I’m 25 years old and have very recently (finally) flown the nest! Don’t get me wrong – I do miss my home comforts and Mum’s cooking, but there’s a freedom that comes with owning your own place that you just can’t describe, until you’ve actually experienced it for yourself.
I’ve just purchased an AMAZING one bedroom place at Brentford Lock West, the location is amazing, situated in West London, on the waterfront and only a 30 minute tube ride in to central London. If you too are considering taking the leap and becoming an independent individual, do it!
Here’s a list of the 10 best things about moving out (and living in the city):
#1 Mid-week cocktails
Not that you can’t do this when you’re living with your ‘rents but having no curfew, and not needing to sneak in in the dark is somewhat liberating. I can turn all the lights, TV, stereo, even the oven if I please – I usually don’t, I usually fall face first in to bed and wake up fully clothed with a head full of regret, but I can do all of the above if I please. If you’re looking for some mid-week cocktail madness in London, head to one of my favourite haunts, The Experimental Cocktail Club in China Town. It takes around 45 minutes on the tube from Brentford but the trip is well worth it. Booking is essential if you’re heading there after 5pm, so make sure you do in advance. The bar is moodily lit with dim lamps and ‘the man on the door’ is a little daunting, but all will be forgotten with the first sip of your chosen cocktail! All of which are amazing.
#2 Eat what I please
Don’t get me wrong, my Mums’ cooking is top notch but when you live with your parents you tend to fall in to a rut of eating whatever they cook, whether you want that cuisine or not and my Mum isn’t exactly the healthiest of cooks. Now I’m chief of my own kitchen, yes it’s a little more effort when I get in from work to whip up a storm, but I usually cook in bulk and freeze the rest. I’ve learnt to make all kinds of healthy treats, including Thai green curry, stuffed peppers and vegetarian lasagne (my fave!) Once a week I’ll usually dine out with some friends in the big smoke, a cheap and cheerful place we like to frequent is Banh Mi Bay, on Theobald Road, this little Vietnamese number does the best Pho Noodle Broth outside of Vietnam!
#3 Dinner parties / drinks at mine
Did you ever watch Mum and Dad entertain friends when you were younger? Mum slaving over the stove all afternoon whilst bossing Dad around, then eventually leaving him in charge while she got all dolled up. I used to watch my Mum come down the stairs looking like and angel, and not the screaming maniac she’d been an hour previously. I was incredibly envious of their dinner parties, laughing and giggling over luxurious home cooked food and sipping (plenty of) wine. Well now I get to do all of this, in my own home, with my own friends! There’s something about playing host that gives you great satisfaction. My cooking doesn’t always go to plan, but it’s a learning curve, and I’ve learnt that as long as there’s plenty of wine on flow then my friends don’t really care! Many memories have been made on nights like this.
#4 The community
Living at Brentford Lock West is brilliant; there are hundreds of other young professionals (just like myself) who own the flats, so the community is built up of friendly, fun, like-minded people. I’m sure most apartment complexes in and around city centres have the same kinds of feel; singles, couples or young families enjoying the close proximity of the city centre but also the benefits of the tight nit, somewhat traditional community.
#5 Furnishing freedom
No longer do I have to look at my Dads weird collection of model aeroplanes or my Mums rather dated floral curtains. I have complete furnishing freedom, so long as I’m not knocking down any walls, obviously! Living so close to London, I love nothing more than on the weekend heading down to Portobello Market and picking up all kinds of weird and wonderful pieces of furniture, antiques and beautiful blankets, turning my house in to a home.
#6 Shopping on the weekends
I’m not sure why, but when I lived at home with Mummy and Daddy I often felt guilty every time I stepped through the door with a hand full of shopping bags. Dad would always give me that ‘not another pair of shoes’ look and Mum would give me that ‘you need to stop wasting your money’ look, however now I can walk guilt free through my front door with shopping bags galore! London is possibly one of the best cities in Europe for shopping, if not the world! There’s the high street favourite, Oxford Road, which rounds up all the best of the high street shops in to one place. If you’ve got money to burn (which I often don’t, but it’s nice to window shop) there’s the famous Bond Street and Mayfair, home to Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. Notting Hill, made famous by the film with Hugh Grant, also has some unique offerings in the way of vintage clothes shops, antique havens, quirky gift stores, book shops and plenty of organic food supermarkets. These are to name but a few places, no wonder ‘Del boy’ loved London, it’s the land of plenty and you can get your hands on anything.
#7 Park days in the sunshine
As much as I love city life, the hustle and bustle can sometimes become a little overwhelming, and we all need a space to breathe every now and again. To wind down and take a step back from the rat race I love nothing more than park days with my pals. Kew Gardens and Sydon Park are both within easy reach of the apartment blocks, so when the sun is shining this is where you’ll find me, along with a picnic, my book and maybe a few friends (depending on how social I’m feeling that day). This is another reason to love London; there are plenty of peaceful havens dotted around the city madness.
#7 Hot tub cinema
No you didn’t read it wrong, this is another great thing about not living at home, I don’t have a hot tub cinema in my front room but I do love to head down to the hot tub cinema events they have all over London throughout the summer months, showing all sorts of favourite films and old school classics. Imagine having to explain to Dad that you’re going to sit in a hot tub full of strangers to watch a film, no thanks!
#8 The night life
Nobody likes strolling through the door during day light hours, planning on sleeping all day, only to be woken by the sound of the hover and Mother telling you to ‘get out of bed – you can’t waste this glorious day sleeping’, erm, yes I can if I live on my own. London has some of the best nightlife in world, with clubs such as Fabric being given the accolade of number 1 in the ‘Top 100 Clubs in the World’ poll in DJ Magazine 2007 AND 2008. The club is a renovated cold store and sits opposite Smithfield Meat Market. With its three separate rooms, stage for live acts and a vibrating dance floor, it’s no wonder it keeps winning awards. If you’re not in to house music there are literally hundreds of clubs in London, featuring every genre of music and not living with the ‘rents means you can crawl through the door at whatever time you please!
#9 Coffee and cake
I know it’s a ‘city dweller’ stereotype, walking around town with your shades on and a ‘coffee to go’ in hand, but I don’t care. I love nothing more than waking up on a Saturday morning (usually a little worse for wear) than heading to the local coffee shop and wasting my money on a large cappuccino, that I definitely could have made at home for a fraction of the price. But it’s what we do, heading for a nice cup of chai the morning after the night before to reminisce/piece together the events of the evening. Yes, my Dad disapproves of me wasting my money on pretentious cups of coffee, but I no longer have to worry about explaining myself to him.
#10 Walk around naked
Saving the best until last, I can’t walk around naked! No explanation needed.
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