From London Fields to Belgravia

Our capital city wriggles with variety. London blogger, Jules, shares why she loves London Fields:

"My favourite place in London has to be London Fields, it's the one place you can go and have fun around the clock regardless of your budget. Summer is the best time to visit, especially on a Saturday when Broadway Market is in full swing. You can potter down the market, take advantage of the wealth of gourmet food stalls; from organic burgers to spinach and chick-pea curry, grab a Vietnamese coffee or enjoy a Coconut Beer in the Dove. Lately even more bars and restaurants have opened in the area which means there are plenty of options for dinner, lunch or drinks - you can have Argentine steak, Mexican tacos, Italian Pasta, Fish & Chips, Prosseco on tap, or beer brewed at the local brewery, all on the one road.

If the sun is shining then I grab a group or friends and head into the park to set up a BBQ, it's one of the only parks in London to allow BBQ's. You can spend hours people watching here, the park path is like the catwalk in a trendy young designer's fashion show, and you even get the odd celebrity appearance. As the day goes on you usually end up chatting to the group next to you, making new friends and someone will bring out the music. It's a real festival atmosphere only minus the big ticket prices. A day spent in that park reminds me of why I live in London."

 

Meanwhile, Director of Retail, Helen Franks, spends a perfect Saturday in Belgravia:

Nothing makes me happier than spending a weekend in London’s Belgravia – what must be one of London’s premier village locations.  My weekend starts with a morning coffee at Baker & Spice on Elizabeth Street before heading to Hussh Spa on Pimlico Road for my weekly manicure. Pimlico Road Farmers Market provides a perfect way to spend some time before Daylesford opens at 10am. Presents for an evening dinner party will be carefully chosen from Wild at Heart (flowers) or Linley (candle sticks).  After wandering up to Motcomb Street for to see my favourite celebrity hairdresser Daniel Galvin, I’ll grab a salad at The Pantechnicon with friends where I’ll dream about bed linen from L&B and satisfy my sweet tooth with salted caramels from Rococo.  Heading back to Elizabeth Street, I find myself in Jeroboams chatting to the boys about ‘their latest deals’ and picking up a cigar for my other half at Tomtom cigar shop opposite. There is no doubt I’ll have bumped into various fabulous tenants enroute!

 

Further information:

• Jules is the founder and editor of London lifestyle blog LondONtheInside. She spends hours searching out the hottest bars, best restaurants, coolest parties and flashiest hotels. She is relentless in her quest to bring Londoners a slice of the action and has her fingers in more pies than Delia Smith.
• Helen Franks is the Director of Retail for Grosvenor’s London Estate. Helen’s role is to balance new and existing relationships with retailers on the estate in an approach which crafts the best possible balance for Grosvenor’s shopping destinations in Mayfair and Belgravia, not only for the immediate community and commercial enterprises, but for visitors to the estate. www.belgraviaandmayfair.com.

 

Join the debate. What makes you love London? Mark your tweets #LovingLondon

 

London Fields image courtesy of nicksarebi's photostream and Motcomb Street image courtesy of fieldus' photostream.