The Sneaky Magpie

I am a creature of habits, every morning is the same: shower, breakfast, dress, makeup and go to arrive at the office just before 9.00. Even when I try to be late I usually fail.

Another thing I do is wait for hubby in a cafe when he is getting his haircut. His hairdresser is in Spitalfields and I always tag along and spend a blissful hour on my own at the Market Coffee House having tea and reading. I love this cafe so much, it reminds me of brown cafes in Amsterdam where I was able to spend hours drinking coffee verkeerd, eating appeltaart and chatting to my friends. The cafe serves yummy cakes, sandwiches, soups and pretty good hot chocolate.

Afterward we usually stroll around the area popping to various galleries and getting a bite to eat.

Yesterday we popped to Whitechapel Gallery to see Sophie Calle’s latest exhibit but didn’t stay long, the gallery was full and there is a lot of reading to do! However we did find a new gallery based in an old stonemason’s shop which had some amazing art, the clever people left the space untouched so the floor is marked with old grave stones, the walls and signs are also left as they were. The gallery is called Simon Oldfield Contemporary Art and the artist exhibiting at the moment is Ben Ashton, catch it at First Thursdays on 5th of November, I will unfortunately miss it again, somehow I always shoot at the beginning of the month.

East London is always changing, every time I go I find new places, old places grow, bad places go away.

The Story Deli moved next door to much bigger space.

I wish these were all over town and working.

And I wish one day to break my habit and go to Verde & Co instead of the Coffee House which is next door, looks so inviting and they have Pierre Marcolini chocolates…and an open fire for cold days.

Searching for lunch we went up Commercial Road and came across Pizza East – after getting a table and ordering it didn’t take long to realise that it is part of the Soho House empire especially as it’s based in The Tea Building, the home to Shoreditch House. The pizza was delicious especially when accompanied by a bottle of Montepulciano.

Today is Sunday and I have a whole week off ahead of me!