Maarten in Ealing is 31-40 and is a Refugee Host.
House-husband, stay-at-home father and refugee host, Maarten has lived in various countries and has been a witness to eye-opening circumstances. He now provides a home for refugees, who have fled from their home countries all over the world.
Film Maker: Harriet Jones
Questions & Answers
- What's your first memory of London? Before ever coming to London I just remember seeing amazing line ups at the clubs in London with all the names we would dream of seeing in Holland! After I had been here for the first time I think the thing that struck me most is it’s diversity and creative vibe!
- What do you miss when you're away from London? Our lovely home.
- What's your favourite neighbourhood? For living I do love Ealing where we live. It's very green, not to busy but still has a good variety of shops. For record shopping Soho, Notting Hill and Dalston / Stoke Newington.
- What's your favourite building? I love the roundhouse in Camden. Not just for the building itself but also what happens inside!
- What's your ideal day out in London? I do love exploring areas where I’ve never been before. I love my food so to come it would involve finding a lovely place to eat some great food with friends and family! Ow and the sun would be shining!
- What's your ideal night out in London? It depends on what we’re up for. We love going to shows. Ronnie Scotts is a favorite but there are so many great venues. Seeing Gilles Peterson play is always a real treat!
- What's your most hated building? Primrose hill has a lovely view and is one of the first places where Nicky, my wife, took me.
- What's the best view in London? Kew Gardens
- What's your favourite open space? There are so many and one of the things I love about London is just walking around and discovering new places. A shop I used to spend a fair bit of time is BMsoho or formerly Black Market records, probably one of the most legendary record shops in the world for the music I love! Sadly it's closed down and replaced by a barbershop.
- What's your favourite bar, pub or restaurant? This may sound boring but it would be our own house and garden
- What's the most interesting shop? There’s been so many and all for different reasons so impossible to choose.
- What's your favourite place to hang out? Have breakfast in bed with the papers and a lovely cup of coffee with Nicky and Mieke (my wife and daughter). Go to Pilates or a run in the park and then of to our local butcher, fish, vegetable and cheese shop on the bicycle. Have a potter around the garden & house whilst listening to Gilles Peterson on BBC 6 whilst preparing a nice BBQ and then have friends and family over.
- What's been your most memorable night out in London? I always like to show people around Camden and then from there follow the canal through Regent's Park and the zoo and you can walk down to Hyde park. We also often used to do all the tourist attraction late in the evening by car. It's quiet on the road and London is beautiful at night with all the lights!
- How would you like to spend your ideal day off in London? Being stuck in traffic when all London Public transport were on strike!
- If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go? Early / mid 90's so I can experience the legendary Metalheadz BlueNote nights in Hoxton!