London's Secret Garden

With all of that city chaos and noise that we surround ourselves with daily, it's important to find a moment of peace and quiet somewhere in our busy schedules.  Personally, I find that when I get caught up in the moment of working, planning, organizing and living my life, I forget to breathe and I choke. So I step out of the zone. Yoga and pilates help, sure. But then again, in order to even participate in these so-called "meditative activities," I am constantly planning ahead too. What with booking everything in the diary and ensuring that nothing overlaps, even those relaxing moments of my day require a minimum of organization. It's a mind game of fake relaxation. Your brain tricks you into believing that you are taking time off. But actually, it's all a big fat lie. Sometimes, I must admit, I can't catch a break. I am living too fast.

For all of you who suffer from the fast life and the syndromes of fake relaxation, it's time to step out of the zone and find yourself a secret garden. I have mine. While it is no hidden gem to most Londoners, it definitely is a secret garden of sorts. Kensington Gardens is, by way of being perfectly groomed and elegant, the epitome of English gardens. And because I am accustomed to French gardens, which are notoriously messy, I kind of like myself a haven of pure perfection and serenity - English style. So just plop yourself down on a bench and take in the tranquility of nature, flowers dancing in the wind and birds chirping summer tunes. Take a deep breath and forget about the forsaken diary. It's just paper dictating your life. Now think about where the paper comes from. Trees, nature. That is what you cannot live without. Think about that.

Then, because you've done enough sitting and staring at grass grow, head over to the Orangery for a cuppa tea and scones. Take a seat outside on the terrasse under a parasol and sip slow. Eat slow. Maybe one day, you'll learn to live slow too.