Best of 2018

Twenty-eighteen.

Another rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. January 2018 feels like a lifetime ago yet it also feels like the last twelve months have flown by. The year has revolved around working hard, facing my fears, being a little impulsive, taking fun trips with friends and finally exploring Asia.

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The Best Views In London

I'm on a mission to take better advantage of living in London. Less Netflix, more exploring. Especially when the weather is on side. Last weekend I revisited one of my favourite places that I haven't been to in years - the Great Fire of London Monumnet. There are so many other good places scattered around the city with views just as impressive.

The Monument

The monument to the great fire of London was built back in the 1670s to commemorate the Great Fire of London, which swept through the city in 1666. Christopher Wren & Robert Hooke collaborated on the fluted doric column design. The viewing platform at the top is £5 and 311 steps away.

The View From The Shard

The 95 storey skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano hosts London's highest observation deck with breathtaking 360 degree views over the city. There's an indoor viewing platform, outdoor 'skydeck' and a champagne bar. It's definitely worth doing at least once. Note, tickets are cheaper when booked in advance.

The Sky Garden

The walkie-talkie, famous for melting cars and frying eggs, is another tall building with impressive city views. The glass domed roof encloses a landscaped garden, restaurant, brasserie, bar and an open-air terrace. And the best part? It's completely free, you just need to book in advance.

One New Change Roof Terrace

I discovered this one via Instagram. The shopping destination has a sixth floor roof terrace open to the public, seven days a week. As well as a rooftop restaurant and bar, it's got the best views of St. Paul's Cathedral.

The London Eye

A tourist favourite. This giant Ferris wheel is a serious feat of engineering, offering some of the best views of London. I bought tickets to do this a couple of years ago with a friend. But she got lost on the underground. Oops.

Climb The o2

This was on my London list for so long. I had heard that it's overrated, but personally it was one of my favourite London experiences. We were ridiculously lucky with the timing, the sunset was stunning. The first part of the climb is relatively steep but manageable. For the descent, I suggest doing it backwards. Trust me.

Parliament Hill

The London skyline is visible in the distance from this corner of Hampstead Heath. I used to live nearby in Kentish Town and went here for weekend walks. Which reminds me, I haven't been back in five years.

There are a number of places on my London bucket list that allegedly combine two of my favourite things: food and views.

Searcy's At The Gerkin

My friend went here earlier this year and his photos were unbelievable (to the point where they looked photoshopped). Located in the top levels of the Gerkin, the Helix restaurant serves contemporary food, while the Iris bar has an extensive cocktail menu.

Duck & Waffle

Located on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, this restaurant covers all the bases - brunch, lunch, dinner and late night feasts. Open 24/7 literally, it is best known for it's eponymous duck and waffle dish.

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La Biennale di Venezia

Every year the company I work for take everyone on a study trip. This time Venice was the chosen destination. Eighty-four of us assembled in the Italian city for a weekend of architecture and Aperol Spritzes.

Day one kicked off with a guided tour of The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, located in the San Polo district. We were taken up into the roof to view the impressive (from an engineers point of view...) ancient timber trusses dating back to the 13th century, as well as to the top of the bell tower to witness the views over a foggy Venice.

The Biennale de Veniza architectural festival was the the main reason for the weekend away. We spent the rest of Friday wandering around the Gardini - one of two locations for the event. Each country has an exhibition or pavilion based on their interpretation of this year's theme for the festival, which was 'freespace'. That night, there was dinner, drinks and singing at a restaurant on the island of Murano.

On Saturday morning we eventually found our way to the Arsenale - the second location for the Biennale. Split into smaller groups, we were given guided tours of the exhibitions within the Corderie - a 300 m long building originally used for rope making. There was some free time after to explore the rest of the Arenale. I found my home town in the Ireland exhibition and was seriously impressed by VTN Architect's bamboo pavilion. A canal-side lunch the other side of the city, at Sivoli restaurant, brought the trip to a close.

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