Brick Lane, Sunday Up Market

Brick Lane on a Sunday is the epitome of urban living. People from every culture imaginable. Sights and sounds of local colour.  You'll encounter the most interesting characters, surely, selling trinkets straight out of their home.  But you know the saying, 'one person's trash is another ones treasure.' Lets be honest, it mostly is trash, but its fun to look at. You will be able to find anything, things you didn't even know existed. The things are so random, that I'm almost certain they we're in a drunken haze the night before, rummaged through their basements and closets and decided to sell what they found as the sobered up.

Aside from that, there are some fabulous shops on the street, bars, cafes (go to Street Coffee!), record stores (go to Rough Trade!). And most importantly, dozens of curry restaurants - you'll feel quite popular with all the owners calling you 'my friend' and inviting you in. Bonus: there is so much competition that it will be cheap and delicious. Always.

Getting cosy besides strangers in my fave Brick Lane pub

One of my favourite things about Brick Lane is the Sunday Up Market. Here's why:

Do I even need to say it?

Because where else can you find vintage fur from dead ladies closets, piles of Levis cutoff shorts, baskets full o' scarves, your grandmothers jewellery, your grandfathers pants, used shoes three sizes too small?

It takes a lot of digging, but there are gems in there, trust me.  I can spend hours browsing the vintage markets on a Sunday afternoon.  Hours.

For added fun on a Sunday in Brick Lane: Once you've found your perfect vintage item, wear it with one of the following: something fur, tribal prints, crazy patterns, animal prints... preferably together, anything oversized, a hat, something with feathers, something leather, a bold colour mixed with another bold colour, a bun on the top of your head accompanied by a headscarf and you will a. be stopped by a street style photographer and b. have fulfilled your mission for the day.

Once you've accomplished this and feel satisfied with yourself... satisfy your hunger at one of the below places:

Or here: 

Or here:

I'll let the above photos speak for themselves. But once you've made the most difficult decision of the week, ie. should I get Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, Spanish, Chinese, Moroccan, Mexican etc. etc.... take your little box of goodness and go sit with all the other cool, cultured, people on the steps outside - because your in Brick Lane on Sunday, and its the thing to do. Okay.