Mylène is a French art director, currently based in London. She’s currently art director for the books and gifts lists at Laurence King Publishing, part of Orion/Hachette UK.
Tucked away down a cobbled alley behind Russell Square Station, The Horse Hospital, a converted stable, is a unique and totally independent arts space specialising in underground and experimental media. The gallery space itself (known as The Chamber of Pop Culture) houses unusual exhibitions, film screenings and other events.
There are not many places in London like it. On a Saturday during market hours it heaves with stalls and visitors for a good mile or two. Great place to pick up some bric-a-brac, genuine oddities and a great bite to eat, or just enjoy the hustle and bustle vibe of the place.
It's really close to my house and one of my favourite pubs in London! (I even went before it was close to where I lived!) It is London's first cooperatively owned pubs and has lovely events and workshops, exercise classes and great parties, and good beer! It's lovely in the beer garden in the hot summer and equally great in the winter, next to a real fire.
Being down on the underground can be quite stressful and draining, but if you have the chance to look up and into the details that has gone into the tiling of the platforms and stations you might start to see some beauty down there. A lot of stations has bespoke tiles and decorations, almost a century old.
Bethnal Green station is one of a handful in London to have been given a very specific additional decoration to the classic cream tiles and name strip. Easy to miss, but dotted around the station are a series of tiles with raised motifs on them, representing aspects of London and places that the Underground visited.
Or for typographers: check the type on Hampstead station or Holloway Road for some inspiration.