If you were to ask me what my favourite place was, it would be a draw between Camden and the British Library, both for sentimental reasons.
Go back 7 years and you'd find a 15 year-old Stephanie adorning a heavily studded belt and checkered Vans, rocking out to My Chemical Romance in a bedroom smothered in Kerrang! posters. So I'm sure you can understand why to me, Camden was an absolute goldmine.
The Camden Market Fire of 2008 brought heartfelt tears to my eyes. This place was a home away from home where I could spend my hard-earned Saturday job money on badges, stickers and t-shirts of my favourite bands.
It was during this time that me and the BFF George formed our awesome partners-in-crime friendship, so whenever we meet up in London, Camden is always our first port of call.
It was also during this time that I discovered my love for literature and all things Gothic. Studying A-Level English Literature introduced me to the world of Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein and my absolute fave, Angela Carter. This love of the Gothic lead me to discover Alexander McQueen, and hey presto - my love of fashion.
Going on to do English Literature at university has made books an integral part of my life, so when I saw that the British Library was holding an exhibition called 'Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination' I gave a nerdy squeel, and me and George decided we HAD to go .
This is one of the best exhibitions I've been to. Not only did it allow me to reminisce over my literary education, but discover sides of not only Gothic literature, but film and culture in general that I wasn't aware of.
Featuring handwritten drafts of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this is an absolute geek-fest for any literature lover. I actually collect antique books, and it was so hard for me to just stand and look at the gorgeous first editions on display. They've even got a real fricking vampire slaying kit!
We spent a good two hours in there, and I would say if you're a fan of literature, the Gothic, or anything dark and macabre. Get your tickets and go. They're only £10 and it's definitely worth it.
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