5 Things To Do in London

1. Walking tour to see London’s landmarks:

Walking past landmarks along the Thames such as London Bridge, Hay’s Galleria, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe, St. Paul’s Cathedral, is a great way to see some of the British icons, all conveniently located nearby. Landmarks such as Big Ben and Parliament House are also worth the visit to admire the amazingly intricate architectural details.   

2. Discover Shoreditch's inner streets:

Adorned with quirky graffiti art and cute shops, Shoredich is the perfect place to walk aimlessly and discover. 

3. Have oysters and wine at Borough markets:

There’s plenty to see and taste in the Borough markets, from coffees and teas, jams and honeys, and even goat milk ice cream; but the fresh oysters would have to be, without a doubt, the tastiest experience of the market. 

4. Take a stroll in St James’ park under the rain:

As rain is a luxury in Dubai, a beautiful way to experience winter in London is to get caught in the rain while chasing squirrels, trying to film a Boomerang video of them. 

5. Feel the winter Christmas spirit:

Although we missed the ceremony of switching on the city's chsristmas lights, a stroll in Piccadilly circus, Carnaby street and even visiting Fortnum and Mason instills the excitement for the upcoming Christmas season. 

Signing off, 

Sevan Manjikian

4 Places To Eat in London

1. Cellarium Cafe and Terrace:

Tucked away in Dean’s years in Westminster, the church turned cafe is a beautiful mix of modern meets history that is executed in a subtle, sophisticated and unobtrusive manner. The full English breakfast was greatly enjoyed, with the black pudding on the side, of course.

2. Rum Kitchen:

Located in Kingly court, this eatery is a great destination for amazing jerk-tastic Caribbean food.

 

3. Gail's:

The iconic Gail's bakery was our first official breakfast in London and we enjoyed every single pastry we tried (and we tried A LOT). It was also our first coffee in London as well, ironically just before our coffee-filled coffee tour.

4. Muriel's:

The incredibly inviting counter was one of the reasons we chose Muriel's and it did not disappoint. The generously-portioned English breakfast was absolutely delicious.

Special mention: Harrods food hall

Because, desserts!

Signing off, 

Sevan Manjikian

3 Must Visit Coffee Shops in London

The coffee culture in London has picked up a lot in the last few years. As London is a melting pot and a very multicultural city, coffee habits and knowledge has been brewing in the city and pouring out into great new independant cafes and roasteries.

As part of the creative excursion, we took a coffee tour of some of those establishments: 

Kaffeine:

15 Eastcastle St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3AY, UK

We had the honor of meeting the australian owner passionate about coffee and one of London's pioneer's of the 3rd wave coffee movement. Hands down the best coffee I had in London (or in Dubai - yes I'm calling it!). We asked their star barista, who had won the barista championship the previous year, a few question about what makes a good cup of coffee and what are the factors that play a role in it. Short answer: good machine, good beans, good barista, good water. 

Caravan:

11-13 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QD, UK

Located near Kingscross station, Caravan is great concept of a sit down restaurant and coffee shop with a roastery and coffee retail shop in the back. We tried a few different blends of their signature products and got to witness the grains being roasted first hand. 

Hoi Polloi:

Ace Hotel London Shoreditch, 100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ, UK

Our last stop was the Ace Hotel as we concluded the tour and gave up on our quest for nitro coffee. The perfect end to the tour with an espresso martini before we said our goodbyes to our tour guide, Chloe, ready to get to our next destination. 

Signing off, 

Sevan Manjikian

2 Favourite Impressions of London

Cityscape:

London, in winter especially, is so busy during the day but so calm and serene at night. Dubai is constantly in motion, and you are always overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city. No matter what time of the day it is, you’ll always find cars and people in the malls. There is something comforting in walking back home at night in the calm streets. 

London is also graced with so much accessible nature. Walks in the vast beautiful parks is also a great experience I wish we had access to on a daily basis.

Individuality in design:

Interiors are so striking and individual; not two are alike especially when it comes to facades. The fact that they hold on to the historical bones of the buildings, even though it’s due to heritage restrictions they modernise it and make it seamlessly blend to suit their brand. 

Signing off, 

Sevan Manjikian

The 1 Biggest Highlight of London

Visiting a beautiful and inspiring city like London is always a great experience. But no matter how many times you visit a place, it’s always the company that influences your experience and memories of it. I couldn’t have asked for better travel companions who share the same interest and excitement over design and food (and coffee of course). The laughs we had, the food we enjoyed and the bond we better developed will always be cherished. 

The 3-day creative excision was a great way to absorb many new inspirations and experiences. As the experience a space is intended to give its’ visitors is never translated through images off the internet as it is to experience it in person. So many different designs and experiences have been documented in our brains, and phones, as we carry out future work with a fresh new perspective and knowledge. 

And a big thank you to our fearless leader for giving us this great opportunity to be part of a great eye opening experience that will be treasured and remembered fondly. 

Signing off, 

Sevan Manjikian