Walking about in East London

{Stayin' local}: After a week of fantasizing and engaging dreams of travelling to remote places [I think the world is just an amazing place but there isn't just enough time to see it all!]. Today I decided that after all, there is no point of being in a 'Virtual Globetrotting mindset' if that entails missing out on the world that I am surrounded by. So I put on my coat and headed out with no fixed destination, walking along Bethnal Green Road trying hard to avoid collisions on a busy market day. I felt quite out of space in my turmoil of ideas and thoughts, however before I could even realise I ended up in Redchurch Street. Along Redchurch Street there is plenty to be inspired by, contemporary art galleries, upholstery shop and the famous Caravan Style shop at 3 Redchurch street, previously the 'Squint' shop, which has now moved to 178 Shoreditch High Street [just across the road].

Picture from the Caravan Style website

Continuing on Shoreditch High Street I turn right and found myself on Calvert Avenue where the colourful and quirky Hassan Hajjaj interiors could not have been unnoticed. Ally Capellino shop and the legendary Leila's Cafe , are just nearby.

By now I had plenty to be inspired by ....but I wanted more! So I headed back to Shoreditch High Street and walked back, turn around the corner by the TEA BUILDING and walked to Cheshire Street. On Cheshire Street (a side street of the well-known Brick Lane) there are few great Vintage clothes shops, Beyond Retro and The Vintage Shop.

But not only, on Cheshire Street there are some of my favourite independent shops: Labour and Wait , Ella Doran, Mimi, and Handmade Interiors , Shelf and Comfort Station.

Labour and Wait

Comfort Station

I continued my journey along Brick Lane and took a turn into Ely's Yard where an iconic Red Routemaster bus has been converted to a 28 cover vegan restaurant, the Rootmaster.

I finally finished off my journey at Spitalfields market and after browsing around the stalls, I took a break at LEON and had a thought about my day.