Even though my day job has been in central London for over two years, I am still getting to know the area. I love being near St. Pancras and King’s Cross because of the easy transport links (and proximity to Platform 9 3/4’s). There is a big push to redevelop many of the neighborhoods nearby too which means there are always new shops and offerings. I have featured London active travel posts before (links below) and will try to feature different neighborhoods in the months to come (let me know in the comment below if you want me to research a specific area).
Active travel: London, Stay Cool
Near my work, a new area has recently opened called Coal Drops Yard (CDY). It is right off Granary Square and offers lots of different shops and cafes. With the new year about to begin, I wanted to highlight some ways you can stay happy and healthy in CDY and Granary Square.
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| PE Nation kit from The Sports Edit |
Stay active:
Of course, I am going to plug my beginners run club. We meet every Wednesday at 7am near St Pancras Station and head over to run through Granary Square, along the towpath and back through CDY. Download the MyCrewApp here and register for my runs. We have one more left in 2018 on 19th December and start up again 2nd January. There is a bag drop and we run at a social pace so new runners can build endurance and confidence. Over 60 minutes, we run a 5K route, giving you plenty of time to travel to work, shower and be at your desk by 9am.
If running isn’t your thing, there are also bootcamps on Saturday morning at 10am run by Moe.
Be dressed for the part:
The Sports Edit has opened it second London store with a new shop in CYD on the upper level. There you can find a selection of their extensive online shop. Both men’s and women’s clothes and accessories are available, including Run Dem Crew Stance socks, S’well water bottles, and Yankees baseball hats (if you were lucky enough to get tickets to the Yankees Vs Red Sox game in the Olympic Park in June).
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| Spiritual Gangster Shine Light top |
Indulge in self care:
beautystack app is having a pop-up in CDY just in time for Christmas. You can book in for a selection of treatments, including manicures, facials, and hair treatments through the app.
FACEGYM is a concept from the USA which gives all 40 of your facial muscles a workout in just 60 minutes utilizing sports massage and myofacial release. I have yet to try it but I am intrigued!
Eat well:
For this recommendation, I will admit I am a little biased. Kerb KX is open every Friday in Granary Square. There are about a dozen food vendors to choose from with a variety of cuisine. I want you to go to Cyprus Kitchen (who is owned by a friend of mine) for some delicious posh kebabs and pitas. You won’t be disappointed.
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| The Sports Edit has a large selection of womenswear. |
Try something new:
I am always encouraging my clients to step outside their comfort zone and try something new. STORE Store is a socially engaged association of artists, architects, and designers that offers workshops in different creative disciplines in CDY. If December wasn’t such a busy month for me I would have like to try a few, like papercasting and marbling. Visit their website to see what workshops they have planned for 2019.
Just chill:
There are a large set of steps leading down to the towpath where you can meditate, read a book, or catch up with a friend over coffee or ice cream. I’m the summer, these are covered in Astro-turf to look like grass. This time of year, they can be chilly to sit on so bring a warm jacket, picnic blanket or newspaper to sit on.
With time, I am sure that CDY will be offering even more exciting shops and events. If you are in the area, have a mosey on over to see what it is all about. Let me know which bits are your favourite in the comments below.
This post is in collaboration with The Sports Edit. All content is honest and my own.
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