I bet you wouldn’t believe how much I was looking forward to returning to London! Having received an invitation from my Stokey friend to visit him, I couldn’t help but do it. I wanted to learn the difference between being cheap labour in South London, which was my experience two years ago, and living the life of an idle, spoiled visitor having a mini-break from work in Stoke Newington.

I booked an economy class ticket with the newly opened Air Polonia airlines, agreed holidays with my ‘not-veryhappy-with-that’ boss and lured my friend to accompany me with the promise of my playing the role of private guide. It was late at night, armed with a stereotypical bottle of Polish vodka, when I hopped off the bus in Stoke Newington Church Street...

The first impression I had was that Stokey is cosy and relaxing. Rows of small Victorian houses, a local library, a church steeple silhouetted against the night sky and an open-all-hours’ grocery shop run by a hardworking Mr Patel. It didn’t take long to unpack and we went to the place which was to become our favourite late-night drinks spot – the Barracuda (125 Stoke Newington Church Street) run by the extremely friendly and generous Mr Teng. The Barracuda exhales positive vibrations and mouth-watering scents from the wonderful food they serve there. With live music played in the basement and the companionship of Polish waitresses, it makes a perfect place for thirsty and hungry Stokey citizens.

There is no Saturday morning in London for me without a chubby weekend edition of the Times and fresh croissants (wonderfully baked in The Spence opposite Hawksley Road) washed down with a mug of coffee. Enchanted by the sunny weather, I decided to take a walk during which I explored the atmospheric cemetery (I wonder if locals find walking there the same?), bought some tomatoes and wine for Sunday lunch and, last but not least, two second-hand books in a snug bookshop, where they play serious music.

After a couple of days, we were familiar with most of the venues in Stoke Newington, including the hospitable Rose and Crown pub with its range of traditional ales and the traditional Polish girl behind the bar, the cool and modern Bar 98 where we sipped fine champagne and the cheap and informal Rochester Castle which reminded me of the place where I used to pour pints when I was last in London.

We also became close friends with the lady from the Chinese takeaway where, one day, waiting for prawn noodles, we learned from the Daily Mail that an attack of winter was about to come. It did and, thanks to that, we were forced to wait nearly two hours at the 73 bus stop, surrounded by some trendy girls wearing open-toed fancy shoes.

All in all – thanks for the hospitality we were given and see you later this year, dear Stokey inhabitants.