Soho. Regardless, Soho is my favourite area of London with its fantastic restaurants, bars, jazz clubs, and record stores. You encounter various artists and have drinks together at any time in Soho. I love walking around Soho in the early mornings; it’s my therapy!
Café Boheme, inspired by 19th-century French poets who used to meet at the heart of Soho, in Old Campton Street, is our local meeting point with my best friends! It’s always lively with jazz, excellent food and drinks, and laughter.
Café Boheme
13 Old Compton Street
W1D 5JQ, London
www.cafeboheme.co.uk
Ronnie Scott’s is my favourite jazz club in Soho; you will encounter the most outstanding musicians and have an opportunity to get lost in incredible performances. It was opened by saxophonist Ronnie Scott in 1959, and I recommend a documentary based on the club and his life, ‚Ronnie’s‘, directed by Oliver Murray (2020) to experience it to the fullest.
Ronnie Scott’s
47 Frith St,
W1D 4HT, London
www.ronniescotts.co.uk
If you are a cinephile like me, you should visit The Regent Street Cinema, which opened in 1848 and was accepted as ‚the birthplace of British cinema‘ with its introduction to the first motion pictures.
Regent Steet Cinema
307 Regent St ,
W1B 2HW, London
www.regentstreetcinema.com
I’m taking you to a very elegant bookshop, Maison Assouline, in Piccadilly. I love to check the collections, have a cocktail, and read my book in its immersive atmosphere. (Don’t bring your laptop; it’s not allowed!)
Maison Assouline
196A Piccadilly, St. James’s,
W1J 9EY, London
www.maisonassouline.com
Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum is the largest museum in design, applied arts, and decorative arts, located in South Kensington. It recently opened its Photography Centre. I cannot wait for springtime to spend time in its iconic John Madesjski Courtyard Garden to have sunlight, be mesmerised by the unique architecture and history, and write stories.
Victoria and Albert (V & A) Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
www.vam.ac.uk
180 Studios. This year’s favourite exhibition is UVA (United Visual Artists)’s largest, ‚Synchronicity‘ at the iconic brutalist building at 180 The Strand. The exhibition investigates the elasticity of time, the association between colour and sound frequencies, chaos theory, and mathematical precision of celestial orbits. It is a remarkable exhibition to contemplate our existence and beyond, I’d say.
180 Studios
180 Strand, Temple,
WC2R 1EA, London
www.180studios.com
Ecem Yucel is a PhD researcher, writer and artist based in London. She created an improvisational ‘Existential Manifesto’ to explore our contemporary existence. www.instagram.com/ecemmyucel, www.instagram.com/existentialmanifesto
