January 2016 by LoveEast Magazine

LOVEEAST M

January 2016

your

FREE award-winning magazine

ISSUE 23

Free

All that glitters

Beautiful jewellery from Julia Cook Sophie Parkin, the arts club queen

Your East London – What's on – Food – People

Welcome... 0 0 3 ÂŁ % 5 9 . 0

ucher o V s i w e John L

* on Fee is is m om Sales C

To celebrate the recent opening of our newly designed flagship Victoria Park estate agency office, we are offering you a gift to make your move with us a little sweeter!

A ÂŁ300 John Lewis gift voucher and just 0.95% + vat sales commission fee* So, if you are considering selling your home, call us now or drop by and speak to one of our team.

020 8986 2222

170 Victoria Park Road, Hackney. E9 7HD enquiries@robertalanhomes.com Visit our new website for the latest properties available for sale and to rent www.robertalanhomes.com * Terms & conditions apply - please ask us about this limited offer

Welcome to your local magazine Dear neighbours One of the most rewarding things about producing a magazine is the chance to meet so many interesting people. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sophie Parkin recently, a great character who personifies what the East End is all about. She's warm, welcoming, creative and fun – which pretty much sums up this part of London. As well as being the subject of our Q&A, she's also started a regular column, and this month's theme is neighbours – a fitting topic for the start of the new year (p16). Bump Buddies are a local charity who have been doing great things in the community since 2007. They're looking for people to mentor local mums in need. Fancy a challenge for the year ahead? Read all about it on p12. Stephen Selby tells the story of a local crime wave of a bygone age, Dick Turpin (p24). Plus, what's on for January; food; wellness; legal advice, and fitness tips from Roger Love who can persuade even the most sluggish amongst us to get up and go with a new exercise regime for 2016. (p26). Have a very happy New Year.

CONTENTS

Meet Sophie Parkin, ower of bohemian arts club, Vout-O-Reenees

Stunning hand-crafted jewellery from Julia Cook

Cook better, eat better. Bags of Taste is working wonders

Julie

Our local anti-hero: the dastardly deeds of Dick Turpin

Julie Daniels

T: 07752 288405 E: julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk www.nutshellpublications.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag Twitter: @LoveEastMag

New year fitness. Do something... anything. Here's how Cover photo: creating beautiful jewellery at Branch on the Park, see p8

To advertise in LoveEast please call 07752 288405 or email julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk for further information. Deadline for February edition is 10 January (please allow an extra two days if design is required). Nutshell Publications cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. ©LoveEast all rights reserved. Magazine design, www.ilkadickens.com. No reproduction can be made without permission. Please recycle.

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 3

East life

Sophie Parkin, artist, novelist and owner of East End arts club Vout-O-Reenees, talks to Julie Daniels Negotiating the steps down to the crypt beneath an East End Catholic church was a little tricky in the dark and I had no clue what to expect. I’d Googled Sophie Parkin, the artist, writer and daughter of the outrageous turban-wearing bohemian Molly, and admit to a little trepidation. Sophie is the owner of Vout-O-Reenees, a private member’s arts club on Prescot Street, E1, with the slightly daunting tagline "for the surrealistically distinguished". I was feeling decidedly undistinguished until Sophie met me at the door – much like you would a close friend coming to visit – and I quickly felt at home. Like its owner, the club-in-a-crypt is welcoming, warm and a visual feast. Not to be outdone by the decor, Sophie looks great in red lipstick, hat and strong colours. You don't see "dressed up" very often these days, and when you do it's a treat. Sophie called on many of her artist friends to decorate the club. The yellow of the painted walls 4 LOVEEAST

is based on the original House of Givenchy salon of yellow silk walls with embroidered ribbon. Only at Vout’s “instead of using silk we used Dulux silk". They were painted by Tony Common (art Director of The Company of Wolves). Interior designer Sue Dalglish created the ceramic hand wall lights (above right). The floors were done by stoke Newington-based artists Keeler and Tornero, and feature a painted tiger (pictured, overleaf). There are images of jazz musician Slim Gaillard (more of him later) coming up out of the floor, along with Muriel Belcher, who ran the Colony Room Club. People long gone but whose spirit is alive at Vout's. The bar is shaped like the bow of a ship. There are no mirrors; you can talk to the people across from you and don’t have your back to anyone. It reflects Sophie’s ethos for the club: communicating without barriers. The bar chairs are comfortable – they have backs – and there’s a hook to hang your bag. The number of times I’ve complained about

East life backless stools and hookless bars. Simple touches but greatly appreciated. Sophie is an artist and novelist who got into managing clubs such as the Zanzibar while at St Martin’s. Members there included the likes of David Bowie and the Eurythmics. She cheffed at Auberon Waugh’s Soho club The Academy, and did the PR for the Electricity Showrooms in Shoreditch. She’s also the author of history of the Colony Room Club in Soho, whose membership was a who's who of the arts world. Vout's ethos is the same. For Vout's, read Colony. Asked to describe herself, she says, “I’ve got a creative personality; I love words, images, colour. I love surrealism; play between words and images is perfect for me. I’m good at connecting people together, I don’t see the boundaries that may exist between people. I just bring them together and make them talk". Vout-o-Reenees? It’s the name of a dictionary of jive slang written by Slim Gaillard, the American

Top, ceramic wall lights, bottom, ladybird fire alarm

Continued overleaf...

Beautiful Plantation Shutters & Blinds

Introducing the “simply better” shutter range equally at home in contemporary or traditional interiors.

Solid hardwood shutters… at MDF prices!

25% ranges 50%off off selected selected ranges Tel: 020 3418 8877 Email: sales@completeshutters.co.uk www.completeshutters.co.uk New Showroom at 90 George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1JJ

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 5

East life jazz musician. Sophie met him when she was in her early 20s, "the most surreal man I'd ever met, he was a gorgeous, happy, smiling, lovely human being". He took her to Ronnie Scott's, taught her how to jive, “sang songs to her hat”. A man who influences someone so much deserves to have a club named after him. Does the area influence you? God yes. One of my earliest memories of coming to the East End was going to Petticoat Lane and buying my first kitten there. They used to sell them in cages. Also, the ancientness of the place. I love the fact that I’m in a Pugin building – and that you can actually end up having a bar in the basement of a Catholic church (like they don’t drink upstairs!) What makes you most proud? To have a place full of amazing people who do incredible creative things. You can keep people’s memories alive and be true to a spirit that no matter how much East London changes there's still the need for human connection that doesn’t happen via a mobile phone. You always remember a hug, you don’t remember a smiley face on a text message. What are you working on now? I’m still writing poetry. After a year and a half of being in raw panic (getting the club up and running), I’m creating bigger and better problems to solve. I have amazing things happening, from the choreographer from the Royal Ballet doing a special piece in the gallery, to having John Cooper Clarke in the New Year. Best coffee in these parts? I tend to think it’s here. I go to France for my coffee beans. It’s ridiculous. What kid of snob am i? No, I love the excuse to go to France. When we lived in Deal, we’d go for the day, have lunch, buy delicious things. Apart from that, the best coffee is at Long Shot at the end of the Leman Street. Where do you eat out? I like Chez Elles in Brick Lane (run by women). I like that kind of energy. It’s completely authentic French food. I like Rich Mix and I like the place opposite it, Tapas Revolution. I like the Jackdaw and Star on Homerton High Street.

Hand-painted tiger on hand-painted floor

What do you do at the weekend? If we’re not doing an event on Saturday night we tend to skedaddle and go and see friends outside London. We go to France and fill our boots with cheese. We have life-drawing here every Monday so bring back baguettes and cheese for everyone. Anything you would change? Anybody who owns property in East London and doesn't occupy it should be made to pay a huge tax, which should go towards helping to build houses for locals and young people. Also, they should give more leeway to people living on the river and canals. They’ve started to bring in taxes and banning people from the waterways if they don’t move their boat after two weeks. The mayor of Tower Hamlets should be looking at that. Area’s best-kept secret From Thursday to Saturday the best bread in London is sold between 12 and 3pm outside a little hut near Waitrose next to St Katherine Docks. It's Wapping Sourdough and it is really fantastic. You gotta know your hours, though. If East London were human? Somebody who’s a bit like Dan Farson, the broadcaster, writer and owner of a pub in the East End at one point (when it wasn’t fashionable). He also wrote the Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon The East End has a vitality that keeps going and keeps recreating itself. It will never die. So yes, if it were a person, it would be him. A bit of a drunkard, too. If you're interested in finding out more about the club, as well as membership details, head to Vout-o-renees.com See her new column, Sophie's World, p16

6 LOVEEAST

Your safety is our concern The most comprehensive lock-based service available

www.empiresecuritylondon.com 020 8986 7921 8-20 Well Street, London, E9 7PX LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 7

Photo: Madeleine Waller

East London makers

Julia Cook at her workbench

Hand-made and individual, Julia Cook's jewellery is inspired by nature and history, writes Christine Preisig Nestled in the heart of Victoria Park Village is Branch on the Park, an independent jewellery store, founded by goldsmith Julia Cook. She opened her shop in 2010 after working from a studio in Soho for many years following her studies at Central Saint Martins. The jewellery pieces are presented in woodframed glass cabinets that reminded me of displays often seen in natural history museums. It’s topical, as most of Julia’s jewellery pieces are nature-themed, or inspired by historic ornaments. A recurring motif in Julia’s jewellery is leaves. They come in different shapes as ornate earrings, bracelets, pendants, brooches and necklaces. The delicate pieces are cut from silver or gold sheets and placed between two pieces of coarse paper before they're pressed trough a rolling mill. The 8 LOVEEAST

paper gives each leaf a unique, slightly uneven imprint. In her workshop at the rear of the shop, Julia solders by hand all the different elements that compose each piece of jewellery, and which make every one a little different. It’s the playful combination of stones – precious and semi-precious – and handcrafted gold or silver settings that make Julia’s style very distinctive. Her pieces convey lightness and positivity and you could imagine that these attributes transfer to the wearer. The many cards and photos from grateful and happy customers are certainly testament to that. Besides the shop in the village, Julia also runs the webshop Blossoming Branch, with a large range of items for sale.

East London makers

Clockwise, from top: Courtesan Granulation collection; Julia in her village shop; blue diomond necklace with 22ct gold leaves

Julia loves talking to customers about their ideas for a commissioned piece. "It’s very personal because jewellery is sentimental. It’s a privilege to play a part in those moments in people’s lives,” she explains.

Branch on the Park, 27 Victoria Park Road, E9, or online at Blossoming Branch branchonthepark.co.uk

Are you feeling the chill? Banish those draughts for ever. Our windows are individually made and fitted by experienced craftsmen To see us at work, check out our video at www.wall2wallsashwindows.co.uk 020 8533 7228

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 9

What's on in January MON

TUES

WEDS

Weekly (except 4th) 8pm: Hatha yoga at Victoria Park Community Centre, Gore Road, E9. Email Nadia missbocheva@ gmail.com

Weekly Ballet for children at Hackney Forge. Call Mafalda on 07550 722 693 for details.

Weekly Vinyasa Flow with Zoe. Text to book 07972 367663.

8pm. Swing Patrol, new venue for their swing and blues classes. Backyard Bar & Kitchen, 231 Cambridge Heath Rd. swingpatrol.co.uk

7pm. Too much of a good thing? Head to the Crap Christmas Present Swap Shop, Stories on Broadway Market. Voluntary donations go to Centrepoint.

8pm: Girl group Hinds play at Miranda Club, launch debut album. Tickets acehotel.com

7pm, Make Knots, crocheted basket class, Stories, Broadway Market.

1.30pm: Wiggly Jigglers at Rich Mix: creative movement session, 0-2yrs. 020 7613 7498. £4. 10 LOVEEAST

Weekly 10am-11.30am. Storytime for under 5s at Victoria Park Community Centre, Gore Road, E9. Free.

3pm. Michael Rosen's Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake & Bad Things at Discover, Stratford. £5pp/£18 family of 4. Under 2s free. discover.org.uk

4.30pm-5.30pm. Fourth Tuesday of the month, Chatterbooks reading group for 8-12-year-olds. Quizzes, competitions, prizes. Dalston CLR James Library.

7pm. Festival of the Spoken Nerd, Backyard Bar & Kitchen, 231 Cambridge Heath Rd backyardbar.co.uk

Weekly Ping Pong fun and fitness for over 50s, Dalston CLR James Library.

3pm. Wrap up warm and join the Geffrye Museum for their tradition of burning the holly and ivy. Carols, mulled wine, Twelfth Night Cake. geffrye-museum.org.uk

11am. Hannah Starkey's new solo art show at the Maureen Paley, 21 Herald Street, E2.

10.30am-12.30pm/ Coffee morning. Vic Park Community Centre, 5 Gore Road.

6.30pm. Cocktail masterclass, Victor Wynd Museum, 11 Mare Street, E8.

6pm. Cookery classes at E5 Bakehouse. £75 per slot. e5bakehouse. com

THURS Weekly 10.30am. Mini Builders at Shoreditch Library for under 5s and their parents. Free. Weekly 1pm-3pm. Knitting and natter (and crochet) at Victoria Park Community Centre, Gore Road, E9. Free. Weekly 6pm-9pm. Painting & throwing evenings at Wonderland Ceramics. Booking essential. info@ wonderlandceramics. com

6.30pm-8pm. Feeling brave? Enjoy a spooky evening tour and creepy craft workshop at Museum of Childhood. Booking at vam.ac.uk/moc.

7pm. National Theatre Live broadcast of Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Donmar Warehouse). Book: riocinema.org.uk

10.15am-11.15am. Coffee, cake and book group, Hackney Central Library (4th Thurs every month). adrian.morris@ hackney.gov.uk

Continued on page 20

Faraday School

Independent Prep School

7 Trinity Buoy Wharf London E14 0FH

Tel: 020 7719 9342 Pupils' attainment “is judged to be well above national age-related expectations” ISI Inspection Report Ÿ Creative, independent preparatory school Ÿ Strong academic foundation, teaching Core Knowledge Ÿ Rigorous approach to learning Ÿ Outstanding pastoral care Ÿ Confident and articulate pupils Ÿ Unique riverside location in a creative hub Ÿ Small Class sizes

Fee for the Academic Year 2015/16 £2,930 per term To find out more, or to register, please contact

admissions@faradayschool.co.uk- T: 020 8965 7374 Late Care Until 5.30pm Daily School Bus Run (including south of the river) Boat charter available (from North Greenwich Pier)

nms

www.faradayschool.co.uk

William Place Dental Practice 0208 821 2830 William Place, Bow, London, E3 5ED reception@williamplacedental.co.uk • • • •

quality dental care preventive and cosmetic dentistry tooth whitening dental hygienist and oral health educator services • emergency appointments • long opening hours • Saturday appointments • competitive prices LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 11

Local heroes

Bump Buddies mentors; Jaimie Persson pictured bottom row, centre.

Are you ready for a New Year challenge? Bump Buddies are looking for mentors to help support local mums in need, writes Emily Hollands If you're a local mum why not try mentoring another mum-to-be in Hackney? Bump Buddies is a local charity that has been quietly supporting the mothers of Hackney since 2007 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and they're ready to recruit new mentors. Hackney is the second most deprived borough and has the second highest level of child poverty in the UK. Part of the Shoreditch Trust, the Bump Buddies mentoring programme works with women during pregnancy and early parenthood who may also be coping with issues such as poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, poor mental or physical health and FGM. Mentors come from a variety of backgrounds and reflect the diversity of Hackney. They offer oneto-one emotional support and help to develop confidence and independence in people who need it most. Small acts such as grocery shopping, networking with other mothering groups or simply a regular phone chat have real impact on women who find themselves in a socially vulnerable or isolated situation. 12â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;LOVEEAST

Jaimie Persson has been working with Bump Buddies since 2011. A Hackney local, she describes the Bump Buddies mentors as an interesting and diverse group of women who are engaging with their community and helping to push through change. She is proud that they are providing women with the skills and confidence to do things for themselves. "In the end it's one of the best things you can do. Being a mentor is slow, difficult work, but we know that the women we work with are so much better off having spent time with Bump Buddies. They have developed their skills and are more prepared for the challenges ahead." If you're not in full-time work and would like to support women in your area, simply make an application through the website, below. shoreditchtrust.org.uk/Bump-Buddies/Be-ABump-Buddy

From Anatolya . . . . . . to hackney

Delicious chargrilled Turkish food /scoffs grill

020 3489 3359

scoffscafe

Fully licensed restaurant. LoveEast readers will receive 10% off the bill. Scoffs Grill,355-357 Wick Road, E9 5DH

MILLER+ LOVE Life coaching for modern lives Bridging the gap between where you are & where you want to be… at work, at home, and everything in between

www.millerandlove.com

Be lean,  strong, and a fit dad ROGER LOVE Personal training in studio or park www.hackneypt.com

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 13

Local heroes Over a four-week period Bags of Taste classes gets right back to basics, teaching people about raw ingredients, simple cooking techniques and, most importantly, giving them confidence in the kitchen to put together a meal for the family that they're proud of. Not only is Bags Of Taste getting impoverished people eating healthier, but it's saving them money, too – in some cases as much as £850 a year. After each class, attendees can buy a bag of pre-measured ingredients for just £3, and that enables them to make three recipes at home.

Alicia Weston and volunteer Linda Green

Bags of Taste is addressing health issues with tasty, inexpensive cookery, writes Rhowena MacCuish

Alicia Weston set up Bags of Taste cookery classes to help solve one of the most pressing problems faced by people on low incomes – poor diet.

The class has a high success rate and is making a real impact on people lives. One attendee says, "I've got rid of my second freezer as we don't eat that kind of (pre-packaged) food any more. The other day in a rush I tried to feed my children chicken nuggets, but they were disgusted and asked 'are we supposed to eat this?' Just nine months ago they ate them regularly." Another commented, "Before the course I thought I could only afford packaged and processed food. When I went to the food bank I would choose mac and cheese in a tin. Afterwards I chose more basic ingredients to cook with." To book on a class, volunteer or simply to find out more information head to bagsoftaste.org

Photos: scrumptiousfoodphotography.com

There are many organisations out there who teach people how to cook, but Alicia recognised that lessons alone weren't enough; that there had to be behavioural change to make them effective. The process also had to be affordable, as well as offering food that was as tasty as the junk food many people on low incomes live on. Food that contains high levels of sugar, saturated fat and salt is unwittingly costing people more money and of course contributes to bad health. "To make the most impact, therefore, it has to be affordable, comparable and easy to implement," explains Alice. 14 LOVEEAST

Cookery lessons in full flow

Culture corner Museum of Childhood It’s a Hard World for Little Things is a new display featuring large-scale drawings of children and the burdens they have to carry – whether it's water, each other, grief, love, or the loneliness of a runaway boy. The images explore children's will to survive in a sometimes hostile adult world. Opens 9 January.

Literary workshop At Story Habit we work with children’s authors. One common observation they make after going to visit children in schools and sharing their tips for writing, is how few of the children – who are from diverse backgrounds – choose to create characters who reflect their own selves. They seem to be bound by an unwritten rule, that heroes and heroines should have names like "Lauren" or "Gary". Is it because publishers in the 21st century are still timid when it comes to placing non-diverse characters at the heart of their books? Certainly two authors, who have dared to be different, think the publishers have a case to answer.

Drawing: Lance Carries Miles © C A Halpin

Museum after dark Are you brave enough? Enjoy a spooky tour and creepy craft workshop. 14 January, 6.30pm-8pm, £7. To mark Martin Luther King Day the museum will host discussions examining the racial, economic and health challenges faced by immigrants to the East End; explore the impact on children and families and how communities organise to secure their rights. Panel includes writer and photographer Eithne Nightingale, professor of modern theology Gordon Lynch, and poet and curator of On Their Own: Britain’s Child Migrants exhibition M C Naga. 18 January, 6.30pm-9pm, £10 (concession £7) includes light refreshments. V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA. vam.ac.uk/moc/whatson

So, we’ve decided to get together with this year’s Carnegie Medal winner for a children’s book, Tanya Landman, and children’s historical novelist Catherine Johnson to run a practical workshop for teachers. They will provide tips and ideas to encourage children to write about themselves. Tanya and Catherine both think the trick is to give them confidence to branch out and write outside their own skins. Both authors speak from experience. Tanya has written novels for young adults containing protagonists from Afro Caribbean, native American and Inca backgrounds, including her latest From Hell to High Water. Catherine’s stories feature diverse characters in historic contexts. Her new book is The Curious Tale of Lady Caraboo, featured in last month's Christmas book choices. Workshop: Monday, 18 January, Dalston CLR James Library, Dalston Lane, E8 3BQ. Advance booking is essential. Contact Story Habit on 020 8986 1124 or book online at storyhabit.co.uk

Joanna de Guia, storyhabit.co.uk LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 15

Sophie's world Photo: Claire Lawrie

enquired into each other's business like the characters in an episode of Dad's Army. No need for social networks for the neighbourhood watch to know Mr Smith was seeing Mrs Jones on the sly. Now we hide inside our homes and offices barely connecting with the people around us, unless through a device. What, talk to a stranger? It's the fear of the unknown; as real as the loneliness of holding a phone instead of a hand. Meeting someone's eyes and exchanging a smile has got to be better than shouting at a machine.

Sophie at her East End club, Vout-O-Reenee's

Starting a new series observing life in the East End, Sophie Parkin gets to know the neighbours "What's a Neighbours Party anyway?" our bar staff whined. They are both under 27, and while one uses language like "so LOL," the other is my daughter, so is forgiven everything. "A Neighbours Party," I explained, "was a Dutch thing, like my husband, Jan." In truth it's an old fashioned thing. Something we did before we got to know the neighbours, or worse, before we started to hate them and lock our doors.

16â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;LOVEEAST

When I first moved East aged 18, it was to a council estate. Taxis wouldn't take you home after dark, but luckily the burnt-out cars and red glowing hallways lit your path home. Talk to my neighbours? You must be joking. Oh, how the area's changed. In the old post-war East End, the neighbourhood you came from was your calling card, like your family name. The community of bakers, butchers, greengrocers and pubs. They

It is chance that puts us next to our neighbours, so shouldn't we take another chance to get to know them? Well, I invited 50 locals to the party and I was about to find out. A club should be a place where local people meet, discover friendships and love affairs, exchange gossip, passions and preferences; a home from home. It sorts the wheat from the chaff. It's the reason we opened Vout-O-Reenee's. I didn't expect to like everyone who came to the party, and realistically they wouldn't all be comfortable in a club that has as its tagline, "For the Surrealistically Distinguished", but I now have three more favourite people and we're not even Facebook friends; they're 100 per cent real neighbours. Sometimes, it's worth taking a chance. Sophie Parkin is an author and owner of vout-o-reenees.com

Gardening

January is the time to sow seeds, nourish the soil and feed our hungry wildlife, writes Loraine Hourdebaigt A new gardening year is starting for us keen growers. But with January being the coldest month of all, many of us prefer to stay indoors. For those of you who cannot face braving the cold, why not start sowing early crops in the warmth of your own home? Lettuces, summer brassicas, spinach or spring onions can all be started from seed this month. While your seeds are cosying up in the warmth, prepare your borders for planting future vegetables, shrubs or perennials outside. I promise this will keep you warm! Add plenty of organic matter to heavy soils to improve drainage. Grit can also be dug in, but remember that this alone will not do without the addition of wellrotted manure, or a rich compost. Once you’ve done this you could also lay fleece over the soil to warm it up prior to planting. Whatever you do, do not attempt to plant on a frosty or snowy day. You will risk irreversible

damage to the roots otherwise. One should also avoid walking on the lawn, too. Frozen strands of grass break when walked upon, making for a less than healthy grass patch come spring. I bet that you’ll see at least one robin while out in the garden. It's cold out there for our East London birds, and their food sources are very low at the moment. By now they have eaten through most of our berry-producing shrubs, and the ground is often too cold for them to rummage for any edible wildlife. So during this colder season, do remember to leave food out for the birds, as well as some fresh water. Leave a shallow container full of water in a sheltered spot of the garden and enjoy watching the visiting birds. Whether you spend the first month of the year cuddled up on the sofa, or out and about in the garden, remember to enjoy it – even if it’s freezing outside – and have a fantastic year ahead. LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 17

MON

TUES

WEDS

THURS

January

Art events General events Outdoor events

Swing Patrol, p10

Ballet for kids, p10

12th Night at Geffrye, p20

Mini builders, p10

Gentle Hatha yoga, p10

Storytime, under 5s, p10

Vinyasa flow, p10

Knitting/natter, p10

Michael Rosen's Bear Hunt, p10

Hannah Starkey art, p10

Painting/throwing p10

Ping Pong fun, p10

Gentle hatha yoga, p10

Storytime, under 5s, p10

Vinyasa flow, p10

Mini builders, p10

Girl band Hinds, p10,

Ballet for kids, p10

Ping Pong fun, p10

Painting/throwing, p10

Presents swap, p10

Knitting/natter, p10 Spooky night at the museum, p10

Gentle Hatha yoga, p10

Storytime, under 5s, p10

Cocktail Masterclass, p10

Mini builders, p10

Ballet for kids, p10

Vinyasa flow, p10

Painting/throwing, p10

Ping Pong fun, p10

Knitting/natter, p10

Make Knots, crochet class, p10

Wiggly Jigglers, p10, 23

Ballet for kids, p10

Ping Pong fun, p10

Painting/throwing,

Gentle Hatha yoga, p10

Storytime, under 5s, p10

Cookery classes, p10

p10

Chatterbox reading, p10

Spoken Nerd festival, p20 18â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;LOVEEAST

Vinyasa flow, p10

Mini builders, p10

Knitting/natter, p10

FRI

SAT

SUN

Toddler's Romp & Roll, p20

Bird Barmy Army, p20

Get Zen-like, p20

Late Night Karaoke, p20

Geffrye Explorers, p20

Laundry, NY Rave, p20

Olympic Park 10K run, p20

Mittal Orbit open, p20

Monograph Supper Club, p20

Alter Ego talent show, p20 Half-price sale, Lama's (till 16th), p20 Yoga for Jedis, p20

Half-price sale, p20

15 Monograph Supper Club, p20

Get Zen-like, p20

Half-price sale, Lama's PJs, p20 Yoga for Jedis, p20

Get Zen-like, p20

Forest taster day, p20 Nail art workshop, p20 Winter tree wander, p20

Monograph Supper Club, p20

Yoga for Jedis, p20

p20

Baroque family concert,

Networx computer skills at Victoria Park Comm Centre, E9.

Get Zen-like, p20 Free Buddhism taster session, p20

Monograph Supper Club, p20

Wellbeing sessions at Victoria Park Community Centre, 5 Gore Rd, E9. chrchaffin@hotmail.com

Memoryscape history, p20

Networx computer skills at Victoria Park Comm Centre, E9.

How to install and light art, p20

Stratford East singers, p20 Peep Show Quiz, p20

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;19

What's on in January FRI

SAT

SUN

Weekly 10am. Toddlers' Romp and Roll (18 months+) St John at Hackney Church. Book at info@adrenalindance. com 020 8525 8547

Weekly 12.30pm-4.30pm. Geffrye Explorers. Various activities, 3-11years. Free.

House on Old Ford Rd. £30 for a 3 lessons. To book, email agathe. guerrier@gmail.com

Weekly 5.30pm-7pm. A sitting group-based Zen tradition at Hackney Forge. 07976 803463 or 07769 330178

Weekly Late Night Karaoke at The Globe on Morning Lane, E8. Weekly (except 1st) 7pm. Monograph, a Japanese supper club in an art gallery (Victorian Hackney warehouse this month). £29pp. monographlondon.com Weekly (except 1st) 2pm-4pm. Get internet savvy at Vicky Park Community Centre, 5 Gore Rd, E9

10am-4.30pm, The UK's tallest sculpture is open for viewing on New Year's Day, QE Olympic Park. £10 adult/£5 child. Tickets arcelormittalorbit.com

11pm-6am. For those of you who didn't make it out on NY Eve, The Laundry are hosting a NY Rave Part 2. Tickets: thelaundrye8.com

20 LOVEEAST

9.30am. QE Olympic Park 10K run is back. First Saturday of every month. visittheraceorganiser. com

1pm-2.30pm. Forest School Taster: different activities including firemaking, muddy play, natural art and bug hunts. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Free.

10am-12.30pm. Bird Barmy Army. Discover what feathered friends are living in Victoria Park. Meet V&A bldg.

10am-6pm. The search is on for Hackney's untapped talent. If you are 1319 years old and a resident of Hackney, try your hand at Hackney Empire's Alter Ego 2016 Auditions. Call 020 8985 2424.

9-16

10.30-6pm (Sats), noon-6pm (weekdays) The half-price winter sale, Lama's Pyjamas, 83 Roman Rd, E2.

9, 16, 23

3pm-4.15pm. Yoga For Jedis: a must for all yoga-practising Star Wars fans, at The Yoga Nest, St Margaret's

11am-3pm. Learn how to paint your nails perfectly at a Nail Art workshop, St Margaret's House, Old Ford Rd. £20pp. Book stmargaretshouse.org.uk

23 10am-1pm.

Winter Tree Wander with friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. £15/£12 conc. Booking essential. fothcp.org

10am-5pm. Learn to meditate, find out about Buddhism and try a taster session in mindfulness. All events free. London Buddhist Centre, 51 Roman Rd, E2, lbc.org.uk

11.30am. Family concert Encore Battuta – musicians playing Baroque favourites. Stoke Newington Town Hall. hackneyproms.co.uk

5pm. An evening with the Stratford East Singers, Theatre Royal, Stratford. £12pp.

10-5pm. A course on how to handle, install and light art Whitechapel Gallery, lunch included. £195/£150 conc. whitechapelgallery.org

11am-1pm. Make Your Mark. Help carry out conservation work. Meet at the Outdoor Classroom, Victoria Park, nr St Agnes Gate.

10am-12.30pm. Memoryscape History Walk, recorded audio trail. Vicky Park. Book: 020 7364 4504

7pm-11pm Peep Show quiz at The Moth Club. £20 for team of 5, £200 prize. mothclub. co.uk

New Year’s Resolutions?

£30=100 classes p/month Includes: ZUMBA . PILATES. POWER YOGA. VINYASA YOGA. BOXING. BOOT Y CAMP. WARRIORS. HIIT. CIRCUITS. ARMY BOOT CAMP. REBOUNDING. BODYWORK.

fitness classes - spin - personal training

FIND OUT MORE AT londonfieldsfitness.com / @londonfieldsfit

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 21

What to do Stories Storytime for the under 5s at Victoria Park Community Centre every Tuesday from 10am to 11.30am. 5 Gore Road, E9. FREE. Fourth Tuesday of each month, Chatterbooks reading group for 8-12yrs, quizzes, competitions, prizes. Dalston CLR James Library. Building Free Mini Builders at Shoreditch Library for under 5s and parents. Discovery Michael Rosen's Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Bad Things at Discovery Children's Story Centre, Stratford. discover.org.uk Museums Free drop-in activities every day at The Museum of Childhood, including arts and crafts, tours, trails and storytelling. For ages 3-12 years. Cambridge Heath Road, E2. Plus: check out p15 for this month's activities There's always something interesting happening at the Ragged School Museum, 46-50 Copperfield Road, E3. Sutton House is not only beautiful but fun for the kids, too. Exhibitions, treasure hunts, puppets and costumes. nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-house/ Want to be a Geffrye Explorer? There is lots of fun to be had between 12.30pm and 4.30pm every Saturday at geffrye-museum.org.uk Cinema Hackney Picturehouse Kids’ Club is for ages 3-12 years. picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Hackney_ Picturehouse

22 LOVEEAST

Swimming London Fields Lido offer swimming lessons and they’ve started giving stages 3-8 swimming classes again. Go to betterlessons.org.uk for details and booking. Plus of course, there's Mile End Leisure Centre, York Hall in Bethnal Green and the gorgeous Aquatics Centre, QE Olympic Park. Farms At city farms in Hackney, Stepney, Spitalfields and Mudchute you can introduce your kids to the pongs and pleasures of real farm animals. Stepney City Farm has a great café, as well as a farmers’ market every Saturday from 10am3pm. stepneycityfarm.org, hackneycityfarm.co.uk, spitalfieldscityfarm.org, mudchute.org Check out the websites for events. Children's Centres Wentworth on Cassland Road (wentworth. hackney.sch.uk), Gainsborough on Berkshire Road (gainsborough.hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre), and Morningside on Chatham Place (morningside. hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre). Meath Gardens Children's Centre, 1 Smart Street, E2; Mile End Leisure Centre, The One O'Clock Club (Vicky Park near boating lake); Overland Children's Centre, 60 Parnell Road, E3. Yoga for babies... Baby-focused classes using massage, classical yoga postures, stretches and balances adapted to their stage of growth. Fridays, Royal Inn on the Park, E9.10.45am-11.45am. £6.50. Karen: firsttouchmassage@hotmail.co.uk, 07902 227 669. Yoga for babies... and their mums Yoga for Mums and Babies, every Tuesday at 10.15am with tea and biscuits afterwards. Hackney Forge, E9. 07958 645 978 or email clare@clareday-yoga.co.uk

with the kids Singing Angel Voices, tunes for toddlers. Tuesdays, 9.45am-11am in term-time at St. Michael’s and All Angels in London Fields. No charge but donations welcome. Call Connie on 07830 349 362. Theatre Hackney Children’s Theatre situated in 700-yearold St John at Hackney church, hosts monthly performances for kids and their families. facebook. com/hackneychildrenstheatre Acting Diddy Bugs. Try Hackney Forge on a Wednesday morning. Cbeebies actress Samantha Seager runs acting classes for little tots. actingbugs.co.uk Music Piccolo music for babies and toddlers, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the V&A building in Victoria Park. Toddler class 10am, baby class 11am. Just drop in. Stefanie, 07708 451 314.

Community Centre, 49 Ainsworth Road, E9. Toddler Romp and Roll, every Friday at St John at Hackney Church. info@adrenalindance.com Kicking Monday afternoon kickboxing for 3-5 and 6-11-year-olds at the Hackney Forge. Call Maria for details on 07872 188 655.

Activity times may change, so please do check on times/availability via the websites or phone numbers provided.

Award winning classes for 0-5 yrs

Suzuki Hub runs music lessons for kids (violin, viola, cello, flute). Suzuki Hub, 116 Weymouth Terrace, E2 8LR. suzukihub.com Dancing Wiggly Jigglers at Rich Mix. Creative movement for 0-2yrs. Call 020 7613 7498 to book. There’s ballet for children at the Hackney Forge on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call Mafalda on 07550 722 693 for details and check out mafaldaballetblog.blogspot.com Also at the Hackney Forge you’ll find Saturday Street Dance and Musical Theatre classes. 12 noon-1pm, 1.15pm-2.15pm and 2.30-3.30pm, Call Lisa on 07985 945 335 for details. Street Dance: Tues 4pm-5pm (5-11 year-olds), Fri 6pm-8pm (11-19 year-olds). New Kingshold

At Gymboree our focus is on encouraging and nurturing your baby in every aspect of their development, with you right by their side. We offer a variety of fun and sensory led classes from newborn to 5years. Gymboree classes are designed by experts in early childhood development to help young children learn as they play.

Book your FREE trial class today!

Gymboree Bethnal Green bethnalgreen@gymboree-uk.com

020 7537 2901 / 07966 227583 59-61 Roman Road, London, E2 0QN gymboree-uk.com

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 23

History hangout

Did you know... that many of highwayman Dick Turpin's dastardly deeds took place on our doorstep? Living in Whitechapel, Epping Forest and by the River Lea on Hackney marshes, notorious house-breaker, highwayman, and murderer Dick Turpin left behind a wake of horrors that left local residents living in fear. Born in 1706 at Hempstead in Essex, Ricardus Turpin came from a prosperous family. He followed his father's trade and became an apprentice butcher in Whitechapel, but misconduct got him fired. Coming with the generosity of his father's business, however, he cut a dash with the blades of road and turf. Turpin married Hester Palmer from East Ham, but soon got into the bad company of a gang of thieves. He became a sheep, deer and cattle stealer, then a highwayman, house-breaker 24 LOVEEAST

and footpad. He joined a gang in Essex whose principle robberies took place in Epping Forest, Walthamstow, Hackney and Stamford Hill. He took up residence in Sewardstone, where his wife was living, and sometime later he came across another highwayman named Thomas King. One day Turpin was riding through Stamford Hill when he spotted King as a potential victim. He rode up to him and bade him deliver his money, at the same time producing his pistols. King burst into a fit of laughter and said "What! Dog eat dog! Come, come brother Turpin, if you don’t know me, I know you, and should be glad of your company". From that moment they worked together, sharing everything, until King died three years later.

History hangout During the time together, they hid in a cave in Epping Forest. It was near a house called the King’s Oak on the Walthamstow side of the forest. Turpin’s wife occupied herself as their messenger. Huge rewards were offered to find Turpin. One day a forest ranger called Thompson, together with his higgler (a travelling salesman), approached the cave. Turpin took him for a poacher and told him there were no hares in the thicket. “No,” says Thompson, “but I have got a Turpin,” and pointed his gun at him, commanding him to surrender. Turpin shot him dead and the higgler made off. Turpin and his partner, King, became very wary after this. After they stole a horse from Plaistow marshes, a man named Bayes got intelligence that he might be found at a noted house near Hackney Marsh. "But that when he rode out he always had three brace of pistols about him and a carbide slung." This stopped Bayes's pursuit but caused Turpin great unease. Turpin decided to travel to Brough in Yorkshire and used his wife’s maiden name, Palmer. There he carried on an extensive trade of horse-dealing and realised about a thousand pounds which enabled him to keep some decent company amongst the yeomanry of the country. “He often accompanied the neighbouring gentlemen in their parties of hunting and shooting; and one evening on his return, he saw one of his landlord's cocks in the street, which he shot at and killed, for which the next day he was apprehended, and for want of bail he was committed to the House of Correction." Soon after this it was discovered that the man who went by the name of Palmer was no other than Dick Turpin. He was prosecuted at York for horse stealing and convicted. He was executed on 7 April 1739, in the thirty fourth year of his age. Next month: The mystery of the "Blood House" in Springfield Park.

Stephen Selby

Are you ready to kick start 2016? Personal training with Michelle Crawford, Fighting Fit Studio, 15 Bow Wharf, E3 5SN michellept.wordpress.com

07805 612127

LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 25

Fitness Join the officer class The RAF has a great routine to help would-be officers get fit. It uses exercises easily found on the internet – tricep dips, sit-ups, press-ups, dorsal raises and step-ups. Start with 15 tricep dips, 20 sit-ups, seven press-ups, 15 dorsal raises and 25 step-ups. Do it twice through twice a week. Each week add two tricep dips, three sit-ups, one press-up, two dorsals and two step-ups. This will keep you out of mischief till February. Get an app If press-ups, which are great for strength and tone in your chest, abs and arms, are your goal, try Runtastic’s PushUps Pro app. It guides you through five sets three times a week until you can do 100 in one go.

Roger Love offers advice on how to start a new year of fitness Jean-Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, said that we are free to reinvent ourselves every single day. Many of us will embrace his ideology as we start a fitness regime this month to become the leanest, fittest versions of ourselves. Try not to over-commit and set yourself up to fail. What you need to do in January is lay the foundations for months, 26 LOVEEAST

hopefully years, of exercise. Here are five simple ideas to get your started. Run like a child Keep it easy-going to start with. Set yourself a time, say 15 minutes. Start with a walk to warm-up and then go into a jog. Then run with the spontaneity of a child – run till you need to walk; walk till you are ready to run, and so on. Cool down with a walk. Over time, you will run more and walk less.

Sort your food out Exercise is great but you need to eat right, too. Again don’t over complicate it – stick with big principles. Have protein and salad/fresh vegetables in every meal. Cut down on sugar, rice, pasta, cereal and potatoes. Do something, anything Pick a class or activity that appeals to you – whether that is swimming at London Fields Lido, cycling, pilates (see Tempo, my neighbours in Netil House), martial arts (search the internet for FightZone or Urban Escrima) or personal training – and then stick to it for a least four weeks. As Sartre said: "Commitment is an act, not a word." Roger Love is a personal trainer based in Netil House, Hackney. hackneypt.com

Ballet Classes for boys & girls ages 3-8 years Victoria Park Village

Come explore one of Hackney’s last independent high streets Market every Sunday 11-4 Shops, bars and restaurants 7 days chatsworthroade5.co.uk Homerton overground | E5 0LS

New Class for Adults Booking Open More info:

mafaldaballetblog.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html Contact Mafalda on:

07550 722 693

Big days or little days, we can help make them perfect www.agpriceflowers.co.uk 217-219 Well Street, E9 6QU 020 8986 0250 LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 27

Eating in Roasted butternut squash tagine – serves 4

Method 1. Put the butternut squash into a roasting tray with some olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Roast (200°C) for 15 mins (until tender and a little brown). Remove from oven and set aside.

Illustration: rachelgale.com

2. In the tagine (or casserole pan), fry the onions and garlic over a medium heat for 5 mins. 3. Add ginger, turmeric and Ras el Hanout. Gently fry for 2 mins. 4. Add harissa paste, tomato paste and coriander. Stir and add 250ml stock, tinned tomatoes, carrots. Bring to boil. Place in 180°C oven for 20 mins.

Ingredients 1 small butternut squash (diced) (skin on for texture and added nutrients) ½tsp ground cinnamon 1 medium onion (diced or sliced) 2 cloves of garlic (crushed) 1 tsp fresh ginger (chopped) 5 tsp Ras el Hanout 1 carrot (peeled and 1cm dice) 2 tbsp Harissa paste or 1 chilli finely chopped 1 tsp tomato paste 1 tsp turmeric 2 tbsp coriander stalks finely chopped 250ml stock (your choice) or enough to just cover vegetables along with tin of tomatoes. 200g dried chickpeas (soaked overnight in cold water, then simmered till tender) or a tin of chickpeas (keep the liquid to use as part of the stock) 1 tin tomatoes (chopped) 28 LOVEEAST

½ preserved lemon (seeds removed & flesh & skin chopped) Pinch of chilli flakes 1 tsp honey Handful fresh coriander leaves Salt and pepper to season To serve •• 400g couscous, •• 1 small pomegranate, seeds removed (cut in half, place cut side down in palm of hand over a bowl then tap the top of the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon) •• 4 tbsp almond flakes toasted in the oven 180°C with a pinch of cumin powder. •• 4 tbsp Greek yogurt •• Sumac to sprinkle (ground dark red berries with a lovely tart lemony flavour, used in middle eastern dishes) If you can't get Ras el Hanout, use a mix of cumin, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, paprika, ginger and any other Moroccan spices that take your fancy.

5. Remove from oven, add chickpeas, preserved lemon, honey, roasted squash and the chilli flakes (to your taste). Stir. Cook in 180°C oven for 5 mins. Serve on cinnamon couscous (steamed as directed on packet using vegetable stock infused with a cinnamon stick). A generous spoonful of Greek yogurt on top of the tagine. Sprinkle with pomegranate, toasted almond, coriander & sumac. You can make it with meat or any vegetables. A tagine needs to be sweet and spicy, I used honey but you can use dried fruits (eg, apricots, figs, prunes) and a crunch from a toasted nut is always delicious. Have fun!

Alison Noor

alibipantry.com

Eating out

Song Que Café

the efficiency here means it’s never long. It’s packed with local Vietnamese, couples and families, and we’re all here for the same reason: that yearning that suddenly comes over you for a hearty broth, spice and aromatics in a homely atmosphere. This is a palace dedicated to eating, not the furnishings; they know their priorities. It’s a fast-paced eatand-out affair. Like the room the menu is vast, but having navigated it a few times we now pretty much stick to the same thing every time. We know what we like, and it maximizes the feeling of familiarity we’re so fond of here.

I’m not quite at the point in my life where I hate hangovers more than I like being drunk. So, come New Year after several parties, I know that I’m likely to have woken up a few times with a pile of clothes dropped just inside the front door, had the odd missing shoe, and woken up with a mouth that feels like a peanut butter sandwich when you’re lost in a desert. Last year, one memorable night started off with a couple of Sambucas and ended up with Father Christmas and some mice in Harrods. It wasn’t pretty. After this sort of dicey overindulgence, followed by a "seriously, I might die" hangover, or if you just want to get back on the straight and narrow after so much festive food, I can heartily recommend the familyrun Song Que Café. It’s a fantastically dignified place to start the new year. Fresh, healthy, affordable and tasty.

Song Que Café is a large airy food hall of a place. A grand canteen devoted to eating. For me, this has always been the star of the Vietnamese strip that is now the Kingsland Road. Song Que likes to shout proudly its victory over the other eating establishments as Time Out’s best cheap eats winner. It’s no subtler on the inside, with its huge bright mint green emulsion walls. I enjoy the way they’ve kept it just how they like it. Green walls, red tablecloths and black shiny chairs all left untouched by the sartorial influences that have hit the area over the past 13 years since it opened. The dazzling green might be the trickiest bit to stomach, but we love it here, and clearly we’re not the only ones. When you walk in there’s a sea of people. You might have to wait a little for a table, but in my experience

Here’s our list. Jasmine tea, the extraordinary "waffer"-thin traditional crispy pancake with prawn and chicken, served with a plate-load of fresh herbs (26); fresh prawns and herbs wrapped in rice paper (42); spicy soft shell crab (21); hot and spicy beef and pork noodle soup – a superbly flavoured clear broth, served with fresh basil leaves, bean sprouts and red chillies ready to adorn your soup (156) – and crispy fried noodles with chicken (67). What a perfectly magnificent way to begin a year.

Susan Birtwistle Dishes range from £3.20 to £12.80 Song Que Café 254 Hackney Road, E2 8DY songque.co.uk LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 29

On a sale, your solicitor will draft paperwork, deal with requests, make sure you do not agree to anything too onerous and that you are released from all liabilities. On a purchase, your solicitor will fully investigate the property’s title to make sure there are no issues affecting your use of or the value of the property. They should work closely with you to ensure you are fully aware of what you are purchasing, any obligations you may have in the future and that your questions are answered. How do I choose? You should choose a solicitor you can trust to look after your interests. It’s important to ensure that you will be provided with a great service and will be able to contact the person acting for you. Their receptiveness and willingness to assist when you call for a quote and ask initial questions should be a good indicator.

The start of a new year can mean thoughts of moving home. Naomi Jones offers advice on what to expect when choosing a solicitor Buying and selling property can appear overwhelming. Once you have arranged your sale or purchase you can be flooded with information. How do you make sense of it all?

How much should I pay? Legal costs vary depending on certain factors. It is important to differentiate between solicitor’s legal fees and expenses payable to others. You should always ask the solicitor to confirm their costs and a list of other expenses (preferably by email). Expect legal fees to be between £600 to £1,500 plus VAT with bank charge of approximately £30. There will also be expenses on a sale for title documents (around £6) and on a purchase for search fees (around £170), Land Registry fees and stamp duty (depending on property price). There could be additional expenses payable on leasehold properties. As soon as you decide to buy or sell, it’s a good idea to contact a solicitor free of charge to get further information and a specific quote so that you are not rushed into a decision later.

I have arranged a sale/purchase. What next? The next stage is to choose and instruct a solicitor to carry out the legal work involved and let the agents know who you have instructed. What will my solicitor do? Your solicitor will look after your legal interests and work closely with everyone to progress matters to a swift and satisfactory conclusion; it is important to make sure you pick wisely. 30 LOVEEAST

Naomi Jones is a property lawyer at TV Edwards. For further information contact her on 020 3440 8172, or at property@tvedwards.com

Advertorial

Legal eagle

The key is to become aware of your inner critic and how you speak to yourself. Our inner critic can be judgemental and harsh, yet its intention is positive and pure. It wants the best for us and it often wants to protect us from making a mistake.

Advertorial

Wellbeing

So make an effort to listen to the tone of voice, the attitude you have towards yourself and what you habitually say. Listen carefully. Notice when your inner critic puts you down or speaks harshly. Listen first – don’t push against it to make it stop. Instead, work at changing its tone of voice to one that is kind, reassuring and encouraging – the very kind and caring attitude you bring when you talk to a good friend. How to value and appreciate yourself

Being your own best friend could be the most important New Year's resolution you make, writes Karen Liebenguth The way we treat ourselves is the key to our inner happiness – from which everything else flows. So what would it mean be your own best friend? It means encouraging and caring for ourselves as we would for a close friend. Sounds easy in theory, but developing a more caring attitude towards ourselves can actually be quite challenging because we often treat ourselves as our own worst enemy – in a way that we would not dare to treat others – particularly our close friends. And we regularly find ourselves at the mercy of our inner critic. When I ask clients to imagine saying such things to a friend, they reply along the lines of “Oh no, I would never do that, they would be upset.” Of course they would be upset. Nobody wants to be shouted at, treated harshly or pushed away. And yet we do it all the time to ourselves, often unconsciously.

1. Check in with yourself every morning and ask yourself how you are and what you most need from yourself for the day ahead. 2. Start meditating for 20 minutes every day to create some me-time and space for reflection. 3. Write down three things you appreciate about yourself, others and life every day. 4. Check how much you are sleeping – rearrange your routine to sleep more. Notice the difference! 5. Exercise regularly. 6. Treat yourself. A lovely bunch of flowers or a massage; a nice meal or a long bath. If you need a little help, let me know and we can arrange a 30-minute taster session in Victoria Park, via phone or Skype. Just call or email me.

Karen Liebenguth offers 1:1 coaching while walking in Victoria Park, 1:1 mindfulness training & courses for the workplace & mindfulness for stress and chronic pain. To book a free taster coaching session email karen@greenspacecoaching.com or call 07815 591279. For more information visit greenspacecoaching.com LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 31

Legal eagle Advertorial

Make sure that your New Year's resolutions include making a will, advises Sangeeta Moore An increase in new gym memberships at this time of year clearly shows that getting fit is one of the most common New Year's resolutions. No doubt your health is important, but so is the state of your wealth. It makes sense, therefore, to include a financial MOT check. A large part of this MOT involves reviewing or writing your will. Your circumstances may well have changed and as a consequence, provisions you made in your will previously may no longer be appropriate. Let's focus on two areas that can throw up unpleasant surprises: divorce and remarriage. Plans for divorce and separation often tend to take place around the Christmas period or early January. If you are considering these, it is very important that you write or review your will – especially if you had previously appointed your husband or wife as an executor. The reason for this is that as soon as a divorce is finalised (ie, the decree absolute is granted by the court), your ex-husband or ex-wife is regarded to have "died". A dead person cannot act as executor and or get an inheritance. If you die soon after your divorce is finalised and have not rewritten your will, you will not have any new executors to administer your estate. The effect of this is that a member of your family may have to apply to the court to be appointed as your executor(s), even those you do not trust or want to take this responsibility. Issues also arise if you don’t review or change your will in the period after you have received a decree nisi and before your decree absolute is granted. If you die in this period then it is possible that your about-to-be ex-spouse could still inherit under the terms of your will. 32 LOVEEAST

Following on from a divorce is the possibility of a remarriage. That is, if you have not been put off by your previous experience! When planning a new wedding the idea of sorting out your finances and wealth often isn't a priority. But what may come as a surprise to many is that marriage revokes an existing will. If you were to die after you are married, but without having made a new will, you lose control over where your wealth goes upon death. This is because the law specifies who gets what from your estate. You have two options if you want to avoid this. First, you can make a new will in contemplation of your marriage. This will prevent the will from being revoked once you get married. Alternatively, you must make a new will as soon as you are married. If you need specialist legal advice on making a will following a divorce or remarriage, please get in touch. Details below.

Sangeeta Moore is a solicitor specialising in wills, trusts and probate law, at The Law House. Contact her on 020 8899 6620, 07825 838 922 or write to her at smoore@thelawhouse.com Home visits at no extra charge.

Letterbox Listings UU I LI D THE EH HA ACCKKNNEEYYB B LE D RE R property refurbishment & renovation property refurbishment & renovation E: thehackneybuilder@icloud.com E: thehackneybuilder@icloud.com

Roger Love Roger Love Personal trainer Personal trainer www.lovelondonfitness.com www.lovelondonfitness.com

POP UP TEA STOP – 10.30am-noon every Wednesday at Prideaux House, 10 Church Crescent, E9. All welcome. 020 8986 6000

Experienced, reliable dogdog walker. FullyFully Experienced, reliable walker. insured, references supplied. For more insured, references supplied. For more details details call Annabel on 07960 483570 call Annabel on 07960 483570

Travelling abroad and want to see some art? I can advise you on how to see the very best. www.douglas@darkstream32.fsnet.co.uk

MINDFULNESS FOR HEALTH 8-week Breathworks course starts 25 Oct E8 £65 facebook/anasamindfulness

If you would like to take out a small ad on the Letterbox Listings page, prices from just £17.50 per month

makes beautiful screenI’m an anillustrator illustratorwho who makes beautiful screen-printed bags, postcards, printed bags, postcards, T-shirts, etc. T-shirts, Take a etc. a look: www.rachelgale.com look:Take www.rachelgale.com

The Law House solicitors

At The Law House we believe in giving excellent service

We are based throughout London and specialise in the following areas of law

Wills • Lasting Powers of Attorney • Trusts • Probate • Inheritance Tax Planning At The Law House, our costs are transparent and we offer fixed fees. Our priority is to offer an exceptional service to you, including, wherever possible, meeting you at a time and place convenient for you – which need not be limited to the hours of 9am to 5pm on weekdays, as offered by most solicitors. Call us on 020 8899 6620 or you can email us at: sbedford@thelawhouse.com www.thelawhouse.com LOVEEAST JANUARY 2016 33

Useful numbers Police Emergency 999 Non-emergency 101 Safer Neighbourhood 020 8721 2937 Utilities Gas - emergency Electrical - power loss Thames Water

0800 111 999 0800 404090 0872 435 5973

Health NHS Direct 111 Homerton Hospital 020 8510 5555 Royal London Hospital 020 7377 7000 Clockwork Pharmacy 020 8985 1717 Borno Pharmacy 020 8981 0600 Hackney Council numbers General number Council tax enquiries Parking enquiries Waste removal

020 8356 3000 020 8356 3154 020 8356 8877 020 8356 6688

Tower Hamlets Council numbers General number 020 7364 5020 Council tax enquiries 020 7364 5002 Parking enquiries 020 7364 5003 Waste removal 020 7364 5004 Local councillors/MP Local councillors (Victoria) MP (Meg Hillier)

020 8356 3373 020 7219 5325

Library Hackney Central Library Bethnal Green Library

020 8356 4358 020 7364 3492

Victoria Park Park Services (24/7) Victoria Park rangers

020 8985 5699 020 7364 4172

Travel National Rail Enquiries Congestion Charge Transport for London

08457 484950 0343 222 2222 0343 222 1234

Vet Goddard's, Well Street PDSA, Bow Wanstead Veterinary Hospital The Hackney Vet 34 LOVEEAST

020 8986 3918 020 8980 5011 020 8989 7744 020 8533 6554

LoveEast is proud to support local businesses. If you do contact someone after seeing their advertisement on these pages, please mention it to them when you call.

Why advertise with us? Every month the magazine is delivered to 10,000 households in E9, E8, E2 and E3, as well as to local shops, restaurants and cafés in Victoria Park, Hackney Wick, Broadway Market and Roman Road. Readership runs into many thousands more (between 25,000-30,000). The magazine is full of great articles and essential information and is a handy guide to local businesses and services, as well as giving details about what’s on in the area. It’s something to keep through the month and is unlikely to go in the recyle bin along with doordrop leaflets. It's therefore a very effective way to promote your business to a targeted, local audience. If you would like to advertise, please contact us at:

07752 288 405 sales@nutshellpublications.co.uk

Twitter: @LoveEastMag Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag

Next issue – February Copy deadline – 10 January

Landlords, we offer

0% Commission on Lettings!

â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yes, that s 0% Commission on Lettings!

Our Guaranteed Rental Income service will give you peace of mind and our trusted Property Management approach means that we look after your property as if it were our own. To find out more about our exceptional services for Landlords, call us now or drop by and speak to one of our lettings team.

020 8986 2222

170 Victoria Park Road, Hackney. E9 7HD enquiries@robertalanhomes.com Visit our new website for the latest properties available for sale and to rent www.robertalanhomes.com

Vendors

How about paying us what you want based on how well we do?

What % do you want to pay us?

You decide based on how well we have worked for you!

For more details on this offer call Broadway Market: 020 7275 7505 Shoreditch: 020 7729 2476

sales@daveystone.com www.daveystone.com (subject to a minimum fee)