What to do this weekend in East London

Evening Standard   07.03.08

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The spotlight falls on East London as the East 2008 festival swings into action. We take a look at the wide range of entertainment on offer this weekend.

ART

East London is home to more working artists than any other part of London. Every block seems to house a gallery and each corner you turn reveals the graffiti of the growing gang of guerilla artists like Banksy.

VICTORIA MIRO
16 Wharf Road, N1 (020 7336 8109, www.victoria-miro.com)
One of the largest commercial spaces in London, now showing work from polka-dot obsessive Yayoi Kusama.

WHITE CUBE
48 Hoxton Square, N1 (020 7930 5373, www.whitecube.com)
Currently displaying work by conceptual Mexican artist Mario Garcia Torres.

MOT
Unit 54/5 floor, Regent Studios, 8 Andrews Road, E8 (020 7923 9561, www.motinternational.org)
Sculptures with a surreal twist from German artist Ulrich Strothjohann.

MACONDO
8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 (020 7729 1119, www.macondo.co.uk)
Part-bar, part-gallery, Macondo is now displaying London images from Spaniard Carlos Rodriguez. Perfect for a browse and a cocktail.

BANKSY
locations across the East End www.zeemaps.com/map.do?group=1571
His street-art now adorns celebrity walls, but original works can be spotted about the East End. See the website for a map.

SHOPS

Brick Lane and the surrounding streets are now a major shopping area.

OLD SPITALFIELDS SUNDAY MARKET
105a Commercial Street, E1 (www.visitspitalfields.com)
Sunday is boom day for this market, with hundreds of stalls flogging alternative fashion, food, and assorted knick-knacks.

START
42-44 and 59 Rivington Street, EC2 (020 7375 3864)
Owned by former rock chick Brix Smith-Start, this boutique now sprawls along the street and is crammed with big-name labels.

ROKIT
101 & 107 Brick Lane, E1 (020 7375 3864)
One of three London branches of the fashionista's favourite vintage store.

TODAY IS BORING
15 Kingsland Road, E2 (020 7684 1461)
Sells itself as a "gourmet" film shop, with thousands of classic, arthouse and comedy DVDs in stock.

EATING AND DRINKING

Every cuisine is represented here, from new British to Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese, as well as great delis and coffee shops.

TASTE EAST
Spitalfields, Crispin Place, E1
The countryside comes to the city this weekend with spit-roasts and more than 40 food stalls plus a varied entertainment programme. Wash it all down with top wines, ciders, beers and juices.

OTHER EAST EATERIES NOT TO MISS

FAVELLA CHIC
91-93 Great Eastern Street, EC2 (020 7613 4228)
Brazilian bites and mojitos encourage the festival spirit in this shanty-town venue.

UBON
34 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, E14 (020 7719 7800)
Nobu's spin-off does black cod and other modern Japanese marvels just as well, with a special menu for the festival's duration.

WATER HOUSE
10 Orsman Road, N1 (020 7033 0123)
A new eco-friendly venue from the awardwinning Acorn House team.

LOONG KEE CAFE
134G Kingsland Road, E2 (0871 0757 375)
Cheap and tasty Vietnamese treats.

TEASMITH
6 Lamb Street, E1 (020 7247 1333)
A nifty little bar offering a wide range of green, black, white and red for those potty about tea.

BRICK LANE BEIGEL BAKE
159 Brick Lane, E1 (020 7729 0616)
The celebrated bakery - producing more than 7,000 bagels a night.

NIGHTLIFE

Join the hardest partying crew in London.

FABRIC
77a Charterhouse Street, EC1 (020 7336 8898)
Craig Richards, Sascha Funke and Terry Francis play this Saturday as part of Performance East.

BETHNAL GREEN WORKING MEN'S CLUB
Pollard Row, E2 (020 7739 2727)
Expect shabby 1970s décor, cheeky burlesque and queues around the corner.

TURNMILLS
63b Clerkenwell Road, EC1 (0871 971 6514)
With its closing night on Easter Sunday, don't miss your chance to say goodbye to London's iconic club.

93 FEET EAST
150 Brick Lane, E1 (020 7247 3293)
The laid-back music venue hosts its regular Sunday event this weekend, with an all-day BBQ in the courtyard.

CARGO
83 Rivington Street, EC2 (020 7739 3440)
Innovative music from Latin house to up-and-coming bands.

NU POGODI
267 Kingsland Road, E2 (020 7684 3616)
A poppy Slavic twist provides a welcome break from the surrounding trend-slaves.

 

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