Drayton Past, Around the Corner to Mountgrove Present

After a year in North West London in 2008, we thought it was time for a change from Kilburn. So we looked at too many flats to count or want to remember!, booked a van and moved to East London, Islington, to be exact in March 2009. Tom through out the hunting process insisted on us not living close to the Arsenal Stadium and I didn't object but as it turned out - you really couldn't get any closer to the stadium if you tried! For me, knowing sweet bugger all about football I managed to keep out of the loop for when games were on, football fans swarming the streets, but I always managed to see the police on their horses, the one bonus. I can only remember a few times biking down Holloway Road back from a netball game only to turn into a street of what one would first think was a scene off return of the dead or Zombieland. Pretty scary stuff, football fans who have just lost. Anywho, Drayton Park was a cute, compact, modern first story terrace flat for two, perfect for us!

Six months after moving in a Tesco's Metro store opened across the street which added to the perfect position between Arsenal Tube station and Highbury & Islington Tube/Overground our flat possessed. Parks were never very far off with Highbury Fields up the road and Clissold Park around the corner. Needless to say we were happy bar one bathroom ceiling cave in (see Greece entry for more!). The place was so great in fact the landlord wanted to move back in, so we chose this is an opportunity to move into an established flat and take a short term lease. One look on Gum Tree website and I found a perfect match, which followed with a lovely visit and drop of wine or two with the Aussie couple. It started to feel like dating as we passed the first date criteria and made it to date two, dinner and a restaurant of our choosing. In all honesty it was so nice to meet a couple who were so like minded, even to the point of our past and future travel plans! It turns out we may have walked past each other in Thailand on our way over all the way back in 2007!

So we booked a man and a van this time as it was only £30 and he helps! plus it was only around the corner. The most pain free move both Tom and I have ever had. Period. So a new adventure begins in another shared flat with an Australian couple from Perth, Cath and Simon.

Not only did we move flats but we moved counties too, Hackney, and with that comes new restaurants, heavily influenced by Turkish origins but we are still on the same tube and bus routes. So same same but different.

Sylvanian Families deserves a mention, if ever you have had one of these furry felt woodland creatures growing up or even in adulthood you will understand. A kids seventh heaven, a whole store devoted to a Japanese iconic toy and they are one door down! Just stepping through the door and the years just peel away. I discovered many new families have joined the woodland community and many of my old favourites (in a box safely packed away in NZ) are still there.

So we have moved to an old bakery conversion - not a usual flat for not a usual couple. Now the hunt starts to find some old photos of what it may have looked like in its heyday.

Orders for Sylvanian Families welcome. :-)

G