Drink up baby, stay up all night

In yet another flurry of packing and moving, I am once again settled in lovely London, this time in Camden which is the best place to live. The city is now literally on my doorstep, so there are no excuses not to be frolicking about in this brilliant sunshine we've been having! And what better to do on a sunny afternoon than drink! Yes, it's time to rediscover the joys of day drinking. Sun and London, such a rare but wonderful combination that truly does have a magical effect on people. Gone is the hustle bustle, the awkward silences and reserved British humour...everyone is suddenly alight with joy and laughter as they get together in a pub garden and spend the afternoon sipping away on Pimms. Ok so it's hardly hot, but who cares, we have cashmere shawls for a reason, and you just cant beat a good heavy knit, but the light evenings, daffodils and pastel-y nail polishes have such an uplifting effect on everyone it's hard not to get carried away! So, get yourself down the pub, go see one of these http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/cinemas/outdoor-film-events-feature-232.html and drink yourself into winter!

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away

I don't own any of these photos, they're just ones I found on the following sites:

http://www.epiclylaterd.com

http://www.50yearstorm.net

http://www.them-thangs.com/

http://ffffound.com/

http://jjjjound.com/

http://9gag.com/

The ladies of London town throw one last glance over their shoulders, blow a kiss, and they're gone forever.

Along with the recent decision to move back to London, arrived a tsunami of nostalgia for one of the best cities on the world. I have never been to a city with so much personality and flavour, from the greasy spoons packed with east end accents tucking into bacon sarnies and a cuppa on a Saturday morning, to those sipping away at a nice cup of Earl Grey accompanied with a delicate plate of scones at Claridges. We may bicker amongst ourselves, but much like a large, dysfunctional family, Londoners will always have somewhat of an unspoken bond. Yes, the weather is mostly shit, there are an awful lot of pigeons, and it can be a tad expensive, but these factors are nothing compared to the rest. Whilst New York has fashion, Paris has romance, and Dubai has wealth, London has culture, diversity and history. It really is a difficult place to be bored in, with endless entertainments for those of any age, gender or nationality. So, taking this surge of national pride and channelling it into something vaguely productive, here is my mini London Bucket List.

1.) Walk from South Bank to Camden- One hungover morning I found myself penniless and without my trusty Oyster card (if you're not familiar with this, they really are the key to the city...load it up with cash at any tube station and get on any tube or bus in the city for a fair price, much better value than tickets), but with a few hours to kill. South Bank has always been a favourite of mine, filled with street performers, artists, a small funfair, a skate park, and just by the London eye, so I thought this would be a good place to have a little wonder. Over the bridge and you come to Trafalgar Square, again, always filled with some kind of entertainment...up along to Piccadilly Circus, Bond Street, New Bond Street, onto Oxford Street, down through to Regents Park, and ta-da! You're in one of the best places in London...Camden! Whilst it helps to be familiar with the area, it really is difficult to get lost in London cause you can't walk for more than five minutes without coming across a tube station.

2.) Go to Harrods- One of the most famous (and deservingly so) attractions in London, Harrods is one of my favourite places to spend the afternoon...wondering around picking out furniture for your imaginary mansion, cooing over the puppy pugs and Siamese kittens, and indulging in the chocolate room. Whilst it is immensely enjoyable to strut around spewing out the 'oh yah Daddy bought me this in aubergine last week', it really isn't an overly snobby place, and you can pick up some reasonably priced items. As I've said before, the Suckoa from the chocolate room is from another planet, as are their white chocolate milkshakes, and the food court offers a taste of every kind of food you can imagine (they even had a Laduree!)

3.) Eat!- For some bizarre reason, England has a reputation for crappy food, something which I just don't understand. Wondering around the incredible streets of China Town and it's near impossible not to get lured in to a cheap yet delicious buffet, Portobello has an exhausting range of unique and quirky café's and deli's (my favourite being Arancina, an Italian cafe distinguishable by the car in its window) and the endless British pubs dishing up all the classics...steak and ale pie, bangers and mash, toad in the hole, sticky toffee pud, washed down with the all important pint.

4.) Shop- Whilst Oxford Street is the most popular shopping destination, if you're looking for something a bit different, London is swarming with vintage and antiques. Just off Oxford Street is Carnaby Street, filled with fashion boutiques, particularly in the wonderful Kingly Court. Just round the corner is Beyond Retro, a favourite amongst English teens, selling a fantastic range of vintage clothing, from the elegant and chic to the downright bizarre. Another great place for vintage is Camden Market, I for one can spend hours wondering through the stables markets, almost always discovering a new stall or hidden shops. It's antiques are fantastic for one of a kind gifts and difficult finds.

5.) Drink- Guaranteed walk down any road in London and you will stumble across at least one pub or bar. Why pubs haven't really caught on in other countries I will never understand. There is nothing better than a night down at the pub with a dozen of your friends and a few too many ciders, and whilst many imagine a stuffy shit hole filled with flabby balding men playing darts, this is not the case. Whilst pubs are fantastic for a casual night, London has some of the greatest and most legendary clubs and bars in the world, the crème de la crème of these being Ronnie Scott's, arguably the best jazz club in London, where it's hard to find an iconic musician who hasn't performed there. Another staple in London's night life is GAY, a place I'm pretty sure it is impossible to have a bad time at, which boasts one of the most electric atmospheres I've ever experienced.

So, before we get labelled as tea-drinking, crumpet-munching, sarcastic (all of which we most definitely are) snobs with wonky teeth and an unnatural fetish for the royal family (not so much), I challenge anyone to visit London's iconics and not get swept up by their unique charm.