Designer Charlotte Simone's Guide to London
London girl Charlotte Beecham is the designer behind Charlotte Simone, a line that includes coats, hats, keychains and most notably scarves. Her colorful creations have graced the shoulders of celebs like Kendall Jenner, Sienna Miller, and Alexa Chung, and have the power to take outfits from zero to 100 in moments. Based in London, but having spent time in Paris and Manhattan, New York, Beecham is a true city girl. With that in mind, we asked Beecham to take us back to her home turn and fill is on the best of London. Museums, markets, bakeries and bistros-but first stop SoHo!
Where to Stay:
Ace Hotel
If you're looking for a place to stay in East London near Shoreditch, you must stay at the lavish Ace Hotel. It's the perfect place for people watching and being among a great crowd. The juice bar outside is incredible for an afternoon pick me up too!
Charlotte Street Hotel
I obviously love this one because it's named after me-or a girl can dream, right? This hotel is actually true dream! It's a beautiful boutique in SoHo and located near all the best restaurants and theaters, which exactly where I'd want my hotel to be situated.
Where to eat and drink:
10 Greek Street
My favorite SoHo spot. The menu changes daily so it's always fresh and delicious. I recommend grabbing a spot at the bar with your girlfriend. Think French and Italian-inspired cooking with top drawer ingredients and affordable wine. Since you're in the heart of SoHo you can walk off your food coma and enjoy the buzz of the city streets after.
Chiltern Firehouse
An ideal Marylebone spot for drinking and snacking. It's quite trendy at the moment so it's another great people watching spot. To eat, I recommend the cornbread with bacon butter, the crab-stuffed donuts, or the maple-bourbon sweet potatoes while you sit by the cozy fireplace. They have a great outside terrace as well if you want to brace for the cold air and have a cocktail under the heaters. It's one of the most charming places in London–a tad quirky but seriously glamourous. The firehouse is buzzing into the early hours of the morning so you can easily spend your whole evening there!
Sketch
A pink palace, Instagram dream. They serve high tea with a twist so expect lots of weird and wonderful cakes, sandwiches, and spreads. Treat yourself to the three-course lunch or the Parlour and Glade all day menu that includes breakfast, comfort foods, cakes, wine and cocktails.
Blanchette
Blanchette is one of my favorite hideouts in SoHo-a sweet bistro that serves up simple but classic French food. The ambiance leans on the side of bohemia in a fun and romantic way. It's a great date night spot to sit at the bar with a fancy cocktail list.
The Good Life
The Good Life is my go-to for pressed juices and smoothies. It's right by my office in Marylebone, so I'm in and out of there all the time. My favorite juices are the Melrose Sunset and the Lucky 7, plus they have really nice vegan cakes. This place is our answer to LA vibes as it originates from the West Coast with everything freshly made that day. There are also a ton of delicious salads with impressive flavors but beware, the portions are massive!
Palomar
Palomar is a great Isreali spot with modern fare from Jerusalem infused with several international influencers in a dusky, mosaic surrounding. If you are lucky enough to grab a seat at the bar (which is packed every night) you are in for a real treat. The servers pay attention to the bar first and always make sure you get everything you order very quickly. Don't be surprised if they throw in some extras to try! Most dishes are served tapas style and go all in. The sorbet is a must-try as are the beetroot carpaccio and Jerusalem Mess. The Tzatziki is to die for!
Padella Pasta
The cutest modern bistro with a long list of homemade pasta, savory wine, and Italianate drinks located in Borough market. There is always a line but you will get to see fresh pasta made right in front of you. This is as authentic Italian as you can get in London. The founders Tim and Jordan are always chatting up people in line and really make this a special place to frequent.
Primrose Bakery
The sweetest café in Primose Hill with a diner-style setup. They serve homemade cupcakes, layer cakes, and loaves. Their Mars Bars Cornflake Cakes are the best. You can also sign up for one of their cupcake classes led by their talented pastry chefs who will teach you how to ice cakes with the Primrose signature swirl or learn how to use a palette knife. The Rainbow decorating masterclass is hilarious and fun for a girl's night out.
Bao
Bao is an new, intimate spot on Fitzroy Square from David Chang (he founder of Momofuku) so you know it's good. I recommend the famous fluffy white steamed buns or grab an oyster mushroom. Make sure to get a reservation as this place is only getting more and more buzz!
Park Chiniois
Located in Mayfair, this opulent, Chinese restaurant is fabulous and fun. The ambiance and décor is warm and charming with plush red sofas and a live band, conjuring the atmosphere of a 1930s Shanghai speakeasy jazz club. You want to be sure to get dolled up and look dapper before arriving. It's like the retro glam supper club of Chinese restaurants.
What to do:
Psycle
This high-intensity, low-impact, workout studio is on Mortimer Street in the West End. If you need a little stress release, I recommend heading to Psycle for a 40 minute high energy spin class. After a good sweat session, I like to grab the Cool Down Smoothie–a yummy concoction of coconut milk, avocado, spinach, banana, vanilla protein, lemon, and blueberries. It's the perfect post-spin snack.
Portobello Road Market
If you've never walked around Notting Hill you must head down there on a weekend. Picturesque streets and one of the world's best known markets makes for the perfect day out. If you are sucker for vintage-made pieces, hunt for some finds at the various shops. I always walk away with a great piece of costume jewelry that I end up wearing all the time. The road is packed with hundreds of stalls selling everything from antiques to fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, and clothing. The lovely, quaint, and colorful setting of Notting Hill offsets the crowds that travel here on the weekend. The antique section is a dream with so many interesting knick knacks and unique furniture pieces that you can't find anywhere else in London. I recommend checking out the Portobello Print & Map Shop for antique world maps, Hummingbird Bakery for yummy cupcakes, and the famous Notting Hill Bookshop.
Tate Modern
A London staple that you can't miss, this is an easy way to inject some culture and inspiration to your day. Fun fact: it was once a power station built after WWII. If you have a chance I would recommend checking out, "The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from The Sir Elton John Collection" for one of the greatest private collections of photography from the 1920s-50s collected by Sir Elton Jhon himself or browse works from some of my favorites like Picasso, Rothko, Dali, and Matisse for free as part of the permanent collection.
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in East London. It's a nice place to check out local galleries and street art on a Saturday afternoon. Make sure to grab a bagel – they're famous for bagels in Brick Lane (as a former NYU girl I was suspect at first, but I can assure you they are great!) and enjoy the buzz of the shops and people watching.
The Electric in Nottinghill
A great spot to hang with friends and relax, The Electric in Notting Hill is one of the oldest working theaters in the country. It's also owned by the Soho House Group so you can expect a romantic atmosphere with quirky details, lush cashmere blankets, luxurious leather chairs and velvet-lined double beds instead of front row seating. Located on Portobello Road, this is the ideal date night spot while you're in town.
Columbia Road
Londoners love a Sunday flower market. Columbia Road has one of the best with its cobbled streets, fresh flower stands and sweet vintage shops lining the street. I always make sure I stop by Lilli Vanilli (get the reference?!) when I'm in Columbia Road. It's a cupcake shop that sells the most glamourous, glittery cupcake bites and floral cakes. They really are the prettiest things you will ever see. The attention to detail is impressive and you can't help but Instagram your treasures before you take a bite.
Primrose Hill Park
Primrose Hill Park is one of my most favorite places to hang when the weather is nice. If you walk the hill of the park for great city views of London and then go into Primrose Hill Bakery across the street for a cupcake and cup of tea. If it doesn't rain you can really enjoy all of the pastel colored houses and the picturesque village feel of this neighborhood.
Where to shop:
Mairead Lewin Vintage
One of the best kept vintage shopping secrets ever. All the cool It- Brit girls go here for their steals, including Kate Moss and Laura Bailey. I have found some really incredible dresses and tops here. The shop is appointment only but it's worth it!
Kempton Market
Kempton Market is open twice a month and is a massive indoor/outdoor market chocked full of antique jewelry, vintage clothing, eclectic furniture and collectibles. You never know what you will find. I've found a vintage Saint Laurent fur here that was a relative steal–you just have to look!
Dover Street Market
You can always find something really special from a designer you haven't heard of yet. This store always has the latest collections with well-known brands also. The best part is that with every new collection comes a new artistic installation. It's like a new store every time you visit!
Modern Society
This chic boutique has it all for a great selection of luxury brands with an even greater buy. I love stopping here to see the newest pieces-from jewelry to housewares-that always give me inspiration. The store has it all! Also, I envy the marble layout inside.
Bad Denim
It's a denim palace with vintage and well-known brands and experiential denim. You can never have too many denim pieces and this place is the perfect setting for finding just what you need to stock up.
Pam Pam
Can I just say "sneaker heaven?" If you are a sneaker person, you must stop here for your next pair of kicks. Plus, Pam Pam always has a great sale.
Sneaker and Stuff
If you're in East London near Shoreditch and looking for more sneakers to wear put this store on your list. With a name that is pretty self-explanatory, you guys are in for a quite the display of a wide range of sneaker, clothing, and accessories brands to make your head spin.
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