Now that it has been officially six months since I've first moved to London, I'll be honest and say that the incessant noise and stressful, frantic pace of London gets to me sometimes... well, more than sometimes. Just about all the time, really.
But luckily, I found a few favorite places that I enjoy so much here that I can forget all about it and escape... even if it's only for a moment.
1. A weekend afternoon at Borough Market
If there's one thing that can make me feel better, it's food. Located just south of the River Thames, near the London Bridge Station, this outdoor market is HUGE. Fresh produce abound, and so does every tasty delicacy you can imagine. Thursdays are quiet and Fridays and Saturdays are positively bustling. Best of all, the stand-owners and shop-keeps are immensely knowledgeable and usually quite excited to discuss their specialty items with you. I always come back with delicious cheeses and French Sea Salt and an amazing box of whole black peppercorns that I swear smells like spicy rose petals. Bonus: there's plenty of BBQ so my husband is always excited to accompany me.
2. A picnic in Regents Park
Although this gorgeous, well-maintained park is so huge that I get tired just thinking about walking through all of it, this one makes my list for a top place for an impromptu picnic. My favorite spot is in under a tree, right in front of the winding river where dozens of white swans drift ever so elegantly along the water. Just add a fresh baguette, some Milano Salami, creamy blue cheese and a bottle of red wine and you have yourself a perfect picnic for two. Once that summer breeze starts to blow through the tree branches above, you can't help but lay back on your blanket and fall asleep.
3. Night out at the Duke of Cambridge.
There's nothing quite like a night out with your favorite girlfriends at your local Organic Pub. This one in Islington is nothing short of fantastic as a regular spot simply because the entire menu changes weekly! The only problem is if you fall in love with a dish... because it might not be there the next week (I'm looking at you, pot-of-chocolate dessert!). The vibe is very laid back with (gasp!) plenty of room. Dozens of huge wooden tables fill the space making it a perfect place for conversations and uncontrollable laughter with friends. Isn't that the best therapy? I'm also very pleased that organic white wine doesn't give me the slightest headache at all.
4. A sunny afternoon at the Narrow Boat
Yes, it rains a lot in London. Okay, it rains all the time. But once in a while, there will be a stunningly gorgeous afternoon that is filled with sunshine. But those moments can be fleeting and so I've learned what other Londoners have learned: when it's sunny, take advantage of it, because it won't last. And so if it's sunny I love to head over to the tiny little riverside restaurant, The Narrow Boat. Set right beside the canal, the view of the sun through the trees is downright therapeutic when you can grab a table in the patio.
5. A stroll through Camden Passage
Living on a busy main street definitely has its drawbacks: 24-hour double-decker buses that make the ground tremble, a mass of very-quick walking people that fill the entire sidewalk, terrible traffic noise of angry honks and screeching brakes. If it weren't for the quaint little network of side alley called Camden Passage to detour my walk home, I'd go mad altogether. Camden Passage is usually quiet, lined with cobblestone and filled with lovely shops and cafes, but it's also home to a village of antique dealers (the rarest tea cups and lithographs in all of England, perhaps). My favorite is the man who always sells antique jewelry right beside his collection of horrifyingly old, yellowed dentures in a silver dish. This antique market is deliciously odd but the perfect detour and the even more perfect escape.
