EXPLORING LONDON 3/12 -6/12

Three months in London simply isn’t enough. During the last month and a half, I barely scratched the surface — only exploring a little of Cannock and Stafford — while most of my time was spent wandering the charming streets of London, uncovering countless hidden treasures tucked away in every corner.

In my delicious little delusion, I imagine I have a sexy flat in the heart of Soho, where I live for three months out of the year. It’s a sprawling, character-filled three-bedroom space full of secret nooks and cozy crannies. Two staircases wind through it — one tucked into the kitchen corner, leading up to my favorite place: a library-office sanctuary with towering ceilings and grand, floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the room with golden sunlight whenever the thick, snow white, organic cotton curtains are pulled open and gathered to the sides.

Plants have completely claimed the room in the most enchanting way — no one even dares to count them anymore. Giant, mature trees lounge in heavy black stone pots, their tropical leaves stretching playfully toward the glass ceiling, leaving only scattered glimpses of the sky. Every bookshelf bursts with leafy companions, while glass pots cradle plump little succulents, and vines dangle like curious green ribbons from the beams above, making the entire space feel like a secret garden suspended in the clouds.

In the center sits a dark-stained modern wooden desk, grounded by a thick, emerald green velvet rug so soft you want to curl your toes into it. My desk chair is a worn leather armchair, perfectly broken in, inviting endless hours of creativity and reflection.

As the sun dips behind the London skyline and the stars begin to glisten overhead, the room transforms into pure magic. Warm, intimate lighting spills from every corner — a small desk lamp casting a soft pool of gold, a heavy floor lamp arching gracefully beside the reading chair, and a vintage pendant dangling from twelve feet above. Each light hums at its own adjustable glow, perfectly dimmed to match the mood.

Is this what you would have created based on the above description? Not even close to what I was imagining. Don't let AI design your interiors, hire me instead.

Honestly, it’s so fucking dreamy I want to stay there forever. But — before I get completely carried away with my delicious little delusion — let’s snap back to reality and talk about how utterly obsessed I’ve become with London. And honestly, I didn’t even see it coming. London snuck up on me — and now it owns a huge piece of my heart.

First of all, the sheer size of this place is mind-bending. London isn’t just big; it’s vast. Stretching out like a living, breathing organism with neighborhoods that each feel like entirely different worlds tucked inside one sprawling city. With a population of around 9.7 million, it’s right in that sweet spot between the scale of Tokyo, Mexico City, and New York.

But it’s not just about size — it’s the pulse of the place. There’s an endless hum of life here. No matter what day it is — Monday morning or Sunday at midnight — there’s something happening. Rooftop parties, underground jazz shows, pop-up art galleries, street food markets, outdoor cinemas, secret garden speakeasies, warehouse raves.It’s like London never wants you to run out of reasons to fall deeper in love with it.

Can you understand my obsession?!

Every corner of every neighborhood is packed with layers of history and character. You can stumble out of a modern cafe that feels like Brooklyn and within two minutes find yourself in a 16th-century alleyway where the walls seem to hum with the secrets of the past.

Another thing I must mention is how much I absolutely love the public transportation here. It's honestly one of the best systems I've ever experienced. Between the Tube, the iconic red double-decker buses, the Overground, and even the riverboats, getting around is not only incredibly easy but also a bit of an adventure in itself. The trains are frequent, the stations are (mostly) clean, and there’s a real sense of rhythm to how the whole city moves.

No other city do I genuinely look forward to taking public transportation as much as I do in this wild city — it's all part of the charm and energy that makes London so exciting to explore.

Another fun observation: London is a city full of rules — and yet, somehow, it feels like there are no rules at all. It’s as if the sheer volume of people outpaces the number of officers who could ever possibly enforce them.

And the biggest reason for my obsession are the fucking people.

London is this wild, beautiful swirl of humanity — immigrants, travelers, old souls and new dreamers — all just living. You hear a dozen languages on a ten-minute walk. You feel the mash-up of cultures not just in restaurants and house parties, but in the very air you breathe.

What’s most surprising is how free I feel here. Energetically, London feels like one of the few places where you can truly be whoever the fuck you are without apology. No one's sizing you up. No one's expecting you to explain yourself.If your vibe clicks with someone’s, boom — instant connection. If not, no hard feelings. Everyone’s just moving through life, chasing their own spark, living their own adventure. It’s so refreshingly human.

Walking these streets, I feel deeply comfortable in my own skin. I feel seen without needing to perform. I feel excited by life — constantly, without even trying.

London is resilient, wild, stubborn, and somehow manages to hold centuries of tradition and razor-edge modernity in the same breath. It's the kind of city that gets under your skin, taps into your blood, and whispers, "You should live here."

I’m obsessed. Completely, shamelessly, madly obsessed.

In case you're not tired of reading, here are a few fun facts I thought were worth sharing.

Big Ben isn't the tower's name — "Big Ben" actually refers to the bell inside the tower. The tower itself was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

London is technically a forest — By UN definition, London qualifies as a forest because 21% of the city is covered by trees!

There are over 170 museums — Many of them, including the British Museum and the National Gallery, are free to enter.

More languages are spoken in London than anywhere else on Earth — Over 300 languages are spoken across the city daily.

The Tube is the oldest underground railway — The London Underground opened in 1863 and is the oldest subway system in the world.

It has its own small "city" inside — The City of London is a tiny, ancient part of Greater London with its own mayor, police force, and rules. It’s only about one square mile in size.

Black cab drivers must memorize thousands of streets — They study "The Knowledge," a famously difficult test that requires memorizing 25,000 streets and 20,000 landmarks.

There’s a hidden city under London — There's an old underground postal train system called the "Mail Rail," and you can now actually ride part of it at the Postal Museum!

London Bridge isn't Tower Bridge — Many tourists confuse the two. Tower Bridge is the ornate, beautiful one; London Bridge is rather plain — and it was even sold to an American entrepreneur in the 1960s!

You’re never more than six feet from a rat — According to an old London urban legend (though this might be a bit of an exaggeration), rats are everywhere!

Hahaha, much love fam.

Keep it real and find your greatest joy this moment.

And remember, I'm only a FaceTime away.

ILYSM,

Lana