Week 4: time to up the ante

This is basically a double post. I kept meaning to write about my second week but time slipped through my fingers. It takes so much time cooking that all it seems I do is cook bad work.

Week 2 was hard. I had to sometimes wait til I could find something to eat. Having a hotel with no fridge was hard and you get tired of eating cold veggies after a couple days. I’ll have to figure out how to change this up for the future. I made it through and even ran three times that week. Having a treadmill made it easier. The run outside when I came back sucked.

Week 3 I got to get back in the kitchen and I’m trying new things. Some worked…some recipes were not so good but I’m trying. And trying to find things that a picky eater will eat has been a challenge. Especially as that picky eater and I will be moving in together.

We eat very different things, and now that I’ve cut out grains, sugar and alcohol, it’s even less. I’m introducing little things to try to see what he likes, and what doesn’t bother his stomach as he has stomach problems. He eats all the meat and I eat the fish. We’ll see where we can find a middle ground.

I’m working so much that I’m not sure if I have more energy but I definitely feel lighter. And I’m getting lighter.

I went to the dermatologist about my psoriasis and age asked me what kind of treatment would I be willing to undertake: diet changes, supplement or meds. I said I was open to all three. So she put me on flaxseed oil and creams/oil for the external spots I have.

When we talked diet, I told her I cut out alcohol, sugar, dairy and grains 3 weeks ago. She said to keep it up, I’m doing the right thing and I should see results in the next 3 weeks!

Next I have to get back in the rhythm of regular exercise. This is key to my success and my health. This past week I was on my bike for 20 minutes a day but I need more than that. Especially weight training!

So I’ve done another shout out to friends to get back into the swing of things. Last year I discovered I exercise best with others so that’s what I’m going to keep doing. My BF isn’t into working out with others but I have lots of friends who are so I’m not at a loss for people to work out :)

Over the next 3 weeks I’m going through my stuff and purging. It feels like the right time as I purge fat and bad habits at the same time. It’s definitely stressful especially as my boyfriend and I are moving in together but I know it’s going to be wonderful to see him more regularly (even if we occasionally drive each other crazy). I’ll definitely need a post or two dedicated to that…

So I have finished week one and I’m finally feeling good.

I was sickly for the first 4 days but that could have been the jetlag (I just got back from Europe). Headaches and nausea and tiredness was no fun. When I looked at this pic compared to last week, I look less bloated. Great start - but now I need to get the exercise in so I can start getting back into shape (and lose some weight!)

It went really well food wise for my first week. I cooked all my food last week except for a few salads. I survived a birthday picnic and a boozy New York bunch (3 free drinks were included with the meal but I said no! I said no to free :))

The biggest worry for me was flying today. I brought a ton of food and pre-made salads. Some of the food was great for me but the main dish was pasta so salad it was! The steward commented that my salad looked better! Ha!

Dinner at the hotel was problematic. It was greasy and had globs of mayo on it and no real veggies. I picked my way around as best as poss but now I know not to eat here at night. Not necessarily a reflection of this place but after a week of eating super healthy, something not so good is really noticeable. Then again I wouldn’t have liked it even if I wasn’t trying to eat healthy!

The past week I rode my stationary bike at home a few times and today ran 2 miles as a kick start back into running. I have to get training as I have to run a half marathon in 16 weeks. And a huge thank you to everyone who said they would join me on fitness adventures. I’ll be reaching out and planning some things coming up soon!

It’s all in the head…

I know the hardest thing is going to be psychological. I was always the fat kid at school so I always have that image of myself in my head. It doesn’t matter how much I weigh, I feel the same. So it’s easy to be like - hey, I’m fat so it doesn’t matter.

But I’m trying to retrain myself to think that I want to be healthy and fit and live for a long time. So I have to treat my body that way. Then let the chips fall after that.

There are things that are problems for me. They keep creeping back. Alcohol is one - I don’t drink, I lose weight, feel better, and then I drink again and I eat too much and feel lousy. The other is using food and drink to celebrate/have a bad day. Those treats add up. And they add up fast.

What I guess I’m trying to say, is a lot of this is about how we think. We have to break those cycles. And that’s the hardest.

If we don’t break that, we’ll keep going back to how things were. And feel the same negative things about ourselves.

It’s only been a week but this is a battle I’ve been trying to win for the past 30+ years. And the battle has always been within me.

So here’s to week 2 - I’m on the road but I’ll not be deterred. Let’s do this!

The temptations of late night drinking and eating everything fried

I was walking home from our work summer party on Wednesday (and yes - I didn’t drink anything but seltzer water and lime). And all I saw ahead of me were seas of restaurants and bars. “Come in for this deal” “Cheap beer, cheep food, cheep times” “Make your day better with a drink in your hand and some fried food in your belly”

Maybe they didn’t quite say that but you get my drift. It’s no wonder we eat poorly and drink too much. Yes - of course you need self control. I’m not saying we, the people, are completely blameless.

But in New York most people socialize with a drink or some food and not usually the good kind. So I don’t blame them. Everyone likes a good deal. I know I do.

It’s hard to say no to the flashing neon sign, the smell of pizza, fried cheese sticks, bagels, doughnuts and the peals of laughter spilling into the streets from the open windows of bar after bar.

It made me realize that I have to redefine what fun is. Go back to that kid in me and see who will come with me. Yes - I like to drink, but I don’t need to every time I go out. And every night out doesn’t need to revolve around food and drink. Especially the nights where drink leads to those bad late night food choices.

Week one: starting again

Well I’ve had a few misfires over the past year. I watched my weight creep up 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 15…all the way to 25 pounds up from my lowest weight last year, and that wasn’t even my goal weight.

I’m now 50 pounds overweight. I’ve been hiding it ok. But after seeing pictures of me over the past couple months, I knew it was time to change something. Plus…I’m badly out of shape and my joints hurt. Carrying 200 pounds on a 5’8” frame is putting a lot of stress on my body.

I’m kick starting this with #whole30 - it’s basically an elimination diet. No sugar, no soy, no dairy (can’t do that anyway), no grains, no alcohol. This will carry on for 30 or more days and then we’ll see where I’ve got to.

But it’s more than that. You are encouraged to eat slower (that is one of my problems - I eat and drink everything too fast!) and to eat without distraction. No computer or TV, just taking time to enjoy your food and the company you’re with. Also you need to look at why you eat the way you do. If I’m stressed, bored or if it’s available, I eat. I’m a machine. A machine that’s going to not live very long if I don’t slow down.

Alcohol is a huge problem for me.

I have one drink, and then a few more and then I need to eat. Chips, noodles, whatever is available. It’s bad bad bad. So not only have I filled myself with empty calories but I’ve eaten all the wrong things super late at night.

Another problem I have is “free.” You buy me a drink or food or I’m at an event, I have to partake. But actually I don’t. I read “It Starts with Food" - the theory and outline of #whole30 and one thing really stuck out. "We’re adults. We can buy our own food…and we can say no." (Paraphrased but true)

I’m not cheap but somehow free seems better. But it’s not. Because it is not free. The picture above shows that.

Just as I know eating well is key, exercise is even more important. I need to exercise - it helps my body, my mind and my overall outlook. It’s where I get rid of the stress. I need to do this or I go back down the eating for pleasure route. 

So in order to stay on track, I’m asking for your help. The help of my friends and my family. Sometimes I’m going to say no. To food, to an event, to that glass of red. And I need you to be ok with that. 

I also need partners and cheerleaders along the way. This is very very key for my success. So if you want to set one day a week to exercise with me, I’d love that. I want to try spinning and yoga and start running again. My schedule because of travel makes this difficult but if you’re up for it, then I am too. I need to be active everyday. Maybe it’s just a walk at lunch or a class or a Saturday morning run. 

Let’s do this together shall we?

(PS you can follow my progress here and on my Instagram @heregoesheather where I’ll be diarizing my food and exercise)

Here’s how to make Bacon Breakfast bundles (or a veggie Dairy free one which is the bacon free one)

1) pre-heat oven to 350 C (we cooked ours at 400 today so the bottom of the bread got a bit dark and the yolks went hard after 13 minutes of cooking time)
2) butter/oil your muffin tin
3) cut a circle of bread for the bottom (we used Raisin Challah which is quite tasty)
4) Cook your bacon (or fake meat) until it’s 75% done. Turkey bacon actually works better to wrap the inside of the tin.
5) Place your bacon around the tin creating a basket in the center for your egg. Watch your fingers. It’s hot! I only had veggie sausage so I put a layer on the top of the bread with a bit of salsa for flavor. Next time I’m going to try smoked salmon! Yum!
6) break an egg in the center and place in the oven.
7) after 5 minutes, add cheese to the top if you want.
8) cook 5-8 more minutes. Yolks will continue to cook so make sure you take them out when still soft.

We had these bad boys with spinach cooked with fresh salsa and oven roasted potatoes. Happy days!

Finding your joy

See this man? He cut my keys this morning. I know, I know. Key cutting isn’t usually anything more than a mundane task after someone (aka me) has lost a set of keys. In my case, it was in my own house. But I digress.

This man was called over to cut my keys. I have a set of three. Two normal keys and one skinny key.

The skinny key needs a special machine. You measure the key, mark where you cut and the depth of cut, and then go for it. The first key he cut wasn’t quite right so he tried again. I didn’t mind. I was absorbed by a Buzzfeed article.

He cut it again. Brushed the key off and held it to the original.

The key matched! He cheered! “I did it! Yeeessss” This was a World Cup goal scoring level of excitement.

"Why are you so excited?" I asked.

He explained that not everyone can cut a key like that and he hadn’t seen one in ages. It’s a special technique and he explained how the machine cut a key by combining a number and position of the lever - like creating halves. Most of the team didn’t understand the half system so it was his own special technique.

He cut the next two keys, a grin from ear to ear.

I left the hardware store buoyant. He found his moment of joy, his work white whale, in a long thin key. Where was I going to find mine today?

That search for joy reminds me of #100dayshappy, a one a day photo challenge that has you capture one happy moment of your day. A reminder to yourself that every day has a bit of happiness in it. That we need to look for those moments of sunshine in our lives so that everyday is sunny.

It’s so easy to get up and resent your long day ahead. Get bogged down in minutia. But what will you create that will give you that joy? How will you nudge the needle forward? Get one step closer to making a difference? One step further on the path to your goals?

How will you find your one moment of joy today?

Breaking the food abuse cycle

I’ve been really re-inspired by the people around me who got on the healthy living train this year.

Last year I battled with myself, refound my love of running, ate healthy, cut out alcohol and lost 35 pounds. I wrote about it every step of the way and it helped me stay accountable.

Then I ran my marathon and promptly stopped all this good behavior. Now I’m back to where I started and I’m not happy about it.

I use food and drink as a crutch. There. I said it. Celebrations mean food. Sad days mean food. Stressed? Food. Bad day at work? Pass the fried calamari and red wine. Food. Food. Food. Nom. Nom. Drink. Drink. Blergh.

And as soon as I’m busy, goodbye exercise. Even though this would help me feel better, sleep better and be less stressed, I always have an excuse. Even though it’s only 30 minutes to maybe an hour. That’s it. I’ll lie in bed and watch a program for 45 minutes. Why not go for a run instead? Or do some weights. Or anything!

First things first, I have to have a spring clean. Get rid of old clothes. Old food. Old paperwork. Everything that is cluttering my life and my brain. Then make myself a promise.

When I’m stressed, bored, angry, upset, happy, don’t eat. Dance, go for a run, walk it out. And when it comes to rewards? Not food. Anything but food.

When I was a kid, we didn’t have a lot of money. Pay day meant a shared happy meal. A job well done? A treat. It’s not a bad thing. My mom rocked. And frankly food is cheaper than anything else a kid would like. Chocolate bars are only a dollar! There’s nothing wrong with the occasional treat but I still think of food being the best reward you can get.

Now I’m not saying food is bad. I love food. Food should be enjoyed. You should want a good meal. But I’m abusing it. I’m making myself a victim of food. And like a victim, I keep going back.

I need to change my relationship with food. This is forever thing. And I like eating healthy, I really do. So I just have to change how I think of food. It’s not the golden ticket. It’s not really going to make my day/night/life better. And I can’t just cut everything “good.” It’s about moderation and good choices.

It takes 30 days to form a habit. Today is day one.

Who’s with me?

Pee on the seat? Really?

OK ladies. We are grown ups here.

This is not acceptable. If you are the afraid to put your delicate bottom on a toilet seat and choose instead to pee all over it and leave it covered in your waste, you are the problem.

If you must do this, then clean up after yourself. You are not an animal and you do not live in a barn.

When I walk in a stall I’m so often tempted to turn back to the woman leaving it and say “Really? Are you still potty training? Are you expecting your mother to come in and clean up after you?”

But I don’t. I just inwardly rage. Is there something we can do to change this? All I want to do is sit down when I pee. Is that too much to ask?

When do you choose to give over to creativity?

Having a free afternoon in Paris, I decided to take advantage of the day and hit up the Musee D’Orsey. It’s one of my favourites with it’s huge collection of Art Nouveau furniture and full floor of impressionist paintings.

As it was the first Sunday of the month, the gallery was free so I was able to not only get into the museum, but also see the special exhibits. The month it was: Van Gogh/ Artaud: Le suicide de la societe.

I knew Artaud through my theatre studies - he was the creator of the Theatre of the Oppressed. But I never knew of his stays in the Asylum and that while he was in there, he wrote a comprehensive essay blaming society for Van Gogh’s suicide.

Two months from now, in the anniversary of the day Van Gogh took his life in 1890. He was only 37 years old.

At 27, he decided to be an artist. Just dropped everything and started to paint. At what point does someone turn everything on its head and say I’m doing that? I’m giving up on path for another? In only 10 years, Van Gogh created a body of work now touted as genius. But maybe it wasn’t a choice. Maybe he had to.

No one has ever written or painted, sculpted, modeled, built, invented, except to get out of hell.
-Artaud

With a family member supporting him, Van Gogh created the Potato Eaters - dark, morose work. And then bounced from schools until he settled in the south of France where he painted a whole bunch of sunflowers and cut off part of his ear.*

I’m always interested in how creativity plays itself out. Finds a way. Eats at your insides. Makes you restless.

I haven’t been giving time to my own creativity. In fact, I haven’t given time for me to sleep or see friends or keep fit, so it’s understandable. In a way.

I have a love/ hate relationship with what I create. The idea comes and it’s painful to get out. I procrastinate more than anyone I know (this is purely a guess). I’d rather clean the house sometimes than work on my writing or edit a film. It gnaws at my insides to even think about it.

The deep despairs followed by the high elations. The hair pulling and long walks hoping the spirit rushes through me so I can grab it by the tail and just make. But for the last few years, it’s felt elusive. I’ve crowded out my creativity and i feel an aching hole where I used to feel the passion and drive to make.

In September, I’ll be the same age as Van Gogh when he took his own life. Artaud said:

Yes I think more than ever that it was to Dr Gachet of Auvers-sur-oise
Owed, I say, his exit from life,
For Van Gogh was one of those natures whose superior lucidity enables them, in all circumstances, to see farther, infinitely and dangerously farther, than the immediate and apparent reality of facts.

Did he feel there was a limit to his time of creativity? 10 years was enough? Or was he so weighed down by society that he couldn’t see that one day his work would be coveted by the masses.

But still he tried. He took the leap. Picked up his trade and gave it everything he got, until he felt he couldn’t give anymore.

Do you feel you have given enough? Are you doing what you love? Have you pushed through the fear and give yourself completely to your end goal?

*This is a very truncated version of his successes and failures. See a full history of Van Gogh here

staff:

Waters have receded after devastating floods in the Balkans last week, but recovery is still just beginning. And threats remain from disease, newly exposed land mines, and the pure staggering cost of the disaster. In response, artists are coming together on Tumblr to spread awareness and support relief efforts. Go ahead and pick out your favorite poster, share it on your blog, and help get the word out.

Sometimes traveling for work can be frustrating. Wrong hotels, bad hotel choices, flight problems, last minute changes. But equally it can be amazingly lovely. Like beautiful breakfast spreads or a dark, quiet room when you’ve only had 2 hours of sleep on the plane ride over.

But the thing that made my day today, was the above note.

The Zetter Hotel in Farringdon is a new find - especially as I’ve never had to stay in hotel rooms in London before. 

It’s a boutique hotel with fun lighting, snacks from an “Honesty Snack Bar” and beautiful smelling soaps. The staff are friendly and helpful and there are fun touches throughout the hotel (in the rooms and in the beautiful bar and restaurant). They even have a Zetter Hotel guide that includes the names of all the staff so you know exactly who runs the place.

I stayed at the hotel only once, so it was a huge treat to open this hand written note. Unexpected. Surprise and delight as they call it in the advertising biz (though I have mistakenly called it shock and awe once…).

Well I am shocked, awed, surprised and delighted.

Thank you to the Zetter team. Brilliant customer service - above and beyond.

And this is the time we say goodbye to Stockholm. Business travel is often lonely travel, time for reflection and…well…getting work done. It’s nice that I’ve been able to travel with Jayde on the way back to London. Not only did we get some epic pictures in duty free, but I discovered that noodles can be found in the business lounge. I am traveling happy and full of my favorite food. Ever.

The Sounds of Stockholm

I realized that I’m traveling now, more than ever for work. And really what I should be doing is using this lovely space on the internet to write about it.

Though part of me wants to go back to the beginning of my eight weeks of my new job to write about all the new places I’ve been, things I’ve eaten, underground cocktail clubs, I may or may not do so. But I will, going forward, write about travel and places and whatnot. There will be pictures of food and reviews of hotels, little videos, animated gifs, whatever my heart fancies. 

I realize that I’ve moved away from a lot of the creative things that I love to do - writing and creating has been at my core since the day I could talk, walk and write. So as I head back on the road to work, I’ve decided to take my destiny back into my hands and get back to the maker that I am. It’s all about making my path my own.

Here are some of the Sounds of Stockholm - I’ll add to these music lists as I travel, giving more flavor to the worlds that I’m traveling in.

The Sounds of Stockholm

Namaste: the Rocky road of rejoining the yoga fold

So I used to be all about the yoga. I once did a show where we did 3-4 hours of yoga everyday as part of the rehearsal process. I could do a V sit for hours.

But for the last 5 years? I can count the times I’ve done yoga on one hand.

So today I did it. 90 minutes of power yoga.

It kicked my ass.

At first there was some chanting so I thought - ooo - sleepy yoga. No. There was to be no rest.

Plank. Downward facing dog. Left leg up. Warrior 2. Triangle pose.

Our instructor barked out orders (and by barked I really mean told us in a husky Brooklyn drawl). We followed.

I sweat. My calves were not going to stretch. At. All. But I kept up. Only took a couple of mini breaks.

Then came the “Ninja Death Pose.” Erm what? This is not going to be good.

So…I have a bad right knee. If I exercise it doesn’t bother me too much until my legs get tired. But if I train slow and steady it’s ok.

But, as I said in my last post, I haven’t been training. And working day and night means I’m not sleeping right. And the damn weather is all over the map.

Basically this means I have an achy right knee. But I didn’t give it too much thought. Until….Ninja Death Pose.

What you do is put a folded blanket against the wall. You put your right knee on it and put your lower leg up the wall. Then you lunge with your left leg. Just a lunge with your back leg up. Your legs look like a Z. Easy right?

For my right leg? It might have been one of the most painful things I’ve ever done to it. Not “I’ve hurt myself” pain but the kind of stretch that makes you want to cry, scream and swear. A lot.

Then you are supposed to push your left leg out and go to the floor. I went to the floor. Couldn’t move my leg. So the instructor had to tug it across the mat. The stretch lasted what seemed like 10 years in that position (I think it was 30 seconds) and I collapsed.

Left side? No problem. Great stretch.

So I’m going to add a weekly yoga class in. My body remembers most of it and it let me stretch all the week’s tensions away.

Any yoga tips, send them my way!

It’s time to pick a few better choices for breakfast…goodbye bagel.

Back to square 1.5

How easy it is to fall back after such a short time.

4 months after the marathon and I’m back up nearly 15 pounds, 3 inches on the waist and 4 inches on the hips.

How did that happen?

It appears eating what you want and drinking and stopping exercise all together is what happened.

I actually ran into someone yesterday that asked where my running photos were. He missed them because they were motivating him. Damn. Someone noticed!

Two things I know about myself…I’m all or nothing and I stop taking care of myself when I’m overwhelmed and stressed.

So something must change.

The problem? Hinging everything on one big goal instead of bringing in small goals and making them a part of my life…forever more.

It’s not about a number on a scale. In a way that’s easy to get. But it’s also easy to lose. I want to change this mentality of mine.

I like eating healthy. I like exercising (I like how I feel after at least). But why do I fluctuate so much?

Work is offering this program called A Quarter is Change. I work with the personal trainers at our gym, with a nutritionist, and they help me adjust my lifestyle. I do a weigh in on Mondays, have to work out 2 times at the gym each week, keep a food diary and come to weekly meetings.

And I, of course, will also blog it.

Yesterday I met with the nutritionist. I’m not “horrible” but I’ve realized I eat out for almost every meal. 10-16 hour days makes that a little too easy. I often don’t eat until I get home so that means I eat lunch between noon and 3 and sometimes don’t eat supper until 9-11 at night.

Not good.

So first I’ll tackle 3 things nutrition wise that seem easy but are big ones for me living in New York.

#1 Drink water: I don’t drink ANY water. Fact. I would die if I lived in a desert. Decaf coffee does not equal water so it’s time to start having water. 8 glasses a day!

#2 Eat snacks between lunch and dinner
This means healthy snacks people. The staff at work are wise to our long hours so we’re not working on “Don’t eat dinner at the time they start going out in Barcelona” but rather, have healthy snacks so I don’t eat all the things from the Thai food restaurant when I go home.

And finally…

#3 Cook three dinners a week at home

I actually enjoy cooking but I’ve fallen woefully out of practice especially since moving to New York.

So I have pledged to eat three dinners a week at home (they don’t have to be complicated) and I have to dedicate 1 hour on a Saturday or Sunday to grocery shop AND prep my food so I can come home in the week and easily throw something together.

This means planning.

The program doesn’t start for two weeks but I’m going to start now. Heading to fill up on water right now…

38 (or so) things to do in London

As a (former) long time London resident, people ask me about the best things to do in London. Before I get into my long long list of top things to do in London, here are some links to a couple lists that exist already.

One is of my “Day of Fun” - a fantastic day with a few friends trying things in London I’d not done before I moved to New York last year. The other one is a link from a friend who was a community manager at Yelp of her top things to do in London.

And here is the list of things to do in London. For those of you going for a short time, you won’t be able to do it all but I’m happy to tell you more about places if you are limited to certain areas, so please leave your comments below and I’m happy to add more!

1) Go for a Sunday Roast. Full stop.

2) Get tickets now for Secret Cinema if you are able. I’d love to bring this to New York. IT IS AMAZING!

3) I was told you have to book this Alternative tour of London in advance, but it looks like fun

Shoreditch/ Brick Lane/ Old Street:

4) Shoreditch has clothes and bars and whatnot. It’s where the hipsters live. There was a place called pool. It had a pool in the middle of it. Like proper school one.

5) Spittlefields market, and Upmarket on Brick Lane

6) Ministry of Stories/ monster shop

7) Callooh Callay

8) Brewdog in Shoreditch and ‘the underdog’ underneath brewdog in shoreditch, is a 1920’s speak easy themed cocktail bar!

9) Look Ma No Hands is a coffee shop/ bike repair shop: You don’t have to go there but I like that it exists :)

10) Columbia road flower market, there’re a few Banksys around there

11) Negotiate the price of a curry in Brick Lane. An experience everyone should have!

Central London:

12) Carnaby Street for shopping and you MUST go to Irregular Choice – my favourite shoe shop ever - and Liberty of London is wonderful to wander around!

13) Top of national gallery – Have a drink or a meal there and you can look over Trafalger square as you do it!

14) Gordon’s wine cellar (in underground tunnel) near charing cross tube (north side)

15) Neal’s yard - blue plaque showing where Monty python worked on material. Best vegan chocolate cake I’ve ever had

16) Rock and Soul Plaice in covent garden has awesome fish and chips. Across from ice cream place that once had breast milk ice cream

17) Maison Bertaux, or Bert’s House as my friend and her boyfriend affectionately call it… London’s oldest patisserie on Greek Street. Best English tea and French cream cakes in town. Go upstairs to sit for the full force of honest non-commercialism

18) The Radio Rooftop Bar at M E Hotel on the Strand - stunning views across the river!

19) Breakfast at Simpsons on the Strand.

20) Rules in Covent Garden (very gamey, not great for veggies but very British).

Southbank:

21) Love the BFI. Love it.

22) Have a drink on the second level of the Royal Festival Hall at sunset. You’ll be looking over the Thames and it’s beautiful…actually just A walk along embankment at sunset would be lovely.

23) Tate Modern – there’s a whole room of Rothkos that I love. (I’ve written about him quite a bit and my production company is named after a Rothko painting there)

24) The George Inn. Oldest inn in London, rumoured to be Shakespeare’s local!

East London:

25) Pub: The Grapes, Narrow Street, E14
26) Pub: The Camel, Globe Road, E1
27) Zetter Townhouse in St Johns Square, Farringdon. Best cocktail bar in London

West London:

28) The American bar at the Stafford hotel in St James’- where the queen mum used to “drop-in” for a night-cap.

29) St James’ Park is often overlooked and as the RSA is there, it makes a nice visit at the same time as doing Buckingham Palace.

30) Afternoon tea at the Lanesborough.

31) Champagne at Harvey Nichs.

32) Pizza East on Portabello road, it’s right at the end of portabello, so you can walk through the market, stop for a few drinks along the way, and end up there for lunch. The market gets so crowded on a Saturday morning so get there early and move quickly through the top touristy bit til you get past the railway bridge, that’s where all the vintage clothes and better stalls are

North London:

33) Lincoln lounge is cute, small and very neighbourhoody, it’s near…

34) 06 St Chad’s place which has high ceilings and hidden bathroom doors

35) Don’t do London Eye - go to Primrose Hill and look at London from afar. Then go for a pint. Primrose Hill was in “run fat boy run” and the Primrose set frequent the pubs nearby. I’ve witnessed Kate moss and Sadie Frost having a number of drinks round there :)

36) I know where the Spaced house is. Not great shakes around there but if you were a super fan it’s nice to walk by.

South London:

37) Brixton Village Market

38) If it’s nice and you’re deep in the south, Brockwell Park, Brixton is lovely followed by Olly’s fish and chips on the grass.

Shopping:

There’s so much everywhere but I like:
39) Fuel (also near Clapham Common)

40) Bullfrogs (lot’s of London designers in there – but it’s a bit out of the way at Clapham Common station in south London)

41) Boutiques around 7 dials (near Covent Garden so more central)

I hope you enjoyed my list of the best things to do in London. Enjoy! And do let me know if you do any of these and what you think of them.