JJ's posterous

We took the youngest (the 8yo) to the Geffrye Museum today. Mainly because it's close and easy to get to. It was nice, but not one of those museums where you can go and find interesting stuff if you're not already interested in the subject (interior designs of the past and present). There's a restaurant but no café.

There are some reportedly excellent Vietnamese restaurants all down Kingsland Road; I would have loved to eat at one but the boy is super fussy. Instead, we had a great lunch at a little café at which I accidentally ate someone else's sandwich given to me by mistake. (I should pay more attention to things.) It was good though - the man has taste.

The best thing was the lava lamp shop down the street, Mathmos. It was great and much more affordable than I remember from my university days. Of course, this might be a function of me having more money now. The boy loved it. I think I'll sneak back down tomorrow and get a couple for Christmas.

Sophie Calle asked women in various professions to professionally interpret her partner's email in which he breaks up with her. The phrase "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" springs to mind. All, bar one (a writer if I remember correctly), took to the task with relish and, it appeared, no small amount of glee at being able to mock and humiliate this man who has dared to find Calle less than enough for him.

The interpretations themselves were extraordinarily well thought out and clever. There is a lot of text - it's worth taking the time to read it thoroughly. The children's story was my favourite.

Upstairs there are earlier works from Calle. I'm not quite sure what I think of her and her lack of respect for individuals' privacy. I'm not quite sure what I think of her in general. It gave me the same feeling as reading decently written but ultimately unsatisfying chick lit.

The East London Design Show is in the same vein as the Hidden Art Fair last week. If you like that sort of thing (ie browsing crafty / arty stalls) then it's a good one. It's in Shoreditch Town Hall and £4, although you can get a 2 for 1 voucher if you sign up to their mailing list here.

Tate The Biscuit was quite fun. It's works done on the theme of sayings and proverbs. There were some groan-worthy pieces but a lot of interesting stuff. It's in the cellar underneath Shoreditch Town Hall and winds around in rooms in various states of disrepair. It's worth going just to see the space. Don't bring the kids, though. Or at least I wouldn't.

I wish I had gone to Let's Play at The Maverik Showroom but didn't know about it until I got home and now don't have the time.

I went to this last month and it was great. Drunken hula girl was my favourite and the dance at the end was worth the price of admission on its own. It's a cheap (£12) night out - there's booze and food available and dress is casual Shoreditch. My friend and I went early and bagged a sofa and afterwards stopped by the bagel shop on Brick Lane for sustenance and something for Saturday morning. I'd go tonight but have acting class; I know, who'd a thunk?

A friend and I spent a lovely day in Spitalfields, browsing the shops and having a long lunch sharing dishes at St John Bread and Wine. More correctly, we spent a lot of time trying on coats and looking at dresses in Area 142. The proprietress was lovely and chatted to us about her plans for the shop and how the area has grown and changed over the years. It's a great destination if you like smaller independent shops and mooching about the market.  And eating well, of course!

Our actual destination, after wandering through Columbia Road, was Rivington Place on Rivington Street. Currently there's a NS Harsha installation of 192 sewing machines each with a flag of a country in the UN. It's amazing and quite grand.

On a more practical note, there are plenty of bike stands, so no hunting around for a lightpost thin enough to take my narrow d lock.

Speaking or more correctly, writing, about shops on Columbia Road, I must mention Jessica Chorley at 146. I've never been there but am on their mailing list for some reason; I think they did a craft table for kids at an event at the Barbican and I signed up because I loved their stuff. The email reminded me I'd like to visit. Looks great, doesn't it?

A friend and I stopped by this place yesterday and had a quick nosy around. It's a gorgeous, fun little shop and extremely friendly. (Sometimes places like this can be completely up themselves. This was not!) This would be a nice midweek treat with lunch at one of the cafes beforehand.

This fabulous place has a cheery selection of light printed fabrics and sewing bits and bobs for all sorts of things. They also advertise classes on stuff like making pinnies, Christmas crafts and have one titled "Sewing machine for terrified people". There seems to be a maximum of 3 people per class, so I'd guess you'd get personal attention. I might give one a go (see sewing dream post below). We went on Friday; not everything on Columbia Road is closed during the week. There's a good cafe up on Horatio Street that's worth a visit too. I had homemade lemon squash there, yum. The name escapes me though, sorry.