A Wintery Day in London: My Favourite Festive Adventure

Dec 19, 2024

Hello Wanderers! I absolutely love London during the festive season. London really does Christmas best, don’t you think? There’s a vibrant energy in the air, colourful lights everywhere, and so much is happening constantly. However, it can get a bit overwhelming too. During this period, it’s easy to slip out of our routine and sacrifice doing something that makes us feel good. It’s also important to make the time to wonder off and explore, even during a period when we feel we barely have time to do anything! So I came up with this itinerary to keep us grounded while soaking up all the holiday magic.

Regardless of the season, this itinerary is one of my favourites when I want to have a fun “out of routine” adventure day in the city. When I plan a day out, I always try to combine a museum visit or another cultural experience, great food, and some time spent outdoors. The journey has to be as special as the destination.

Our mantra of the day is “Om Radhe Radhe Shyam”, which is a devotional chant in Hinduism celebrating the divine love between Radha and Krishna. Radha represents spiritual love and is considered the beloved of Krishna, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and known for his dark blue skin, symbolising beauty and mysticism. The mantra emphasises the union of divine feminine and masculine energies, with Radha embodying pure devotion and Krishna representing cosmic consciousness. Chanting this mantra is believed to bring spiritual awakening and connection with the divine. Let’s spend a few moments together meditating on these words.

As we embark on our adventure, an interesting podcast to listen to today is the Huberman Lab podcast where Dr. Andrew Huberman and guest Dr Bernardo Huberman discuss: How to use curiosity and focus to create a joyful and meaningful life.

9:00 AM - Coffee / Breakfast at ABC Kitchen

We’ll start our day at the Emory hotel. I live right next door which is so convenient. Consider staying there for a weekend getaway or a business trip. It is comfortable and centrally located near Hyde Park. My go to breakfast is a dosa and a coffee at Chef Jean-Georges ABC kitchen. Everything on the menu is organic, seasonal, and delicious. It’s great for lunch too.

10:30 AM - Workout at Surrenne Gym

To be honest, I’m sometimes tempted to skip my workout during the build up to the holidays. But Surrenne, a haven of peace in the midst of the city, always gets me motivated. The sauna afterwards is my little escape. I’ll also take my laptop to catch up on work at the spa cafe. My routine consists of working out 6 days a week, and I mix it up: I aim to lift weights 3 times a week, and also practice yoga and pilates. Lifting weights and building strength is crucial to prevent osteoporosis and aging.

Surrenne - created and designed by Inge Theron - is located inside the Emory hotel. It is a membership only gym that is also accessible to hotel guests. They also have a pool, a Tracy Anderson studio, and a longevity Center. You can get a wide variety of treatments at the spa including Face gym, and biohacking like for example Hyperbaric chamber.

It’s not raining so why don’t we bundle up and cycle to Borough market. I love taking the bike path past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye. It is so enjoyable to cycle along the Thames, and a good way to avoid the pre-Christmas traffic.

Cycle to Borough Market - 20 min

12:50 PM - Lunch at Padella, Borough Market

It’s time for a good meal at Padella. I’d recommend the chilli tomato taglierini covered in pangrattato – it’s the ultimate comfort food. Try arriving early to add your name to the waiting list and avoid long queues.

1:50 PM - Borough Market

Borough market is located in Southwark, London, and is one of the city’s oldest and largest food markets, dating back to the 12th century. This place holds a special place in my heart. I love chatting with the vendors and discovering new local producers.

Hook and Sons specialises in raw, unpasteurised dairy products sourced from their farm in East Sussex. Raw milk is considered healthy because it retains beneficial enzymes and probiotics that are often destroyed during pasteurisation. These components are believed to aid digestion, boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections. I have been giving raw milk to my kids since they were 1. Also, their raw milk chocolate ice cream is healthy and delicious!

The Columbian Coffee Company specialises in single-origin Colombian coffee and offers a range of drinks including lattes and cappuccinos, all sourced ethically from Columbian farmers. Try their mocha oat latte.

13 Acre Orchard at Borough Market offers a variety of seasonal produce, including fruits, vegetables, free range eggs and mushrooms sourced from Little Bowsers farm in Essex. They aim for sustainability by minimising waste and promoting local farming networks that share the same values.

2:30 PM - Southwark Cathedral

For over 1,000 years, Southwark Cathedral, has been a place of Christian worship. Its Gothic architecture features a stunning nave and intricate stained glass windows. No matter what your faith is, take a moment to light a candle, meditate, and feel the spiritual energy of the place. I personally love the ritual of lighting a candle and saying a prayer.

3:00 PM - “Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet”, Tate Modern

The “Electric Dreams” exhibition reminds me of my latest jewellery collection: Khandha. It’s like stepping into its mood board. This exhibition celebrates the early innovators of optical, kinetic programmed and digital art. Featuring immersive installations, the exhibition highlights groundbreaking pieces like Atsuko Tanaka’s Electric Dress and Carlos Cruz Diez’s Chromointerferent Environment, emphasising the interplay between art and technology in shaping contemporary experiences. I always enjoy visiting the Tate, whether I am alone, with a friend or with my kids. It is particularly child friendly due to its vast spaces; my children love running through the Turbine Hall. The bookstore offers an amazing selection of children’s books.

3:30 - Let’s walk 25 min to the Barbican

We’ll cross the old Millennium bridge and stop by St Paul’s Cathedral, which is looking festive with a beautifully lit Christmas tree in front of it.

4:00 PM - “The Imaginary Institution of India”, Barbican

The Barbican is a prominent Brutalist estate in London, built on a bomb site after World War II with over 2,000 residential units, cultural institutions like the Barbican Centre, and various public amenities, including schools and gardens. The Imaginary Institution of India is an exhibition organised chronologically, that features over 150 works by 30 Indian artists that explore India’s cultural and political landscape during a transformative period of 23 years, from 1975 to 1998.

Now we’re ready for the next part of our adventure: a 10 min walk to St Paul station then take the subway for 15 min on the central line to Holland Park followed by a 20 min walk to Golborne road.

6:00 PM - Golborne Road Gems

Golborne Road has a lot of character, cute shops, and a growing scene of cafes, bars and restaurants. I will be featuring a more complete guide of all it’s treasures very soon.

It’s time for a warm tea and a snack at Klear Labs One of my favourite spots in London - everything here is GF and refined sugar free - There is a section where you can buy organic vegetables and they also stock the best eggs one can find in London which are biodynamic, herb fed and free range, Orchard eggs from Brambletye farm. Stop by Oyuna - sustainably produced cashmere brand from Mongolia - for some last minute Christmas shopping. Their timeless cashmere jumpers and scarves make great conscious gifts.

7:00 PM - Candle Lit Kirtan at Love Supreme

Once a month, on a Friday evening, Love Supreme yoga studio hosts a candle lit chanting circle. It is the best way to “crack your heart open” as Love Supreme’s founder and Jivamukti teacher Manizeh Rimer would say. People gather around musicians and chant sacred mantras together. It is interesting to notice that when a group of people chant together, their heartbeats synchronise with one another and everyone’s heart beats at the same rhythm. Every Tuesday evening, before Manizeh’s yoga class, I attend their shorter Kirtan session. I have been going religiously and feel the benefits of this practice, which truly helped me release my throat chakra which represents our voice and ability to express ourselves. Chanting is grounding and healing - it helps us release all the unwanted emotions and feelings we keep bottled up inside.

8:30 PM - Cozy Dinner at Canteen

After Kirtan, we’ll head over to a nearby restaurant, Canteen. It is vibey, warm and run by women. The chef there used to work at River Cafe (my all-time London favourite). The menu changes, but it’s always exactly what I’m craving. On this note, we’ll have a drink and celebrate London and its wonders, expressing gratitude for another year around the sun, for the people we love and the memories we cherish.

So there you have it, my perfect winter day in London. It’s all about balance: a bit of fulfilment, a touch of culture, and several moments to just breathe and express gratitude.