Guidebook for London
Food Scene
Some of the best everyday sushi in London imo - their takeaway prices are fairly reasonable, and they're a stone's throw away from the flat. When I was living there, picking up sushi on my way home to eat on the terrace was my fave.
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Atariya Foods Swiss Cottage
75 Fairfax RdSome of the best everyday sushi in London imo - their takeaway prices are fairly reasonable, and they're a stone's throw away from the flat. When I was living there, picking up sushi on my way home to eat on the terrace was my fave.
Raucous, quick, always extremely packed - I love this place. It is Kilburn at its best - I know no where else in London where you eat amongst such a consistent diversity of people. Authentic in a way you'll recognise only if you've actually ever lived/eaten in Asia - it's not for a quiet sit-down meal, not for those who like elbow room, and definitely not for those afraid of MSG - but it's got incredibly good vibes and delicious food.
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Spicy Basil
165 Kilburn High RdRaucous, quick, always extremely packed - I love this place. It is Kilburn at its best - I know no where else in London where you eat amongst such a consistent diversity of people. Authentic in a way you'll recognise only if you've actually ever lived/eaten in Asia - it's not for a quiet sit-down meal, not for those who like elbow room, and definitely not for those afraid of MSG - but it's got incredibly good vibes and delicious food.
Standard Italian fare done to good standard - but if you're able-bodied, there's the added attraction that half of the tables are accessed by ladder. The waiting staff do an astounding job of not dropping things despite this, and it makes for an intimate but quirky atmosphere.
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The Jam
289A King's RdStandard Italian fare done to good standard - but if you're able-bodied, there's the added attraction that half of the tables are accessed by ladder. The waiting staff do an astounding job of not dropping things despite this, and it makes for an intimate but quirky atmosphere.
Beautiful bread and cute local cult following. Great place to take your laptop to for an hour or so - great enough that they have to kindly ask people to try and remember to buy a coffee every two hours or so!
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Hart & Lova Bakery
213a Belsize RdBeautiful bread and cute local cult following. Great place to take your laptop to for an hour or so - great enough that they have to kindly ask people to try and remember to buy a coffee every two hours or so!
Parks & Nature
If you're here on a Sunday, visit a botanical gem right in the heart of brutalist utopia - the Barbican Centre is modern architecture at astonishing scale of ambition, and totally worth visiting already. But the Conservatory really is a gem of its own - who doesn't love a good house of palms? - and if you're really lucky to be looking close enough to the Sunday you're coming that they've actually released tickets, but far enough in advance that they haven't sold out, check to see if there are any afternoon tea tickets left.
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Barbican Conservatory
Silk StreetIf you're here on a Sunday, visit a botanical gem right in the heart of brutalist utopia - the Barbican Centre is modern architecture at astonishing scale of ambition, and totally worth visiting already. But the Conservatory really is a gem of its own - who doesn't love a good house of palms? - and if you're really lucky to be looking close enough to the Sunday you're coming that they've actually released tickets, but far enough in advance that they haven't sold out, check to see if there are any afternoon tea tickets left.
Best park in London imo - it's equally great for walking and jogging as it is for renting bizarre lying-down-bikes and pedal boats on the lake. Much less tourist-y than the other London parks. There's a post-war peace pagoda too - and it's the only park in central London on the Thames.
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Battersea Park
Battersea Park RoadBest park in London imo - it's equally great for walking and jogging as it is for renting bizarre lying-down-bikes and pedal boats on the lake. Much less tourist-y than the other London parks. There's a post-war peace pagoda too - and it's the only park in central London on the Thames.
Shopping
The O2 Centre isn't anything special, but it's so conveniently located for the flat and basically has every essential plus not-so-essential that you could need! There is a big Sainsburys for all grocery and pharmacy, a Starbucks, a Vue cinema, an assortment of high street restaurants (think Nandos, Wagamama, Byron Burger, etc). Special shout-out to Chop-Pot though, who serve really excellent Ghanan stews.
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O2 Centre
255 Finchley RdThe O2 Centre isn't anything special, but it's so conveniently located for the flat and basically has every essential plus not-so-essential that you could need! There is a big Sainsburys for all grocery and pharmacy, a Starbucks, a Vue cinema, an assortment of high street restaurants (think Nandos, Wagamama, Byron Burger, etc). Special shout-out to Chop-Pot though, who serve really excellent Ghanan stews.
Beautiful, beautiful flowers - Columbia Road eat your heart out, because New Covent Garden Market has blooms just as gorgeous Mon-Sat every morning! Unfortunately only for the early-risers; get in around dawn for these wholesale treasures, as the traders pack up by 7-8AM.
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New Covent Garden Flower Market
Beautiful, beautiful flowers - Columbia Road eat your heart out, because New Covent Garden Market has blooms just as gorgeous Mon-Sat every morning! Unfortunately only for the early-risers; get in around dawn for these wholesale treasures, as the traders pack up by 7-8AM.
Essentials
Closest grocery store to the flat, and open until 11PM even on Sundays. Small but stocked with the essentials.
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Tesco Express
179 Shoreditch High StClosest grocery store to the flat, and open until 11PM even on Sundays. Small but stocked with the essentials.
Sightseeing
Take this canal boat tour from beautiful Little Venice to busy Camden market with the sassiest lady who has ever been allowed to guide tourists I've met - learn a bit about the history of London and wider British canal boats, whilst getting an authentic sense of the narrowboat community pride. I love walking around this area even if not on the tour - there's something curious and magical about the moored boathouse communities, and trying to peek into it all is definitely a guilty pleasure.
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Jason's Trip
42 Blomfield RdTake this canal boat tour from beautiful Little Venice to busy Camden market with the sassiest lady who has ever been allowed to guide tourists I've met - learn a bit about the history of London and wider British canal boats, whilst getting an authentic sense of the narrowboat community pride. I love walking around this area even if not on the tour - there's something curious and magical about the moored boathouse communities, and trying to peek into it all is definitely a guilty pleasure.
Arts & Culture
The Barbican is hard to fathom until you're really there - the scope is genuinely behemoth. It's such an important work of design and architecture, and there's a lot to think about in terms of what its creators were trying to achieve compared to what has happened to it today. There's a great library inside which is free to join - also regular events and concerts that are worth having a look at. Used to be one of my favourite areas to sketch at - it's so vast that you'll always find something interesting to focus on.
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Barbican Centre
Silk StreetThe Barbican is hard to fathom until you're really there - the scope is genuinely behemoth. It's such an important work of design and architecture, and there's a lot to think about in terms of what its creators were trying to achieve compared to what has happened to it today. There's a great library inside which is free to join - also regular events and concerts that are worth having a look at. Used to be one of my favourite areas to sketch at - it's so vast that you'll always find something interesting to focus on.
I really love this development - another landmark of London brutalism. It is composed of the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Hayward Gallery, a mini skate park, and a fantastic food market that runs on Friday and Saturday evenings in the summertime. The Royal Festival Hall holds a few lovely surprises if you're into public spaces with good atmosphere - there's a very tiny garden/patio carved out of the heart of the building, as well as a fantastic outdoor seating area on the top floor that has great views across the Thames. Also a roof garden on dry days. There's generally some kind of free music or event or festival on too.
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Southbank Centre
I really love this development - another landmark of London brutalism. It is composed of the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Hayward Gallery, a mini skate park, and a fantastic food market that runs on Friday and Saturday evenings in the summertime. The Royal Festival Hall holds a few lovely surprises if you're into public spaces with good atmosphere - there's a very tiny garden/patio carved out of the heart of the building, as well as a fantastic outdoor seating area on the top floor that has great views across the Thames. Also a roof garden on dry days. There's generally some kind of free music or event or festival on too.
Yes, I've put this under Arts & Culture. Yes, I've called it an Art Gallery. Not to everyone's tastes - but if you're into design (fashion or otherwise), it honestly is worth a trip. All of my shameless fashion snobbery aside, my favourite way to describe DSM is "a museum where you can try all the works of art on" - it is one of my favourite design haunts in London. As Rei Kawakubo's brainchild, it hosts the most amazing curation of contemporary garments you'll ever see in one place. And even though it's luxury, you won't find a whiff of the LVs and Guccis, as everything is based on design over label - CDG sits near Nike, Gosha mingles with Rick Owens.
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Berwick Street Market
Berwick StreetYes, I've put this under Arts & Culture. Yes, I've called it an Art Gallery. Not to everyone's tastes - but if you're into design (fashion or otherwise), it honestly is worth a trip. All of my shameless fashion snobbery aside, my favourite way to describe DSM is "a museum where you can try all the works of art on" - it is one of my favourite design haunts in London. As Rei Kawakubo's brainchild, it hosts the most amazing curation of contemporary garments you'll ever see in one place. And even though it's luxury, you won't find a whiff of the LVs and Guccis, as everything is based on design over label - CDG sits near Nike, Gosha mingles with Rick Owens.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that the RSC only do traditional! I did - and thank goodness I had a good friend who insisted that we go to see A Midsummer Night's Dream despite my utter disinterest in non-contemporary theatre. What I found instead was an utter reimagining for our age: Helena was made Helenus in a genius twist of Pride; Bollywood dancing and sitars got involved; there was an incredibly diverse cast; there was Beyonce. I laughed until my sides hurt. Honestly, I had so much fun, standing tickets are £5, and plus you can turn up as late as you like and they'll still let you in. (And - if you like more traditional Shakespeare, they still do that too!)
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Shakespeares Globe Theatre
21 New Globe WalkDon't make the mistake of thinking that the RSC only do traditional! I did - and thank goodness I had a good friend who insisted that we go to see A Midsummer Night's Dream despite my utter disinterest in non-contemporary theatre. What I found instead was an utter reimagining for our age: Helena was made Helenus in a genius twist of Pride; Bollywood dancing and sitars got involved; there was an incredibly diverse cast; there was Beyonce. I laughed until my sides hurt. Honestly, I had so much fun, standing tickets are £5, and plus you can turn up as late as you like and they'll still let you in. (And - if you like more traditional Shakespeare, they still do that too!)