Monday, January 12, 2015

Back in the Old 'Hood


After my dinner party crankiness on Saturday, it was good to be able to get away and do some photography yesterday morning. I didn't get moving until fairly late and Dave and I had somewhere to be in the afternoon, so I didn't have a whole lot of time. Instead of doing more Bleeding London, which usually entails hours of walking and hundreds of pictures, I decided to keep it simple.

There were a couple of murals I wanted to see in North London, so I took a combination of tube and overground train and spent an hour or so alone with the camera and my iPod. It was good decompression time, and I took only a handful of pictures.

In the afternoon we went to see Chris and Linda, who live across the hall from our previous apartment in Notting Hill. It was strange to be back on the old turf. It seemed like we'd just left. Everything looks the same -- the nandina are still living, untended, on our former balcony. Chris and Linda tell us that real estate agents bring people around to the old flat every so often, but there's never been a buyer -- or even a renter. As I've said before, I don't know why the owners don't lower the price. The place is too expensive!

Anyway, we had a good time hanging out with the neighbors -- and it was wonderful having someone else do the cooking and cleanup. The dinner party gods paid us back.

(Photo: A mural by Boe & Irony on Black Boy Road, North London.)

8 comments:

John Going Gently said...

Those starlings are cracking

Sharon said...

I'm glad you had the time to get out a walk and take photos. That's how relax too. It's my favorite thing to do.
Last night I watched a show on PBS called The Queen's Garden and it was so interesting. I wish I could wander in that garden and take some photos but, I'm pretty sure that will never happen.

Ms. Moon said...

I agree with John Gray.
As to dinner parties- I don't know which I enjoy less- giving them or going to them.
The older I get, the weirder I get.
So be it.

ellen abbott said...

I love street art but besides the several officially sanctioned large murals around town there isn't any in this small town, at least not that I've seen.

The Bug said...

Love the starlings too - they match the ones in our back yard :)

I really should get out & walk - but on top of the snow we've now had freezing rain. Not sure when a walk is going to happen!

37paddington said...

your old apartment was very nice but who can afford those prices? silly of the owner to just have it sitting empty, though I bet you don't regret moving now that you have a back yard.

Linda Sue said...

That price is amazing! WOW, little wonder it is empty! Ditto Ms. Moon! Parties are not my thing, I am very awkward and blurt out crazy talk...nerves, I guess. Needless to say, we have not been invited to dinner parties for a very long time. We are scary.

Sarah said...

I love that mural-starlings are one of my favourite birds. There are some really skilled street artists out there! You should visit Wapping. It is a great area to go wandering around and has some lovely pubs too. When I go to the school there I turn left out of the overground. The street is parallel to the river. St Katherines Dock is nearby and lots of interesting little streets. It always seems to be very quiet around there-at least at the times I have been. At night it is a little creepy in that sense if you are on your own. The cafe with the chairs is pretty near the station-I think across the road, up that street and then left. I didn't go in as I wanted to go home but the coffee smelt good!