alanmusgrave's profile

Who could fail to love Hawkin’s Bazaar?

Having been a subscriber to the mail order catalogue for years, and having pored over the pages of forgotten treasures, stocking fillers and wonderful new things, I couldn’t believe my luck when I finally got into a Hawkin’s store!

They stock so many fantastic toys, magic tricks and goodies, that you would be hard pushed to find elsewhere, it’s a little like stepping into a child’s dream!

You can find toys that have remained unchanged since the Victorian era, things from the 50s, and silly squelchy things that kids now will love, and a lot for young at heart adults too, all at brilliant prices!

Barrio North is a vibrant and unpretentious bar on Essex Rd, just around the corner from Upper St, which has a sort of a Brazilian or general Latin vibe.

It’s quite long and narrow, but feels spacious and welcoming, and the rustic and colourful décor is really charming and helps set this place apart from the many slick bars in Islington.

They serve a wide range of beers, not exactly cheap, but the usual prices for Islington, and they also serve tasty bar snacks if you are hungry.

My favourite part of Barrio North, however, is the caravan stuck inside the venue! With comfy seats inside, it makes for a fun and snug place to enjoy a drink

The George Tavern is a unique pub, perched in an unwelcoming part of Whitechapel, that acts like a strange sort of cultural oasis.

From the outside it just looks like your classic old boozer, but round the back is a Ford Capri covered in mirrors, and there are a few rooms upstairs and at the back that are used for high-end photo shoots and pop videos (I believe Pulp’s “disco 2000” may have been filmed here on the light up disco floor!)

The beers are cheap, the music policy is very eclectic, with bands and djs on every night of the week, and it’s well worth popping in!

I love the Good Ship! Just down the road from the much feted Luminaire, the Good Ship could be seen as it’s little brother, as its a bit smaller in stature, a bit cheaper to get in, and a lot less pretentious in atmosphere.

It’s about a 3 minute walk from Brondesbury station, and you’ll see the big painted sign on the outside wall as you walk up, inviting you in.

The venue is big and spacious, and quite airy, the bar is long and clean, and upstairs there is a small seated area that sometimes serves as a backstage, and sometimes gets hired out for birthday parties.

Check out the amazing jukebox too, and sit back and enjoy the great bands.

Great value, fast, fresh and delicious!

I came to Tay Do with a load of friends, a party of 20, and we wanted somewhere inexpensive and tasty.

Another friend of mine recommended Tay Do, as he had had some great meals there, and so we went for it.

Tay Do is always a very buzzy lively place, and is probably not the place for a quiet romantic meal, but if you’re looking for delicious Vietnamese food, freshly cooked, and full of flavour, then you can do a lot worse than coming here!

I particularly recommend the Pho Bo rare beef soup, and the cool and fresh tasting Summer Rolls, delicious!

There are so many different chains of coffee shops, why should one choose café Neros over Starbucks, Café Uno, Costa Coffee, and all the rest?

Well, In my opinion, the coffee in Costa tastes delicious, though unless you like it really strong you might want to ask them, as they usually do two shots as standard.

They do the usual selection of Cappuccinos, Lattes, Hot Chocolates, as well as Frappes, and other lovely iced drinks.

The thing I love though, is the wheat and dairy free treats! They don’t even trumpet these very much, just leave them with the rest of the goodies, so search out the delicious wheat free brownies, and the scrumptious wheat and dairy free carrot cake! Yum!

Ok, if you’re the right shape…

...I.E. straight up and down with no curves!

Some of my mates and I have a little love hate relationship thing going with American Apparel.

We go and drool over the clothes on the website, believe the hype, and start planning how amazing we’ll look in those new high-waisted pants, or shiny catsuit, and then we go in store,

Oh dear. The clothes are ok, of you’re into cheaply made and unfinished jersey spandex, and I know its sweatshop free, but £30 for a long sleeved shirt is still really extortionate!

The fit though, is the real thing. Essentially all AA stuff is stretch jersey, and therefore is no good at draping, disguising, or even supporting your body, instead it does it’s best to reveal every single lump and bump, even a bra strap bulge will look huge!

Cosmetics a la carte, high prices, but fantastic quality.

Being of the fair skinned persuasion, it can be a little tricky to find foundations and concealers that blend well and don;t look too dark or too chalky, so if you are a milky thing like me you start to build up a fair but of knowledge on ranges that cater for all skin tones.

Cosmetics a la carte are an independent company, who sell an in house range developed by make up artists, so the products are really incredible quality and are extremely useful.

They also offer makeovers and make up sessions, and can show you how to do a great evening look, or help design your look for your wedding.

What a charming museum! (Skip the stuffed things if you have a nervous disposition!)

I came here on a whim a few months ago, looking for a nice small museum to wander around happily, and I had heard that the musical instrument collection was really impressive.

I walked from the tube to the Horniman, and was amazed at what a stunningly beautiful building it is, with nouveau or arts and crafts murals, mosaics, and handsome red brick.

The staff in the museum were extremely friendly, and I was really impressed that the free programme available in the foyer mentioned that we were welcome to film or take flash photos anywhere in the museum!

The exhibits are small and fascinating, I didn’t manage to stomach the sight of the stuffed Chimps and Orangs, though the massive stuffed Walrus is undoubtedly impressive!

I would highly recommend a visit to the Horniman and it’s lovely relaxing Gardens, and it’s even free!

Ray Man Music in Chalk farm is an absolute treasure trove!

This Musical instrument shop specialises in ethnic or world music instruments, and particularly in things from China, Japan, and the East.

It’s a small and well packed little shop, on Chalk Farm Rd, worth a stroll from Camden Stables market to go and have a peek.

They are very friendly and patient in the shop, and though there are some very valuable and precious instruments in the back room, namely Yang Chins (Chinese Hammered Dulcimers) and Santoors and Sitars, there are also plenty of pocket money rattles, flutes, and croaking frogs, that they don;t mind you giving a little shake.