Mosaic flooring:
Neighbouring, plush, historical flats and park were incredible:
A zine and blog |
|
I've only just discovered that Mayfair has a public library, dating back to 1894. An area largely associated with money and business, it is also a fairly mixed residential zone, and every pocket of London needs its library service. Nearby boroughs can also use their library cards in branch. This is a special library and it's quite the luxurious library experience. Mosaic flooring: Interior of the entrance in all its grandeur: Close up of the glorious stained glass windows: Weddings are held in another area of the building. The library itself houses a brilliant collection of mostly recent DVDs, and there was a book sale with a lot of interesting cookery books, recent novels, CDs, etc. Neighbouring, plush, historical flats and park were incredible: Mayfair also has a superb cinema, which is grade II listed and has origins in the 1930s and the 1960s, with a lot of old signs remaining. If you pick the right day, there are hunks of homemade chocolate square cakes that are worth almost any trek to taste!
0 Comments
Fayre and Square in Wimbledon shopping centre is a shop that sells various kinds of hand-crafted items, for all ages. I've just discovered it, but it opened last summer. It gives opportunities to artists to sell their work - you can rent a stall on a monthly basis. The shop is also home to Merton Volunteer Centre, moreover lends local young adults with a learning disability or mental health issue the chance to gain skills, as they can volunteer to work in the shop, serving customers on the till and being involved with the shop. Let me say what a wonderful little haven it is for anyone who is in love with pretty, crafty objects! As you can see, it has been decorated and filled with so much love and joy. It's such a beautiful sight and a lovely place to duck into in an otherwise primarily corporate shopping centre. The staff are informed and friendly, and you can enquire about a whole load of different volunteering opportunities within the borough of Merton, as well as browse gorgeous, lovingly produced goods. I wasn't very flushed for cash since I am hanging on for payday, but I knew that I would not get to the shop again for a while (the opening hours rotate, last Saturday of the month, plus regular midweek openings - check the Facebook for details). So I nudged into overdraft territory (it's okay!), because I could not walk away without buying something from their amazing selection and without supporting the hard-working volunteers and artists involved. I plumped for a glittery silver badge, and a cartoon bird badge from Lucie-Kate. I also got a small gift for a friend (not yet pictured!). And I indulged in a practical coloured phone cover from creative-stitching as I had just got a new phone and wanted to protect it anyway. Neat! Phone cover and two badges: Go and visit and support this excellent enterprise. They also put on events. I think they are planning a one-year anniversary celebration. I have a hankering to get some zines into the shop, too, maybe get some zine events going - so if anyone out there wants to get involved, just get in touch with the shop (or get in touch with me, if you want to get some zine stuff going with other people...).
Long may Fayre and Square reign in Wimbledon! I love it! Rounded up a recent day out in Camberwell with rushing to the record shop - Rat Records! I'd read about this record shop in Music Week some time ago and was surprised I hadn't known about it, but then I've only had cause to be in Camberwell two or three times in my life. It's a gem in the area. As a stream of Jesus and Mary Chain songs played, I felt glad to be immersing myself in such a vast range of music on sale. Most things were really affordably priced - starting from £3 for a CD album. The selection seemed carefully curated, with love and knowledge, no filler, and with lots of oddities. The genres are everything from reggae to jazz to soul to electronica, post-rock, indie, rock, and some pop. I noted down some names to give an idea of range: A record shop wins me over instantly if there is Robyn Hitchock-related stock, and there was a rich array of interesting stuff on vinyl and on CD. There was a Hood album, and I don't often see them stocked. There were lesser known Fall albums and live recordings. There were various singer-songwriters from Joan Baez to Tom Waits. Reliable indie like Magnetic Fields. Plenty of post-rock and electronic stuff - Godspeed, Add N To (X). Also some good New Order stuff. Almost everything recorded by Mogwai. Loads of Bright Eyes. Vinyl by Popinjays and Altered Images. Pop by Sparks and the Human League. Many more I forget by now... I hovered over so much stuff. There were a lot of £3 CD albums in there that have been on my list for years, so I ended up with a big pile of wares. I narrowed it down sensibly (but reluctantly!), to the above (Bright Yellow Bright Orange by The Go Betweens from 2003, Everything's All Right Forever by Boo Radleys from 1992, and Spooky by Lush from 1992). Now my Lush album collection is complete (though I could do with Split on CD as well as tape), and I have only one more Boo Radleys album that I'd like to get. Everything's Alright Forever is on repeat at the moment - probably their most consistent and most consistently pop album for me, though lots of interesting textures with it. Its cover is glorious: I will be back, Rat Records, because long may a record shop like this live.
I buy second-hand books from here as often as money allows. Ignoring the five foot reading pile that has accumulated by my book shelf in the living room, I just keep on buying - I do get onto reading stuff, I've just had a bit of a pall in proceedings with being busy / life being chaotic. If you've read my paper 'zine, you will know how much of a supporter/promoter I am of small business, especially emporiums that have printed wares. What I love about Copperfield's of Wimbledon is the sheer self-run nature of it all: books piled haphazardly high in places, odd things here and there not always in order, the place being part-house, part-shop with carpeted stairs and usually a tea mug resting about on the way up, how well known the proprietor is to many, and just the foibles of the place and how cosy and unlike a mainstream, high street store it is. I love the smell of new books, and pristine books can be a joy, but the scent of old books will always be more romantic to me. There are many corners and an old feel to the place. I don't mind a bit of mustiness or mess, that is character to me. I don't want the latest best-sellers, garishly, beaming out at me loudly, with bullying promotions for mass sales. I want to stumble across something old, rare, or odd that I did not realise I was looking for - but now, here it is and I can't possibly walk away without tucking it under my arm and purchasing it. Another draw for me here is the assortment of ancient postcards and old printed pamphlets - always useful to a 'zine creator! I'm sure the students from Wimbledon College of Art raid the place for the self-same purpose, or at least for inspiration, hopefully for books too. Today's purchase was a biography on The Clash (one that I don't have - because half a dozen are clearly not enough yet!) for £6. (Sidenote: there are some excellent and excellent condition music books in this shop - there was a near-mint copy of a Sonic Youth biography about today as well - snap it up someone!). I paid with a ten pound note, and the guy didn't have change, so said to bring in the other £1 next time. I ended up popping back after a visit to another shop, with the coin to proffer - I genuinely like to see these businesses get money. I won't hear it that you can buy books for a penny from large online stores. I heard that often when I worked in public libraries as a byway for saying libraries were not necessary services or weren't as good providers of books. I don't want to buy from a faceless, mass-profiteering place - but that's not the half of it - I want the experience of wandering into a nice, charming old shop, out of the rain, of an afternoon, sauntering in for a slow browse, having a read of various books about the place, making up my mind casually, getting totally lost and absorbed... And being around physical, beautiful books. I am an incurable book junkie, and the sight, feel, scent and unique content of books is my life-enhancing, self-educating, explorative, spiritual, companion-like, hoarders' delight of a drug. The website for Copperfield's book shop states that it is only 8 and a half years old. I'd have thought the place was from the 60s or 70s - but we can pretend and romanticise all the same. Another favourite old book shop that I sincerely hope will stay in business is the one by Putney Bridge tube station: Hurlingham Books. This one has a window literally crammed with books, and is always a lovely sight to behold, making it irresistible to pass by without just a glance inside. Lots of bargains here, and I try to support it whenever I pass by. I will blog back later with better photos - when there's a nice sunny day! Keep buying second-hand books, and keep overfilling your home to spilling point - never enough books!
Front cover of one of my new mini zines, a guide to integrating vegan products into your life whatever your diet: I've had such a hiatus from 'zines that finally I have a whole bunch of mini-zines ready!
L - R: 1. Fun for A Fiver/Fun For Free, a guide to cheap fun with creative angles, 2. Veganise Your Life: tasty and good vegan products to integrate into your life/lifestyle whatever your diet, 3. Zine Lovers' London: a guide to zine-related shops and zine-related resources. There are so many exciting events going on in and around London in the coming months, that I feel I might burst - and I also feel the need to make a list, lest I forget! The big one this weekend for me is: http://www.londonopenhouse.org/ Open House Weekend, if you don't yet know it, consists of hundreds of museums, gardens, architecturally impressive buildings, libraries and the like all hosting FREE entry and events - guided tours, talks, etc! Every year it drives me to near apoplexy about what to do when and where, and all the things I'll never fit in! Last year I discovered Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, and the Karl Marx Memorial Library, which I wrote about in Athemaura issue #6. Postcard and paper ephemera fair in Woking tomorrow, and Saturday! Woking Leisure Centre, Kingfield Road. http://www.postcard.co.uk/woking.php Abundance Fruit Fair, Wimbledon. Jams, chutneys on sale, homemade from windfall fruit gathered by a wonderful group of people. Also, live music, kids' activities, lots more stalls. Last year, I had a stall and sold my garden-theme 'zines! Clash exhibition: On until 22nd September, unique memorabilia, previously unheard remastered songs on listening posts, and so on - an idea of heaven to me!!! Eel Pie Island, Twickenham. Photo exhibition, films, etc, till 29th September. Accounting the blues rock history of the area. There've been a bunch of cool gigs too. Anarchist Book Fair: 19th October, Queen Mary University, Mile End, East London. I think this is free, and there's sure to be a range of stuff from other radical political frames/socialist stuff, if the word 'anarchist' is too dangerous for you. I have a good feeling there may be small press and 'zines too! Various record fairs, throughout October and November, including Soundbite Record Fairs in SW London, and the ones held in Westminster. BFI film festival. And the Urban Wandering events at the Barbican coming up too!
Small Publishing Fair 2013, at Conway Hall in Bloomsbury, 15th - 16th November. Keeping It Peel - events in celebration of John Peel's ethos, including gigs, club nights, and more. SW Zines Presents: A Christmas Zine Social, Housmans book shop, in Kings Cross, 7th December, from 7pm - 9pm. Free zine event. Sellers can apply for free selling space via SW London & Surrey Zine Collective. Zine readers and the curious can come and be social in this book shop event, where cake and beer are promised. |
AthemauraEnthusiastic about 'zines, libraries, gardening in the city, independent book shops/record shops/cafes, vegetarian and vegan, London in all its variety, local living/community. Archives
November 2014
Categories
All
|