I’ve been inspired to write a Style in Your City post by Lori from Wild & Grizzly and Fritha from Tigerlilly Quinn – they take the most amazing photos of places they have visited. I have chosen the eclectic Kentish Town where I work. It is a bit grubby and full of characters, thanks to the nuthouse across the road from my office – where my mother-in-law, just by coincidence, worked last year.

First you have the ’20p’ man, he’s always on Kentish Town Road asking anyone who walks by for 20p in a sing-songy way. Another character is Wheelchair lady – I think her name is Wendy. She pretends to fall over, and then when you try to help her, she’ll try to nick your purse. And there’s Unicycle Guy, who goes around with a unicycle shouting at the world.

Then you have Angela. She wears red lipstick in circles on her cheeks. One day I was just crossing the road and I think she thought I was someone else and says “Clear off you b***h!’ I crossed and went into McDs for a lunchtime cheeseburger as you do, and she was outside the door again, “Clear off you b***h, I’ll stab ya!” I described her to my mother-in-law who said, “Oh that’s just Angela, don’t worry!'” – yes really.

There’s another Angela who is much calmer. Everyday she sits on the bench on route to our office with a can of cider, and asks anyone who walks past “Spare a cigarette?”. Everyday. For 5 years without fail.

So you can see Kentish Town is a crazy place. But also very pretty – here are some of my lunchtime shots. There are some beautiful pastel coloured houses along Falkland Road and the neighbouring streets.

I’m always cheered up by the flowers outside ‘Flowers by Jayne‘ on Kentish Town Road.

The number of crammed DIY stores in Kentish Town is incredible, this one has had brooms outside since forever.

One of my guilty pleasures is the London Bead Co next to Pret – go inside and it’s like being Alice in Wonderland, lost in a world of ribbons and wool and fabrics and beads – my heaven!

There are 4 oriental rug shops in a row along Highgate Road – random, but hey I guess there’s demand for oriental rugs around here. Recently all their window displays have got a bit quirky – here’s the one at Nassir near my office. There’s a Harry Potter fan here as they also have a Hogwarts sign.

Most of the houses along Highgate Road are Victorian or Georgian, with ornate windows such as this one on Burghley Road.

And how could I not mention Little Green Street, one of the last remaining Georgian streets in London at only 2.5 metres wide – it is tiny and adorably cute. It has been part of a ‘Save Little Green Street’ campaign as they are building a new development at the end of the road, so construction trucks chunder past these fragile little houses.

I love walking around Kentish Town, it is quite unique from anywhere else I have been. These are just a few chosen photos, but there are so many more on my Flickr Album – do have a look 🙂