LONDON: 4 MONTHS IN REVIEW
London: 4 Months in Review
By Milly Morgan
At the end of August, I packed up my bags and traded my little country life in a cottage in Wiltshire, for a flat in London and a fast-track journalism program.
Over the course of these months, I have thrown myself headfirst into London life all while trying to juggle securing a career in journalism with exploring the city, making new friends, and crucially, trying out all my local coffee shops. (The synopsis on that front is, Another Brother, Urban Baristas and Frenchie are all onto a winner, and while Gails is definitely overrated, sometimes nothing hits the spot like one of their £5 pastries.)
When I reflect on this move, I can’t quite believe how much I have squeezed into these first few months considering at the beginning of the year, I used to roll out of bed at 11am for a lecture, only to roll straight back in after.
And while at times, it has been a struggle to manage my workload and still maintain some form of a social life, I feel as if I have now accumulated a strong list of London recommendations to put on people’s radars.
So here it is, my comprehensive review of London life, complete with the highlights, the lowlights, and a bunch of recs to add to your bucket lists.
Now I believe there is no better way to kickstart my list of recommendations than with praising the shoppers paradise that is Battersea Power Station. I am sure my wonderment for this place is only heightened by the fact that I have come from a village where the only shopping opportunity is at Cheverell Stores, but it really is quite something. I’m also not alone in this belief but rather share this love with all my friends, with one going as far as to say:
“It’s my roman empire. I think about it at least four times a day. You know if I could live there I would” (and then proceeded to open up Rightmove).
Put quite simply, when those chimneys are in sight you know you are in for a good time, whether that be for a Christmas skate, a firework display, or a good shopping spree.
The only pitfall of a Battersea Power Station trip is that it is guaranteed to financially set you back by some way. So if you are looking for a free alternative, I would highly recommend a trip to Hampstead Heath for a walk up Parliament Hill or maybe even a swim. Or if you are looking for a bit of culture, few things top an evening at Tate Modern’s monthly Tate Lates.
On the food and drink front, I have been lucky enough to have some delicious meals, often washed down with some top tier pints. My flatmate and I’s firm favourite for a Friday night outing is The Alma in Wandsworth, and bonus points are given for their amazing Sunday roast! The other favourites are The Bedford in Balham, Cahoots in Soho for our central spot, and the odd cheeky trip to The Ship.
And while I will never turn down one of these pub trips, I don’t think I will ever be able to adjust to the tragically steep price of pints – so good thing no longer being a uni student has massively reduced my tolerance and three beers tends to do the job!
My standout meals so far have been Ria’s in Notting hill, for deep-dish pizza, orange wine, and the most amazing fried potatoes with whipped feta which I could not recommend enough!
And Juliet’s Quality Foods in Tooting takes the cake for best brunch spot, as affirmed by my Dad who crowned it the best breakfast he has ever had. Shoutout to the hashbrowns topped with parmesan and the banana bread of dreams which is served with a thick layer of espresso butter.
As a fashion girlie this list would not be complete without a shoutout to some of the amazing popups that Wiltshire-me could only dream of visiting. Fruity Booty, Susmies Collection and Peachy Den have all been on my hitlist, while I rounded off the year with a lovely evening celebrating the launch of Tink Collective with the Babsii Team.
This year promises lots more fun day trips, wine bar outings, and foody evenings as I plan to tick off Spiritland in Kings Cross, Pearl Box in Soho, and Tamila in Wandsworth.
Dates in the diary = pending.
