete. 

Our customers told us that on 

the first weekend they kept on 

popping outside just to see their 

new garden. We hope they enjoy 

it for years to come. 

Tasks for July 

Give greenfly the brush off, or 

squirt them with a weak solution 

of water and washing up liquid. 

Keep the weeds down! Try a little 

weeding more often to prevent 

weeds from setting seed and 

increasing their numbers. 

Izi Glover is a Hackney 

gardener at London Fields and 

Gardens. Email her at info@ 

londonfieldsandgardens.com 

Waiting for transformation 

A sketch for inspiration 

30 LOVEEAST

Featured restaurant 

Advertorial 

The Westbridge is a stylish 

boutique hotel serving 

delicious modern cuisine 

If you like glamorous surroundings, great food 

and faultless service, you can't go wrong with 

The Westbridge Hotel. Situated in the heart 

of Stratford, you'll find luxury accommodation 

and contemporary dining in a relaxed, informal 

atmosphere. 

The boutique hotel has received the TripAdvisor 

Certificate of Excellence, and that's enhanced 

by 5* Facebook reviews. Its unique character 

and friendly attentive staff are evident from the 

moment you arrive. This is a real gem in Stratford. 

afternoon tea and dinner. The menu is carefully 

put together to satisfy a range of tastes, and all 

dishes are prepared in-house from fresh, locallygrown 

produce. 

Starters include courgette, garden peas and 

mozzarella arancini, grilled chicken salad with 

pomegranate and quinoa, steamed mussels, and 

extra spicy chicken wings. Mains include all-time 

favourite T-Bone steaks marinated in house, 

mushroom risotto, grilled salmon and classic beef 

burger with brioche bun. Desserts are light and 

fresh and include delicious lemongrass crème 

brulée with biscotti. 

It is a halal, BYOB restaurant without corkage fee. 

The Westbridge Hotel, 335-337 High St, London E15 

2TF. 020 8108 3479. thewestbridge.com 

The building is Grade II listed, dating back to the 

1740s, and is in a great location – just minutes 

from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Westfield 

Stratford City, ExCeL Exhibition Centre, the City 

and the O2 Arena. 

The focus of the hotel and restaurant is on great 

customer experience. There is also a private 

courtyard where guests can enjoy full service from 

the restaurant – weather permitting. 

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 

7am to 10pm, and serves breakfast, lunch, 

One of the restaurant's dishes, mushroom risotto 


The wine guide 

sold in supermarkets, but wines tend to come 

with a higher price tag if they come from ecoconscious, 

small producers who carefully oversee 

the entire process from grape to bottle. 

Region 

Italy is the only country in the world in which 

every single political region produces wine and 

has its own specific appellation. Every style of 

Italian wine is rooted in the geography, climate 

and culture of its corresponding region and vice 

versa. So, if you like Tuscany, for instance, look 

out for a Chianti or a Brunello, or if you feel like 

exploring a seaside region such as Puglia or Sicily, 

go for a Primitivo or Nero d’Avola. 

Three authentic wines from Vinarius 

Wine expert Eugenio 

Ciccarelli's helps guide you 

to the perfect bottle of 

Italian wine 

Italy can be the most exciting place in the world 

to choose a bottle of wine from. History and wine 

are virtually synonymous there. Like nowhere 

else, the country boasts thousand of wine styles, 

grape varieties and producers. Of course, buying 

Italian wine can also be overwhelming due to the 

sheer number of names, appellations and areas. 

So here are a few quick tips that should steer you 

in the direction of a great bottle of vino italiano. 

Price 

With certain exceptions, the price of a bottle can 

be a useful indication of the quality of a wine. The 

majority of Italian wines imported into the UK are 

32 LOVEEAST 

Classification 

Italian wine classification is quite complicated 

and very strict. At the top of the quality pyramid 

are bottles labelled as DOCG (Denominazione di 

Origine Controllata e Garantita), which means that 

the wines are produced under very rigorous rules 

and supervised and guaranteed by a government 

body. Only around 7% of total Italian wine 

production comprises DOCG-level wines, and 

this includes most of the famous names (Barolo, 

Brunello, etc.). For a very safe choice, opt for a 

DOCG, which can be recognised by the sticker 

on the neck of the bottle. 

Grape varieties 

There are around 1,300 grapes varieties around 

the world that you can use to make wine, and 

almost all come from the Mediterranean area. 

Italy alone possesses 400 grapes used in wine 

production from the very popular and widespread 

(Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, etc), to the very rare 

or even nearly extinct. Yet all of them come 

complete with a particular character and history. 

This provides the chance to experiment and 

be inspired by the unparalleled diversity of this 

blessed country for a lifetime. Why not ask for 

a Ruché (which is also a DOCG), a Grechetto, a 

Pecorino, a Coda di Volpe or a Grignolino? Drink, 

learn and enjoy: the choice is endless! 

Eugenio Ciccarelli is a qualified winemaker and 

specialist Italian wine buyer for Vinarius. 

Vinarius is a wine merchant and enoteca located at 

536 Roman Road, London, E3. 

vinarius.london

Rowing boats and 

pedalos for hire, Victoria 

Park West Lake 

Use it or lose it 

Personal training with Michelle Crawford 

Children welcome if you can't get childcare 

Fighting Fit Studio, 15 Bow Wharf, E3 5SN 

michellept.wordpress.com 

07805 612127 

Regal Boat Hire Ltd 

07852 127895 

info@regalboathire.co.uk 


Eating in 

fish or vegetable stock. Add the 

cooked pasta, 1 tablespoon of 

lemon juice and give the pasta a 

good mix. Check for seasoning. 

The sauce should coat the back 

of the spoon but not be too 

thick. Add more stock if the 

mixture looks dry. 

Once the pasta is heated 

through. Serve immediately 

with the pickled cucumber and 

sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

Waterhouse Restaurant 

and Cookery School: 

waterhouserestaurant.co.uk. 

For info about Shoreditch Trust: 

shoreditchtrust.org.uk/Home 

Crab Tagliatelle 

The Waterhouse Restaurant is 

host to Shoreditch Trust's Blue 

Marble Training Programme, 

providing opportunities and 

support for vulnerable young 

people to access careers in 

food. The restaurant is open for 

breakfast and lunch, and hosts 

the Waterhouse Cookery School 

in the evening. 

One of our popular summer 

dishes is crab tagliatelle. Look 

out for the Marine Stewardship 

Council (MSC) logo in your local 

supermarket to ensure you’re 

buying sustainable, wild-caught 

seafood. 

Method 

For the pickled cucumber, peel 

and de-seed the cucumber. 

Halve lengthways and slice into 

half-moon shapes 5mm thick. 

Add the vinegar, icing sugar, 

salt and parsley and mix well. 

Pick through the crab meat on 

a metal tray by pressing and 

pulling the meat towards you. 

Repeat this three times to make 

sure no shell is left. (Top tip: 

using a metal tray will enable 

you to hear if there is any shell 

left in your mix as you press the 

crab onto the tray.) 

In a bowl, mix together all the 

ingredients for the crab mix and 

season. Cover and leave to chill 

in the fridge. 

In a large pan, place 750ml of 

water to boil and add pasta. If 

using fresh pasta, cook for a 

few minutes until the tagliatelle 

floats to the top. If using dried 

pasta, cook for 7-10 minutes 

until the pasta is al dente. 

In a large frying pan, heat up 

the crab mix with 100ml of the 

Ingredients (for 4- 6) 

For the crab mix 

250g picked white crab meat 

1 shallot, finely chopped 

1 red chilli, finely chopped 

½ lemon, zest and juice 

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 

finely chopped 

50g mascarpone 

Salt & pepper,to taste 

For the pickled cucumber 

1 cucumbers 

½ tablespoon icing sugar 

25ml white wine vinegar 

½ tablespoon fresh parsley, 

finely chopped 

Salt, to taste 

For the pasta 

500g Fresh or dried tagliatelle 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Vegetable or fish stock 

Fresh parsley, finely chopped 

34 LOVEEAST

Eating out 

The Darkhorse 

There are sharing plates and 

small plates, neither something 

I’ve ever been too great at, but it 

did mean fried Padron peppers 

with our drinks, which are super 

tasty and not found as often 

enough. 

Warm English asparagus with girolles and soft boiled egg 

An East Village restaurant that's reassuringly 

grown up, finds Susan Birtwistle 

What a great name, but an 

area I had no idea how to get 

to. Bike was an option, but 

didn’t fancy riding home alone 

along the canal. The answer 

my friends, is Uber. I know 

I’m late to the party but what 

a revelation, even with those 

slightly alarming looking photos 

they send of the driver. 

My driver and I set off to what 

is the very furthest side of the 

Olympic Park. It’s another world, 

especially having driven through 

the familiar grunge and graffiti 

of Hackney Wick. For some 

reason I was expecting an old 

pub. No. This neighbourhood 

is brand spanking new and all 

a bit other worldly, reminding 

me of when the Docklands was 

first developed. Here it’s a highly 

manicured landlocked Utopia. 

No pubs just glass-fronted 

modern blocks. 

Once inside we were served 

by a wonderful Michael Ball 

lookalike. He didn’t break 

out into song, but he was 

reassuringly grown-up. I noticed 

many of the staff were, which 

is nice. 

Owners Ian Goodman and Lee 

Glen know that being interesting 

and interested keeps you 

young, and they’re doing this by 

opening their first restaurant, 

having worked in the industry 

for more than 30 years. 

Of course the food is modern: 

Italian and Spanish with a bit 

of seasonal British thrown in. 

Then I ate some delicious 

warm English asparagus. I’ve 

particularly loved asparagus this 

season, pretty much eaten my 

body weight with the amount 

I’ve got through. Next up was a 

veal escalope with artichokes, 

beautifully done and delicious. 

No pudding, but I did stay and 

enjoy another drink just to 

ensure my Uber home was 

totally worthwhile. 

Small dishes £4.95-£8; mains 

£12-£17.50. 

The Darkhorse,16-19 Victory 

Parade,East Village, E20 1FS. 

thedarkhorserestaurant.com 

The waiting area inside Darkhorse 


Legal eagle 

so that they can care for your 

child in the event of the death 

of all people previously holding 

parental responsibility – or in 

the case of the person who has 

died having a residence order 

(custody). 

Advertorial 

Dealing with nappies and night feeds is 

hard enough, but what about the legal 

aspects of having a baby, writes 

Emma Baillie 

Returning to work 

Nothing is probably further 

from your mind, but for many 

of us the time to return to work 

eventually arrives. Generally 

you are entitled to return to 

the same job on the same 

pay. Your holidays have built 

up whilst you have been on 

leave and can be added to the 

period of maternity leave or 

taken at another time. Many 

returning mums want to work 

flexible hours. There is no 

entitlement to flexible working, 

but employees who have been 

in post for at least 26 weeks 

(including maternity leave) have 

the right to request it. 

Having a child is one of the 

biggest events of your life. While 

you're pregnant there is no 

shortage of people telling you 

how your soon-to-arrive bundle 

of joy will change your life – but 

what about the legal stuff? Here 

are some tips on what you need 

to do once the baby comes. 

Register the birth 

This has to be done within 

42 days of the birth. If you’re 

unmarried make sure both 

parents register the birth. 

An unmarried father (or other 

second parent) does not 

automatically have “parental 

responsibility” – which is the 

right to be consulted about 

important decisions on the 

child, such as schooling, religion, 

36 LOVEEAST 

etc, unless they are named on 

the birth certificate. Providing 

the parents are still together 

this will not usually present 

a practical problem, but this 

does also cover the right to give 

consent, perhaps for medical 

treatment, and in an emergency 

that could be really important if 

Dad is the one on the scene. 

Make a will 

This is an opportunity to provide 

financially and practically for your 

child. Financially, you are likely 

to want any assets (including 

perhaps a life insurance payout) 

to be held on trust for when 

your child is an adult. Practically, 

you will need to appoint a 

guardian. This will give parental 

responsibility to another adult 

Emma Baillie 

Emma Baillie is a solicitor 

and head of family finance 

at TV Edwards. Contact her 

at 020 3440 8347 or email 

emma.baillie@tvedwards. 

com for more information. 

tvedwards.com, 35-37 Mile 

End Road, E1 4TP

Money matters 

with many differenttypes of 

people and business sectors. 

It basically helps keep you in 

the loop and informed of what’s 

new and what’s trending, both 

at home and abroad. 

Facebook 

Using Facebook gives us the 

freedom to expressourselves 

without space limitations,so 

it’s ideal for uploading pictures, 

videos and sharing content. 

We have been recommended 

through Facebook, and this has 

led to more clients coming on 

board –agreat result. 

The power of social media cannot be 

underestimated, says Alan Patient 

Whether you’re a start-up or an 

established business, learning 

to use social media effectively 

will bring great rewards. I’m sure 

there are many thousands of 

East London businesses already 

using Twitter, LinkedIn, etc, to 

great effect. But if you’re not 

one of those people, you may 

find our experience helpful. 

Two years agowe took ourfirst 

steps into the world of social 

media. Alongwith our shiny new 

website, we have seen great 

benefitsfrom using LinkedIn, 

Twitter and Facebook.So how 

does it work for us and what 

have we gained? 

LinkedIn 

As Chartered Accountants we 

really enjoy LinkedIn. It’s mainly 

set-up for professionals to use 

as a networking tool,but it’s also 

useful for giving out advice and 

gatheringinformation on certain 

topics such as tax and VAT. 

Some of the team: Chris James, Svitlana 

Matviychuk and Alan Patient (right) 

We have gained many clients 

and business connectionsas 

a result of using it regularly by 

posting advice, and commenting 

on posts written by other 

businesses and individuals. 

Twitter 

We have found Twitter helps us 

communicate with and follow 

people on all levels. We connect 

Social media has played an 

important part in the growth 

of our practice. I would highly 

recommend that you use it 

regularly but make sure that 

your posts are meaningful to 

the sort of people you want to 

attract. Use it as a tool to give 

advice, join in discussions and 

generally build up relationships 

with existing and potential 

clients. 

If you want to talk in more 

detail about this, or any other 

accountancy matter, please 

do get in touch. Our first 

consultation is free (as is our 

tea and cake). 

Next month 

My working day at Alan Patient 

& Co Ltd. 

Alan Patient & Co 

9 The Shrubberies 

George Lane 

South Woodford 

E18 1BD 

020 8532 9843 

alanpatient.com 


History hangout 

Sculptures giving a nod to London Fields' history – and the only sheep you'll find there now 

Stephen Selby guides us along the legendary Porters' Path 

Back in1800 Hackney was a country village 

surrounded by fields and abundant apple 

orchards. Cricket was first played on London 

Fields in 1802, making it one of the oldest 

surviving pitches in London. But before the 

cricketers came, London Fields was probably the 

most significant point, and only resting place, for 

the livestock traversing the ancient Porters' Path. 

Once rested, the herds would reassemble by 

the Cat & Mutton pub (The "Shoulder of Mutton 

and Cat"), which is the beginning of today’s 

resurrected Broadway Market*. 

Here, the spirit of the long gone livestock is now 

represented by its abundance of restaurants and 

food shops. 

Perhaps as far back as the Romans, or even 

earlier, animals had tramped along the Porters' 

Path to their destiny along the three or so mile 

route, stretching from the Lea Valley to the 

London dockside. 

It was a ceaseless procession of sheep, cows and 

heavily-laden supply wagons, leading south from 

the fertile Lea Valley. The docile animals waded 

through the open ford at Hackney Brook by St 

Augustine’s Church. Then diverting from Church 

(Mare) Street, their trail passed along through 

Sylvester Row and Tower (Martello) Street, to their 

last grazing on London Fields. 

38 LOVEEAST

History hangout 

There must have been never-ending agricultural 

traffic passing along the Porters’ Path. Imagine 

the clattering of grain wagons pulled by oxen, 

interspersed by herds of livestock on the hoof. 

Picture the drovers whose high-pitched whistling 

would have been heard above the incessant 

lowing and bleating. And no one could have 

avoided the smell of fresh manure and swarms of 

flies. Deep wheel ruts in the seemingly unending 

path would turn into quagmires after rain. 

The animals were probably diverted along Sheep 

Lane back into Goldsmiths Row, at about the 

same time the new Regents Canal was being laid 

(see yellow line on map, right). The crossing here 

is still known as The Cat & Mutton Bridge. 

Across Hackney Road at the Nag’s Head to Ion 

Square, the trail turned into Birdcage Walk, 

Virginia Row (Columbia Road), down to Brick Lane. 

Perhaps the first stop would have been at Sclater 

(Slaughter) Street to satisfy Shoreditch demand. 

Then over Whitechapel Road more unsuspecting 

animals would be held at Butcher Row at East 

Smithfield. The final stop was at St. Katherine’s 

multitudinous reaches where the live animals 

would board the sea-going ships to their final 

destination. 

*(First named Duncan Street 200 years ago when its 

first buildings and shop fronts arrived, marking the 

beginning of urban development). 

Clockwise from bottom left: The Cat & Mutton, 1900; 

London Fields today; Laurie and Whittle's Map, 1819; cricket 

in London Fields by Joseph O'Kelly, 2007; Cat & Mutton 

c1700. 


Fitness 

corner, say press-ups, dorsal 

raises (back extensions), sit-ups 

and squats. Decide how you 

travel between the corners, say 

a side of each jogging, sprinting, 

lunge walking and bear crawling 

(all these exercises are easily 

Googled). After warming up, 

complete as many laps as you 

can, doing, say, 20 reps in each 

corner. Cool down. 

Advertorial 

Pilates Named after its founder, 

the German physical trainer 

Joseph Pilates, this holistic 

system of exercise aims to 

strengthen you in an even way, 

with emphasis on core strength. 

Roger Love, a local personal trainer, 

continues our A-Z of fitness with... P 

Press-ups (push-ups) and pull-ups 

These have featured regularly 

in this column over the past 

months and without apology 

because they really are worth it. 

A routine of press-ups and pullups, 

alongside some squats and 

sprints, would be a tremendous 

basis for getting fit and could 

easily be done in one of our 

local parks. 

Well Street Common, Victoria 

Park and London Fields all have 

pull-ups bars. Hackney council 

has been consulting the public 

about creating an outdoor gym 

area in London Fields (replacing 

the one in the Broadway 

Market-end playground) to 

include pull-up bars and parallel 

bars. 

Hopefully, it will match the 

legendary Tompkins Square 

Park in New York’s East Village, 

the playground of bodyweight 

exercise guru Al Kavadlo 

(who now, incidentally, has an 

app). See.alkavadlo.com for 

inspiration. 

Parade Square Corners A 

mainstay of boot camps, which 

can easily be set up for yourself 

or a training buddy. Find 

yourself a square – maybe a 

football pitch in Victoria Park or 

a space marked out with cones 

or in your own mind – and 

designate an exercise for each 

“It is effective as it addresses 

underlying structural 

imbalances in the body which 

can create on-going pain and 

difficulty with movement. The 

whole body is considered. 

Lengthened and strengthened 

muscles improve posture and 

overall fitness and retrain 

dysfunctional movement 

patterns, restoring optimum 

physical function,” says the 

Pilates Foundation, summing 

things up in a nutshell. 

In Hackney, there is a wide 

range of classes and teachers, 

including my neighbours in 

Netil House, Tempo Pilates, who 

run their classes on Reformer 

machines that offer resistance 

or support during exercises. See 

tempopilates.com 

The Fix physio studio, in 

Richmond Road, offers 1:1 and 

1:4 classes on mats or machines 

with the inspirational Eleah 

Waters and Natasha Vieira. 

fixlondon.co.uk 

Roger Love is a personal trainer 

based at Netil House, Westgate 

Street, E8. hackneypt.com 

40 LOVEEAST

Wellbeing 

Advertorial 

Make time to nurture your relationships and you'll reap the 

benefits, writes Karen Liebenguth 

Healthy and supportive relationships help us 

to flourish as individuals and as communities. 

They are essential for our health and wellbeing, 

and yet we often don’t look after the important 

relationships in our lives as well as we could. 

When our relationships feel difficult, it’s often 

because our needs are not met: our need for 

understanding, respect, acceptance, recognition, 

support, love, trust, and so on. 

When someone is not the way we want them to 

be, or does not do what we want them to do, we 

are quick to react, to judge, to blame, because 

deep down we feel upset, disappointed, or even 

angry. And when we feel sad and frustrated we 

need understanding, love, connection and care. 

What truly connects us to others is compassion 

We all long for connection and yet it can be 

one of the most difficult things to do because 

to truly connect with someone, we need to let 

our defences down and allow ourselves to be 

vulnerable. 

How do we nurture our relationships? 

n Set aside some quality time. 

n When asking someone "how are you?" stop 

and listen; be interested in how they really are. 

n Smile more at your partner, children, a friend or 

colleague (or as many as you like) every day for 

a week and notice what happens, how you feel. 

n Make time to contact a close friend or family 

member you haven’t been in touch with for a 

while. 

n Notice someone under stress and lend a 

listening ear. 

Green Space Coaching and Mindfulness 

Training offers 1:1 coaching, team building 

(MBTI certified) and mindfulness courses for 

individuals, and organisations. Karen specialises 

in working with clients outdoors, offering 

coaching while walking and team-building 

workshops, as well as away-days in London’s 

green spaces, tapping into the energy of the 

outdoors to enhance creativity and insight. 

greenspacecoaching.com 

Get in touch to book a FREE coaching while 

walking taster session in Victoria Park 

karen@greenspacecoaching.com 07815 591279 


Useful numbers 

Police 

Emergency 999 

Non-emergency 101 

Safer Neighbourhood 020 8721 2937 

Utilities 

Gas - emergency 0800 111 999 

Electrical - power loss 0800 404090 

Thames Water 0872 435 5973 

Health 

NHS Direct 111 

Homerton Hospital 020 8510 5555 

Royal London Hospital 020 7377 7000 

Clockwork Pharmacy 020 8985 1717 

Borno Pharmacy 020 8981 0600 

Hackney Council numbers 

General number 020 8356 3000 

Council tax enquiries 020 8356 3154 

Parking enquiries 020 8356 8877 

Waste removal 020 8356 6688 

Tower Hamlets Council numbers 

General number 020 7364 5020 

Council tax enquiries 020 7364 5002 

Parking enquiries 020 7364 5003 

Waste removal 020 7364 5004 

Local councillors/MP 

Local councillors (Victoria) 020 8356 3373 

MP (Meg Hillier) 020 7219 5325 

Library 

Hackney Central Library 020 8356 4358 

Bethnal Green Library 020 7364 3492 

Victoria Park 

Park Services (24/7) 020 8985 5699 

Victoria Park rangers 020 7364 4172 

Travel 

National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 

Congestion Charge 0343 222 2222 

Transport for London 0343 222 1234 

Vet 

Goddard's, Well Street 020 8986 3918 

PDSA, Bow 020 8980 5011 

Wanstead Veterinary 020 8989 7744 

Hospital 

LoveEast is proud 

to support local 

businesses. If 

you do contact 

someone after 

seeing their 

advertisement 

on these pages, 

please mention it 

to them when you call. 

Thinking of advertising? 

Every month the magazine is delivered to 

10,500 households in E9, E8 and E3, as well 

as to local shops, restaurants and cafés in 

Victoria Park, Hackney Wick, Broadway Market, 

Roman Road and East Village, Stratford. 

Readership runs into many thousands more. 

The magazine is full of great articles and 

essential information and is a handy guide 

to local businesses and services, as well as 

giving details about what’s on in the area. It’s 

something to keep through the month and 

is unlikely to go in the recyle bin along with 

doordrop leaflets. It's therefore a very effective 

way to promote your business to a targeted, 

local audience. 

If you would like to advertise, please contact 

us at: 

07752 288405 

sales@nutshellpublications.co.uk 

Twitter: @LoveEastMag 

Facebook: facebookcom/LoveEastMag 

Instagram: @loveeastmag 

Next issue – August 

Copy deadline – 10 July 

42 LOVEEAST

24 July 2016 

ROMAN 

ROAD 

SUMMER 

FESTIVAL 

in partnership with 

Sunday 24th July 

11am to 7pm Roman Road Market 

Live music stage with ELAM rising stars 

Rebirth Network Hip Hop 

Sunday Assembly festival service 

Street food and bar 

Designer-maker market 

Roman Road Pop-Up Choir 

Children’s workshops and street games 

Cockney Corner and Roman Road Bingo 

Suffragettes and Indie Shop tours 

And much more – check online for updates 

@RomanRoadLDN 

facebook.com/RomanRoadLDN 

www.romanroadlondon.com/festival 

#RoRdFest

Looking for an 

Accountant? 

Tax Tips 

on the Go: 

Download 

our TAX App 

FREE from the 

App Store & 

GooglePlay 

We can guide you in the right 

direction, call 020 8532 9843 

At Alan Patient & Co, we pride 

ourselves on being friendly 

and helpful, but also extremely 

professional. 

Our first consultation is free, 

giving us an opportunity to 

explain exactly what we can do 

for you. 

We offer a full range of services, 

but you can in effect “pick and 

mix” the services which suit you 

best. 

Whether you find accounting 

daunting, expensive in terms of 

your time, or just plain boring, 

we can find a solution tailored 

to your business needs. 

Our clients vary from: artists 

to antique dealers, bookmakers 

to builders, hypnotherapists to 

haulage contractors, plumbers to 

publishers and trainers to types 

of dancers. They all have their 

own unique requirements and 

we aim to make their lives a 

little easier. 

Alan Patient & Co 

Chartered Accountants • Registered Auditors 

9 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD • Tel: 020 8532 9843 

www.alanpatient.com • Alan Patient & Co @alanpatientco Alan Patient & Co

July 2016

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?