1952-2012; Wilton Way Diamond Jubilee Street Party

following the resounding success that was last year's royal wedding street party, local residents & establishments of the wilton way E8 area are happy to announce the diamond jubilee street party!

we are pleased to invite 1 & all to to join in on what is emphasised as a community event whereby we celebrate the last 60 years of hackney life & the queens reign. again the idea will be to DIY & encourage you to bring your own tables, chairs, food, friends and family and enjoy a day of community togetherness for all ages. there will be council approved road closures, this year from the hackney empire through to violet cakes, whereby street decorations lining the srteet will house the festive atmosphere.  

we will attempt to divide the street into era's spanning the decades & as such designate areas by period based on fashion, culture, food & music. we encourage every1 to dress in reference to their favourite era from the 50's til present & get into the spirit! 

we would love to hear from the local community about their experience of hackney over the last 60 years & instore we will be allocating an area for display of coronation memorabilia, souvenirs & photography to capture the memories & the moments. we also appeal to local artists, musicians, performers or anyone with ideas how we can bring people together in a creative & interactive atmosphere. workshops will be held in local establishments to create decorations & brainstorm ideas for the theme & ways to illustrate life locally over 60 years of queen elizabeth at the throne.

we only have 1 month today til the event & would be grateful for any fund-raising ideas or donated fabrics & decorations to help bring the street to life.

for more info or if you have any ideas, questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact Eleni from the Wilton Way Café at eleni@londonfieldsradio.com or myself at theothersideofthepillow@hotmail.co.uk

LOVEiWEAR x ZONE7STYLE shop launch!

today we have to close at 4pm however this gives you perfect opportunity to get down to 63 red church street for the latest evolution in the UK specialist deadstock scene.
if you love eyewear & think you're in the style zone, the bubble has burst on the loveiwear & zone7style collab as the pop up becomes permamnent! don't believe the hype. this revolution will not be televised. these guys are the euro pioneers in their field!

destination; toppers of hackney: #65 wilton way

what a month in the life of wilton way. from borough wines' multiple launch events to royal wedding street parties come flash mob... & now to top it off comes the stylish re-working of toppers hair salon.

what was once gina's hairdressing salon, became toppers unisex salon & ultimately we have toppers of hackney. the brainchild of a union between those responsible for the wilton way cafe & dog & wardrobe, brings the foresight of the ultimate opportunist & the interiors skills of the ultimate scavengers together in this joint venture. as such, we have a flourishing salon with sexy interiors & serious hairdo capabilities.

join us this thursday eve in celebration as the other side of the pillow join forces with toppers to present photographic offerrings by local artists from our royal street party. 6pm til 9pm. 61-67 wilton way. hackney e8. london

destination; borough wines on wilton way

may we make our fond excuses for the lateness of the hour at which we offer our official wilton way welcome to our friends at borough wines! what seemed to be our permanent hangover for the past month has subsided following two launch events & the royal wedding street party, affording us now clarity enough to give thanks legibly.

bringing a reputation steeped in class & tradition, our wine merchants from borough market have injected further life into the now flourishing destination that is wilton way. now i am not a connoisseur.... of wine anyway, but our local neighbourhood sure have fine taste, as was made evident by the 300 strong guests to boroughs opening & the 300+ litres of alcohol enjoyed on wedding day.

offerring specialist wine from the south of france as well as a small selection of local brews & australian & new zealand wines, borough serve with personality & generosity. the £8 litre of wine from the keg has been met with unbridled enthusiasm as has my personal favourite the prosecco. as such, to meet muriel & the team & experience the taste for yourself is just another excuse to enjoy this summer on wilton way.

we heart wilton way!

the attitude of gratitude goes out to the local wilton way community & all those who made the royal wedding street party such an incredible day! the occasion will live on in memory for all the right reasons. photography by we art you

wilton way royal wedding street party!

in conjunction with wilton way residents & business owners we would like to invite you to a community-led royal wedding street party on friday april 29th.

a group of e8 residents have successfully applied for council permission to host a communal street event whereby the community will come together in a friendly & relaxed family atmosphere. the royal wedding thus offers an opportunity to bring people together in an open-invitation picnic style day, encouraging participants of all political persuasion to join in by bringing their own food & drink & perhaps a table to link up the length of the street. 3 blocks of wilton way will officially be closed from elanor road & landsdowne drive crossroads.

of course there will be alot going on in the london fields area that day so swing by to enjoy some incidental acoustic entertainment, children activities & cultural events. the vibe will be 1 of a traditional east end feel resonating a 1950s sensibility. home owners are encouraged to open up their gardens for bbq's & make available radios & tvs to tune into the wedding to truly make a day of it. the wedding ceremony takes place at 11am so the idea is to come down early & get involved. the other side of the pillow will be responsible for street decorations & the bunting so we plan to reach out our followers for help with this & perhaps to contribute to our proposed window display! as such, lets get in the spirit of things & celebrate the royal wedding if for nothing more than an excuse to bring the east end together.

borough wines to open on wilton way!

wilton way is soon to become a destination for connoisseurs of not only of coffee, cakes & deadstock, but of fine wine! borough wines bring their distinguished palette to this flourishing street to wide acclaim this summer. join us for some tastings thursday evening for their official opening & the soft launch of another fresh establishment to 'top' it all off!

destination; e5 market

support the local community

our wilton way cafe graces the new york post!

word is spreading about what we've long since known regarding the 'sprawling, shape-shifting beast of a thing' that is east london.

with photography from our friends at Independent London featuring our very own next-door neighbours the Wilton Way Cafe, the New York Post are the latest int'l publication to review the ever-changing east london experience.
make your way to wilton way to watch the evolution of the east as it happens!

BOROUGH WINES to blossom this spring!

coming soon....

destination; wilton way!

once known as wilton road & once a wilting destination, wilton is now a way, & waxing instead of waning. now where theres a will there's a way & it was the will of some influential yet humble property owners who helped inspire this now flourishing street in hackney. recognised as a destination alternative to the bustling broadway market, we are happy to be a part of the up & coming address reknowned for it's very own award winning coffee, food, shopping & art.

notorious for their great coffee, the owners of the wilton way cafe almost single handedly pioneered the street revival. the once whisper quiet street now literally waxes lyrical with london fields radio instore 2 accompany the coffee, the food & the atmosphere.

the latter edition to the street fanfare yet an edition made not without noise came via violet cakes, complete with cookbook, seasonal produce & pastries. i emplore you to just try & curb your enthusiasm & your carbs upon paying them a visit.

posted adds to the allure of the street, occupying a long abandoned post office come gallery space featuring a historical retrospective of the british postal system exploring posted correspondence. also offering postal inspired artwork from reknowned local artists, this gallery space is an experience worth writing home about.

coming soon....

destination; lik + neon

i 1st discovered lik + neon back in '06 & felt instantly at home in the maze of deadstock sportswear, 80's electronica & retro design. janis & i forged a strong friendship but little did she know she was a major inspiration for our undertaking of the other side of the pillow.

after killing it in the day-glo era of nu-rave, the lik + neon flavour evolved into its rather minimal by comparison reality today, focusing more on flourshing local art & design. retaining its rather playful & inventive character which, combined with lik + neon's infamous kittens littering the store, helped Janis claim the cover of the 1st issue of Independent London Store Guide.

there still remains the odd piece of deadstock amongst the modern design marvels, all now illuminated by a makeshift chandelier which has to be seen to be believed! & as such the attitude of gratitude goes out to Janis & lik + neon for the memories, the deadstock & the boundless inspiration.