Jan 2014

London has no shortage of things to do. No matter how long you have lived there for, there is always somewhere new to go, a restaurant to try, a sight to see, a market to check out, an area to explore etc… In fact there is so much on offer that it is impossible to do it all. Believe me I’ve tried!

For me, like for the many expats who came before, London’s to do’s actually became a bit of an obsession. Often I would search through London magazines to find out what was on and where the best food, drinks, events, activities and attractions were. I would also ask friends about where they’d been, what they’d seen and where they’d eaten, and immediately I would want to go. Because of this, I was constantly adding things to my London to do list.

Likewise, I was always crossing things off my list (the best part of any list writing), and since I had a lot of friends on temporary working visas (meaning there was always a limit on their time in London) it forced us in the best possible way to do everything then and there and not put things off for another day. As they say in the classics (such a Dad phrase), “there’s no time like the present”.

Things that I think should not be missed on any London itinerary, in no particular order:

• The incredible view on top of Primrose Hill
• Saturday morning’s at Borough Market
• Sweet treats and savory delights at Ottolenghi on Upper Street in Angel
• A broadway show on the West End
• Shopping along the Kings Road, Carneby Street and Neal Street
• A walk around the idyllic ponds at Hampstead Heath
• Delicious scones at Fleet River Bakery in Holborn
• An afternoon stroll through Regent’s Park (especially beautiful in the springtime)
• Resting under one of Green Park’s huge and leafy trees
• Ridiculously good doughnuts at St John’s Bakery in Spitalfields
• A green curry at Busuaba on Wardour Street in Soho
• Watching the world go by on the South Bank
• A concert at the Royal Albert Hall
• Hackney’s vibrant Broadway Market
• Catching a movie at the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill
• Bargaining along old Portobello Road come market day
• Enjoying a good old fashioned pub meal at the Duke of York in St John’s Wood
• Climbing the 259 steps of St Paul’s Cathedral
• A visit to the Tate Modern
• Crossing the Millennium Bridge
• A trip out to Greenwich and it’s weekend market
• Wandering through the extensive collection of artwork at The National Gallery
• Experiencing Trafalgar Square and the flurry of activity that surrounds it
• A walk along the River Thames down on the shore of Embankment
• Getting lost in Richmond Park
• A mouthwatering steak at the Hawksmoor
• Eating at an authentic curry house along Brick Lane in London’s East End
• Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday’s
• A Dirty Burger (BEST burger in town)
• Walking around Camden Town and along Regent’s Canal
• A trip to Little Venice, followed by a meal at Café Laville in Maida Vale

Posted by Jess Fleming