A week in London...

By Lucy Harbron - 17:07






 

I've just returned home from a week in the haven that is London. Being as far north as I am, and going to uni in the north, I don't often get the chance to visit, and if I do get the chance to go it's usually a fleeting visit with no time for exploring. So the chance to spend a week in Shoreditch (heart eyes) interning for The Tab (double heart eyes) was heavenly.

I worked full time Monday to Friday writing articles, talking about love island, and learning more about media. It was dreamy, hard work, but dreamy. However, I still got about and did some exploring. Here's a quick guide.




Where to eat

Boxpark: Shoreditch is the home of boxpark, a pop-up mall made of shipping containers. There's endless food and drink options from so so many independent businesses. You could be there months and still not have tasted everything. Treat yourself to some ice cream from Soft Serve Society. They've got sundaes and freakshakes, but simple is best with their ice cream. Try the insta-famous charcoal and coconut flavour, or ask for the flavour of the week. I had miso caramel and it was INSANE.

Grind: Grind has several branches, but me and my best friend who came to visit hit up Shoreditch Grind for a breakfast date before work. The 7am open make this the perfect spot for an early coffee or pre-work catch up. Holly has a smoothie bowl, and I had the french banana toast which was possibly the best breakfast I've ever had. French toast made with banana bread? heaven on earth.

Homeslice: A friend recommended this to me and I can't thank them enough. £4 per slice is pricey to my little northern self, but o m g. I had the mushroom, ricotta, pumpkin seed and chilli pizza and it's probably the best pizza I've ever had. Smokey, cheesey, with a lil bit of balsamic yaas.




Where to drink

Department of coffee and social affairs: After discovering this place on my first day, I went every single day. Their coffee is glorious, like I can't praise it enough, and they offered oat milk which is my faaaave dairy alternative. I had an oat milk cappuccino every day of my visit, and it's not a decision I regret in the slightest. Also, their peanut butter and banana loaf was the best banana bread I've ever had and I've had a lot of banana bread.

AIDA: Rose is one of my fave flavours so I've always wanted to try a rose latte. Discovering a place that did them right around the corner from work was the best thing ever. Honestly, this latte was art. I've never seen anyone put so much care into a coffee, the barista even put the milk on the top with a spoon to create the right pattern, and garnished it with petals, like seriously, beautiful. But it also tasted incredible, like drinking Turkish delight. If you like rose, you'll love this. If you don't like rose, yeah maybe not for you.




What to do
National Portrait Gallery: I really wanted to explore some galleries while I was there but so many of them close at 6pm, just when I was leaving work. However, National Portrait Gallery says open till 9pm on a Thursday, so I got the tube to Charing Cross for a look. Free entry, huge range and right next to Trafalgar square; easy evening option. 

See friends: London is so well connected that it makes it so easy to see friends, or have them visit you. My bestie from uni, Holly, got the train in for a sleepover and breakfast. It's so easy to get in and around the city, go see some people.

Walk along the embankment: One night I got the tube to embankment and literally just walked. You see so many sights and landmarks along the river, but it's generally just a lovely stroll and super refreshing after a day in the office. I walked from Embankment, across a bridge, then along pass Shakespeare's Globe to London Bridge station, got some food from Leon and got the tube back to Old Street. Easy exercise, and good photo ops.

I'll be back soon London, I love ya.

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