LoveEast.47

ISSUE 47 

People you need 

to know about 

Jennings Couch 

Andrew Bridgmont 

Nina Saunders 

Lydia Thornley 

Oleander Agbetu 

The Gentle Author 

plus 

Shopping local for 

the holidays 

and loads more! 

Kindness is like 

snow - It beautifies 

everything it covers. 

- Kahlil Gibran 

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

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Welcome to your local magazine 

Dear neighbour 

The holidays are here and it's the season to celebrate 

as well as be grateful for blessings large and small. 

I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to meet so 

many wonderful people through LoveEast and it 

was a pleasure to interview up-and-coming singer/ 

songwriterJennings Couch, actor Andrew Bridgmont, 

artist Nina Saunders and entrepreneur Oleander 

Agbetu. 

I'm also pleased that The Gentle Author has shared a 

touching excerpt from his new book and it's great to 

connect with designer/illustrator Lydia Thornley, the 

Tower Theatre, the Grand Union Orchestra, Hackney 

Historical Society member Laurie Elks and the East 

End Traders Guild - worth a look for indie traders and 

small businesses. 

We also have four pages of gift ideas from local 

makers, and want to say a Big Thank You to all of our 

advertisers; it's an honour to highlight local businesses 

and provide opportunities for readers to shop local. 

In true festive spirit, we have a list of Pantos, Santa's 

Grottos and Ice Rinks on pages 30-31, along with a 

plethora of festive markets in the What's on section 

on page 40. 

I so appreciate all of our regular contributors; they 

really are the backbone of LoveEast, along with 

proofreader extraordinaire Yolanda Powell. Wine 

expert Eugenio at Vinarius puts us in the festive spirit, 

Diana Warrings supplies a quick and hearty recipe, 

Bell from Bow reflects on being grateful, Roger Love's 

interview with Matt Lovell povides some healthy tips, 

Sean Gubbins walks us through some of our glorious 

parks and we welcome new contributor Nicole 

Breeden's restaurant review. 

With that I wish everyone a joyous holiday season and 

a happy, prosperous new year! 

Kaz 

karen@chomp.me.uk 

07590 609 557 

@LoveEastMag 

@loveeastmag 

loveeast.london 

LoveEast is a proud member of the East End Traders Guild 

Cover image: © Elliot Morgan 

I N S I D E 

East life 

4 

10 

12 

20 

Art and Culture 

18 

22 

28 

32 

Retail therapy 

24 

Regular features 

17 Bell from Bow 

30 What to do with the kids 

33 Wine guide 

34 Eating in - and out 

37 Roger Love 

39 WalkHackney 

40 What's on 

Meet Jennings Couch, rising 

star of the East 

Actor Andrew Bridgmont 

plays multiple roles in The 

Wider Earth 

An excerpt from The Life and 

Times of Mr Pussy: Memoirs of 

a Favourite Cat 

Hackney Hero Oleander 

Agbetu, the engine behind 

Creative Lifestyle CIC 

Lydia Thornley's keenly 

observed illustrations 

Down the rabbit hole with 

artist Nina Saunders 

Welcome The Tower Theatre 

in Stoke Newington 

Have you heard The Grand 

Union Orcestra yet? 

Great ways to shop local for 

the holiday season 

To advertise in LoveEast Magazine, please call 07590 609 557 or email karen@chomp.me.uk for further information. PLEASE NOTE: Ad artwork and copy 

deadline for the Feb/Mar edition is 11 h January (please allow an extra few days if design is required). LoveEast Magazine is produced and published by 

Chomp Creative Limited. Chomp Creative Limited cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, nor endorse companies, products or services that appear 

in this magazine. © LoveEast Magazine 2018/2019, all rights reserved. No reproduction can be made without permission. Be kind to the planet; please recycle. 

LOVEEAST DEC 2018 - JAN 2019 3

East life 

Meet Jennings 

Couch - not 

'just a guy with 

a guitar...' 

Image courtesy of and © Marc Walsh 

With striking good looks and a mane that 

would make any Vogue model envious, a 

distinct sense of style and an easy-going 

demeanor, Jennings Couch certainly 

stands out in a crowd. 

Add to that an innate musical talent 

encompassing songwriting and vocals 

and the result is a recipe for certain 

success. 

Kaz met up with Jennings in early 

October for a coffee at Arancini Brothers 

in Dalston to find out about the man 

behind the mane. 

4 LOVEEAST

East life 


East life 

What's the first song you remember as a child? 

Growing up in America, my parents were really 

into country music. We’d listen to a lot of country 

music on long car journeys. One of the first songs 

I remember listening to as a child went something 

like “Pearl, Pearl, Pearl, don’t give your love to Earl”. 

Still cracks me up to this day! 

Have you always wanted to be a singer and 

songwriter? 

Actually no! But I’ve always had an innate desire 

to create music of my own. 

Even when I was about 

seven years old learning 

guitar, I remember asking 

the teacher to teach me 

how to make my own song 

instead of learning already 

famous songs. After guitar I 

started learning piano, then 

drums, then vocals. Then it 

was time to go to university, 

and I didn’t know what I 

wanted to study. I couldn’t 

decide whether to study 

guitar, drums or vocals. One 

day someone said, "How 

about songwriting?" I never 

really even heard the word 

before, but it just clicked. 

So I went to school for 

songwriting when I was 18! 

Who are you influenced by 

musically? 

I’m influenced by several bands and artists, but a 

huge influence for me is Chris Martin of Coldplay. 

The way he creates chords on the guitar and piano 

is just stunning. This is most evident in their album 

Parachutes. I’m also influenced by the big sound 

of Imagine Dragons and the edgy, genre-spanning 

sound of Twenty One Pilots. 

Image courtesy of and © Elliot Morgan 

Who or what inspires you? 

My writing is mostly inspired by my other interests. 

I’m really into science, philosophy and astronomy 

and I like to incorporate some of these complex 

ideas into simple, relatable songs. For me its one 

of the many joys of songwriting: taking a very 

ambiguous idea and shoving it into a commercial 

pop song that people need to read into a little bit. I 

like to get people thinking and using their brains. 

You spent more time travelling for your China gig 

than you did in the country - tell us a bit about 

that. 

God what a nightmare that was! Being in China 

was great and the gig was awesome, but getting 

there takes like two days, and then you factor in the 

time difference and you’re screwed. We were on 

the ground for about 36 hours and spent double 

that getting to and from Chengdu. Getting back 

home was especially difficult. 

Our flight from Chengdu 

to Beijing was delayed due 

to fog, so we missed our 

original Beijing to London 

flight. After waiting for hours, 

we finally got to Beijing but 

the next flight to London 

wasn't until the next day, 

unless we wanted to re-route 

through Doha. Reluctantly, 

we chose the Doha route. 

Luckily, Doha has a very nice 

airport! 

You also played in Texas, 

USA - do international gigs 

feel any different to here? 

Yes! I played at SXSW 2017 

which was an amazing 

experience. International 

gigs are always fun because 

(unless you’re a big star) no 

one really knows who you are 

so you have a chance to really blow people away. 

Italy was the best for this, the people there didn’t 

know what to expect and they ended up loving my 

performances! In London, its difficult to stand out 

because so many people are doing amazing things. 

What's your definition of success? 

Success to me is being able to live off what I love 

doing, which is making music and performing! 

If I am able to do that and sustain it, I will be the 

happiest person alive. 

Hardest bit about being a musician? 

Right now, its getting the right gigs and getting 

your name out there. The amount of admin work 

that comes with trying to get a solo artist off the 

6 LOVEEAST

East life 

ground is just unbelievable. Sometimes I 

spend entire days in one chair tending to 

my social media, searching for more gigs, 

emailing an endless number of people. It 

can be really mind-numbing. 

And the best bit? 

The best bit for me is finishing a brand 

new song. I love everything about the 

writing and recording process. After all, 

I am a songwriter first and performer 

second. So for me, the best bit is being in 

the studio and finishing new music. After 

that, I love teaching the new songs to the 

band and being able to perform them. 

That is, if I am able to get some decent 

gigs. 

Any advice for up-and-coming musical 

artists? 

I would say finding your self-confidence 

is key, especially when performing on 

stage. People love to watch other people 

love what they do, if that makes sense? 

We can tell when someone is enjoying 

themselves, when someone is confident 

with their songs, and it lends for a good 

performance. I would also say that you 

need to cover all the bases when it 

comes to your musical career. If you are 

writing music, don’t only go out and 

perform your songs. Pitch your songs 

to radio stations, pitch to sync briefs 

with TV and film agencies, collaborate 

with other artists, as well as performing 

constantly. It’s tough, but there’s more of 

a chance of getting recognised if you are 

covering all the bases. 

What’s on the horizon for you? 

The future is looking very interesting 

indeed! I’m releasing a new single every 

4-6 weeks and playing endless gigs 

as well. In February, I will be shooting 

another four music videos for singles 

that will be released later in 2019. There 

is a lot of planning ahead to do, to 

ensure that my fanbase is growing. I 

am very keen on having the roots of my 

fanbase come from my local community. 

WATCH: 

www.jenningscouch.com 

youtube.com/c/JenningsCouch 

vevo.com/artist/jennings-couch 

LISTEN: 

open.spotify.com/artist/43RClIsYeah1rNFfJq25b6 

itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/jennings-couch/id705842596 

SOCIAL: 

facebook.com/@jenningscouch/ 

instagram.com/@jenningscouchmusic/ 

@jenningscouch 

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FRI 11 JAN at Cafe 1001, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL 

cafe1001.co.uk 

Image courtesy of and © George Nikolov 


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8 LOVEEAST

East London Entrepreneur 

Strength in numbers: Sarah Marks, co-founder of Buttonbag Ltd 

and EETG member talks about the East End Trades Guild 

What do a Stoke Newington fishmonger, a Walthamstow 

brewer and a Bethnal Green doll-maker have in common? 

They are amongst the latest local businesses to join the 

East End Trades Guild, a growing organisation of more 

than 300 independent businesses spread throughout 

East London. The guild includes a diverse group 

- cutting-edge tech companies, craft brewers, garages, 

opticians, restaurants, social enterprises and bookshops 

as well as some of East London’s longest established 

independent businesses. Take specialist printers, 

Baddeley Brothers, which traces its Victorian roots 

back to the City of London, Ince Umbrella, established 

in 1805, or Gardner’s Market Sundries, whose beloved 

Spitalfields shop has been supplying London market 

traders for four generations. 

The diversity of EETG members also reflects the historic 

waves of immigrants whose cultural contributions 

continue to shape the east end. 

The breadth, vibrancy and diversity of our members has 

been captured in a brand new map by Jerwood Prizewinning 

artist Adam Dant along with vignettes of some 

of East London’s most noted independent businesses. 

60,000 copies are available from all of our members - look 

out for our logo when you are out and about. 

This practice was brought into sharp focus earlier this 

year when many of our members, who are tenants of 

Network Rail, faced massive and crippling rent rises 

ahead of the auction of Network Rails’ portfolio of 

commercially-let railway arches. 

What unites members is a shared belief in the power 

of small businesses to shape the vibrant and diverse 

cultures of London neighbourhoods rather than 

corporate giants and multiple chains, and EETG believes 

their survival is worth fighting for. 

Our members are also united by a shared experience of 

the challenges that make business survival difficult. Ask 

most members what their biggest threat is, and they will 

say rents and rates - with increases of up to 300%, many 

have been forced to relocate out of the borough, or close 

doors altogether. 

Rent rises are not unaffordable because businesses 

are failing or are badly run. In most cases, it is because 

landlords and the property agents that work for them 

take advantage of an entirely unregulated market and 

ruthlessly seek to maximise profit at the expense of 

existing tenant’s business survival or growth. 

In light of that, EETG recently launched its Affordable 

Workspace Manifesto to campaign for affordable, 

sustainable business rents that will allow small businesses 

to thrive. Presented with the first-hand experiences of 

hundreds of local businesses, the mayors of Hackney 

and Tower Hamlets have agreed to work with us to 

create a small business community land trust, create a 

register of landlords and comparable evidence, develop 

an affordable rent formula for small and micro businesses 

and identify at least one empty asset in their borough to 

convert to affordable workspace. 

To help move this manifesto forward we are now actively 

collecting information about empty units and commercial 

spaces in east London, so if Love East readers know 

of any buildings lying empty in their neighbourhoods 

please get in touch! 

BECOME A MEMBER 

Annual membership is £100 for businesses 

with up to 20 employees, £150 for businesses 

between 21 - 50. 

eastendtradesguild.org.uk 


East life 

With a cast of only seven characters, a revolving 

stage and an array of mechanical creatures created 

by the famed Dead Puppet Society, watching the 

play really is quite an experience. Interestingly, it 

was the thought-provoking dialogue that lingered 

rather than the mechanics and moving stage. While 

visually quite striking, they become supporting 

players rather than the centre of attention, and 

perhaps that's the intention. 

The play explores subjects such as colonialism, 

religion, ethics and relationships. It's fascinating to 

imagine the world through a youthful Darwin's eyes, 

and the play provides great insight into Darwin the 

person. As with many historical figures, we tend 

to think of the Father of Evolutionary Theory as a 

rather stern looking, serious old man looking out 

from a grey etching. The play – refreshingly – brings 

Darwin to life by portraying him as an idealistic, 

enthusiastic, passionate and driven young man who, 

during his extraordinary 5 year journey, wrestles 

with and questions his own beliefs, morals and 

ethics. 

Andrew plays three separate roles in the play: The 

Reverend Henslow, mentor to Darwin and the 

person responsible for him going on the voyage, 

Sir John Herschel, a huge influence on Darwin's 

later theories, and an unnamed sailor, who, via 

Bridgmont’s subtle yet expressive body language, 

10 LOVEEAST 

Kaz meets Andrew Bridgmont, 

currently starring in the award 

winning play, The Wider Earth 

It’s not every day I get to see a play and 

meet one of the actors, so it was a rare 

treat to catch up with Hackney's very own 

Andrew Bridgmont, currently starring in the 

award winning play about the young Charles 

Darwin. 

The play is being performed at The Natural History Museum’s 

new theatre space, located rather appropriately in The Darwin 

Centre. It brings to life the little-known story of a rebellious and 

idealistic young Charles Darwin who, at the youthful age of 22, 

set out on a daring five-year adventure on the HMS Beagle. 

was able to communicate quite a lot without 

uttering a single word. 

As an actor, Andrew has performed on both stage 

and screen - his CV boasts roles at the Globe and 

the National Theatre to name but two venues, as 

well as feature films and several TV roles. Although 

his parents were both actors - and very involved 

with Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Workshop at 

Stratford East - Andrew hadn’t originally planned on 

an acting career. 

Instead, he embarked on a Foundation course at 

Central Saint Martins and went on to graduate from 

the Royal Academy. From there, he got involved 

with workshops at Ovalhouse, which was – and still 

is – “a home to experimental, radical and overlooked 

artists seeking to make theatre and performance 

that speaks to a world beyond the mainstream”. 

His acting career evolved from a keen interest in 

writing and directing; as he says, “with writing and 

directing, you have to put all the pieces of a story 

together whereas with acting your character is a 

component.” 

When asked what the best moment is on stage, he 

says, “It’s immediately after Press Night. That’s when 

you actually feel it’s launched; as if you’re launching 

a ship. Once it goes out into the world there’s a 

sense of relief.”

East life 

When asked what 

it's like to work on 

a revolving stage 

Andrew replied 

"Well, you need 

to make sure you 

get on at the right 

time!" 

We talked about the differences 

between acting on stage and 

doing film work. "You have to 

know how to project your voice 

on stage, whereas in film there 

are mics. There are also re-takes; 

on stage, that’s it - once you’re 

on, you’re ON." 

Whether it's acting, directing or 

writing, it's clear that story-telling 

is at the heart of what Andrew 

does, and The Wider Earth is 

certainly a great story. 

The Wider Earth 

The Darwin Centre at The 

Natural History Museum, 

SW7 5BD 

RUNNING TIME 

Approx 2 hours10 min, includes 

15 minute interval. 

AGE RECOMMENDATION 

Suitable for ages 8+. Puppetry 

and visual elements will appeal 

to younger people, but some 

scientific content may go over 

their heads. 

INFO & TICKET PRICES 

thewiderearth.com 

Great seats from £19.50 

Images courtesy of and ©Mark Doue 


East life 

The Gentle Author shares an excerpt from 

The Life & Times of Mr Pussy - a Memoir of a 

Favourite Cat 

When the clouds hang heavy and the atmosphere is quiet, Mr Pussy 

divides his time between dozing on the bed and dozing under a bush. 

The pace of the city is stilled and Mr Pussy finds the climate conducive 

to resting. 

Mr Pussy observes me with doleful eyes as I go about my daily tasks, 

too gracious to be overtly critical, yet he hopes that I might one day 

learn to appreciate the virtue of sitting peacefully for extended periods 

of time without other occupation, as he does. To this end, Mr Pussy waits patiently until a 

suitable opportunity when I am settled at my work before he approaches me. Arriving silently 

like a ghost, Mr Pussy reaches out a soft paw to stroke my forearm gently while I am writing, 

as a discreet gesture of companionship, drawing my attention without interrupting my 

activity. 

12 LOVEEAST 

Settling at my side and savouring the 

tranquillity of the hour, a purr of contentment 

emanates from him. And if my concentration 

should wander from my page, searching 

for a word or casting around to seek the 

direction of my thought, then I chance upon 

his hypnotic golden eyes, meeting my gaze 

with their fathomless depth and opalescent 

gleam. He has my attention. He has an 

infinite capacity for staring. He knows I am a 

neophyte and he is an expert at it. He knows 

I cannot resist succumbing to his superior 

mesmeric powers. He has me spellbound 

and I share his stillness. The house is empty 

and we are alone. We look at each other eye 

to eye, without blinking, to see who flinches 

first. 

Almost imperceptibly, Mr Pussy begins to 

lower his lids and I do the same. I follow 

along, as his supplicant. Our eyelids move 

in sync and we are nodding off to sleep, it 

seems. I might enter the feline realm, if I did 

not open my lids again momentarily – only 

to discover that his eyes are open too. It is 

a moment of mutual recognition. Mr Pussy 

Text and images kindly supplied by and © The Gentle Author

East life 

Mr Pussy knows how 

to be. Mr Pussy keeps 

himself. Mr Pussy seeks 

to be calm. Mr Pussy is 

always present in the 

moment. Mr Pussy is 

sufficient. 

was testing the quality of my will, exploring 

my susceptibility to mental control. Mr Pussy 

observes me. Mr Pussy is implacable, yet he 

wants me to follow his example. Mr Pussy 

knows how to be. Mr Pussy keeps himself. Mr 

Pussy seeks to be calm. Mr Pussy is always 

present in the moment. Mr Pussy is sufficient. 

Equally, Mr Pussy is curious of me and the 

intriguing nature of my existence that revolves 

around things other than eating and sleeping. 

I am the object of his scrutiny, Mr Pussy is 

studying me. Mr Pussy is an anthropologist, 

living among those who are subject of his 

fascination. Mr Pussy’s research methods 

are unconventional, he thinks he may gain 

knowledge by osmosis if he sleeps close to me 

or he may imbibe understanding by lapping 

up my bathwater. 

Not always an entirely conscientious 

student, Mr Pussy likes to contemplate his 

findings at length. Mr Pussy likes to sleep 

on it, and he is a grand master in the art of 

somnolence. Mr Pussy knows how to behave 

in these dog days. 

Order your copy of the the book from Spitafields Books: 

spitalfieldslife.bigcartel.com/product/the-life-times-of-mrpussy 

The Gentle Author has a plethora of stories, history and 

images about life in Spitafields and writes a post every 

day. You can read them at spitalfieldslife.com 

You can also follow @thegentleauthor on twitter 


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14 LOVEEAST

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16 LOVEEAST

How children take over, and 

why I’m so very grateful 

My house has a thin coating of toddler. Weetabix, 

hardened into a tough, rough paste, 

covers the table. I remove it with elbow 

grease, but honestly, I never get it all. When I sit 

down to eat my supper in the evening, I can see the 

crust of their breakfast on the edge of the table. 

Bell from Bow 

In a similar vein, when I’ve picked up all the plastic tat off the 

floor, there is always that one piece of Lego that catches you out 

when you do a midnight dash to the loo in the dark. When I get a 

pen out of my handbag to scribble a note in a meeting, I find a Matchbox car, or, more 

unpleasantly, a sandwich crust. My pockets are filled with raisins, conkers and one lonely 

glove. 

My make-up bag still contains the MAC lipstick that he used on 

the cat. My bedside table has a Paw Patrol sticker 

on (Skye should you care. He loves Skye because 

she’s got wings.) I’m bruised from 

crashing the pram into my 

shins, and of course my 

body shows the evidence of 

growing, delivering and feeding 

two sons. 

There is no part of my life that escapes the children. And no part of my grumpy, tired 

heart that gets bored of them. At a time of year when we are reassessing what we have, 

who we love, and what we do, I give huge thanks for the scuffs on the paintwork, the 

rubber ducks by the side of the bath, and the overflowing washing basket. I hope 2019 

is filled with as much love. (I’d take fewer sh*tty nappies, toddler tantrums and runny 

noses, but they come with the package, right?) 

ABOUT CELINE 

Mum from bow, gin addict, perma-knackered, fan of food, 

coffee and cheese. Follow Celine for more adventures in 

parenting: 

@bell_from_bow 

@bell_from_bow 

bellfrombow.com 


It's art baby, art! 

Kaz falls in love with Lydia Thornley's drawings 

I first came across Lydia's drawings on Instagram and instantly fell in love 

with them. Gestural, immediate and beautifully executed, I instantly knew I 

wanted to feature her work. Read what she has to say about her drawings 

and feast your eyes... 

I’m a graphic designer and creative consultant. 

And I draw my way to and from my east London 

desk space, around town and on my travels. 

What I see on my commute depends when I travel: 

Labourers and cleaners, City workers, the main 

rush hour, then what I call the creative rush hour 

and the more relaxed to and fro during the day 

until it all starts again, the return home blending 

into London at play. 

My drawing style is loose line work. I often have 

only seconds to make a drawn note so these aren’t 

likenesses. 

But drawing makes me look. I notice more about 

my city and its people. 

I’ve drawn since before I could walk. As a designer, 

I’ve always thought on paper but had stopped 

keeping a daily sketchbook through decades of 

commissioning other people. 

18 LOVEEAST 

Then I went on a trip with a sketchbook as well 

as a camera and I rediscovered drawing in cafés. 

I made that year’s studio book, which was a sort 

of shorthand about drawing as part of my design 

practice. As an artist I was doing some teaching, 

which challenged me to do a drawing a day until 

it had to go to press. The easiest way to do that 

around my design projects was to draw my way 

to work. And then I didn’t stop… 

My daily drawings have turned into a prolific 

Instagram feed, with most of the drawings now 

coloured-up digitally. 

Images courtesy of and © Lydya Thornley


The sketchbook drawing has developed into 

other projects: Catwalk Dogwalk Whistle is a 

hand-stitched studio book about fashion on the 

London commute and Hair Lines has been a 

bespoke exhibition at Beaucatcher salon in Stoke 

Newington. The next project will be along soon. I 

also take commissions. 

But 

drawing 

makes 

me look. I 

notice more 

about my 

city and its 

people. 

Follow Lydia on Instagram: @lydiathornley 

Commissions: lydia@thornley.co.uk 

About the images 

• These people pictures are all about fashion. 

Each season in East London, a colour, a 

hem length, a trouser width is suddenly 

everywhere. And I see the turn of the 

seasons in clothes. 

• In cafes, I sometimes draw people but, as 

often, I’m sitting in front of a little still life. 


East life 

Hackney hero Oleander Agbetu tells us about 

the inspiration behind Creative lifestyle CIC 

What inspired you to start Creative Lifestyle? 

Creative Lifestyle began as a group of four 

businesswomen who got together to support 

each other as a sort of network and at some point 

someone came up with the idea of doing something 

that would give back to the community. Charities 

are often used as a business model but we wanted 

to do something a bit different and someone said 

to us, ‘Have you heard about social enterprises?' 

'No, what’s is it?' ‘Oh, well it’s a business with a 

conscience’. I really 

liked the way that 

sounded because 

the more we learned 

about that business 

model the more it 

suited us. It gives 

us the flexibility 

of working in the 

community, enables 

us to apply for grants, 

work with contracts 

and be able to sell 

things, which gives 

us the ability to 

generate income. And 

as a CIC, all the profit 

goes back into the 

company. 

I then went on 

a course called 

School for Social 

Entrepreneurs, 

which is a term-time 

course about how 

to start and run a 

social enterprise or charity, where I met lots of 

people from likeminded organisations - fair trade 

companies and charities working abroad and so on. 

It was fantastic and I’m still in touch with some of 

those people today. 

Eventually two of the women went on to pursue 

other projects and my business partner and 

Creative Lifestyle director, Veronica Flemming and I 

remain today, 10 years on. In fact we’ve just become 

incorporated on September 9th. 

Ten years is quite an accomplishment in this 

economic climate. What’s the secret to your 

success? 

I think it’s because we are a local community group, 

very grassroots. We know the community well and 

we both live here, so I think it means a lot that we’re 

actually local. We don’t have office space so that 

saves on overheads, 

and we have a lot 

of passion – we love 

what we do in terms 

of imparting the 

knowledge we’ve 

gained over the years 

and also our love for 

the community. We 

are also fortunate 

in that we’ve done 

pretty well in terms of 

working with Hackney 

Council, Hackney 

Learning Trust and 

various community 

groups. Hackney 

CVS has helped us 

immensely, and we’ve 

been able to get 

a lot of local grant 

funders as well, like 

East End Community 

Foundation, Hackney 

Giving, The Big 

Lottery and Awards 

for All. 

So the combination of passion, the funding we 

get and the contracts that we’ve managed to pull 

together all contribute. And between the two 

funding streams (contracts and grants) it makes a 

massive difference as to how we can actually do 

our projects. We’ve learned also to try and work 

on a contract basis whenever possible because 

with grants your project may not be flavour of the 

20 LOVEEAST

East life 

month. It’s really important to be able to do what 

we’re good at and what we know is needed rather 

than using the shoehorn ‘follow the funding’ model. 

Tell us a bit about your workshops; what sort of 

training do you offer? 

We offer a variety of creative workshops that 

enable students to learn practical life skills that they 

can apply in their everyday lives, as well as build 

confidence. We do workshops on cake baking and 

decorating, sewing, hair care, soap making, knitting, 

making jewellery… the list is endless. 

We also run "Bring and Fix It" workshops which are 

hugely popular and came about quite organically. 

So many students wanted to fix their broken 

zips, sew buttons, patch their jeans, extend their 

curtains, fix their blinds etc. So this was a way 

for them to learn skills and also benefit directly 

from that knowledge. We run these workshops in 

the community as well as in Children’s Centres in 

Hackney and students have created some really 

great looking, practical items. And, due to it being 

a family event, parents and children get to have fun 

together as well. 

Your holistic approach aims to empower the 

individual in a variety of ways - it’s more 

than just teaching a skill. What are 

some of your strategies in that 

regard? 

With all of our programmes, our 

aim is for students to learn how 

to improve their homes, gain 

confidence, choose the creative 

future that is right for them 

through employment or selfemployment, 

meet new friends 

and gain the confidence to start 

their own enterprise or employment. 

We often work in partnership with other 

community self-help groups who provide wellbeing 

sessions giving extra support. We also work with 

deaf students, students with learning difficulties 

and families through Children’s Centres. This gives 

them the opportunity to learn a creative skill in a 

safe environment. 

Some of our projects target particular learners 

such as African/Caribbean women living with 

the challenges of mental illness and/or emotional 

distress due to a history of abuse, poor health or 

other occurrence in their lives. The aim is always to 

empower the individual to become confident and 

self-sufficient. 

We also have protocols in place which mean that 

we are able to spend more time with those who 

need the support due to their lack of confidence or 

natural skill. At the end of our workshops, we take 

people through creative business workshops 

giving them the opportunity of taking 

the first steps to starting their own 

businesses. We repeat part of our 

lessons if needed and provide extra 

‘surgery’ type sessions to support 

them as and when it is necessary 

to do so. 

Best piece of advice for budding 

entrepreneurs? 

Don't rely on grants - go for 

contracts whenever you can to ensure 

a stable funding stream. 

Check out Creative Lifestyle's Pop Up Shop at The 

Hackney Shop, 99 Morning Lane, E9 6ND, Sat 1 st and 

Sun 2 nd December. 

Creative Lifestyle CIC 

creativelifestyle.org.uk 

info@creativelifestyle.org.uk 

07538 321 416 

LOVEEAST DEC 2018 - JAN 2019 21 

Images courtesy of and © Creative Lifestyle CIC


Fall down the rabbit hole with multi-media artist 

Nina Saunders, whose work with furniture and 

taxidermy is witty, elegant and powerful 

I first discovered Nina Saunders' work while on a course at Chelsea College of Art. She came to speak and 

showed some slides and I remember being comlpetely blown away because the images elicited an actual, 

physical reaction - as if my body groaned and sighed. It wasn't a negative feeling, more one of instinctual 

familiarity; as though I 'felt' the work. 

I mentioned this to her when we met up for a chat at Hang-Up Gallery in Stoke Newington recently and her 

response resonated as much as her work does: 

"Your body already has a relationship with a chair which is so familiar. It instinctively knows how to respond 

- it anticipates sitting down, for instance. But then the tables are turned because the chair is altered in some 

profound way and your body reacts instinctively, trying to process that 

new information." 

As we talked, we lamented the fact that words often get in the 

way when one is asked to explain their work as a visual artist. 

After all, it's called visual art for a reason. Additionally, the 

audience brings themselves to the work - art is perceived 

through one's own lens and is a very personal experience. 

Interestingly, Nina says that once a piece is finished and 

released into the world she feels that it's no longer hers; it 

belongs to the audience. 

Originally from Denmark, Nina came to London at the 

age of 17, where she met, fell in love with and eventually 

married the acclaimed photographer Red Saunders, 

one of the founders of Rock against Racism, a 

movement that had a profound influence and cultural 

impact in the late 1970's. I can only imagine what an 

exciting time that must have been.


Nina earned a First Class degree 

at Central Saint Martins College 

of Art and, as luck would have 

it, Charles Saatchi came across 

her work and bought a piece. 

As they say, 'the rest is history', 

which includes an impressive 

list of exhibitions, solo shows, 

museum shows, numerous awards 

and public art commissions. In 

addition to being highly regarded in 

London's contemporary art world, 

Nina is one of Denmark's leading 

contemporary artists. Her work is 

held in collections in the UK and 

internationally, including The Arts 

Council, The V&A and Denmark's 

Esbjerg Kunstmuseum, to name 

but three. 

Alongside the current Hang-Up 

Collections Autumn Edition show 

(go see it but be quick - it ends on 

2 nd Dec), Nina has just released a 

collection of limited edition prints 

and is currently working on two 

more, and, as she says, "a print 

that’s turning into an installation 

and back again", Tea with Andy 

(Warhol), which will be exhibited 

at Hang-Up Gallery from 24 th 

January. 

IMAGE CREDITS 

FACING PAGE: She may not Be Your Friend but she 

is Your Hairdresser, 2017. Photo © Neils Fabaek 

TOP RIGHT: Ever Onwards 2001, private collection, 

Greece 

MIDDLE RIGHT: Greta's Party 2015, Hermes flagship 

store, Madison Avenue, NYC; photo ©Tom Sibley 

BOTTOM RIGHT: Leaking Piano 2011, Taby Centrum, 

Sweden 

NINA SAUNDERS 

ninasaunders.eu 

@ninasaundersart 

@saunders_studio 

HANG-UP GALLERY 

81 Stoke Newington Road 

N16 8AD 

hanguppictures.com 

@hanguppictures 

@hangupgallery 


Christmas Shopping 

The Rock Hound 

Support 

your local 

traders this 

holiday 

season... 

East London’s gemologist 

jewellers bringing the 

Aesthetics to Ethics. 

• Award-winning 

Jewellery Collections 

• Bespoke Commissions 

• Responsible Gemstone 

Sourcing 

Top: Chromanteq Bombe 

Rings in recycled 18ct gold 

with nano-coatings 

Bottom: RockStars, 

Our 18ct Fairtrade Gold 

jewellery, handmade in our 

East London Studio 

Collection Prices from 

£280 

Visit our Shoreditch Studio 

by appointment: 

studio@therockhound.com 

020 8985 7596 

therockhound.com 

@therockhound 

Forest Bake 

Top: Christmas Hamper: 

one packet of chai tea from 

Miss Teasmith delicately 

blended for a fantastic 

brew, tin of luxury lemon 

and cardamom biscuits, box 

of truffles made with top 

courveture chocolate and 

luxury traditional Christmas 

cake. 

Bottom: We also offer 

celebration cakes 

made with good quality 

ingredients and a choice 

of wonderful flavours and 

designs. 

Check our website for 

information about our 

baking lessons too! 

forestbake.co.uk 

07471 002 346 

stephaniejoslin@forestbake. 

co.uk 

R Consultancy 

Pure Grenadian Cocoa 

Butter is a natural 

alternative for skin and 

hair care brought to 

you by Hackney-based 

Rena Kydd Williams. A 

natural bi-product of the 

Cocoa pod, it is plantbased 

and suitable 

for Vegans. (not for 

consumption) 

At £5 plus postage 

and packaging it's the 

perfect stocking filler 

or gift. 

Orders can be made via 

the website. 

rconsultancy.org 

@inforconsultancy1 

24 LOVEEAST

Christmas Shopping 

Cocoa Bocoa 

With an array of 

mouthwatering, 

handmade chocolates 

to choose from, 

these luxury artisan 

chocolates by Cocoa 

Bocoa are always a 

welcome gift. From her 

signature Truffles to 

bespoke orders, there 

is something for all 

chocolate lovers. 

"As we struggle with shopping 

lists and invitations, compounded 

by December's bad weather, it is 

good to be reminded that there are 

people in our lives who are worth 

this aggravation, and people to 

whom we are worth the same." 

- Donald E. Westlake 

@cocoa_bocoa 

cocoabocoa@gmail. 

com 

Branch on the Park 

Clockwise from top left: 

Lily long leaf earrings, 18ct gold plate with 

chrysoprase £115. 

Lily long leaf necklace, 18ct gold plate with 

chrysoprase £115. 

Coloured stone Granulation rings £395 each, 

materials - 18ct gold & silver; stones: sapphires, 

tourmalines, topaz, spinel. 

Grey/black granulation rings £300- £1,600, 

materials 18ct gold, 22ct gold & silver; stones: 

black diamonds, grey diamond & salt & pepper 

diamonds. 

Local jewellery shop Branch is packed full of 

gorgeous stock for Christmas and is also still 

taking commissions, if you're quick... 

227 Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD 

020 8533 7077 

branchonthepark.co.uk 

@branchonthepark 


Urban Makers 

LoveEast is proud to be the media partner for Urban Makers, a collaboration 

of talented designer-makers. They're hosting their annual Christmas Market 

on 8 & 9 December featuring over 50 different designers each day. 

You can now shop online at urbanmakers.co.uk 

Farryn Amber 

Yoyuu Kids 

Oh Hello Shan Creative 

Mollum Vellum 

Kate Gwilliam 

The Completist 

26 LOVEEAST

Urban Makers 

Urban Makers Christmas Market - Ecology Pavilion Mile End Park 

Origami 4 fun 

Make a Christmas 

ornament Saturday 

and Sunday 

Free for kids and adults 

Alphablots 

Custom Made 

Urban Makers Christmas 

Market 

8 and 9 December 

11am - 5pm 

Ecology Pavilion Mile End Park 

Grove Road E3 5TW 

For the kids - Slime Making 

with Fizz Pop Science 

Drop in both days 

Shop small and local 

urbanmakers.co.uk 


Culture 

A big welcome to the Tower Theatre Company 

28 LOVEEAST 

Originally founded in 1932 as the Tavistock 

Repertory Company, where performances were 

given at the Tavistock Little Theatre in Bloomsbury, 

the Tower Theatre eventually moved to Canonbury 

Tower in Islington and became the Tower Theatre. It 

resided there for 50 years until the lease expired in 

2003, making the company homeless. The next 15 

years saw the company tour extensively as well as 

perform in London's The Bridewell Theatre, Theatro 

Technis and Upstairs at the Gatehouse. 

The search for suitable premises has finally brought 

them to Stoke Newington where they secured 

a lease on the former Sunstone House. After an 

extensive renovation, the building has now become 

a fully functioning theatre venue and has recently 

opened its doors to wide acclaim and community 

support. 

The theatre company is non-professional, however, 

many famous names have appeared early in their 

careers, notably Richard Baker, who for many years 

was president of its supporters club, The Friends 

of the Tower Theatre. Others to have acted with 

the Company over the years include the late Alec 

Clunes (father of Martin Clunes), Renée Asherson, 

Tom Courtenay, Siân Phillips, Michael Gambon, 

Alfred Molina and John Bennett. 

The relocation is great news for Stoke Newington 

residents - and East London residents as well. The 

Company presents some 18 full-scale productions a 

year, and its programme makes it one of the busiest 

companies of its kind in the country. 

The next production, King Charles III by Mike 

Bartlett and directed by Ruth Sullivan, opens on 

Wednesday 23 rd January and runs through Saturday 

2 nd February. 

TO FIND OUT MORE 

towertheatre.co 

@towertheatre 

@tower_theatre_london 

@towertheatrecompany/ 

youtube.com/user/TowerTheatreCo

Business focus 

Introducing Broadway Market’s latest beauty space 

London's much loved brow bar, BAMBROWS, and new express wax bar WEWAXX, 

join forces to open a new beauty space tucked away inside vintage store Retrouve In 

Broadway Market. 

WEWAXX 

WEWAXX is a new, independent wax bar from hair 

removal expert Shimol Kanuga, who also founded Guys 

& Dolls salons in East London. Launching this month, 

WEWAXX specialises in express treatments for men and 

women using Lycon wax, a low temperature formula wax 

which shrink-wraps and removes hair as short as 1mm 

with minimal pain. 

Loved by beauty experts and celebrities including Sienna 

Miller and Victoria Beckham, all Lycon hot waxes use the 

same base formula, with the addition of aromatherapy 

ingredients to treat sensitivity and calm the skin. The 

naturally skin-soothing ingredients mean you won’t leave 

walking like John Wayne. 

BAMBROWS 

London’s favourite brow bar, BAMBROWS is excited to announce the 

launch of its second location in Broadway Market - the first permanent 

East London location for the brand. 

"East London is like home for me. I had a pop up on Cheshire Street 

when I first launched and have always wanted to come back."says 

founder and brow expert Chanice Sienna. 

Founded in 2017, BAMBROWS was created to meet the demand for a 

cool and current brow bar with a personal touch – and, a brow expert 

you can rely on. 

With each space reflecting the local area, the new location is 

decorated with neutral hues and living plants to create a Zen and 

homely escape from the busy market strip. Treatments include brow 

shape, brow tint and LVL lash lift. All BAMBROW stylists are trained 

by Chanice to ensure the highest quality and utmost customer 

experience. 

Bookings can be made on bambrows.com/book 

Using her advanced technique, Shimol created WEWAXX 

to meet the demands of busy London lifestyles. With all 

therapists trained by her personally, WEWAXX promises 

to have you pruned to perfection in less than 20 minutes. 

That means you can get a last-minute defuzz on your 

lunch break, at the weekend before meeting friends or 

after work on your way ‘out out’. 

Find us in the basement 

at Retrouve, 23 Broadway 

Market, E8 4PH. 

Bookings can be made on treatwell.co.uk 


Pantos 

Aladdin at the Hackney Empire (thru 6 Jan) 

hackneyempire.co.uk/whats-on/aladdin/ 

Cinderella at the Tower Theatre (12 - 19 Dec) 

towertheatre.org 

Dick Whittington at the Denmark Arms, E6 (11 - 13 Jan) 

denmarkarms.com 

The Box of Deights at Wilton's Music Hall (30 Dec - 5 

Jan) wiltons.org.uk 

Rapunzel at Hoxton Hall (13 – 30 December) 

Sleeping Beauty at Theatre Royal Stratford East 

(thru 12 Jan) stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/ 

sleeping-beauty/385 

The Wizard of Oz by the Victoria Park Players, 

Lauriston School E9 7JS (5 & 6 Jan) ticketsource.co.uk/ 

victoriaparkpalyers 

Santa's Grottos 

Santa's Victorian Grotto at the Museum of London, 150 

London Wall, EC2Y 5HN; museumoflondon.org.uk 

Santa at Sutton House, 2-4 Homerton High St., E9 6JQ 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-house-and-breakers-yard 

Santa's Snowflake Grotto at Westfield Stratford 

uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/entertainment/events/ 

santas-snowflake-grotto/49817 

Santa's Grotto at Walthamstow Winter Wonderland, 

E17 7JY; walthamstowwinterwonderland.com/santasgrotto/ 

Music & Dance 

Tots Gigs is a monthly morning series of acoustic gigs 

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

and bring their babies in tow. Check website for dates 

& times: soundscreativeprojects.co.uk/whatson/ 

Children’s Creative Movement & Dance classes 

Saturdays at Chisenhale Dance Space. Times and ages: 

chisenhaledancespace.co.uk 

Arts 'n Crafts 

Little Artists London offers an array of child-friendly 

workshops at CreatePlace, St Margarets House, 21 

Old Ford Road , Bethnal Green ,E2 9PL. Days, times & 

booking info: littleartistslondon.com/workshops 

The Geffrye Museum is holding a a Screen Printing 

workshop on Dec 1st (all ages) and a family-friendly 

(age 8+) Christmas Decoration workshop on Dec 8th. 

Info & to book: geffrye-museum.org.uk 

The Makers Guild at The Yard - play, discover and 

make; Fridays during term time. the-yard.co.uk 

Exhibitions & Activities 

Step back in time and experience Christmas of 

yesteryear at the Dennis Severs House, 18 Folgate 

Street, E1 6BX. Dates & tkts: dennissevershouse.co.uk/ 

christmas/ 

A Pirate’s Life for Me exhibition at the Museum of 

Childhood thru 22 April. Iimaginary swashbuckling 

world of adventure and exploration. vam.ac.uk/moc/ 

exhibitions/a-pirates-life-for-me/ Also Open Play for 

Under 5s on Saturdays, 10.45 – 11.30 & 12.00 – 12.45. 

vam.ac.uk/moc/whats-on/ and Free drop-in activities 

during term time, including arts and crafts, tours, trails 

and storytelling. Check vam.ac.uk/ for holiday activities. 

30 LOVEEAST

Cinemas 

The Castle Cinema: thecastlecinema.com 

Genesis Stepney: genesiscinema.co.uk/GenesisCinema. 

dll/Home 

Picturehouse Hackney: picturehouses.com/cinema/ 

Hackney_Picturehouse 

Picturehouse Stratford: picturehouses.com/cinema/ 

Stratford_London 

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

Splish Splash 

Use this handy site to find an indoor pool near you: 

swimming.org/poolfinder/ Just put in your post code 

and voilà. 

Outdoors 

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

on guide for Hackney & Islington with a playground 

and child-friendly cafe and attractions map: 

livingwithwarmth.com/london 

Ice Skating at Walthamstow Winter Wonderland, E17 

7JY (thru 28 Dec) walthamstowwinterwonderland. 

com/ice-skating/ the Tower of London, EC3N 4AB 

(thru 6 Jan) toweroflondonicerink.co.uk and Ice Rink 

Canary Wharf, Canada Square Park, E14 5AB (thru 16 

Feb): icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk 

Try Time Kids Rugby, Victoria Park, opposite 

the Victoria Band Stand during term time. info: 

trytimekidsrugby.com/victoria-park T: 01252 794 150 / 

danielled@trytimekidsrugby.com 

Hackney Wick FC offers a variety of football 

opportunities for children of varying ages and 

abilities. Contact Bobby Kasanga for info: Niaman. 

hackneywickfc@gmail.com 

Be sure to check times/availability via 

the websites or contact details provided. 


Culture 

On our doorstep: Meet The Grand Union 

Orchestra and the Grand Union Youth Orchestra 

A registered charity, the Grand Union Orchestra draws 

together musicians and singers whose backgrounds 

embrace the enormous range of cultures flourishing 

in Britain today. Many of the musicians are 

internationally-acclaimed and, over the years, the 

orchestra has represented more than 50 nationalities. 

Tony Haynes, one of four original co-founders of the 

orchestra, now acts as the company's artistic director, 

and writes and arranges most of its music. 

The Grand Union Orchestra is a pioneer and leading 

advocate of cross-cultural music-making in the UK, 

and is described as ‘making cultural diversity an artform. 

For over 30 years it has been bringing together 

singers and instrumentalists from all over the world 

– many of them first generation migrants themselves 

– to create spectacular music. 

Based in Bethnal Green, the orchestra has been going 

strong since 1982 and has toured the UK numerous 

times in addition to performing internationally. As 

well as performing, they also facilitate workshops and 

education programmes. 

Running alongside the Grand Union Orchestra is the 

Grand Union Youth Orchestra, London's pioneering 

world music and jazz youth ensemble. Led by top 

professional jazz and world musicians from the parent 

orchestra, the GUYO brings together young musicians 

aged 12 - 26 who wish to explore the world's major 

musical cultures. 

The youth orchestra’s masterclasses and workshops 

take place at Rich Mix, where they also perform 

regularly. In addition to native Londoners, the group 

is truly international, with countries of origin including 

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, 

Bangladesh, China, India, East Africa, South Africa and 

the Caribbean. 

32 LOVEEAST 

The Grand Union Youth Orchestra performs Trading 

Roots at Rich Mix on Sunday 2 nd December 

richmix.org.uk/ 

The Grand Union Orchestra & Singers performs 

Uncharted Crossings at Shoreditch Town Hall on Sunday 

9 th December 

shoreditchtownhall.com/whats-on

The wine guide 

Christmas at Vinarius 

Christmas is about traditions and we cherish our 

annual tradition of hosting a Charity Wine Tasting and 

recommending, on LoveEast magazine, a selection of 

our unique wines, directly imported from the producers, 

for the festive season. 

WHITE: Pecorino “Zite” 2017 - Terra d’Aligi 

Pecorino is one of the most interesting grape varieties 

from central Italy and the Abruzzo region in particular 

where it has always been the white wine for weddings, 

festive season and special occasions. This is an excellent 

example with an attractive bouquet of white peach, 

lavender flower, tropical fruit and a touch of sweet 

spiciness. On the palate is full and well structured with 

a fragrant acidity and a long finish. Perfect as an aperitif 

or to be enjoyed with soft cheeses, any fish dishes or 

grilled poultry. 

RED: Chateau Grand Chemin - Cotes de Bourg 2015 

Vinarius’ little Chateau Lynch-Bages (for the 

resemblances of its label with the famous Bordeaux producer) it’s a 

classic wine for Christmas. Medium-to-full-bodied, with soft tannins, 

ripe black fruit on the palate and an elegant finish that can easily 

match many foods and recipes you bring to the table. Normal price 

is £14.95 with a 10% discount for this December only. 

RED: Barbaresco DOCG - Massimo Rivetti 2014 (Organic, Vegan) 

Considered one of the finest appellations in Italy for its intense but 

classy wines made from Nebbiolo grapes, Barbaresco is a natural 

choice for Christmas. This is a staggeringly concentrated, fruitforward, 

organic Barbaresco with all the panache you expect from 

this category. Only large Slavonian casks are used during the ageing 

process, which allows deep black fruit aromas and dense but clean 

tannins to come to the fore. A delightful fruit explosion and great 

complexity now that will age well for another decade. Try with red 

meats, stews, hard cheeses or strong flavoured vegetarian dishes. 

Charity Wine Tasting 

Our Charity Wine Tasting is very special as 100% of the proceeds 

go to the First Love Foundation. Thanks also for the support and 

collaborations of our wine producers and suppliers who donate the 

wines for the event. 

This is a very good occasion to taste six high quality wines with your 

friends, family or colleagues in a very lively and relaxed atmosphere 

and, at the same time, help to raise funds for a very a good cause. 

Please check our website for more information or to book a place. 

Merry Christmas and happy new year from all the Vinarius team! 

VISIT US 

536 Roman Road, Bow E3 5ES 

OPENING HOURS 

Mon: 12pm - 7pm 

Tues - Fri: 12pm - 11pm 

Sat: 10am - 11pm 

Sun: 10am - 10pm 

Food is served Tuesday to 

Sunday from 6:00 pm. 

We take reservations for private 

and corporate parties and wine 

tastings 

GET IN TOUCH 

store@vinarius.london 

020 3302 0123 

SOCIAL MEDIA 

@VinariusLondon 

@vinarius_on_the_roman 

vinarius.london 


Eating In 

A winter warming Mexican Black Bean Soup with 

lime salsa and coriander yoghurt from Diana Warrings 

Ingredients: 

400g black beans (canned) 

100g cherry tomatoes cut into 

quarters 

1 ripe avocado 

1 red pepper - cut into 1 cm cubes 

2 red onions- finely chopped 

2 cloves of garlic- grated 

1 bay leaf 

2 red chili peppers 

1 tsp of cumin seeds (or heaped 

ground cumin) 

1 tsp of coriander seeds (or heaped 

ground coriander) 

1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon 

2 tsp of mild chilli powder 

400ml vegetable stock 

150g of natural yoghurt 

2 fresh limes (unwaxed) 

1 bunch of fresh coriander 

Freshly ground pepper and sea salt 

Diana Warrings is a Health & 

nutrition content producer, recipe 

developer & well-being cook. 

irmagreen.com 

34 LOVEEAST 

Method: 

1. Bring 400ml of water to a boil, add an adequate amount of vegetable stock 

cube or powder and stir until dissolved. Prepare all the vegetables and set 

aside, keeping the chopped onions separate. De-seed and finely slice one of 

the chilli peppers and just pierce the other one with a sharp knife. 

2. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat in a large frying pan 

for a minute or two, then transfer into a mortar and finely grind. 

3. Using the same frying pan, heat up 1-2 tbsp of oil, sauté one of the finely 

chopped onions and chopped peppers for 4-5 min. until soft, then add the 

tomatoes, the whole pierced chilli pepper, garlic, bay leaf, all the spices and 

simmer for 10 min. until soft. 

4. In the meantime, drain the beans, keeping the liquid, rinse and set aside. Wash, 

zest and juice the limes and finely chop 3/4 of the coriander including the 

stem. Keep the rest of the coriander to garnish the soup. 

5. For the coriander yoghurt, place the yoghurt in a bowl, mix with 2 tbsp of lime 

juice, 1 tbsp of zest, a generous pinch of sea salt, half the chopped coriander, 

1 tbsp of finely chopped red onions, stir well and season to taste. For the lime 

salsa, place the remaining lime juice in a small jar, add 1 tbsp of finely chopped 

onion and coriander, 1/2 tsp of fresh chilli and a good pinch of salt, stir well and 

set aside. If you do not like spicy food, don't add the chilli. 

6. Once the onions, peppers and tomatoes are nice and soft, transfer into a 

medium sized pot, add beans and the vegetable stock and simmer everything 

for about 15 min. Add some bean liquid if needed. Once cooked, take out the 

chilli and the bay leaf and using a blender, blend half of the soup, so that you 

end up with a creamy but chunky texture. No need to do this in a separate pot, 

just part blend the soup as it is. If you prefer a creamy soup, you can blend all 

of it. 

7. Next cut the avocado in half, remove the stone with a teaspoon, then using 

a tablespoon scoop out the flesh and cut into thin slices. Place in a bowl and 

drizzle with some lime salsa. This will add flavour and prevent them from going 

brown. 

Enjoy! 

During the pre-Christmas season most of us 

are busy, running from one Christmas party 

to the next and trying to get all the Christmas 

shopping done, not to mention Christmas 

dinner preparations. In times like these, we need 

quick and easy, but healthy dishes that can be 

prepared in advance. This Mexican black bean 

soup exactly fits the brief and comes with the 

bonus of tasting even better the next day. 

Serve the piping hot soup topped with coriander 

yoghurt, a few slices of avocado, fresh coriander, 

lime salsa and zest and for those who like it hot, 

some more finely chopped chilli. Serves 2 - 3. 

Image: Diana Warrings

Eating Out 

Nicole Breeden test drives Modern 

Mediterranean restaurant Morito in Hackney 

As much as I love the food that comes with the festive season, I thought 

I’d break away from the cranberry sauce and spiced lattes for one day by 

visiting modern Mediterranean restaurant Morito. 

Located on the hip Hackney Road, Morito is a tapas/mezze restaurant 

which draws influences from Southern Spain, the Eastern Mediterranean 

and even North Africa. Adding to this uniqueness is the fact that the 

owners make it their mission 

to source uncommon produce; 

sometimes including items which 

aren’t even widely available in 

London yet. 

Prior to arriving to the restaurant, 

we booked a table online so I 

wasn’t quite happy when we 

were shown to our seats at 

the bar. However, sitting here 

actually turned out to be a great 

experience because we were able 

to feel the true welcoming culture 

of the Mediterranean by being 

up close and personal with the 

staff, and seeing how they were 

serving. This was reiterated with 

the inviting open kitchen. 

Whilst Morito features a wide array 

of wines from the likes of Portugal 

and mainland Spain, I decided to 

try their special cocktail for the 

night which positively oozed notes 

of fruit and floral. The delicious 

and light sharing dishes which followed were a mixture from Turkish and 

Spanish cuisine. 

The highlights for me were the small plates of beautifully charred 

halloumi with chopped salad and walnuts, and then the mouthwatering 

scallops with chorizo and spinach. Not forgetting the dessert which was 

baklava with a difference; drizzled in warm, melted, gooey chocolate 

goodness as opposed to the usual honey or syrup. 

Overall, I would highly recommend Morito as it allows you to taste a 

number of dishes from a variety of Mediterranean cuisines in one place. 

Due to its laid back atmosphere, it would be great for a casual dinner 

with friends, a mid-week date night with your parter, or even a visit by 

yourself for some good food and wine. Morito welcomes a very open and 

honest culture, so you won’t feel alone. 

Images: Nicole Breeden 

MORITO 

195 Hackney Road, E2 8JL 

You can also enjoy Morito in 

Exmouth Market. 

COST 

Dinner for two including 5 dishes, 

dessert and cocktail each is in 

the range of £100. 

TO FIND OUT MORE 

moritohackneyroad.co.uk 

@moritotapas 

@MoritoHackneyRoad 

@moritohackney 

Nicole is a 24 year old marketing 

executive and blogger from 

Essex. She enjoys all things 

beauty, fashion and food; 

especially food, making it her 

mission to locate the hidden 

gems of whichever city she's in. 

discoveringdifference.com 

@NicoleAlexiaB 

@nicolealexia 


History 

Hackney, Portrait of a 

Community 1967 - 2017 

Published by The Hackney Society and edited by 

Laurie Elks, this wonderful book was created to mark 

the 50th anniversary of The Hackney Society. 

Enlightening and informative, its pages are filled 

with a collection of stories, observations, reflections 

and memories, presented in chronological order by 

authors who draw on their own experiences and 

expertise. 

The book takes us through the evolution of the 

borough over the past 50 years, but it also looks 

towards the future, posing questions about 

sustainability, planning, social housing, regeneration 

vs gentrification, education, diversity and culture. 

An array of fabulous images are dotted throughout 

the book. Poignant and well chosen, they add 

richness and depth, reminding us of what once was, 

and nudging us to consider what the future holds. It's 

interesting to 'see' how the landscape has changed, 

and yet, in some ways, how it's stayed the same. 

Rather than being a snapshot in time, or a 'frozen 

moment', the book embraces both the past and the 

future with clear eyes. It does not shy away from 

some of the more difficult points in the borough's 

history and acknowledges the fact that the borough 

is constantly evolving. 

It's an absolute treasure - and a great gift - for 

anyone with an interest in history and a love of 

Hackney; perfect to curl up with on a cold, winter's 

evening. 

You can order copies from The Hackney Society's 

website or pick one up from independent bookshops. 

It's also available at Sublime in Victoria Park, 

J Glinert in Wilton Way, E8 and The Hackney 

Museum. Happy reading! 

The Hackney Society is a membership organisation of 

Hackney residents and friends, run by volunteers. Its aim 

is to promote the highest standards in design and protect 

Hackney's unique heritage. 

hackneysociety.org 

IMAGE CREDITS FROM TOP: 

Ridley Road Market Stall 1980 © Neil Martinson 

Lesneys Matchbox Toys Factory © Neil Martinson 

The last days of Broad Street Station ©Gordon Edgar 

Tim O’Rourke at the Cock Tavern – voted London’s most 

beard-friendly pub © Neil Martinson 

36 LOVEEAST

Wellness 

Local personal trainer Roger Love talks to Matt Lovell, a Hackney-based nutritionist, about 

how to eat healthily over the Christmas season and still enjoy yourself. Matt has worked with 

rugby players Jonny Wilkinson and James Haskell, and many sports teams including the 

England and Georgia rugby sides, Saracens and Manchester City. 

What's the best way to prepare for the excesses of 

the festive season? Try and get ahead of the game by 

being stricter about food and drink and upping your 

exercise levels before Xmas. The festive season is a time 

for family and friends, so be sure that if you want to do 

some exercise, you’ve negotiated it with your partner. 

Going out for a run on Christmas morning won’t seem 

so neglectful if you’ve cleared it beforehand! Any extra 

exercise puts you in credit and means that you will have 

room for an extra piece of cheese and cake. You’ll sweat 

out the toxins from any drinking you may have done the 

previous night. You can actually start now, with a good 

drive from now until Christmas you could lose half a 

stone of fat by then. 

What's the best food plan? In the holidays, I like to get 

clients to use intermittent fasting more. So try and go 

until 2/3pm before your first meal. 

If you train in the morning, which is a good idea, you can 

have a protein-rich breakfast afterwards then fast until 

supper time. On Xmas Day, aim to keep to the one big 

meal and a little turkey sandwich before bed. To be fair 

it’s a day which should really be the best treat day of the 

year. 

What are the best Christmas day snacks? Make sure 

you have some healthy snacks at hand in case the 

turkey ends up taking too long to cook. Have some 

raw vegetable crudites cut up and ready to go: carrot, 

cucumber, peppers and celery, with a tub of hummus or 

a pot of cottage cheese, and some nuts: walnuts, brazil 

and cashews. With nuts generally, get ones that are still 

in their shells as having to crack open the shells will slow 

down your eating of them, rather than getting a big 

handful of ready salted peanuts and throwing them back. 

Choose natural nuts rather than salted or roasted ones. 

As much as possible, avoid these deadly Xmas foods: 

biscuits, confectionery, sausage rolls, pastries and mince 

pies. 

What would you suggest for Christmas Day breakfast? 

A great breakfast is smoked salmon and scrambled 

omega eggs, a true Omega 3 extravaganza! Keeps 

you nice and full as well and a good base for a glass of 

champagne. 

What about alcohol? The key is to enjoy alcohol in 

moderation, drink plenty of water in between courses, 

and go for a walk after lunch. If you are going into a 

situation where there will be a lot of drinking, then drink 

lots of water before and after the event, and if you can 

drink water during the party then do so. Light aerobic 

activity will sweat some of the booze out the following 

day but this only works if you’ve drunk enough water 

before hand. It’s the parties and socials before Christmas 

that really add up. Doing more exercise to balance these 

out makes sense. 

What are the best drinks to choose? Spirits with lots 

of diet mixers and white wine spritzers. Try and avoid 

beer, especially lagers. Support your liver if you are 

going to drink a lot – milk thistle and dandelion is a good 

supplement - or get a liver formula from a health food 

store. Egg nog is probably the worst drink for gaining 

weight. 

Is it ok to eat Christmas pudding? Yes, but leave out 

the brandy butter – have a little low fat fromage frais, 

instead. Leave a big gap before you have your dessert. 

Generally, you’re pretty full after a roast dinner and all 

the trimmings anyway. Often, I’ll wait a couple of hours 

before having pudding or dessert. It helps prolong the 

meal and also balances insulin levels. 

Can we have cheese? Of course - but have another long 

break before having your cheese. Eat the cheese with 

celery, grapes and apples rather than crackers. 

Finally, what is the one thing that I could do to ensure 

I don’t put on fat? Go for a run - or a brisk walk - on 

Xmas morning and Boxing Day morning – start your New 

Year’s resolutions a bit early. 

Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattlovell 

Visit his website: aminoman.com/ 

Roger Love Is a personal trainer 

based in Netil House E8. 

rogerlovept.com 


Please Call - 07805 612127 or 

email - michellecrawford123@gmail.com 

And check out our web page - 

michellept.wordpress.com 

38 LOVEEAST

History 

Sean Gubbins tells us about Hackney’s Greens 

Another derivation of 

today’s open spaces 

were burial grounds, 

the largest being the 

magnificent Abney Park. 

From the 1850s, central 

London churchyards were 

closed for burials, had 

gravestones cleared and 

paths laid, to become 

Recreational Grounds. Many can be discovered tucked away in various 

parts of the borough. 

Shoreditch Churchyard became the largest open space for local people to 

stretch their legs and get away from overcrowded living conditions of what 

was the most densely populated part of Hackney. Otherwise, Shoreditch 

folk only had the front gardens of today’s Geffrye Museum, Hoxton or 

Charles Squares. Hackney boasts some of London’s prettiest squares: de 

Beauvoir and Albion. But it was not always thus. In 1899 the local paper 

described neglected Albion Square as ”the greatest eyesore” in Dalston. 

Of course, the borough’s largest open space is Hackney Marsh, also 

common land, purchased for public use in 1893. Hackney’s open spaces 

would have been greater had it still contained Victoria Park, which is now 

run completely by Tower Hamlets. One open space that got away was 

Kingsland Green, where fairs and cricket matches were held. After an 

attempt made to buy it for a public space, it was built over in 1882. The 

name survives, just north of Balls Pond Road. 

With 15% of its land green space, Hackney must vie for the 

inner-London borough with the most open spaces. How did we 

get to enjoy these 58 parks and gardens? 

Some of this land has been available for local people’s use for 

centuries. It was common land, not owned by the people but 

accessible for their use at a certain time of the year. In 1872 

Clapton, Stoke Newington, Well Street Commons, North and 

South Millfields, Hackney Downs and London Fields were 

bought up by the local authority of the time and laid out as 

public parks. 

Others of our parks had been in private ownership as parkland 

surrounding big mansions. After local campaigns these lands 

were bought up by local subscription and the LCC: Clissold 

Park (1889); Springfield (1902). 

Two of Hackney’s post war parks were returned to open green 

space where for about 130 years there had been housing and 

industrial buildings, built up beside the Regent’s Canal which 

came to the area in 1820. Haggerston Park is built on the site of 

a gasworks and streets of 

houses behind. Shoreditch 

Park too was created from 

cleared bomb sites; traces 

of the roads they replaced 

can be seen in both parks. 

Looking for something to 

do one weekend? Intrigued 

to find out more about 

Hackney? 

Look up walkhackney.co.uk 

and pick a walk that takes 

your fancy. The next four 

are in this edition's What's 

On section. I look forward to 

welcoming you on one of my 

walks. 

Images courtesy of Sean Gubbins 


What's on 

Where to see 

some art... 

New works by Yayoi 

Kusama at Victoria Miro, 

6 Wharf Rd, N1 7RW thru 

21 Dec 

victoria-miro.com 

Robin Footitt’s Open 

Window and exhibition 

The Toast thru 21 Dec at 

New Art Projects, 6D 

Sheep Lane, E8 4QS 

newartprojects.com 

Heidi Bucher at Parasol 

Unit, till 9th Dec & 

Hyon Gyon from 23 Jan, 

14 Wharf Rd, N1 7RW 

parasolunit.org 

Civilisation, thru 22 Dec 

at Flowers Gallery, 82 

Kingsland Rd, E2 8DP 

flowersgallery.com 

A Stone in the Mountain 

Georgia Hayes & Grant 

Foster on thru 23 Dec at 

Transition Two, 110a 

Lauriston Road, E9 7HA 

ALSO: Paracosmic Revue, 

group show from 12 Jan 

transitiongallery.co.uk 

Felipe Baeza thru 6 Jan 

at Maureen Paley, 21 

Herald Street, E2 6JT 

maureenpaley.com 

CONDO with Edouard 

Malingue Gallery from 12 

Jan at Kate McGarry, 

27 Old Nichol St., E2 7HR 

katemacgarry.com/ 

Hang-Up Gallery will be 

featuring Nina Saunders' 

Tea with Andy (Warhol) 

from 24 Jan 

hanguppictures.com 

Dec 

SAT 1 Dec 

Creative Lifestyle Pop Up at 

The Hackney Shop, 99 Morning 

Lane, E9 6ND, Also Sun 2 nd Info: 

07538 321 416 

Walthamstow 

Wonderland from 10am & 

Christmas Lights @ 6pm, 

Walthamstow Town Sq. Info: 

walthamstowwinterwonderland. 

com 

Jennings Couch at The 

Fiddler's Elbow, 1 Malden 

Rd, NW5 3HS, Info: 

thefiddlerselbow.co.uk 

Food and Theatre collide with 

Scripts for Supper at The Tab 

Centre, 3 Godfrey Pl; also 6 th , 7 th 

& 8 th Info: scriptsforsupper.co.uk 

SUN 2 Dec 

Happy Hanukkah 

Dance Cardio Class, 11.45am 

at Popfit, 19 Sidworth St, E8 

3SD. Info: wearepopfit.com 

Weekly yoga class 9 - 10am 

Sundays thru 30 Dec, £6, Bow 

Arts at RAW Lab, Royal Albert 

Wharf, E16 2QJ. Info: bowarts.org 

Lower Clapton History Walk 

'Literati and Revolutionaries', 

11am-1.30pm. Meet on steps of 

The Round Chapel, E5 0LY, £10 

/£8 conc. Info: walkhackney. 

co.uk/lower-clapton/ 

Grand Union Youth Orchestra: 

Trading Roots 7pm at Rich Mix, 

35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6LA. 

Info & booking: richmix.org.uk/ 

MON 3 Dec 

Urban Makers at Old Spitafields 

Market, 11am - 6pm, on thru the 

18 th . Info: urbanmakers.co.uk 

Power Flow Yoga Mondays 

at Victoria Park Community 

Centre, 5 Gore Rd, E9 7HR. Info: 

176.32.230.29/powerflowyoga. 

co.uk/classes-bookings/ 

WED 5 Dec 

Giftland at DIY Art Shop, 129 

Shackwell Lane, E8 2EB. Info on 

FB: @HackneyFleaMarket 

Over 50s Social Club every 

Wednesday, 11.30am - 3.30pm 

at Manor Park Community Ctr, 

524 High St N, E12 6QN. Info: 

mpca@ymail.com 

Life Drawing sessions 

every Wednesday, 7.30pm, 

7 Roach Rd, E3 2NT, materials 

included, £10. Info on FB: @ 

HackneyWickLifeDrawing 

THURS 6 Dec 

Open Studio 6-9pm, Submit 

to Love Studios, Headway East 

London, Timber Wharf, 238-240 

Kingsland Rd, E2 8AX. Info: 

headwayeastlondon.org/blog 

Light up a Life Remembrance 

Service, tree lighting & 

dedication ceremony at 

St Joseph’s Hospice, Info: 

fundraising@stjh.org.uk 

SAT 8 Dec 

Hoxton History Walk, 'Mad 

Houses and Music Halls', 

11am-1.15pm, meet at entrance 

to Hoxton Station, £10 /£8 

conc. Info: walkhackney.co.uk/ 

hoxton-walk 

Greatfield Winter Market, 

11am - 2pm, St George & St 

Ethelbert Church Hall, Burford 

Rd, E6 3NN. Info on FB: @ 

GreatfieldE6 

Urban Makers Market, Mile 

End Ecology Pavilion, E3 5TW, 

also Sun 9 th . Info: urbanmakers. 

co.uk/ 

Bingo Academy at The Kitty 

Hawk, 13 South Pl, EC2M 7EB. 

also SAT 15 th . Info: bingoacademy.com 

SUN 9 Dec 

Hoe St Christmas Market, 12 - 

5pm at Walthamstow Trades Hall, 

17 Hoe St, E17. Info on FB: 

@HoeStMarket 

Indie Ceramics Market, 11am 

at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green 

Road, E1 6LA. Info: richmix. 

org.uk/ 

Grand Union Orchestra & 

Singers: Uncharted Crossings 

7.30pm at Shoreditch Town 

Hall, 380 Old St, EC1V 9LT. 

Info: shoreditchtownhall.com/ 

whats-on 

Festival Chorus Hackney 

preforms Handel's Alexander's 

Feast at St John of Jerusalem 

Church, E9 7DL. Info: 

festivalchorushackney.org.uk 

WED 12 Dec 

Charity Wine Tasting Evening, 

7pm at Vinarius, 536 Roman 

Road, E3 5ES. Info: vinarius. 

london 

THURS 13 Dec 

Jennings Couch at The 

Workshop, 243 Old Street, EC1V 

9EY. Info: roadtripbar.com 

Giftland Late Night at DIY Art 

Shop, 11am - 9pm,129 Shackwell 

Lane, E8 2EB. Info on FB: @ 

HackneyFleaMarket 

FRI 14 Dec 

E15 Jazz Sessions featuring 

Muntu Valdo at Stratford Circus 

Art Centre, £10/adv £12/door. 

Info: stratford-circus.com 

SAT 15 Dec 

Mean Girls Xmas Dance Class 

at Popfit, 19 Sidworth St, E8 3SD. 

Info: wearepopfit.com 

FRI 21 Dec 

Winter Solstice 

SAT 22 Dec 

Hackney Flea-Mas Market, 

Abney Public Hall, 73A Stoke 

Newington Church St., N16 0AS. 

Info on FB: @HackneyFleaMarket 

TUES 25 Dec 

Happy Christmas! 

MON 31 Dec 

New Years Eve 

40 LOVEEAST

What's on 

Jan 

TUES 1 Jan 

Happy New Year! 

FRI 4 Jan 

Supper club with The Bread 

Companion, also 5 th and 6 th at 

Host of Leyton, 658 High Road 

Leyton, E10 6JP. BYOB - booking 

essential. £37 with an additional 

£3 towards recycling Christmas 

trees. Info: thebreadcompanion. 

com/ 

MON 7 Jan 

Power Flow Yoga Mondays at 

Victoria Park Community Centre, 

5 Gore Road, E9 7HR: Seated 

Yoga 4:45 - 5:45pm, Yoga Basics 

& Nidra 6 - 7pm, Power Flow 

Yoga & Nidra 7:15 - 8:15pm. Info: 

176.32.230.29/powerflowyoga. 

co.uk/classes-bookings/ 

WED 9 Jan 

Life Drawing sessions 

every Wednesday, 7.30pm 

at Stour Space, Green 

Gates, 10 Stour Rd, E3 2NT, 

all materials included, £10; 

hackneywicklifedrawing.bigcartel. 

com or hackneywicklifedrawing@ 

hotmail.com 

THURS 10 Jan 

Ladies who Latte, relaxed, free 

networking, 10.30am-12.30pm, 

Bumpkin Westfield. Info: rachel@ 

rachelkmiller.com 

Sing your heart out with Sing 

Tower Hamlets community choir 

at St Paul’s Shadwell, Thursdays 

during term time, 7.30-9.30pm; 

first time is free and term fees 

and info here: singtowerhamlets. 

com/cost/ 

FRI 11 Jan 

Coworking Fridays every 

Friday at Create Place, St 

Margaret's House - two time slots 

(10am-1pm or 1pm-4pm) lowcost, 

flexible coworking space. 

Info: stmargaretshouse.org.uk/ 

coworking-fridays/ 

Jennings Couch at Cafe 1001, 

91 Brick Lane, E2 8JD. Info: 

Cafe1001.co.uk 

London Short Film Festival, 

Various venues thru 20 th . Info: 

shortfilms.org.uk 

SAT 12 Jan 

London Fields History Walk, 

'Where pig-swinging was once a 

sport', meet on steps of Hackney 

Town Hall, E8 1EA, £10 /£8 conc. 

Info: walkhackney.co.uk/londonfields-3/ 

MON 14 Jan 

Comedy with Sarah Pascoe + 

Guests, 8pm Backyard Comedy 

Club, 231 Cambridge Heath Rd, 

E2 0EL. Info: backyardbar.co.uk 

TUES 15 Jan 

Life drawing at Red Door 

Studios, 7-9.30pm, £7 incl snacks 

& paper, High St S, E6 3RW. Info: 

throughthereddoor.org 

Improvisation: Sound & Music 

10 week course Tuesdays 

7-9pm, Chisenhale Dance Space, 

64-84 Chisenhale Rd, E3 5QZ. 

Info: chisenhaledancespace. 

co.uk 

NOW 19 kicks off at the Yard 

Theatre featuring Brian Lobel 

with Gweneth-Ann Rand 

7.30pm & Fk Alexander with 

Andy Brown, 9pm, Unit 2A 

Queen’s Yard, White Post Lane, 

E9 5EN. Further shows & 

dates: theyardtheatre.co.uk 

Comedy with Omid Djalili, 

Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Grace's 

Alley, Ensign St, E1 8JB. Info: 

wiltons.org.uk 

WED 16 Jan 

Running for Good screening 

in aid of Tower Hill Stables 

Animal Sanctuary, 6.45pm 

at The Chapel Cinema, St 

Margaret's House. Info: 

stmargaretshouse.org.uk 

Wick Wednesday - A 

day and night of special 

offers, exhibitions, events, 

performances every 3 rd 

Wednesday of the momth Info: 

creativewick.com/blog/wickwednesday/ 

London Art Fair at the Business 

Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, 

N1 0QH daily thru the 20 th . Info: 

londonartfair.co.uk 

FRI 18 Jan 

Dial M for Music, monthly music 

night at the Sir Alfred Hitchcock 

Hotel, 147 Whipps Cross Rd, 

Leytonstone, E11 1NP. Free 

(with a collection for the 2 acts). 

Contact Brad for info: bradwry@ 

yahoo.co.uk 

WED 23 Jan 

King Charles III at the Tower 

Theatre & runs thru 2 nd Feb, 

16 Northwold Road, Stoke 

Newington N16 7HR. Info: 

towertheatre.org 

FRI 25 Jan 

Burns Night 

UPBEAT experimental open 

mic evening with music & 

spoken word at The Gate Library, 

Woodgrange Rd, E7 0QH. Info & 

to book a slot: forestgatearts@ 

gmail.com 

SAT 26 Jan 

Stamford Hill History Walk, 

'The Heights of Hackney', meet 

at Abney Park Cemetery Gates, 

Stoke Newington High St, N16 

0LH, 11am-2.30pm, £10 /£8 conc. 

Details/booking: walkhackney. 

co.uk/stamford-hill-walk-2/ 

Pop up cafe at Red Door 

Studios, 12-5pm, High St S, E6 

3RW. Info: throughthereddoor.org 

TUE 28 Jan 

Christine Bovill's PARIS, 

7.30pm + Matinee Sat 2.30pm 

Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Grace's 

Alley, Ensign St, E1 8JB. Info: 

wiltons.org.uk 

Independent 

bookshops... 

Is there anything more 

satisfying than curling up 

with a good book on a chilly 

winter evening? Perhaps, 

but you have to admit, it's 

hard to beat. Below, we 

list some great places to 

browse the stacks and 

choose a damn fine read. 

And the best bit is that 

you will support your local, 

independent trader. 

Artwords Bookshop 

20-22 Broadway Market E8 

4QJ and 69 Rivington St, 

EC2A 3AY 

artwords.co.uk 

The Broadway Bookshop 

6 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ 

broadwaybookshophackn 

ey.com 

Brick Lane Bookshjop 

166 Brick Lane, E1 6RU 

bricklanebookshop.org 

Burley Fisher Books 

400 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AA 

burleyfisherbooks.com 

Libreria 

65 Hanbury St, E1 5JP 

libreria.io 

The Newham Bookshop 

745 - 747 Barking Rd, 

E13 9ER 

newhambooks.co.uk 

Pages of Hackney 

70 Lower Clapton Rd, E5 0RN 

pagesofhackney.co.uk 

TI PI TIN 

47 Stoke Newington High 

St, N16 8EL 

tipitin.com 


TUESDAY DEC 4 

Steve Rubie and 

Jonathan Gee band 

£8 

TUESDAY DEC 11 

Dennis Rollins 

trombone and band 

£7 

TUESDAY DEC 18 

John Etheridge – 

guitar, Derek Nash – 

sax’s, Pete Whittaker 

– organ and Clive 

Fenner drums 

£8 

The Club will reopen 

Tuesday 8 Jan - see 

website for details 

See our website for all other dates 

Tuesdays, 8.30pm - 11pm 

Leytonstone & District Ex-Servicemen’s Club 

2 Harvey Road, Leytonstone, E11 3DB 

(behind the Red Lion) 

eastsidejazzclub.blogspot.co.uk 

COFFEE AFRIQUE 

NOW OPEN! 

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ENGLISH BREAKFAST AND DELICIOUS HALAL 

SOMALI & AFRICAN FOOD 

Hackney 

personal 

trainer 

Friendly & 

experienced 

Free trial session 

www.rogerlovept.com 

OPEN FROM 9AM TO 4PM - MONDAY TO FRIDAY 

ORDER ON UBER EATS OR VISIT US AT: 

PEMBURY CENTRE, 1 ATKINS SQUARE, DALSTON LANE, E8 1FA 

42 LOVEEAST 

WWW.COFFEEAFRIQUE.CO.UK 

INSTAGRAM: COFFEE AFRIQUE OR TWITTER: @ COFFEEAFRIQUE

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LoveEast.47

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