Penny Blood's Black Book » North

Spiazzo Italian Foodhall

Penny Blood — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:45:30 +0000

In Los Angeles, there is a Jewish cafe/restaurant called Canters which is a staple in old Hollywood. It’s full of screenwriters in big white trainers and khaki shorts writing C-list scripts about zombies (there’s a huge market for zombie films in LA). It’s bright and full of booths and the staff are older than most of the buildings.

The Italian Foodhall doesn’t have the history and only a fraction of the atmosphere of Canters but a fraction all the same. Italian rather than Jewish, the deli has shelves stacked high with all that lovely Italian confectionery in amazing packaging, biscotti, amoretti biscuits, dark chocolate, marzipan sweets etc… The restaurant has high-backed red leather booths providing ample privacy and space, something you just don’t find in London since real estate prices force proprietors to pack in the customers. The food is that kind of home-cooked variety you see on American sitcoms and adverts, bruschetta piled high and bowls of olives and buttery ciabatta. The staff look Italian but that’s about it.
26 The Broadway, Crouch End, London, N8 9DE
020 83476065‎

http://www.spiazzo.co.uk

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Shock and Soul

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:05:23 +0000

http://www.shockandsoul.co.uk/

100 Islington High Street, London N1 8EG
020 7359 1490
Monday – Tuesday 11am – 7pm Wedneday 11am-8pm
Thursday – Saturday 11am-5pm Sunday 12pm-6pm

Past Caring

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:02:13 +0000

This is the kind of place I’d recommend if you were looking for something random like say, a dressmakers dummy or an antique mousetrap. It’s effectively a junk shop but really well organised and edited to only the best stuff without charging a fortune for it. Needless to say they always have vast amounts of 50’s and 60’s tea sets in gaudy colours. It’s well placed, surrounded by a few great places to eat and a good second hand record shop not to mention ‘Get Stuffed’ and amazing taxidermy shop albeit with questionable morals. There are usually a few crazy folk here, the kind of regulars who have lived in council flats in the area for ages and stop by frequently to see what new stuff is in that they can feign interest in buying. I over hear a middle aged lady complaining to the cashier that her mother had be kicked out of the loony bin for depressing the other patients so had come home to depress her family instead and that she was trying to find any reason to be out of the house.

76 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 8LT

Pierrepont Arcade

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:59:54 +0000

Tucked behind Upper Street, Pierrepont Arcade is a collection of little antique and vintage shops. Tiny but stocked to the rafters, I always come across something to take up space in my closet that I will never actually wear, be it a Barbie themed charm bracelet or a mirrored waistcoat to go with my recent gypsy obsession which is too small as it’s designed for a 10 year old. Additionally located in Camden Passage are a number of nice places including the Elk in the Woods pub and the Breakfast Club. Being off the main thoroughfare, Pierrepont Arcade is not too rammed which due to the shoebox-sized shops is fortunate.

http://www.camdenpassageislington.co.uk

Camden Passage (Angel Tube Station)

Hamstead Heath / Parliment Hill / Kenwood House

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:34:58 +0000

Now I know I said that I wouldn’t mention parks and the only reason I mention Hampstead Heath is because I got lost there the other day trying to find Kenwood House with Drage who wouldn’t admit he had no idea where he was going. Well I decided that on a sunny day it’s worth getting off the train at Gospel Oak or Hamstead Heath and walking up via Parliment Hill where you get an amazing view of London. A while back a friend who had just moved to Gospel Oak insisted on taking me up there which I found unbelievably tedious as I hate to walk anywhere if I can help and I’m the kind of person who would rather stay in watching MTV than go look at a bloody sunset, but I have to admit that it was indeed worth it.

Hampstead Heath itself feels like the the next best thing to a day in the country as it’s huge, rambling, spacious and unmanicured with acres to literally get lost in. The Hampstead Ponds are also a huge attraction where people (not me) can go swimming, there is even a ladies only pond. Like lido’s and sunsets, people seem to get very excited over them, I personally don’t get it. I hate swimming and outdoors? in Britain?…..???

Kenwood House is a stately home situated at the top of the Heath. The former home of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova it’s a large stately house vast lawns and a really great tea room with a lovely outdoor seating area and great cakes, soup, salad, coffee, tea, that kind of thing. It’s a perfect setting although Drage and I brought the average age down by about 30 years.

Hampstead Heath overground station

The Phoenix Cinema

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:27:44 +0000

Let it be known in no uncertain terms that I will never under any circumstances go anywhere near a multiplex cinema. I would rather trek to north London to a little gem known as the Phoenix Cinema. Built in 1910 and surviving two world wars, it’s believed to be the oldest purpose built cinema in Britain. It’s plush red velvet chairs, unique art-deco auditorium and bar serving sweets and homemade cakes make it one of the most charming cinema’s around. Although nowhere near where I live I do find myself going there to catch the better breed of films that don’t make the rounds of the more centrally located cinemas. A short walk away is Bishops Avenue, home to London’s most ostentatious mansions of Arab arm dealer, Beverly hills meets Dubai ridiculously over the top, glamorous and gaudy tackorama, where no house is older than 10 years as each new owner just buys the plot brings in a bulldozer and joins the ongoing competition as to who can create the biggest heap of brick, bile, glitter and glass.

http://www.phoenixcinema.co.uk/

52 High Road, East Finchley, London, N2 9PJ
020 8444 6789

The Flask

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:19:21 +0000

77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, London, N6 6BU
020 8348 7346
Monday – Saturday 11am-11pm Sunday 12pm-10.30pm Food served 12pm-10pm

The Hollybush

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:17:55 +0000

http://www.hollybushpub.com/

22 Holly Mount, Hampstead, London, NW3 6SG
020 7435 2892
(Bar opening hours) Monday -Saturday 12pm-11pm Sunday 12noon to 10.30pm
(Kitchen opening hours) Monday – Friday 12pm-4pm and 6pm-10pm
Saturday, 12pm-10pm Sunday 12pm -9.30pm

Positively 4th Street

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:12:44 +0000

Half speakeasy half colonial clubhouse, this little art deco bar takes you back to 1930’s New York during the prohibition. It also reeks of British colonialism with leaf-shaped fans attached to the ceiling. The intimate atmosphere, flickering tea lights, subtle seediness and decadence remind me a bit of the kind of place you would find on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I’ll warn you though the patrons take themselves very seriously so be prepared to look the part and that means dress up. A full blown flapper costume wouldn’t be too much. The men go all out usually with 1930’s suits and hats and there is usually a fully adorned burlesque stripper or two around. Think back to Howard Hughes, Errol Flynn, Ava Gardner at the Coconut Grove and you’ll get the idea (on a small scale, sort of – sorry that was blowing it up a bit). Strangely, they serve Japanese food and sushi, and the cocktails are good.

http://www.positively4thstreet.co.uk/

119 Hampstead Road, London NW1 3EE 020 7388 5380 Monday -Thursday 5pm-11pm Friday 5pm-1am Saturday 7pm-1am Food served: Monday – Friday 5pm-9.30pm

Labour of Love

Penny Blood — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:02:25 +0000

Oh good Lord, I’m having another total freakin’ break down, I just spent £100 on a t-shirt. Okay so the cotton feels like silk and the heavy studding weighs down like chainmail, actually no this is a bargain it’s so beautiful. I tried it on thinking I CAN NOT spend £100 on a t-shirt, I AM NOT one of those people. Well maybe they can put it aside for a couple of days and if I’m still thinking about it then it’s meant to be. Two minutes later having merely crossed the road, I decide it will after all make me seem like a more fun, creative and interesting person and I’ll have more friends, which I do now as I generally befriend everyone who sells me something over a certain price as I talk at them incessantly about how I can’t afford it until I think eventually they feel sorry for me. They sell lots of pricey jewellery, clothes and shoes you can’t live without and the name is apt as everything is lovingly picked out and displayed.

http://www.labour-of-love.co.uk/

193 Upper Street, London, N1 1RQ
020 7354 9333
Monday – Wednesday Thursday 11am-7pm Friday – Saturday 11am-6.30pm Sunday 12.30am-5pm

Labour and Wait