Park Life |  Financial Times, Life & Arts

Another write-up about our neighbourhood (although mainly focused on the more established Queens Park area), this time from the FT. NW6 is not our post code. We’re in the less desirable (although faster improving) area of NW10. I remember when we moved to Kensal Rise it felt like a big step down from the posh Primrose Hill we’d been renting in  – it was a big step down — but I love the diversity of an up-and-coming area combined with the sense of momentum which translates to a noticeably improving environment for eating and shopping (although less so). Keep the good words coming folks, we love to hear about our neighbourhood.                                                                                                      

I was shocked to hear that Vogue magazine said our little neighbourhood of Kensal Rise was “one of the coolest spots in Europe” (or something like that). Really? I mean we like it but that’s a little higher praise that I would expect. Now the NY Times Travel Blog has an article too:

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/kensal-rising/

Just found another article, even more ridiculous. I mean, I do agree the place has a good community feel to it and that it’s heading in the right direction but the name dropping and the  price range seems a bit out of whack not to mention the seeming ease with which they’re willing to include Queens Park as a part of Kensal Rise (Queens Park being the neighbouring neighbourhood which is about 10 years ahead of us in gentrification).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1308628/With-green-space-art-house-cinema-glitzy-boutiques-wonder-everyones-talking-Kensal-Rise.html

We’ve had a lot of “typical London weather” recently which means its been shit. Not today. Gorgeous outside. I finally took the cover off the bike and took it for a spin. The picture above is entering into Camden Locks via the canal. As you can see I wasn’t the only one who thought it was a nice day. I soon decided to get off the canal and explore the streets which was fun, a little less crowded, and educational too. I am always amazed how much you start to understand about how the city connects when you walk or ride. Also how much more city there is in the city outside of the normal hotspots and subway exits.

It’s –8 degrees Celsius today in London. Jesus, where’s global warming when you need it? Makes you want to burn a little extra carbon today just to get back to the dream. On a related note, someone told me recently that people were buying vineyards in England expecting global warming to turn good old England into the next France. Good luck with that idea genius. Maybe English wine can be marketed as being “pre-chilled”.