Listen to a Londoner. This is a weekly post where people who live (or have lived for a while) in London answer a few questions about the Big Smoke. If you fit the bill and want to be interviewed, give me a shout at littlelondonobservationist@hotmail.co.uk. Always looking for new victims volunteers….
Flora Tonking (aka The Accidental Londoner), 25
Brought up the The Midlands, Flora always vowed she’d never live in London, but somehow after university she found herself job-hunting and flat-hunting in the city. Over two years later she’s still here and secretly loving it. She works in research for an engineering company, blogs about life in London (http://theaccidentallondoner.blogspot.com/) and fills up her precious free time studying for a Masters degree.
LLO: Best thing about London?
FT: So much to do and see! You could live here for years and still be surprised and entertained.
LLO: 2012 Olympics – stay or go?
FT: I confess I wouldn’t mind leaving the city for the duration of this event; I dread to think what it’s going to do to our already overloaded infrastructure. That said, it’s hopefully going to do great things regenerating areas of East London.
LLO: How do you spend your time on the tube?
FT: Listening to my iPod and people-watching.
LLO: Best place to catch a gig?
FT: The Roundhouse in Camden – fabulous music venue without the sticky floors and sweatiness.
LLO: Best place to spend a Sunday afternoon?
FT: A leisurely (sometimes hungover!) walk down the river followed by a big Sunday lunch at The Sun Inn at Barnes with the newspapers.
LLO: Best museum or gallery?
FT: The V&A, Knightsbridge – great temporary exhibitions and fabulous permanent collections; you always discover something new everytime you go.
LLO: Best London magazine, newspaper or website?
FT: The Evening Standard – even better since it became free!
LLO: If you were to dress up as one of the tube station names for a costume party, which would you be?
FT: My housemates and I once covered ourselves in leaves and green face-paint and went to a Tube station party as “Green Park” – we left foliage all over South West London that night!
LLO: Best time of year in London?
FT: Summer – Wimbledon tennis, Pimms outside the pub and afternoon’s lying in a park somewhere.
LLO: What would you change about the city if you had the power to do so?
FT: Make more of the centre pedestrianised, and maybe create a two-speed pavement system, so people who are late for work don’t get stuck behind lost tourists!
Thanks Flora!
For more Listen to a Londoner posts, click here.
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