Where should we live in London with a baby?

• Where should we live in London with a baby? I just accepted a new job that will require me relocating from Paris to London. Where are the best places to live? I'll be working in Covent Garden so I'd like to live somewhere central with a commute that's less than 45 minutes. My wife and I (creative-types, not banker-types) are 30-somethings who still consider ourselves marginally cool (despite having a 6-month old) so we want to live where there's stuff happening. Shopping, pubs, parks, people, etc. So, not the 'burbs. We'd really like to live in a loft, and from what I can find a lot of them are located in the Shoreditch and Islington areas. Is Shoreditch "over" like Williamsburg, or is it suitable to young families like us (or have we scared the actual cool people away?)? And now that we have a little one to think about, how are the schools in these areas? Finally, nearby tube service is a must, which I know sucks because many of the best places I've seen are out in no-man's land. We're looking at December-January for relocation. Thanks for the tips!

• Answer:

  While I wouldn't say it's 'over', Shoreditch is really pretty grungy/grotty, very hard and urban with little in the way of greenspace, with the further reaches predominantly made up of housing estates. The trendy and artsy bits are fun, but I find it gets a bit hectic after a while. Islington is quite a contrast (although it also has estates here and there) - it's quiet and family-friendly - I guess trendy for a more grown-up, yuppie crowd. Lots of nice squares and kid's parks, good schools, great pubs, organic restaurants and that sort of thing. It's right next door but nothing at all like Shoreditch; Islington is very 'London' whereas Shoreditch could just as easily be in New York or Toronto. I live right on the border between the two, but definitely consider Islington'home'... I go to Shoreditch for Vietnamese, and to go to the Brick Lane market but apart from that it's just a bit too 'sceney'. Actually I would look for a place along Regent's Canal, anywhere between Camden and Bethnal Green, if I had your budget. Lots of nice refurbished warehouses and new buildings there, but the older funkier ones are either further east away from the underground, or around King's Cross (the canal passes through a long tunnel under Islington). Otherwise, Islington is predominantly made up of handsome 3-4 storey Victorian townhouses, where you'd have a lot of choice - I'm seeing a lot of 'For Rent' signs right now. From the southern ends of Islington or around King's Cross you could walk to Covent Garden in under 45 minutes. Let me know if you have other specific questions - I'm actually leaving London (sadly!) at the end of the month and have all sorts of time right now to answer questions.