Roisin Lonergan

Half Islington, half Hackney, Newington Green is so much more than a roundabout with some green in the middle. Here are seven things you'll only know about if you live in the area.   1. It's got probably the best greengrocer in the world (or at least London)   The best greengrocer in London!!!!#newingtongreen A photo posted by Sheila bryant (@sheilaannbryant) on Jun 26, 2016 at 4:24am PDT With the best selection of exotic fruits you've never heard of, top organic produce and the scent of fresh herbs wafting through it, Newington Green Fruit and Vegetables has made the area famous for all the right reasons. If you're strapped for cash there is also a super-cheap fruit stall where any bowl of fruit or veg is just £1. Either of these options beat going to the local Tesco Express. But be warned, it's always too full. Prepare for a long queue and get those elbows ready. 2. It's got more parklife than a Blur gig   Yes...! Op koffietentjesontdekkingstocht in Londen. Het is hier echt een koffietentjeshemel. Overal leuke tentjes! Zoals dit schattige plekje in een klein parkje met heerlijke koffie. Oh my... A photo posted by Koffietentjesliefde (@koffietentjesliefde) on Jun 24, 2016 at 3:20am PDT Not only is heavyweight Clissold Park – with its zoo, tennis courts and outdoor swimming pool – just a ten-minute walk away, the small green within the roundabout, aka Newington Green, packs a mean park punch for its size. The cafe Lizzie's on the Green serves good coffee, tasty

Tucked away in Zone 4 of North-West London (aka North Wheezy to many of its residents), Wembley is commonly known for its stadium, arena and hosting the X-Factor auditions. But if you grew up in this unique corner of London, you might be able to relate to the following: 1. Diversity is a given Multiculturalism is your default. From Diwali celebrations on Ealing Road to Irish pubs on the high street and the Somali community in the square, the ethnic make-up may have evolved, but Wembley has been diverse for a long time. The London borough Brent, home to Wembley, was the first local authority in the UK to have a majority black, Asian and minority ethnic population.   A photo posted by Karolin (@klingklung) on Apr 26, 2016 at 4:28am PDT   2. You're used to event days You grew up in shadow of Wembley Stadium and Arena. Every other weekend you'd hear the concerts from your garden or get stuck in traffic after a big match. You got to know which pubs would be reserved for which football fans and in later years perhaps made a quick buck renting out your driveway. 3. It was all about the 182 That bus could take you to Harrow shopping centre or Brent Cross shopping centre in one go. What was cooler than hanging around a shopping centre or bus station instead of going home after school? Literally nothing. 4. The free bus You remember the 18 when it was bendy and you could just jump on. Some of you would even sit on it and shout, 'I'm on the free bus!' down your mobile phone. Tut

Happy St Patrick’s Day! The time has come to celebrate Irishness in all its glory. If you were lucky enough to be brought up in the Celtic ways of life, you'll be all too familiar with these experiences:   A photo posted by @eimher on Mar 5, 2016 at 9:40am PST  Until you said it at school you thought everyone called the airing cupboard the 'hot press'. Nope, they don’t.   A photo posted by roisinthedream (@roisinthedream) on Mar 15, 2015 at 2:21am PDT Even if she’s been here over 30 years, your mum still says she’s going home if she plans to visit her side of the family in Ireland.    A photo posted by Rachel Kenney (@rachel.kenney) on Jan 1, 2016 at 7:17pm PST On the flipside, you had to give up your bedroom countless times because an aunt/cousin/second cousin was in London for a few days. You got zero sympathy or appreciation from your parents for this.   A photo posted by Nadia (@_nadzzz_) on Aug 14, 2015 at 4:42pm PDT  You thought everyone had 50 first cousins. You have fond memories of visiting them for rural adventures on the Emerald Isle every year. Although they did take the piss out of your London accent, borrowed (stole) your clothes and had 13 weeks off school in the summer, compared to your pitiful six.    Celebrations #tayto #guinness A photo posted by Faoileàn (@thefroggie) on Mar 7, 2016 at 9:52am PST Summer holidays in Ireland also meant underage drinking. It’s okay because you’d have to eat a year’s worth of Tayto crisps at the same t

The UK garage scene that swept the nation in the late 1990s and early 2000s originated nowhere other than gritty old London. In fact, south London's So Solid Crew released their debut album 'They Don't Know' 14 years ago this week - and if you were lucky enough to experience the buzz of two-step's musical genesis then these are the signs that would have identified you as a certified garage lover: 1. You put in the work to reach the raves If you were old enough - or looked the part - you went to as many garage raves as possible, from the Club Colosseum in Vauxhall to Bagleys in King’s Cross. You didn’t let late night travel across the capital put you off. You were also willing to visit record shops such as Spin City or Baseline Records to buy your tickets days in advance, and you carefully prepared your outfit. Moschino jeans, Iceberg and Patrick Cox loafers were solid raver attire. <img id="15eec277-1f2a-158c-92bb-344708e01ea2" data-caption="" data-credit="Chrisy Costi" data-width-class="100" type="image/jpeg" total="166852" loaded="166852" image_id="102953430" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102953430/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> Chrisy Costi 2. You brought the rave home If you weren’t old enough to experience garage raves in all their sweaty, smoky, bass-filled glory, you may have frequented under-18 raves like Bigga Fish, downing a bottle of Hooch beforehand. Failing that, you stuck all the big rave flyers on your bedroom wall to live vicariously throu