The British are coming and we’ll have what they’re having! Healthy London ladies like Deliciously Ella and the Hemsley sisters are part of an emerging wellness scene shaking things up across the pond. Where there once was a lack of the holistic health stuffs we love in the mainstream, there’s now an abundance – and our newest favorite local is pointing us in all the right directions.
Caroline White is the founder of the high-style English activewear brand, SukiShufu, as well as our tour guide for a 24-hour tour of London as it lives well. From the town’s top trainers to it’s newest clean eating cafes, we’re touring London like a healthy local…
Not in London? If you’re a West Coast girl, you can get in on SukiShufu’s exclusive collection at Sweat NSK here in Los Angeles!
Living Well in London: A Healthy 24-Hour Tour
Raise the Barre: It’s light at 5:30 a.m. in the summer, so get an early start with the beautiful-but-tough taskmaster Paola Di Lanzo at Paola’s Body Barre. Pull on some SukiShufu Leatherback leggings and train with the most sought-after trainer in London – Paola trains the who’s who on the London scene. You will “feel the burn” in her classes, believe me, and you will also feel fabulous for the rest of the day.
The Ivy: Post burn workout, it’s breakfast time! Stop in at The Ivy on the Kings Road. Try the truffle eggs or the lobster Benedict – because you’re on holiday and life’s too short for granola, right? Shop your way down the Kings Road to Sloane Square: We are heading to the park.
Garden RIDE: At Sloane Square, pick up a Boris Bike (our equivalent of a city-hire bike). There is nothing like a royal park, so take the time to cycle around and take it all in: precision planting, beautifully edged gardens, palaces, ponds, fountains, boating and the list goes on. My favorites are Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James Park – I have solved many a problem whilst running and walking through these beautiful parks.
Top Bowling: For lunch, hotfoot it to the Mae Deli for a deliciously healthy refuel for the rest of the day. This is the first cafe opened by Ella Woodward, aka Deliciously Ella, and it is seriously good. Try one of their signature Mae bowls – delicious!
Self-time at Selfridges: Time for some shopping. While most will head to Harrods, I think Selfridges is my current favorite department store in London. Start at the food hall and stress yourself out over what to choose! Some great locally produced, specialty health foods are sold here. A favorite is SuperSeeds by Punch Foods – an on-the-go tube of deliciously nutritious seeds that will ensure you keep your energy up as you work your way through the store. Work your way up to a really inspired mix of UK and international brands in women’s wear and then through to an equally impressive shoe floor… congratulations you have arrived in heaven!
Black Cab it: Laden with shopping, having taken a barre class and cycled through the parks, I think you should treat yourself to a black cab back home. London black cabbies train for three to four years for an exam called “The Knowledge” – they have to pass it to get their license. They have to know every single street in central London and they can not use maps or GPS. You tell them the address or even just the hotel or restaurant name and they will get you home, guaranteed.
