LONDON AREA GUIDE: LORDSHIP LANE, DULWICH

For me, Sundays are for two things; waking up whenever the hell you like and taking leisurely strolls around South London. If that isn't how you spend yours, then I strongly recommend you give it go. East Dulwich's Lordship Lane is yet another little gem in the south eastern crown. It's home to a string of pubs, independent stores and eclectic modern eateries. In comparison to Brixton, Peckham and Lewisham, it really hasn't changed a great deal since I was a kid. It's retained it's sense of community despite the inevitable gentrification and has always been a road for great fresh food.
Usually, my posts will have some interior and food shots, but this was a fleeting visit and I haven't posted anything for 2 months. I'm really happy with how these photos came out though, I hope it gives you a good idea of what Lordship Lane has to offer.

London area guide: Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is a personal favourite hangout of mine. It's local, I grew up in the area & it's a microcosm of independence in an otherwise busy & cluttered South East London. When you tell people you love Crystal Palace, they assume you mean the football team, whose ground is around 2 miles away from what I'm intending to profess my love me for. I'm talking about "The Triangle", a trio of streets that are home to an abundance of coffee shops, artisan cafe's, restaurants & antique/reclamation stores. All of which are independent might I add.

http://westowhouse.com/

Underground Film Club: Die Hard

LG & the Rooftop Film Club have teamed up & taken over the inside of a disused railway arch tucked behind Waterloos Lower Marsh. It's been kitted out with a couple of cocktail bars, a mini golf course and a few street food vendors. Way more reasons to get to a film early than an Odeon or Vue cinema will ever give you. I fully recommend taking the time to have a couple of cocktails, a mulled wine or grub from Roller Dogs. Perfect pre movie munch.

Leeds: Thought Bubble Festival 2015

There has been a monumental rise in the popularity of comic-cons in the last decade & we can quite confidently put that down to the phenomenal success of superhero movies & boxset TV culture. This is fantastic news for the majority (including myself), but what about the passionate comic book fans? Those who dedicated their life to giving the source material of today's most popular movies & shows are owed far more than the tiny corner of comic-cons that they've been shuffled in to. It's bizarre that at a COMIC-con, you can barley find the item they were built on . . . comics. 

This is where Thought Bubble Festival stands out, it has gone back to basics and hedged it's bets on their still being an audience who wish to flick through pages of art & stories. Their bet's pay off; this convention celebrates art, free thinking, writing & independence. From hosting The British Comic Awards to celebrating LGBT comics with the LGBTQ Comic Book Club, this really is a hive of creativity. This was my first year at the festival & I loved the feeling of discovery I got from the festival. I now have a reading list as long as my arm. 

Maltby Street Market: Ropewalk SE1

I've lived in South East London my entire life, I know the SE postcode's pretty well. So I'm slightly ashamed to admit that the first of all the SE postcodes (SE1) had been an area that's alluded my step for 27 years as a Londoner. So a couple of Saturdays ago I'd woken up with no plans & decided I needed to try the famous Monty's Deli salt beef & pastrami sandwich. 

That's where my day of wondering began; under the railway arches of of Druid Street, Bermondsey. 

City Guide: New York City

“I go to Paris, I go to London, I go to Rome, and I always say, “There’s no place like New York. It’s the most exciting city in the world now. That’s the way it is. That’s it.” ― Robert De Niro

I've been fortunate enough to visit the big apple fairly regularly in the last 5 years & just like London, it's a different adventure every time. The best word to describe this metropolis is, addictive. How can a city be addictive? Well, I'm not sure, but for some reason I keep finding myself wandering the avenues & jumping in n'out of yellow taxis. Just like De Nero says - That's the way it is. That's it.

City Guide: Barcelona Pt.2

City Notes

Welcome to part 2 of my Barcelona city guide. This post is all about where to go & what to see. You've probably seen enough food porn in my last post, so this will make you a little less hungry & a little more inspired to leave your desk & travel.

For part one of my city guide, click here!

1. The beach & Barceloneta

Barcelona is unique in that it's a major European metropolis right on the ocean. We decided to chill out down by the W Hotel as it's a little quieter & more relaxed. Little known fact; the beach is man-made. Crazy.