~while i'm off on my well-earned holidays, i'm handing the reigns over to some of my faaaavourite bloggers. today, please welcome the babe'n miss west end girl....
Hello! I am so excited to be writing my first ever guest post for Erica's fabulous blog! Today I am going to be sharing my love for Shoreditch. Maybe some of you reading this have been to Shoreditch many times, heck - it might even be your own neighbourhood! I've visited twice in the last couple of months and as a tourist from Scotland, I thought I would let you guys in on my favourite things about this East London area.
Hello! I am so excited to be writing my first ever guest post for Erica's fabulous blog! Today I am going to be sharing my love for Shoreditch. Maybe some of you reading this have been to Shoreditch many times, heck - it might even be your own neighbourhood! I've visited twice in the last couple of months and as a tourist from Scotland, I thought I would let you guys in on my favourite things about this East London area.
Places to Eat
I love to eat. Fact. Shoreditch is home to many fantastic cafes, burger joints, pizza parlours and Thai restaurants that leave you truly spoiled for choice. For brunch, I'd thoroughly recommend The Breakfast Club, which you can find on Rufus Street. With massive, American-style breakfasts, freshly squeezed juices and a kitsch interior to die for I could happily spend a long, lazy morning in this place. If you're out and about and want something to go, head to Brick Lane Beigel Bake (on Brick Lane, in case you hadn't guessed) for a freshly made bagel. This place is always busy with happy customers and is very reasonably priced - as well as fresh bagel you can pick up a door-stop sized wedge of homemade cake for less than a quid. Perfect. For something a bit later in the day, a trip to The Diner on Curtain Road is great fun (and your boyfriend will thank you!) and I've also enjoyed delicious pizza at Pizza East (located on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Bethnal Green Road).
Shopping
There are loads of shopping options in Shoreditch, from markets to boutiques to pop-up malls. One of my favourite brands, Tatty Devine have their original store on Brick lane and as well as selling jewellery to make you smile, the staff are always a pleasure to chat to. Pitfield (on Pitfield Street) is an Aladdin's cave of homewares and vintage-style treasures and you could easily be tempted to kit out half of your house from there! They also serve an awesome lunch on the other side of the store. If markets are your bag, be sure to hit Shoreditch on a Sunday morning when the area truly comes alive with an eclectic and bustling market, stretching right down Brick Lane and beyond. For something a bit different, Boxpark pop-up shopping centre is a fantastic mix of fashion and lifestyle brands, galleries, cafés and restaurants all in the one complex and is definitely worth checking out! You can find it on Shoreditch High Street, next to the train station.
Art
Shoreditch is a hub of creativity and design, and the best way to see a lot of it is on foot. I enjoy wandering around and discovering new and interesting pieces of art and have seen different things (often in the same places) on both of my visits. If you're a Banksy fan, Street Art London offer a walking tour which will let you see some unique and original designs by one of London's most popular contemporaries. I love Pure Evil Gallery's artwork and you can find them lurking on Leonard Street with curated displays and prints for sale. My favourite print is their "Your Heart is a Weapon..." piece, love it! As you walk around you are also bound to come across many pop-up exhibitions too, which is one of the many things I love about this area - the promotion of creativity and (literal) changes of scenery make it feel like a living, breathing entity.
Places to stay
There are a lot of choices of hotels in Shoreditch and I can say with certainty that there is something to suit most budgets - from chain crash pads to exclusive, boutique hotels. Personally, my first choice is the Hoxton Hotel on Great Eastern Street. This place is as unique as Shoreditch itself and offers a truly stylish stay (they also have exclusive £1 sales which is the perfect excuse to give them a go for yourself). Recently I have been excited to read about the Ace Hotel (huge in America and known for their fresh and contemporary approach) opening a brand new hotel in on Shoreditch High Street. I'm dying to see if they can measure up to the Hox and it gives me even more reason to book another trip to London.
I think I feel so at home in Shoreditch because it's very similar to my own neighbourhood, in Glasgow's West End. The selection of food, art, shopping and general vibes (maaaan) are very relaxed and eclectic. If I attempted to write about every single thing I like about hanging out in Shoreditch I think I would be here all day, so this is just a selection of my must-visit places. You should try visiting yourself and discovering your own secret spots and tourist favourites, and let me know how you get on!
A huge thanks to Erica for inviting me to guest post in her blog! If you guys are interested to hear more from me, you can find me over at my blog where I write about life and style in Glasgow (and beyond).
With Love for London,
Miss West End Girl x
please don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway with thanks to the oriental magpie too!
please don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway with thanks to the oriental magpie too!
