exploring new neighbourhoods

I explored a new neighbourhood yesterday. There are so many of these little villages and neighbourhoods in London that are tucked away, and unless you make a point of walking around there, you may never know they exist. Even if they're just around the corner.

But first, can I share something I came across on YouTube yesterday that made me CRY with laughter. Don't know why, but this is the funniest shit I have heard in a week. A month. Three months.
I really needed the laugh and it felt good to howl until tears rolled down my cheeks.

Listen to the end.


Now. The neighbourhood I am currently exploring is a place in London called Fitzrovia.
It's a sort of mix between old Victorian housing, lots of busy restaurants and classic pubs and shopping nearby. It's near enough to Soho to be taken seriously, but far enough away that you can happily avoid nightlife detritus and trannies if you need to.

Anyway, it's good to wander around the streets and find a new London. (In semi-darkness, but that's to be expected. Can't drag my SAD lamp around with me everywhere...)

 First though, a drink with colleagues in Chinatown. I love Chinatown.

 'Pop-up' gallery. This is a common phenomenon here. A shop that's only around for a set amount of time - be it a day, be it a month. This is a pop-up poster shop for the moment.

 You can get really great Arabic-style cuisine in London. Given much of the London is made up of so many different cultures, and Arabic countries are a majority-led portion of this, so I was half-surprised to learn this morning that the UK's second language is Polish. (Census results out.)

 I like how some streets topiarify (topiared? topiar?...prune?) their trees.

 One day when I'm all grown up and very rich, I will own a Victorian, red brick [monster] apartment.

 Alleyways. Disconcerting, yet charming. Jack The Ripper did his work in these sorts of small, cramped alleyways. Except this is the West End, not the East End.

 Out onto Oxford Street.

It's not raining, but it looks like it is. As always.