This Month in London: April Edition
New season, new energy!
Hello, hello!
‘This Month in London’ is a blend of personal reflections and curated recommendations. Each month, I’ll share seasonal happenings, local gems, and everyday discoveries in London, along with thoughts on personal growth, travel, and living more intentionally. Whether you live here or are planning a visit to this incredible city, this monthly series will serve as both a guide and an invitation to explore London, and yourself with curiosity - savoring both the ordinary and extraordinary moments alike.
Welcoming April: A Season of Renewal
I am coming to you from my home office with the sun streaming in and a bouquet of spring blooms next to me!
It’s hard to believe April is already here. This year, I really felt the shift of the spring equinox more than ever; the lightness in the air, longer and brighter days (our sunset is now past 7pm, which is just impeccable), hope restored, and a sense of renewal that comes with the spring season. It’s like a giant exhale, a collective sense of we made it.
Nature’s New Year
Though the calendar says that we should celebrate on January 1, Mother Nature says otherwise and she celebrates on March 20. We emerge from hibernation; shaking off the cobwebs of the days that feel heavier, darker, less inspiring - to those that feel lighter, softer and more hopeful. Moods lift, motivation returns, and there is an unspoken agreement that we’ve turned a corner.
Signs of Spring in London
You don’t have to go far in London to see this shift. People spill out of pubs on to the sidewalks, terraces are packed to the brim, parks transform into everyone’s favorite place to be - picnickers dotting the grass, walkers in fewer layers, sunbathers - benches fully occupied (especially those facing the sun). The cherry blossoms and magnolias decorate the streets.
Spring in London is what reels weary Londoners back into her grasp.
Making Peace With London Winters
London is an incredible city and that is something I will always shout from the rooftops. However, in the spirit of honesty and transparency, it can wear on you and spring is one of those corners that feels so uplifting to turn.
If you are one of those people who thrives in winter, I applaud you. I, however, simply do not (even coming from New England).
So, this year, in what was my fourth London winter, I made a very conscious effort to embrace the season. I leaned in where I could but I also hacked it by booking a trip to the Southern Hemisphere. You do what you gotta do!
If you live in London this kind of strategic escape feels necessary. Most of the year, there is nowhere else I’d rather be but in winter, there are days where I’d like to be anywhere else.
Savoring Springtime in the City
Having entered what is unarguably London’s most beautiful season, I’m looking forward to all that April will usher in. In this post, I’m sharing what I’m most looking forward to this month.
This is not a generic or all-encompassing ‘things to do in London’ type post (there are many other places you can go for that) but, rather, a personal guide to what’s momentarily calling to me in this glorious city.
April in London
On the back of a family visit and a recent trip to Madeira, I’m looking forward to some good quality time in London this month. I have some plans to catch some current museum exhibitions, try some of the spots on my ever-growing London list, continue embarking on my recent vintage market adventuring, and generally just enjoy the beauty of what this city and its surrounding areas have to offer.
Art & Culture
London is always chock-full of opportunities to be immersed in beautiful art and cultural experiences. These are just a few that are top of mind for April.
Scope out the large painted Easter eggs dotted around the city which are part of The Big Egg Hunt, an auction to raise funds for Elephant Family.
I have tickets to the Cartier Exhibition at the V&A and am looking forward to this hopefully inspiring some creative motivation!
On the topic of museum exhibits, I’ve still yet to get to ‘Flowers - Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture’ at the Saatchi Gallery. It ends on May 5th so this is definitely on my list for April!
When my mom was recently visiting, we went to see two movies (Bridget Jones and Alto Knights) as she loves going to the cinema. I really enjoyed it, too, and want to see another movie this month. The previews for The Amateur and The Penguin Lessons were enticing! Both come out soon - on the 11th and 18th respectively.
Markets
Last month, I went to a vintage market pretty much every weekend (The Hyde Park Vintage Furniture & Flea Market, The Camden Vintage Furniture & Flea Market, and Peckham Salvage Yard). It’s become a new hobby and has been a fun way to explore different corners of the city!
One place I didn’t get to was Alfie’s Antique Market so I will definitely try and go in April. Also top of mind is The Giant London Flea on April 27th.
Wellness
I’ll be attending a yoga + supper club event, hosted by one of my favorite yoga instructors. With so many supper clubs popping up around London recently, I’ve been wanting to go to one and this seems like it will be just my speed: yoga and good food & company on a Sunday afternoon/evening to usher in the week ahead.
Have you been to any supper clubs in London that you enjoyed? If so, I’d love to hear your recommendations!
New Spots to Try
I’m slowly but surely working away at a new project behind the scenes that will help bring the Something Savored vision to life even more. For science, this project has required me to get out and try some new spots that have been on my list. Here are 3 that I’d like to get to this month.
Bewlie Hill, Islington: They do seasonal salads and bowls that look delicious. London is finally starting to establish itself in the healthy fast casual scene (I will forever miss Sweetgreen, Cava & Dig Inn in the US) and this looks like a great spot that I’ve been looking forward to trying! Will report back.
BLAS, Victoria Park: This was on my list last month but I didn’t have a chance to get to it. I did, however, get to the other cafes on my March wishlist!
Himi, Carnaby: I walked by this spot when I went to try Nagare Coffee last month and it caught my eye, especially with a trip to Japan planned for later this year.
Okay four places that I’d like to try this month because look at these things of beauty!!
Roll Boys, Hackney Wick: Cinnamon rolls in delightfully crave-worthy flavors.
Day Trip From London
With the long Easter weekend coming up (in the UK, both Good Friday and the Monday after Easter are bank holidays), I’d like to venture outside of London. On my mind recently? Bristol, Bath, and a countryside stroll in a yet-to-be-determined location.
What are you getting up to in London this month? I’m always looking to add new discoveries to the list so please do share in the comments below!
As April unfolds, I’m looking forward to embracing the shift into spring-like energy; fresh and renewed with a sense of hope and natural curiosity that accompanies nature’s unfurling. Purpose and perspective are at the heart of the season as the lenses through which we intake the world around us become clearer.
Spring always feels like an invitation to explore, to savor, and to find inspiration in the little, beautiful things.
As someone who enjoys writing, I find a lot of comfort in words. This video that a friend shared with me felt fitting for the season; a beautiful reminder to loosen our tight grasps and try to work more with life’s naturally flowing rhythms. To embrace the entirety of our experiences. Sometimes we need permission to simply be with things as they are in this moment, rather than try to fix or understand them.
“We forget that life was never meant to be understood. It was meant to be felt.
We spend so much time trying to figure everything out, trying to fix, explain, solve, control, but life is not a puzzle. It's a wave, and you were never meant to carry the wave. You were meant to let it move through you.
The joy, the fear, the heartbreak, the moments that didn't make sense until much later. You were never broken. You were becoming.
I think the sadness comes when we try to hold onto what's meant to pass. We grip the moment, the person, the feeling… hoping to freeze it in time, but everything you've ever loved was borrowed.
And the beauty of it was never in the holding. It was in the being.”
As always, thank you for being here! I'm incredibly grateful for each of you who take the time to read my posts. I’d love for you to join me again here and over on Instagram, where I share more of the photos I capture around London and on my travels. You can follow and subscribe below!
What’s on your radar for this month? Are there any special spots, travel destinations, new daily rituals, or seasonal traditions that you’re looking forward to?
Let’s chat more below, I’ll see you there.
Julianna x
I love reading your monthly notes, Julianna. There’s something so comforting and true in the way you share your days in London. I’ve been feeling similarly about spring, how it quietly invites new thoughts for exploring again. Your writing reminded me of something I saw back in late February or early March that was along the lines of “We’re all trying to rush Mother Nature. It’s still winter.” It gave me a lot of pause then and has stayed with me. I realized I hadn’t really let myself embrace winter or notice the good in it. I was so busy waiting for the next thing. Reading your reflections brought that back to me in the best way.
Hello! Fellow Londoner here. If you haven't been already, Charleston in Sussex might be your bag: easy to reach on the train and absolutely beautiful, especially as the garden begins to wake up. Other end of the country, but Chatsworth's new flower exhibition (https://www.chatsworth.org/events/gorgeous-nothings/) will be well worth a visit!