Rooms at The Tommyfield – Kennington’s newest and nicest hotel

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Another of our Kennington Predictions for 2014 has come true – Ace Hotels have opened their latest outpost in Kennington.

Errrrr……OK, that’s not 100% true (yet), but Kennington does now have its own super-bijou boutique hotel in the form of six hotel rooms above The Tommyfield pub on Kennington Cross, and they’ve been decorated in a rather refined shade of industrial chic that isn’t a million miles from the Ace Hotel aesthetic.  Our room was all white-washed brick walls, a chair that we’ve definitely seen in the Conran Shop, and a typographic ‘We not me’ print on the wall from the Changethethought collective.

We Not Me print at Tommyfield Hotel - kenningtonrunoff.com

Lovely bathroom too, with marble topped double sink and huge walk-in rain shower:

The Tommfield Hotel rooms shower - kenningtonrunoff.com

They launched without any fanfare at all in mid-May, and we were the first guests to stay in Room 3, although we have it on good authority that Russell Kane will shortly be lounging on the very same Super King Hypnos bed shortly.

A launch price of £119 per night per room (including breakfast) is reasonable for rooms that can more than compete with the very best that Airbnb can offer locally, minutes from the geographic centre of London.

If you stay on a week day it’s a DIY breakfast in your room from a pick of porridges, muesli, fresh fruit and juices, and our favourite Teapigs teas, plus a Nespresso machine.

Tommyfield Hotel DIY breakfast - kenningtonrunoff.com

At the weekend, guests breakfast downstairs in the pub from a more extensive menu, available until a very civilized 11.30am. But more of that later.

North Lambeth L&R Club

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We’d always assumed this place, in between houses on Kennington Road, was derelict. Then a BT Sport banner appeared outside:

The North Lambeth L&R Club, Affiliated to CIU, established 1888

Soon followed by an advert for an event:

event at the Lambeth L&R Club - kenningtonrunoff.com

Now we have so many questions.

What’s it like inside?

When does it open? It never looks open.

Can anyone go, or do you have to be a member?

What does L&R stand for?

Is it on brand for Kennington Runoff? (Do they serve Kernel beer?) We fear not, but as you may have guessed, we’re running out of places to write about that are.

Cycle the Greater Kennington alphabet

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Join Kennington cycle warrior Charlie Holland (the force behind the Kennington People on Bikes blog) on an Alphabetical Adventure in the Greater Kennington area this Sunday 27 April. Taking in the districts formally known as Vauxhall and Waterloo, Charlie has planned a route with 26 stops of historical, cultural, scientific, or other significance across his patch, all traversed in alphabetical order. These look set to include the grand entrance to Necropolis, and the well-hidden North-West Kennington William Blake mosaics.

Blake tile

We note that the letter X has been left with apologies, presumably for lack of inspiration. In light of this, Kennington Runoff would like to suggest a couple of possibilities in X for Xanax at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, and X for Edward Cross, the man who brought giraffes and tigers to Kennington Park Road.

Book a free place on the ride at Cycle Confident and then meet at 10am on Sunday for a quick bike check before departing by 10.15am, to finish by 1.30pm. The ride starts on the segregated cycle track by Lassco, 30 Wandsworth Rd, SW8 2LG. Would recommend eating breakfast first before embarking on the ‘dozen or so’ miles, but not at Brunswick House or you’ll miss the ride.

 

Let’s revisit our Kennington predictions for 2014 and see how we’re doing

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We predicted that Sally White would provide mindfulness training for all staff – we are very touched to see they now have a book on their counter about mindfulness, although we have noticed occasional lapses in mindfulness towards closing time.

We predicted that Kernel Brewery would open their first pub in the site next to the Old Red Lion – watch this space for something even better for Kennington-based Kernel fans.

We predicted that Waitrose would expand in Kennington; they had their eyes on the site of the Kennington Post Office until that was saved from closure.

We predicted that The Imperial War Museum would reopen with catering from Ottolenghi. We should have said ‘The Imperial War Museum will briefly reopen then close again shortly afterwards for no apparent reason’. Fingers crossed they are just concluding negotiations with our man Yotam for their July relaunch.

We predicted that Russell Brand would perform at Always Be Comedy; it can only be a matter of time.

We predicted that Damien Hirst’s gallery would open in West Kennington – chop chop Damien.

We predicted that Dirty Burger would introduce a veggie burger. This happened! So for our next trick, we predict that Dirty Burger will introduce a veggie burger without mushrooms in BECAUSE MUSHROOMS ARE DISGUSTING, OK.

We predicted that Kevin Spacey would return to the Old Vic – and he will.

We predicted that Florence Welch would launch her guest column for Kennington Runoff by performing Addicted To Love at the Kennington Runoff pop up shop. That was a hint Flo. 300 words please on why you love Kennington to kenningtonrunoff@gmail.com. Deadline December 31st, else we’re giving your slot to Dot Allison.

Florence Welch with Sourberry at South London Pacific

Florence Welch with Sourberry at South London Pacific, warming up for her Kennington Runoff party performance

http://kenningtonrunoff.com/kennington-predictions-for-2014/

Hula Boogie Bunnyhoppin’ at South London Pacific Tiki Bar

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If, as evening draws in on Easter Sunday, you’ve dropped a couple too many of Sally White’s Speckled Praline Quail Eggs and you’re looking for some vigorous physical exercise within staggering distance, let Hula Boogie come to your rescue.  The award-winning 1950s-obsessed night will be celebrating Easter at the South London Pacific Tiki Bar with a Bunnyhoppin’ vintage dance on Sunday 20th April, where they hope to form the longest bunny hop line ever. Oh, and there’s also an Easter egg hunt in case you haven’t yet over-indulged.

hulaboogieblackt

Club founder Miss Aloha will be on hand at 7.30pm to lead a 1950s jive/rock ‘n’ roll taster class, followed by a class in the exotic Hawaiian hula dance, the Hukilau, at 8pm.

Free Easter eggs and £1 off the entrance fee for those who attend wearing bunny ears (entry without bunny ears is £7). Or FREE ENTRY for one lucky Kennington Runoff reader and their friend with our exciting competition. To win two guestlist places just tell us which Kennington musical celebrity performed onstage last year at the South London Pacific:

a) Morrissey
b) Florence Welch
c) Chilli from Palma Violets.

Send the correct answer via email to kenningtonrunoff@gmail.com by midday on Good Friday, please.

Morrissey dancing

Hula Boogie is held at South London Pacific Tiki Bar, 340 Kennington Road, London SE11 4LD. 7pm to midnight.

 

Fashion & Gardens at the Garden Museum?

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No, us neither, but it’s worth going to visit the Garden Museum while the Fashion & Gardens exhibition is on (until April 27th) to see floral artist Rebecca Louise Law’s installation called ‘The Flower Garden Display’d’. She has hung over 4,600 flowers from the roof of the museum (a former church), and it’s quite something.

The Flower Garden Display'd by Rebecca Louise Law at The Garden Museum - Kenningtonrunoff.com

Join Rebecca Louise Law under ‘The Flower Garden Display’d’ for a discussion with photographer Rachel Warne about The Beauty of Decay, dying flowers and the afterlife of gardens, on Tuesday at 6.30pm (tickets £10).

The museum is open every day and admission costs £7.50 for adults, but it’s free if you just want to go to the cafe, which is good and vegetarian, and you’ll walk under ‘The Flower Garden Display’d’ on your way through.

On your way out, you can check out The Garden Museum’s expansion plans, which involve re-creating part of Tradescant’s Ark. Tradescant’s Ark was Britain’s first museum open to the public, started by John Tradescant and his son John Junior, who are buried in what is now the garden of the Garden Museum. The original Tradescant’s Ark was in North West Kennington and featured a stuffed dodo, drums from Africa, weapons from Java, and a series of complaints from Walworth.

La Chatica Colombian Café, Deli & Bakery

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Back to London’s Latin American Quarter to visit La Chatica, a Colombian cafe, deli, bakery, and bar on Elephant Road in North Kennington.

Chatica frontage - kenningtonrunoff.com

La Chatica seems to have started as a business importing Latin American food before opening this cafe. They “use the finest South American ingredients” to make their version of the “much-loved” Pan de Bono (cheese bread), Pan de Yuca (another type of cheese bread) and Empanadas (the Latin American equivalent of a pasty).

So how does Latin American food shape up? Mexico and Argentina are justly famously for their cuisines. Brazil has some great restaurants. But elsewhere in the continent, it can be hard to find great food besides meat, fish, rice and salad. So La Chatica definitely feels authentic, with its baked goods wrapped in cellophane, rich in sugar and caramel. But if you don’t fancy those, you can just window shop the product displays. You’ll soon forget you’re under a railway arch in London:

Chatica products - kenningtonrunoff.com

 

Chatica grains - kenningtonrunoff.com

Chatica biscuits - kenningtonrunoff.com

Chatica alcohol - kenningtonrunoff.com

La Chatica is open seven days a week, and they serve 100% Colombian coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly made baked goods every day, and they have free wifi.