OK, it took me a little while, but finally, I have it for you:
THE BRICK LANE WALK.
Old Truman Brewery and next three pictures
So what I mean to tell you, is that, coming out of the Aldgate East Station, by the Whitechapel Gallery
So what I mean to tell you, is that, coming out of the Aldgate East Station, by the Whitechapel Gallery
make two sharp lefts and in no time you will find ye.......
flitting past the curry houses, ALL OF WHICH have been voted BEST for some recent year or other
as proven by the giant proclaiming banner......in each and every window. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to curries and kebabs. And one of them will really BE the best. I have it on excellent authority that this one is it. (For kebabs - not really a destination for the vegetarian. Sorry.)
The Duke of Uke
If you keep your wits about you and your eyes alive - you will not stick to the "Lane"
If you keep your wits about you and your eyes alive - you will not stick to the "Lane"
but find yourself tempted by the shiny shutters and somber allure of Huguenot weavers' houses now occupied by City bankers and wives heavy with child. And the Old Truman Brewery where Mary Poppins now resides.
And which has morphed and mega-sized....into something quite unexpected.
The Brewery notwithstanding, these are still mostly quiet streets in this part of London. Even on a week day. (Sunday not so much!) And if you are not quite lucky someone could capture you in passing and cast a spell on you.
Noone else would be able to do a thing about it.
Perhaps make you to become something you're not......
Maybe NOT Madonna in 1982.
Maybe NOT a wall artist.
With a fancy shop, or restaurant.
Or someone who makes of dresses out of cobwebs.
They could put you in a sleeping spell.
Or a standing-still-for-photos-spell.
Or turn you into someone with feet planted extra firmly in the ground. Someone who might just Labour and Wait.
This used to be dead end London.
A still and silent backwater. Of broken dreams and empty promises.
What do you think? Could it possibly be so again? With you in the frame? Tread carefully! And keep your wits about you. When you go down Brick Lane.
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I've never heard of Brick Lane!! But I'm positively smitten by that bright green tile. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this fun, sunny walk down Brick Lane - a great start to a Thursday morning! I love that 'distressed' pink wall with the red door and shutters. And, for the record, a vegetarian can do pretty well in the curry houses of Brick Lane (as long as they're a potato and lentil loving vegetarian... is there any other kind, I hear you say ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/florssalvatges/4735827419/sizes/l/in/faves-rosamarrero/
ReplyDeleteEtonnante et riche promenade (et gourmande aussi)...
ReplyDeleteYou've summed it up exactly and this is why I love living round here, and don't regret moving from Notting Hill one bit! Shoreditch and around is a complete land of mixtures, and there are always surprises. Everyday I see something interesting - there are also hardly any chains and lots of little boutiques and interesting things to see.
ReplyDeleteThe other funny thing is that all the guys have the same haircut - the 'Hoxton fin', rolled up jeans and a sort of funky professor look, and all the girls either look like Madonna in her desperately seeking Susan stage or like something from 1942. And yes the curry houses all have restaurant of the year award and have all had a visit from Prince Charles!!
You were just round the corner from where I live - next time you have to pop by!
xx
i loved your reference to the book (i haven't read it either, incidentally)! a wonderful tour - hopefully i'll make it back to london sometime soon so i can follow it.
ReplyDeleteLove all of them! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'd misunderstood the bit about Tayyabs/veggies :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement re: my papercuts. Not sure where they're headed... but I'll keep on keeping on.
Looking forward to seeing some of LA's jacarandas in full bloom. Have a great weekend!
I've been curious about Brick Lane since it seems to be written about a lot. About 11 years ago we got on the tube looking for an art store and found ourselves in an area you describe (back then) that had a lot of Indian restaurants ??? I will never remember what/where it was. Sounds similar though. Thanks for the tour, can't wait to explore it someday! xo
ReplyDeleteLooks familiar although I havn't made the trip to London for quite a time now. One of my favourite district!
ReplyDeleteThis is so great! Thank you!
ReplyDelete