A CONSERVATION AREA, A PUB AND A SUNDAY LUNCH ..........

When I was a child, many, many years ago in a galaxy far, far away !!!! this would have been the scene on a Sunday at lunch time, with Mum and Dad on the other side of the table. Don't get me wrong.....it's not a criticism.....Sunday lunch was always delicious and probably the best meal of the week. This then became a Sunday ritual when I got married and had children, but now they are grown up and have their own Sunday lunches so, together with friend's, Mr. Home and I can often be found having our Sunday lunch cooked for us in some pub of another.

Yesterday was one such Sunday and it was the turn of The Albion to be graced with our presence.

The Albion is a Georgian pub where regulars would take an afternoon stroll,out of the city and call in for a drink and a bite to eat.

Situated just behind bustling Upper Street in the centre of Islington, London, in the beautiful Barnsbury conservation area, it won the 'Observer Food  Monthly award' for 'Best Sunday Lunch 2009' and is one of the Independent's  ' Top 50 Sunday Lunch Venues'  and The Guardian's ' Best Pub's in the UK'.

We all had the 30 Day Prime Rib Steak .......... it was divine !!

After eating a plateful that even Henry V111 would be proud of, all washed down with a couple of glasses of red wine, it is appropriate to have a stroll around the area and have a good old nose at the gorgeous Georgian houses..........

There are one after the other of beautiful Georgian homes, all preserved beautifully, and , although quite modest in size, are WAY out of our price range !! Because of where they are they are all well into the millions of ££££'s.......... lots of millions of ££££'s !! 

I don't think that he was very happy that I was taking a photograph of his house !!!!

The Drapers Arm's is another pub in the same area which, I feel sure, will be getting a visit from us in the not too distant future !!

After all of that food, drink and strolling, a little lie down was called for .......... I feel a week of salads coming on !!

image 1 - flickr, image 6 - via plumb interior design, image 7- Michael Franke, image 9 - via thirtyoneseventyfive, image 23 - Agata Stoinska.

All other photographs by me.

NEW YEAR ..... OLD ME !! ..........

So, we are well into January now, the excesses of the season are over and it's back to the old routine for us all  and, maybe time to take stock for some..........

The old year was rung out and the New Year rung in, ( with the help of our son of course !!!! Brag, brag . I shall probably use every opportunity to sneak that in where I can !.....haha ) .........

The members of the Windsor family are ensconced in Buckingham Palace arranging  some major event ..... I think that I heard something about a little wedding in the not too distant future !! .......... Kate is probably Googling everything from wedding dresses to wedding venues as we speak .......... NOT !!!!!! 

I'm not one for New Year's resolution's or change so .......... I will not be giving up wine, no matter what colour it is ..........

I shall not be cutting my hair short, even though I probably should at my age ( big birthday coming up in a few weeks ). I  have had long, straight hair virtually all of my life and, I don't know what I would do with it if it was short !! ..........

I shall not be giving up chocolate either ..........

That's how much I love chocolate ..........

I shall not be increasing the amount of exercise that I do anytime soon .....  perhaps a few arm exercises with a wine bottle in each hand and a walk to the pub now and again !! ..........

Shopping will be increased according to how the recession is going ..........

This is my newest purchase ..... All Saints Military jacket bought in the sale ..... All Saints is my second home. I am usually All  Saintsed up from head to toe ..... if any owners of All Saints are reading this,  feel free to offer me any freebies for my loyalty and my constant throwing of ££££££'s your way. 

................ and finally I will leave you with this little conundrum ( which has got nothing to do with anything really !!) ..........

Why is it that, whenever I go into the bathroom I am greeted with the above ? Does it happen to you ?!!!  It's rather odd that, the most intelligent of people do not have the ability to change the toilet roll !!!! Do you think that their brains have had a toilet roll changing by-pass ?

image 1 - Willie Vanderperre, image 2 - Bruno Vincent, image 3 - Robin Wood, image 4 - Rilrae, images 6, 7, 8, 9 - visualize.us,  image 10, 12, 13 - we heart it, image 11 - All Saints

REPRISE OF LAST POST........2011 .......... HERE'S TO A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR ..........

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.

Here's to a wonderful 2011, filled with everything that you wish for.

Please indulge me in a boastful moment,..... the fireworks in London were the best EVER......and our son mixed and produced all of the music that accompanied them !!!! It was the first time that London had music with the firework display, which made it even more special We are very proud of him.

Well done Daniel.....you did a great job.

In my excitement, I deleted the whole of this post and had to redo it......I lost all of your lovely comments so, if you have a spare moment,  feel free to re-comment, as I know that Daniel would love to read them !!!!

image - Reuters