THEPEOPLEALCHEMIST EDIT: #SMASHYOURCEILING, CHANGE STARTS FROM WITHIN – BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE - Islington Life

Welcome to Islington, the first in a series of blogs about my lovely borough with a bit of history. Things to do and my recommendations for the week. Islington lies to the north of the city centre. It is the second smallest London borough, although very densely populated. Firstly it started as an overcrowded London suburb, it then transformed into a neighbourhood of high-class status. It is home to the vibrant Upper Street, Camden Passage and Chapel Market. And finally the residential areas around Angel tube station. Islington is home to approx 200,000 people, a vibrant and lively part of the world and benefits from a wealth of restaurants, clubs, fringe theatres and community events. Buildings that began as inns and defunct social houses have since been re-emerged as fashionable gastropubs, wine bars, and boutiques all very well serviced by many bus lines and nearby tube stations.

Some interesting facts

• The escalator at Angel station is the longest of all London stations, at 60m, with a vertical rise of 27.5m.
• Tony Blair, Colin Firth, George Orwell, Lily Allen and Boris Johnson lived in Islington.
• The licensees for the board game Monopoly used to meet for tea in the Lyon's Corner House in Islington. That's why The Angel, Islington has a spot in the game.
• Islington was the first London borough to receive fresh water via an aqueduct running from Hertfordshire to the New River Head reservoir. This is now the path of the New River Walk.
• Many suffragettes, including Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wilding Davison, spent time in jail at Holloway prison.
• The Camden Passage antique market has supplied Londoners with collectables and bric-a-brac for over 50 years. And is always busy with bargain hunters at weekends.
• The Islington Farmers' Market, London's oldest such market, has some 30 stalls every Sunday on Chapel Market, selling fresh produce, local delicacies and organic foods.

Recommended this week:

Food and drinks

Fredricks - a family-run restaurant since 1969 with a lovely conservatory and garden at the back. Perfect for enjoying the nice weather and the delicious food. Amorino Ice Cream Shop, 110 Upper St - has delicious artisanal ice cream. My favourite flavour is pistachio. The Bar with No Name, 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA, has shed its previous mysterious reputation and is now packed out every night with people dying to sample the expertly crafted cocktails.