Attendant Café (Formerly victorian loos!)

This is the most unusual place I have ever had a hot chocolate!
Attendant was built in the late 1800's and for almost 100 years was an underground men's toilet!
Vacant for over 50 years, it was recently lovingly restored to become a café! 



The entrance/exit is still via the original staircase at 27 Foley street, Central London

One of the original cubicle doors has been left for customers to "graffiti"!

The old Attendant’s office has been turned into a little kitchen

The original porcelain urinals remain surrounded by the original Victorian floor tiles.

...the rich hot chocolate was delicious...
but ironically the only facility Attendant seemed to be lacking was a customer toilet!

 

Vestry House Museum

This grade II listed building lies at the heart of the delightful Walthamstow village, built in 1730

It's original function was as a workhouse for upto 30 paupers. The caveat above the door is moving: "If any would not work, neither should he eat" 

A garden has recently been added to the back of the building displaying plants known to be grown there by the workhouse inmates in the 18th century

Before the police,  a "Watch" operated from the house.The outline of the "Cage", which housed prisoners overnight, can still be seen on the side of the building. Later the police inhabited the building for 30 years and you can enter one of the original cells!

Upstairs, you can explore life during past and present Waltham Forest through fascinating displays on domestic life, local history, fashion, toys and games. The collection of washing paraphenelia includes the "dolly" that was used before wshing machines existed

Tongs to create frills on clothes

A speecial iron for collars

I'd only seen trivets for pans before - but they existed for irons too!

A candle box

A collection of humorous postcards capturing the hard lives of servants

There is a reconstructed 1940s room in the house. This wedding dress is 70 years old and was made on the sewing machine during the black-out

3 brides wore the dress which was made out of material bought from the local market with clothing coupons

Girls in the workhouse were taught to sew from an early age

A garment sewn by a young girl

A collection of tea caddies, cheese jars (including one from my favourite cheese shop, Paxton & Whitfield!) and bottles

A reconstruction of a Victorian parlour

This is a delightful museum - a hidden gem in the middle of Walthamstow village!

Map dresses!

Susan Stockwell beautifully glues together military and political maps to create stunning gowns that mimic those worn by women during the 1870s. The drawing and colors of the atlas gives the art pieces a mesmerizing pattern that she highlights through delicate folds and beautiful details. Wonderful!

 

 

 

 

Move over Ben & Jerry...!

Recently, a friend with very good taste, introduced me to Marine Ices. I'm so glad!

Located on Haverstock Hill in Chalk Farm, this ice-cream parlour
and Italian restaurant has been owned by the same family for over 80 years!

In the 1930's, Aldo Mansi rebuilt the parlour, modelled on a boat &
introduced a porthole window to serve icecream.This window survives today!

The Fourth generation of the Mansi family now run the parlour! The ice-creams, 28 varieties,
flavours ranging from Tiramisu to blue bubble gum, are delicious...as is the chap serving..
...resembles a Russian looking spy with beautiful eyes - but that's just an added bonus ;-)

Another, more upmaket, hidden gem, is The Parlour in Fortnum and Mason. Often overlooked in favour of afternoon tea, The Parlour serves the most indulgent ices; 3 cones all at once, reasonably priced and with a lovely view over the Royal Academy opposite! Flavours range from strawberry with 12 year old balsamic vinegar to stem ginger with borage honey!  

Wiltons Grand Music Hall!

I was really pleased to read that one of Londons hidden gems has raised enough money to continue operating. Wiltons is the the oldest surviving music hall in the world. Renowned for it's atmosphere of faded glamour and decadence, Wiltons resides down Graces alley near Tower Bridge. Built in 1859, it was home to musicals and circus acts, before becoming derelict and then later reopening.

I love enjoying a drink in the original mahogany bar dating back to to the 1700's.

  The intimate performing space is supported by
wooden barley pillared galleries.

When I watch a show there, whether it be a dance performance by the wonderful Noel Wallace or a mime act warming up for the Edinburgh festival, you feel transported back in time, with history seeping out of it's cracked peeling walls.

 A wonderful venue!

A night on the tiles!

I love old tiles, especially green ones. I always get a thrill when I spy them in doorways or old buildings and try to take sneaky snaps! I'm always drawn to shabby looking pubs and tube stations adorned with tiles!   

"The Pev" pub in Manchester

I spied these old tiles in the doorway of a
boarded up pub on the Essex Road in Islington

Princess Louise pub in Holborn

I love going to Primrose Hill. The first thing that greets
 me are the gorgeous tiles at Chalk Farm tube station

I always love walking past this house in Ealing!

Original Edwardian glazed tiles inside Victoria baths, Manchester

Bibendum, South Kensington

Futuristic seating in Clerkenwell Prison

The catacombs and former "cells"of Clerkenwell House of detention, built almost 400 years ago, was the backdrop for designers to showcase their work during the recent Clerkenwell Design week. It was an amazing venue! My favourite exhibit was this futuristic and very comfy looking "Hive" chair, crafted by Raw studio.  

The prison was rebuilt three times

During the 2nd World war, part of the prison
was converted in to a bomb shelter

When the prison was demolished, the Hugh Mydletton
school was built in it's place, but the catacombs remained
under the school playground.

Very rarely opened to the public, the prison is now used for
office storage and as a film set, most recently
 for Sherlock Holmes and St Trinians