Girls Germs is a popular grrrl-tastic DJ night held every few months in London. A celebration of women’s creativity and proof that girls making music is more than just a faddy trend, all the songs played are by women, and there are zines and cakes to boot! We sat down with DJ Gianna to talk about the Capital’s LGBT scene, how to get people dancing and why she loves living in East London.

How long have you been a Londoner for?

Well, I was born in London and spent my early years here, but after living ‘Up North’ for most of my life, I finally moved to East London just over a year ago.

How did you get involved with Girl Germs?

I met Girl Germs creators Lydia and Laura through taking part in various feminist activities, including helping to organise Ladyfest Ten. Previously, I had been promoting and DJing at nights in Leeds, so I was itching to get involved in the London scene. After realising we had a shared vision of putting on more grrl-friendly nights, I joined the Girl Germs team early this year.

Where have you had your best nights out in London?

I love going to Unskinny Bop at The Star of Bethnal Green. It’s a great atmosphere and they play plenty of danceable 90s tunes.

What are your favourite local hangouts?

The Victoria in Mile End is my favourite local pub and is where we held the last Girl Germs. It’s a great venue that puts on everything from gigs to jumble sales, and has some of the friendliest staff in East London.

What London events are you looking forward to?

Well I’m going to Lovebox this year, which should be good – the line-up is great and I’ve never been able to stroll home from a festival in ten minutes before! I also can’t wait for Ladyfest Ten. This year marks the ten year anniversary since the very first Ladyfest, and we’ll be celebrating it in London in style. It’s a DIY, non-profit festival that celebrates women’s talents and creativity. Expect some big names in music, film and the arts coming to North London from 12th to 14th November!

What are the best songs to get everyone on the dancefloor in London?

Kate Bush – ‘Hounds of Love’ is a classic and always gets people singing along. Also, it’s an obvious choice but no one can resist dancing to Le Tigre – ‘Deceptacon’.

What song do people always request that you simply cannot stand?

Katy Perry – ‘I Kissed a Girl’. Even with a heavy dose of irony, it’s still bad.

What do you think of London’s LGBT scene?

Like most LGBT scenes, I think it often caters more to men than to women. Part of the reason we created Girl Germs was because we were frustrated that a lot of alternative music scenes were male dominated. What we’ve tried to do is create a grrl-safe space where women, trans folk and people of all genders and persuasions can dance to ace tunes without having to conform to ideals of coolness.

What London places do you think are seriously underrated?

I’m a big fan of cinema and London has so many independent cinemas that I’m in the process of discovering. Close to me is the Genesis cinema at Stepney Green. It’s cosy, cheap, and the 80s décor just adds to its charm!

And what places are completely overrated?

For nights out, I find that some of the bars in Shoreditch can be over-priced, pretentious and close way too early.

How would you spend a long summer’s day in London?

I often sit in the sunshine in Victoria Park with a picnic and a good book. Currently I’m working my way through Charlie Brooker’s back catalogue.

We discovered the Scene by Laurie blog over Twitter, and loved its mix of travel writing and New Yorkology, with posts on subjects as diverse as The Incredible Cakes of St Petersburg and the Wackiest New York Restaurant. Blog creator Laurie DePrete was kind enough to take time out from her globetrotting to answer a few questions about her home city.

How long have you lived in New York?

I came to New York immediately after graduation to work on Madison Avenue and fell in love. During the years, I’ve lived all over: Upper West Side, Upper East Side, West Village, Park Slope, the Bronx, Long Island, Westchester and even across the Hudson River in Hoboken.

There was one time when I ventured out, but New York pulled me back. It was after my first year here and a friend and I decided to travel around the US on a quest to find the best city to live. We covered all but six states, stopping along the way to check out different places, several for extended periods of time, to make money to continue traveling. In the end, it was NY that won. It’s not that I don’t love other cities in the US and abroad, I just think New York offers more diversity than any other single place.

You love to travel, but also write extensively about cool and unusual places you’ve discovered in New York..what are your favourite recent discoveries?

A fellow travel blogger took some of us to Momofuku Ssam this last weekend and the food is sublime, particularly the pork buns which literally melt in your mouth. Summit Bar on the LES was also a great recent find. It’s in an old tenement building, they play a mix of old and new music (we were shazaming all night) and the bartenders are fun.

Also I’m looking forward to the opening of 4food. They’re on a mission to de-junk NYC by starting a healthy fast food revolution and they’re employing some pretty cool social media tactics. For instance, you’ll be able to create your own menu item and the more popular it becomes the more rewarded you are with discounts.

And what are your all-time favourite places in New York?

My favorite place is Central Park at all times of the year. There’s a ton you can do, from softball to tennis to concerts in the summer, ice skating and sledding in the winter. I also really love the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, it’s beautiful and there are amazing exhibits throughout the gardens. Fave burger joint is Shake Shack, fave bar is Wilfie and Nells, fave jazz club is Smalls, and fave place to play is Fat Cat (dive joint with jazz and ping pong!!).

What lesser-known places/restaurants/sights would you recommend to people visiting New York?

For museums it’s the Cloisters, a wonderful oasis of peace and tranquility with Medieval European art and gardens, beautiful archways and corridors and it sits in Fort Tryon Park overlooking the Hudson.  If you like art, hit the galleries in Chelsea, the LES or Dumbo. They feature cutting edge artists and are free to visit.

For neighborhoods, I recommend checking out the LES, it seems less popular with tourists but there are tons of bars and restaurants. Also try to fit in a visit to Brooklyn. A walk over the Brooklyn Bridge is fun and the views amazing. On the other side explore Dumbo and the waterfront, Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope.

To see different views of the city in addition to the Brooklyn Bridge there’s the free ferry to Staten Island, bike riding along the west side, or kayaking along the Hudson River (free at several piers along the west side).

For booze, entertainment and food: The Back Room on the LES is a cool speakeasy without the crazy cocktail prices; the Upright Citizens Brigade is $10 for an hour of hysterical improv; and food trucks are the new thing and popping up all over. You can get everything imaginable. One of my favorites is the Wafles and Dinges truck.

Here is a post I wrote about a few more of my favourite restaurants in New York.

Read more…

Mrfionn is Metrotwin’s newest contributor and boy, has he got off to a flying start! You can follow him on twitter and check out all his great recommendations and lists here.

How long have you been a Londoner for?

Almost 5 years. I spent 3 years living North Gower Street in Euston, right by Drummond Street, a mecca for Indian veggie restaurants of a very decent caliber. I then spent half a year in Highgate before deciding a move back to NW1 and Camden Town.

Where are your local hang-outs?

I’m always content to hang out anywhere that serves Belgian beers, so depending on the current location I’ll gravitate towards bars I know I’ll find them. For example if I’m in Covent Garden I’ll go the Low Lander Grand Cafe, or if I’m in Borough Market I’ll go to the Rake. Exceptions to this would be the likes of Trisha’s in Soho which just have a rocking scene going on. Other favourites would be places the The Hoxton and Shoreditch House in East London.

You’re a bit of a wine buff, what are your favourite wine bars in London?

My favourite bar to drink wine in isn’t even a bar. It’s an off license called The Sampler on Upper Street. There you can sample 70 odd wines on any given day and these change as the bottles empty. You can even pop a bottle of bubbly and since their selection of grower champagnes is almost unrivaled in London it’s always a good option. There’s a big table down the back of the shop where you can sit and enjoy whatever you choose!

Describe your ideal day in London.

My ideal day involves a morning of browsing one of the food markets for all the necessaries for dinner, whilst sampling various market delights along the way. Follow that up with a glass of Belgium beer, an afternoon kip and finally a jog in the park would wrap up the afternoon nicely. I like to slow cook when I have time so I’d happily pass the evening in the kitchen, and then follow up with night of fine food, fine wine and friends.

If you could only eat at one restaurant for the rest of your life, where would it be?

For me if I had to eat in only one restaurant for the rest of my life it would be The Ledbury in Notting Hill. It’s a incredible restaurant that’s got better and better since first opening, going from a new restaurant to a two star michelin in less than 5 years. I’ve enjoyed a few four or five hour lunches which have all been memorable! (As for a very close second, I would say Tayyabs)

What is your favourite underrated London landmark/place?

At this moment Broadway Market is my favourite London place. It’s got a buzzing atmosphere, so much quality food on offer and plenty of street music to give it all a soundtrack. The unending number of high quality food stalls is dazzling. Couple this with a super selection of fine cafes and bars and a few hours passes very quickly. Underrated, in the mainstream, in a shameful way.

U
What places do you think are overrated?

Oxford Street is hugely overated. And even at that, overated is generous. I find the street to be a dive. Also some areas in east London are totally overrated, like Curtain Road. Many of the bars there are now just Soho esq which isn’t good. Strict door policy and boring dress code seem all too important…

What is your favourite London-based book (or film)?

I have bias here but my favourite London-based film would be Sweeney Todd, mainly because I spent over half a year working on it out in Pinewood Studios. Even though none of it was shot on location, the film really captured a London look and an atmosphere which is quite unique.

I’m quite sure the city of London and possibly the world in general, would be a much more pleasant place without them.

Photo of Broadway Market by mbiddulph used under a Creative Commons License

In our ongoing interview feature, we profile cool and interesting Londoners, New Yorkers, Londoners in New York and New Yorkers in London. If you happen to fall into any of these criteria, why not drop us a line at editor@metrotwin.com and next week the spotlight could be on you!

This week we’re casting our gaze upon Adam A Rogers, Menswear Designer, Personal Wardrobe Consultant and creator of The Antiquated Mindset blog.

You live in London and New York – how did that come about?

In 2007 I graduated from Central Saint Martins. With a BA (HONS)  Menswear Degree tucked firmly under my belt, I had to face the barrage of ‘what next’ questions and work out what I wanted to do with myself. I realised what I wanted to do was work in the States for Ralph Lauren. His mens’ lines were very much relevant to mine at the time, and I loved that they were very timeless and classic. I managed to obtain a number to the Ralf Lauren HR department out in New York and gave them a ring. A lovely women picked up the phone, I told her the graduation news and she was delighted to set up an interview for me that coming October. Upon hearing this news I packed my bags and left London and have never looked back. Since then I’ve been back and forth from London and New York every six months designing and catching up with friends.

Where are your favourite fashion haunts in New York and London?

In New York I tend to go to a place/shop called ‘10ft single‘ based in Brooklyn Williamsburg. There are no particular designer shops I go to. I also visit the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market on 39th between 9th and 10th. They do great vintage gear and there is also a minibus service that takes you around the vintage markets in the city.

In London I always visit Spitalfields Market on a Wednesday, Brick Lane on Sunday, Portobello on Fridays and Saturdays and then I’m pretty much done!

What do you think the similarities/differences are between London and New York style?

Despite being born and bred in London and being impartial as possible, I still believe we Brits are the most audacious dressers out there. I remember the discussions I would engage in with mates about New York in the 1980’s and how that style influenced many around the world for years, but in the last decade or so I think  fashion in the Big Apple has ‘fallen off.’ The men here are only just picking up style again here, which is good to see,  although too many people have a generic mindset,  so you dont get to see individuals experimenting much.

What London things do you miss most when you’re in New York and vice versa?

My Mum’s Sunday roast, my Father’s guitar playing, my sister and brother being around the corner, my friends, the British food, the spelling…Oh and the sense of humour/humor! Bizarrely, I also miss the way Brits write their dates on the application forms – it should be day/month/year not month/day/year!

When I’m in London I miss New York’s vibes and the opportunities it offers. Oh and of course the  basement ‘batcave’ I call home.

Judging from your blog you’re a keen photographer. Do you have a favourite photo of either London or New York?

My favourite London picture is St Paul’s standing strong after the Blitz. Henri Cartier-Bresson is one of my favourite photographers too, he has a great life-story.

If you could only eat in one NY/LON restaurant again for the rest of your life, where would it be?

In New York I would eat at Pequena.  I love it, I’m there all the time, great portion great price, they should pay me for being their PR! In London I love me some Nandos…ha shout out to Nandos around the way!

Where are your favourite local haunts?

Pequena, ‘Vintage shop Eleven‘ on Prince and Elizabeth  and La Esquina

What advice do you have for Londoners visiting/moving to New York?

Let New York take you for the ride of your life because you know ever one has a story to tell out here.

What places in either city would you definitely recommend to people who hadn’t visited there before?

In New York I would definitely head to Lower East Side to see the up and coming designers, vintage shops and restaurants that aren’t listed in guide books.

In London everywhere is full of tourists well, apart from Hackney and Brixton, so I would recommend visitors head to these two spots to experience authentic London with their indigenous characters and markets. Don’t forget to buy your Penguin Bars, Fig Rolls and Made from Jacobs!

Images courtesy of Adam Rogers used under a Creative Commons License

Annie Mole writes Going Underground and the London Underground Blog, two fascinating sites obsessed with everything London Underground. She’s listed as one of Time Out’s top 50 London blogs and has previously won an award for being ‘The World’s Hottest Urban Blogger’, so we were very excited to get the chance to interview her for this blog.

How long have you been fascinated with London Underground and what motivated you to start the blog?

The blog came out of a static site about the Tube, GoingUnderground.net which I started as a New Year’s Resolution in 1999. Blogging seemed the easiest way of updating the news section after discovering a number of blogs in 2002 and thinking it could work. There’s a lot of source material to write about with the Tube but I’m much more interested in the behaviour of people once they get on it, rather than the trains themselves. You’re thrown into a place that you want to spend as little time in as possible, with complete strangers from all backgrounds. How people cope with that for 10 or 40 minutes leads to some interesting situations.

I’d have to say my favourite station is Wood Green, because despite being in a rather grimy part of London, it has amazing friezes of woodland animals and always seems to be playing classical music. What is your favourite station?

I get asked this a lot but I don’t really have a favourite station. I love seeing my home station of Kew Gardens after a long day and Leytonstone Tube station has some amazing Hitchcock mosaics which are well worth seeing.

What are your favourite and least favourite tube lines and why?

The Northern Line was the bane of my life for while but I think it’s fast being overtaken by the new extended not so circular Circle Line. There always seems to be a long wait at Aldgate and Edgware Road since the changes.  Favourite line – again, like the favourite station I don’t really have one. The District Line is OK as it’s mostly overground

Are there any alleged ghosts on the London Underground?

There have been a number of supposed sightings over the years. I suppose you can’t really have a system that’s been around for almost 150 years without there being some sightings of ghosts. Aldwych (now closed), Bank, Covent Garden, Elephant & Castle, South Kensington, Farringdon & Highgate have all had sightings over the years. The now defunct British Museum station was also supposed to be haunted by an Egyptian Mummy and people were offered a reward of they would spend a night in the station. Most recently in 2008 there was a TV documentary film about ghosts on the Tube and you can see bits of it on YouTube.

I read on your blog that Pimlico is the only London Underground station to not include any of the letters in the word ‘badger’ in it’s name. Can you tell us some more utterly bizarre London Underground facts?

There are only two Tube stations that have all five vowels in them – Mansion House and South Ealing.

The peak hour for Tube suicides is 11am

The best places to spot mice on the Tube are Oxford Circus platforms and Waterloo station – the northbound platform of the Bakerloo Line

Green grapes cause more accidents on the Tube than banana skins

Do you have any good London Underground advice for people visiting the city?

It’s really a good idea not to travel at peak times. (6.30am – 9.30am and 4pm – 7pm) not only is the Tube much more crowded then it’s actually more expensive to use. You’ll find that rush hour commuters have tunnel vision and are less tolerant of tourists standing around in a confused fashion or with lots of luggage. So if you’re using the Tube while you’re on holiday, you’ll enjoy it more in the daytime or later at night.

What other underground stations across the world have you seen that are comparable to the London Underground?

I’ve travelled on quite a few subway systems around the world – Mexico City, Paris, Toronto, Berlin, Lisbon & New York. New York’s was probably the most comparable to London’s Tube although it does have a 24 hour service which is great. Here’s a post about my first visit on it during the rush hour – yes, I know I didn’t follow my own advice, but I had to use it then!!!

Photos by Annie Mole and lensofdan used under a Creative Commons License