Chelsea Girl

So what does it mean to be a Chelsea Girl? And do I have the right credentials? Obviously having a relationship with the area is an important factor. Does my first kiss in Sloane Square count? OK, perhaps not that kind of relationship.

What about the shopping? Does the fact that I prefer Peter Jones to Selfridges give me credibility? Guilty as charged, I admit it.

What about my favourite pubs? The Pig’s Ear, The Anglesea and Thomas Cubitt. And food? The Chelsea Farmer’s Market and sitting outside Riccardo’s both for long summer lunches.

What do I think?

I think that a Chelsea Girl is more than partying in Boujis and drinking Martinis in Eclipse. It’s also an attitude.

True, today’s slew of chains on the King’s Road is a million miles away from the Sex shop era when outrageous mini skirts that sprung from the surrounding art colleges shocked the world. But as the local community fight back against the giant retailers with Picasso’s re-opening soon and Pucci Pizza still on the main road, Chelsea hasn’t lost its voice.

Take the Finborough Theatre for example and its current play Lingua Franca, which explores the issues of xenophobia and cultural prejudices. There’s also The Royal Court with Spur Of The Moment, which was written by Anya Reiss at the tender age of 17. And of course Chelsea Theatre, which is committed to fresh and innovative productions. This is a major part of what Chelsea is about: pushing the boundaries.

Of course, I’ll be using this column to document my quest to find the best Dirty Martini in the area amongst other worthy ventures. But I also want to explore beyond the obvious and bring to light Chelsea’s invigorating energy, which continues to fuel the local spirit. Rock on.

By MZ

Follow her @kingsroadrocks
Read the Chelsea Girls Rock blog