THE LONDON SCRAP BOOK - December

THE LONDON SCRAP BOOK - DECEMBER

I’ve been thinking about how to record all my adventures in London and I’ve decided to start a monthly personal blog called The London Scrapbook – a perfect place for me to write down all the things I’ve been loving that particular month. One of the reasons for moving to a city was the culture & vibrancy that it has to offer so I am also hoping that recording it all will make sure I bloody go out and do it! I am also really hoping to shoot more London weddings this year and next and exploring different places around Hackney which help me spot some good locations…


EATING & DRINKING

Wander, Stoke Newington

This restaurant is just round the corner from us and I’ve been dying to come here since we moved, Nick’s birthday was the perfect excuse! We had the chefs selection which is a mix of little bits of all of the menu and it was insanely good. All the food had an Australian influence as did the wine flight. And the pre and post dinner negroni was up there with the best..

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It’s been a month of tastings too as we went to  Peckham sake brewery for Nick’s birthday (the first one in the UK!) and also did a beer tasting at BrewHouse (not in the same day thank god).

The Haberdashery

I took my Mum here for a treat when she came to visit, having only had coffee in here before I was so impressed with their lunch menu! Soup and a sandwich and a gorgeous soft drink for a tenner. They always have interesting art work on the walls and I fell in love with this photograph above. When I am rich I am going to have such a good photography collection…


DOING

Tim Walker at the V&A

This wondrous and curious exhibition was like nothing I’ve seen before, it was like a real life stepping into of his mind! I’ve loved tim walker since the dress up days began with Rosalind and I think it’s incredible how he conceptualises things and then brings them to life.

Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize

I go and see this every year at the National Portrait Gallery and it never disappoints. It’s a broad range of portraits submitted from people all over the world meaning the subject matter is incredible varied, I found this year there was a big emphasis on inclusivity and gender roles which was interesting!

Gong Baths & Yoga

My yoga studio (opposite my work studio!) is my little haven and I’ve been really happy to been able to go about three times a week. They do ‘sound baths’ in the evenings which is just as you would imagine – you lie down in blankets and meditate (or nap) to the sound of gongs. It’s incredibly relaxing!

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Skiing

The week before Christmas we headed to Les Deux Alps for some skiing at Rise Festival and even though the skiing was a bit of a fail on my part I really enjoyed doing some breath work (The Breath Guy) and yoga at the panoramic bar at the top of the mountain, and getting raucous at Bongos Bingo!

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And of course it’s been Christmas! A wonderful affair of drinking, eating, merry making and presents. As our families are all spread out, plus I was shooting weddings, there was a bit of missioning around the country but it was so lovely catching up. For new year my two best ones came to visit in London where we indulged in a few cocktails are Original Sin (my favourite cocktail bar in Stoke Newington)

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Little Duck Picklery

We came here for brunch in early December and it was DIVINE. I had the Indian omelette above washed down with the most delicious flat white! All served on a round table in the middle of the kitchen with jars of picklers and preserves lining the walls.

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LISTENING

Matthew and the Atlas – My first visit to the venue EartH in hackney and definitely not my last. Such a laid back gig space (you all sit on bleacher style seats) and also they do weddings here! Just putting it out in the universe I’d love to shoot a wedding at EartH.

Fenne Lily  - Tiny little pub gig room to see Fenne Lily, probably one of the most low-key gigs i’ve been to in a while! Besides the dire venue it was actually quite nice.

Booked tickets to see the beautiful Agnes Obel next year which I am super excited about and bought Nick ticket to see Kojey Radical at the roundhouse too!


VISITING

BBC Archers Tour

Anyone that knows me knows I am an actual Archers addict. Never heard of it? That’s probably because it’s an agricultural radio soap drama on BBC4 aimed at the over 40s. For some unknown reason I am totally obsessed with it. Me, my dad and my younger sis visited to BBC radio station where they record in Birmingham. Yes we were the youngest people in the group by about 25 years.

Data Debates at British Library

Nick’s second home is the British library and they quite often have debates and talks on in the evening, we went to one about the life of Gandhi last month. This month we went to a debate about AI and fake news, how it’s used to combat the spread of fake news and how it distinguishes between real and false. I’d had about 4 wines so it didn’t go in quite as much as it should have though…


WATCHING

Stranger Things Season 3 – late to the party on this but whipped through it in about a week. Just. So. Good.

First Dates Christmas Special – completely obsessed with first dates and this Christmas one was sooo good.

The Shape of Water – Watched this on new years day and besides the fact it is really bloody weird it’s also quite beautiful.

The Joker – Joaquin Pheonix was insane in this. Really gutted we didn’t make it to the cinema and ended up watching it on our tiny laptop screen though!


READING

Dawn O’Porter – Lucky – I loved The Cows which I read last year, I felt like this lost it a bit towards the end but still thoroughly enjoyed this. I actually listened to it on audio book as well and I love Dawn O’Porter narration style.

The Testaments – I only read Handmaids Tale this year and loved it, finished the sequal in about a week!

My sister the serial killer – Read this in one sitting on a rainy ski day.

Half the world away –  A good old schmultzy novel.

I also joined Stoke Newington Library as literally nothing gives me as much pleasure as getting my library books stamped! Plus my kindle addiction is getting out of hand.

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PLANNING

As the year’s drawing to a close I’ve been doing lots of reflecting and planning for the next 12 month, both with my business and my personal life. I did my 2019 Round up of my top photography images and also did my yearly ‘letter to myself’ about all the things I’ve accomplished and done in 2019. I’ve been sprucing up my website and re-branding myself as a Stoke Newington wedding photographer as well as updating my about me pictures and blogging the hell out of my wonderful recent weddings!

I’ve also been looking at my challenges (I hate the term new years resolutions) for the year ahead and I am doing the good reads 52 book challenge (only managed 35 this year) and also want to do 1 hike a month somewhere new. Probably should have started that when I lived in the mountainous Shropshire rather than the city but never mind!  

We’re headed to India on 7th January so I’ve been planning for that too; organising accommodation, looking at routes, packing!

So that was my December. If you want to see what I get up to on a more daily basis there’s my photography Instagram, my family photography Instagram AND my personal one (I cannot be held liable for anything unprofessional you see on there – enter at your own risk!

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