London Saturday

On our first morning in London we made our own way on the Circle Line to Liverpool Street Station to meet the young ones for breakfast a short walk away at Shoreditch House in Ebor Street.

Shoreditch House is very unassuming on the outside, but its a revelation inside - no photographs allowed - so you'll just have to believe me when I say it is about the coolest place I have every been (in fact it is a wonder I was even allowed in - it was so cool). Eddie dreamed of having a swim with his Daddy in the rooftop pool - and that happened despite how cold it was.  

Saturday mornings are quiet at Shoreditch House, but there was no shortage of staff to provide a beautifully prepared breakfast for us, with all the trimmings.  I loved checking out the eclectic retro vintage aesthetic of this iconic (and very cool) London club.

The young ones had things to do after so we checked out the William Morris inspired range at House of Hackney before going for a stroll up Redchurch Street to Brick Lane.

 We stopped to admire the cakes and decor at Franze & Evans

 and found the famous Beigel Bake was still doing a great business on Brick Lane....

Rod showed us the way to one of his favourite hidden streets in London (Wilkes Street) - still largely intact as it would have been in Victorian times..and one of the streets Jack the Ripper could easily have stalked in his day.

 This building still had its original "wavy" glass windows.

It was not too far then to walk to the old Spitalfield Market...

...past the old Ten Bells Pub (where Jack the Ripper met some of his victims)......

Spitalfield Markets was hosting London Cocktail Week. It was very crowded with everyone sampling a lot of the hard stuff, leaving us with the impression that many young people in East London enjoy the good life despite stories of difficult economic times.

 East London reveals great views of the Gherkin too!