Ben's town

Swimming in the men's pond at Hampstead Heath.

The view across London from Mount View Road, day or night.

The pain au chocolat from Londis in Queen's Park.

A pint of something fruity in the Jerusalem Tavern.

My back garden.

Rosie's town (Yarmouth, Isle of Wight)

Arriving by ferry to be greeted waving arms and smiling faces

The old pier and Granny Kiki's plank

The familiar walk through town and the anticipation of the first Mill sighting

Gossips café for Minghella's ice cream (cappuccino or banana flavour? ... it's
an endless dilemma)

The George, Bugle, Kings Head or Wheatsheaf? All happy haunts at some stage

Harwoods Chandlers shop - deck shoes, footballs, rope for hammocks or fishing
lines - it has it all

Nikaty-nakaty shops - plenty of different ones over the years - thousands of
useless ways to spend hard earned pocket money

Carnival - even now a highlight of my year - never matches expectation, but I
still look forward to the parade, the funfair, the harbour sports and the
races/dog show - something for everyone!

Walks along the railway line or up to the copse - can't be beat in my book,
especially with a toddler, there are adventures around every bush

Compton Beach - challenges the best of the rest of the world in my eyes

The WI in the Town Hall on Wednesday mornings during the summer - superb cakes
and jam, got to get there early though (it is all super cheap and I still spend
a fortune)

Quick dashes in the car over to Freshwater to the supermarket - quick stop at
the Red Lion on the way back

Horse riding if someone will go with me - fresh air and galloping across the
fields

The Mill - I can easily spend a weekend and not leave the house & grounds -
endless games of cards, dominos, backgammon, snooker, table tennis or lurky
('kick-the-can' to the uneducated), crabbing out the front, sun
bathing/reading/yoga out the back, fires in the yard in the evening, laughing at
Ellen/Scott struggling in the canoe, drinks out the front watching the sun set,
drinks out the back waiting for dinner to be ready

Not having Internet and proper mobile phone signal, not having channel 5 or even
a TV with remote control or outside aerial

Communal living, kitty purse and mass shopping and cooking

Finding a decent mattress and not telling anyone else about it

The big clean up and room inspections - leaving it like you would want to find
it

I could go on, but it has become 'My holiday house' rather than 'my town'

I thank you

Rosie's town (Wellington)

Petone - the in-laws house on Adelaide Street which seems to have an endless
supply of fine wine and good food, not to mention continual excuses to drink and
be merry

Petone beach - it's just too lovely having a beach at the end of the street

Pak 'n' save - ultimate food shopping

Jackson Street - for the nikaty-nakaty shops, the super cool cafes and the
abundant 'pre-loved' junk/clothes shops

Wellington harbour - boats, beers and amazing views

Te Papa - beautiful museum and gallery - always something brilliant on

Any number of nameless bars where nights slip by in drunken hazes

The Terrace - for the shops (and the exchange rates)

Cuba Street - all the funky bars and shops

Upper Hutt shopping centre - for sneaking off with Pamela for some serious
shopping action

Mount Vic tunnel - never understood why or where, but seems to feature in every
journey to anywhere in Welly

Island Bay - happy times at lovely friends houses

Bee's town (NYC)

the brooklyn bridge - one of the most beautiful spots in the world

cog and pearl - a lovely boutiquey shop in our old 'hood, park slope, brooklyn

vodka martinis at the grange hall, greenwich village, before it sadly closed

cupcakes from magnolia bakery, bleeker street (i dug them WAY before carrie bradshaw!)

anthropologie (many locations but i like the soho one the best) - may fave shop ever. i weep thinking of it

housing works bookshop, crosby street - a lovely bookshop/cafe/music venue

the walnut-raspberry scones at once upon a tart on sullivan street

friday night cabaret night at marie's crisis, grove street - an amazing west village landmark

prospect park, brooklyn - so much better than central park!

the neue galarie and cafe sabarsky, 5th avenue - great art, great desserts!

pearl river market, broadway and canal - a bargain hunter's paradise

kiehls, 3rd ave & 15th street - every girl's (and boys!) dream

barbes, park slope - a lovely jzuzy bar serving great cocktails with film screenings and live music in the back

playing ski-ball at coney island on july 4th weekends

the eldridge street project - a very special place

the sunshine movie theatre on houston street - lovely restored old art house cinema. good knishe's at yonah schimmel's next door

the steaks at peter luger's - well worth the trip into deepest williamsburg

the shoes at otto tootsie plohound, soho - well worth the price tag

grand central station - good for oyster eating, coffee drinking, waltzing and even catching the odd train

Bee's town (London)

the women's ponds on hampstead heath - the most tranquil spot in the world

columbia road flower market on a sunny sunday

the everyman cinema, hampstead (then, and now)

the charity shops on marylebone high street (great for bargains, and a fab oxfam books too)

konditor and cook (especially the cornwall road one at waterloo) - yummy

the great hall at the british museum - lovely memories of being a kid and charging about, and now i take izzy there to do the same

st. pancras station - an architectural gem

the NFT - the south bank always gives me a special feeling - like i'm 7 years old all over again and off to see the wizard of oz with my dad

tate modern - very special - i love the turbine hall, the marc rothko room and the wonderful shops

libertys - the loveliest department store in the world, even during the january sales

the beergarden at the spaniards inn, hampstead - a wonderful spot to while away those summer afternoons

the parkland walk from finsbury park to queens wood - a very special walk, and a newly discovered london fave

my little holborn/russell square walk, which takes in 3 favourite spots: corams fields (for the animals) lambs conduit street (for the glorious persephone books) and the cafe at the mary ward centre in queens square (lovely and cheap and next to the october gallery - a bonus!)

rasa in stoke newington - my favourite indian restaurant - they even have a storytelling evening!

the top of kite hill, hampstead heath, on a blustery autumn day

Polly's town(s)

this was very hard as there are so many places i love in all the places i've lived, so here are just a few....

Australia

greville st. melbourne - i had my first flat here as a single lady and i felt very grown up. there are great shops in greville st and it is also home to the lovely foccaccia bar where the lovely foccaccia boy used to work.

metropolis (used to be on acland st. melbourne) bookstore - a proper bookstore with lots of browsing to be had.

the doulton pub, melbourne. scene of many laughs in the good ol' days with the ladle. we once spent a whole day in there being ridiculous. it's also where i met shan.

the campari at the george, melbourne.

the walk from st kilda to ormond point, melbourne. i used to do this walk of a morning and meet the ladle on the top of the hill before going to acland st for a coffee. the view across the city is fantastic.

the laneways in melbourne - you would never know that down these little alleyways lurk so many fantastic bars, restaurants, galleries and shops - always inspiring.

T'Gallant winery, Victoria for their yummy pizza and delicious wine.

Melinda's house in lorne - scene of some amazing times, lots of laughs, yummy food, great wine and some extremely drunken moments.

drinking frangelico in the cicciolina back bar

the stuffed vine leaves at termini (and the duck pappardelle!),melbourne

coffee and breakfast in melbourne in general, beats anything you get around here

London

little venice - where i grew up and a beautiful spot for a walk

hampstead heath of a summer evening

the tate modern and the v&a - great exhibtions and great shops!

queen's park - has saved my life since having milly

comfort station, cheshire st - my friend amy's shop full of wonderful treasures

to'sho' - i can't describe the feeling i have when i walk down that escalator....

habitat - always finding covetable things that i can't afford

portobello on a friday

borough market

the warrington pub - beautiful building

the 46 bus - because it doesn't really exist and is full of actors and extras

the mushroom risotto at the salusbury, queen's park

liberty, yes, auntie frannie it is very special

ikea - especially the marketplace. i almost get a to' sho' type feeling when i'm in there!

Italy

the sound of montese in the summer - scooters zooming by and children shouting from the pool

montalbino - where shan and i got married, a very special place

bologna - scene of many happy memories from my youth

venice - the most beautiful city in the world especially at 6am when there are no tourists around

and finally lying in my hammock on the balcony of our room in tulum, mexico. had just found out that i was an aunt and it was truly one of the most special moments ever.

Fran's town...(big town, long list. Sorry)

St Paul's Churchyard, Covent Garden. Benny and I had a lot of lunches in this little courtyard when we worked round the corner from each other. It's so lovely in the spring, although there isn't a spare inch of grass in the summer.

Match Bar, Clerkenwell. When benny and I had a life, before Isi, we used to go here and drink Mitch Martinis. I would be drunk after about 3 sips.

Cheshire Street, E2. Such a great street off Brick Lane with lovely shops including Shelf.

The Tate Modern. Always have such a lovely time whether to see a particular exhibition or just to mooch around the shop. The top floor restaurant is very good too with great views of London.

Family Tree and Exmouth Market, EC1. Another lovely shopping street and it’s cobbled! Family Tree is one of the most gorjois shops in London.

Paperchase, Tottenham Court Road. I quite often faint when entering this shop for all the stationery delights.

Hidden Art open studios weekend. Towards Christmas, the Hidden Art organisation has an event when artists all over London open their studios. It's wonderful to see artists at work and a chance to pick up a special pressie or two.

The South Bank. I absolutely love the South Bank, just walking over the bridge from The Embankment and looking down river to see how exciting all the development has been over the last few years. It makes me very happy. There's the poetry library and the Hayward Gallery and the great lunchtime jazz and free exhibitions they have at the Festival Hall. Not to mention the great walk you can do to the Tate and further down to the Design Museum.
And of course it has the NFT.

The Everyman. Ahhh...memories. I've had some great times here, Bee and I used to come to the Woody Allen double bills and I do believe that once, I saw a silent film with a real live pianist playing along!

To'sho. Who would've thought that I would use a phrase coined by June Sarpong but Topshop is the very best shop ever in the world. Yes and that beats urban suburban (outfitters) coz it's cheaper.

The V&A. Good old Mrs Da Silva...she was obsessed with the Islamic ceramics. I just like walking around. The only problem with the V&A is that if you suddenly get that thing when you have to read everything or 'something bad will happen', you can be in there a very, very long time.

Bungees Folk Cellar. ok, it doesn't exist anymore but I have very happy memories of sitting drinking tea with bee, wearing black polo-necks and talking about e.e cummings or Campbell Scott or both.

Stroud green. I have never looked back. Not least because of the magic shop, which is not literally magic or even a shop that sells tricks but just a very good Londis! If you don't believe, come see!

x
p.s. ooh, ooh, can i add liberty? it's special.

Sally's town...

My London and Twickenham/Richmond

Shopping.

Sandy's in Twickenham - Amazing fishmonger, who doesn't laugh at you when you stand there looking utterly confused at the massive selection of fish he has.

New Look, H&M, Primark, Top Shop, M&S, Gap (all over) - I'm high street all the way.

Paperchase in Kingston - Stand alone shop. I adore everything in Paperchase and am constantly buying note books I will never ever write in, pens, cards. It's like being 8 again and visiting a toy shop.

Lakeland at Brent Cross (the new bit over the road) - Did you know you needed a mushroom scrubber or mango slicer? No? Neither did I until I discovered this lovely shop.

Waterstones at Piccadilly - I haven't been here for years but often used to visit after work for a browse and a coffee. I think/hope it's still there.

Selfridges, Oxford Street - This shop has very fond memories for me, it was my first regular saturday job and is such a great shop. Although it has got a bit tooooo trendy and not full of the lovely little old ladies looking for the Haberdashery department.

Space NK in Richmond - when I'm feeling flush
Boots at Kew Retail park - for when I need shampoo
Wilkinsons in Kingston - for great bargains

Jewellery Alley in Richmond - A row of shops that sparkle.

Happicraft in Twickenham - An excellent independent baby shop. Sells almost everything.

Cafes/restaurants/bars/pubs
The terrace in Kingston - The most amazing sandwiches. The chicken escalope club is highly reccomended.

De Cecco in Fulham - Lovely Italian.

Green Cottage on Finchley Road - My favourite chinese restaurant.

Southeys on Chiswick High Road - The Best Sunday roasts I've ever had. Many a single girls afternoon with a bottle of red and Lizzie getting rat arsed.

Don Fernandos in Richmond - Lovely tapas, lively atmosphere.

The bagel bakery on Brick lane - When you're pregnant, can't sleep and hungry, it's worth the drive.

The Freemasons in Hampstead - just for the beer garden.

The White Swan in Twickenham - lovely pub right on the river. Packed in the summer.

Pembroke Lodge cafe in Richmond Park - can't describe how lovely this place is. Nothing special in the food department, just a lovely place with a great terrace and view.

Parks and Walks.
Marble Hill to Richmond - a lovely walk along the river.

The Heath - full of some very happy memories.

Other special places....
Mayfair - I loved working around there. All the squares, Shepherds Market and not too full of tourists.

Fulham - some great nights out, full of rahs, quality. Home to the wonderful night club 'Crazy Larry's'. Many, many, many a drunken night in there.

Oriental City in Hendon - there's a restaurant that does the best Dim Sum I have ever tasted and there's shops that sell great plates, bowls etc

AND THAT'S MY TOWN!