Dalston, home of floral entrepreneur Kaiva Kaimins, is a vibrant east London enclave filled with independent businesses. Kaimins gave CNBC Travel a tour of her favorite spots.
Florist Kaiva Kaimins was born in Australia, but Dalston is her home.
Kaimins lives and works within the east London enclave, where she opened her floral studio My Lady Garden in 2020.
It is the physical manifestation of her eponymous Instagram account, which she opened in 2016 while attending flower school. It now has greater than 50,000 followers.
“I wanted to work for myself full-time at some point,” Kaimins told CNBC Travel. “I had a few events booked for the summer and took the step of starting my own studio.”
The Covid-19 lockdowns accelerated the method. With in-person events canceled, Kaimins focused on weekly flower deliveries and on-site flower sales until she could rebuild her wedding and event business.
Many of Kaimins' neighbors can tell similar stories: They have a part-time job throughout the pandemic that has changed into a full-time profession.
In the most recent episode of CNBC's travel series Downtime, Kaimins showed us a few of her favorites, including:
- Papo's Bagels, a tribute to the New York bagel shop, offers seven varieties, including the famous “Everything” bagel.
- Dead Good Coffee, a café that turns right into a bar at night, with a disco ball and appropriate music.
- Oeno Maris, a fishmonger with a wine bar on the back that often hosts sashimi nights.
- Broadway Market, a gathering place for independent shops and restaurants, perfect for a Sunday stroll.
- Dan's Wine Shop, a relaxed bar specializing in natural wines.
Watch the video above for an insider's take a look at learn how to enjoy your free time in Dalston.
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