icklemariposa: child friendly 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…..

11:01

date night

13:36

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

15:12

sunday moments

16:22

love the museum kid!

16:04

London Transport Museum

So super excited off we went on Saturday to Covent Garden, to a museum I had not been to for ages, for decades even and couldn't wait to see P's reaction to the buses that she always calls out too, "mama..BUSSSSS".

We get to Convent Garden, inside the arcade bit and I drop my DSLR. The lense comes off and I cant put it back in. Crest fallen we proceed as P is non the wiser to the mini disaster that has happened to me and hubby is asking me to keep it together. Keep it together!!! how much the fook is this gonna cost us to repair it!!

Five mins later we are in. Me with a slight pout on me and a tad on the expensive side, £32 for Hubby and me, P goes free, but apparently we have exactly a year to go back again and again. Hubs and I agree on a mental note on exactly when! because, actually. the London Transport Museum seems like a really good child friendly place. In its chaos of children every where, the LTM did not feel like a place that would make you want to take up smoking again and go outside for a break from all the madness. I found the info surprisingly fascinating, and it was one of those moments where I really feel that I am not from UK, All this history is not my heritage. My heritage is my Grandfather working in the pampas in Chile in the railways. This history belongs to my daughter, her Great, great Grandfather worked as an engineer for the buses in East London. Its something I cant share with P but doesn't change how much of a Londoner I feel.

Looking at the old machines and photos was bliss for me, am I a geek! Each exhibition section was well thought of and interactive. P who is only two seemed to get it all.

The ground floor was the best of all with all the space and a special kids section and they had a creative section where us three created a London landmark with shape cut outs which Hubs and I took a bit too seriously.

We popped out for lunch as we were able to come go out and come back in again. The cafes seemed okay, nothing fancy, but not sure if that should be improved or not, as would that be just another expense.

Hubby wasnt so enamored with the Museum shop, but I didnt mind it so much, but yes, this was on the expensive side, but it wasn't so tacky!

Definitely recommend LTM but maybe bring pack lunch or "sneak out" for a bite to eat.

12:38

summer was still here

It seems that Summer is now, for real, on its way out. I can tell as there are lots of bad colds going around, and now my husband has one too.

The last couple of weekends and my Fridays off work I have managed to rinse the last hot days.

Mum, Paloma and I went to the Diana Memorial Fountain.

It was a bit of a mission to get there on the tube, but once you are there its lots of fun. I hadn’t been for ages to the Serpentine part of Hyde Park, one forgets how big it is. We had lunch at the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen, which was good quality food, really yummy but very expensive. It is quite child friendly but I was very surprised at how salty P’s chips were. I had to get a paper napkin and wipe the chips! But the fish fingers were great, fishy and tasty. And what a view of the lake. There is a baby changing facility in the wheelchair toilet at the restaurant.

It was a gorgeous and hot day so we took Paloma to the fountain. Paloma had lots of fun. The water was quite cold but she loved splashing around. Should have bought change of clothes for her!

Then we crossed the park, took about 15 minutes to get to the Diana Memorial playground .

Wow, what a sight for Paloma, as I took her out of the buggy she actually yelped. P absolutely loved the sand. She was like pig in doo-doo. At one point she went flat on her tummy and started doing breaststrokes. Paloma ran around like it was all going to end in five minutes. She climbed one of the ladders to get on to the boat. I couldn’t believe she was capable of doing that and there are no other ways one. I could see, including me, loads of Mums and Dads (and Nannies, au pairs) – posh area innit) trying to get on the boat. Once on it was a bit scary for me, loads of children running around and bashing into Paloma and a massive whole where all the kids played. Paloma loved it though of course. When we left she kicked off so that’s how I know.

The next Friday P and I went to the fountains at Granary Square in Kings Cross and this I time took change of clothes. Paloma was the only child there as all the children that usually are all back at school. I didn’t know how she would react but she totally loved it. Charging through the water and then we went at had lunch at Caravan, really child friendly or the waitress was any way. She didn’t bung us inside, suggested we ate outside. No childrens menu but the pizza that P and I shared was very tasty, it was a treat as a bit costly. There is a baby changing tray bit in the wheelchair toilet but a bit difficult to navigate in to, but it is clean.

Then last Sunday Hubby and went for a walk around Primrose Hill and along the canal. Paloma loves nothing more than running around in a park. She is like Phoebe in friends. There is a lovely playground area with a sand pit. There is a baby changing area but we changed P outside in the park bit! Then after that we went for a walk along the Regents canal towards the market where we went and had some food. Dad gave us last year, one of these, and we haven’t used it much but I knew that we would be sitting at tables we could use this on. We had such a magic moment. There we all were, Hubby and I eating our Argentinian thick steak sandwiches and P was self-feeding her fresh pasta with tomato and bacon sauce. We were near a stall playing Rare Groove, soul and funk. Eating her food and looking at the crowd walking around. Taking it all in.

Love London.

We went to.....

We went to....