How to spend it
Dulwich Edition (with apologies to the FT Weekend)
W hen I was first asked to write this piece for The Alleynian , I thought it would be easy. Giving a teenager a wad of cash to go out and spend in Central London, it seemed like a no-brainer; anyone would jump at the chance. I then started to plan how I would spend my money, and started to realise it wasn’t as easy as I first thought. I just didn’t know where to start. I finally came to the conclusion that all I needed to do was to be myself, as most of the places I decided to visit are where I like to go at the weekend, but I also wanted to support local businesses and nonprofits. HTSI (originally How to Spend It) is a feature in the Financial Times , with articles evaluating luxury goods such yachts, mansions, apartments, watches, high fashion and automobiles. In its original form, it was a weekly magazine published by the newspaper but, it has evolved into a regular, sometimes daily, feature on the FTs’ website. For this column, I wanted to share the luxuries that can be found for a relatively modest price for a teenager in London, whilst still appreciating that we live in a world where many go without the basics, let alone luxury. sounds of the universe (£22.99) - A well- established, truly eclectic vinyl store standing out in the middle of Soho, a neighbourhood with high competition. It may not be the cheapest, but the staff are helpful and will play music before you buy from their huge stock, ranging from reggae and dub, jazz and soul, techno and electronica through We gave Reuben Sholem (Year 10) £ 150 to see how a Dulwich boy spends it
and people with learning disabilities. Naturally, it felt good to be putting my money towards an enterprise business such as this to succeed, but in addition to that it was win-win because the coffee and salted caramel brownie were both delicious. malt press trading (£8) - I can't be compli- mentary enough about this place: the shopkeeper was incredibly helpful and seems to have an eye for curating a store full of curios. Since people tell me I am quite indecisive, I decided to buy two deci- sion-making dice to help me get my act together (although I couldn’t decide which of the two to buy). Last night, I used them to decide whether or not I should do my Chemistry homework or not, which resulted in me getting a no-prep. st christopher’s (£15) - A charity shop down my road. St Christopher’s is a London-based char- ity that provides hospice care to those who need it. This was a great place to spend my money, not only because of the charity aspect but because sec- ond-hand clothing is a sustainable fashion prac- tice. I picked up a great pair of Nike TNs for £15. -12 degrees (£7) - An ice cream shop tucked away in Herne Hill train station. I’d say the USP here is the homemade taste, with the flavours and quality of the ingredients being the main reason people keep coming back. Beware of the long queues, especially on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
white feather boutique (£30) - Although this has been on the womenswear scene in Herne Hill for over 10 years selling many different stylish Scandinavian brands, most people don’t realize that this store now stocks menswear, socks and sunglasses. I like to think of myself as a bit of a fashionista, so naturally I had to goin and check out their selection. Although I could have blown half my money on a jumper I had my eye on, I decided to go with a pair of sunglasses for £30. At the end of the day, even though my experience of writing this article was definitely a bit of lighthearted fun, it did make me reflect on how much it matters as a consumer where you spend your money and how fortunate I am in my posi- tion, while others don’t have the same luxury. With this in mind, I decided to donate my last £28.41 to Centrepoint, a charity that provides support and shelter to young homeless people in the UK. ◎
world music, alternative and almost any other genre you can think of. They also have their own label, Soul Jazz Records. I bought Cocteau Twins Heaven Or Las Vegas and my friend bought
Loyle Carner’s Hugo . palazzo crystal
palace (£18.50) - Interesting concept with a really inviting atmosphere, which includes in-house DJs playing a mix of different tracks. The pizza is solid, but the small plates are also delicious if you don’t fancy a big meal. Make sure to save some room for the tiramisù after, a trattoria-style triumph. fair shot cafe (£8.10) - A social enterprise cafe that employs neurodiverse young adults
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