http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33518 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33518 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32023 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32023 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31575 The artistic area, all around the factories and estates, offer galleries and bars and cafes. And the natives are friendly having been priced out of Shoreditch/Hoxton.
Hackney Wicked is an open weekend of the residents' work on display.
Also see Folly for a Flyover - an arts centre built inbetween two flyovers of wooden bricks - offering cinema, children's art sessions and a cafe.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31575 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31556 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31556 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31555


All in all it’s a good time to visit the area and make up your own mind about the dramatic developments. Visit the German Gymnasium, the development’s marketing suit, which not only provides images and models of what the area will look like but also has a great exhibition space invariably showcasing work of value (it’s currently showing the first UK exhibition of recently discovered street photographer Vivian Maier). It also overlooks the site and you can see progress in action.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31555 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31501 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31501 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31457 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31457 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31376 Visitors are tempted inside this former electrical and hardware store by the beautiful furnishings, comfortable sofas, giant sanded dresser behind the bar and the collection of paintings by local artists adorning the walls. This cafe and art gallery hosts different exhibitions and private views every month. The cakes are all home-made and the menu includes some mouth-watering items such as smoked haddock, baby spinach and lemon fishcakes. The cafe/gallery opened in November 2010 and French manager Julie plans to incorporate a large deli, with meats, cheeses, home-baked bread and a vast range of tempting treats and there's an arts and crafts fair every Saturday morning on the leafy terrace, over the road from the Common. It's a wonderfully sophisticated, cultured yet friendly place to hang out in south Peckham.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31376 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31372 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31372 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31237 The ground floor gallery is a modern, clean white space, but downstairs in the cellar, a former bakery has been converted into a wonderful venue for art: the old bread ovens give a glimpse into the spooky world beneath the street, a beautifully-restored, original dumb waiter almost gives off the scent of freshly-baked biscuits and little nooks and crannies provide intimate areas for artists to show their work.
Stop press: on 15 July, artist Peter Blake brings his Art Bus to Camberwell, and parks outside the GX for one night only.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31237 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30630 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30630 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30079 The lunch menu changes daily - today's offers included venison bresaola with rocket and parmesan, fish stew, celeriac soup or fennel marinated pork chop. I had a home made apple crumble tart (£3.75) - yum. The Spanglish breakfasts are legendary, but get there early at weekends as it's very popular.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30079 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30052 Currently curated and managed by Sisters Burn, the gallery's programme includes exhibitions, live art, performance, events, lectures and workshops.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30052 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30051 From the outside, along the vaguely grim Peckham Road, it looks a bit bleak and industrial inside but the welcome is really warm and there's free WiFi all day, cocktails, snacks and a licensed cafe and bar.
On Thursdays there are introductory food and drink offers, such as a buy one get one free 12" pizza, which can't be bad.
Conveniently close to the super cool South London Gallery and also supportive of The Sassoon Gallery (www.thesassoongallery.co.uk) NewGallery London is THE place to be seen on the Peckham Road.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30051 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29922 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29922 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29227 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29227 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29225 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29225 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29224 www.murallocator.org is a world-wide web of a gallery, to search out murals across the globe. Fascinating murals are on display from the Higgs Boson (ATLAS) detector, in Meyrin, Switzerland to Tupac Amaru Mural of Peru. Five are highlighted in London area, including the stunning Hackney Peace Carnival Mural located outside Dalston East Curve Garden. Dalston Lane is full of hustle, bustle where old and new buildings meet together and the perfect place for this Mural, unveiled by the late Tony Banks in 1985, depicting the Peace Carnival of 1983 and the many issues of the time.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29224 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24117 The gallery has a small but quite up-market café and there’s a very good nearby pub, the Crown and Greyhound.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24117 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23836
Christie's on King Street holds fantastic modern art, impressionist art and British art sales, as well as countless furniture and jewellery sales.

In South Kensington it's all a little more light-hearted with pop memorabilia, sporting memorabilia, musical instruments, clocks and house sales where you can often pick up good antique furniture bargains.

South Kensington is also famous for its drop-in valuations, so if there's something on your wall, in your attic or basement that you've always wondered about, take it to Christie's for a free valuation.

They're quieter than museums, and somehow much more personal. No ropes or screens to keep you back.

Their website will tell you what's coming up and when. And if you have time, attend an auction - the bigger sales at Christie's are fascinating to watch. Just don't twitch, stretch or fix your hair.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23836