"Riding a bike is like an art,
something you do because you feel something inside."
Super Brick and Eastman Leather
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In a little alcove of Brick Lane Yard you’ll see Super Brick, a garage, moonlighting as a studio and workshop. Brain child of entrepreneur Xavier Padovani and one of one of Stolen Space's original artists, Ronzo, this space is a one-stop-shop for bringing an idea to fruition. We caught up with Xavier to see how they came up with the concept…
OTB: We’re intrigued to know what made you start collaborating on something bike related?
XP: I have always been riding motorcycles around London. I could never find a place that I could bring my bikes to work on them and just hang out with friends... Garages I found are for me the ideal spots to hang out, meet people, learn… with motorbikes there is on common ground, a passion that brings people together and it’s often a good place to start… I have known Ronzo for many moons so when I told him that I was looking for a spot to do a garage we decided to join forces! This is how Super Brick was born.
Super Brick is a garage/studio/workshop made of a crew - a collective. The collective is made of friends, local artists & local motorbike aficionados such as photographers Ludovic Roberts and Addie Chinn.
OTB: Where did your passion for bikes come from?
XP: When I ride a motorbike I find I really have to concentrate on the one thing: riding and this I enjoy very much.
I find it liberating. It is the one moment of the day when I can switch off completely and concentrate on one simple task: riding; and yet it’s not just a hobby, it’s a whole community with a bunch of incredible people. It’s also a very efficient means of transport!
OTB: Seeing as Super Brick is about being a fully creative space what is the coolest thing that has come out of Super Brick?
XP: Well, the Brick is still very young… the best has yet to come, wait until Ronzo gets his brush on the Honda tanks...
OTB: What type of community have you seen Super Brick bring together?
XP: We have quite a varied crew in and out, often very relevant to our respective industries, a bit of a cross-breed between the drink industry, chefs, artists, motorcycle riders, vintage collectors, fashion, photographers… doesn’t really matter though ;-) the lights are (almost) always on and anyone that rides on two wheels is more than welcome!
On the other side of the site, we managed to catch up with Gary Eastman from Eastman Leather. Stepping into their Dray Walk pop-up feels a little like stepping into a time capsule of the 1930's and 1940's, with amazing replicas of war-era jackets, hand stitched to be just as sturdy and long-lasting as their original counterparts. Eastman’s jackets are so precise in their replication that even the silver screen has adopted them.
Gary explained “the idea behind it (Eastman Leather) was to bring people high quality products using the correct materials and patterns to emulate that vintage style," playing on his love of war memorabilia and the post-war search of pilots to find their adrenaline kicks elsewhere. From sourcing identical zips to dying their own thread, it is clear that Eastman go to great lengths to recreate the past. Tapping into our nostalgia is what makes Eastman more than a coat brand, bringing together a community of leather aficionados with incredible rides.
To find out more about Super Brick click the button below...
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Pines & Needles
Christmas Trees
From November 18th
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Juju's presents...
YULE DO!
8th December
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Founded by brothers Josh and Sam Lyle, Pines and Needles has been spreading a little extra Christmas cheer to Londoners since 1995. Starting from a tiny venture of in front of their brother's dry-cleaners shop to selling trees all over London, these brothers have definitely made a name for themselves in bringing the fun and joy to Christmas: Pines and Needles' salesmen will hand over your tree whilst sporting a smile, and a kilt.
Growing their trees in sustainable forests within the UK, Pines and Needles are a carbon positive tree company throughout the majority of the year, transitioning into being carbon neutral when transporting trees in the lead up to Christmas. You can pick up your tree, a wreath, or simply top up on last year's decorations, focusing your energy on filling up this season with family occasions and nostalgic memories gathered round a beautiful tree.
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Like in many big cities on the northern hemisphere our nights are getting longer and days are getting shorter, so to gear up for Winter Solstice Juju's Bar and Stage presents the YULE DO! Bundle up with your mulled wine and other tasty Juju's concoctions and listen in to an evening of magical, mystical, celebratory and fantastical poetry and spoken word.
In true performing arts fashion we'll have actress Helen Oakleigh and poet Math Jones headlining an immersive evening of spoken word, with special guests, open mics and festive vibes. After all, deep in the dark winter months there are songs sung, stories spun, and verses hung onto rhythm and rhyme. So come spend some time with some wordsmiths, live music and dancing! We all need a winter warmer and a little more dancing. We'll be releasing tickets soon so keep your eyes glued to the Facebook page for updates!
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MADE PRESENTS
25th November - 5th December
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Unbound
7th - 8th December
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Made.com is setting up shop with a ten-day pop-up showing off the latest trends in interior design. With a huge schedule of fun activities and workshops, you'll be able to learn about chocolate, whiskey, gin and how to wrap your Christmas gifts a little better this year. Grab a coffee, or a cocktail and hang out between seventies inspired velvets, new Nordic neutrals and industrial metallics whilst embracing the Danish concept of "Hygge" that's recently been taking over the world.
A discussion on the Hygge concept will take place on 30 November, featuring Made's head of design Ruth Wassermann, as well as a host of designers such as Steuart Padwick and Ptolemy Mann. Brush up on your life drawing skills and enjoy DJ sets by Josh Parkinson. Come solo, or bring your entourage. We’ll see you by the cocktail bar.
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On the 7th and 8th of December, Unbound, Europe’s most exciting innovation festival is coming to us. Attendees will be able to explore the ideas and technology that are shaping the future and fueling growth. Unbound brings together more than 3,500 founders, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate & brand executives and opinion-formers, connecting everyone with sources of innovation from around the world.
With talks on how to connect to the ever growing number of consumers, to embracing nanotechnologies, biotechnologies and how this knowledge can impact our futures the event will target tech from all angles. Unbound will deepen your insight, expand your connections, and provide one-on-one access to how brands will be built in the digital world.
To get a ticket please click here.
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Five Roads Back Home
Exhibition
25th - 29th November
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Highland Park's
Midwinter Social
24th - 25th November
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In July 2012, photographer Philipp Rathmer was invited to visit four camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Azerbaijan by The European Azerbaijan Society. One of many forgotten conflicts, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting over border region Nagorno-Karabakh since 1992. Rathmer met the people and heard their stories. Solely using his camera and a black background, he captured the scenes he saw and tells the story of these people’s fate.
The exhibition, Five Roads Back Home, shows portraits of 50 of these victims of war. Their faces tell of their suffering as well as of their hope to return on one of the five roads that lead back into the occupied areas. To register to attend the Private View click here.
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Highland Park, the Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul, is taking over The Boiler House to celebrate the longer nights in anticipation of Winter Solstice with the Midwinter Social - two evenings of feasting, socialising and of course, enjoying Highland Park.
Highland Park will evoke its Viking Soul by featuring food curated by Root + Bone, tales from the distillery around the fire pit, and more. World renowned DJs Finnebassen, Eelke Kleijn and Kipps will be providing the soundtrack to the evenings.
With a fully immersive experience, celebrate winter with friends while enjoying award winning whisky, click here to book.
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Hessian & Foe
Backyard Market's Ethical Traders
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Beautiful as well as functional, Hessian & Foe’s recycled jute bags make a great present for loved ones (and the planet!) this Christmas. Paul tells us more…
Where did the idea for your company come from?
Credit goes to a good friend (as well as credit for the mess that my workshop is forever in). He works near a coffee roasters that would stack their used sacks outside the unit, providing him with a daily obstacle on the way to work. Knowing my passion for eco design he thought it would be hilarious to see me covered in jute 24/7. So he brought me home a sack. That one sack lead to many more, two sewing machines, a deck chair and before I knew it I was making bags and cushions.
Tell us more about how you incorporate sustainable business practises into your company.
I use found, donated or off-cut fabrics to create my products whenever possible. I strive to make every item entirely from either recycled or 100% recyclable materials. When I can’t get hold of material in sufficient quality I use organic calico and dye it with natural pigments like fruits and vegetables.
The sacks I use make my products have contained beans that have been bought at fair trade or even better direct trade from the coffee growers themselves. Hence, I feel I am adding a new layer of sustainably to what can be a very wasteful industry.
What is your current bestseller?
My best-selling and favourite product is the Espresso shopping bag. It is extremely light weight, durable, comes in a range of prints and even surprises me with the amount of weight and punishment it can take on a daily basis.
Also trading ethically in our Backyard Market is Sheysplace, who crafts purses and clutches from reclaimed leather. Say hello everyone on social media at @trumanmarkets, @hessianandfoe and @sheysplace, or contact markets@trumanbrewery.com for further information on trading.
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To keep you in the loop…
Truman's Christmas Evening
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On Thursday 8th December, the Old Truman Brewery will play host to live music, local street food and festive cheer as local mental health charity, City and Hackney Mind brings the neighbourhood community together to raise money for the elderly this Christmas.
Join us at the Old Truman Brewery Forecourt at 91 Brick Lane from 5.30pm and get into the Christmas spirit with a glass of mulled wine and a few carols amongst the Christmas trees from Pines and Needles and plants from Grace and Thorn.
Then follow us round to Dray Walk and Ely’s Yard from 6.30pm for a bite to eat, more mulled wine and music from the Hackney Voices Community Choir.
There you will find late night shopping events, a mini Christmas Market featuring some of the best of Sunday UpMarket, the Backyard Market and The London Artisan. Our Ely’s Yard street food traders will also be there to feed you. Then get stuck into a festive raffle and silent auction with a selection of fantastically festive prizes, with all proceeds going to City and Hackney Mind.
Working in East London since 1980, Mind has made its number one priority to ensure that anyone experiencing mental health distress receives the support they need. Offering a range of services, the charity aims to promote well-being, resilience and recovery in the City and Hackney boroughs. Sadly, Christmas is a time when mental health sufferers can feel most alone, so this year its charity is raising money for those who fall victim to being lonely during the holidays. Elderly people within the community as well as those suffering with dementia or Alzheimer’s can be most affected and City and Hackney Mind wants to make sure that no one is isolated, abandoned or outcast.
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