SouthEast FM

South London- The Artistic Hub

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:32:18 +0000

I was born and grew up in North London, however whilst at university I spent two years in South London. The two different areas are very different even though they are in the same city. The area of North London I am from is very middle class at situated quite far out of central London. This has its benefits, for example beautiful leafy parks and quiet streets. However it does lack a certain amount of activities for younger generations.

In South London I lived in two different areas, Peckham and then Brockley. Living in Peckham was probably the most vibrant living conditions I have ever experienced. The area is so full of diversity, different people from different walks of life. You can pretty much get your hands on anything in the markets. However the area itself can be quite hostile and aggressive. I personally witnessed horrific acts of violence, which were totally unnecessary.

The other area I lived in was Brockley. This area is beautiful, perfect for any young professional and students.

South London is the perfect place to live if you are an up and coming artist of any sort, there are street artists and exhibition stands down every street you turn. There are so many schemes and youth clubs you can get involved in. Also there are at least 3 different campuses of the University of the Arts that are easily accessible from South London. All of this adds to the charm of South London, however this is definitely dampened by another subculture that is appearing in these artistic ghettos; “drug”/ “rave”culture. If you find yourself at one of these artistic shindigs, by about 1:00 am all the witty banter and intellectual conversation will cease to exist and be replaced by the gurning, ramblings of youths wrecked out of their heads on a concoction of chemicals.

Unfortunately this ruins the charm of this area and the art culture of this area.

South London - charity shops in Dulwich, Lordship Lane

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:15:26 +0000

I have recently begun exploring further into South London on my bicycle. This is a great way to get around any new place, as you can start off by heading down the main streets and just seeing what there is, in the way of shops, markets, bars etc. But then you can also explore the backstreets without taking too much of a detour.
One of the main routes that I take quite regularly includes the length of Lordship Lane - one of the longest ’main'routes South of the river, heading North/South. Because of this you might think that the road would have become more of a thoroughfare, for people commuting from the South, than incorporating places in their own right, but this is definitely not the case. East Dulwich is one of the largest areas based around Lordship Lane, and it is one of South London’s most vibrant areas; it has a mixture of Camberwellian Art students, young professionals who have chosen not to live North, and families with children of all ages.
The East Dulwich stretch of Lordship Lane is packed with independent shops, selling anything from coffee to trinkets once I even saw a poster in a shops window for vw camper vans for sale (pretty sure they were models though). And one of the things which I have noticed to be a feature of the area is the wealth of excellent charity shops. These are charity shops with good stock, so you don’t need to worry about spending all that time sifting through moth-ball scented blouses to find a gem. Instead almost everything is a gem, and you are just provided with a great selection. Because of the diversity of Dulwich’s population it seems that the charity shops find no trouble either receiving donations, or finding customers, and as such I would say it is London’s best option for an afternoon of charity shop shopping.

The Surprising New Cross in South East London

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:30:04 +0000

New Cross Gate maybe a culture shock for someone like me coming from Los Angeles to attend Goldsmith University of London, but I’ve come to appreciate the diverse culture and university community since arriving. Unfortunately my first introduction coming off the underground was the scent of dried urine while ascending a path toward the exit, surrounded by tube posters for teeth whitening and online hairloss consultation, and a man sitting on the ground looked rough from either drugs or homelessness asking for money with a white polystyrene cup. I tripped onto the street as litter, a discarded shopping bag caught onto my shoe, noisy cars, trucks, busses and ambulances with sirens whizzed by kicking up dust. Crowds of bustling people rushed toward their destination and the flow of traffic was fast. To the west of the train station I noticed a Sainsbury market with petrol station and on my way east walking towards school on New Cross Road I passed Iceland Foods market, giving the area a convenience for shopping alongside a variety of ethnic Afro and Middle Eastern corner shops.

That day the town appeared depressingly grey, the sidewalks, the overcast sky and the buildings were quite a contrast to bright and sunny LA, but after settling here I no longer see ‘greyness’ but a colorful atmosphere filled with diversity and artistic interests, given that Goldsmiths University of London is renown for a prolific Fine Arts department.

Here are a few places that I’ve come to enjoy:

Early morning latte at my second home, Café Crema near the university, they also serve organic dishes and morphs into a small theatre in the evenings. Next-door are fashion storefronts, one being the Vintage Emporium Pop Up Shop selling eccentric edgy vintage-wear, a few collectable pieces are reappropriated and altered there on the premises. Their window displays are the most intriguing and other-worldly. Directly across the street from the university is Goldsmiths Café for the cheapest traditional English breakfast. A little gem restaurant is Thailand, also across the street from the university with a lovely traditional Thai and Laos cuisine and a reasonable happy hour dinner for only £3.99, the meals are quality fresh and earned rave reviews from Time Out magazine. In the evenings there’s live music venues peppered throughout town that are packed with mostly students and the ‘under 30’ crowd. Also alive are various traditional English pubs with The Hobgoblin across the street from New Cross Train Station, being my favorite with a large back patio and a perfect place to bash with friends on warm summer nights.

Review Le Pont de la Tour

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:00:36 +0000

Le Pont de la Tour is one of the most expensive restaurants around. It carries with it a lot of high esteem and reputation for being one of the premier restaurants in South London. The restaurant is very huge with a courteous staff waiting to pamper you.

The restaurant is quite famous for its seafood which hogs the limelight at this place. Colchester oyster is the most sought after seafood at this restaurant. There are other options like caviar, lobster and langoustines which feature in the starters menu. The dishes are so tantalizing that you would eat to your heart’s content for sure.

The main courses are dominated by fish varieties and there are even other options for hardened carnivores. Guinea fowl with mashed potatoes makes for an appetizing meal. All the fish items here are delicately prepared to mesmerize your taste buds. Red mullet with caramelized chicory is a delicious combination which you would die for. There are also other side orders which you will get along with your already sumptuous meal. Pommes frites are special when taken with butter cauliflower and spring greens. Salads are also spread out in varieties to choose from.

Puddings such as a rich pot au chocolate are quite traditional in its dressing and serve its purpose! It is made of dripping chocolate essence which melts in your mouth.

The menu has about 80 pages listed for the wines alone. It is a true connoisseur’s delight where you have the leisure of choosing the finest of wines and liquors (though expensive) coupled with exciting cocktails. The bartenders are well mannered and dish out the drinks with élan! At the outset, it is a great restaurant dishing out some fine delicacies combined with impeccable hospitality; a class act, you just may need to find a financial advisor to afford it.