Giulietta first visited the island in 2008 when there

were 63 residents, 4 of which were children and attended the local school. On her second visit earlier this year, the population had dropped to 53 residents and an empty school – a concern to the both the residents and local authorities as well as the surrounding islands and their future.

Whilst Giulietta intends for this to be a continuing piece of work, she willshowcase a selection of images at her latest exhibition, as you are, at the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green from 15th July to 15th August.

Through her photography, Giulietta is able to offer a brilliant insight into a culture that has essential remained unchanged for many years.

Acclaimed celeb snapper Rankin is hosting a new exhibition of his celebrity portaits entitled, not unsuprisingly, “Portraits”. Accompanied by a coffee table book of the same name, the exhbition will showcase the icons of our generation including Madge, Kylie, U2, Blair, Brown, Gorbachov and the Queen.

Rankin’s legacy as co-founder of Dazed and Confused along with his imminent style of intimate photographic portraiture makes him a leading figure in pop culture and fashion photography.

Cherry Sorbet (and MyMetropole!) is looking forward to popping along to Annroy for when this opens.

This especially goes for England, home to some of the most beautiful cemeteries I have seen. Most English cemeteries are separated into a new and an older section, the former usually less interesting than the latter. The older tombstones offer countless things to discover, interesting inscriptions which inspire me to wonder about the lives of the people and their families, beautiful sculptures, famous people…

London in particular has beautiful cemeteries rich in history and beauty and shrouded in mystery and wonder. Here are my top 5 both for visitors to this great metropolis, and for Londoners, too, plus a 32 image gallery of beautiful photos by photographer, Mariposa!

1. Abney Park, Stoke Newington

This Stoke Newington-based cemetery is by far my favourite. Abney Park was the only cemetery where no divisions were made between people of different religious backgrounds and the chapel was the first in Europe to serve for all non denominational burials, built in a style that is known as “Dissenting Gothic”.

The 32 acre park (129,000 m²) dates from just before 1700 and was laid-out by the first Lady of the Manor of Stoke Newington, the Independent Lady Mary Abney.

It was unique in being the first arboretum – with its approximately 2,500 trees and shrubs – to be combined with a cemetery in Europe, offering an educational attraction that was originally set in a landscape of fields and woods. The original trust cemetery was sold to a commercial company in the 1880s, who ran it for almost a hundred years until it closed in 1978. 200,000 burials took place in Abney Park Cemetery while it was in use.

Closed now to new burials, its gravestones and sculptures become increasingly decayed. Rather than detracting from the beauty of Abney Park, it is just this decay and the wild nature of it, that creates the charm of this cemetery. Countless trees, bushes, weeds, flowers and vines wrap themselves around the sculptures and tombs so that you feel as though you are in an enchanted forest creating a mysterious, yet romantic feeling. You could spend hours exploring the large number of intricate paths that curl through along the ancient graves.

Interesting trivia about Abney Park: Rumour has it that an unexploded Second World War bomb is located somewhere within the cemetery.

The cemetery and the chapel were used for the funeral scenes of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” music video.

2. Brompton Cemetery

You might recognise this cemetery located in Chelsea, West London, as it is a Hollywood film star. Brompton Cemetery has been featured in several films, nabbing the most screen time in the recent Sherlock Holmes film.

Brompton was opened in 1840 on 39 acres of land, and as part of the Magnificent 7, a number of Victorian cemeteries that were built in the 19th century in London after the city’s population exploded from 1 million to 2.3 million. Before that, the dead were buried in churchyards. These became overcrowded, and so a bill was passed to create private cemeteries. These were known as the Magnificent 7, all constructed within 10 years.

One of the most metropolitan burial grounds in London, Brompton sits between Fulham Road and Old Brompton road, two of west London’s busiest. Pass through the gates, however, and Brompton is a green inner-city oasis of peace and quiet. Rather than a place of mourning, this cemetery is a popular public space for dog-walkers, cyclists, joggers and is a hub of (respectful) activity.

The layout of the cemetery feels almost Greco-roman, a very distinguished layout of a narrow, long semi-circular shape with a central avenue leading to a colonnade and chapel in the centre. Catacombs can be found underneath the colonnades and a thousands upon thousands of beautiful sculptures, headstones and mausoleums can be discovered throughout the property.

Pay attention and look carefully for the dozens of photographers throughout the cemetery, pointing their lenses at the unique and intriguing photo opps unlike any other in London, whilst aspiring and established writers ponder their prose on many a bench throughout Brompton as well. In fact, Author Beatrix Potter used the gravestones in Brompton Cemetery as a source for her character names – such as Mr Nutkin, Mr McGregor and Tommy Brock. The most famous tombstone here is that of Emmeline Pankhurst – a leading Suffragette who fought to win women the vote.

3. Highgate Cemetery

Undoubtedly London’s most famous cemetery and home to the tomb of Karl Marx, Highgate Cemetery is located on 37 acres of land and is home to 52,000 graves (which hold 167,000 people).

Located on a steep hillside in the North London village of Highgate, the cemetery is divided into two parts, the eastern and the western side. The western part is the oldest section with many fascinating Victorian gravestones and mausoleums and can only be visited in a guided tour (₤7), while the eastern side can be visited at your leisure for ₤3. It seems fitting that the less expensive, more egalitarian eastern side would be home to the colossal tomb of the father of communism, Karl Marx. While the rest of this section plays second fiddle to the guided tour on the other side of the street, Marx is a must-see.

The difference between newer and older sepulchres is immense – some of the Victorian graves are almost completely covered by bushes, parts of the headstones have been destroyed by weather, wind and time, and the modern graves offer some very interesting artistic creations.

Some interesting trivia – Audrey Niffenegger, author of the best-selling novel, Time-traveler’s Wife, made Highgate Cemetery location of her second novel, Her Fearful Symmetry and worked as a tour guide while she was researching for her book.

4. Ladywell & Brockley

These two adjacent cemeteries, originally called Lewisham and Deptford, were opened in 1858, separated by a wall until 1948. Renamed Ladywell & Brockley, these ‘twin cemeteries’ are now technically a single cemetery.

London might be limited in terms of free space, but its cemeteries stretch far and wide. Ladywell & Brockley is a good one to visit with a bicycle and ride through it’s 37 acres in South London. The cemetery is a haven for beautiful birds, flowers and other plant life, and is a place that, despite what you might think, is very much ‘alive’ in terms of nature.

Being deep down in the south east of London, L&B is not swamped with tourists, though its tombstones hold equally fascinating histories of their inhabitants. Take your time to discover these histories, such as the murder case of a 17-year-old girl and hints of Deptford’s seafaring history.

5. Cemetery of All Souls, Kensal Green

Kensal Green is the oldest of the Magnificent 7 and was used as a paradigm not only for cemeteries within Great Britain but also cemeteries as far as Australia, although it was inspired by the Parisian cemetery Pere-Lachaises, one of my all times favourites. You can see the similarities between the Parisian one and All Souls, though Pere-Lachaises is a decidedly more magical place to visit.

One of the things I love most about London is its cultural and ethnical diversity. Within twenty minutes you can pass through an area which is mainly Afro-Caribbean, come through a Bangladeshi quarter and end up in a part of town which is populated by hundreds of Haredi Jews. With this great mix of cultures, not only can you enjoy all types of food you can only think of – from authentic Chinese dumplings in Chinatown to a fantastic Indian curry on Brick Lane, explore little Vietnamese supermarkets or Polish convenience stores, admire traditional Indian Saris or African gowns in clothes stores in the parts of London where these cultures are widely spread.

You can also learn almost as much about cultures and religions of the world as if you were to visit the most far away countries around the globe. You could say that you need not even leave London to embark on a tour around the world.

One of the places where this is the most evident is also one of the most impressive religious landmarks in London.  Slightly off the beaten path in terms of tourism, the  BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, known simply as Neasden Temple, is a religious landmark unlike anything else in London. In a word: Incredible.

This magnificent Hindu temple is located in Neasden, an area which is not the prettiest in London –on the way from Neasden Tube Station to the Mandir you pass mostly industrial sites and residential houses. When Shri Swaminarayan Mandir finally comes into sight, you forget in the blink of an eye that you even are in London and will feel transported right into to India. The white-stoned pinnacles and domes stick out up into the air in a quite surreal way, and are simply breath-taking.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was built within three years in the early 1990’s by 450 volunteers and opened its black & golden gates in 1995 to Hindus as well as visitors. It is the first Hindu temple in Europe, built in the traditional way without using any steel, only stone, Bulgarian limestone and Italian marble. 26,300 single pieces were handcrafted in India and then shipped to London where it was put together like a giant jigsaw.

The Mandir lets you dive completely into the world of Hinduism, enjoy the tranquility and peace of the building and admire the elaborately ornamented columns and embazed sculptures. The Hindus who work at the temple are all very helpful and proud when it comes to explaining their culture to visitors and, in addition, an exhibition ‘Understanding Hinduism’ in the Mandir gives further insight into India, its culture and religions.

The photographs below reveal the surreal nature of the presence of such a magnificent mandir (temple) smack dab in the middle of London. Enjoy!

MyMetropole caught up with east London based photographer Adam Brown to talk about how he got into photography, his current work,  parts of London he loves best, and a hard lesson in remembering to remove the lens cap! Read on for more with Adam Brown.

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I don’t need this. On a few rational levels, I understand that I don’t want this. But on so many other levels – I want to join the Shoreditch House members club.

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The 4th floor has a bar – The Biscuit Tin, and a bowling alley – The Biscuit Pin. Genius.

The 5th floor has the Square Bar with free wi-fi and wireless printers. There is a games room, and a room called Snug. As in, in a bug in a rug. It’s like your living room. But nicer. Way nicer. With space for 18, a pool table, couches, an American-style fridge and a warm glow.

Then there is the sitting room, which is filled with large deco chairs to work from, each of these is like their own private space for those who might really like to focus rather than looking around and feeling clever for being a member.

The 5th floor also has a private dining room for groups up to 14 off the side of the sitting room for even more privacy.

Oh, wait did you think we were finished? I haven’t even gotten to the best part. The rooftop.  Here you’ll find an restaraunt, a garden, and a pool, which is open all year round and has views of the east London skyline.

There are 26 bedrooms for you to crash in, all with bespoke furniture, old-fashioned phones, wooden shutters, rainforest showers, and each has a Borrow Me collection of vintage books, games and accessories with which to play dress up, should you be awash with such a desire.

Shoreditch House is also home to the Cowshed Spa, which offers mani-pedis, treatments,has a cafe and also does Pretty Parties complete with treatments, dinner and wine for you and your friends, plus a sauna, steam room and state-of-the-art gym.

The cost? £700 a year for Local House membership, which means you can only use the facilities of Shoreditch House. Splurge and pay £1200 and get access to sister clubs Soho House and Electric House, too.

I can’t find enough reasons for me NOT to join…

Sex Pistol‘s manager, creator of Punk, HipHopper and fashion paradigm-shifter Malcolm McLaren died last week, causing the music, fashion and pop culture worlds to examine McLaren’s  significance not only as a man and a major music game-changer, but also relating words to him like legacy and icon.

I know jack about punk, I pretty much think the Sex Pistols ruled but challenge me to actually name more than a few songs and I am all punk poser.

My great friend Hellafied is a punk trivia pro, and when she visited last October, we trudged all the way up the King’s Road to number 430 to catch a glimpse of the former Sex boutique run by McLaren and his then school-teacher girlfriend and not-yet-Dame Vivienne Westwood.  McLaren started working in the shop, originally called Paradise Garage, with his buddy Patrick Casey back when Paradise sold 1950′s memorabilia, rock-n-roll vinyl, and 50s mags. They renamed the place Let It Rock upon becoming full owners, and started stocking Teddy Boy outfits. I know a bit about Mods and Rockers (my no-budget MA rockumentary here), but punk and Teddy Boys are the bookends about which I know close to squat. Together, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren rebranded and re-opened their tiny yet internationally known boutique, calling it, simply, Sex – marked by the 4ft high pink foam S-E-X letters outside.

Sex sold fetish and bondage gear, as well as the leather styles that became the origins of punk style. ‘Sex’ was sold, re-branded, and eventually fizzled out of business in 1980, long after McLaren, Westwood, the Sex Pistols and the Punk movement became main figures on the world’s pop culture stage.

Sex might be closed, and now Mr McLaren has passed but now-Dame Vivienne Westwood’s star rises ever higher both in the UK and internationally, and if its shopping you’re after, visit the Vivienne Westwood shop on Conduit Street in Mayfair. She has many other shops as well, has a fully-packed online shop, and has fingers in everything from the latest Enchanted Palace exhibit at Kensington Palace to committed campaigning against global warming.

Dame Westwood's dress @ Enchanted Palace exhibit

While Vivienne has gone global, it is her and Malcom’s son, Joseph Corre, who has retained the  ’punk’ tradition with the shop he co-owns in Shoreditch on Great Eastern Street, A Child of Jago.  Of course, Corre is a successful businessman in his own right, having founded the uber-successful lingerie company Agent Provocateur in 1994 with his then-wife Serena Rees.

After building what can only be called a lingerie empire, the pair split in 2007, and Corre started ACoJ with his new business partner Simon Armitage. 2007 is also the year that Joseph Corre was awarded the MBE by The Queen for his service to the fashion industry. While mom Vivienne had already accepted the Dame title, Corre rejected the ‘honor’ in protest to Tony Blair’s actions in Iraq and what Corre saw as movements against civil liberties in the UK.  That’s straight up punk.

Tortilla
www.tortilla.co.uk
Angel: 13 Islington High Street, London, N1 9LQ
Tate Modern: Unit 11A, 106 Southwark Street, London SE1 0TA
Oxford Circus: 6 Market Place, London W1W 8AH
Canary Wharf: 18 North Colonnade, London E14 4E

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The store design of this burrito chain is pretty similar to Chipotle in the States, the colours they use in store are very much the same, and having read some other reviews of Tortilla, it seems to be a common observation by the transatlanticists burrito fanatics. Tortilla is the biggest of all the burrito chains in London with plenty of seating and an array of Mexican staples – like beans, hot sauces, tortillas – to replicate the burritos at home.

The burritos themselves, however, are leaps and bounds better than the burritos at Chipotle! The vegetables were cooked just right and the spices, the pico de gallo, the beans were all scrumptious. Pet-peeve avoidance points –  the burrito was perfectly folded so that each bite provided a sampling of all ingredients rather than  one bite full of beans, one bite full of guac, one of rice the way some other places lazily do it.

After our last disappointing visit to Chipotle in Nueva York, we can easily conclude that the UK’s Tortilla beats the pants off Chipotle for taste, craft and bang for your buck value.

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Benito’s Hat
www.benitos-hat.com
56 Goodge St, London W1T 4NB

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Named after one of Mexico’s early presidents, Benito’s Hat in Fitzrovia north of Tottenham Court Road was set up by Ben and his Mexican wife along with head chef Felipe from Puebla, Mexico and Juan – a team of chefs with Mexican roots guarantees authentic Mexican burrtios on all accounts.

The menu is more varied than what other Burrito restaurants have to offer: Additionally to burritos and soft tacos they offer salads and soups, and even have a Mexican dessert on the menu – Buñuelos, which are crispy cinnamon covered tortillas with vanilla icecream. In terms of drinks you can get home-made horchatas as well as great-value Margaritas at £5.00.

The burritos offer the usual options – refried beans and black beans for vegetarians, the meat choices are the classics: steak, pork and chicken. You can choose from Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde and Salsa Brava. The vegetables used for the burrito (like zuccini and carrots) were a little bit unusual – but still, the burrito was good, with fresh ingredients and flavourful spices.

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Poncho No. 8
www.ponchono8.com
5 Steward Street, London E1 6AJ
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A fairly new burrito place set in a small side street off Spitalfields Market, Poncho No. 8 was opened in late 2009 by Frank and Nick, two Mexican food lovers. It is quite small – basically just the counter where you order your food and a couple of tables to sit down. Poncho’s focus is on the to-go on-the-run City-worker crowd.

Concentrating specifically on Cali-Mex cuisine, the portions are very generous, you can choose from a normal burrito or a fajita burrito, a skinny burrito (without the tortilla) or soft tacos. Pet-peeve avoidance point – The veggie option includes free guacamole, which is only fair and should be standard practice at all burrito joints all around the world!

In addition to catering to veggies, Poncho 8 have now added a soup now to the menu for the city girls looking for a lighter lunch and introduced a loyality card with which you get the 8th burrito free. A second branch is rumoured to be in the works according to their blog Ponchono8.

Nineteen Ten
www.nineteenten.co.uk
Westfield London, Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 7GF

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Nineteen Ten has opened its first branch in London in the Westfield Shopping Centre in 2009, offering burritos in the typical create-your-burrito-in-5-steps way and has a large sitting area in the mall’s food court.

The burritos weren’t the most remarkable ones we have had in London, but they were decent – nicely grilled veg, a choice between black beans and pinto beans. A little bit more flavour wouldn’t hurt. The tacos don’t come so highly recommended, however. Too full, too messy and hard to enjoy them in any authentic manner, these tacos ended up being eaten open-faced with a knife and fork.

Not one of our top choices, but the shopping mall experience can bring out some serious Mexican food jonesing, and 1910 or Nineteen Ten, can satisfy your cravings mid-shop or before a movie at the new Westfield Vue cinema.

Luardos

www.luardos.co.uk

Monday – Friday. 11.30am – 2pm.
Whitecross Street, London

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Oh, Luardos…your popularity makes you our eternal Mount Everest…This turquoise-coloured van can be found on work days at Whitecross Street and is very popular with the locals. Having planned to check out this burrito man with a van for some time, when we finally found a time-slash-excuse mid-day Friday to make it to the Whitecross Market, we were forced to leave empty-handed: the line of Luardo-lovers was so long, locating the end of it was hard to even spot at first. After strolling up and down the stalls spilling over with steaming hot international cuisine, ie non-chalantly waiting for the lunchtime lines to die down, we returned to a van with absolutely no line, and unfortunately absolutely no more food. Though the pleasure of sampling Luardos has yet to be ours, we’re basing its inclusion in our top burrito joints on street cred alone. That is, until we get out there early enough to snap up one of our own!