Top Six ‘Thank You For Birthing Me” Mother’s Day Plans

Written by: Sophie Taylor

Whether your mum’s in the same city (or planet) as you, you should be celebrating her existence daily. But this March 26th is your excuse to really lay it on thick if she’s in North London, and show how much you care that she birthed you all those many moons ago. It’s not easy to raise you, you know? Remember that time you had a real time tantrum because she wouldn’t give you another biscuit, jumped on the back of your highchair and fell face first on to a radiator and had to have stitches and wear an eye patch giving her a panic attack that lasted for twenty five years? No?

Well she does.

Here’s our suggestions to treat yo mama this Mother’s Day, whether she’s a foodie, farmie, culture vulture or a downright wino. Disclaimer: our ideas are not just limited to mother and daughter crews. Treat your Grandma, sister, friend, friend’s dog who just gave birth… Get involved and share the love. Side note: Most of our suggestions aren’t time specific so you’ve no excuse if you won’t happen to be together on March 26th.

1. The Edgy Muso

“A whole world in 2 hours.”

Unseen Tours provides paid work as tour guides to vulnerably housed individuals, showcasing their creativity and resourcefulness while taking you along on a great tour to parts of the city “you might never otherwise see with people you might never otherwise know existed”.

The tours aim to show London’s historical and cultural quirks in an unusual and entertaining way and, where issues of homelessness are covered, to make a point about the state of the world we live in and highlight issues of social injustice.

Take a stroll with Mike the Mod round Camden and share his first-hand knowledge of the history of contemporary music in Camden. 

From early Pink Floyd performing at the Roundhouse in 1966, through to the emerging Indie scene of the 1980s up to the establishment of Camden being the home of all the major Brit Pop artists of the 1990s.

Learn about the establishment of Camden Town and Primrose Hill during the Industrial Revolution and the recent gentrification of these areas.

Experience the contrasts of poverty and homelessness in Camden Town to the opulence of Primrose Hill where many famous celebrities live.

Tours last 2 hours and start outside Chalk Farm Tube, Adelaide Road NW3 2BP

Every week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2 – 4pm.

Book here. 

2. The Foodie (Absolute Lush)

Does your mum like a bevvy? As much as the next person? Hey, as we reiterated earlier, it’s not her fault you shot her nerves looking after you and your ‘ways’. I need a drink or three just to hang out with you. Luckily, some North London eateries have cottoned on to the whole drinking with your mother thing (and recognised how tedious it is to be sober around you). Oh, stop being such a paranoid android everyone knows you’re a complete treat.

You can pretend to pops that you’re just off for a traditional afternoon tea when in actual fact the liquid in your teapot is pure cocktail. At Simmons, Kings Cross, you can both get your fix of alcohol and kitsch with tea-based cocktails alongside hanging crystal skulls and 1930s lampshades. Mine’s the Mar-tea-ni, cheers. 

Shaka Zulu in Camden are not only offering a three course meal for a measly £24.95, they’re also throwing in a complimentary Raspberry or Lychee Collins. You can also add bottomless Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas for £20 per person. There is the usual 2 hour time limit though, so you best get slurping like Dot Cotton if you want to take full advantage of their good nature.

Cafe Rouge in Highgate are also offering free Prosecco with any main course because mums can’t get enough of that fizzy wine apparently. Yep, even Belgian restaurant Belgo Noord have jumped aboard the Prosecco wagon and are practically throwing the stuff at mothers faces on the 26th, right as they walk through the door. Splash! Welcome. Enjoy a glass of Prosecco on arrival along with a two or three course meal from their extra delicious Mother’s Day set menu. Get it down you.

3. The Green Fingered

Did you know that as soon as you give birth, the placenta emits a ‘cultivation signal’ to the brain and implants a lifelong urge to grow plants and flowers before it is passed? Hence why all Mums just can’t get enough of gardening and receiving flowers! Fact of the day.

This is obviously a big fat myth made up by florists to capitalise on*, but some women (mothers or not) are green fingered goddesses regardless.

If the women in your life knows a thing or two about how her garden grows, with forget-me-nots and marigolds all tied up in a bow, this is the Mother’s Day event for them.

Whether she needs help or not to create her own beautiful bouquet, you will learn how to make a tasty bunch out of seasonal flowers to take home. All materials are included, as well as lashings of tea, coffee and homemade cake.

So if your particular offering is disappointingly twiggy you can take comfort in cake as per. NB it won’t be disappointing – workshop leader Helena of The Allotment Florist is an excellent teacher.

Groups are small so you will get extra special attention should you need it.

26th March  

Pretty Shiny Shop, 67 Stroud Green Road,  N4 3EG

Workshops run from 11am until 11am -1pm or 2-4pm.

Book places here. 

​*/made up by me, just now

4. The Rambler

If the sun has got his hat on, try a North London canal walk with your ambling mother. The Regent’s Canal towpath walk from Camden to Limehouse is a mostly flat and paved jaunt, stretching on for six miles.

Just before Granary Square and it’s extra special jet fountains, you’ll pass an inner-city nature reserve. Camley Street Natural Park hosts a daytime ugly bug ball for you to gawp at and photograph.

Bonus points for getting a photo of your mum with a butterfly in her hair.

Getting tired you could always call it a day at Angel as you’ll find your tube route home on the right, and Camden Passage full to bursting with vintage finds.

Definitely take a well deserved break along the way at one of many canal side restaurants and bars or floating cafes.

Your mum might like to stretch her legs, but some of us have hangovers and pulled our hamstrings last night doing one too many dab squats.

Try the aptly named Narrow Boat Pub sitting on the canal near Angel which has plenty of seating and a healthy selection of local brewed beers like Meantime or Camden Town.

Don’t forget to try the Narrow Boat butty for sustenance.

119 St Peter’s Street, N1 8PZ.

5. The Culture Vulture

Pop along to The Park Theatre, Finsbury Park for a special exhibition celebrating International Women’s Day. During 2016 artist Chris Avis worked with nine sets of mothers and daughters, the youngest daughter being seventeen months and the oldest mother one hundred and two to create manipulated printed portraits.

‘SHE’ is a collection of works that celebrate International Women’s Week 2017 with a photographic and short film exhibition on until the end of April. A special screening of film SHE : Mothers And Daughters Moments In will take place on the 25th March at 3:30pm (booking required).

Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP 8th March – 30th April

Or how about attending a talk in the grand drawing room of Clissold House? Poet and political polemicist Anna Barbauld was almost as cool as your mum and played a key role in Stoke Newington’s influential Dissenting community.

Her works will be discussed by a host of speakers looking at how she is still scarily relevant today. Barbauld’s sermon, Sins of Government, Sins of the Nation, urged an active response to bad governments and she wrote powerfully against the slave trade.

Doors are open from 1.30pm and ticket prices include a glass of wine or a soft drink. Money from ticket sales will go towards conserving or restoring Clissold Park features.

Sunday 26th March 2 – 3:30pm The House at Clissold Park, Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 9HJ. Book places here. 

6. The Wellington Booted

Some mums just love squeezing into a rubbery pair of wellies, rolling up their sleeves and marching down the road into puddles of filth don’t they? Presumably shouting What ho! and whistling unfathomably loud for Duke the lab whilst feeding a horse some carrots she happened to have in her Barbour pockets.

If that sounds familiar, perhaps she will enjoy a trip to a city farm: Freightliners Farm behind St Mary Magdalene Church to be exact. A convenient little stride from Highbury and Islington Station, this secret farm houses a menagerie of traditional farm animals for you to take selfies with while your mum shakes her head then photobombs every single pic with a guinea pig she seems to have adopted.

After a tiring morning of geese chat and ram stroking, (no not a euphemism for that weird date you went on) you’ll have worked up an appetite for the Freightliners Cafe open Thursday to Sunday, 10am – 3:45pm.

They’ve kept honey bees for almost 20 years, pollinating the farm’s fruit and veg and producing prize winning honey, so you can bet the fodder’s pretty tasty. Depending on what age group you decide to bring along, there are always some rather fantastic workshops on the go for younger visitors (also known as children I think?)

Freightliners Farm, London N7 8PF, Tel: 020 7609 0467 or Email: administration@freightlinersfarm.org.uk

What type is my mum you ask? Oh well she’s a perfect mix of all six and then some because she’s multifaceted and extraordinary thanks for asking. As you were.

Fancy treating your mum to a more traditional beauty salon treatment? Try the community spirited and reasonably priced Sorbet Salons in North London.