Monday 12 April 2010

Pick Your Park - Grab n' Go Lunches on the Green

Now that we Londoners have experienced the hottest day of the year, our hopes are way up. But that's okay. It is vital to start thinking positively about the weather to come and it is crucial to start preparing yourself for it as well. Because otherwise, you just fall into a dark hole that some people call depression. And by preparing yourself I mean, seeking out the outdoors - in everything that you do. I am a particular fan of the outdoor lunch concept. Yes I do like lazying around a "terrasse de cafe" for hours, drinking rose and nibbling on summer fruit and biscuits. But that's not what I am referring to. I am talking about the grab n' go park lunches. Just sit your bumm down on the lawn of a beautiful London square, enjoy the scenery, the greenery and everything that ends in -ery. It's magical. That is the London that I have come to adore and relish. I have a few spots in mind that I think make that lunch break quite enjoyable.


 The first one that pops to mind is Lincoln's Inn Fields off of Holborn. You can lounge around there for hours at a time on those lazy summer fridays, watching the people come and go, with clothes that tend to slowly disappear as the weather gets warmer (it's still a mystery to me how some people manage to get any work done in a place where girls wear practically nothing). 

Kastner & Ovens, Floral Street, Covent Garden

Just 5 minutes away, you'll be able to pick up a yummy spring salad at Kastner & Ovens or a quiche and greens at the Fleet River bakery.


The second one I can think of has got to be Cavendish Square, the only green spot near Oxford Circus that isn't Hyde Park. There, you'll be able to find bounds of interesting people watching and a lovely 360 degree view of the old Victorian buildings of Cavendish Square. You can very well picture 19th century wealthy Londoners sitting on those park benches and discussing high society matters with one another. 

Pho Thai Chicken Salad at Pho, Market Place, Soho

In terms of grub-to-go, my faves have got to be Pho, for the freshest and yummiest Thai chicken salad and Tortilla, for the perfect naked burrito (burrito sans wrap) ever!


The third, but not the least, is a park I visit less often due to it's northern-ish location, and that's Islington Green. A lovely place to enjoy the sight-seeing of Upper Street and Camden Passage passers-by. A little less green and a little more rugged, it offers more park benches and trees than the abovementioned squares.

Wild Rice Salad at Ottolenghi, Upper Street, Islington

It is, by my standards, a lovely place to stop and eat a wild rice salad from Ottolenghi.

15 comments:

  1. Lovely to see little green spaces in London isn't it. I have fond memories of sitting with my grandparents on a bench at Islington Green eating fish 'n' chips! Camden Passage was a favourite place of mine too. A old family friend sold silver cutlery there many years ago, and I loved to watch the train go round in the toy / model shop window. I spent many a lunch break at Finsbury Circus near Liverpool Street with a Pret sandwich in hand, making the most of the sunny days. Enjoy!

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  2. I work near Lincolns Inn so often try and sneak there for lunch in the summer. But it gets sooo busy I find myself heading to a quieter spot of my desk and enjoying my air conditioning. A habit to change this summer for sure!

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  3. Finally, spring is here and we can all venture out again. I feel like I have been buried somewhere during the past months.

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  4. I love having lunch in the park on a warm day! We took the kids to the park yesterday to play. I'm so glad the warm weather is here - it does wonders for my mood!

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  5. Thank you for the great Pho Thai Chicken Salad recommendation. The Mrs. is going to love it.

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  6. I love reading this blog! As I'm moving to London for school in September, I feel like I'm getting "in the know" from reading your posts. I would bypass a lot of these places and things without knowing it if I were left to my own agenda, haha.

    Thanks!

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  7. Hi Emily - lovely post - makes me want to visit London just to share the experience! P.S. I left you a little award on my blog xx

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  8. Emily, I want to be THERE !! What a lovely picture you've painted for us. xx's

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  9. What a great list, you are so right about Cavendish Square, it was a very trendy place for rich to live back in the 19th century. Dickens has placed one of the characters from Little Dorritt in Cavendish Square, it was the rich banker.

    There is also very small green at the back of Goodge Street, a little secret place perfect for lunch.

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  10. Hi, I really like your blog, it's such a good idea. I live near to London so know some of the places you are talking about. There really are some lovely secrets in London. I want to visit Spittalfields market soon.

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  11. Hi Zesties, thanks so much for all your lovely comments and thanks for the recommendations AND the blog award! I willd definitely look into the park by Goodge street and FInsbury Circus as I am big fan of secret parks obviously:)

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  12. Hey just discovered your blog , I really like it I hope you enjoy London, it's my favourite place in the world !

    http://cupcakesarefashion.blogspot.com/

    XOXO, C.

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  13. just found you blog. its great. i spent a semester in london and loved the parks. being a broke study abroad student lent me plenty of time to read and relax in them. though i wish i had you blog to guide me some great food.

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  14. sadly I don't get beyond soho at lunchtime- but soho square is cute

    and ottelenghi is good come rain or shine

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  15. It's not even 9am and I am craving naked burritos (which I had planned to have for lunch anyway) and Vietnamese chicken salad. Note to self to make better use of London's parks. Thanks for reminding!

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