While scrolling through my VSCO feed just now (out of pure vanity) I realised I had several saved images from what I'm characterising as ‘lockdown park snacks’. Right at the beginning of everything the parks were open and then they weren’t. For those grass-less three weeks (or was it four?) I stalked the canal that shares a high fence with our local park wondering when we’d be allowed to walk amongst the flowers and have picnics again. Then the chains were eventually unwound and we were granted special access (like when they open the gates in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) back into the parks of London.
With an ice cream truck situated at every exit, beers flowing into plastic takeaway cups from local pubs and coffee shops providing iced lattes by the bucket load, if you weren’t rollerblading, running or cycling to celebrate the re-opening of the parks, then you were snacking.
“Is the coffee shop near you open? Shall we get drinks and sit at opposite ends of the bench in the park?” became the new 'let's grab a cheeky (gross) drink'. Obviously, you can still 'grab a drink’, pubs are technically open, but on a midweek afternoon at 2pm I’m not going to be having an Aperol Spritz in the park while Samantha and her boyfriend Darren are trying couples yoga for the first time on their lunch break, am I? (Or maybe I am???)
Living in a sans garden flat, being able to go back to the park, and socially distance, was a thrilling experience. I was discovering so many local coffee shops and deli’s I never knew about, and in turn, began munching my way through a whole variety of snacks on offer. This included repeatedly purchasing a slice of red velvet cake from the same place (washed down with iced lattes), a Margherita pizza, a pint which came with its own plastic lid, two bottles of Corona, lemonade produced in East London, some homemade scones that I baked (with all the trimmings) and a 99 flake which cost £2.50.
(Not all consumed on the same day).
Upon purchasing these snacks, and wandering the lengths and breadths of our local parks, I have had some of my nicest mornings, afternoons and evenings (ending at 6pm) in recent memory. From discussing relationships to politics to people watching (the best) to fantasising about living in a big three-floor townhouse overlooking the park, all these moments have been highlighted, triumphed and enhanced by the addition of takeaway food.
Lovely.
B-Y-E
Lauren x
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