During my recent girls trip to London, I incorporated a few healthy stops while we indulged around town. For me, it’s important to do yoga after a long plane ride, I need a good stretch to get the blood flowing and to keep the jet-lag at bay. It’s also fun to explore healthy eats and fitness options because they often lead to unexpected surprises – like meeting awesome locals who are more than willing to share their top spots around town! Luckily my cousin, Lyz, lives in London, so she provided a few pointers along the way. Both Lyz and her husband Drew are avid health nuts, and I knew they would help keep Rosa and I balanced… especially because we were eating an obscene amount of scones and puddings#dontjudgeus.
Must for Fitness: Fierce Grace Yoga
I love checking out the local yoga studios wherever my travels take me. Created by one of the UK’s leading yoga teachers, Michele Pernetta, Fierce Grace offers yogis the chance to balance strength and flexibility for both body and mind. Based on classical hatha yoga sequenced in ways that adhere to ancient yogic principles. Fierce Grace offers a unique proposition of five different classes based on the same core poses but each with a different emphasis, duration and intensity, the Five Classes – Core, Classic, Fierce Grace, Fierce (aka The Beast) and The Fix are accessible and effective for everyone, from athletes to newbies. I was able to join Fierce Grace Yoga Founder, Mark Oram, for their Fierce Grace class. His class was awesome and I loved the flow sequence and warmth in the room.
The best part about checking out local yoga studios is you can always ask the locals where they like to go. It’s a great way to meet like minded people and of course stay in shape while you jet across the globe.
Must Taste: 26 Grains in Neals Yard
There are tons of new hot spots in London that are quickly becoming classics. Plus there are loads of affordable (and verifiably great) restaurants popping up all over town. 26 Grains is a pop-up – turned Kickstarter – turned brick and mortar, porridge shoppe in the middle of Neals Yard. They take a classic {healthy} British dish and amplify it into something spectacular. Their menu changes daily, but on our stop I tried the carrot cake porridge made with simple ingredients, oats, carrot juice, sliced apples, raisins, walnuts, chia seeds, and hearty spices. … talk about healthy decadence!
While in the area, make sure you walk around Neal’s Yard and Covent Gardens because there are many great art installations, like the Charles Pétillon Heartbeat pictured above, and other pop-ups that you don’t want to miss. If you are visiting during the warmer months this area provides great outdoor dining scenery and people watching opportunities. The Covent Garden Market is also a big draw for many because of the local artisans who come to showcase their unique crafts.
Must Juicery: Chloe’s Espresso Primrose Hill
After my yoga sessions at Fierce Grace Yoga I stopped by Chloe’s Espresso to grab a freshly squeezed juice. The great thing about London is that there are juice bars all around town and they are relatively inexpensive compared to the states (conversion rate and all!). Rosa and I popped in to a few during our trip to make sure we had our healthy dose of veggies.
Chloe’s is all about ambiance and quality ingredients which you can tell by the freshness of the juices. I quickly fell in love with this cutie-patootie coffee shop – one regret was not picking up one of the succulents from the shop. Next trip for sure!
Must Zen: Cowshed Spa (any!)
I’m in full support of a little zen to detox from stressful days – especially if it involves a massage and mani-pedi sesh! Cowshed Spa was born in the Babington House, Somerset in 1998 in London and has become a household name in the US thanks to the migration of the SOHO properties to NYC and Miami. Vacations are all about relaxing and nothing says relaxation better than a day at the spa. Cowshed is the perfect place to kick-start a healthy day filled with delicious bites and lots of pampering.
The morning kicked off with the most delicious and filling coconut mango chia pudding. Next I tried a just as delicious manicure. Cowshed is known for their award winning hand care, so go ahead an indulge in their Ultimate Cowshed Manicure. True to the SOHO House style – they don’t allow photographs inside (sorry!), so we couldn’t snag any candids while enjoying the spa. I will tell you that the staff is amazingly friendly and accommodating. This was probably one of my favorite stops on the trip because it felt like I was in a smaller sized SOHO House with a relaxing twist. With spas all around the city, I suggest you book an appointment at your preferred Cowshed before you arrive – they fill up rather quickly.
Must Breakfast: Ripe Kitchen London
One of my favorite breakfasts when I lived in Germany was muesli. Muesli is similar to a raw granola -unbaked, without all of the sweetness added to it – like honey or brown sugar. Like granola it has other grains, seeds, dried fruit, and it’s awesome on top of yogurt. It’s oatmeal’s colder sibling. Regardless, the dish is healthy and delicious! Ripe Kitchen London makes the tastiest coconut muesli soaked overnight in almond milk and topped with fresh kiwi and pineapple. Yum! 
Ripe kitchen is known for their organic, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan products. It is also the perfect stop if you want a strong cup of cafe. I loved their fig, avocado, and goat cheese breakfast sandwich. It was too good to be true. Their carrot cake was rich and decadent but it also felt healthy because it wasn’t overly greasy. Whoever said London lacks in delicious food clearly hasn’t traveled with me! I miss London, my cousin, and her husband already… I think it’s time to book another trip 😉 xo ~ Ev
As one of Miami’s top bloggers, Evelyn Torres has become one of the leading voices in fitness, fashion, and Miami. Brickellista started as a Twitter alias in 2009 and has expanded to become a lifestyle blog capturing a Miami girl’s perspective. Evelyn is a businesswoman, entrepreneur, brand ambassador and on the pulse of the Miami social scene.
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Thanks a lot for your advice. It was really interesting to read.