London · Day 1
On Saturday afternoon, after enduring a long-haul flight of over ten hours, I finally arrived in London, England. The sky in London had a few dark clouds, but luckily I was wearing a denim jacket, otherwise, I might have caught a cold. It was my first time travelling alone to a foreign place.
I opened the Uber app, and soon a car pulled up in front of me. Uber drivers in the UK generally have a different personality compared to those in North America. I remember when I used Uber in the US, there would always be someone striking up a conversation, asking me where I came from and where I planned to visit, and sharing their life stories with me. I've encountered a mother in Los Angeles whose daughter was pursuing her dreams in Hollywood and learned from an Uber driver in Orlando that Disney World there is twice the size of Manhattan.
Inside the Uber, the radio was discussing the news about Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee celebration marking 70 years since her ascension to the throne. It was an extremely rare year as it marked the first time a member of the British royal family reached the 70-year reign milestone.
Upon getting out of the car, I spotted my friend waiting for me at the hotel entrance, ready to greet my arrival. He had already completed all the check-in procedures, so after dropping off our luggage, we immediately began our itinerary for the first day. For our initial day in London, we planned to explore the farthest district on our London itinerary (and there was also a significant reason behind it – my friend wanted to buy a vintage Burberry trench coat). We took a quick 10-minute metro ride from the hotel to Liverpool Street, and that brought us to our desired area.
Summary of the Day:
Brick Lane Vintage Market, where we discovered a treasure trove of vintage clothing and accessories.
The War of the Worlds Immersive Theatre, a super fun immersive theatre experience
The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town Speakeasy, a hidden underground bar with a charming speakeasy vibe.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕃𝕒𝕟𝕖 𝕍𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕥
A search for vintage wear
After a 10-minute walk from the market, we arrived at the first destination on our itinerary: Brick Lane Vintage Market. The entire market was located in a basement, bustling with a large crowd, mostly appearing to be in their twenties. In post-pandemic England, there seemed to be a lack of mask-wearing awareness, but I would still recommend wearing one in this crowded underground environment!
The market boasted a wide array of diverse shops, showcasing everything from vintage YSL from the 70s to Burberry pieces from the 80s. The prices for high-end designer clothing ranged from £250 to £500, which was relatively affordable compared to buying new ones. However, finding that perfect piece took some time and effort. After exploring the market, my friend ultimately decided to treat himself with a brand-new trench coat from the Burberry flagship store as a travel souvenir. Ha!
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝕎𝕒𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕𝕤 𝕀𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕖
Without grabbing a bite to eat, we immediately headed to the immersive theater we had pre-booked. London has many immersive experiences, and near Big Ben, I noticed two with a slightly more horror-themed vibe. Although I enjoy elements of horror, the thought of being scared for two hours inside made me a bit nervous. This time, we chose a theme based on the 2005 film "War of the Worlds," starring Tom Cruise. It revolved around the chaos caused by giant robots invading the Earth and the military's struggle to fight back. The entire experience lasted for two hours, including a 15-20 minute intermission (aka an opportunity to grab a drink).
The theatre was located within a restaurant, and if you didn't know, it would be hard to tell that an immersive theatre was available there. Being my first time, I had no idea what to expect, but after the experience, I couldn't help but want to do it all over again! Each scene in the experience felt incredibly realistic, with impressive special effects (reminds me of Disney), along with real slides (like the ones are the kids’ park) and interactive elements. There was one scene where a character was killed by a robot, and as we walked into another room, a wounded woman asked us where that character had gone. One of our group members unexpectedly replied, "I am afraid she is not feeling well..." I found it pretty funny (in a good way) as I didn't expect to encounter British humor on my very first day in England.
Participating in the immersive theatre was a fantastic opportunity to meet new local friends. During the intermission, my friend and I struck up a conversation with a couple who gave us recommendations for other fun and delicious places in the area. They were impressed when they learned that we had just arrived in London earlier that day and immediately embarked on this adventure lol!
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕪𝕠𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕪 ℂ𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕊𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕪
Ever since I graduated, it has become a must-do for me to seek out underground bars whenever I visit a new city. Actually, this habit started because of the friends I travel with now. Since we finished early, around 9 o'clock, we decided to check out a popular underground bar nearby called The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town. This bar is usually bustling, but luckily we managed to find a spot. If you're planning to visit, I recommend making a reservation in advance!
The underground bar is located inside the Breakfast Club restaurant. There's no sign at the entrance, so it's hard to tell that there's a bar hidden behind the restaurant. Once you enter the restaurant, you'll notice a white SMEG refrigerator. Give it a look and who knows, you might find a pleasant surprise.
Day 2 in London
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: ℂ𝕚𝕣𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕠 ℙ𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕖
In my entire trip to London, what I was most excited about was the food! There are just so many beautiful and delicious-looking restaurants in London. Our first brunch (and my favourite brunch of the whole trip) was at Circolo Popolare!
Circolo Popolare is a super atmospheric Italian restaurant, but the decor reminded me of Guanajuato, Mexico. As an Instagram-famous restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of their food. My favorite part was that they used different patterns for each plate and cup, and each one was incredibly cute.
Breakfast Brunch
I heard that the dinners here are especially delicious, but due to our schedule, we could only have breakfast here. Surprisingly, it was also incredibly tasty! I can't remember the names of the dishes anymore, but compared to everything else, the bread with ham and egg whites on top was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it!
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝕊𝕆ℍ𝕆
After finishing our meal, the two of us walked to the most famous streets in London: Regent Street and Oxford Street. These bustling streets represent iconic locations in London. They are lined with various luxury brand stores, and the adjacent side streets are home to numerous European brand boutiques and concept stores, including the highly popular END Clothing.
The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth was truly a grand celebration. The streets were adorned with London's national flags, and restaurants everywhere offered special dishes dedicated to the Queen. Additionally, there were various commemorative items available in the malls.
Make it stand out
The Liberty London store also displayed adorable photos of Queen Elizabeth's favorite corgi. So cute!
Exiting the snack area of the Liberty London store, you arrive at Carnaby Street, where you'll find numerous small eateries and restaurants. The entire street is beautifully decorated for the Jubilee, creating a festive atmosphere that perfectly captures the festival spirit.
In May, there weren't many brand pop-ups happening, but the one that caught my interest was the Jacquemus Blue Pop Up at Selfridges. It was mainly to promote their new collection of blue handbags. This place was quite popular among influencers as a must-visit spot, and tickets were sold out weeks in advance. Each fitting room had a fun interactive element to it.
I had so much fun exploring Soho. After spending a long time in Vancouver, many brands could only be found in department stores or select boutiques. Even then, each boutique had a unique selection, making it difficult to find exactly what I liked. But in SOHO, it seemed like they had every brand I had seen in those boutiques (like Zimmerman, Our Legacy, Lemaire, Bode, and more...). What surprised me the most was the lower level of Selfridges, which had a fantastic collection of designer lamps and furniture (I seriously wanted to take them all home). I treated myself to a Louise Poulsen lamp, hehe.
Louise Poulsen lamp
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔼𝕃ℕ ℂ𝕒𝕗𝕖
London is like a mature-looking uncle on the outside, but deep down, it has the heart of a young girl. If I were to describe London with a color, it would undoubtedly be pink. ELN Cafe is one of those restaurants I've seen influencers posting about on Instagram. Pink cups, pink straws, pink napkins... If I lived in London, I would definitely be eager to work here.
Unable to resist the temptation of the enticing sign outside the café, we ordered two flavors of waffles: chocolate and rose pistachio. The taste was delightfully sweet, like that of a young girl. My favorite was the rose pistachio flavor, topped with dried rose petals that filled my mouth with a fragrant sensation. If a flavor could transport me into a scene, at that moment, I would be sitting in a secret garden of a castle, basking in the sunlight while enjoying the sweet and indulgent rose pistachio waffle. After finishing, I felt as if the aroma of roses was emanating from me, inside and out. Ha-ha!
Sweets!
Unable to resist the temptation of the enticing sign outside the café, we ordered two flavours of waffles: chocolate and rose pistachio. The taste was delightfully sweet, like that of a young girl. My favourite was the rose pistachio flavour, topped with dried rose petals that filled my mouth with a fragrant sensation. If a flavour could transport me into a scene, at that moment, I would be sitting in a secret garden of a castle, basking in the sunlight while enjoying the sweet and indulgent rose pistachio waffle. After finishing, I felt as if the aroma of roses was emanating from me, inside and out.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝕊𝕜𝕖𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕃𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕟
The first thing I did when I found out I was going to London was to check if Sketch London was accepting reservations. So many people I know have dined there, and every time I see their posts, I can't help but want to step into that pink, girly room and try their dishes.
Sketch London is a building in London that houses five different themed rooms, including:
The Gallery - a pink restaurant
The Lecture Room - an orange room, a Michelin two-star restaurant
The Parlour - a bar
The Glade - a vintage-style restaurant (sometimes with ballet performances)
The East Bar and Pods - an egg-shaped bar (which is also a restroom)
Upon entering, we were greeted by a mysterious and captivating blue-toned room. This was the check-in area, and after providing our names to the reception, we were allowed to proceed. The area above the staircase was cordoned off, which led me to believe it was the Michelin-starred restaurant, while downstairs was the location for our pre-booked dinner: The Gallery.
Due to the lighting, I didn't quite capture the restaurant's pink and tender ambiance. The entire place is perfect for romantic dates or gatherings with friends. You could see couples or groups of best friends at each table, taking photos and chatting away. Not far from us, there was a father dining with his daughter. I nudged my friend's arm and asked if he would bring his own future daughter for a special meal in the future. He replied that he definitely would.
Accompanying us were our friends who were soon to be married!!! This was our only chance to dine together, as they would soon be going to Scotland to prep for their wedding. During the pandemic, we had very few opportunities to gather and dine together, let alone in a foreign land, so this was truly a rare occasion. We sat at Sketch from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m., watching as other tables turned over multiple times, while we remained seated at our table throughout the evening.
The EGGs!!
Guess what this is? If you guessed it's a restroom, you're correct! This restroom is hidden in a side room of The Gallery at Sketch. Upon entering, you're greeted by a bar, and walking up two steps on the side, you'll see many elongated spaces that resemble eggs – those are the restrooms. There's a cleaning staff member dressed in a maid outfit constantly tidying up the area... What amazed me was that throughout the four hours we dined there, every time I went to the restroom, she was still cleaning, as if she hadn't taken a break for a second! I admire her dedication!
It was past 11 o'clock when we left the restaurant, and the bar at Sketch had also opened. I really loved the LED lighting in the bar, and secretly wished that my own home could have a room decorated like that.
Goodnight, London!
On a chilly May night in London, I was grateful that I had bought myself a thick autumn/winter coat from Liberty. It came in handy at just the right moment.
