London Love

There are many things that I love about London that never seem to get any less exciting, from sitting on the top deck of the bus to enjoying a drink in a hidden-away pub. I've compiled a list of all my absolute favourite things to see and do in the capital so that you can enjoy them too, and hopefully let me know what your favourite things are, the more obscure the better!

• Absolute Vintage, Hanbury Street, E1 – Masses of vintage gear to trawl through, all at reasonable prices and particularly good for shoes and handbags.


• Brick Lane Beigel Bake – East London institution which is perfect for post-drink snacks as is open 24hrs and is super cheap. Just look for the queues snaking down Brick Lane.


• Dover Street Market – Concept department store created by Comme des Garcon’s Rei Kawakubo; designer label retail heaven. The Rose Bakery offers delicious cakes for exhausted shoppers at it’s café on the top floor.
  
  



• Franco Manca Pizza, Brixton Market – These sour dough pizzas are out of this world! Best I’ve tasted outside Italy.





• Galvin at Windows restaurant, Park Lane Hilton – Grab a drink whilst looking at the breath-taking 360° view of London which is entirely uninterrupted.


• Late Night at the V&A – Once a month the V&A opens late on a Friday night with live performances, debates, displays, guests. At Late Night visitors get 15% off the fantastic gift shop.


• Liberty Shoe Boutique – A heaven for shoe lovers!





• Made in Italy, Kings Road, SW3 – Great Italian food at reasonable prices. In summer sit out on their roof top terrace and watch the people on the Kings Road go by.


• Make It Lounge, Islington – Teaching the lost generation various arts and crafts techniques from altering clothing to cake decorating and jewellery making to knitting. A really trendy and friendly place to learn all the basics with enthusiastic teachers and a beautiful studio to match.


• Notting Hill Arts Club – One of my favourite places to go out in London. Go down the stairs to a dingy student-like club where the drinks are a bargain during happy hour (although don’t take the white wine - awful!!!) music is always incredible (various styles on different nights) and the crowd cool. Great live music too.


• Pearl Bar & Restaurant – Beautiful setting, mouth-watering food and luscious cocktails.





• Soho Theatre, Dean Street, Soho – Great place to see new and established talent in all performance areas, particularly good for comedy with big names trying out new material to small crowds here. Bar is great for a drink as is always buzzing and there is a delicious restaurant downstairs which also produces the bar snacks.
  
• Spa at York Hall, Bethnal Green – Amazing value at London’s first Council run spa (now open a second in Swiss Cottage). Good facilities and only £21.50 for use of Turkish baths, sauna, plunge pool, steam room and chill out area. Not the plushest spa but not half bad either, definitely worth a visit!


• Spitalfields Market – Perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon with a wide range of fashion, art, crafts and food.





• St John Bread & Wine, Commercial Road – Unusual and traditional cuts aplenty in this canteen-like restaurant. Save room for the delicious Eccles cakes for dessert. Always full of an eclectic mix of people from city boys to eccentric artists.


• Tate Modern Members’ Bar – Amazing view from the terrace and a great atmosphere particularly on a Friday night. Great Arshile Gorky exhibition on at the moment and also the hotly anticipated Gauguin show in September.




• Vietnamese Place in Soho – (After an internet trawl, I think it’s called Viet Pho on Greek Street but not 100%) This bring your own booze restaurant really is incredible! Full of Vietnamese customers, always a good sign, and serves delicious, affordable meals.