To London With Love
January 25th, 2009
so i am back in New York, thrown once again into this metropolitan maelstrom of instability, surliness and frost. i’ve been sleeping my days away, much like i slept my days away in London, but for different reasons both times — there, i was exhausted; here, i am hiding. i have nothing to speak of my return here. these days all i’m concerned about is how i’m going to get the shards of heart out of the carpet.
but enough mournful talk. let’s talk about London and how i love everything about it. so i’ve always had great expectations of London, expectations that are swollen with stories and imagery from some of my favorite books in the world. i close my eyes and i can see London… where the afternoons are filled with the treacle tarts, gollywogs, tea cakes and morning mist dresses of Enid Blyton. come nightfall, the evenings are attended to by the grown-ups of J.M Barrie who tuck their children into bed with bedtime stories and then slip out of the house — the men in tailcoats and their wives in white satin gloves — into the foggy streets of nighttime London. not far away, the pretentious laughter of Oscar Wilde’s corrupt and cunning haut monde ring loudly in the air! the rich make merry while Dickens’ young boys dart in and out of the cobblestone alleys, leaving behind them the sooty trails of innocence. and then i play with the word ’sixpence’ on my tongue. how many Willy Wonka bars can sixpence buy? will i find out when i get to London, i wondered when the plane swept smoothly off the tarmac at JFK one month ago. will i see old men smoking tobacco out of pipes? does the old curiosity shop really exist?
i have since discovered that London is actually far more than my imagination can take me to. at first i worried that i would be expecting too much of a city i’d never even been to, that i was furnishing it with all these overdressed ideals and ultimately destroying my own utopia… but now that i have come and gone, there is truly nowhere else that i would rather be. i think i left my soul in London. or at least, a hemisphere of it. this may sound hasty, but in London, i felt like i truly belonged. i’ve missed that feeling. i wore it like a second skin back home in Malaysia, but 4 months of being in NYC has completely sapped me of any such peace. no one ever truly belongs in a place like New York.
and contrary to forewarning, i did not hate London weather. in fact, i quite loved it – sissy sprinkles, puddles, clouds and all. all the grey brought out a kind of melancholy in me that was actually healthy. it encouraged me to think, which is something i haven’t had the opportunity to guiltlessly immerse myself in for awhile. there were days when i would oversleep and wake up to a 4pm setting sun, and i’d just lay in bed, smell the sheets and smile. walking down Marylebone High underneath the oyster-coloured skies was the most cathartic thing i did for myself. in London, i felt at home.
also, English people are as kind as i thought they would be. sure, there are the gruff ones, but mostly, everyone is… soft. kind. sympathetic. the women really do have kisses hidden in the corner of their mouths, and even the youngest of men have twinkles in their eyes. coming from New York to a place like London is quite like stepping into the warm and floury embrace of a jolly and portly grandmother. in New York, you are just a passing face; in London, people take the time to check out what you’re wearing. god, in comparison NYC is so bad for the soul, isn’t it? how does one feel human here? sigh. sigh sigh sigh.
some places in London that i went to and really liked:
1. Portobello Market
possibly my favorite place in all of London. Portobello Market is a long street market along Portobello Road in Notting Hill (!) that is open from 8am to 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. i’m not sure what it’s like there on the weekdays, but the market is absolutely bustling on Saturdays, an atmosphere that i absolutely loved. Portobello Market houses stalls and stalls of antiques, curios, independent designs, handicrafts, vintage clothes, bags and shoes, old cameras and jewelry, secondhand books… and just about any kind of bric-a-brac you’re looking for.
a shop in Portobello Market selling all kinds of doorknobs *___*
an enclave selling mostly vintage jewelry and secondhand books
pocket watches on necklaces
i love this place :) i could spend a whole day just sifting through all the beautiful things here.
2. Camden Town
thronged by London’s younger set, Camden Town is garish and brash, but never boring. there is a largely punk rock, emo-kid, gypsy vibe about Camden that is immediately apparent from the wild harajuku-ish merchandise that is both sold and paraded around the area, and also the dudes pushing marijuana on the sidewalk :P slightly dodgy zone, but definitely cool in its own way. there are several markets along the streets of Camden Town, but the best one is Camden Lock. everything else is kinda Petaling Streetish, but Camden Lock is a larger market within a courtyard that vends the artier stuff, mostly handicrafts and trinkets. there are also lots of new age shops in Camden Lock, with palm readers and the like!
the punk / emo-goth / lolita-esque clothes for sale
a little part of Camden Lock
3. Marylebone High Street
Marylebone High Street is the main artery of the little shopping district of Marylebone, and while the High Street is the street i like the most (it’s the most concentrated), the other smaller streets that girdle it are definitely worth checking out as well. the shopping here is demure and sophisticated, with the bigger brands giving way to the smaller independent labels. my favorite shops on the street: Mascaro the shoe shop which has gorgeous shoes (they also carry stock from Pretty Ballerinas, which makes ballet flats that are to die for…!!), Daunt the bookstore, and the Oxfam secondhand bookstore at which i spent too many an hour reading books that i should have just bought for 1-2 pounds.
Daunt Bookstore
the Oxfam secondhand bookstore
4. Regent’s Park
a huge, beautiful park in the heart of London that draws you in even in the winter. such a romantic place to be in when the sun is setting. also ducks galore, which always makes me happy :) apparently there’s a rose garden in here too, but of course none of them were in bloom when i was there.
5. Tate Museum of Modern Art
i love this museum right down to its secret enclosed spaces and the graffiti on the back of the doors in the women’s bathroom stalls. definitely a must visit in London, if you’re into art galleries.
one piece from the famed water lily series by Monet
this was my favorite display at the Tate. the artist worked as a maid at a hotel for a period of time, and while she was there, she took photos of the belongings and rooms of the hotel’s various customers each day of their stay, and also kept a journal describing the belongings and state of the rooms as they changed each day. she went through their luggage, passports, trash can even! she then documented her findings and turned it into art. ah. satisfies the voyeur in us :P the people in the photo are clamoring around just one of about eight or nine pieces.
graffiti on the bathroom door
6. Borough Market
greek desserts
Alvo thinks that Borough Market is an authentic British culinary experience, and i quite agree. Borough Market is a roomy food market in Southwark that sells all sorts of international gourmet food under one roof. foodstuff purveyed: freshly baked bread, imported herbs and spices, gourmet sausages, exotic meats like ostrich and pheasant, burgers, cured meats, sandwiches, falafel, chocolates, candy, mulled wine and a whole smorgasbord of other delectable things. the various vendors here make for good lunch stops. while i didnt venture to sample any exotic meat, i must say i had a very good steak in red wine sauce sandwich from a stall somewhere in the bowels of Borough Market. also had this hot scallop with a bacon and bean sprout mix which is purportedly a favorite at the market. both stalls shouldnt be too hard to find if you’re going to be poking around :)
a delicious chorizo sandwich
7. Oxford & Bond Street
i didnt explore either street as much as i would have liked to, but apparently it’s the only place Azlan ever stops by when he comes to London, so i suppose that must count for something :P it’s good shopping la i suppose. Bond Street is also where the almighty Selfridges is, which for some reason is a huge favorite not just with the Londoners, but also the rest of the world. if one more person tells me that Selfridges is their favorite mall in the world, i will scream. why? what’s so cool about Selfridges? it’s just like Metrojaya but with bigger labels… i must be missing something :\
8. Carnaby Street
i LOVE! it’s another one of those shopping districts; quite like Marylebone High Street, but younger and more contemporary.
9. Soho / Leicester Square / Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
the Soho / Leicester Sq / Piccadilly Circus area is a lively and spirited junction that teems with good restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs. it’s also where Chinatown is, as well as many West End theaters. Covent Garden, a large touristy courtyard housing some rather interesting toy shops, is also nearby. i mostly descended upon and departed quickly from this area whenever i had to meet someone there, but i’m certain that some idle hours spent traversing the area would uncover gems here and there. nevertheless, i quite like the area — it’s convenient, diverse and effervescent.
entrance to Chinatown
a little carnival in Leicester Square
——-
i left London with a heavy heart, but writing this post has made me miss it even more :(
55 Comments Add your own
1. foreverjas | January 25th, 2009 at 9:58 am
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !!! ^^
i hope to visit you in New York someday ! :)
let’s go London together !!! =P
2. josh | January 25th, 2009 at 10:02 am
why are you so cute?
3. tom | January 25th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Whoa! I feel like I’m in London already!
Just what we all need to know about London in a whole. Food, Art, Nightlife and Fun! :D
I’m sure gonna spend most of my time at Portobello Market if I’m ever there.
4. ZeekNotGeek | January 25th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Hi SuAnn,
Wow. great recap of London. But too bad, the last time i was there, i didnt go to Camden, in which i will if i ever step my feet in London again.
Gong Hei Fatt Choy! go chinatown and treat yourself something. roast duck perhap? hahah… i know, its not as good as 4 Season’s, Bayswater.
5. ShaolinTiger | January 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Excellent post, did you check out Trocadero center?
You should blog about how lychees cost about 40RM for a half a KG in London Chinatown haha.
Happy Chinese New Year LSA!
I love the lock market in Camden, used to go there often because there’s a little hippy shop there that sells all the tickets for the underground raves.
6. Yi Jean | January 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Man, London sounds absolutely beautiful. :)
7. KY | January 25th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Happy CNY to you Su Ann!
8. reallybites | January 25th, 2009 at 11:59 am
So, when’s your next trip to london?
9. Tan Yee Hou | January 25th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Ahhh kakak pau your blog has been so quiet.
GXFC.
Have fun in UK!
10. Ee Vonn | January 25th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Wow, Su Ann! London is great mannn… Somemore you went to all the famous places like OXFORD & BOND STREET! Did you bought stuffs from there? Enjoy shopping in London? Take care and rest more ya! :)
11. yizhen15 | January 25th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
happy cny to you su ann! :) dont feel too bad, you can always go back there for vacation!! ;) may the year of ox brings you all the happiness and love and more visits to london!
12. Artificially Tamtim | January 25th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
dududu. i’m going back in 2 weeks.
will i be seeing you?
13. vc | January 25th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
what you’ve missed in selfridges: the world’s most awesome, ok-i-can-now-die-in-peace-after-eating-it Salted Beef Sandwich.
14. kiasu andrew | January 25th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
hohoho this just proves were enfps. seen in one of the bathrooms of the tate modern:
here i sit
and hesitate
should i shit
or masturbate
glorious.
15. Anonymous | January 25th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
those aren’t stop watches in necklaces. those are pocket watches with fob.
16. fubi | January 25th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
happy new yr! pretty ballerinas have awesome shoes! o.O are they only available in london? T_T
17. jeremy | January 25th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
‘no one ever truly belongs in a place like New York.’
true. but i always feel like i belong. that, in itself, makes it better for my soul. i think.
18. mac | January 25th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
just glad to see you writing again … Gong Xi Fa Chai!
19. Gin | January 25th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
fugz has been going on abt wanting to go back also “=_= zzz.. he keeps talking abt his fav places and fav malls as a kid. kaka. damn amazing wei his memory @_@ he remembers places when he was like 5 or something
i was watching angus thongs and whatever whatever (sorry they changed the title of the book so i keep forgetting what word they used) hahaa.and i asked omg are british ppl seriously like that.. he said. oh.. they are wayy more than that.. you will be very amused. wtf.
20. vvens | January 25th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
gong hei fatt choy! are you missing the cny cookies yet? haha
21. SiCunit | January 25th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Finally you’re back for real, Su Ann. Miss you and your stories lately. I think the Daunt and Oxfam secondhand bookstore plus Regent’s Park are a must visit for me the time I could get there. Kekeke….
And not to forget, happy CNY!
22. skyler | January 25th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
oh no are you not coming back for summer either :P
23. zeus | January 25th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
the Daunt bookstore! oh the Daunt bookstore! wooden railings and all
*heart crumbles at the thought of having to wait another year before I leave to the UK*
All the pictures you posted are exactly what I imagine London to be, having, like you, grown up on a steady diet of Enid Blyton and such. ( btw, in reference to one of your previous posts, I’ve always imagined mince pies to be savory too! haha. what a bummer to find out they’re sweet.)
The only thing that worries me about being alone in London is the thought of getting my pockets picked by the Artful Dodger :p
I’m sorry for gushing, but you’ve reawakened the mini Anglophile in me.
24. Michelle | January 26th, 2009 at 12:49 am
Well, you speak of London as if it’s warm and friendly while New York is nothing but a cold, cold jungle made out of concrete.
I know how is it like to miss a place. Haha. And I really miss your posts. Write summore. How’s your CNY?
And yes, I give you one virtual angpau with red paper inside. Don’t be sad lah. :D
25. lydia | January 26th, 2009 at 1:13 am
lol. it’s hard to believe you like the weather, but i think living there for 3 years (or more) might change ur mind about it. :P glad to see that u’ve enjoyed urself!! xx
26. mac | January 26th, 2009 at 2:20 am
people just miss your writing … i have been … well, trying to put my finger on it and wonder why, there are those of us that tune into your blog to get our daily fix. and i happened to watch simon cowell commenting on American Idol and he used this term “likability factor” to describe then winner carrie underwood and it struck me … you, or your writing has this “likability factor” that really strikes us in the real world sense …
so, rather selfishly, i hope you get truly settled in NY, enjoy yourself … for being away from home studying abroad is not just about studying, but seeing the world and how others live, it should be an adventure, it probably means learning how to handle failure as much as success … continue writing, and so many of us will have a familiar place on the internet where we too can have enid blyton thoughts …
27. sheon | January 26th, 2009 at 2:39 am
the sandwich is sooooo tempting. i didnt expect to see so many street stalls there! wow!
28. wenqi | January 26th, 2009 at 3:06 am
limsuann :(
p.s. happy cny!!
29. Michelle | January 26th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Let’s go for an ice cream date. :D
I hope this helps.
30. Chen Chow | January 26th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Enjoy your CNY in NYC!!!
Great that you get to spend quite a bit of time in London! My trip to London previously was so rush… :(
31. Dan | January 26th, 2009 at 5:52 am
in regard to the English weather, I do partially agree with you. Hope you’re alright ;>
32. chm | January 26th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Oh Lord! The books! The pocket watches! Dats bloody heaven. oh yea. Gong Xi Fa Chai!
33. val | January 26th, 2009 at 11:31 am
eh the old curiosity shop does exist! somewhere in the midst of the LSE buildings heh.
and to andrew’s comment: that is glorious indeed.
34. ponnie | January 26th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Daunt bookstore looks every bit like the library I’ve always dreamt of; dim, musty, and brimming with treasures hidden in shelves! I actually thought the Oxfam 2ndhand bookstore might look like Daunt, but the 2ndhand bookstore seems a lot newer looking. @.@
The pocket watches look amazing. Pity in Msia you can’t find intricate designs like those. :(
Btw, Happy CNY!
35. Zen | January 26th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
The Regent’s Park is very beautiful and the sandwiches tempting :P but yea I know how you feel, had the same feeling when I left Osaka, but hey all those times you spent there will stay in your memories forever :D and who knows? you might be going there again some day ;)
Putting all that aside, Gong Xi Fa Chai!! may you have a prosperous Chinese New Year!! :D
36. June | January 26th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I would love to trade places with you :) Not a big fan of gloomy weather here in London. So I would really very much like to go to NYC!
37. Eunise | January 26th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
the day you arrived london was the day i left; i miss london as much as you do ….
38. sylvanna | January 26th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
London is lovely. Thank you. :)
39. yosie | January 27th, 2009 at 1:36 am
hi su ann, happy new year! your descriptions of london sound lovely; i must go one day. getting back into the swing of things is always after being in a place where you feel right. i totally felt the same way coming back to SF after being in berlin (love being there btw) but i’m not going to get started on the sense of belonging :)
hope you are doing well in your second sem.
40. liyuan | January 27th, 2009 at 9:44 am
you know. you are awesome i just love the way you write.
and the curiosity with things that hold your attention.
41. Voon | January 27th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
pinkpau.. i dont wanna leave too. how?
42. pinkpau | January 28th, 2009 at 12:38 am
foreverjas : haha come come. i’ll show you around.
josh : never really got to put my hair flipping skills to use though. what to do? people never ask me for the time…
tom : omg you MUST. portobello mkt is the best
zeeknotgeek : actually i’m quite sick of roast duck by now :P
shaolintiger : what is trocadero? haha zomg i didnt even know lychees cost that much. but wtf la everything in london also expensive wan. happy new year to u too GSTD!
yi jean : oh it is :) i didnt do london any justice with my post. couldnt even if i tried harder.
ky : same to u KY!!
reallybites : will you meet up with me if i come!!!
tan yee hou : GXFC hou yee tan!! yaya very quiet.. but now that the hols are over i will have time to bising again :P
ee vonn : i actually didnt buy clothes in london. too expensive!! but i bought a lot of books and shoes
yizhen15 : too many places to go, too little time :| have a happy new year :))
artificially : unfortunately not :|
vc : REALLY?!?! noooooo :( no one told me. but i was told that the best salted beef sandwich in london is at borough market!
kiasu : HAHA oh androo.
anon : you are right! thank you :) corrected
fubi : i believe so. yes pretty ballerinas has the most gorgeous shoes. le sigh
jeremy : lucky you :\ it hasnt rubbed off on me yet.
mac : it’s good to be back :) gxfc to you too!
gin : you MUST go to london! though i actually dont know if it’s your style.. japan/corea/taiwan is more you, yes?
vvens : i missed them the moment i stepped on the plane at KLIA :(
si cunit : it’s good to be back :) yes, definitely must visits! happy cny to you too!
skyler : nooo im definitely coming back!
zeus : the artful dodger!!!!! hahaha. sigh.
michelle : i only speak like that cos it holds true for me at this point in time :) CNY so far has been okay. nothing like home, but at least it’s not going by unnoticed. hehe thank u for the virtual angpau
mac : you overpraise me :) but thank you. very kind of you.
sheon : there are lots of them! wait what do you mean street stalls? there arent like hot dog carts or anything if thats what you mean :P portobello market is like a huge flea market on one long street. borough market is just like a cleaner, drier version of a wet market!
wenqi : wongwenqi why you pout :(
michelle : why not :D
chen chow : gxfc to you too!! eh why you travel anywhere also stress wan! dont stress, chen chow!
dan : i’m doing fine :)
chm : hehe gxfc to you too
val : haha ya i know. it’s in holborn right?
ponnie : it actually isnt as rustic and dusty as it looks in the photo :P quite the opposite. it’s actually very polished. i like the oxfam bookstore way better.
zen : i hope that someday is soon :) happy cny to you too!
june : OMG LET’S TRADE. nyc is SO COLD right now
eunise : sigh, right? :(
sylvanna : haha wait why are you thanking me!
yosie : 2nd sem is so far so good. ah, berlin. one day i shall :)
li yuan : thank you :)))
voon : how ah voon, how?
43. Jay | January 28th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
It’s so refreshing to read something so positive about London. Living here, personally I dont find half the things you do about London so fascinating, so amazing. I avoid the underground if possible, especially peak time. I could think of a million things better than the weather but I agree at times it is very charming, and very fresh. Not the rain. I do however love Portobello Road, and Carnaby Street.
44. olivianlc | January 29th, 2009 at 1:20 am
i love this post. i like the way you describe everything about london. i always thought london was just another place where it rains almost everyday (is it true? wtf). you’ve opened my eyes this time (:
45. Gin | January 29th, 2009 at 11:30 am
dunno..im very country side ish….not very fond of places like tokyo seoul new york
46. cindy | January 29th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
london is my absolute favorite city. i fell in love there. next time, go to spitalfields market on a sunday. =) i worked in leicester square for half a year right out of uni.
47. Colin | January 30th, 2009 at 4:16 am
agree with vc, the sandwiches in selfridges are legendary. it does however mean you can go back to london again. i am sure there will be many more trips in time. i spent 6 years there and i never looked at london how you described it. =>
selfridges has its own charm, you sit in the cafe sipping your cappuchino, munching on your sandwich and watch thousands of ppl streaming past doing their own thing in their own world. Its a feeling i cant really describe. do it next time and let me know. => GXFC. Good luck in your new sem.
48. Simon Seow | February 1st, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Is that Wild Rocket in the Chorizo Sandwich? Taste great with sandwich that herb.
49. ven | February 3rd, 2009 at 5:26 pm
there is always a difference if you are a visitor to a city. no matter how deep you go, it will only be the surface that you scrapped.
being a resident of a place and actually living in it, just like you in NYC, will have more than pleasure at mind. Making a living and doing what you are supposed to do (studying?) will actually change your perspective of the place.
Nevertheless, you did give London a good rep =)
50. ed | February 11th, 2009 at 9:43 am
you have nice huge boobs!
51. jeff | February 11th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
a place in the memory is always better then it seem to be….
leave here long enough u wouldn’t want to be in London anymore…
by the way nice blog….great writting skill….i enjoy it so much…start to miss london de…
52. Hanna | March 17th, 2009 at 3:42 am
so… Selfridges is on Oxford Street. :P
but I’m glad you love London! I suppose, it is pretty awesome! :)
53. damansara | April 12th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
how old is martian? he looks young probably mid-20s but such a jetsetter at that age? btw may i knw what’s he doing? not interested in him but just curious abt his background. am an old hsewife but like i say just curious abt his achievements thus far. not easy being your other half (sorry, you look and sound high maintenance!). all the best pinky. met you in person once at the us fair in ampang (if you still can recall).
54. Dib. | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 am
i agree, everything about London is AMAZING!
i only live.. about an hour away from it though xD
u should come back and we can go shopping together =P
x
55. Финансистка | August 23rd, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Замечательная статья, спасибо. Но я думаю, что надежда все-таки есть. :-)
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