Flat: Post

So The Boyfriend and I decided to withdraw our offer on the flat.  We had a summit in our favourite pub and both agreed that
the cons outweighed the pros.  We wanted to carry on so that we could get going and book the wedding; and we didn't want to let people down.  We knew we should stop because the estate agents were bullying and unreasonable; the flat had subsidence, damp and we just didn't love it enough. 

We were disappointed but it was definitely the right thing to do. After some terse emails with the estate agents we just feel relieved.  Always right to go with your gut at times like this I think.

x

Flat

Source

A bit of a sad day. The survey on our flat doesn't look good. We spotted some damp the first time we looked around but it seems like its more extensive than we thought and there's subsidance and some historical damage.  The vendors estate agents are trully horrible, putting a lot of pressure on us to complete to an unrealistic timescale and annoying our solicitor and The Boyfriend's estate agent. 

It is starting to feel like it may not be worth it. I think we may have to walk away.  It is sad because The Boyfriend and I had planned so much around buying this flat.  Growing vegetables in our little garden. Styling all the nooks and crannies. Creating our new home. We have also been waiting for the sale to go through before booking our wedding venue.

Obviously I know that not buying the flat you want is not sad compared to lots of other things. We have a very lucky life. The disappointment won't last.  If this doesn't work out there will be somewhere better for us.  But I still can't help feeling a little sad.  We will sleep on it.

x

What would Louise (Brooks) do?

Now I normally wouldn't include this but, oh my my my this is all so pretty.  



I really like the pretty vintage-style scanties courtsey of Playful Promises.  What would Louise do? Or Marilyn? Or Elisabeth? Or Rita?

The Boyfriend Loves Me More Than Queens Park Rangers...

... and he's at Loftus Road watching QPR play Aston Villa this afternoon. But he did like reading about the pretty unfootbally wedding of QPR sub Rob Hulse earlier in the week.


Oh dear I just checked the score and it looks like Villa have scored in extra time...  A good job I love him so much x

Postscript: Ended up 1 - 1.  The Boyfriend is cursing the referee.

American Graffiti on Chelsea Bridge

When The Boyfriend was 7 his parents took him to the Chelsea Cruise to watch the classic cars drive along Chelsea bridge as a birthday treat.  Watching cars was followed up by a vanilla ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce - the kind of chocolate sauce that goes hard after you pour it so you have to crack it with your spoon to get to the ice cream.  The height of sophistication when you are 7. And one of The Boyfriend's most treasured childhood memories. 

All the wedding planning has got The Boyfriend thinking about cars again.  A 1950's Ford Anglia as a wedding car maybe? An Alfa Romeo Giulietta? What about a Mustang?

After a bit of googling we discovered the Chelsea Cruise is still going, every last Saturday of the month. It stopped for a few years in the 1990's when it got take over by boy racers and got broken up by the police but it is now very much a scene for old car enthusiasts.  So last night we went down. 

Chelsea Bridge was all lit up and looked fantastic as we walked up from the Kings Road.  There were around a hundred cars, mostly for the 50s and 60s.  All amazing shapes and colours and in some cases with spoilers and lights.  My car knowledge isn't very good but The Boyfriend was very excited and knowledgeable about rare cars. The crowds really mixed too. Some staunch enthusiasts who have come every month since the 1970's; families with (mainly) little boys on shoulders, students practicing with their DSLR's, rockabilly types and excitable tourists like us. We may not need a wedding car, but if we do then I think we've found a great place to find advice. 

If you like old cars then I recommend American Graffiti for some inspiration.  Set in 1962 the film is about 2 boys scheduled to leave for college in the morning spending their evening cruising the strip in their cars. There is a young Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and Harrison Ford too. I've only seen this clip so far but looks good and we're watching the DVD tonight.

American Graffiti: George Lucas: 1974

Thank You Mr Ottolenghi

I couldn't think what to make for dinner tonight.  Then I remembered this recipe from the Guardian magazine from Saturday.  I give you my take on sweet potatoes with figs, goats cheese, chili and shallots (because I didn't have any spring onions as the recipe suggested). It was very nice - thank you Mr Ottolenghi! 

The Boyfriend and I also discovered the Great British Bake Off tonight.  I think we're getting into it a bit late in the series but plenty of cake making inspiration I think. 

x

Open House Part 2: Green Lanes (and not so green lanes, streets and buildings)

For the second day of open house we went to a disused Edwardian butchers in Holloway. This is its original tiled floor and a frieze of cows and sheep on Hampstead Heath from one of the counters.

 The butchers is very well preserved with a mahogany serving kiosk and even some of the original machinery and meat hooks. It is clearly a labour of love for the owner who lives in the basement below which used to be the butchers ice-cellar. He said he is planning to turn the butchers into a coffee shop in a few years time. 


I love these art deco tiles.

Next we met the lovely ladies of the Hornsey historical society who were extremely knowledgeable about local history. We then wenton to a contemporary conversion on the other side of Harringay Station. 

The flat we're hoping to buy is quite modern so we're always looking for style ideas.  The flat was more The Boyfriend's taste than mine but I liked the concertina doors to the garden and the glass paneling everywhere which kept it light and bright even on a cloudy day like today. I also liked the bright pops of colour which made it seem homely.

The last stop off of the day was the Green Lanes festival for some fantastic Turkish food, swing dancing to jazz bands in the rain and a few drinks in the beautiful and friendly Salisbury Hotel. A good day.