In the shadow of the Giant Gherkin
From Wendy and Deno’s IKEA fold out bed in Dalston, I surfed over to Emma’s ‘couch’ in Whitechapel last weekend. Whitechapel is in the heart of the East End, around the Brick Lane area – you can’t miss Sir Ian Foster’s Giant Gherkin every time you look up to check if its still raining. It’s another smorgasboard of cultures and flavours in this exciting and eclectic part of town – ofcourse the stronghold of London’s Bangla population, the home of the cockney, and a playground for the young alternative sub culture of semi punk bohemian types that are too cool for the yuppie rules and etiquettes of the West End and the increasingly toursity and plastic Camden.
I can’t stop singing the East Enders theme song every time I walk past this cute little cozy pub on the corner. 1, 2, 3, 4 – dodo do do do doo dooooo, dodo dodo doo do do do do do deehhh doooooh. The girls and I celebrated St Pats day there with a toothful of Guinness. The complimentary hats make us look a bit like Qing Dynasty concubines some how though.
And on the right is Alutesia (Emma’s Brazilian flatmate who is a diving instructor in England to learn English and the only Dyke on Bike in the Tribe... ), myself and Daiv hanging out in Brick Lane last night, where we met more random enlightening English people (on the left). OK, the one in the Samosa hat is actually Norwegian.
New Job in Holborn
My new job is on Lincoln’s Inn Field, around a public square/park which used to be a former execution ground in Holborn. Holborn is a very commercial area full of offices and numerous good pubs (when you have lots of offices you have lots of pubs, its just how it works here), it lacks much more character than the neighbouring busy Covent Garden. However, Lincoln’s Fields which is only one row back from the mainstreet is in an alternative universe in a beautiful surrounding much inherited from the 17th century. Most of the buildings in the area had been built through out the last three or four centuries and many of them are historically protected, a notable one being the Old Curiosity Shop which Charle’s Dicken’s book was based on. The law courts next door is a giant secluded almost mysterious Ivy League campus styled area with grand brick castle like wings and beautifully manicured flowering gardens – all just one steel iron gate away from the hustle and bustle of Fleet Street and Kingsway’s buses, black taxis, pedestrians, marketers and free London Lites, completely left at peace and in dignity. I just can´t wait to immerse myself in the middle of this great neighbourhood in the lunch times - when it gets warmer though, I suppose!
New Apartment in Bayswater
Another interesting turn in my mad life. I will be sharing an acclaimed architectually dsigned apartment in Bayswater next to Hyde Park and the Nottinghill markets with its landlady Victoria, who is an Italian-Ethiopean former Italian Literature lecturer turned Fashion buyer in her 60s. why would I want to share an apartment with someone older than my parents you ask? Victoria is crazy and eccentric and full of fascinating stories from a life of rich events and experiences. She speaks six languages, been married three times, and have traveled pretty much all over the world four or five times over. She just knows SO MUCH about things like history, food, spirituality, art, etc, I really think I am going to learn a lot from her. Vicky is charging about a quarter of the current market rent for the room just to get someone to amuse her and keep her ideas young. She usually take Japanese girls (the ad was posted at the Japan centre when Em and I dropped in for Miso) as they are very ‘agreeable’ and ‘well behaved’ – but she decided that a near enough version will do because we pretty much clicked instantly. I have a feeling that I will be very much like her when I get to her age. I think it will be fascinating to live with her and can’t wait to meet some of her interesting friends. I´ve always found friendships with older women of my mum´s age really fruitful for me because they mentor me and play a mother figure to me without the intensity of family members or treating me like a complete child, I think its gonna be great.
New Job in Holborn
My new job is on Lincoln’s Inn Field, around a public square/park which used to be a former execution ground in Holborn. Holborn is a very commercial area full of offices and numerous good pubs (when you have lots of offices you have lots of pubs, its just how it works here), it lacks much more character than the neighbouring busy Covent Garden. However, Lincoln’s Fields which is only one row back from the mainstreet is in an alternative universe in a beautiful surrounding much inherited from the 17th century. Most of the buildings in the area had been built through out the last three or four centuries and many of them are historically protected, a notable one being the Old Curiosity Shop which Charle’s Dicken’s book was based on. The law courts next door is a giant secluded almost mysterious Ivy League campus styled area with grand brick castle like wings and beautifully manicured flowering gardens – all just one steel iron gate away from the hustle and bustle of Fleet Street and Kingsway’s buses, black taxis, pedestrians, marketers and free London Lites, completely left at peace and in dignity. I just can´t wait to immerse myself in the middle of this great neighbourhood in the lunch times - when it gets warmer though, I suppose!
New Apartment in Bayswater
Another interesting turn in my mad life. I will be sharing an acclaimed architectually dsigned apartment in Bayswater next to Hyde Park and the Nottinghill markets with its landlady Victoria, who is an Italian-Ethiopean former Italian Literature lecturer turned Fashion buyer in her 60s. why would I want to share an apartment with someone older than my parents you ask? Victoria is crazy and eccentric and full of fascinating stories from a life of rich events and experiences. She speaks six languages, been married three times, and have traveled pretty much all over the world four or five times over. She just knows SO MUCH about things like history, food, spirituality, art, etc, I really think I am going to learn a lot from her. Vicky is charging about a quarter of the current market rent for the room just to get someone to amuse her and keep her ideas young. She usually take Japanese girls (the ad was posted at the Japan centre when Em and I dropped in for Miso) as they are very ‘agreeable’ and ‘well behaved’ – but she decided that a near enough version will do because we pretty much clicked instantly. I have a feeling that I will be very much like her when I get to her age. I think it will be fascinating to live with her and can’t wait to meet some of her interesting friends. I´ve always found friendships with older women of my mum´s age really fruitful for me because they mentor me and play a mother figure to me without the intensity of family members or treating me like a complete child, I think its gonna be great.
I move in tomorrow!
ps.
I´d like a to wish all Taiwanese people and Mr Frank Hsieh very good luck for tomorrow´s Presidential Elections and the UN referendum. May courage and integrity be on our side!
1 comment:
Hope the new job and new home are going well! What's the job?
Sir Foster's name is Norman. Ian must be someone else... Too many drugs eh Patti?
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