It’s my week off this week, and since I can’t afford to go on holiday, I’m going to spend the week doing things in London that I can’t do when I’m at work. Number one on my list is charity shopping- the type of shopping with the most inconvenient opening times EVER.
I based my expedition yesterday on this helpful list in Time Out of London’s best charity shops. Some of them are Mary Portas approved, since she’s got that new show about charity shopping, which you might think is helpful, but I found REALLY ANNOYING, because I turned on my TV this morning and found out that her and a couple of stylists had gone and raided the exact shops I went to, probably moments before I had, and grabbed the best stuff to showcase on This Morning.
Anyway… I went to the Red Cross shop in Victoria, which was nice, but I didn’t find anything. I also went to the Trinity Hospice in Kensington, and was significantly underwhelmed, although that is probably for the reasons above, since This Morning’s styllists seemed to have no trouble finding stuff there.
The best of the bunch was Crusaid in Pimlico (it’s Mary Portas approved!), which I discovered is where Urban Outfitters donate all their unsold stock to. So basically, there’s rails and rails of brand new Urban Outfitters clothes for a fiver! I got an awesome dress, and a top that I really should have tried on before purchasing, but never mind, it’s for charity.
I’m going to try out the others later in the week and I’ll report back.
Aaaargh it’s been another week when I forget to post anything all week and then it’s time for another weekend round-up. Fuck it, here goes:
Friday: Get your ass down to the Big Chill Bar off Brick Lane to see Stringer Bell from the Wire DJing. That’s not a joke. He’s an actual DJ too, not a DJ like Alexa Chung is a DJ, and he’ll be playing hip hop and soul FOR FREE.
Saturday: Go to Beat It at The Hideaway on Junction Road cos it’s awesome, it has a pretty little beer garden, and because I said so. Not just me though, this place is now endorsed by never-heard-of-her-before-today-singing-sensation Zarif, in this Londonist interview. And they’re involved in the Holloway Arts Festival in some way that’s not completely clear to me yet, which I’ll be blogging about at some point.
A programme of free access demos, tastings and workshops runs each day; a special feature are workshops demonstrating the use of Japanese condiments, courtesy of Clearspring.
Friday: This blog is becoming increasingly biased toward stuff that’s near my house… and continuing that trend, here’s an event on Commercial Road. Let’s all celebrate five years of piracy and mayhem at the RampART. There’s bands, DJs and other excitement, and it’s free entry.
Saturday: More Shakespeare! God I’m predictable. The Pantaloons are performing Romeo and Juliet at The Scoop, the open-air amphitheatre on the Southbank (by City Hall, not far from The Globe in fact). It’s on at 2pm and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, and it will be lovely because the weather’s going to be gorgeous.
Sunday: The weather’s going to be gorgeous again, so why not go for a Sunday Stroll with the charming people behind the London Friday Night Skate. It is in fact rollerskating, not strolling, if you’re unfamiliar with it. Meet at 2pm in the south east corner of Hyde Park.
Obviously the best thing to do with a sunny bank holiday is to go to the beach, there’s no debate there.
But if you can’t even afford train fare to get you there, here’s a couple of options for places to hang out a little closer to home (well, MY home in Tower Hamlets).
Number one, Mudchute City Farm. It’s supposed to be the biggest farm in London, but it’s still pretty small. But that’s cool, because they have a lot of miniature sized animals to go with it, like these teeny tiny birds, and the cutest ever pygmy goat:
Plus, it’s right next to Asda if you want a budget picnic.
Second, I checked out St Dunstans-in-the-East, which I’d heard a lot about but never been to. It’s an old church that got bombed and damaged so many times they gave up rebuilding it and made it a garden (or someting like that). It’s surprisingly relaxing, almost meditative, as somehow all the plantlife blocks out the noise of a realy busy road that runs just by it, so you can only hear the soft trickle of the central water feature. Here are a few more of my rubbish photos:
Here’s what’s on this weekend that will cost you absolutely nothing.*
Saturday:
Record Store Day: If, like me, you were crazy enough to miss Marianne Faithfull’s one-off performance at Rough Trade, never fear! Today is Record Store Day, and to celebrate, you can see a whole bunch of bands for free. It’s also going on at a load of other record stores in other places. What? I’m not doing all the work for you!
Loose Cannons’ Social Club: It’s at The Social, near Oxford Circus, and it’s just one of the best free night’s that’s on anywhere in London. Or possibly, the world, I wouldn’t know.
Sunday:
Shakespeare’s Birthday: What? I’m into Shakespeare! Seriously, the fun, free activities going on at the Globe include a “world-record sonnet attempt”. Do you want to miss that?
Rock n Roll Jumble Sale: If Shakespeare’s not yo’ thang, maybe you’re more into rock and roll and… jumble sales. It’s fun! And it’s at 21 Phoenix Road, near Euston.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: No, not the musical, that’s bloody expensive. BUT- a free screening of the classic film, plus free popcorn. Head on down to The Castle in Camberwell.
* Umm… until you add in the cost of drinks, records, jumble and the like. Sorry.
This video demonstrates that by making a complete dick of yourself in front of as many people as possible, you can often get free stuff. In this case, tickets to a music festival. I will definitely be putting a team together- I’d do this even if there wasn’t a prize, it looks fucking awesome.
It’s my week off this week, and since I can’t afford to go on holiday, I’m going to spend the week doing things in London that I can’t do when I’m at work. Number one on my list is charity shopping- the type of shopping with the most inconvenient opening times EVER.
Second, I checked out St Dunstans-in-the-East, which I’d heard a lot about but never been to. It’s an old church that got bombed and damaged so many times they gave up rebuilding it and made it a garden (or someting like that). It’s surprisingly relaxing, almost meditative, as somehow all the plantlife blocks out the noise of a realy busy road that runs just by it, so you can only hear the soft trickle of the central water feature. Here are a few more of my rubbish photos:
