London: bars, design and fashion question

[Cue]

again, have a look in time out or the music section in the guide in saturday's guardian for possible punk gigs ... maybe something around ...

you are far more likely to find decent indie nights than punk however

The Metro on Oxford Street may have something decent on

http://www.blowupmetro.com/listing.aspx?style=partial

[darkanimal]

Thanks Cue. Whattabout Nagnagnag? Is this place recommended or just too gay?

[Cue]

only been once to nagnagnag - mixed crowd - not 'too gay' if you don't mind being around gay fellas, which i don't

great music, but a bit posey - people really dress up to go - crazy make-up, special outfits etc (not me - fuck that, but i knew someone who knew someone so was fine in jeans and trainers and a t-shirt)

[Fuuma]

I guess punk is dead

It just smells that way....

[microserf]

Apologies for the shameless cut and paste direct from time out (I'm freelancing here) but I'd definitely recommend these two - especially Dover Street market:

Alfie’s Antique Market

(Tues-Sat 10am-6pm)

A rambling emporium housing over 100 dealers. The selection is amazing – fashion, furniture and all kinds of collectables are abundant.

13-25 Church St, NW8

(020 7723 6066) Edgware Rd tube/Marylebone tube/rail.

Dover Street Market

(Mon-Sat 11am-6pm;

Thur 11am-7pm)

Six floors of fashion and retail from an eclectic selection of names including Boudicca, Erickson Beamon, Galliano, Buddhist Punk, Nike, Levi and Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons.

17-18 Dover St, W1 (020 7518 0680) Green Park tube.

Seems like september is the holiday season - i'm off to Tokyo on the 18th

[Fuuma]

Apologies for the shameless cut and paste direct from time out (I'm freelancing here) but I'd definitely recommend these two - especially Dover Street market:

Alfie’s Antique Market

(Tues-Sat 10am-6pm)

A rambling emporium housing over 100 dealers. The selection is amazing – fashion, furniture and all kinds of collectables are abundant.

13-25 Church St, NW8

(020 7723 6066) Edgware Rd tube/Marylebone tube/rail.

Dover Street Market

(Mon-Sat 11am-6pm;

Thur 11am-7pm)

Six floors of fashion and retail from an eclectic selection of names including Boudicca, Erickson Beamon, Galliano, Buddhist Punk, Nike, Levi and Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons.

17-18 Dover St, W1 (020 7518 0680) Green Park tube.

Seems like september is the holiday season - i'm off to Tokyo on the 18th

Dover street market is my top fashion-related destination. Looks real nice, too bad I probably won't buy anything...

[darkanimal]

My plan is to buy just 3 good items in London that I can't find in America, so it's not even gonna be a designer label. The rest I'd really want to party and fake a British accent!

[Iambic_9]

Hmm, all of the above not so easy to acheive! If you're looking for independantly designed stuff/ vintage i'd head to Portobello, Brick Lane, Camden, and Kings Road maybe?

If you're looking for the pure punk scene in london, Camden is the central, aslo Brixton. Have a look on ticketing sites to see what bands are playing when you go.

[e s k i]

Whilst you're hanging out at places like Brick Lane and Camden, just pick up the fliers that are littering the floor of all the vintage/book stores and stuff, you'll find plenty of stuff from club nights gigs and festivals and shit from just picking up the papers!

And if you're on Brick Lane, check out Cafe 1001...it's such a cool chill/hang out joint - you can literally smoke one in there too just fine

[sybaritical]

^ shhh don't tell everyone.

[Cue]

and 1001 do great BBQs as well now ... Brick Lane/Truman Brewery is ace - def go and check it

There's Gloria's for sneakers too, and some clothes shops worth a poke around in - Rokit for second hand stuff is on Brick Lane

[DirtyDirtyDancing]

Best Magazine shop: Magma (on superfuture map)

Best Bar (for indie kids): Old Blue Last (aka Vice Magazine bar, Great Eastern Street)

Best Indie Club: Trash @ The End Every Monday

Best Electro Club: Boombox (Every sunday @ Hoxton Bar & Grill)

Best Gallery: Tate Modern

[Gem_art]

So where should I go to experience the true punk scene?

The Windmill in Brixton is the best venue I've been to in the last couple of months. Things get properly loose given the right act...

[theswarm]

London calling is a good indie night at the 12bar off of tottenham court road (12barclub.co.uk i think).2nd saturday of every month the 12bar has a hardcore/beatdown night with about 5 bands some london some from elsewhere.

The Underworld has some pretty good shows just check on the wall in the pub above The Worlds End.Camden is soooo wacky though...

[darkanimal]

Now that's what I wanna hear. mucho thanks guys!

[123ok]

i know this might be a bit offtopic of what you asked about but you should try out maison bertaux for some cake, very good

Most have been said, magma for books and tate modern. Also I don't remember the name of the museum but last year I was visiting a museum that had some interesting stuff, they had africa remix there for some time which was pretty cool. Maybe some others remember the name of it. Maybe they have something nice this time too

[theswarm]

the underworld is crap

crappy small venue filled with pretencious poor blazer wearing trillby sporting indentical indie kids. often loads of them waiting outside in front on the street too.

you obviously dont go to the right shows...hahaha

[fauxtographie]

Hmn. Everyone's hitting London and me and Cue are skipping it to Asia!

If Indie music is your bag, try The Old Blue Last on Old St, just up from the Great Eastern Hotel. It''s run by the guys from Vice magazine and is hipster/scene/indie party central, 7 nights a week. Club wise, the world is your ashtray in London. I recommend Plastic people -http://www.plasticpeople.co.uk/ Notting Hill Arts Club - www.nottinghillartsclub.com/- or Cargo - http://www.cargo-london.com/ which is on Rivington st, the same place as Start Boutique ( http://www.urbanpath.com/london/boutiques/start.htm)

There's just been a thread about bookstores, but if you want design books, Magma - www.magmabooks.com - is the place. Otherwise, the bookshops at the Whitechapel gallery or the ICA on the mall are great. The ICA Bar is also fantastic and has plenty of events going on as well - www.ica.org.uk. It's also worth noting that Designers Block ( part of the London design festival) is on 20-24th September and is an essential event to go see - http://www.designersblock.org.uk/

The major art galleries are all good, but IMO some of the most interesting art can be found in the tiny gurerilla spaces dotted all around the east end,and centred about Vine St. As with most things, give Time Out magazine a squeeze and you'lll get the picture.

Anyhow. Hope some of that is useful.

Totally Agree with Cargo as a choice. i love the location/design of the venue, very old school (brick walls and wood floor). Bar tenders were very friendly. I went in May 2005. My London friend brought me on my most recent visit. I live in Vancouver of course and have never had as much fun in my life. DJ Nu-mark of Jurassic 5 was spinning that night. All I can say it, I was trashed, and at the end of the night, my wallet was 100 pounds or so lighter, between the two of us drinking and having fun. Absolutely,Good times! Check out their events, I believe they carry different genre's of music. (hip hop, DJ battles, guest DJs, Indie rock..etc etc..)

[nwelldanielle]

this is my first post aren't you lucky ! Well as far as sept in London is concerned... 1st bit of advice bring a rain coat..

shopping gallery style wicked shops : www.oki-ni.com www.doverstreetmarket.com also could try www.visitspitalfields.com( market) ,POP boutique no.6 Monmouth street, www.beyondretro.com

enjoy and go east 2 Brick lane to party and eat the best curries !

[darkanimal]

I hate raincoats. Don't they sell disposable umbrellas on the street, just like NYC does?

[Cue]

^^^ not that i have seen - take a light coat for sure

[darkanimal]

Good thing about NYC, is it has scaffold like every corner, esp in winter time. However its a fuckin eye sore.

[sybaritical]

Mate don't know what you've heard ,but most of London is an eyesore without the scaffolding.

There should be a stickie about Dover Street Market in Jetset somewhere, just so people stop linking it. And then another one about rotten fucking Brick Lane curries. No one ever asked so I never mentioned it, but if you want cheap authentic regional indian food head out to the suburbs and visit Wembley or Tooting. If you want very cheap decent food and you're on Brick Lane any time of day or night, ignore the curry hawkers and head to Beigel Bake at the Bethnal Green end.

[st199ml]

Or save the shoe leather and try Masala zone on Marshall Street (behind Carnaby Street).

You'll be near Pineal Eye too (a high-end clothes shop on Broadwick Street).

Oh, and piss on oki-ni. Not only is it leaving its Saville Row shop, but even before that it went SO far downhill its frightening. I blame the Diesel collabs.

[darkanimal]

I pretty much locked my nightlife schedule for my trip, thanks for all the info. I hate to say it but I'm going to miss out on Trashclub and White Heat. How are the English girls btw? How is the bus after midnight? I'm so fuckin' psyched.. 1.5 days to go!

[Cue]

bus is, um, interesting at night.

pretend you are asleep and you will be ok

[sybaritical]

^Haha. S'best just to let the initial wave of people who haven't planned to stay out all night and just missed the last regular buses get out of the city and then catch one of the later N-numbers.

You can vaguely work out routes here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/Default.asp but be advised it's a bit sketchy and doesn't always give you the quickest journey times.

[Cue]

do be careful on the night buses. there are some nasty fellas on them sometimes and the drivers don't give a shit what happens upstairs

[Iambic_9]

Sit at the front up top if its empty, it's like a big cinema screen. Beware the pools of vomit, people asking you take sides in their drunken arguements. Never make eye contact on and off the buss. Thats a given in most places I suppose.

[darkanimal]

Allright, sounds exciting, I guess I shouldn't be piss ass drunk when I board the bus.