A Curated Guide to London.

Many may not know or remember this, but almost 10 years ago, London was my home. It’s a city that holds so many happy memories for me, and it feels particularly nostalgic to come back. I was an au pair here when I was younger, and life was sweet - time with the kids, reading sessions at Holland Park in the autumn, academic drawing classes and many cups of tea.

In all this time, London has changed a bit, so here’s a list of old and new gems, from my time here all those years ago, as well as from a couple of short trips to this city that I hold close to my heart.

WHERE TO EAT

St. John

Maggie Jones’s Restaurant

Regency Cafe

Cloudstreet

Cafe Cecilia

Rochelle Canteen

Marylebone Farmers’ Market

It’s true that you can take the man out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the man. So, with an English boyfriend, I do get a taste of eggs and beans often. But when I’m over there and want to do it properly, I’d stop by Regency Cafe. I also love the beautiful garden at Rochelle Canteen, or a bike ride by the canal to grab something to eat at Cafe Cecilia or Cloudstreet.

Also, nothing beats a morning at one of the amazing farmers’ markets around the city. This time, we stumbled upon the one in Hackney by happy accident.

COFFEE AND A SWEET TREAT

Cremer

Foku

Gegend London

Layla Bakery

Townhouse Spitalfields

Abuelo

It’s lovely to grab a coffee to go and head to one of the many parks, but if the weather isn’t kind, the places above are some of my favourite options for a dose of caffeine.

I especially love the interior design at Cremer - such a stunning café, with delicious food. I also can’t stop thinking about a jasmine pudding I had at Gegend, a beautiful Japanese tea house that’s also great for picking up souvenirs.

WHERE TO STAY

The Ned London

Grand Hotel Bellevue

The Zetter Hotels

The Twenty Two

Oakley Court

I haven’t had the chance to experience many hotels in the city, as I used to have my own home here or stay with family and friends. But these are some of the places on my bucket list, especially somewhere like Oakley Court when you want to escape the city for a day.

ART AND CULTURE

Eltham Palace

The Cosmic House

Electric Cinema

Royal Academy of Arts

Monument Gallery

Carpenters

Spazio Leone

It’s hard to narrow down the many great museums and cultural spaces in the city. After ticking off the main ones, like the Saatchi Gallery and Tate Modern, here are some other stunning options. One of my favourites is taking a tour of The Cosmic House on a sunny day in Notting Hill, then walking over to the Electric for a film afterwards.

Eltham Palace is also worth the trip, and there’s always a beautiful set-up at Spazio Leone. This time, we got lucky, and our visit coincided with an exhibition opening featuring the incredible artist Yumo Yuan.

WHERE TO SHOP

Arthur Sleep

Réalisation Par

Mount Street Printers

D. R. Harris & Co.

Perfumer H.

Mantel

Hai

I love going back to Harrods and Liberty for the classic British shopping experience, but I also love wandering through smaller, independent boutiques like Hai, with its stunning silk bags, and picking up souvenirs like Perfumer H.’s delicious incense sticks or toiletries from D. R. Harris.

WHERE TO DRINK

Passione Vino

Space Talk

A Bar with Shapes for a Name

The Spurstowe Arms

New Forms

There are so many stylish places to enjoy a good glass of wine or a cocktail, but my favourite will always be a dark, cosy pub (a vibe I miss at home), sharing some crispy pizza and beers and, if we’re lucky, enjoying a trivia night. The Spurstowe was great on our last visit!

I’m not a local anymore, but I hope these recommendations come in handy. If you’d like to see more, you can save all the spots mentioned here (and many more) to your Google Maps here.

With love,

Carla x