I had yet another amazing week and weekend in London. (warning: this is going to be a long post. Sit back, relax, and pour a spot of tea).

After a long week of training, I decided to extend my stay over the weekend in Shoreditch (I mean, was it even a question?).

My weekend started on Friday afternoon when I met up with my friend Sam, at his salon, Hare and Bone, at the trendy intersection of the Marleybone, Fitzrovia and Soho neighborhoods (you can check out his impressive credentials here).

Sam and I grew close on the last shoot for KMS and he is such a funny guy. I knew my weekend was going to be amazing when it started off with laughs in his chair and a fashionable new London ‘do.

After maneuvering the tube across town, I met up with my friend Josie, who moved to London from Frankfurt. We connected when I moved to Frankfurt and have remained close ever since. I absolutely love that she’s living it up in London now.

We got dinner at Fika, a cute little Swedish restaurant on Brick Lane.

The highlight of which was goat cheese popcorn in a champagne glass (really just fancy cheesy puffs).

On Saturday, we met up in the on-again-off-again rain, and pounded the pavement around London’s East end.

Josie showed me all her favorite spots: Hackney City Farm, Broadway Market, Columbia Road, various pop-up shops, organic grocery stores, indie shops, and back to Old Spitalfields Market (where I picked up the cutest shawl and where I bought one of my favorite coats last year).

There’s a major food movement going on in this world, and especially in this city, and it baffles me as to why Frankfurt hasn’t jumped on the train.

Hackney City Farm – produce and livestock and a restaurant too!

Independent artist and food market near Broadway market.

Ubiquitous baked goods.

Like me, Josie has a love of all things baked, healthy, and unique. Although we trekked all over town, ducking into different markets and boutiques, it was absolutely what I would have done on my own, and how I spend my time in every city I visit.

We ended the night at Victoria Park for the city’s bonfire night fireworks display. We even brought a picnic of gluten-free bread, nut butter, healthy treats from the market, salmon, hummus and cucumber. We ate it on a bench as swarms of people were leaving after the show. We had set up our own gourmet restaurant right in the middle of the park.

On Sunday, which was Remembrance Day in London, I caught some coverage on the Spitfire women pilots in WWII, along with a history of Queen Elizabeth. Josie and I met up for tea and breakfast at Pitfield (another one of my favorite shops) and capped the morning off with a mad rush through Whole Foods before I had to catch my flight.

 

When I got in the cab in Frankfurt, the driver was blasting Pet Shop Boys. I unpacked my suitcase to Duffy, smelled my Jo Malone perfume sample from the airport, lit my Anthropologie candle from Regent Street, slipped into my new Gap yoga pants, and unpacked my Whole Foods stash (including Teff flour, one of our discoveries over the weekend).

I had one of the most amazing weekends in London. Yes, it’s because the city is so vibrant and full of new things. But it’s also because I was able to share it with someone who makes me laugh and who shares my neuroses (together, we were almost sane).