Help me with my London list

[ikeepforgetting]

I moved to London in 2002 with then boyfriend who became husband, couple of DC. I am now divorced from the miserable old sod and realise that there are probably loads of things that I haven't experienced here because life became about him, work, kids, drudge - and I forgot I lived in one of the best cities in the world.

To mark my new freedom, I want to put together a list of must-do things in London for the discerning 52 year old! I have one so far, an evening at Ronnie Scotts. I love music, food, quirky little shops, parks, pottering about, a bit of art.

Any and all ideas very welcome!

Straight from my phone notes:

Camley St nr Coal Drops
Calthorpe Community Garden
Postal Museum
Wallace Collection
Photgrapher’s Gallery
Ragged School Museum
Canal Museum
Columbia Road Market
Broadway Market
Netil Market
Young V&A
Farrier’s Passage
Kingly Court
William Morris Gallery (Liberty exhibition)
Novelty Automation museum
Willow Road
Sir John Soane’s Museum
Courthauld Gallery
RCM exhibition (Kurt Cobain)
Museum of the Home
Dalston Curve Garden

Sorry about the miserable old sod - I had one of those too 😂

Watching with interest to see what suggestions other people come up with.

I am late 50s, moved back to London this year, and have so far been too busy with renovations to get out and do as much as I want, but I have joined a couple of the seat-filling/cheap tickets mailing lists (The Audience Club and Central Tickets) and have been to a few shows at very cheap prices through them. I've also joined mailing lists for some music venues and artists, and followed lots of London-related accounts on instagram, so keep getting interesting events popping up in my timeline.

I've also got an Art Fund annual pass, which has already paid for itself in terms of free or half-price entry to various museums and exhibitions (Eltham Palace was amazing, particularly in wisteria blossom season!), and the Art Fund handbook and website have added lots of off-beat museums to my must-visit list.

I have explored some of the little shopping streets around Marylebone and Angel, and the posh art galleries around Mayfair/St James. My adult DC have recommended some specialist walking tours and behind-the-scenes tours at stations and so on, but I haven't managed to do any yet.

Good for you OP.

if you like Ronnie Scott’s you’ll almost certainly like the blues bar in soho: https://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/

National Gallery, Royal Academy of Art

Borough Market - go hungry!

Christmas is coming - go to the ice rink at the National History Museum, Fortnum & Mason for foodie gifts and ornaments, wander through the Christmas market on the South Bank

National Theatre, Shakespeares Globe, the West End

I would plan a whole tour of the Royal Parks and make an afternoon of each one

so many choices… have fun!

One suggestion which combines pottering, shopping, art and food is Japan House London, on Kensington High Street: free exhibitions, cafe, shop full of beautiful (mostly very expensive) Japanese objects, and high-tech Japanese toilets in the basement.

Oooh, I love being a tourist in my own city!

St Dunstan’s in the East
Columbia Rd Flower Market in a Sunday morning (loads of other shops / stalls)
Brixton Market / Brixton Village/ the new theatre
The MI5 Exhibition, history of British spying, The National Archive (free)
The Cutty Sark in the evening once it has been lit up for Christmas

I’d like to suggest Postman’s Park near St. Paul’s Cathedral. It has some plaques dedicated to ordinary people who died trying to save others and was featured in the film Closer. I think it’s a lovely little place to sit, eat a sandwich and reflect.

On the food front, when I'm in town, I like to pop into Fortitude.it's a bakery:

www.fortitudebakehouse.com/

Near Russel Square.

The cinnamon buns are to die for. Their beignets are legendary. Their coffee is good too.

No indoor seating and long queues. It's worth the wait!

Sky Garden
Feeding the parakeets in Hyde Park (bring some nuts, squirrels can be very tame too)

[surge of missing London despite having to move out over 20 years ago]

I always used to do my Christmas shopping in Richmond high street because it’s on the tube and why not? Lots of lovely shops, pubs by the river, Richmond park.

I know you haven’t said history is one of your things, but I really want to see the London Mithraeum and maybe you’d like it too. The Museum of London is fantastic as well.

Im walking the Thames path with dp and the first day we did (Thames Barrier to Tower Bridge) was absolutely incredible.

I have a pack of London walks which are on little cards and take you on quirky and interesting routes, pointing out the places of interest on the way. It’s amazing how much history you’re walking past.

Walking Regent’s canal from King’s Cross to Primrose Hill is a favourite of mine.

Hampstead Cemetery is definitely worth a visit (take a peak at Holly Village on the way).

I love the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill, so much nostalgia!

I have a book called Track The Plaque which takes you around lots of different London neighbourhoods via the blue plaques. It’s a great way to explore an area of London that you don’t know well.

i keep meaning to walk the Capital Ring. We live by a stretch of it and see people doing that part of it on a weekend, solo or in small groups, and it seems like a good mission to accomplish and way to explore how the city fits together.

I also rate getting lost on purpose in the British museum on a rainy day. Take less popular turns through quieter rooms and discover all kinds of random artefacts then have a nice muffin after.

Go on a guided tour of Highgate Cemetary. One of the best things I’ve done in London.

The Petrie museum of Egyptian archaeology.

Battersea Power Station - amazingly refurbished (and full of shops and restaurants)

Museum of the docklands

National Maritime Museum Greenwich

The free viewing platform at Horizon 22

Please don’t feed the parakeets as someone above suggested - they’re an invasive species.

Congratulations on your newly regained freedom!
As you like music - which I adore, try this bar it’s like a speakeasy and has fab music nights:
https://www.pianosmithfield.com/
We recently saw Marshall, Gilmour, Webbs there - they were amazing.
Download the Twickets app. You can register for push notifications for sold out shows. We’ve had some amazing tickets from there. I’ve always got notifications on for things I’d like to see.
Consider membership of the V&A. There are always exciting new exhibitions coming up and a fab members room. You can go to all the sold out exhibitions.
Go to Sketch in Conduit street for a drink or lunch. It’s fab.
Visit the Wallace Collection and then wander down Marylebone high street to immerse yourself in Daunts books.
Go To the Delaunay for coffee or a nice lunch.

Kensington High Street, Holland Park and the Design Museum

Brunswick Square and the Foundling Museum

Lambs conduit street for unique shops (not high street) and eat at Honey & co.

spitalfields market

I ditched my miserable old sod too, and life is immeasurably better. Congratulations!

Walk around the Barbican, or even better, do one of the house tours. The conservatory is a fantastic hidden garden but check opening times.

For me, it’s about picking a neighbourhood and just walking around. I used to love wandering in London.

Foundling museum
kenwood house
highgate woods & queens woods

Lovely thread.

I’m 55 and not a Londoner, but love a visit.

I really enjoy a mooch around Bloomsbury. Gay’s the Word is an excellent book shop on a lovely street (look out for the blue plaques) with several good second hand book shops and the wonderfully designed Brunswick Centre. Lambs Conduit Street around the corner is also lovely. Plenty of nice coffee and cake opportunities and all within walking distance of Euston.

If you haven’t seen Highgate cemetery, I’d say it’s a must. I think you need at least two trips to properly do it justice.

A mooch around Hampstead and walk on the Heath.

Richmond for a lovely river walk and/or the park- several days worth of loveliness there.

Maybe do some research and find some areas for a mooch and a restaurant you’d like to try in each of the areas.

Marylebone for the Wallace collection, the wonderful Daunt Books, nice shops (Labour and Wait is super cute).

Book a tour of the Barbican Centre

Hunterian museum and John Soanes

Greenwich park in the early morning

Pottering around Wimbledon Village, Blackheath Village and Hampstead! Benefit of walks on their respective Commons/Heaths as well

Museum of the Home

Going to see random films at the BFI

Exploring every floor and every cafe in Waterstones Piccadilly.

Looking out for writers/film makers/actors doing readings/Q&A sessions/advanced screenings of new work at central London venues.

Wondering around Bloomsbury and soaking up the architecture and academia

What a joy for you to have ditched the miserable sod - have fun 🤩

Afternoon tea at the Wolseley (cheaper) or Fortnums (blow out)

Wellcome Collection reading room for a rest

This weekend is Open House festival so you might find some ideas on here:
https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/

.

I don’t live in London anymore (and didn’t make the most of it when I did) but I love to visit.

Do you like going to the theatre? The today tix app is handy for last minute tickets for plays (and musicals). I would use that a lot if I was in London.

Would absolutely recommend Borough Market too, have a wander around, pick up some food.

The Line - the public art walk around Greenwich (https://the-line.org/)

Take an Uber ferry up and down the river.

The 'Blackhorse Beer Mile' - little district of bars and breweries near Blackhorse Rd.

Big stomp on Hampstead Heath.

Theatre, live arts at Southbank, Queen Elizabeth Hall...

...and in the Barbican (anything in the Barbican really).

Dinner at Zedels, and drinks in Bar Americano before or after.

A walk down Regents Canal.

Noodling in the shops and cafes on Broadway Market.