I just returned from Berlin where I saw young people, lots of young people! And graffiti everywhere, cafes full of exposed brick and eclectic retro furniture... girls with spikey, bleached hair and tattoos nursing babies. I was reminded of East London, but without that air of pretension and design... I felt like this comes naturally to Berliners, whereas in London we try oh so very hard.
Last Night, my gorgeous friend Jana and I crashed a party in the studio complex where she lives in Kreusberg. Intrigued at the sight of excitable young folk carrying instruments past our window, we went for a nose around and discovered quite the jam session going on. Double bass, jazz violin, drums, sax and xylophone... absolutely brilliant!
Anyway, I digress. Although I had a crappy cold and when I did make it out of bed I didnt venture much further than Kreusberg, I got a real sense of independent businesses, friendly funky people who talk to you when wandering by the canal, a vibrant art and music scene... possibility. I felt so inspired by the imperfection, the lack of MacDonalds and Topshops or Shoreditch Houses and Hoxton hair dos... It reminded me of Portobello Road 15 years ago.
So having grown up in Notting Hill and watched the life and soul drain away while bankers & yummy mumies move in, I'm feeling it may be time to move on and seek a less glossy location to perfect my art. Oh, and I realised that the English have a very can-don't attitude and actually you can do whatever the hell you want in this life... whether you think you can or you can't, you are most decidedly right.
Last Night, my gorgeous friend Jana and I crashed a party in the studio complex where she lives in Kreusberg. Intrigued at the sight of excitable young folk carrying instruments past our window, we went for a nose around and discovered quite the jam session going on. Double bass, jazz violin, drums, sax and xylophone... absolutely brilliant!
Anyway, I digress. Although I had a crappy cold and when I did make it out of bed I didnt venture much further than Kreusberg, I got a real sense of independent businesses, friendly funky people who talk to you when wandering by the canal, a vibrant art and music scene... possibility. I felt so inspired by the imperfection, the lack of MacDonalds and Topshops or Shoreditch Houses and Hoxton hair dos... It reminded me of Portobello Road 15 years ago.
So having grown up in Notting Hill and watched the life and soul drain away while bankers & yummy mumies move in, I'm feeling it may be time to move on and seek a less glossy location to perfect my art. Oh, and I realised that the English have a very can-don't attitude and actually you can do whatever the hell you want in this life... whether you think you can or you can't, you are most decidedly right.
