Louis Patisserie and an Autumn Sunset

T. and I have been stuck inside feeling ill lately with a variety of interesting symptoms - all of them different. And then suddenly, today.... we both feel a bit better. 

So we took a gentle late afternoon constitutional to Hampstead Heath.  It's uphill all the way but within half an hour we were in the middle of the wood by one of the wildlife ponds watching the birds as the sun set, the autumnal sky changed colour, the water rippled quietly.

All of a sudden a group of birds flew by, like a skein of white hankies against the pale gold water and few remaining leaves.

The branches reflected in the water's ripples to make a series of endlessly varied repeating but surprisingly organised patterns.

We continued up the path, past the rather mysterious caravan park which I think is something to do with the Bank Holiday funfairs which traditionally take place on the Heath.  A few of the caravans were occupied, and looked very cosy.

We came out at the Whitestone Pond, which stands at the top of Heath Street. This cuts the Heath into two, and has become a rather busy road which joins Hampstead and the nearby village of Highgate.  The Pond was a where Victorian children paddled and played with model boats and poor old cart horses came for a drink or also had a paddle (see below). 

It's recently been renovated at vast expense to be a "meeting place for the local community" (whatever that means). Needless to say nobody was "meeting" there but it's attractive now, with reeds growing, lots of wildfowl

and the evening traffic going past.

We walked down the hill and decided to have a cup of tea in Louis Patisserie at 32 Heath Street.  This family-owned Hungarian patisserie has been in Hampstead since 1963, and it doesn't seem to have changed at all since I first visited it as a teenager.  All my adult life I have liked to pass and look in the window at the cakes (which are always the same designs).

It's always been rather expensive, because although it's unpretentious, everything is of top quality.  But every now and then we splash out on a florentine or chocolate. Our kids were always intrigued by the domino cakes, but they also do very good croissants..  

Inside, it's very clean and well maintained, but here again, nothing much has changed since 1963, (and it must have seemed pretty old fashioned then)

You can see the shop section at the end, with the net curtains hanging above the shop window, but inside the cafe (divided from the shop by wrought iron screens, not visible in the picture)  it is cosy and warm, with buttoned leather benches and brass lights. My idea of a traditional Hungarian coffee place.  It's usually full and has a lot of "regulars."

We bought a loaf of bread - traditionally baked  crisp outside, soft inside and not expensive - unlike the pretentious "artisan" bread which sells for three times the price in the farmer's market, and shared a vast but very good slice of chestnut cream cake.

By now it was dark, and we set off home, leaving Louis still selling cakes for the locals to have for tea.

Out of the door - it has the name of the shop inscribed in terrazzo at the entrance ... there is something a bit Edward Hopper about it at night....

Somehow, a lot of old fashioned shops have clung on in Hampstead Heath Street.  The ironmonger and greengrocer have also been there as long as I can remember, as has the camera shop, which always seems to be full of camera fans does a good second hand trade.

Hampstead used to be a rather bohemian place, haunt of artists. Now, much of it has been taken over by bankers, media and money people, and rents are now so high that most of the modern shops are high priced boutiques, coffee shops, or art galleries - the sort of places you find anywhere.   So it is nice to feel a sense of continuity with a less frantic and status conscious time, and I hope that the old shops can continue to thrive.

Now we are both feeling rather tired, so perhaps we weren't that much better. But taking a walk has to be good, even if it was rather a slow one, and involved cream cakes.