A love letter to Whitecross Street

Whitecross Street, Islington, is just around the corner from the Old Street roundabout and is the beautiful street on which I used to live (in, admittedly, a not-so-beautiful flat). 

Having said that, I absolutely adored living there and frequently go back to visit purely for nostalgic reasons. Whitecross Street is home to some of the best street food in London, with a market which takes up the entire street from 11am to 3pm, Monday-Friday. 

The Foodie Hotspots of Cape Town

I have been calling Cape Town a second home for 13 years now and I each time I visit I fall in love with it all over again. One of the many, many, reasons I love it there is the food. So much variety, such high quality, and freshness that I've not experienced elsewhere (after almost 8 years in London, I was beginning to forget what fresh food really tasted like).

There are always new places cropping up and over the past 2 years in particular there's been a huge surge in small, local businesses thriving. With markets and fairs giving students and novices alike a platform on which to be seen by locals and tourists, the outcry for something home-grown and honest is being answered. Living in a society dominated by chains and franchises, it's so inspiring to see people going it alone and creating a business, be it a coffee shop or a food stall, out of the sheer love of it.

I've recently noticed more and more people booking trips to Cape Town so I thought I'd impart some advice and give some much-deserved shout outs to my favourite places to eat and drink in and around the beautiful city.

10 Years of "Scissor Sisters" - An appreciation.

"Scissor Sisters" by Scissor Sisters

10 years ago this week saw the release of what is still my favourite album of all time.

I was 13 years old. My father went on a road trip down the east coast of the US with his best mate. Both of them moustachioed and riding Harleys (such badasses) and there I was pleading with my father to bring this album back with him for me, as it was released stateside long before it was released here in the U.K.

In my childlike naiveté I was excited to hear more from Scissor Sisters, they seemed fun, I heard their haunting cover of "Comfortably Numb" first and it was unlike anything I'd ever heard before and then I heard "Laura", the intro to which I thought sounded like the theme music to Thomas the Tank Engine, which was nice.

Beyond the children's TV similarities, the album was a sweet shop of camp and nostalgically referential treats. A blend of 70s Disco and 80s Rock some how sounded modern. It felt raw, a glittery sequin blade cutting through 90s and early 00s pop, it was like nothing else at the time. Having grown up listening to Elton John, the prospect of a modernised, more explicit, but equally as flamboyant act was too tantalising for words.

"Scissor Sisters" was the first album I ever knew every single word to. Every word of every song memorised and sang aloud. Coincidentally, it was also the very first album on which I genuinely  loved every track and could listen to it from start to finish without skipping. Man, I wore that CD out in my Sony Walkman. I'm surprised it still works (the CD that is, the Walkman is sadly, long gone *longing face*)

Adapt To Survive

So here I am again, back in Wales and working in retail. I'm still not quite in a position to be able to intern, or even move out of my parents' house, as I am yet to find a landlord willing to accept dreams and smiles as rent payment, so I'm doing what I can until my career gets back on track, and oddly, I'm enjoying it. 

Long Distance

"Missing someone gets easier each day because even though you're one day further from the last time you saw them, you're one day closer to seeing them again."

We need to talk. Look, this long distance relationship with London... it's.... it's not working. I need at least a brief conjugal visit soon. Very soon. I can't take the sleepless nights of frustration that I'm not there, I can't take my constant state of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), is it missing me as much as I'm missing it? How long til I see it again?!

Ok so I might be being slightly dramatic about all of this,

Suburgatory

So after four years, I have left London. Due to financial reasons (or rather, a lack of finances) I have returned to south Wales as a 22 year-old graduate and am currently living with my parents again.