Happy Tuesday!Although I have been known to complain from time to time about the tube (and if you live in London, I know you feel my pain), I do love living here.
1. The architecture! If you come from North America where many of the buildings are sixties and seventies-style or steel and glass, London's ornate architecture is awe-inspiring.
2. The variation from one part of the city to the other. It's impossible to get bored in London; moving from east London to west London is akin to visiting a different country. Every borough has a different feel to it, since London is really a collection of smaller communities that were gradually gobbled up by the metropolis.
3. The museums -- which are free! I have a crush on The Tate Modern. I love drifting through the galleries, then up to the cafe where you can have a glass of wine and gaze out over the Thames and St Paul's.
4. The markets. These days Portobello is swamped with tourists, but it's still worth a stroll down between the stalls. Columbia Road flower market and Borough market are also among my favourites.
5. Hyde Park. I love wandering around the park, particularly in the winter when it's empty and the sky is grey. My husband and I have our own spot, right in front of The Serpentine.
6. The South Bank. Yes, it's where I got engaged, got married, yada yada yada, but it's also the cultural centre of London with the British Film Institute, The National Theatre, and The Royal Festival Hall.
7. Daunt Books. Located in an old Edwardian bookshop in Marylebone, I feel calmer as soon as I walk into this shop.
There are plenty of other reasons I love living here, but I must now go placate my stomach with chocolate.
Do you love where you live? Or would you escape faster than Houdini on speed?
it always takes me a while to adjust to any new place I move to but eventually you grow to love it, it took me 2 years to say anything positive about Iowa and i cried when we left. That said i once lived in a part of London after i graduated from Uni I could not wait to get out of there as soon as possible. scared the heebie jeebies out of me.
ReplyDeleteI love where I live, but I would leave for a while if I got the chance! Probably for London, actually :)
ReplyDeleteHmm. I might do Ten Things I Love About Dublin today!
Yes I love where I live as you know I think as you sometimes pop into 'News From Italy' However I have a soft spot for London, I have never lived there but one of our daughters has and I loved experiencing London with her from a residents point of view, so different from just a visitors. I also love Tate Modern and that whole area along by the Thames.
ReplyDeleteJoanna, yeah, there are some parts of London that are pretty grim!
ReplyDeleteEllen, oh yes please! I love reading about other cities.
LindyLou, you are so lucky to live where you do. As much as I love London, I'm jealous!
I love where I live. Being in South Yorkshire, I get the best of both worlds with the city and the country. One of my favourite places is Sherwood Forest. And Leeds (for the shopping!)
ReplyDeleteI love visiting London though. I <3The Tate Modern as well. Oh, and the National Gallery.
I love the safety of a small town and living in the mountains, but I'm so far away from everything, including our friends, that it's started taking its toll.
ReplyDeleteI love where I live. I love the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria where my husband proposed to me. I love Barnes and Noble, because like you, walking through it makes me feel calm. But most of all, I love reading about new places on blogs like this one. Not because I want to move away, but just because it helps me see the world as a larger place.
ReplyDeleteI love York (which isn't where I live but is the nearest place anyone's heard of). Great shops, history you can touch and lovely old streets for browsing in. Couldn't live there, mind, too used to miles and miles of nothing but windblown gorse and sheep.
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ReplyDeleteOooh Talli, you've made me 'yearn' for London. Something I never have! London's always scared me - I don't like crowds or tubes or too much noise (yes, I am an Octogenarian-in-training). But I used to love visiting the V&A and wandering around Hyde Park when I was less feardy. Maybe I'll try and get the Hubs to surprise me with a weekend City break. Lovely. The post I mean. Not the surprise.
ReplyDeleteGreat, great list, I agree with you on almost every single one - I love those things about London too!
ReplyDeleteWhere I live... hmm, well that would depend on whether I mean Norwich or Bangalore (where I am right now). I love the architecture and laid-back feel in Norwich, I love the restaurants in Bangalore. But there are also many things I loathe about Bangalore, and right now I'm definitely feeling like Houdini on speed!
I love Chicago, it's a great city. But, I have to admit you're making me drool over London. I need to travel so bad...
ReplyDeleteI love London and hope to visit there again--one day. I love where I live. My town was built in the 1700s and preserved. So the main part of our town is the way it was back then (with some modern touches). Plus, I'm close to Philly (not that -that is super fantastic), New York City is about 3 hours, The jersey shore about 1 1/2 hours, tax free shopping in Delaware 30 minutes. Love it!
ReplyDeleteAlthough, if I had the opportunity to live in Munich, I would jump at the chance. :)
I always go on holiday excited about discovering new places but I'm ready to go home at the end!
ReplyDeleteLoved your list, espcially about the museums.
Museums are very cool. If I could be anything else I would be a tour guide at a world famous museum.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I have an award for you at my blog.
All worthy and lovely things to love. :)
ReplyDeleteAw. I remember your gorgeous wedding pictures...beautiful, romantic.
I don't hate where I live, it has some upsides, but I'm counting the days until we get to move back down to the beach.
I've lived a lot of places, and I know I often have wanderlust...but I miss my special home base. Soon. Counting the days. (which amount to 3 more years. *sigh*)
I;ve always wanted to go to London, and now I really want to after reading this. Someday, hopefully.
ReplyDeleteI do like London, in that I'm-a-bit-in-awe-of-you way. Kind of like being impressed by someone who is smart, beautiful, and sophisticated but not quite wanting to be their friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm too much of a country girl, I like empty spaces and a lack of people, I like fresh air and greenery and silence. I can stand and stare at the beauty of the countryside for much longer than I can stare at London.
Where I live might not be all that exciting or special to anyone else, but it's wonderful to me. The country is my best girlfriend.
I also love London. I am about 2 hours way by train. must go there again next year.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post very much.
Yvonne.
I was born in St. Louis and have spent most of my life here. No matter how much I've traveled, this has always been home. But now that I no longer have family here except for my son (who I suspect is considering flying the coop himself), if I found a wonderful new place to call home, I certainly would not dismiss the idea.
ReplyDeleteLondon is at the top of my list places to visit. I've been lucky enough to tour bits of Europe (Italy, Austria, Germany and France), but I really want to go to London. You've just reinforced that desire.
ReplyDeleteAs for where I live - I love Maine. It's gorgeous and we're close enough to Boston for me to get all of my cultural needs met.
I love where I live. But there are a lot of things I don't have here, or at least can't enjoy. Can't go to the theatre because it's all Greek. Can't join writing workshops because I don't write in Greek. Can't take any writing courses, unless I want to write in Greek ... um, get the picture? LOL
ReplyDeleteLondon sounds fantastic! There's really nothing like that in the USA.
ReplyDeleteI don't enjoy the place where I live; I'd love to move somewhere else.
You are so lucky! Personally I hate living in Redneck North Georgia, and would teleport to London in a heart beat if I could.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in London for 28 years now and I'm still not tired of it, despite the occasional yearning for somewhere quieter.
ReplyDeleteFree museums, I’m there! They are so expensive here in Chicago it’s almost not worth going. And they do offer free days but it’s usually some day of the week when everyone is working.
ReplyDeleteooo... this post takes me back. I visited London + Paris in college, and loved them both. But I lurved London... I totally felt like I could live there--for many of the reasons you state (the parks, the museums, the pubs... wait). ;o) <3
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful and sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou made me want to cry with missing London. I love the theatres. I miss the theatres. When I lived there I went to the theatre at least once a month.
ReplyDeleteAnd guess what else I love? The Tube! I know that living in London makes it easy to hate the underground but when you have to live in place where there is no public transport at all and the only way to get around is to drive or walk, you quickly realise how precious the London public transport system is. I live in Texas and without a car people can't survive because they have no way of getting to work or school or even out to socialise. Even if you're injured and it's an emergency no one calls an ambulance because they'll stick you with a $300 bill. You have to have a car to get to a hospital. How crazy is that?
Jai
I like visiting London (occasionally) but wouldn't like to live there. I prefer it out in the countryside where there seems to be more room to breathe!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Talli, London can be a great place to be. I love Covent Garden and Kensington Gardens.
ReplyDeleteCloser to home it has to be Dublin and the fact that it is on the sea makes it a great place to be, although we are out in commuterville.
I'll definitely have to visit London!
ReplyDeleteNow, to do the same for Ottawa....
Talli, I named you a Versatile Blogger in my own blog.
Awww these are fab reasons why London ROCKS!! For now though, the museums are free but who knows next year..!! Booo to all these austerity measures! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI so HEART London too - it's steeped in history and with precious green spaces thriving like no other!!
Take care
x
I'm a grass-is-greener person. I like where I live but I'm always thinking about where I'll move to next. There are always loads of literary things going on in Edinburgh so I'm making the most of that while I can.
ReplyDeleteGreat, great markets in London and actually I really like the tube. I just hate that it's so slooooooooow to get through the barrers with all those people in the way.
I'm fortunate enough to live on the coast, in a place where people "escape" to and unwind. It's beautiful and scenic. However, part of me really wants to move to Sedona, Arizona...
ReplyDeleteI love the bits where I live that aren't populated :P The valleys of South Wales have some beautiful mountain scenery, but the urban areas are kinda sucky. My area has a rich heritage from the Industrial Revolution, and if I was into Steampunk that would be awesome, but alas, there is little else.
ReplyDeleteI love the Tube (though I'm a tourist so I've a different experience with it) and The British Museum's Egyptian collection is an amazing visit.
I live in a place filled with shootings, kidnappings, and various other forms of violence. It's dry and hot, overcrowded, dirty and smelly. However, the people here are friendly. And it's home... for now. So, I guess, it's the best place I could live.
ReplyDeleteCD
Thanks, but I'd rather come visit you instead!
ReplyDeleteLondon is the one city in the world I want to live in most. I hope to be able to do so someday. You are so lucky, Talli! You've described it so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI love warm weather, so yes, Florida is fine. There's always travel if I need a change of pace.
ReplyDeleteLondon sounds wonderful! Unfortunately I hate where I live. The area does not fit me at all. I moved here for a job opportunity and shouldn't have. The job is fine, this place just isn't for me. If only I could learn a thing or two from that magician...
ReplyDeleteYour description of London makes me want to go there even more. You're so lucky that the museums are free. The museums in Chicago have free days, but I'm always working on those days so I never get to go anymore. I do love Chicago. But I've lived here for several years and wish I could move somewhere else, just so I could see what it was like.
ReplyDeleteLove love LOVE London. If I could move anywhere it would be there. But alas, the dollar is worth only slightly more than monopoly money over there, so it's a tad out of my price range. Le sigh.
ReplyDeleteAlso, is it lame that I crave Pret sandwiches sometimes? Cause I do...
London is indeed a great place, albeit a slightly pricy one! But I do love the free museums - bonus!
ReplyDeleteAnd oh yes, the Pret sandwiches... yum yum yum!
I've always wanted to visit London. Someday I'll make it there!
ReplyDeleteI don't dislike where I live, but I would love to move somewhere else. Hopefully someday I will be in a position where I can do so. :)
I love everything you've mentioned about Londong and wish I managed to visit there more often. I've never been to Daunt Books, but will have to make a note to go there the next time I'm over there.
ReplyDeleteAhh I'm so jealous! I want to go to London so bad. The only place I want to go more is Paris. I'll get there one day... XD
ReplyDeleteI used to feel the same way about a city I lived in, still do, in fact. You get to a point where you love it so much you consider it yours. Anyway, great post!
I love all the things you mentioned about London, too, Talli...but I haven't been to the market yet! The last time I was there was 5 months ago but I was mainly working then and did not have the chance to tour around. There's a next time! And hopefully I can meet you! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally LOVE London! =) I went there for vacation a few years ago and totally loved it. I know what you mean...the architecture there in London is amazing. I loved Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace the most. :D Definitely want to return there some day.
ReplyDelete~TRA
http://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com
Free museums? You're so lucky. London does have so much to offer to people who love history & culture!
ReplyDeleteChocolate cupcakes, perhaps? :)
I love the small-town sensibilities of where I live, but I miss everything else a large city offers (except the traffic). I would love to travel to Europe and do the "tourist" thing one day, but I'm not holding me breath. :)
ReplyDeleteOoooooh, you are a good travel writer, aren't you? As if I don't love London enough already, now I need to hop on a train and visit the city again asap! There is one thing you don't love about London though, and that's the mince pies. Amirite? I haven't met an American (werewolf) in London yet who DOES like mince pies. Yick.
ReplyDeleteI love where I live too - the people, the scenery, the memories. It's wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteI love Montreal but London is the city of my dreams. I loved every second I spent there. Your post brought back some great memories! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on the poetry blog Talli. I haven't looked at it for ages so sorry re the late reply. And good luck with the book. I miss a lot of those places in London
ReplyDeleteI love Northern Colorado where I live now. My husband and I retired here from South Florida which was too hot and humid for our taste. Since we grew up in the Midwest (Illinois), we preferred a distinct change of seasons, even if that meant occasional snow and ice. Even so, the weather here is remarkably good (and there are no hurricanes!).
ReplyDeleteI lived in London during the IRA bombings, in the 70's, a very vibrant city. I moved to Turnham Green when I married, just off of Chiswick High Road. Kew gardens and the river were our places.
ReplyDeleteWe took the children there on their birthdays. My youngest was 27 last week and still carries out the tradition. We have a soft spot for the city, but I could never live there now. I am a country bumkin. ;)
The museums was the last thing we went to see before emigrating. Love them!
Hi Talli .. couldn't agree more .. I was there yesterday .. it was fun to be back .. your ten for Tuesday or seven are great .. and we do have such wonderful architecture - with wonderful history & stories attached to the buildings.
ReplyDeleteThanks .. and chocolate definitely comes before 8,9 & 10!! Enjoy the week .. and I'm so looking forward to next week .. yea .. Hilary
Wow, I'm so tempted to move to London now!!
ReplyDeleteI like where I live, but now that's winter, I wish I were in the Bahamas...
Someday, I'm getting my booty to London. The architecture alone has me drooling all over myself.
ReplyDeleteI don't think about it much, but I DO like living in Iowa. There is some beautiful countryside around here - so green in the summer it makes your eyes hurt. The people are warm and friendly, and I don't feel like I have to keep my kids on a leash to keep them safe. So yeah, I like it here.
London's architecture is awe inspiring even if you've lived in this country all your life (like I have). When I go to London I'm very much the 'tourist' and love to 'do' the museums, markets and parks but I've never been to Daunt Books so that's one for my next visit.
ReplyDeleteI love London. I've only been there twice, relatively briefly each time, but it's a great city--though I think the Tube is a DREAM compared to the bus system! (then again, I sort of like subways as part of visiting an urban place--I don't have to live with it daily)
ReplyDeleteI would so love to go to London. One day. I swear.
ReplyDeleteI love and hate where i live. I wish we lived closer to hubby's work (which would also be a little closer to my parents too [but not too close!]). Then again, I hate the winters here in Pennsylvania so I wouldn't be against moving down south possibly someday. Just not in the near future.
Verrrry interesting Talli. I am with you on some of these: Daunt is up there on my list (tied with Hatchards), architecture, The Churchill (tho not my local) and number 2 certainly struck a chord: I have lived in, moving clockwise from Tottenham: Hackney, West Norwood, Battersea, Sloane Square area, Pimlico, Mayfair, Russell Square, Camden Town and Archway!
ReplyDeleteCork is great, lots I love about it, but London is still home and always will be X