First Impressions of East London

I have been living in East London for almost three months now, so I think I'm qualified to write about my first impressions, though not much more than that! East London, as a label, describes the northeastern part of London, also known as the "East End" (think East Enders!). In my life, it means the districts of Shoreditch, Hackney, Dalston, Old Street, Bethnal Green, Hoxton. East London brings with it cries of "oooh very trendy" and "omg you live walking distance to work, so jealous!" and "is it safe?". In other words, it's a formerly grungy area, then very hip with lots of artists and students moving in, and finally in the process of being gentrified, with business people and lawyers like me moving in and scaring away all the cool people.

What I love about it is the mix of people: East Londoners who have lived in the area for decades, slightly grumpy with the new crowd and keeping to themselves, hipsters with long beards (men), Doc Martins (women) and shaved heads (either), families with young children in prams, tourists on weekends, and lastly, yuppies like me. Maybe we're the reason these neighbourhoods are no longer cool. Shoreditch, for example, was the hipster district to the point of becoming a verb - "Dalston has been Shoreditched". Even though now I encounter mostly tourists in Shoreditch, there are still some great finds, such as independent coffee houses and great street art:


Also young people still queue for fun new things, like the Cereal Killer Cafe, which is a cafe that trades in nostalgia and serves 120 different types of cereals. "Don't you (forget about me)" by Simple Minds was playing when I walked in, followed by Natalie Imbruglia's Torn - creating an 80s and 90s ambiance, which I adored.

My friend and I ordered cereal 'cocktails'

Besides the good coffee and multitude of vintage stores, my other favourite thing about East London, as a region, is the markets! I live within walking distance of two fantastic markets, which single-handedly make me glad that I made this move to London. The first is Columbia Flower Market, which takes place along a bustling road lined with flower sellers, calling out in various London accents phrases like "roses for £5!" or "fresh tuplips!". Flowers are sold from rustic wooden boxes, tourists take photos with large SLR cameras, and at the end of the street two smiling buskers play guitar in the style of Django Reinhardt (think the soundtrack of Chocolat). The surrounding area is then filled with people returning to their cars, taking the bus or heading out for breakfast, holding large bunches of flowers. It really brightens my Sundays :)

The other market that I have been enjoying is Broadway Market. This market is a mix of delicious baked goods, savoury items, fruits, vegetables, cheeses and artisan chocolates. It takes place along the street named, no points for guessing, Broadway Market, which runs from London Fields to the Regent Canal and is adorably lined with boutique eateries, bookshops and record stores. (A few real estate agencies intrude on this ambiance). Last week a man was handing out vouchers for 'yoga classes for locals', which I thought was particularly apt. I usually go to Broadway Market on my weekend jog, which means I don't get to sample any of the yummy things! I need to change my strategy.

Delicious, delicious cheese

One of the great stores along Broadway Market 

Overall, I'm so glad I chose to live in East London, even if as an Australian lawyer I feel a bit like an intruder on this vibrant scene. But in slowly cultivating a list of my favourite local places, I may eventually feel that I belong. I leave you with one of my favourite pieces of street art I've seen so far: very small and near the ground, so that I almost missed her. Til next week!