LORENZO'S TIPS FOR LONDON

When people come to London, they tend to do the same things and go to the same places. But there are ways of spending a day in London with a little bit of imagination.

As Lorenzo spends many of his days going to Central London to try to show his portfolio in the fashion magazines, he had done his research and showed Carla and me what to do last weekend. 

First, there are two things you mustn’t forget when you leave your house: the umbrella and the sandwich (there’s no need to go to Macdonald’s). If you use your imagination, you can eat better than in the most fashionable cafe. Go to Sainsbury’s and choose between the delicious three for two bagels and buns, covered in poppy or sunflower seeds. You can fill them with cherry tomatoes (here they taste really sweet), salad, ham and cheddar cheese. Don’t forget to add a bit of oregano and olive oil (we brought a 5 litre bottle from Spain).

Forget about spending the day in the underground. It’s much better to take a double-decker bus. From the one we take, number 53, you can see the London Eye and the River walk. It’s the best way to get to know the city.

There are many interesting art galleries around Central London where you can see the works of the great masters and the newest artists. In the Halcyon  Gallery at 144-146 New Bond Street you can visit the Master Editions: works by Picasso, Dali, Miro, Chagall, Degas, Henry Moore, Warhol, Renoir,  and even Rembrandt; all for sale. And you can walk around freely, not like in certain museums I won’t mention here.

Another interesting exhibition you can see in the same street, at number 134 is the one of Joe Black at the Opera Gallery. This artist reproduces famous photos in big format using different types of materials like toy soldiers (Obama), nuts and bolts (Margaret Thatcher) or badges (Marilyn Monroe). He had sold almost everything in just a couple of days.

And if you are a lover of good photography, we recommend you the Atlas Gallery at 28 Cork Street, near Baker Street.

And if you happen to be in the company of a young lady, like Carla, you can enjoy walking around the trendy shops in New Bond street. She loves Victoria Secret, which is like Woman's Secret taken to the theatre.

You can also find art in the shop windows, as you can see in this photo, taken at Harvey Nichols stores in Knightsbridge. 

At lunchtime you have your choice for parks: Hyde Park, Green Park, St. James Park... and take a seat in one of their comfortable benches. Here you can enjoy watching the people around, their multicultural variety. This time of the year you can also play with the squirrels.

For coffee, you have three places to choose from the tastiest coffee in the city: the Nespresso shops. There’s one near Harrod’s, one near Picadilly Circus and the other in Marble Arch.

And if you want to listen to good music, an interesting option if to watch out for the concerts given by students from music schools. Here the level is really high and it’s a delight to listen to young kids mastering jazz pieces. For  example, last Tuesday Lorenzo and me enjoyed a bit of jazz in Blackheath Great Halls performed by students from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire.

London is being a real source of inspiration for the three of us. 

Photos: Lorenzo Hernandez                                                      www.photolorenzohernandez.com