Classy or passe' (Hampstead)

Member Name: vhart

Product:	Hampstead
Date:	10/09/00 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: beautiful, unique, exudes charm and you can smell the money

Disadvantages: a bit twee and too expensive for me to live there.

Hampstead is possibly one of the most well-known 'villages' in London, although to term her a 'village' is something of a misnomer because I don't know many villages with quite so many expensive designer shops and trendy cafes/bars.

Hampstead is a short (or not so short, depending on the vagrancies of the Northern Line!) hop north from the West End, but it certainly has a unique feel, even when compared to other 'exclusive' spots in London.

Most notably, of course, there is the Heath. I've lived in the area for many years and still spend a good proportion of time getting lost when I go to the Heath, but it's a great place for a wander. There aren't many maps around though and it is certainly a lot wilder (in an uncut grass kind of way, not a mad partying kind of way!) than most London parks. The views from Parliament Hill on a good day reach across the whole of London, including much for Docklands and of course, Canary Wharf (which is possible to see from many parts of London so that's nothing very special really.. ). There's also a very pleasant cafe by Parliament Hill.

There are a few lakes as well, including three for swimming, (only in the summer though!), one for men, one for women and a mixed one. All of which notorious 'pulling' spots for those interested in either or both sexes..(well, it is very important to know these things before you head of for an innocent swim with small children in tow.. ).

Also there is Kenwood House, a setting for open-air concerts in the summer and a pleasant, free art gallery with a really nice restaurant and cafe attached in the middle of a small wood which feels distinctly un-Londonlike, if it wasn't for all the professional-types strutting around with chihuahuas (probably spelt that wrong, sorry!), under their arms.

As for the 'village' itself, it has a variety of shops, aimed for the most part at people with ve
ry high disposable incomes, no Netto here! But there is a lovely Waterstones and even the McDonalds has a bit of posh with a lovely facade and paintings inside.

There are some great pubs which do good, reasonably priced food, particularly The Flask, on Flask Walk, where also, incidently, there's an Oxfam shop with a line in off-cast designer goods! The Spaniards Inn, by Kenwood is beautiful, but the food is a wee bit nasty, but it's great for a drink or two.

There is no getting away from the fact that Hampstead exudes wealth from its every pore, but it tries to be a bit less overstated about it, unlike, for example a Knightsbridge or a Chelsea, perhaps indicative of the 'bohemian' feel it likes to revel in. This is a slight misnomer though, because you do have to be a fairly rich bohemian to mingle with the scene here, but it isn't quite so oppressive.

In all it's a beautiful little corner of London, worth a visit and home to any number of artistic/literary giants over the centuries. You can see why they liked it, especially if you wander down some of the streets parallel to the Heath and look at the houses....

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