l o n d o n f o r r e s t

Update on some new parts of the city that I’ve enjoyed in November! I can’t believe it’s already been two months in London. Shoutouts to Sam, Anson, and Corey for these new experiences!

Brixton Market might be my new favorite marketplace. It feels way more local, meaning you would go there looking to buy kilos of fresh fish, meat, or veggies. You can find a Portuguese speciality store, fresh juices made by a family from Jamaica, and a variety of shops full of fabrics, beads, dried legumes, and gold jewelry. I’d also suggest having lunch (before you go shopping) in the central food court, though a bit more gentrified and hip.  The Okan shop had a great lunch special- okonomiyaki, miso and a salad. Yum!

Okan, where the staff are actually Japanese.

Plate of the day- squid okonomiyaki.

Sam is my muse. Mackerel with dijon mustard, onions, salt, pepper and a splash of white wine in a foil packet for 20 minutes in the oven!

Sam convinced me to buy salmon, sea bass, and mackerel. She bought 2 kilos of shrimp, sea bream, and salmon.

Roasted okra hit the spot.

Portobello Road is a quirky street with a mix of vintage, kitschy, international, and commercial store fronts. I believe I will be able to appreciate a walk down Portobello when I have a paycheck.  I did, however, visit a friend’s upscale tiki lounge, Trailer Happiness, and Anson and I were not disappointed by the cocktails. The night ended at Gojo, a hidden Ethiopian restaurant in the shadow of the Ladbroke Grove tube stop.  If you bring your own wine, don’t expect a bill over 20quid. Do expect to wait for your food as it seems like one woman is the owner, chef, hostess, and waitress–but then again, watching this super woman is also part of the allure. 

Science Museum: Who doesn’t like freebies? Trying to see the entire museum in one day is bonkers, but when there isn’t a fee, you can go back whenever you like. I visited the “Cravings” and “All About Me” exhibits to learn a bit about controlling food cravings, and find out what I’ll look like when I’m older- yes, I’m being brave and putting up a picture of this!

Picadilly Circus is a haven for tourists and shoppers who enjoy the finer things in life. I will definitely walk you through this area as you have to check it off the list, but you can do it once and get the gist.

Similar to 5th Ave, these shops have incredible holiday windows.

A dog made out of sand, being swept away at the end of the night.

This year’s theme is mice rule the world. Not sure that’s true but there were mice in every scene.

Harrods- for the finer things.

Ai Weiwei tree installation at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Lighting up for the holidays.

Brick Lane  Up Market is teeming with folks, scents, and stalls on any given Sunday. The market basically smashes into Spitalfields Lane, Brick Lane, and the random pop up shops flooding the streets.  I wouldn’t say it was a lazy Sunday stroll with Corey but I would say it’s a definite sight to see.

Home to innumerable Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants. Feels a lot like Little Italy with folks standing outside trying to pressure you to eat at their ‘one-of-a-kind’ restaurant.

Cereal Killer Cafe- the UK’s first specialty cereal cafe. Gentrification at it’s finest.

Score a spot along this row after you buy your plate of steaming food from China, Japan, India, Portugal, Spain, Jamaica, or any where else around the world.

Oh Brick Lane..

I’m still running through the streets of Angel, and pinching myself that I live in such a place.  Here are some shots along the canal- I try to get further each run, and still haven’t gotten to the end. That’s the fun part. The Angelic is keeping up their end of the bargain with veggie plates and cider.

Finally, these pics didn’t fit into a formal narrative, but check the captions. Thanks for reading! My mom comes on Friday so be ready for a major post to start off December!

I made this! Eggplant and chickpeas with tomatoes. Perfect veggie dish!

Out at Tramshed- note the chicken’s feet at the center of the table.

Sunday parade down our block?

Back in the day, humans consumed much more fiber!