The Shoreditch Scene by Lisa Bognar

the shoreditch

free! January/February

scene 2

The Queen of Hoxton The Book club fashion graffiti Milk

the ultimate guide to shoreditch

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE hello

elcome to the first issue of The Shoreditch Scene, a free magazine for those living and exploring the suburbs of East London.

This area contains a monopoly of diverse people that collaborate together and in-turn provide a hip district with creativity at its heart. Each bi-monthly issue of The Shoreditch Scene will contain reviews of restaurants and bars, news of hidden boutiques, upcoming events, streetstyle spreads from across the district and images of the latest and most influential graffiti to hit the streets. We stuffed ourselves silly at The Breakfast Club, whose review you can find on page 22 and have newly discovered Anna Stefanek, a streetstyle blogger on page 34 .Page 46 is a profile piece on Milk Concept Boutique, home to Jack the Ripper’s last victim. We hope that you enjoy this magazine and hope that you’ll continue to read it in the future for updated information on what’s hip in Shoreditch.

h c t i d e r o h S e Th x e n e c S

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

Contents 10. 15. 20. 26. 30. 34. 42. 44. 48. 58.

News Street Style The Book Club The Breakfast Club Wigwam Fashion Spread Instagram Milk Street Art The London bloggers

Lisa

s r o but THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

i r t on

EDITOR Charlotte Collins

Sub-editor Lizzie Norton

Art director Lisa Bognar

WRITERS Charlotte Collins, Lizzie Norton, Lisa Bognar

Photographers Charlotte Collins, Lizzie Norton, Katie Costello, Rosie Thomas, Matthew Zorpas, Anna Stefanek

s ’ t a h ng W oi .. g n. o 2 10

New

Electro Swing, Sounds of the 20’s to the 50’s Saturday 16th February @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

Nineties by Nature, a Night of 90s, Friday 1st February @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

Familia Carnival. Family Music Party Saturday 2nd February @ Velvet London 141-143 Shoreditch high street E1 6JE

Fridays @egg, Todd Terry, Felix da Housecat, Coyu, Yousef Friday 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd February @ Egg London 200 York Way, Kings Cross, N7 9AX www. egglondon.net

#Cupid Stupid, Valentines Event Thursday 14th February @ The Verge Bar 114-118 Bethnal Green Road E2 6DG Facebook.com/trueview.me

Identity Mast, Exhibition Launch Thursday 21st February @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

2 12

Scroobius Pip Presents We.Are.Lizards 2nd Birthday Party Friday 8th February @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

Last Night A Speed Date Changed My Life Monday 25th February @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

Field Day Festival - Various acts throughout the day Saturday 25th May @ Victoria Park London E3

Steven N Allen, Erich McElroy - Exclusive live album recordings Tuesday 26th February @ Comedy Cafe Theatre 68 Rivington Street EC2 comedycafetheatre.co.uk

45X45 Friday 22nd March @ The Book Club 100-106 Leonard street EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com

Mat Horne Presents Session Saturday 16th February @ Queen of Hoxton 1 Curtain Road EC2A 3LX www.session.org.uk

2 16

ants

estaur

b ar

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

JOIN THE CLUB

Thinking and drinking. This is The Book Club. A breakfast venue to the place to stay ‘till last orders with an original cocktail. Anything you want or need it to be. Dibbed as the younger sibling of the Queen of Hoxton, The Book Club is the go to place for any time of day, for any type of pick me up. It’s a space for creative minds around Shoreditch to gather, fusing together eclectic events from workshops to cultural showcases, making it one of the quirkiest spots in the East End. “Above all else it’s a bar, it’s a place to drink and eat,” Promotional Manger Josh fills us in on the original concept of TBC… “But then all the things that surround that make it special, from lectures to live drawings.

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

It’s not just about boozing it’s about creative events as well. Our tagline ‘thinking and drinking’ pretty much summarises what this place is all about.” One of the most distinctive things about TBC that separates it from it’s fellow Shoreditch bars is the type of events that it is ready to offer. “Tonight for instance, we’ve got a Screen

Social, which is a live music and film mash up event, which gives independent directors the chance to collaborate with new musicians. That’s what’s unique about The Book Club, we give everyone from musicians to artists a platform to promote themselves through exhibitions to live gigs.” “It’s not exclusively just for Shoreditch based talent,” Josh

tells us, “but TBC’s home is in Shoreditch, which attracts more locals to show their work. Shoreditch as an area fits TBC, with it’s creative environment and is still surrounded by other bars to give it that ‘night life’ but what encourages our creative side is that we are still surrounded by unique galleries and one-off boutiques. We get people in here using us as a

creative hub, as a studio space or a place to have meetings – it’s a pretty broad audience. Quintessentially The Book Club is a place for everything creative and Shoreditch. “One of the most memorable nights we host here is the Swap Shop, where people come in garments they don’t mind losing and then everyone switches clothes every 20 minutes and by

the end of the night everyone leaves looking like a twat in the most bizarre ensembles.” Not only are these events ever changing, but TBC’s drink and food menu changes regularly – up to every two weeks as a way of keeping things fresh. The only cocktail that sticks around is the ironic Shoreditch Twat (see next page for the recipe if you have a strong stomach). “TBC still has

a kind of style to its food with its homeliness. We do try to stick to typical English food but you’ll always find other things creeping in.” “The Book Club” are the three words that Josh chooses to summarise Shoreditch, the arrogance fitting perfectly to the bar but there is only one way to envisage The Book Club, and that is to see it yourself.

ants

a You

b ar

. . k n i u dr

at y h w re

Shoreditch TWAT

estaur

e p i c e r

hite into d yolk and egg w ad d an g eg an k 1. Crac a glass ass qulia into the gl 2. Pour 25ml of te ila and ster to the tequ ei rm ge J채 l m .5 3. Add 12 the egg to the mix l of chartreuse m .5 12 r he rt fu 4. Add a cktail rously with a co go vi re tu ix m e s th 5. Shake in with the liquor ed ix m is g eg e mixer until all th to rough a strainer th re tu ix m e th 6. Pour p and VOILA! remove any gloo

2 21

2 22

ants

estaur

b ar

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

FANCY A MORNING GLORY? With four restaurants spread across London, The Breakfast Club is undoubtedly one of the best cafés to go for breakfast (or at any time of the day). Served from 8am until midnight this really is the place to go for breakfast, brunch and/or brinner. On a very cold February morning we decided that it was about time we tucked in and gave this restaurant a review to see whether it lived up to its hype. Renowned for secret seating hideaways and quirky design features, it’s a place to be seen, even still in the hipster end of Shoreditch. Bursting to move in from the cold, the café was warm, inviting and made our tastebuds tingle. After ordering some home squeezed orange juice we began to peruse the extensive menu.

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

It contains a selection of breakfasts typical of countries from around the world, amongst lunch and evening meal choices. But whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the point of coming to a restaurant that is renowned for its breakfasts and then having a salad? Between the three of us editors, our eyes lit up in excitement at far too many dishes but we finally settled upon pancakes and bacon drenched in maple syrup,

eggs royale, poached eggs on toast with mashed avocado and crispy bacon and eggy cinnamon bread with spiced apples and ice-cream. We divided each meal into thirds before tucking in. I started with the eggs royale, which was definitely the smallest of the four choices, which disappointed me somewhat but was more than enough once I shared and tasted the others. Pretty standard as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a

common dish but still so tasty all the same. I then moved onto the poached eggs on toast with avocado and crispy bacon. This I have to say was my least favourite of them all. The avocado had been mixed with lime juice and had slices of fresh chilli on top. A very random pairing that was both sour but somehow lacked enough oomph, even with the chilli mixed in. This was definitely something that

you could make at home and would be significantly cheaper, although the poached eggs were cooked to utter perfection. After being left disappointed, the next two meals more than made up for it. Firstly, the eggy bread with cinnamon spiced apples and maple syrup were perhaps more suitable as a dessert to share in the evening but were an interesting combination

that sounded so warm and inviting we had to try them. It was an absolutely huge portion, definitely the largest of them all, which I was more than happy to finish off. Finally the pancakes and bacon dripping in maple syrup were heavenly. Having never travelled to America before, I thought the pairing of something salty and sweet would be odd but oh-my was it delicious. The two items complemented each

other beautifully and left me wanting more as it was surprisingly un-sickly. My menu recommendation. We visited the Hoxton branch (2-4 Rufus Street, N1 6PE) but there is also one located in the Spitalfields area on Artillery Lane, E1 7LS, buildings 12-16. Tables are available on a first come first served basis with reservations limited, especially on weekends. www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com

2 28

b ar

ants

estaur

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

S’more than just a rooftop Welcome to Wigwam Bam, the only place in East London where you can soak up the views of Shoreditch whilst huddled round a campfire. The Queen of Hoxton’s rooftop has been transformed into the perfect setting for those long, cold nights. WIG WAM BAM - THANK YOU MAAM! Located in the centre of London, the terrace normally hosts the ‘Rooftop Film Club’ in the summer, where you can watch some of the classics with popcorn, overlooking the urban landscape. However, for the first time this winter they have opened a little something for those icy nights. In proper American style, they have set up a wigwam featuring a bar selling mulled cider, s’mores and a whole host of traditional campfire grub.

In the centre of the wigwam is a massive BBQ called a Schwenkgrill where all the food is cooked and warms the huge tepee. This is the cosiest place to be this winter and bring back those fond memories of Scouts and Brownies! The selection of warm beverages will truly defrost you; warm, aromatic cider spiked with a shot of Sailor Jerry or a delicious hot

chocolate laced with Baileys. If you can bear facing the bitter cold, there are logs scattered around a pit fire, where you can cook your marshmallows to gooey perfection and enjoy the ever so moreish s’mores. They are quite pricey at £1.50, but come in a cute little bag complete with 2 marshmallows, two biscuits, a chocolate coin and a handy stick to toast the

mallows. The fun element of these DIY essentials is trying to cook your marshmallows just right, and then assembling the delightful sandwich. The selection of hot dinners varies from day to day, but some of the selections include wild boar sausages, venison burgers, spicy chilli con carne and hearty broths. Cooked to perfection, the food only costs £5 and is the perfect cure to warm you.

You are instantly transported to an authentic American campsite, (acoustic guitar not included). The only downside to the rooftop is you do come out stinking of a bonfire, so best clothes or dinner out afterwards is not recommended. There is also a bit of a trek to get up the five flights of the stairs, sorry no lift, but it is well worth the exercise. We all love a drink on the rooftops in the summer, with

the views of London, but the appeal quickly wears off as the temperature drops. This is a thing of the past. The lovely people at the Queen of Hoxton have provided us with a Shoreditch haven. The rooftop is open from five until 10pm so will be sure to see you through your afterwork drinks and possibly a tasty and hearty meal. This probably isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the best destination if its raining

or snowing but a cold dry night is perfect. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even need to venture down the five flights of stairs to nip to the loo, the rooftop houses quaint beach house toilets. This is a really exclusive venue, and never gets excessively busy and is a perfect, quirky alternative to a pint down the pub.

www.queenofhoxton.com

Shoreditch. fashion. East london. hipster. streetstyle. shoreditch. fashion. east london. hipster. streetstyle. shoreditch. fashion. east london. hipster. streetstyle. THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

2529 23 19

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I find East London fashion scene so diverse and inspiringâ&#x20AC;? Anna stefanek // missplayground.blogspot.co.uk

TEEN

Ashleigh wears Shirt: Army shop. Dress: urban outfitters. Rings: models own.

DREAMS

Fas

hion

ross wears Shirt: boy london. Jacket: topman. earrings: models own.

Ashleigh wears Jacket: rokit. camisole: river island. trousers: topshop.

lucie wears t-shirt: stylists own. shorts: milk boutique. boots: oasis. Sunglasses: topshop.

ross wears blazer: prmark. jeans: vintage. shirt: urban outfitters. trainers: vans. sunglasses: asos.

ross wears blazer: h&m. Jeans: rokit. ashleigh wears dress: asos.

ashleigh wears top: topshop. skirt: charity. hat: oasis. ross wears jumper: stylists own. shorts: river island.

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

#SHOREDITCH A few of our favourite pictures from instagram

2 44

BOY Y T I C @JOEY_

@BRYSKI

@idrea

mofgos

sip

@jambu

Art

is r r o m n e g o @im

2 45

@nixiepixiemoon

@EVERYTHINGLAURA

@sophiet

welve

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

MILK IT For quirky and eccentric interior and fashion pieces, Milk Concept Boutque is the only place for you to visit.

Art

47 Located on the corner of the busy Shoreditch High Street, Milk is one of those places where if you blink, you will most definitely miss it. An 18th century Clerk’s House, this boutique has a colourful history, it being the home of one of Jack the Ripper’s last victims. To add to this, the shop has also been owned by flamboyant musician Boy George, as he gave up music to pursue his t-shirt selling dream. Established in 2009, the contents of the shop are just as intriguing as its history. Milk Concept Boutique is a place for interior, fashion

brands and designers from all over the world. We spoke to Head of PR and Sales, Karen to find out just what makes Milk Concept Boutique so special… “We source labels from all over the world from already established designers to new and up-andcoming ones. We often have a lot of Danish and Swedish fashion labels as well as classic Italian clothing to keep a good mix of things in the shop.” With Shoreditch being such a culturally varied place, there does not seem like a more appropriate place for Milk to be based. “The area is so eclec-

tic,” Karen agrees, “the people here are more open to accepting new things and are looking for new designers which makes it a great place for us to bring in more rare brands. The area is so cultural that we get such a broad range of people coming in from students to senior citizens, that’s what makes Shoreditch so appealing for a boutique like this.” With famous brands from Fornesetti to Repetto, and rare one off pieces, Milk is the place to visit in Shoreditch. This is the place if you’re wanting a boutique that is luxurious and culturally vibrant.

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

2 50

GRAFfITI DREAMS

Art

2 51

At best street art is a gift to the public, a break from the normal consumer based eye candy abundant in practically every area of our lives. None of us choose to have such corporate intrusions for they have now melted within the very fabric of our mind’s eye. Street art is for everyone’s amusement, 52 bemusement, horror or pleasure. Our conscious mind see’s the image whilst our sub-conscious mind infuses the message.

- Wayne Anthony

2 53

2 54

It has a certain poetry to it that we totally connect with on every level. Artists own the actual image itself not the photograph, or the wall, or the street but the image of the art itself. Now donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t misread us here because we too love the idea of rolling up to a wall carving out a valuable piece of art for sale to the highest bidder. Street artists have mastered the

grassroots techniques and applied them to their works.

- Wayne Anthony

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE

the

LONDONER 2 56

Created on 5th April 2011, The Londoner is the number one lifestyle blog in the UK. With a passion for good burgers, Rosie shares recipes, reviews on restaurants and notifications of food stand-offs. Living in West London, Rosie only travels to the East side to explore new and famous food outlets. One of her favourites for pizza is Story Deli. This joint now consists of two outlets, one on Brick Lane and the other in Shoreditch. Using only 100% certified organically grown food, the toppings don’t consist of your regular pepperoni or margarita but rather goats cheese layered amongst red onion and fig, dolloped with olive tapenade or even salty Italian ham topped with lots of spicy rocket.

Stretched until super-thin, they are reminiscent of a true Italian pizza and taste almost as good as a freshly baked Tuscan creation. Disco Bistro’s Head Chef, Carl Clarke is one of The Londoner’s favourite cooks. Having newly opened a restaurant in East London after various pop-ups across the capital, the restaurant combines rare breed meats, fresh fish and foraged fruits and vegetables. Downstairs in the bar contains a selection of the full upstairs menu. Divided across different sections of the venue it allows

the customer to dine in whichever setting takes their fancy. Starters range from fried chicken wings or grilled scallops with black pudding and apple. For mains, rib eye steak with bone marrow contrasts against grilled squid, served with black pak choi and chorizo and their famous ‘disco burger’. Containing a beef patty, cheese, bacon and BBQ rib meat. This allows for an interesting mix of fine cuisine with gastro pub entities. Check out The Londoner at:

www.thelondoner.me.

Lo Blogndon gers

THE

gentleman

The gentleman blogger aka Mathew Zorpas is a Cypriot born; self confessed style guru living in London. Blogging daily about his life and of course his huge wardrobe. Named the second best dressed male in Britain by Esquire magazine and GQ’s top fashion icon of 2013.

Matthew Zorpas is one of Britain’s hottest and trendiest men living in London. At just 23 he has wracked up a selection of accolades for both his apparel and exciting blog posts. He truly believes in traditional quirky tailoring and, obviously, dressing like a gentleman. Working in freelance PR as well as a fashion lecturer, this blogger is at the top of his fashion game. Documenting his daily outfits, London’s hottest events and even the odd exotic holiday, The Gentleman blogger makes an exciting read. Attending the best LFW shows, exclusive

nights out and most recently a trip to Rio, this guy is not slowing down. Infusing bright new designers from across the globe with his distinct, clean-cut tailor made suits, Zorpas has created a huge cult following. “ I always mix high-end fashion designers with high street labels- you get a cool look that way. London is on of the most fashionable cities in the world and is great for shopping. I love brick lane market. We’ve got some great young designers coming through and I think London has a very exciting

future. “ Says Matthew. You heard it from the man himself; Shoreditch probably has the best shopping in London, possibly the world. The future is bright for this youngster and his creative flair for clothing is appealing to both sexes. He has a gift and he is willing to share it with us on his blog. With over 100,000 views, he is proving ever more popular in influencing London fashion. Check out the gentleman blogger at:

www.thegentlemanblogger.com

57 22

THE SHOREDITCH SCENE itch

1 Shored k n i r d hat you You are w at consumed. tw

2 58

5 large meals consumed in one day...purely for your benefit of course!

3 very tired, proud girls happy with the end product.

in numbers... 1000’s of photos taken to cr eate ‘The Shoreditch scene’.

1 library membership obtained after reading ‘the hungry caterpiller’.

24 cocktails consumed af ter a long day of shooting our fashion sprea d.

3 miles ran chasing the last coach home.

1 justin and 1 adam supporting us through the making of this magazine!