England: Stella Newman (My Top Five List)

My Top Five List

London has so much to offer which makes it difficult to pick a top five. Nonetheless, I have tried to pick five of my many favorite things in London.

Hyde Park is by far one of my favorite parts of London. It is an oasis inside a bustling metropolitan city. I go for morning runs along the serpentine, I grab a coffee at the open-air cafes and get to work on assignments, and I read books on the sizable clearings. Hyde Park is both a site to see and an integral part of residents’ lives.

The Victoria and Albert is my favorite museum in London. It has a vast variety in its collection, from ceramics to fashion, castings to frescos. I see something new every time I go. I also do a fair amount of studying in the V & A, they have a courtyard with seating, an indoor cafe, and benches dispersed throughout the museum. Additionally, they always have a couple of exhibitions going on. If you are interested in attending various exhibits I recommend getting the V & A membership which gives you free admission to all of them and member-only events.

There is always something to do in Brick Lane. I have gone second-hand shopping, taste-tested at Spitalfield market, and indulged in Turkish sweets, and Bengali curry restaurants. I have taken at least 4 class tours that have passed through Brick Lane as well. Through these tours, I have learned about the local communities and the ongoing
gentrification. If you go I encourage you to not only shop at the trendy second-hand stores or Spitalfields market, but also local restaurants and shops of the Bengali community.

Notting Hill has been a new favorite of mine. I had been to Notting Hill in the first weeks of London to cite see and observe Carnival, but I failed to make it to Portobello market in the first semester. Last weekend I decided to make a solo trip and see what all of the hype was about. Once visiting I understood it. It is a vibrant market with variety, from food to clothing.

My last favorite is Nandos. Every Monday you will find me and three of my friends at Gloucester Road, Nandos. It is an indulgence that we can’t live without. We go on the same day, at the same time, and we all order the same thing, every single week.

Stella Newman

Major: International Studies and Spanish

Hometown: Middleton, Wisconsin