The area is great and very safe. You will know a good area if any Waitrose supermarket is nearby; we have one 5 minutes away. Also a budget supermarket Morrissons is just 2 minutes away from Waitrose. There are also a lot of shops, restaurants, pubs 10-15 minutes walk. You will be spoilt for choice with restaurants (French, Italian, Chinese, and many more)at Highbury corner, 3 -4 bus stops away on Holloway road, and near Highbury and Islington tube station(you could stop on Victoria line there) .There is also a MacDonalds restaurant at the end of the street if the kids like it. Arsenal stadium is 2 minutes away even if you cannot attend a match it will be worth a short visit. There is also an Arsenal pub on Hornsey Road junction with Tollington road where you could see live matches. If you don't fancy travelling by tube there are direct buses to centre from Waitrose corner going directly to Kings Cross, Trafalgar Sq, British Museum, Leicester sq, number 29, 91, 259.