William Morris, the designer, poet, craftsman and social activist, came to Walthamstow long before the breweries, the longest street market in Europe (a mile long for all the statisticians) and the hipsters arrived. To prove it, the William Morris Gallery was his home as a teenager between 1834 and 1856, with the publisher Edward Lloyd moving in just afterwards from 1857 to 1885.
The William Morris Gallery, located at the entrance of Lloyd Park, is rather grand as homes go and the creaky floorboards make you feel as if you are wandering through a lived-in house to this day. Those famous, symmetrical wallpaper designs and the stories behind them are on display everywhere; the founding of Morris & Co. (nicknamed ‘the Firm’ before the Royal Family) in 1875 and its store at 449 Oxford Street being a byword for good taste with the quality materials used along with the high standards of craftsmanship. Upstairs at the William Morris Gallery is more about the Arts & Crafts Movement led by the man himself and fellow designer John Ruskin from the 1880s up to World War 1.
A short walk or bus ride away from Walthamstow Central at the northern end of the Victoria Line makes this a nice escape from the centre of town. Think of the artsy, crafty Victoria & Albert Museum in a two-floor family home. Refreshment comes in the form of either the bright and airy onsite garden café or the recently refurbished The Bell pub also nearby.
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In the heart of Southeast London sits "Eltham Palace and Gardens". Once a medieval estate, in the '30s it was styled with mesmerizing art deco furnishings.
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They have an array of all the classic pastries you’d expect from a French bakery, from pain au chocolat & croissants to my favourite croissant aux amandes.
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Their Reading room is a mix between a gallery and a library with books and lots of places to sit and read or do some work on your laptop.
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The Barbary pays homage to the culinary traditions of the countries from the Atlantic Coast through to the Mediterranean Sea leading to the Middle East.
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With connections to the local skate scene, it's a place where the mulleted, leather-jacketed alternative students from art unis head for a big night.
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"Hackney Wick Canal" in London once a quasi-industrial wasteland, now a prime hipster hangout... I like sitting at the canal side with a beer.
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"Kew Gardens" is the famous UNESCO world heritage site in Southwest London. It's great to visit for its plants, flowers and Christmas festivities!
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"The Thames Clipper" is an efficient machine, designed for London commuters. It's the perfect way to get on a boat on the Thames on a sunny evening!
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"Canopy Brewery", just below the railway tracks, is another perfect spot to sample some of London's finest brews, directly from the source!
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"Tayyabs" in London is a legendary Punjabi run. I'll go weak at the knees at the aroma of their sizzling platters of marinated lamb chops & shami kebabs...
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"Sambrook's Brewery" in London is tucked among housing and insustrial estates; it's off the beaten track but should be on every beer lover's map...
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