One thing I love about living in London is the fact that even though I've been here 20 years I'm always making new discoveries. Take yesterday for example. Mr & Mrs That's Not My Age went for a stroll eastwards along the Regent's Canal. Where Mr TNMA revealed that as a young slip of a lad he'd been to a party on a houseboat right here. Just back from a trip to Bali, the young Blog Widower was adorned in his favourite holiday purchase: a pair of red, white and blue patterned harem pants. I stifled a cackle and immediately changed the subject.
Further along the canal, we met the fabulously named, cookery writer, Lori De Mori who will be celebrating her 50th birthday this year. Lori De Mori (I just want to keep saying her name!) is owner of the Towpath café where Mr TNMA ordered a big fat sausage sandwich and a glass of rosé and I caught a whiff of a melted cheese sandwich just being taken out from under the grill. This happened to be Lori De Mori's lunch but being a gracious lady and canny business woman she very kindly offered it up to me. How could I refuse? Sorry, Lori De Mori. More raclet than Welsh Rarebit, the melted cheese sandwich was sensational. We could have stayed all afternoon eating homemade cakes, drinking beer and listening to live music at this lovely laid-back venue, but we had to be on our way.
Towpath has water side tables and chairs but we ate our lunch on this boat-type thingy and then carried on up the canal.
Being a northener, I'm fond of a run-down old warehouse, I find beauty in a derelict landscape.
But I love seeing the country in the city. Trees growing from cracks in walls, wild flowers against a graffiti backdrop:
We finished our journey at Mile End Park, which is lush and green and has its own wind turbine and borehole.
Have you ever made the mistake of buying holiday clothes on holiday?
And do you have a favourite al fresco dining spot?
Towpath, 42 De Beauvoir Crescent, London N1 (020 7254 7606)
15 comments:
I was going to blog about Towpath, durnit! Lovely spot, isn't it? I love London's canals, up by the Lea and the Olympic site it's stunning.
xx
The towpath looks lovely, I didn't know London could be like that.
For a while I lived and worked and generally hung out on yachts. In that world the currency was t-shirts, from which regatta and what superyacht. I had lots of cool ones. Back home, they were just ratty t-shirts with writing on them.
The towpath looks great. Last time Mr G and I were in London we promised ourselves we would visit more regularly and appreciate what we have on our own doorstep as much as we appreciate going abroad. Talking of which I once brough a hideous pair of bright green shoes home from Cyprus........
At last, someone else who appreciates the industrial!!
Too often we romanticise the rural and castigate the industrial!
Your photos are fab and, with a name like that, Lori de Mori is just crying out to have a poem written about her!
Ali x
What a lovely post.Thank you for sharing.
sacramento from Spain
Did it take long to walk that distance? I fancy one of Lori's toasted cheese sandwiches!
Caroline - yes, it's lovely and I'll be back. Haven't been up to the Olympic site for a while so need to investigate.
EA - get you hanging out on yachts!
GG - hello and thanks for leaving a comment. Did you ever wear the hideous green shoes?
AC - Lori De Mori doesn't have to worry, she travels everywhere in a ten ton lorry!
LF - a couple of hours, I think. Next time we're going to do it the other way round at end up at Towpath for an evening drink.
Wow, that looks SO lovely. Yes, have definitely bought holiday clothes on holiday that have never seen the light of day once I've returned to real life, especially when travelling to places like Bali or Peru ... I think I've learnt my lesson finally.
Huge fan of Petersham Nursuries for al fresco food, either tea and cakes in the greenhouse tea rooms or the very special restaurant which is luxurious and expensive but also dog-friendly.
I've tagged you for a meme if you fancy it, but no obligation if you don't... x
That looks and sounds like such a fantastic day:)
I adore how you wrote about and the photos are beautiful:)
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog:) So lovely to see you:) Have a wonderful Tuesday and see you soon:)
I do like canals and canal boats. i have had 2 holidays on them. It is very hard to come back to the fast pace of everyday life after a week on them. The cafe sounded great. What a lovely day out you have had. Xxxx
And being a Northerner myself, I know what you mean about old warehouses, and old mills on canal-sides. Nowt like it!
What a great outing and the Towpath cafe looks amazing. What a wonderful name Lori De Mori is - might just have to keep saying it all day! Spoilt for choice with outside cafes here in Melbourne I have to admit but my favourite is a one called The New York Tomato. No American influences but it's on the corner of New and York Streets in Richmond, Melbourne. May have to do a post about it soon... Loved your photographs. x
PB - I am thwarted at every attempt to visit Petersham Nurseries (traffic jams,arriving on a Monday when it's closed - though they did let us have a look round) so now I've given up trying. The money I've saved can pay for a few more trips to Towpath!
T - I hope Mr TNMA has learnt his lesson too!
DM - thank you and my pleasure.
CD - nowt, indeed.
Really beautiful and poetic. Love this. Thanks, Keri a.k.a. Sam
www.samwich365.com
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