A Whirlwind Weekend in London: Friends and New Finds
| | 14 September to 18 September 2023 | The “use it or lose it” reminder email from Virgin Atlantic about unused vouchers from 2020 spurred plans for a long weekend in London. |
We decided to stay at The Standard in King’s Cross. It’s funky retro style and convenient location were both wins. After a longer than expected commute into town (rush hour arrival) we dumped our stuff at the hotel and set off for SoHo armed with a list of record stores and tickets to see “The Art of Banksy” exhibit. |
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 Still somewhat functional on “arrival day”, we found our way to Coach and Horses (2 Old Compton St) to grab a pint (or two!) with my local colleague, Alex. A fellow music nerd, he gleefully joined us as we popped into nearby Phonica Records before accompanying us back to Euston Road to catch his train home. Unfortunately, I have zero pictures from our meet-up. Doh! |
Friday’s agenda started with a quick tube ride to the start of the Portobello Road market. Weaving through antiques sellers, stalls of all sorts, a Banksy in the wild (16 Portobello Road), we found our way to Rough Trade West.
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 Back in SoHo, we lunched at The Dog and Duck (18 Bateman St), a pub oozing British pub-ness and a history with George Orwell. Tiny little spot with tons of character and excellent food. |
 Ventured to the Spitalfiends neighborhood, new territory for us. Taking in all the street art as we wandered south to catch sunset from the Tower Bridge.
Our reason for being in this area was our evening event in Whitechapel: a Jack the Ripper tour. As we meandered through the winding streets, following our guide’s captivating storytelling, we couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer number of fellow tour-goers packed into this historic area. It was like a spooky, historical traffic jam! While we didn’t crack the case and uncover the true identity of Jack the Ripper, the atmosphere and eerie tales made for a grand adventure! |
 Started the weekend right with a cozy stop at Fortitude Bakehouse (35 Colonnade) Their coffee and cinnamon sticky buns were absolute perfection! Tucked away just off Russell Square, this hidden gem is a must-visit if you’re in the area. Expect a line and they sell out early.  |
 We hopped on the tube to Hackney, an area that’s undergone a complete transformation since we were last out this way. As we wandered through the neighborhood, we passed charming parks, quirky shops, and bustling cafes, all filled with folks out enjoying the day. We popped into a few record shops and took a well-earned beer break. |
Heading north from Hackney, next stop was Dalston Mill Fabrics (69-73 Ridley Rd) which looked from the pictures on Google Maps to be a treasure trove of textile goodness. Making the left onto Ridley Road, we walked straight into a West African market and street fair. Steel drums, jerk chicken grills, the works. I did manage to find the shop and left Jeff to contemplate chicken. Stepping inside Dalston Mill Fabrics was entering Disneyland for textile lovers. The shop stretched on forever, with floor-to-ceiling shelves bursting with fabrics in every texture and color imaginable. Toward the back, I found an impressive array of trims, buttons, and all sorts of haberdashery delights. Honestly, if I were a local, this would be my go-to spot for all things fabric and craft, even if it did feel like one might get crushed in a textile landslide at any moment!
Exiting the shop with my purchases, I found Jeff tucked in to a jerk chicken and salad plate. Taking my fill, we said goodbye to the unusual surroundings and headed back to toward Regents Canal.
But first, wine. We made a pit stop at People’s Wine (73 Dalston Lane), a charming and unpretentious wine bar tucked away on Dalston Lane. Inside, several excellent wines were recommended, and we savored every drop while soaking in the cool, refreshing air conditioning. The heat outside was no joke — it was sweltering in the concrete jungle, with temps hitting the mid-80Fs in September. Definitely a much-needed escape! |
 We walked back toward King’s Cross along Regents Canal taking in the sights and quieter surroundings. We made it to Angel, then hopped the tube the rest of the way to the hotel.
I appreciate the “tap-and-go” convenience of using chipped credit/debit cards for transit; we first experienced in Rome and are using here in London, too. No messing with tickets before boarding – winning! |
 For dinner, we decided to keep things simple and grabbed a cheese and charcuterie box from La Fromagerie’s Bloomsbury location (52 Lamb’s Conduit St) — yes, I know, a bit of an unexpected choice – hahaha! The selections were absolutely divine, each item thoughtfully labeled, and to top it off, we got extra slices of crusty brown bread. |
| Sunday morning greeted us with a soft drizzle, but luckily, our plans were safely tucked indoors. We kicked off the day with takeaway pastries and coffee, setting the tone for a relaxed agenda. Our first stop? The iconic British Library at St Pancras. With a tip from Alex, we headed straight to the Treasures Gallery — a hidden gem filled with rare books, ancient maps, and priceless manuscripts. Best part? It’s completely free to explore during regular library hours. If you’re in the area, this is definitely a must-see! |
 After our brief cultural detour, we made our way to King’s Cross to meet up with the one and only Calculon Rob (of Revenge of Calculon fame), creator of all things electro-sleazy-funk, fresh off the morning train from Nottingham. We didn’t waste any time and headed straight to the German Gymnasium (1 King’s Blvd – directly off the west exit of King’s Cross) for lunch. This historic gem, originally built in 1865 as a grand gymnasium, has been beautifully transformed into a stunning dining spot. The perfect place to refuel before diving into the rest of a lazy Sunday! |
Sticking around the King’s Cross station, I suggested we check out Spiritland (9-10 Stable St) — a vinyl café and cocktail bar that Alex recommended. Not only did he rave about the drinks, but he also said the bar boasts a mind-blowing $100,000 sound system. Intrigued, we meandered through Coal Drops Yard, soaking in the vibe, until we found it. Inside, we were greeted by an impressive selection of cocktails and local beers, but the real showstopper? Thousands of vinyl records lining the walls, ready to set a mood – sit back and soak it up! A few hours and a few drinks later, it was time to return Rob to his northbound train – we’ll see him again in Reykjavik in November! |
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Notes to Self: Hotel: The Standard – 10 Argyle St. (ask for a room in the back, away from the train station) Car Service to/from Heathrow: Blacklane |
On our way to SoHo, we made a quick detour to discover Attendant Coffee Roasters (27A Foley St) – a quirky gem hidden in a restored Victorian public restroom! The perfect spot for a unique coffee experience, and totally worth the side trip.
