This page is all about Islington. It is perfect for anyone who lives in Islington, loves history, reading or pub quizzes. Now, feast your eyes, and maybe try some of the polls, quizzes and games that are added occasionally… (don’t forget to follow this blog, see the panel on the right).

COMPETITION WINNER
Winner of the February 2016 book give away, the fabulous Waiting For Callback by Perdita and Honor Cargill – is Islington Faces reader (and recent visitor to the Islington Faces meet up), Ursula. Thank you to everyone who entered.

ENTRY 6 –Who lives in your street?
Do you know the faces behind the places for Holford Street, Almeida Street or Richmond Crescent?

Photo series by Vicky Ryzhykh

Holford Street

While in exile Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870-1924) lived at nearby Holford Square in 1902-1903. The square was damaged by bombings in 1940 and has subsequently been demolished as part of a major development.

 

Almeida Street

The television and film director Alan Clarke (1935-1990), famous for his bleak but often comic dramas such as Scum and Made in Britain, lived at Almeida Street.

Richmond Crescent

ENTRY 5 – EXPLORE ALL 32 OF THE WORLD CUP FOOTBALL 2014 QUALIFYING COUNTRIES WITHOUT LEAVING ISLINGTON
Here’s how to use the World Cup 2014  in Brazil to explore the world without clocking up air miles. Or if you are feeling restless as the summer holidays creep so slowly towards us,  here’s a way to explore all the World Cup qualifying football teams’ countries. I’ve left a few gaps – if you have any ideas please let me know in the comments. Thanks.

GROUP A – BRAZIL, CROATIA, MEXICO & CAMEROON

Where’s the football (actually it’s Brazil)… asks Bambi, see her website http://www.bambi-artist.com/ this fab piece is just off Cross Street, N1.

Brazil – try the free drumming workshops at Finsbury Park on Sunday afternoons, see here. Or maybe be bold and go to the Notting Hill Carnival – 24-25 August – to experience the classic Brazilian carnival atmosphere.

Croatia – any ideas please leave a comment

Desperados – another Mexican style eatery, this one is on Upper Street.

Mexico – is easy to find in Islington. 1. search for the Day of the Dead mural at the Boogaloo pub at the end of one (non Islington) section of the Parkland Walk foot and cycle path (which is lovely in the summer – enjoy cow parsley, tree ID, the scent of elderflower and honeysuckle). Use this map to help you plan http://www.parkland-walk.org.uk/parkland-walk-map.html

2. Or head to the Furtherfield Gallery in Finsbury Park from 20 June – 27 July to enjoy the photos of two (crazy?) Mexican artists, Ivan Puig and Andreas Padilla Domene who built a vehicle (SEFT1) that can run along abandoned railway tracks. They then journeyed along the once grand Mexico City- Atlantic Ocean route along the disused train tracks and ghost stations taking photos. The result is a series of stunning modern ruins created as a result of Mexico’s railways being privatised. More info here http://furtherfield.org/programmes/exhibition/seft-1-abandoned-railways-exploration-probe-modern-ruins-1220

Furtherfield Gallery, McKenzie Pavilion, Finsbury Park, London N4 2NQ

T: +44 (0)20 8802 2827, E: info@furtherfield.org

3. Or keep it simple and go to Wahaca, 68-60 Upper Street for classic Mexican street food served in a restaurant. Tacos are great, but the lemon squash is amazing.

Cameroon – any ideas please add a comment.

GROUP B – SPAIN, HOLLAND, CHILE, AUSTRALIA
Spain – we’re spoilt in Islington for tapas and Spanish tastes thanks to the very good value El Molino on Holloway Road, and the smaller branch on Hornsey Road (close to Holloway tube) which is rumoured to have hot chocolate and coffee so good you’ll want a second.

Cycle in Dutch style on a Boris (Barclays) bike at Torrens Street. See all the Islington locations here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/barclays-cycle-hire/find-a-docking-station

Holland – is very flat, as is much of Islington (except for cyclists who notice the pull up from Mount Pleasant to Angel and also at Highbury). You could also Go Dutch by exploring the New River (neither new nor a river, but built in the 1600s and still bringing fresh water to London) or the Regent’s Canal near the southern end of the borough. Sunday 7 September is the Angel Canal Festival, see more here http://www.angelcanalfestival.org/

Chile fans enjoy watching the Chile-Span game. Who could have guessed that result? Bad luck sweepstakers who picked Spain. Photo: Pete May, author of ‘Sunday Muddy Sunday:the heart and soul of Sunday League Football’.

Chile – you’ve got to go to Holloway and find the El Commandante pub, 10 Annette Road, N7 for the best South American atmosphere.

Australia – Ozzies are everywhere – from King’s Cross (Sidney) to Essex Road (Freemantle/Perth).

GROUP C – COLOMBIA, GREECE, IVORY COAST, JAPAN
Colombia – you’ve got to go to Holloway and find the El Commandante pub, 10 Annette Road, N7 for the best South American atmosphere.

Greece –Google lists 63,000 entries if you search “Greek Restaurants Islington). The Kolossi Grill (serving Greek Cypriot cuisine) on 56-60 Rosebery Avenue, EC1 has been around since 1966. http://www.kolossigrill.com/. Best family restaurant is the Olive Tree Taverna, 177a Blackstock Road, N5 (entrance is on Mountgrove Road) which has had a revamp recently. http://theolivetreetaverna.co.uk/

Elephant hedge cut by Tim Bushe. Guess what the nickname of Ivory Coast’s team is?

Ivory Coast – their national team are nicknamed Les Elephants (apologies for the accents falling off) – so go see the elephant shaped hedge on the corner of Ambler and Romilly Road, N4.

Contemplating koi carp in a meditative Japanese garden: there are a wealth of nature gardens in Islington (some with goldfish others with newts , frogs and tadpoles). Sea Dragon, 103 Essex Road sells tropical fish.

Japan – who doesn’t love sushi these days? Whether you want to pick up a lunchtime snack at Tescos or experience something a little more authentic at the various noodle and sushi bars around the borough it’s hard to avoid going Japanese.  And did you know that Muji – which sells chic household supplies – just opened in the N1 shopping centre? https://www.facebook.com/muji.unitedkingdom/info

TO COME:
GROUP D – URUGUAY, COSTA RICA, ENGLAND, ITALY

GROUP E– SWITZERLAND, ECUADOR, FRANCE, HONDURAS,

GROUP F ARGENTINA, BOSNIA, IRAN, NIGERIA

GROUP G – GERMANY, PORTUGAL, GHANA, USA

Craft Beer Co is one of a chain. Find it at 55 White Lion STreet,N1

Germany – it may be a cliche that Germans love their beer, but you can head to the Craft Beer pub near Angel.

Portugal – who ate all the Portuguese custard tarts? Go on then, have an ice cream instead from Tina’s ice cream van parked at Highbury Fields. See the interview here.

Ghana – any ideas please let me know.

USA – any ideas please let me know.

TO COME
GROUP H – BELGIUM, ALGERIA, RUSSIA, SOUTH KOREA

ENTRY 4 Who lives in your street? Do you know the faces behind the places? Some clues: Charlie Chaplin, George Orwell and Douglas Adams.
Photo series by Vicky Ryzhykh

Arlington Way: As a child, Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) lodged in Arlington Way with his family. Both his parents were music hall stars and his father regularly performed at nearby Sadler’s Wells.

Canonbury Square: George Orwell (1903-1950) lived in Canonbury Square from 1944 after being bombed out of his home in St John’s Wood. Shortly after the move Orwell found worldwide success with his novel “Animal Farm”.

Duncan Terrace: The writer of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, Douglas Adams (1952-2001) lived at Duncan Terrace during the height of his fame in the 1980s. He named one of the characters in the second book in his Hitchhiker’s series (“The Restaurant at the End of the Universe”) after the Hotblack Desiato estate agents in Islington.

ENTRY 3 Who lives in your street? Beautiful doors around the borough.
Photo series by Vicky Ryzhykh

ENTRY 2: Chocolate Fair at the Business Design Centre  (posted 25/4/14)
Photos by guest blogger Vicky Ryzhykh