Zeina Durra has carved out a niche as an independent filmmaker with a unique perceptive.
Born and raised in London to a Bosnian/Palestinian mother and Jordanian/Lebanese father, Durra moved to New York to attend the graduate filmmaking program at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and stayed to make her first full-length feature, The Imperialists Are Still Alive! After calling New York home for ten years, Durra moved back to London last year. Recently married, the director took time out from her honeymoon in St. Barts to share her favorite spots in London with D’NA.
Rochelle Canteen School House,Arnold Circus, London E2 7ES
Delicious food and good vibe. I want to make friends with most of the people having lunch in there. I love the fact that you have to buzz the door which is always complicated and then go through to the old bike shed that has been converted into a glass walled restaurant.
LaRache Boutique 32 Calvert Avenue, London E2
The amazing photographer Hassan Hajjaj's shop. Buy one of his "Fulla" dolls (the answer to the barbie in hijab) where he dons them in Gucci/Louis Vuitton hijab outfits. Sit and chat with him, totally distracting him from his work. It's always fun in there and he has great taste in music.
Atomic Antiques 125 Shoreditch Avenue, E1
Great for browsing interesting objects and furniture for the house.
Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday Mornings Columbia Road London E2
I love the old school rhyming slang that goes on at the flower market on Sunday morning, it's become a bit touristy over the years but it's still worth it. Be careful not to get too excited as you may have to take an orange tree and 300 tulips to your car!
Crossway Foundation East End
An amazing group of social entrepreneurs promoting dialogue between artists and students in the Middle East and the world. They are working on a center at the top end of Brick Lane which will also host an Arab artist residency amongst other programs. Very cool project and a future fave hang out.
Rose Bakery Dover Street Market, 17-18 Dover St, W1S 4LT
It's a good place to have lunch/meetings and also read all their great magazines. The salad plate is always good and they change it up every day. You can also go and blow all your money on some clothes as you walk the four floors down to the exit, so I advise taking the elevator.
Rellik 8 Golborne Road, London,W10 5NW
It was tough to find a vintage place I really trusted after leaving New York- sounds ridiculous I know, but this place always has good unique pieces and once you get chatty with the sometimes frosty staff they really help you out.
The Royal Court Theater Sloane Square, London SW3
My mother used to bring me here from an early age. It has some of the best cutting edge theater, supporting young playwrights and really influenced me growing up.
The V&A Store Inside the Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road,London,SW7 2RL
It always has beautiful things, great books, ceramics and also clothes that are always rather interesting like the collection they did inspired by their Diaghilev Exhibition.
