Bottle Apostle

This lovely little shop is a real gem and the staff are pure charm. Yes, it stocks fine wines, but there are also plenty of bottles for around £6. The people who work here may be knowledgable, but don't be intimidated if, like me, what you know about wine you can write on – well, the back of a wine label. Bottle Apostle (www.bottleapostle.com) , 95 Lauriston Road may be the holy grail for Hackney residents who are fond of a decent drop, but it's also a friendly spot that is very much part of the Victoria Park Village neighbourhood. I love the tasting machine which dispenses shots of wine. Just put a few quid on a smart card and sample away, it's great fun and a perfect aperitif before supper at The Fish House.

The Shop

Now, I am not saying this is The Shop in my area (far left); that just happens to be its name. But this little treasure trove on a Brick Lane side street (just out of Hackney in Tower Hamlets) is pretty wonderful. Past purchases have included elbow length, tan leather '40s gloves (£8), a lilac mohair scarf (£10) and a cherry print vintage dress (£15). Have a rummage through the vintage linen tea towels (£3), beautifully printed with colourful, quintessential British subjects: birds, vegetables, squirrels and castles. There are neatly folded piles of brightly coloured bedspreads, curtains and tablecloths that you wish you'd nicked from your granny, and a pristine, lovingly chosen collection of shoes, clothes and handbags. The owner is a delightful woman (or you may get served by her equally affable son) who has a genuine love of vintage textiles and clothes, all sold for an incredibly reasonable price. You can't go wrong: no rip offs here.

The Shop: 3 Cheshire Street E2 6ED (off Brick Lane).
Tel: 0207 739 5631.

Open Tues–Sat 11am–6pm, Sun 9.30am–4.30pm.

Nearby are two of my other favourites. Labour and Wait (18 Cheshire St) and Vintage Heaven (on Colombia Road) both sell lovely things for the home.

Have a Butcher's!

The Ginger Pig at 99 Lauriston Road is my favourite shop in Hackney. That is quite difficult for me to say because I love shopping in Hackney. Why is it so good? Quite simply, the meat comes from happy, well looked after animals from Yorkshire farms. And the highly knowledgable, friendly butchers are apparently as happy as the pigs.  They've got all the cuts you'd expect, plus 20 kinds of delicious sausages. The downstairs deli sells superb meat pies that are a meal in themselves and legendary sausage rolls. 'Wow, I have had sausage rolls before. But that is something else', declared Raf, HackneyHome's decorator (www.hackneyhome.co.uk). I no longer buy meat from anywhere else – not even M&S's organic range compares. The Ginger Pig also does highly recommended evening butchery courses. We know they are good because Joel at the hilariously surreal rathergood.com told us. His 'You Want a Piece of Meat' video, in which Britney dances with a chop the size of her head, and The Ginger Pig's very own HogBlog www.thegingerpig.co.uk are both well worth a look.

Have a Butcher's!