This Month in London: March Edition
Thoughts on welcoming a new season, freshening up my space, and exploring more of London as it comes alive in the springtime
‘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.
Hello from London!
We’re officially on the downswing from winter and while much of January and February were gray and chilly, the beginning of March has been mild and sunny. It feels so, so good. The crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils are peeking through the grass and some trees are starting to bud and blossom. It’s that time of year when London starts to come alive again. It’s when I start to feel more alive, too!
As we welcome March and I ask myself how I want to feel this month, the word that comes to mind is momentum. I intentionally embraced slowness January and February, with the exception of my trip to South Africa. A key intention that I set for 2025 was to take more aligned action, release self-imposed pressure, reduce the constant sense of urgency, let go of the worry of never doing enough, and create more mental space in my daily life. So, in January and February, I spent a lot of time organizing my thoughts, gaining clarity, and finding a good rhythm and routine to carry me through the year.
Spring Refresh
Spring is the perfect time for a fresh start, so a priority for me this month is to do a good spring refresh. To me, that extends beyond my physical space to include my digital spaces and head space. I always feel mentally clearer and more inspired when my physical and digital spaces are tidier!
I’ll be focusing on the areas of the flat that don’t get as much day-to-day love, going through my wardrobe and working to fill in some gaps with good quality pieces, finishing some projects that are half-done, doing a digital cleanup (so those storage notifications finally stop), and reassessing my routines and habits - especially in relation to progress on some goals and projects that are important to me.
I’ve put together my personal Spring Refresh Checklist to share with you. Please update as you see fit! There is both a digital and (prettier) hard copy option, because I am a pen and paper kind of gal.
In addition to getting my personal space more in order, I’m also looking forward to getting out in London more, emerging from the winter slowness I chose to savor rather than wish away.
March in London
This month will consist of both quality time in London and a trip to Madeira. Though I have seen many other parts of Portugal, this will be my first time in Madeira and I’m looking forward to immersing myself in nature, being by the sea, eating delicious, fresh Portuguese food, and spending time with my mom who will be joining! As for London, here’s what I’m interested in/planning on doing this March:
Art & Design
Explore some Mayfair art galleries following this walking route inspired by Lucy Donovan from @girlandgallery
Vintage furniture shopping to get some inspiration for the aforementioned apartment refreshes - here are some spots I may check out:
Alfie’s Antique Market, open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-6pm
The Camden Vintage Furniture & Flea Market, March 16th
Peckham Salvage Yard, March 29-30
Visiting the Fashion & Textile museum for the Textiles: The Art of Mankind exhibition which starts on the 28th
Try some new cafes
This is a favorite pastime of my husband and he's a very talented home barista! I’m putting something fun together that I have wanted to do for a long time so I need to try some more new spots…for science. These cafes are on my March wishlist:
BLAS, Victoria Park
Don’t Tell Dad, Queen’s Park
Lilac, Kentish Town
Nagare, Carnaby
Broadway Market & Columbia Road Flower Market
This is one of my favorite Sundays in London - grabbing a coffee and pastry from one of the great bakeries in London Fields, walking through the park towards Broadway Market and then continuing on to Columbia Road. My mom is visiting this month and I love to do this with visitors because I think it gives a great glimpse into London life and is an area that perhaps many people miss in lieu of the central London hotspots.
Spend more time outside
London has some great little green nooks and crannies, wooded parks, and beautiful gardens. With spring around the corner, I’d like to spend more time outside.
Hampstead Heath is spectacular year round but on a warm, sunny day it’s hard to beat. I’d like to get in a nice, long weekend walk starting from South End Green, going up to Parliament Hill, heading north towards Kenwood House then following some meandering wooded trails until I reach Lime Ave which will take me back towards Hampstead Village. This is one of my favorite London park walks when I want to spend an afternoon outside.
Regent’s Park shines in the spring. It comes alive with people playing sports on the pitches, out for runs, picnicking, walking and running, flowers start to poke through the grass, the cherry blossoms begin to bloom, and the trees become green and abundant again. I love to take this all in from the Broad Walk.
There’s always more to explore in London. Somehow, in over four years of living here, I have never been to Richmond Park. If I don’t get there this month, I’d love to at least get there this spring or summer.
What are you getting up to in London this month? Are you visiting and have some questions about how to make the most of your time here? Let’s chat below :)
As always, thank you for being here! I'm incredibly grateful for each of you who take the time to read my posts. Your support means more than you know. If we're just meeting - hello! I'm Julianna, a Massachusetts transplant living in London for 4 years now. In addition to starting this passion project, I work in digital marketing and have a small accessories brand. I'm so glad you've found your way here and look forward to getting to know you. In addition to these monthly posts, you can also expect:
Raw honesty and vetted recommendations
Local gems and favorites across London (including spots that won't make it to Instagram)
Travel inspiration and destination guides - here are some past examples: London at Christmas, A Festive Weekend in Vienna, and Wild Dining at Inverlonan
Deep dives into whatever catches my curiosity - from books to wellness to cultural observations
Real life in all its beautiful messiness (as a multi-hyphenate 30-something)
If this resonates, I’d love for you to join me here and over on Instagram, where I am starting to share more of the photos I capture around London and on my travels.
Before parting, I wanted to share a quote that I came across recently that resonated with me, especially as I work on consistency and improving on my bad habits of procrastination and waiting for things to be perfect before starting.
Don't leave anything for later.
Later, the coffee gets cold.
Later, you lose interest.
Later, the day turns into night.
Later, people grow up.
Later, people grow old.
Later, life goes by.
Later, you regret not doing something...
When you had the chance.
Life is a fleeting dance, a delicate balance of moments that unfold before us, never to return in quite the same way again.
Regret is a bitter pill to swallow, a weight that bears down upon the soul with the burden of missed chances and unspoken words.
So, let us not leave anything for later. Let us seize the moments as they come, with hearts open and arms outstretched to embrace the possibilities that lie before us. For in the end, it is not the things we did that we regret, but the things we left undone, the words left unspoken, the dreams left unfulfilled.
From ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
I’ll talk to you later - or better yet, as soon as possible if you want to keep the conversation going below.
Until next time,
Julianna
Julianna, I went to Madeira in March of last year! So cool that you are going, it's an incredible little island.