Author: Wansteadium

Hidden depths of Wanstead Library

Hardcore users of Wanstead library might be well aware of this, but it’s worth sharing anyway. Holders of Redbridge Library cards can, with the cunning use of their card number and PIN, get access to a quite amazing array of online reference books through the Redbridge website – including the full Oxford English Dictionary and Oxford Reference Online. This is as well as being able to search the borough’s own library catalogue. Access is available at www.redbridge.gov.uk/libraries.

There’s also access to the Dictionary of National Biography, so there is now no reason not to know that Sir Charles Tilston Bright, responsible for laying the first cable across the Atlantic AND for proposing that units of electrical measurement (eg volt) should be derived from the names of scientists, was born in Wanstead.

Wansteadium hopes, as a result of this posting, for an immediate improvement in the general standard of bus stop small-talk.

Here it is – the Wanstead Gift List Top 12

Thanks for everyone’s nominations for the inaugural Wanstead Gift List, a hunt for decent presents on sale in Wanstead. Through a process of whittling and sifting, the nominations have been reduced to this, the final top 12.  Readers of Wansteadium are invited to support the viability of our local community by buying some or all of these items. Or some others. But you get the point.

 

12. Hot water bottle with knitted cover from Orange Tree

11. Fancy hand cream from Wanstead Pharmacy

10. Turkish Delight gift box in The Larder

9. Vouchers for Angel’s Hair and Nails

8. Pretty jewellery/trinket boxes – The Art Shop

7. Vintage scarves – Coco

6. A Picasso clock – Images in Frames

5. Mini suitcase to put dolls clothes in – Nicole’s

4. Membership of the Drummond lawn tennis club  About £100

3. Amber necklace from Keatings

2. Bikes for the children from Bike Trax

1. Squeaky toys for the dog from Heads n Tails

 

Thanks again to everyone who took part. Next week Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange will be presenting the Wanstead Christmas Food List. Any nominations of fine fare please by e-mail to suki@wansteadium.com

 

Wanstead Gift List 2011: The nominations are…

Here are the nominations for the Wanstead Gift List 2011 – Wansteadium’s hunt for good presents to buy when in Wanstead. The final top 10 will be published on Friday, just in time for a bit of shopping. But lots of shopkeepers will thank you if you don’t feel the need to wait until then.

The nominations are:

Hot water bottle with knitted cover from Orange Tree

Fancy hand cream from Wanstead Pharmacy

Turkish Delight gift box in The Larder (about £5)

Fred Perry jackets – Santa Fe

Festive tattoo from Viper Studio [really?]

Vouchers for Angel’s Hair and Nails £20 (“Yes I know it’s brand new but they are REALLY good and very friendly”)

Chocolate and toffee treats from Thornton’s at the Art Shop

From Barnados – 4 good quality children’s books for grandchildren

Pick Up Sticks – from Orange Tree

A photo frame for my friend’s birthday (“she has a new grandchild”) from the Art Shop

Pretty jewellery/trinket boxes – The Art Shop

Vintage scarves – Coco

A ‘Picasso clock’ from Images in Frames

A ‘Tin For Bits That Don’t Go Anywhere’ from several shops, including Nicole’s

Fashion scarf & earrings (both new) from BHF

Mini suitcase to put dolls clothes in from Nicole’s

A Cath Kidston button box from Orange Tree

Mis-matched china cups & saucers (they come as candles but the china is sound) – Orange Tree

Assorted traditional toys and games including jumping beans, old maid, jacks, train whistles for stocking fillers – Art Shop

Any number of good, new – or really old – books from Oxfam

Membership of the Drummond lawn tennis club (“including not only heavily subsidised ewcoaching from a wonderful coach but the fitness and social aspect as well. Also seeing all those people you see up and down the high street day in day out”.) About £100

A bottle of fine wine from the Larder

Amber necklace from Keatings

Bikes for the children from Bike Trax

Squeaky toys for the dog from Heads n Tails

Jewellery “10-30 quid” in The Orange Tree

Cath Kidston Christmassy print Oyster card holders £5 , and tea towels £11

Vintage style Christmas decorations £3-5 The Orange Tree

‘I’m doing all my Christmas shopping in Wanstead this year…’

On Monday, Wansteadium launched the Wanstead Gift List 2011, an attempt to find – by the end of this week – a top 10 of excellent Christmas gifts available from Wanstead. There’s been no shortage of nominations, which we will be publishing this week. But this report was submitted by a Wansteadium reader who, for obvious reasons (not spoiling suprises) wants to remain anonymous.

“In June, I set myself the challenge of doing all my Christmas shopping in Wanstead this year, mainly to cut down on travel and hassle but also because I realised that what was available locally was as good as anything I could get ‘in town’ and often there were things that were special to the local shops.
So far it is going well and I am determined that I will stick to my intention, especially after telling one of the local traders what I was trying to do and she nearly burst into tears and told me how hard things are for local traders.

“The first step was to tell the family what I was going to do & make sure that they understood that I would not be buying huge presents, but rather thoughtful & useful ones. My daughter says she is particularly looking forward to receiving a gift-wrapped bag of sprouts!

“I buy for my father (90), husband (62), daughters (30 & 34), son-in-law (40), grandson (18 months), granddaughter (5), stepson & stepdaughter (34 & 38), daughter-in-law (33), brother-in-law (54), parents of in-law children & a friend’s birthday on Xmas Eve (74).
So far I have:

  • A ‘Tin For Bits That Don’t Go Anywhere’ for daughter’s partner (but there are lots of other ones such as a man’s tin for electrical bits) – from several shops, but I got mine from Nicole’s;
  • Several gift boxes from Heart Foundation & Olive  Orange Tree to put in some keepsakes/heirlooms for my daughters from my grandmother (eg hand-embroidered, hand -laced handkerchief; tray cloths & tablecloths with drawn thread work etc) and tissue paper from the Art Shop;
  • Fashion scarf & earrings (both new) from Heart Foundation;
  • Mini suitcase to put dolls clothes in that I’ve knitted (for granddaughter – already had the left over wool and patterns) – from Nicole’s;
  • A Cath Kidston button box from Orange Tree for daughter to which I’ve added some heritage buttons from my own button box & a hot water bottle with knitted cover, also from Orange Tree;
  • Assorted goodies to eat to be shared around from the various food shops – including assorted bottled beers, a honey comb, relish & pickle, biscuits & a ginger beer kit, as well as chocolate and toffee treats from Thornton’s at the Art Shop;
  • From Oxfam – new, or good as new, book on breadmaking for son-in-law to which I will add a basket of organic ingredients bought locally (including the basket) & an unused book of restaurants round London with recipes for their signature dishes – again to which I will add a basket of ingredients – for stepson;
  • From Barnado’s – 4 good quality children’s books for grandchildren;
  • From Boots, Wanstead Pharmacy & Olive Tree, assorted bits to put in wash bag for granddaughter for when she goes to stay with grandparents;
  • A photo frame for my friend’s birthday (she has a new grandchild) from the Art Shop and some fancy hand cream from Wanstead Pharmacy;
  • A ‘Picasso clock’ from Images in Frames for stepson & daughter-in-law;
  • From the Olive Tree again, 2 mis-matched china cups & saucers for daughter & partner as they are putting together shabby chic tea set in assorted blue-based patterns. They come as candles but the china is sound.
  • From the Art Shop, assorted traditional toys, games etc such as jumping beans, old maid, jacks, train whistles etc etc for stocking fillers – yes the adults still have Xmas stockings to which everyone adds small gifts under £1.

I have yet to buy:

  • an amber necklace from Keating’s for step-daughter;
  • a snuggly blanket/rug & cushion from the Orange Tree for daughter;
  • a food mixer from the electric shop (this is a joint Xmas & birthday present for one daughter);
  • a pair of candlesticks for daughter-in-law from Images in Frames;
  • a shirt each for son-in-law & brother-in-law;
  • flowers for in-law parents from Lillie’s
  • flower vase for daughter-in-law from Blush Temples
  • the turkey, ham, sausage etc (on order from the butcher) & all fruit & veg from the greengrocer (our pudding & cake have already been made from ingredients bought in Londis or the Co-operative)
  • my husband’s present – HELP – so I will be reading suggestions from others with great interest.

Further suggestions can be made on Wednesday by emailing wansteadium@gmail.com. A full list of nominations will be published on Thursday, and the Top 10  (as judged by an impartial cabal of discerning well-wishers) will be published on Friday, just in time to go shopping at the weekend.