Through the Back Streets & the Mews

Unlike New York and a lot of other big cities, London’s streets aren’t on much of a grid system. I love this because you can be walking quite aimlessly and stumble upon a garden square with only one exit street or a lovely mews where neat rows of tiny houses are tucked away behind the larger ones on the main roads.

Mews tend to have a lot more character with clusters of garden pots outdoors and doors painted in different colours. Back in the 17th-18th centuries, the mews used to be for stables that had carriage houses below and homes above. Most of them have been converted now.

Back in 2012, Jorge and I stumbled upon Cranley Mews in SW7 near Knightsbridge. I remembered taking photos of a bright red and black house (which has now been painted a more subtle colour).

On Saturday morning, I woke to the clip clop of horses trotting down our street from the nearby riding school and headed out for a morning walk.

I came across the same mews. I walked down there again and a few others around the area, just meandering though the side streets, soaking up the bright rays of sun and all of the signs of spring in the air despite the chill.

There’s a tiny market on Bute Street near South Kensington Station where fresh eggs, meat, fish, soups and baked goods are for sale. Nearby, a creative construction site announces that “Love never fails.”

Heading home, I passed by the quirky Janet’s Bar where Jorge and I had our first drink. I stopped in Paul for my morning tea, thinking about how I love the neighbourhood feeling of this area and how lucky we are to live here!