"The city of London is so pretty, Mommy"

Sunday afternoon and a walk on Hampstead Heath. M & J were ensconced in a pub in Primrose Hill, watching Chelsea beat Liverpool and then were joined by another J to watch Arsenal beat Manchester United. Sadly, M & J support Liverpool and J Manchester United. So T and I retreated to Hampstead and walked on the Heath in the afternoon sunshine. We watched people swimming in the bathing ponds and admired the view over London from Parliament Hill. Which is where a very tiny boy on a scooter, accompanied by his American father and French mother and elder sister, made the remark which provided me with this title. And he was right. It was an inspiring view.

Another inspiring view is the one from the 7th floor bar of the Tate Modern, where M & I met S for drinks on Saturday afternoon. As we sat there drinking our tea and catching up with each others lives (S has been away since we graduated from Law School last year) and our respective jobs and new houses, I suddenly realised that I was sat looking out at the view, but not really seeing it. It is an amazing panoramic skyline view over London, my beloved London. And it left me feeling satisfied but a little guilty that I had been taking such a view for granted. And itching for a sketch book. Next time M is working on a Saturday, that is what I am going to do.

We then went to Angel to meet another M, a friend from university. We went to a noodle bar for supper and then to the pavement tables of a bar called Cuba Libre. And we were joined by D, another friend from university who has been living in Rome, B&C and a few other friends. We ended up going to the Old Queen's Head; a bar which feels a bit more like a house. It is full of random sofas and the upstairs dance floor makes you feel like you are dancing in someone's sitting room. And the Scratch Perverts were playing - which was great - and all for £3!