HOW TO EXPLORE SHOREDITCH IN 13,000 STEPS

This post was going to be something entirely different. It was going to be about my new Topshop sale dress, but then I discovered that it wasn’t available online anymore, and what use is that to you lovely lot?

So instead, I’m gonna tell you how to explore Shoreditch in 13,000 steps on a shoestring budget.

And you can admire the Topshop sale dress anyway and maybe find yourselves something a little similar online.

SHOREDITCH. That place where people go to hang out in ping pong bars and be ‘hipster’ and wear vintage clothing and all stay at the Hoxton Hotel like uber cool cats.

If you’re a bit local to me, then you’ll know it’s the easiest place in London to get to on our train line which makes it oh so desirable. It also means you don’t need a travel card so it ain’t gonna break the bank because OH FREAKIN’ HELL train travel is mental expensive nowadays.

So along with my two favourite ladies of the vintage variety (my Mum & her best gal pal) I headed into Shoreditch with two main aims; to find good cocktails and avoid spending ridic amounts of money. ‘Cause we do have a track record of doing that. Oops.

I found out that you really don’t need to spend all your time on tubes getting to places in London. Some stuff is closer than you think.

Here’s what we stumbled upon in 13,000 steps:

 

[0.4 miles; 6 minute walk]

BOXPARK. The first pop-up mall in the world appaz. It’s made up of a series of metal containers, with each shop taking over one of these weeny spaces. It’s fab, and a great place to have a mooch around. Great group of boutique shops selling one off pieces.

I nearly bought some insane sunglasses. I nearly bought a white shirt covered in pink ice creams. I nearly bought a bunch of cute homewear.

Alas, this trip was all about shoestring budget so I stuck to my guns and embraced window shopping in every sense of the word.

 

[486 ft; 2 minute walk]

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON. Already mentioned this beaut of a place in my faves roundup on Sunday. All I’m gonna say is their cocktails are sassy AF and I can highly recommend. This was the most expensive part of our day, but well worth every penny.

‘A Walk in Shoreditch… dark rum, amaretto, cocnut, passion fruit juice, fresh lime, and a dash of pineapple.’

‘Eye Candy… An eloquent combination of gin, peach, orange, all spice and fresh lemon. ‘

We left there a tad giggly. Mainly at the fact that both my Mum and her gal pal were wearing matching silver shoes (like wtf?!), but also because of the boozy cocktails.

 [0.4 miles; 9 minute walk]

VISIT THE BIKE SHED MOTORCYCLE CLUB. We literally stumbled upon this place by pure chance. A converted warehouse space with a small courtyard to one side. A place dedicated to all things motorcycle related. Pop up shops, pop up food stands, a pop up tattoo parlour and some ace country music from a guy sitting in the back of a pick up truck. What’s not to love?

It’s free to have a wonder about, nose around the stalls & enjoy the music.

[0.1 miles; 2 minute walk]

EAT STREET FOOD. There are some super cool restaurants in and around the Shoreditch area, but if you’re looking to do things on a budget then there’s also some to-drool-for street food that makes for a cheaper deal.

Plan ahead. Pack a rucksack with a bottle of prosecco, find yourself some green space & settle down with some street food.

We chose to grab a box of scrummy Vietnamese food from Keu. It was top notch. We guzzled our prosecco and watched the world go by in Hoxton Square, squinting in the sun. Bare good.

 

[0.6 miles; 13 minute walk]

WALK BRICK LANE & BROWSE VINTAGE.

We decided to hunt out Brick Lane to browse some vintage and walk off all the rice & duck nom nom. It was only a 13 minute walk away and it was taking us back in the general direction of the train station. Win/win.

We dived in and out of shops, some of which even my Mum who can’t smell a single thing said were stinky. We found beautiful vintage things that were 10 sizes too small for any normal human being. And we chomped away on chocolate covered fruit and gasped at foreign tourists who seemed to think it was A-Okay to sample chocolate from display without paying. Cheeky things.

 

 [0.4 miles; 8 minute walk]

STOP OFF IN SPITALFIELDS MARKET.

Our last stop was a sweeping visit into Spitalfields Market. I tried on a bazzilion new glasses frames and now I’m regretting not making a purchase.

Buzz around the stalls, take in the busy vibes and maybe pick up a bargain or two.

And that, my friends, is how to explore the Shoreditch area in 13,000 steps. I know there are probably a thousand cool places that we didn’t come across. Send any recommendations my way for my next trip.

 

Have a glorious week everyone.