I’ve had an association with East London for a very long time and even though we are now planning on moving back to Norfolk, I don’t think I can ever forget the place I will always think of as my part of town. My school was just around the corner from Hoxton which became a fixture in my night life diary for many years and then, when I got together with Jonny we lived in Mile End.
We also lived in Old Ford Lock, home of the Big Breakfast TV programme many years ago and the house they filmed in was, although deserted by then, literally opposite my balcony. Just behind that we had a rather spectacular view of the biggest building site I’ve ever seen… The Olympic Village before it was, well, the Olympic village! I remember the banging and clattering and drilling and goodness knows what else as that stadium went up and it was, at the time, quite unbelieveable. We lived in the East End, right on the canal and they were BUILDING this dream in front of us. We couldn’t really imagine it even as it started to take shape and as we walked past on the Greenway every day on the way to Pudding Mill Lane station we wondered about what it might look like.
Fast forward a few years and we found that what the Olympic Village was going to bring to East London was many things and one of them was a surge in house prices. Alright if you were already on that ladder but we weren’t and there was NO WAY we could afford to buy if we stayed in Bow. That’s when we moved a couple of stops out on the Central Line to Leytonstone. Stil within walking distance to Stratford and luckily, for us, still a place of regeneration due to the Olympics. It just happened a little bit later than in Bow.
I’m in no two minds that the reason we can now afford a big family home back in Norfolk is because we bought in this thriving part of East London that was once so poor and so heavily war bombed that the late Queen Mother used it as an example when Buckingham Palace was bombed as to say that she could now look the East End in the eye… Not sure about that but hey, things are certainly very different here now than they once were. It’s happy and sad because of course, we have been priced out of the area and that’s it’s one downfall…
I love East London and for all it’s gentrification the Olympics has brought many great things and ‘inclusive’, a word used so much at the time of planning, was brought to play grounds, schools and much more within the East Village. We love the tumbling bay play ground and fountains in the summer and there’s such a buzz and vibe there. Just like Hoxton rising from the ashes in the 90’s to become the play ground it is today, E20 has gone from being this nothing of waste land into a real community within a wider community. They even have affordable housing as part of the Olympic Legacy and believe me, THAT is what East London needs more than anything. They are absolutely doing their best to be this ‘inclusive’ entity that they set out to be. Good for them!
Lots of people worried that after the Olympics the sports facilities would go to waste but they 100% don’t. My friend’s children go to Chobham Academy, a school for students aged 3-18, who get to use them all the time. The pool is swum in by so many that live round here and of course people want to visit. Want to see this place that made Great Britain truly awesome for the summer of 2012. There’s a state-of-the-art health centre and plans for an eclectic mix of 30 shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. It really is the place to be!
We will miss it thoroughly when we’ve left but be back frequently to visit friends as well as, I hope, to see major sporting events take place. We never actually DID get any tickets in 2012 because we were cynical and left it late and then… regretted it! We loved the fireworks from the street outside our house though – aren’t we lucky to have been able to just step outside our front door and see them!
At the moment the Rugby World Cup is taking place and on Monday of this week I went to one of the newest offerings in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for a breakfast of Champions just like the rugby players. The East Village bakery and pasticceria, Signorelli, has teamed up with elite rugby nutritionist Matt Lovell to create the ultimate breakfast for rugby champions and although I may not actually be one myself, I was keen to try it!
The breakfast was delicious with lots of yummy, healthy treats to choose from. The healthy feasts will be part of Signorelli’s menu for match goers to enjoy throughout the competition. The menu consists of an egg white omelette, smoked salmon scrambled eggs, avocado toast with flaxseed and even a protein brownie. I had the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs followed by the brownie and they were super tasty!
Several games will be held at the Stadium throughout the tournament, including Ireland v Italy on 4 October, South Africa v USA on 7 October, and the Bronze Final on 30 October.
Matt Lovell said: “It’s been great working with Signorelli at East Village to design this Breakfast of Champions. Good nutrition is so important for rugby players and this is a really fun, exciting and delicious way for fans to experience how the players eat before they watch a game over here in E20.”
Alberto Rosmini, Owner of Signorelli, East Village adds: “Nutrition has always been an important part of the food that we serve here at Signorelli, so it’s been great having the opportunity to work with Matt to design a delicious and healthy breakfast that is fit for athletes and fans alike. It’s really exciting that the Rugby World Cup is being played in E20 – I can’t wait for the fans to try out our Breakfast of Champions.”
Check out a game and DEFINITELY check out the menu! Just another great little place to stop by when in the East Village… This place just gets better and better. See why it’s hard for me to drag myself away…
I would like to thank Signorelli for their hospitality, we will be back, love that you guys offer such a great place for the yummy mummies of the area as well as the sports bods!
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