The first time I came to London was early autumn, it’s my favorite season in London. Spring is also amazing, but I find autumn to provide the most brilliant sunsets and cozy days. I fell in love with Camden, Hampstead parks and the pastel houses lining residential streets. I stayed in Belsize, close enough to Camden to walk to the stables for its fun vintage shopping. Four years later and over three years of going back and forth to London, I’m here again in late September. It’s been almost a year since wandering around this city I once loved. This trip was a return for a business meeting. I stayed in Notting Hill because I was craving a Portobello Road stroll before my meeting, this was only a short visit.
The cobblestone streets and bright colored rows of houses off Portobello road are part of the charm. Little artisan shops, markets and antiques are everywhere. It’s a part of London that can’t be missed. While walking along Portobello Road the allspice and chili fragrances from the Jamaican food cart teased my nose, increasing my craving for Caribbean spice and the reminder of home. Many of the Rasta carts are vegan and always really tasty.
Over the years I’ve explored many areas of London, each area offering different experiences. I spent that night in a charming old Georgian style hotel. Then spent a day with the friend I met on a red eye flight from New York to London back in 2017. Her and I spent that flight talking, we didn’t get any sleep, instead we talked about Bitcoin and technology the whole flight. Our visit this time started at a Malaysian restaurant eating off of banana leaves while discussing her new startup. It was months since I had some real spicy food, I was burning, but it was worth it.
A walk from Victoria station area lead us through Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, we ended up in a café talking for hours in Covent Garden. After parting I walked around some of my favorite shops along Paddington.
A new London experience I was excited to discover was Japan House; the first floor is shopping, a café and museum, then upstairs a restaurant, it’s an experience.
Over the years I’ve found new gems to explore. Some of my favorite shopping areas are: for high street shopping Covent Garden, for artisan and original Camden Market and Shoreditch, for high end Mayfair, for menswear Savile Row in Mayfair. There are also some cool places in Soho. Vintage can be found on the streets in Camden and the Stables Camden Market. There is a shop selling coats there, I always find a treasure that’s both long enough and warm enough for me.
London is accommodating to remote workers, there are dozens of coworking places. Events are also simple to find and a lot of fun. When living and working remotely in new places I think it’s important to become a part of the local community. The best way to immerse oneself in some form of community is to attend events, both business and personal interest events are constantly available in London. It can be lonely living without family and long-time friends.
I have a few exclusive events I’ve met over the years, the highly luxurious type of events that only those who know someone can attend. I found them initially on Eventbrite and kept up with them over the years. When I’m in town I try to meet with at least one of them. There was always free food and drinks in the most amazing places; sometimes museums, sometimes casinos, or even multi century old buildings famous for some author, or nobility.
