icklemariposa: London

16:01

Gentrification as its sometimes called

On Saturday we went over to Walthamstow to go and visit my in-laws. They still live in the same house that they have lived in since the 70s and like most Londoners they have been witness to quite a few changes. My Dad, who since the 80s has lived by Old Street and writing about what changes he and I have witnessed is another story entirely!

In Laws, P and Hubby and I went to visit the William Morris museum and Lloyd Park. Hubby looked out to the park and could not believe how much its changed. It looked amazing, a really good playground for all with a lovely coffee shop to boot.

The gallery was small but very insightful, P loved running around and engaged in a lot of child friendly activities especially the dressing up section in one of the rooms. The cafe was very much a gallery cafe with lots of scrummy cakes and tea. All types of people enjoying the park and gallery.

This above, is the positive side to “Gentrification”…I will refer to this word in quote marks for the rest of this post because it deserves quote marks.

The saddest part of the “gentrification” of Walthamstow is that it’s made property prices rise and if were choose to live back to where hubby spent his all his life in we wouldn't be able to afford it. And what is even worse is that we wouldn't be able to move back to where I spent my childhood either, Kensal Rise. Wouldn’t be able to afford that either. Hubby’s parents are forever changing their mind, if they sell they would make a mint, if they stay they would enjoy the area more than they used too.

As we were driving back we observed on the pavement on the left, a couple, the man could not stand up and kept falling down, drunk as a skunk, and both my in laws and hubby chortled saying that Walthamstow still hasn’t changed. And they kind of looked relieved. Then I mentioned about the the Keep Walthamstow a littlebit shit photo.

Gentrification is a marmite monster, you either love it or you hate it. Is there a middle ground?

It can produce social cleansing of the community where the locals are not able to stay or priced out the area. Therefore losing the vibe of why the area was special place to live in the first place. In many areas of London “gentrification” has created a them and us environment, where local people are not part of hub of what has been created.

What my greatest bug bear of “gentrification” is when people who have moved to a part of London and they say “yes, there are some really nice areas, where we live, but goodness there are some rough areas too” How very dare you! Are you referring to the locals, the locals that some of which live on council estates, some of which can just about mange to live there scraping past the poverty line..London is the Rough with the Smooth..but sometimes the “Smooth” are the “Rough” and the “Rough” are the “Smooth”

I can accuse myself of such thoughts though, I must admit. Where we live at the moment in Southgate, a bar on the high street has recently closed down. Much to mine and hubby’s delight as it was a very townie type bar and we are waiting with baited breath to see if a good ol’ lovely gastro pub that sells steak and artisan baked chips on a wooden board will be assembled its place..i doubt it though.

The Gentrification beast is a monster of a thing but how about a nice way of living for everyone, where everyone, local or just moved in lives in good ol’ harmony. Where businesses that are investing in the area make it all inclusive rather than exclusive.

Take it away William Morris…..

13:36

Rinsing out the last days of the summer days: part 1

15:12

sunday moments

16:22

love the museum kid!

14:11

Summer is still here

14:42

End of my beloved Summer

Tower of London poppies to commemorate World War I

Paloma almost looks like Carrie in front of the bus, she should be wearing a tutu.

what you cant see in this picture is that 1) we were walking past a pop-up bar by county hall 2) this bar was blaring out some bassy house music 3) Paloma stopped and started dancing, hence the two men in the background smiling at her and they weren't the only ones. P had a little crowd going to her left.

Southbank Festival of Love artwork

The River Thames

Long day, home to bed for a story

Notting Hill Carnival marks the end of summer for me. I had been going for more than 30 years. Going there the weather would always be quite cloudy, I can’t remember a day going to carnival and it being sunny. And then...and then summer seems to come back again for a couple of weeks. British weather sure is a funny minx!

I haven’t been to carnival for a few years now and I miss going so much, but I will be back again with a vengeance, after parties and all.

Hubby has had August Fridays off last month, and the last of his Fridays off last week we did the "Londoners go touristing in London." day on our last weekend of summer. I love doing that, being tourists in our home town, it reconnects me to London, I see all these eyes of wonder that I have when I go touristing abroad. It is a nice feeling that all these people want to see my home town.

So we hit the South Bank walk as I call it. Starting at Tower Hill, working our way through to Borough Market, Tate Modern and then finishing at Royal Festival Hall. Well actually we had to run over the bridge and buy part of a birthday present for one of my nieces in Covent Garden.

Now there is another place I haven’t been in a while!

Here we go then, autumn weather will soon come. Where we will wrap up all cosy, Paloma will start nursery for a few mornings a week, and then Christmas will come round and P will have so much more to enjoy rather than last year when she was only 9 months old. I hasten to add though. I hate winter. No, I really do. I hate the cold and I hate the snow. I feel like I have a lump in my throat because summer goes too, too quickly and winter feels like it goes on forever. I feel more alive with summer, the heat, the sun, the foods and fruits that summer bring. Clothes, I have more summer clothes than winter clothes. I feel more free, more devil may care attitude with what I wear in the summer, the colours, the sandals or the lack of! London comes alive when Spring and Summer come along. People on the streets out and about or cotchin outside cafes, parks, eateries, bars. Everything, I will miss Summer more than I should.

When the autumnal weather really kicks I will go to a cosy café with P and Hubby and drown my sorrows with a creamy thick hot chocolate!