Exploring the East

Weekends in London have become an obsession of mine. I leave my flat at 9am and don't return until every possible place I could be has shut their doors, and physically kicked me out of their establishment.

Today I decided to venture out East to Shoreditch and Old Spitalsfields Market. I have spent most of my time in Central and West London, and a bit up North - but had yet to explore the East, and didn't want to leave for Christmas with a whole region unseen by my eager eyes.

I must say that East London is pretty freaking cool. It is so different from the other areas, it has a much more urban, art-sentric, hipster vibe that sets it apart.

It's very comparable to New York's East Village vs. West Village actually. I've been living, working, and hanging out largely in the West bit of London. Quaint, cobblestone streets lined with expensive boutiques, gorgy department stores, lovely tea salons and patisseries - much like wandering down Bleecker Street. But heading East, things get a bit off the beaten path. The shops are mostly one of a kind and full of things by local artists, the clothes edgier, there is not a Starbucks in sight. It oozes cool.

I got off the tube at Liverpool street and was a short walk to the Old Spitalfields Market. On Sundays, the market is totally devoted to arts and crafts - clothing, jewlery, furniture, vintage furs, bags, art - and of course - food. Because what would a market be without amazing food?

This market was not your typical market where every 3 stands sells the same junk - every stall was unique, and sold really amazing handmade or reworked vintage things. I got the last bit of Christmas shopping done in no time! I was smart enough to save my appetite for the market - so I promptly found my way over to the food stalls upon arriving for some brunch.

Oh, how to choose...

coconut donuts

selection of tasty pastries

fromage at Androuet

When I stumbled upon an outpost of Androuet - I nearly wet my jeggings.

I did not know this existed outside of Paris! Holy roly poly - I am SO excited that this is here for my delighting for the next year!

Androuet, if you don't know, is the most amazing fromagerie in the world. From Paris, of course, and utterly (pun intended) wonderful in every way . It is the Bergorf's of stinky, French cheese.

Connected to the shop is a little outdoor restaurant where one can order cheese plates, fondue, and....wait for it..... RACLETTE!

I turned green with envy as I watched people sitting with their little raclette ovens and boards of potatoes, legumes, and charcuterie, indulging in cheese heaven. I wanted to grab a table and join them - trust me I did - but I decided a meal at Androuet was something far too special to experience alone. So I am waiting for a certain someone with fabulous hair and a newly formed 6 pack of abs to come in January and feast on cheese with me.

I decided to go the healthy route - since I honestly cannot remember the last vegetable I ate. I stumbled across this fab looking Caribbean health madness stand with giant bowls full of crayola colored salads and spreads and ordered up a wrap, which was freshly pressed and prepared before drooling self.

I do not know what was in this thing - I do not need to know. All that matters is that it rocked my tastebuds. I have never tasted some of the flavors that were wrapped up in that whole wheat goodness. It was a choice well made.

I wandered from stall to stall chowing, and admiring all the awesome clothes, funky jewelry, and unique art at the market. It's so special to find things that you literally can't find at home. I picked up some wonderful presents, and some delicious samples from the other food stalls. I went into Montezuma's a total of 4 times to keep getting bits of their sinful chocolate. I didn't allow myself to buy any - because we all know how that would have ended. Me passed out surrounded by a sea of foil wrappers with a chocolate food child in my belly.

Hours of exploring later, I left Spitalfields and headed toward Shoreditch High Street, where I came across BoxPark.

BoxPark is this amazingly cool pop-up mall. It's quite big, and all the shops are little boxes, made from recycled shipping containers. It has a lot of nice labels and funky stuff by local Brits, and some cute little restaurants and take-away places scattered throughout as well. It is unlike anything I've ever seen, and a totally new shopping experience that is just plain cool. The shoppers and shops alike are very hipster - but not in annoying, Brooklyn hipster kind of way.

I had alot of fun wandering through the boxes checking out the goods and stopping for a fresh mint tea. That's right - I sip tea now. With my pinky up, too.

I had no idea Shoreditch would be so cool - I felt like an idiot for being here for a whole month before seeing it! Apparently one of the area's claims to fame is that it was home to "Jack the Ripper" back in 1888. I had NO idea that Jack the Ripper was in fact a real person before today - or that he was a serial killer of women. I suppose now I'll have to add "From Hell" to my list of London-themed movies to watch. I'll put that right below the Disney Classic, "The Great Mouse Detective," and the box-office smash, "Winning London" starring the Olsen Twins.

My dinner plans took me from Shoreditch to Knightsbridge, where I met Jax and Josie at Bar Boulud for a little Christmas company dinner. I love Daniel Boulud and all his restaurants because - duh - he is French. I hadn't eaten since my wrap at the Market, so I was conveniently starving.

So...

1 verre du vin rouge + 1 frisée salad, with poached egg, chicken liver, duck confit, lardons and sourdough croutons + 1 volaille rotie: grilled chicken breast, with caramelized ceps, carrot purée, swiss chard and spiced cranberries + 1 peppermint coupe with flourless sponge, hot chocolate sauce, peppermint and chocolate ice cream later - I was pleasantly full and oh, so happy.

I don't really eat proper meals anymore, especially dinners. So when I get the chance to sit in a lovely restaurant that specializes in French cooking and the tab is on someone else - I like to indulge.

Josie brought Christmas Crackers to make it an official party. These are a true, English Christmas tradition - and the ones she brought had the Union Jack on them to make it even better. You pull them apart and there is a small little firework, and inside is a trinket and a paper crown, which you then must wear for the rest of the evening and look like a proper fool. Ours also had a little paper inside with a joke on it.

Mine was, What did the bald man say when he received a comb for Christmas?

Thank you, I'll never part with it.

That's British humor for you.

So the jokes may be crap, but inside my cracker was a mini mending kit on a keychain! Quite brilliant actually as I always find myself in need of a needle and a spot of thread! It was such a nice little Christmas surprise! Josie got plastic hair barrettes and Jax a reindeer stencil. Clearly some crackers have better trinkets inside than others.

So my last weekend in London before heading back to the US was all around fab and marvy and brilliant. I got all my Christmas shopping done, explored new bits of London, and stuffed myself like a Thanksgiving turkey. I've got 4 days left until I head home, so you can expect a few more Christmas adventures to come as I continue to get lost in London.