Right, there’s something that I need to get off my chest. Everyone who knows me one of the reasons main why I love travelling so much: encountering and experiencing the new and unique really gets my creative juices flowing. Being out of my depth was a better cure for writer’s block than I could ever have imagined. As much as I was excited about moving back to my home city, I was also scared. Scared of confronting a new career path head on, with no outside obstacles like work visas- just myself to get in the way of my dreams. Scared that I was no longer going to be experiencing anything that frightened me, shocked me, that brought on that need to write to try and communicate the craziness around me.
But of course, I was just looking at it the wrong way. London may be my home city, but as I said in my last post, I’m lucky enough to have two pairs of fresh Canadian eyes on the place. When settling in a city, I think the perfect balance is to have the wisdom of a local, but the curiosity of a tourist. Following on from this though, I want to start a ‘mini-series’ of posts called ‘Rediscovering London’, writing every week about finding new eccentricities and excitements in a very familiar city.
This week, I’m going to focus on STREET LIFE (I hope you have the song in your head now; I sure do). These are two famous streets that I have visited before, but can only truly see the unique London appeal after having left London. We’re starting off in the East End, then moving to West London...
BRICK LANE
For those who have never read the book or film namesake, or just plain haven’t heard of it, Brick Lane is mostly an abundant line of curry houses, all of whom try to tempt you into their restaurant with irresistible deals. Admittedly, because of the thrashing rain, we did not take full advantage of Patrick’s haggling skills (you may remember he’s a bit of a master at this). However, we did manage to up our deal from a ‘free naan bread’ to ‘2 bottles of wine and a full meal for £12’ within the space of three restaurants. They may have been drowned by curry-house desperation and dense raindrops, the Canadians’ introduction to Brick Lane was enough to whet their appetite for more.
BOND STREET
Just by Patrick’s work, the lucky bugger. To be honest, the area around Oxford Street has never been my favourite part of London: I’ve always found it too crowded and generic. However, I found an unexpected charm about Wigmore Street, where the Pontefract pub is- a very different appeal to the East End. Somehow friendly, but refined- approachable, but a little exclusive. Definitely a welcome lunch or dinner escape from the madness of Oxford Street. We happened to have dinner at 2 Veneti: a very reasonable price, even if it’s a little out of OUR budget right now! If I had to describe it in three words, it would be: affordable business pleasure.
I can tell this project is going to be a lot of fun already; I look forward to sharing my newly discovered and appreciated London with you all.
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