
Pic: Tillie Cox
Inspired by the success of previous designer and good cause collaborations, Hackney Council have commissioned some of London’s design talent to create bags for them.
The canvas shopping bags will be given to those who collect enough tokens from market stalls and independent shops. Every pound spent gets you one token, and you will need ten to redeem your bag.
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Pic: Leon Brocard
Dining at Sheba restaurant in Brick Lane for the first time, the vegetarian Vindaloo I had ordered turned out to be the spiciest Indian food I had ever eaten. This was odd, considering I am Indian and had certainly had my share of spicy food.
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Stop and search at Nottingh Hill Carnival Pic: belkus, flikr
Statistically, it shouldn’t take long to find somebody who has been subject of a police stop and search – one in 17 black people in Tower Hamlets have had this experience. Yet it was depressingly predictable when the first person asked admits that yes, he is one of them. (more…)

Pic: AlexRan
The brutal dog attack that tore away the ear of a six-year-old girl in a park in Essex this week has once again highlighted proposed changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act. Opinion in Lewisham is deeply divided, as residents desperately fight to keep their loved ones safe, both children and pets. (more…)

Pic: Raziye Akkoc
Swing music greets you as you enter The Takeaway Shop, Amy Lord’s interactive art project. A gallery and educational space in one room, it brings together the art of bookbinding and bookmaking with the history of Deptford. Here you can make a book, have some tea and learn about what happened in an area rich with past delights and drama. (more…)

Chinese New Year celebrations, Pic: Laurence & Annie
As the Chinese New Year draws near, EastLondonLines took to the streets to find out what local Chinese residents hoped the particularly auspicious year of the dragon would bring to China. (more…)

Pic: Soy of the North, Flickr
If you only had one song to express your love, what would it be?
Valentine’s Day is just three weeks away and this year EastLondonLines wants your help. (more…)

Scrap metal, Pic: neufcent9 (Flickr)
A wave of low-level metal theft is blighting Bethnal Green – and affecting individuals and businesses, as Michael Pooler discovered.
It was a classic case of ‘I told you so’: coming home from a pre-Christmas drink my flat-mate warned me not to leave my bicycle outside our building – even if chained up with a strong steel lock and braided metal cable to secure the wheels. (more…)

Undefeated in staring contests. Pic: PH Stop, Flickr
Taxidermy, the art of preserving and stuffing dead animals, has everything east London needs to secure its reputation as a hipster haven: kitch, irony, randomness, a vintage feel, and a slight air of sophistication. (more…)

Bodies in flight: the majestic sport of free running. Pic: Tecnópolis Argentina (flickr)
After a season of goodwill and good wine, where the only five-a-day you managed was turkey sandwiches, it is time to bid a fond farewell to the sofa.
For those ignoring that dusty gym timetable, EastLondonLines has found some fun alternatives to get you active in the New Year. (more…)