I knew the new cycling scheme would come in useful!

Innocent pleasures.

Being young, free, and single in London can all too easily lead an innocent girl into temptation. Dangle the carrot of bright lights, late nights and chiselled jawlines in front of us, and in no time were toddling off in 5 inch heels and skirts up to here. So, before we start getting all Amy Winehouse, it’s important to take a step back from the edge and enjoy the simpler, more innocent things in life. If only to have something credible to tell our Mothers!

Here are a few ideas for getting up to some good for a change!

1. 10 Pin Bowling
Once the only place for under-18s to while away their mis-spent youths, bowling appears to have become chic again thanks, in large part, to places like the All Star Lanes. Make like Chachi and Joanie and rock n roll down at the Lanes!



2. Pedal boating on Serpentine
This is the Londoner's equivalent of Oxbridge punting and with slightly less call for silly hats, falling in, and an IQ of 120. Looks easy but is surprising hard work on the old thigh muscles. I've been known to spend hours just going round and round in circles as the sun sets behind Harrods, but there is fun to be had if you know what you're doing! And have someone else to pedal!



3. Crockery painting in Fulham
Sounds a bit twee, but after a morning spent nibbling choccie biccies, listening to classical music and let your artistic flair run wild, you emerge feeling like a whole new person! Go to The Pottery Cafe and paint your own Emma Bridgewater plate!



4. Sing-a-long at Prince Charles cinema

Funny how easily one can recall every single lyric to the Sound of Music given half the chance. Proves there is some purpose to watching it 16 times a day as an ankle-biter! Only £1.50 at the Prince Charles Cinema! Fun and bargainalicious!



5. Attend a public lecture.
A little education never did anyone any harm, so get your geek-chic on down at one of the LSE public lecture series. The Relationshhip between Strategy and Identity in a Transnational Environmental Network? Pass me my notepad!

The world's your catwalk.

I call it ‘The Sartorialist’ effect – your average London street is regularly trumping the stores as the go-to place for up-to-the-minute fashion as more and more people step out in style. Thanks to street photography blogs such as The Sartorialist, it is now necessary to be ‘camera ready’ even when you pop out for milk. Walking the streets in one of Europe’s most fashion-forward Capitals, I have really begun to notice trends on the street weeks or even months before they hit the magazines. For the absolute best in cutting edge fashion, I’m fortunately just young enough and girly enough to get away with goggling at the Camden Girls School girls who regularly achieve unbelievable heights of fashion before 8.45am. Incredible. For my work wardrobe, I ride the Piccadilly line between 9 and 10 am to get the best mix of executive and luxury sales assistant garb. For Men’s fashion, nothing beats Soho Square at lunch time, when all the drama development execs emerge in classic geek-chic attire. So, instead of keeping your head stuck in a book over lunch in the park, try a bit of people watching – it’s a cheaper fashion hit than that £4.75 copy of Vogue, trust me!


The world’s your catwalk.

Note to self: Dress excellently all next week.
Why: The Sartorialist is in London for the first time!