4 Days in London
Business met pleasure on this trip
I had a pilates conference in London this September and it was the perfect mix of business meets pleasure. My first day was free and I had time to do a lot on my list. the days after I spent most of the day in a conference and then used my nights to play. Keep reading for the highlights of it all!
I LOVE to take a pilates workout after an overnight flight. It’s literally the best way to work out the kinks. It’s also so fun to see what people are up to in pilates studios around the world. We checked out the beautiful studio, Pi Pilates. It’s all glass and you feel like you’re working out in a birdcage.
After pilates, we headed to Grainger and Co in Chelsea (there’s a few locations) for lunch. I had a delicious Thai inspired chicken salad - it is my dream meal in regards to flavor. After, Union Ice Cream was literally across the road which I was really wanting to try. They had a special keffir ice cream collab with Zoe 30+ - it was so good!
We then meandered over to the Victoria and Albert Museum - there is currently an amazing Marie Antoinette exhibit going on but it was sold out. We decided against becoming a member so we could still see it and wonder around the rest of the museum. It was full of beautiful and interesting things. They always have the most interesting exhibits going on so I definitely recommend checking it out.
We finished off our day at Dishoom in the Battersea Power Station - it’s not a trip to London if you didn’t eat at Dishoom. It was so good, full of flavor and hit the spot after a long day of sightseeing and a red eye the night before. The broccoli salad was a hit and my lamb was perfect. Highly recommend!
My first full morning I went for a run along the Thames River - it’s full of other runners and it’s a great way to see a city! I say this all the time. I ran past the Albert Bridge which is so good looking and the London Peace Pagoda.
As per a friend’s recommendation, we ate at Firebird. It was so good and I definitely recommend sitting at the chef’s counter so you can watch them prepare all the food on their tiny grill. Very unique flavors, we got the halloumi salad, the roasted sea bass, the kale, and the roasted potatoes.
After our dinner, we headed to the National Portrait Gallery - it was open until 9pm! I love it when museums are open late because it’s so peaceful to walk around! They’re less busy too! Apparently this reopened not too long ago - it’s full of all kinds of images, history and more. Super interesting!
We found a super cute coffee shop with delicious coffees and breakfast called Birdhouse in Battersea. Lots of cute places around it, so worth meandering before/after!
A trip to London isn’t complete without fish and chips! I found Fishoria and it was authentic, delicious and had a gluten free option which I loved! We started with a salad that had a nice briny dressing which was the perfect compliment to the salty entree.
We saw “Stranger Things” on Broadway in the West End and it was fantastic! I would have never chosen this show but decided to go for it as per my friend’s recommendation. I’m so glad I went! The production was so fun and good. Highly recommend!
On my way to the airport, I ate at Nopi - one of Ottolenghi’s restaurants. It was AMAZING and I can’t recommend it enough. It was kind of like a last supper for me….I started with the eggplant, had a small endive salad, went for the lamb, and finished off with the yuzu and buckwheat tart. I am still thinking about this meal!
I hope you found this list helpful! London is a great city - so much fun, food, culture, history and more. You really feel like you’re stepping into a history book when you’re walking around. If you check out any of this on your next trip, be sure to tag me on Instagram @AshleyPattenPilates and/or comment below!
xx, Ashley