Alchemy

London's oldest head shop. Located on the Portobello Road [external link], the heart of London's creative community and site of europe's biggest street festival, the Notting Hill Carnival (held on the last weekend in August every year).

Owned and operated by Lee Harris.

The shop -- birthplace of the legendary Homegrown magazine and Brainstorm comics -- is especially noted for its range of unusual and original postcards (Gathered Images, Nemo, Skyline, Statics, etc.), an extensive selection of cigarette papers (Club, Bambu, Highland, Kulu, Lion of Judah, Rass, Rebel, Rips, Skins, Smoking, etc.), classic pipes from around the world (UK wholesale outlet for 'ProtoPipes', and the first shop to sell the 'Silver Palm Leaf'), beedies, herbal cigarettes ('Honeyrose'), rasta products, cultural T-shirts, Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Zap comics, The Upsetter magazine (re: Lee 'Scratch' Perry), plus many other interesting items. Alchemy also stocks informative literature on the cannabis issue... including: High Times , Weed World , and Red Eye Express ... plus books covering various aspects of cannabis (and the uses of hemp for cloth, archive paper, oil, rope, medicine, health, food, and fuel).

Alchemy is also a node on the international creative network, well known for its support of alternative and positive social ideals.

"When you're in London, check out Alchemy for good vibes and a reality update." --Henry W.Targowski (in Mark/Space ).

Highly recommended.

• The Great Book of Hashish Vol.1 Book 1 by Lawrence Cherniak
  (19??, resource... illustrated reference... reprint)

• The Great Book of Marijuana Vol.2 Book 1 by Lawrence Cherniak
  (19??, resource... illustrated reference... out-of-print)

• A Guide to British Psilocybin Mushrooms by Richard Cooper
  (1977, resource, illustrated... 1994, revised edition)

• Cooking With Ghanja by Eric
  (1995, cookbook... some classic recipes)

• Marijuana Herbal Cookbook: Recipes for Recreation and Health by Tom Flowers
  (September 1995, cookbook... ISBN 0-9647946-0-8)

• Marijuana Grower's Insider's Guide by Mel Frank
  (1988, first edition, resource... serious info)

• Marijuana Growers Guide by Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal
  (1990, revised edition, resource... considered by many to be the 'bible' of growing books)

• Cannabis Alchemy: The Art of Modern Hashmaking by D.Gold
  (1989, resource... fancy stuff to do after the harvest... out-of-stock)

• Legal Highs: A Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Herbs and Chemicals with Psychoactive Properties by Adam Gottlieb
  (1973, reference... ISBN 0-9527670-0-7)

• Best of Homegrown edited by Lee Harris and Chris Render
  (1994, essays, articles, photos... classic compilation)

• The Emperor Wears No Clothes by Jack Herer
  (1993/1994 revised and expanded edition, resource... a documented history of hemp... fascinating stuff!)

• A Guide to Growing Marijuana in Cool Climates by Don Irving
  (19??, resource... UK-based)

• The Sinsemilla Technique by Kayo
  (1982, resource... out-of-stock)

• Howard Marks: His Life and High Times by David Leigh
  (1984, non-fiction, biography... 1988, revised edition... smuggling... originally published as High Time ... this is the revised edition... out-of-stock)

• Cannabis -- A Growers Guide by Anya Marike
  (1994, reference... "A Guide to Growing Cannabis in North Europe")

• Green Harvest: A Straightforward Guide To Growing Sensimilla by George Mayfield
  (no publishing date provided, resource... a few copies remaining)

• Gold Harvest: A Straightforward Guide To Growing Sensimilla by George Mayfield
  (1997, resource... an expanded version of Green Harvest ... recommended)

• Mr Nice by Howard Marks
  (September 1996, non-fiction, autobiography... smuggling, cannabis, hashish... signed paperback edition available)

• The Joint Rolling Handbook by Rak
  (1994, non-fiction, revised edition)
  "Party pieces... origami for the mind." --Henry W.Targowski.

• Council Flat Paradise -- Growing Ganja for Council Flats by Will Rogers
  (1994, non-fiction, resource)
  "Brief starter's guide in a ragga style." --Henry W.Targowski

• Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Growing Tips by Ed Rosenthal
  (October 1986, non-fiction, reference... ISBN 0-932551-05-X... marijuana, cannabis)

• Ask Ed by Ed Rosenthal
  (1987, resource... collection of his High Times columns)

• Marijuana Grower's Handbook -- Indoor/Greenhouse Edition by Ed Rosenthal
  (1992, revised edition, resource... for the more advanced gardener)

• Hemp Today edited by Ed Rosenthal
  (November 1994, first edition, resource... introduction by Willie Nelson)

• The Closet Cultivator by Ed Rosenthal
  (19??, resource... good tips for growing in small spaces)

• Psychedelic Encyclopedia by Peter Stafford
  (1978, 1983, 1992, resource... 3rd expanded edition, foreword by Andrew Weil M.D. ... out-of-stock)

• The Mushroom Cultivator -- A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home by Paul Stamets, J.S.Chilton
  (1983, resource... out-of-stock)

• Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets
  (1993, resource... out-of-stock)

• Marijuana Hydroponics: High-Tech Water Culture by Daniel Storm
  (1987, resource... quite technical)

For more information about the Portobello area (better known as 'The Grove'):

Buzz Bar
(upstairs at the Portobello Gold pub...
not much here yet... have plans to database all shops in the Portobello area of London, but...)

London Calling
(an excellent website, based in the Portobello Road area of London... maintained by David Parry and Paul Cohen...
"Check the film reviews section... what the hell, check it all! There's a lot of good stuff here. These guys work very hard.
Have cross-linked to the Alchemy shop." --Henry W.Targowski.

North Kensington Business Forum
(resource centre... serving the local Portobello/Ladbroke Grove area... maintained by Crawford Austin, General Manager...
internet access... DTP, word processing, scanning, laser printing, CV, and other services)

Notting Hill TV
(London-based website dedicated to the Notting Hill community... e-mail: info@webmarque.co.uk... local information, arts, message board, classifieds, property, restaurants, amenities, shops, events)

Arcadia
(maintained by Kevin Browne... an online collection of cigarette paper packets, arranged by country and by theme, plus information about the companies that produce them)
"A nice resource. Do check the animation for Highland papers." --Henry W.Targowski.

Charter 88
(constitutional reform group in the UK... keeping tabs on the law... well worth checking)

Counterculture
(Anachron Library entry... author list, plus links to other websites)

Drugs Peace Institute
(organisation concerned with the imprisoned victims of the drug wars... Adriaan Bronkhorst, president...
e-mail: spuistr2@dds.nl)

Neurologic
(Anachron Library entry... booklist, plus links)

Psychedelic Psyberspace
(links page... psychedelics, 60s, music, culture)

Psychedelics
(Anachron Library entry... booklist, plus links)