I was in London over the weekend visiting my old flat, in Stoke Newington, for the first time in just under a decade! We've been renting it out but recently decided that we'd utilise it more for the family at weekends and the hubby can stay when working in the big smoke.
It's an area that's changed dramatically over the last few years, notably because of the development of Kings Cross and the investment pre London Olympics. That said what I loved about Stokey then, and thankfully still, is that it has an eclectic mix of independent retailers, bars and restaurants.
Friday night I met up with my girl friends, Louise and Helen, who also happens to live in Stokey, and we strolled up Stoke Newington high street to a new Vietnamese, Uncle Nam, which was full, so crossed over to the Black Pig with White Pearls for Tapas. It was the perfect venue for a girlie get together, cosy with candles and a relaxed atmosphere. The food was great and we couldn't resist Churros for dessert, especially as they'd been on Batter week, on the Great British Bake off!
It's an area that's changed dramatically over the last few years, notably because of the development of Kings Cross and the investment pre London Olympics. That said what I loved about Stokey then, and thankfully still, is that it has an eclectic mix of independent retailers, bars and restaurants.
Friday night I met up with my girl friends, Louise and Helen, who also happens to live in Stokey, and we strolled up Stoke Newington high street to a new Vietnamese, Uncle Nam, which was full, so crossed over to the Black Pig with White Pearls for Tapas. It was the perfect venue for a girlie get together, cosy with candles and a relaxed atmosphere. The food was great and we couldn't resist Churros for dessert, especially as they'd been on Batter week, on the Great British Bake off!
Saturday morning we headed to Chumleys Coffee Limited (101 Stoke Newington High street) for a great brunch. We all plumped for the Eggy bread, bacon and avocado which was delicious. I was in there from 9am as the flat hasn't yet got any creature comforts and it's a great spot for the whole family with mums and dads on the early shift coming in for a well deserved coffee!
Then we had a mooch along Stoke Newington high street, which joins up the more gentrified Church street with the hipster, Kingsland Road, Dalston. of cabbages & kings and Knit with attitude are 2 shops in one and I picked up a few prints from Freya Cumming, featuring Hot Air Balloons inspired by the annual Bristol Balloon fiesta, see above, as well as tea towels, like you do!
Then we had a mooch along Stoke Newington high street, which joins up the more gentrified Church street with the hipster, Kingsland Road, Dalston. of cabbages & kings and Knit with attitude are 2 shops in one and I picked up a few prints from Freya Cumming, featuring Hot Air Balloons inspired by the annual Bristol Balloon fiesta, see above, as well as tea towels, like you do!
 | The location of our flat means we are a stones throw away from Newington Green and pre children hubby and I would spend a leisurely morning reading the Sunday papers over a coffee and pastry at Belle Epoque, left and below, when its bakery was still in the basement! I'm glad to see they're not only still trading but now have a kitchen unit in N5 and a boutique in Islington as well as Selfridges. We headed there for a late lunch, well it was really afternoon tea, and spent another hour happily reminiscing. |
After a lot of coffee, food and a belly full of laughs I left the London ladies and headed back to the South Coast. If you want to find out more about what's on in N16 then I happened to stumble upon this site,with a very apt slogan, Stereo Stokey/ Never more than three feet away from a pram or visit coolplaces.co.uk.
Click on the links for more info and thanks for stopping by.
Click on the links for more info and thanks for stopping by.
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