Went to all the various markets in and around Brick lane yesterday. We started out around Wentworth Street which was crowded but otherwise a little underwhelming. We did buy some stuff that we needed – some sunnies for me and a double adapter – but everything else was a just a bit ordinary. Maybe if you put a lot of time into it you could find some half decent clothes buried in there somewhere, but there are easier ways.
As we made our way through Spittlefields towards Brick Lane things began to pick up. Just outside these markets we came across a furniture shop with probably the coolest furniture I’ve ever seen (Elemental on Brushfield Street). There was a low, iron coffee table with train wheels! And this massive office desk with iron draws which when you opened and closed them made a sound like a robot farting. In the actual markets were good clothes, food and artwork, and even bits of old circuit board made into cufflinks, lamps, clocks and coasters! Made me wish I hadn’t thrown away all my Pentium IIs. There was heaps of other stuff we didn’t get time to see, including the Museum of Mechanics or something, which looked interesting. We’ll have to pick it up next time.
We then met up again with our old friend who’s living in France and the two very nice people she’s staying with in London. We had some spectacular curries (my first vindaloo!) then took a strole down actual Brick Lane. This is more your strokes-of-retro-genius hidden amongst the neatly-stacked-piles-of-junk market. For instance there was an old Atari console with some cartridges (space-invaders, pong, pacman, all the classics). I don’t know if it was a 2600, 2800 or what but it was woodgrain (!!) with big toggle switches. I could have had it all for £30 but I don’t have the time nor the space to take proper care of it (playing with it every day etc).