Our walks this weekend would take us thru Hampstead and Notting Hill. Both are on the outer area of London.
Hamstead is in the northern part of London, very hilly with a large park called Hampstead Heath. During the plague many people moved here to get away from it. There were also may famous actors, poets, writers, and politicians lived here. H.G. Wells and Oscar Wilde lived on this street.
At the end of the street was St. Johns church along with its cemetery.
Coach and I enjoying the walk thru.
Bram Stoker was thinking of this cemetery when he wrote his famous novel Dracula.
Another of the many paths. A few blocks from this is where Charles De Gaulle lived during WWII.
One of the many gardens in the area.
This is the entrance to Fenton house,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenton_House
it has a 300 year old orchard.
Former Mount Vernon Hospital dating back to 1896,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vernon_Hospital
It has been converted to flats housing.
Another famous house is the Admiral's house,
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/site-unseen-admirals-house-hampstead-1600760.html
The house was owned by a naval lieutenant that had a cannon on the roof. He would shoot it off on the kings birthday and other events. P.L. Travers who wrote Mary Poppins lived near by. He was the inspiration for Admiral Boom in the book.
Next was the Pergola and Hill Garden,
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Hampstead-Pergola-Hill-Gardens/
Dogs are not allowed, not even Coach.
Leanne would walk thru the garden and Coach and I would meet up at the other end.
A roof of part of the Pergola.
This House is the Hill part of Pergola and Hill. It was the home of William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lever,_1st_Viscount_Leverhulme
This house was built from soap, Lever brothers soap.
As you can see the house was huge, as was the pergola.
We will be back in the summer to see the gardens at there best.
Coach and I waiting on the outside for Lee.
A great fall view.
Passed this parked Lamborghini on a side street. Must be owned by some rich kid.
Walking thru another section of the Heath,
a beautiful fall day.
Coach
and the old guy enjoying the day.
This is just out of the Heath, these house's cost around two million pounds.
This is the poet John Keats house,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keats
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keats_House
The ceiling in the Library's next door.
Saturday night we went out to dinner at The Ledbury restaurant,
http://www.theledbury.com/
A busy place, we had to make the reservation a month in advance.
It all starts with appetizers,
First course was Artichokes, walnuts, nashi pear adn grated foie gras.
The foie gras is on the bottom and was delish.
Bread with goat whey butter. We never had goat butter before. After we tried it we bought some the next day.
Warm bantam's eggs, celeriac, arbois, dried ham and truffle. The eggs were from an special bred of chicken. It was fantastic.
For the next course Lee had scallop wiht violina pumpkin and trompettes
I had John Dory fish with jerusalem artichoke trompettes and lemon. Another great course.
fourth course was aged pigeon with beetroot, red leaves and vegetables.
My beautiful date.
Before we received our dessert course, they brought us a pre dessert course.
A pre dessert?? What a great idea.
This is Citrus meringue, bergamot and grapefruit.
And then the actually dessert.
Chocolate
Dark chocolate chantilly and mint
Did i mention that this was my Birthday dinner.
This was the after dessert, dessert.
And if that wasn't enough, they brought out more
After, after, dessert, dessert.
All I can see is we went home fat and happy.
Next morning it was time to walk off our great meal from the night before. We would do a Notting hill walk, starting off in Holland park.
St. Johns church,
http://www.stjohnsnottinghill.com/history-of-st-johns/
This was once the site of the Samarkand hotel where Jimmy Hendrix died.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Jimi_Hendrix
This was a courtyard at a Catholic church we passed near Pottery lane.
A 19th century bottle kiln. It is now part of a house.
The Tabernacle had bands like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and the Clash play here.
This street was made famous by the Sarm West recording studio. Led Zeppelin recorded Stairway to heaven here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairway_to_Heaven
And also were Band Aid recorded "Do they know Christmas"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas%3F
And last on our walk was this building, The Trellick tower,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trellick_Tower
designed by Erno Goldfinger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ern%C5%91_Goldfinger
Ian Flemming used the name Goldfinger in his book after he had dealing Erno Goldfinger.
Two great walks and a great dinner with the one i love. A great all around weekend.
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