Where to get your FIJI Water:The Grocery, 54-56 Kingsland RoadShoreditch Stop, 53 Great Eastern Street

1. St Leonard’s Church

2. Milk

3. Syd’s

4. Anthem

5. Paper and Cup

6. Calvert 22

7. Luna And Curious

8. Hassan Hajjaj’s

9. Leila’s

10. Boundary Estate

11. Rochelle School

12. The Aubin Cinema

13. Allpress Espresso

14. The Painted Lady

15. The Gallery

16. Maison Trois Garcons

17. Hostem

18. Boundary/Albion

19. London Newcastle Project Space

20. Boxpark

21. Elder Street

22. Dennis Severs House

23. The Crown and Shuttle

You have in your hands the fifthedition of our Artesian Wanders:walking tours of the special sightsof the capital brought to you byFIJI Water – and handpicked bythe le cool London guide team.

We were in Mayfair last time andnow we’re following the path of

the underground River Walbrookwhich rose in Shoreditch and randown to the Thames. On our way

we’ll see hip boutiques, historichouses, a shopping mall made of

shipping containers and theworld’s first council estate.

Use this pocket guide to helpwind your way through thenarrow east End streets and soak up the atmosphere of our favourite spots. Grab a

bottle of FIJI Water at fantastichealth food shop, The Grocery

before the walk, and if you needto rehydrate, there will be

plenty of outlets to pick up a bottle of FIJI's artesian

water along the way.

PLACE OF INTEREST

ST LEONARD’S CHURCH SHOREDITCH HIGH STREET, E16

There’s been a church on this site since 1185 when thisspot, where Roman roads joined and the Walbrookrose, was already a well-known meeting place. Herewas where travellers to London from the likes ofBath, Lincoln, York, Chichester and Colchesterwould converge before striking on to the city. Thevery first English theatre was built in nearby NewInn Yard and St Leonard’s developed a reputation as‘the actor’s church’. The legendary Burbage family –builders of the Globe theatre and the first actors toplay Shakespearean roles like Macbeth, Hamlet andRomeo are buried in the church’s crypt (much likeRomeo himself).

shoreditchchurch.wordpress.com

SHOPPING

MILK 118 1/2 SHOREDITCH HIGH STREET, E1 6JN

Now this is a very modern kind of boutique (in avery old-fashioned building). This mix of old andnew, local and international, is something we’ll seetime and time again in the booming East End. Hereit’s the mix of the 18th century Clerk’s House sellingsuch unlikely items as leather watches and Fornasettiwallpaper that provides the contrast.

milkconceptboutique.co.uk

PLACE OF INTEREST/FOOD & DRINK

SYD’S CORNER OF CALVERT STREET & SHOREDITCH HIGH STREET, E1 6JN

This is London’s oldest coffee stall – Syd’s. Boughtin 1919 by Syd Tothill with his invalidity pensionfrom the first world war, Syd’s has been serving upcoffees to Londoners from Prince Edward to wartimeARP wardens for nearly a century. Indeed, Syd’s wasadjudged so important to morale in the East Endduring World War Two that when a direct bomb hiton Calvert Avenue left Syd unable to run the stall hisson, Syd Junior, was brought home from his RAFposting in the Middle East to make sure ambulancecrews and Air Wardens didn’t go thirsty. Now runby Syd’s granddaughter Clarrie, what the EveningTelegraph said in 1959 about Syd’s is as true today asthen; “Ev’rybody knows Syd’s. Git a bus dahnShoreditch Church and you can’t miss it. Sticks ahtlike a sixpence in a sweep’s ear.”

london.lecool.com/place/syds

SHOPPING

ANTHEM 12 CALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JN

Calvert Avenue is a hotbed of innovative shops andgalleries and one of our favourites is menswearboutique Anthem. It’s a great place if your look is‘grizzled Breton fisherman’ or if you simply fancybrowsing a mix of big names like Dries Van Notenand local designers like Eastie Empire.

www.anthemstore.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

PAPER AND CUP 18 CALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JP

It’s not just that this ramshackle little coffee housecombines two of our obsessions – cheap second-hand books and decent coffee – it’s that it does thiswhile still giving all of its profits to the SpitalfieldsCrypt Trust who work with local people recoveringfrom homelessness, poverty and addiction. So youcan settle in for the afternoon with a good book and amug of something and know that you’re doing somegood at the same time.

www.paperandcup.co.uk

CULTURE

CALVERT 22 22 CALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JP

Now this is an institution that it’d be easy to miss.The Calvert 22 Gallery is London’s foremostshowcase for art from the former Eastern Bloc,bringing the best of its contemporary art over formonth-long exhibitions. Often deeply political andperformance based, Calvert 22 exhibitions are milesaway from your average Shoreditch art space, and allthe more interesting for that.

calvert22.org

SHOPPING

LUNA AND CURIOUS 24-26 CALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JP

Luna And Curious is one of the area’s big successstories – they started off with a tiny space on BrickLane selling their jewellery and knick-knacks. Theirstyle – ornate, almost gothic jewellery with animaland bird themes, elegant teacups and homewares andquirky shop-fittings have been much copied but thisis still the original and best. They’re joined at thisglorious boutique by hair-cutting maestro Barry theBarber who does an excellent close shave (but bewarned, he does love a chat).

lunaandcurious.com

SHOPPING/CULTURE

HASSAN HAJJAJ’SCALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JF

This is one of the more unusual shops in the area.Owner Hassan Hajjaj is something of a local legend,taking fabrics, packaging and souvenirs from hisnative Morocco and transforming them into multi-coloured artworks. These pieces, and his eye-poppingMarrakesh photographic portraits, have been shownin venues as well-known as the V&A and the BritishMuseum. Opening hours are, shall we say, varied, butif Hassan is in he’s usually up for a coffee and a chat.

london.lecool.com/place/hassan-hajjajs

FOOD & DRINK

LEILA’S 15-17 CALVERT AVENUE, E2 7JP

Calvert Avenue mainstay Leila’s is usually packedwith local artists stocking up on fresh Britishproduce and flowers. The café next door is a greatspot to while away an hour and, despite the moresophisticated fare on offer, we find it hard to resistwhat’s been called ‘London’s best fried-eggsandwich’.

london.lecool.com/place/leilas

PLACE OF INTEREST

BOUNDARY ESTATEARNOLD CIRCUS, E2

This might not look much like an estate to those usedto modern London, but an estate it is, and possibly thefirst council housing in the world. This area was onceOld Nichol – a notorious slum. Social reformer HenryMayhew described the area as; “Pigs and cows in backyards, noxious trades like boiling tripe, melting tallow,or preparing cat's meat, and slaughter houses,dustheaps, and 'lakes of putrefying night soil' added tothe filth.” Much as with Dickens and the St Gilesslums, it took a novelist to bring the situation topublic attention. In his 1896 novel, A Child of the JagoArthur Morrison described the overcrowding, diseaseand crime in the area and it led to a public outcry. Itwas the impetus for the creation of this, the very firstsocial housing in the country. When Bertie, Prince ofWales opened the estate in 1900 he said, “Few indeedwill forget this site who had read Mr Morrison's AChild of the Jago.”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Estate

le cool London is a free weekly email magazine distributedThursdays featuring a selection of cultural events and leisureactivities, revealing things happening in London that you reallyshouldn't miss. We filter out, among other things, the best art, film,music, and club nights, as well as a careful selection of extraordinarybars, restaurants and other fine places. To subscribe, go to london.lecool.com

LONDON.LECOOL.COM LECOOLLONDON @LECOOL_LONDON

An artesian water, drawn from an underground aquifer in Fijian paradise, FIJI tastes truly different to other bottled brands.Protected within deep layers of volcanic rock and clay at its source,FIJI Water develops its unique mineral profile and the soft flavourand silky-smooth mouth-feel that characterises every sip. Look out for the iconic square bottle at London's coolest addresses, from galleries and boutiques to cocktail bars.

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FOOD & DRINK

ROCHELLE SCHOOL ARNOLD CIRCUS, E2 7ES

As the name suggests this was once the main schoolfor the Arnold Circus area, created along with theBoundary Estate, but nowadays it’s home to athriving group of artists’ studios and one of London’sculinary hidden gems. The Rochelle School Canteenis the brainchild of Melanie Arnold and MargotHenderson whose ‘nose-to-tail’ eating philosophymade them the go-to caterers for the Brit Art world.And the canteen here is a proper neighbourhoodspot, despite the high quality of the cooking, and it’snot uncommon to see a journalist or two arguingwith some local artist over a bottle of wine (or two)until chucking out time.

rochelleschool.org

CULTURE

THE AUBIN CINEMA 64-66 REDCHURCH STREET, E2 7DP

This is a great example of how the big brands havefollowed the artists and into colonizing RedchurchStreet. When British brand Aubin and Wills decidedto open a flagship store in the area they knew they’dhave to do something special to fit in with the creativeair of the neighbourhood. So they topped the store offwith a very comfortable cinema showing everythingfrom arthouse classics to first-run fare. It’s worthsplashing out for one of their very comfortable sofas(and the Stilton and walnut cookies!).

www.aubincinema.com

FOOD & DRINK

ALLPRESS ESPRESSO 58 REDCHURCH STREET, E2 7DP

Time for a coffee break? Allpress Espresso is thebrainchild of New Zealander Michael Allpress whoopened a much-loved roastery in that capital ofcoffee connoisseurdom, Sydney. And it’s theantipodean style of coffee shop that he’s brought toRedchurch Street. All the beans are bought fromfairtrade suppliers – suppliers that Allpress have anongoing relationship with - and then the coffee isroasted and ground on the premises. You can tastethe difference.

allpressespresso.com

SHOPPING

THE PAINTED LADY 65 REDCHURCH STREET, E2 7DJ

This is the home of Belinda Hay, the much-tattooedqueen of vintage hairstyling. Growing up back DownUnder Belinda worked in a hair salon that seemed tocater purely to little old ladies, a situation she hated(at the time) but which stood her in good stead forcreating the Style Me Vintage book in which sheshowed a new generation of performers and retrofans how to rock the perm and blue rinse look.

thepaintedladylondon.com

CULTURE

THE GALLERY IN REDCHURCH STREET50 REDCHURCH STREET, E2 7DP

The Gallery in Redchurch Street does exactly what itsays on the tin – it’s a gallery, in Redchurch Street.The space is actually a converted hat factory and hasbecome a firm favourite among locals for itsinsistence in featuring recent graduates andinteresting charity projects.

galleryinredchurchstreet.com

FOOD & DRINK

MAISON TROIS GARCONS 1 CLUB ROW, E1 6JX

Back in 1996 when a trio of foreign chefs, Hassan,Michel and Stefan, bought up a Victorian pub onClub Row and converted into a distinctly over-the-top French restaurant few thought it would last.Instead the Trois Garcons became a forerunner of thenew Shoreditch – a playground of taxidermy andchandeliers among the greasy spoons and emptybuildings. Fifteen years on and the Trois Garconsempire is expanding with the Lounge Lover club andeven a chateau in France, and its latest outpost is theMaison Trois Garcons. This café-cum-interior designstore is full of the kind of quirky one-offs that makesthe restaurant such a draw. On a recent visit welusted after amazing Portuguese tiled tables andceramic candlesticks. And as an offshoot of arestaurant, the snacks are pretty good here too.

lestroisgarcons.com

SHOPPING

HOSTEM 41 REDCHURCH ST, E2 7DJ

In true Shoreditch style this shop manages tocombine a high-end, modern, bespoke men’stailoring operation with London’s only outlet for aclassic 17th-century Florentine cologne Santa MariaNovella. (A cologne which according to legend wascreated by Catherine de Medici’s personal perfumieras a present for Henry II of France on their weddingday).

hostem.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

BOUNDARY/ALBION 2-4 BOUNDARY STREET, E2 7DD

Here’s another big brand who’ve come east for alittle creative cool. The Boundary Hotel is the latestoutpost of Sir Terence Conran’s empire. Thisconverted warehouse has been turned into a ratherelegant hotel with just 12 very different rooms – eachnamed after, and inspired by, a different designer.The French restaurant downstairs is typicallyauthentic, though pricy, and your best bet forsoaking up some Conran atmosphere withoutbreaking the bank is to check out the rooftop barwith its views over the whole area.Or you could just pop next door to Albion –Conran’s version of an English caff. All the classicsare on offer – bacon butties and egg on toast – butour top tip is to save room for their oversizedversions of classic British biscuits – giant JammyDodgers are a pudding in themselves.

theboundary.co.uk

CULTURE

LONDON NEWCASTLE PROJECTSPACE28 REDCHURCH STREET, E2 7DP

This gallery is, unsurprisingly, the brainchild of hugeproperty development company London Newcastle,who have interests all over the East End. It tends toshow large-scale, high-publicity exhibitions anduber-expensive product launches. Virtually next door is the Neu Gallery, whose sleek,Germanic name belies the fact that it’s a actuallydark, paint-spattered cave. No matter – it’s fromhere that Shoreditch institution the 1234 Festival isrun, it’s where local artists like SCUM and JagzKooner have played, and it’s been the birthplace ofmany a local artist.

londonewcastle.com

SHOPPING

BOXPARKBETHNAL GREEN ROAD, E1

Opened back in 2011 on a bit of grubby no mansland, this is the world's first pop-up mall and consistsentirely of stripped out shipping containers stackedon each other. As you'd expect for east London, it'sfull of fashion and lifestyle brands big and small,galleries, restaurants and cafes Upstairs you've goteating, drinking, culture and shopping, while down atstreet level you can buy onesies, street wear,headphones and also check out some of the blink andyou'll miss 'em pop-up shops from exciting newcreatives in the pop-up mall.

boxpark.co.uk

PLACE OF INTEREST

ELDER STREETELDER STREET, E1

This is one of the oldest surviving Georgian terraces.This whole area was part of one of the oddest littledistricts in the city, the Liberty of Norton Folgate.Liberties were areas that fell outside the control ofthe King or local councils, almost tiny independentstates. The Tower of London was one, as were theInner and Middle Temples. At the turn of thecentury the whole area was subsumed intoShoreditch but when local protests erupted over theclosure of the popular Light Bar in 2008, activistsclaimed that the Liberty was still technically validand local residents should have the final say. (And ifyou’re thinking the phrase ‘Liberty of NortonFolgate’ sounds familiar but you’re not a history buffyou may be remembering the 2009 Madness albumof the same name).

PLACE OF INTEREST

DENNIS SEVERS HOUSE18 FOLGATE STREET, E1 6BX

The Dennis Severs house is one of a number ofeighteenth-century houses that had fallen intodisrepair only to be bought back to life by the likesof artist duo Gilbert & George and the writerJeanette Winterson. Californian painter DennisSevers went one better though – he turned hisproperty into a time capsule that recreated thelifestyle of a family of Hugenot weavers inpainstaking detail. As he went on Severs refurbishedmore and more rooms, decorating each one in adifferent historical style and built up a truly originalLondon museum. It’s worth a visit any time but weparticularly recommend the occasional ‘Silent Night’tours – a candlelit, spookily quiet tour that ends witha personal fireside chat with one of the museum’steam of historians.

dennissevershouse.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

THE CROWN AND SHUTTLE226 SHOREDITCH HIGH STREET, E1 6JE

The Crown and Shuttle started life as weavers’ shop (the ‘shuttle’ in the title refers to a piece ofweaving equipment), shut down, became one of thecity’s most notorious strip-joints (there’s still a polein the middle of the bar), closed again for over adecade and has just reopened as a very 2013 boozer.The beers are local, the food is a modern take onretro dishes (pickled cockles anyone?) and thefurniture is artfully mismatched. There’s even a food truck in the back garden.

crownandshuttle.co.uk