Reunion in North-East London

Whilst in London, one of my biggest priorities has been seeing my good friend "S" and her boyfriend "M". If you recall, I did a series of posts last year where I got to play tourist with my English friends who visited me in NYC from London. Now the tables have turned and I am the one visiting them! Our reunion took place in North-East London, specifically in the Islington/Angel neighborhood. It was wonderful!

Angel wings in "Angel"

S, M, and I had a lovely afternoon exploring Islington and doing a lot of window shopping! The main drag is lined with restaurants and many cool boutiques. I had so much fun exploring all of the stores and reveling in the novelties found on the shelves. 

Love these tins!

Should've bought this book!

In the USA, you don't really see "egg cups", but I have learned that they are a kitchen staple in the UK

Interesting selection of chapstick

A bit lude, but quite funny

We eventually made our way to "Camden Passage." To quote Wikipedia, Camden Passage is a pedestrian passage off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The passage is known for its many antique shops, and hosts an antique market on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings. It was built, as an alley, along the backs of houses on Upper Street, then Islington High Street, in 1767. I had a marvelous time strolling through Camden Passage, seeing all of the interesting vendors. 

Selection of dried meats

I love the name of this place~!

Walking within Camden Passage

This really makes me laugh

A set of questionably racist salt & pepper shakers I discovered at one of the antique stands

I really enjoyed our stroll through Camden Passage, as there was a lot to see. I only wish more of the stores were open! I guess that's what happens when you visit on a Sunday!

After Camden Passage, we stopped for a spot of lunch at a local restaurant called "Browns." It was nice British fare. The restaurant looked quite posh, but the atmosphere was quite relaxed --- my kind of place! 

I started my meal off with a cocktail. I followed S's lead and ordered the quintessentially British summer drink: a Pimm's lemonade. Whilst there are many variations of this drink, essentially, you need the following to make a Pimm's lemonade: Pimms, chilled lemonade (or sprite), ice, cucumber, mint leaves, strawberries, and orange slices. Again, this is more of a guideline, but as long as you have those ingredients, you have the makings of a mighty fine Pimm's Lemonade! (This has become my favorite and recurring drink throughout this trip!)

Delicious Pimm's Lemonade

Deciding on lunch was difficult --- there was so much to choose. Do I go for a traditional Sunday roast? Fish and Chips? Steak and mushroom pie? Do I order something posh like lobster risotto or do I try to do something more traditionally British. It was a hard choice, but seeing that I was in England,  I eventually settled on the steak/mushroom/ale pie, whilst S and M both ordered the Sunday roast. Obviously, home cooked versions of each dish taste better, but both were acceptable. To be honest, I was more delighted by the company of my dining companions, than I was by the food. 

Sunday Roast

(Grilled chicken, honey parsnips, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower, peas, and red cabbage)

Steak/mushroom/ale pie with broad beans and mashed potatoes

The rest of the day was rather relaxed, as we casually strolled to S and M's flat, which I had never visited, and just hung out. They got to open their many presents, we laughed and chatted a lot, but also made time to watch some World Cup! All in all, a fantastic reunion and lovely way to start off my vacation!

We passed this sign on the way to S and M's flat --- it really made my laugh

It's very sad that England is out of the World Cup and since S and M won't be flying their English flag outside of their window anymore, they gave it to me, as a souvenir