Go Find It

Zeitfixierer / CC BY-SA 2.0

Today will be my last post as I’m leaving London after 6 amazing months! Living abroad is a great experience: I’ve met a lot of new people and I’ve been to many cool and quirky places, mainly in trendy Shoreditch.

So what’s next? I’m always looking forward to new challenges and new experiences, hopefully my next one will take place in Berlin (I admit I must practice my German before though). In my opinion London and Berlin are the most exciting cities in Western Europe. They’re both well-known for their eccentric and vibrant nightlife and their capability to reinvent themselves.

1 year ago, when I visited Berlin for the first time, I went to the most legendary underground club of the city also touted as the best club in the world: Panorama Bar / Berghain. I turned up at 6pm in front of this massive building located in a former power plant and I had to wait for an hour before getting in. Once inside the immensity of this warehouse blew me away, the music was loud and the crowd filled with party animals and freaks dancing tirelessly until dawn. The feeling was amazing and it definitely rocked my socks off!

Oh by the way, keep in mind that this club is just for extreme clubbers and that many people get denied to get in (the door policy is really strict). Anyway, if you’re one of the lucky ones, you won’t regret this moment of pure madness.

I wish you all a happy summer,

Bertrand

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micsten / CC BY-SA 2.0

Last night I had a good excuse to go out, as one of my friends was playing with her band in Islington. The venue called Buffalo Bar is quite easy to find, just a few meters away from Highbury & Islington station and is famous for the quality of its indie rock gigs. I found the atmosphere quite friendly. The stage is in the middle of the room so you can get really close to the bands playing.

The event was held by Koko Von Napoo who was celebrating the launch of their new EP alongside with a bunch of up-and-coming indie rock bands. The music ranged from dreamy electro pop to punchy rock. I enjoyed the show, although I was a bit disappointed by the lack of support from the audience.

This venue is also quite famous for its flavoured vodka shots, including strawberry, cherry, pear, pistachio, and choc-mint. If you’re a beer amateur, be aware that there are no draught beers available, only bottles. Anyway, you should really give it a try as it’s one of the most entertaining places in Islington!

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mutednarayan / CC BY-SA 2.0

During a walk with a friend I happened to come across this amazing CD/DVD store called Fopp. The store is quite hard to find: you have to walk up Charing Cross Road until you reach the crossroads with Shaftesbury Avenue. The storefront doesn’t look like anything special so it’s a miracle that I managed to find it on my walk.

This three-floor store is really nice to shop in and provides a wide range of music, movies & books, mostly indie and rare stuff, at great prices. You can find one-off bargains ranging from 3 to 6 pounds. Actually the prices are so suspiciously low that I had to ask a shop assistant how they managed to work them out.

Even if you’re not a DVD collector, you can’t leave the store empty handed! It’s also a perfect destination if you’re looking for a gift for someone.

Since my first time in Fopp I often stop by to pick up new DVDs. I wish it was the same prices everywhere, I really think people would buy more CDs and DVDs. Anyway, pop in and you’ll hopefully see what I mean.

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