Stories on Redchurch Street

On one of our recent rambles round the East End we came across possibly the most beautiful pizza place and deli we've ever seen...   

Boulevard Bonanza

London's latest postcode N1C

The labyrinthine King's Cross has finally opened up, creating a brand new way through, handy for getting away from the Euston Road and exiting via the canal.  They have decided to call it 'King's Boulevard', rather grandly described we feel..  The definition of a Boulevard according to Wikipedia is 'a type of road usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as a slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery'.  It's got quite a long way to go before it gets there, but this is still an exciting touchstone of what is to come in this part of the world.

And it is one of a very few Boulevards in London.  The only other one we can find is somewhere off the Balham High Road.

The new road links serenely from St Pancras International up to the bridge over the Regent's Canal, heading towards the about to be finished shopping centre (Covent Garden style) and the stunning new home of Central St Martin's College of Art and Design. Close by are the offices of The Guardian and King's Place, the place to go for concerts of a classical and folk kind.  Tucked away behind it all are two acres of wild green space, the Camley Street Natural Park, perfect for budding naturalists.  

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays there are tasty looking pop-up food stalls at the canal end of King's Boulevard selling paella, kebabs and homemade chocolate goodies.

Works outing - the Adventure Walks for Families Christmas lunch

For our Christmas lunch this year, we kept it local and nipped round the corner to the pop up restaurant at Islington Barn on Upper Street (PipsDish)behind Toast.  All hay bales, gingham tablecloths, crooning music and farm shop. We feasted on a fabulous chicken and pearl barley broth, topped with a creamy dollop of caper and lemon rind mayonaise.  Completely delicious.  



For pudding we had a squidgy, sticky slab of carrot cake and black coffee.  Simple but effective.  The barn is the inspiration of cookery writer Philip Dundas, whose charmingly illustrated book Cooking without Recipes has caused a stir in the kitchen this Christmas. 

Hand drawn maps of London

Very excited to be pick of the week on the Friday Hand Drawn Maps of London blog for the Londonist.  


Our London Adventure Walks for Families 101 Dalmatians map, drawn by the lovely and talented Frances Bennett, is displayed in its full glory.

Festive Fun this Christmas

Get into the Christmas spirit..

1.  Brave the cold and take a bracing walk to gather holly and ivy to make a wreath.  Wrap it round a circle of florists' wire, decorate with baubles and hang on the front door.  


2.  Light a lantern and go carol singing down your street to raise money for a local charity.


3.  Fill the house with seasonal scents and make a pomander. Take an orange, stick it with cloves and tie it up with pretty ribbon.


4. Wrap up warm and set off on a winter scavenger hunt for animal tracks, pine cones, berries, seed heads and different coloured leaves.


5.  Make some star shaped biscuits to hang on the tree.  Make a hole in them for the ribbon before they are baked.

Bumper Book of London...coming soon

Hurrah. We've got a launch date for our new book The Bumper Book of London. 7th April 2012 since you are asking. 


Busy scratching our heads trying to put together a party plan and all the things we need to do to get the book on the shelves.


Just designing a freebee book mark with it's funky new hi-tech QR....we are feeling very modern!