Friday night: Local history event at South London Gallery Fire Station. Spent the sunny evening time to read the zines collection from the Feminist Library. The library is a lovely mobile minivan. Best tme to enjoy and summer drinks in the new art space.

I’ve always been very fond of the ICA and its maverick spirit, less so in the latter part of this decade. These days the place is magnetic. To feel this incredible and unique place for arts and expression, breathing, breathing invigoratively, is rewarding to a London dweller or/and visitor. Its incredible transformation, revived from near death by Stefan Kalmár, is felt as soon as you enter the space, it feels open and alive, with vibrant and human energy in staff and visitors; risky, independent, engaging, resounding, and topical to our times programming, which is focused on breaking barriers in imagination an intellect rather than visitor record numbers. It is a breath of fresh air and an example what London art institutions are capable of if they open themselves to welcoming in an outsider and their passionate vision. And they have the best membership in town!   

Inspired by Dave Eggers’ projects in the USA such as the Pirate Store in San Francisco and Superhero store in Brooklyn, The Monster Supplies Store in Hoxton is home to the Ministry of Stories: A volunteer run organization, founded by Nick Hornby, to help young people with creative writing of all kinds through workshops and free mentoring sessions. The store is the “Purveyor of quality goods for monsters of every kind” with fascinating bottles and tins containing everything from eyeballs to Zadie Smith’s short story Mortal Terror.

I'm waiting for a vegetarian-friendly event to get the full dining experience, but in the meantime there's wine!

The outside displays are mysterious and inviting and reveal little to the magic that this place inhabits. Fantastic presentation and exhibition of garments and design pieces. It's an exhibition experience like no other. Not to mention it being the place to get most loving shirts in town. Don't forget to stop by the Rose Bakery for coffee and lunch. A hidden gem.