It is no surprise when Urban Decay South Africa launches a new product, they go all out. In 2017 they did a PR trip experience to Reunion Island for the launch of the new Naked Heat palette, this time around, they decided that London would be the ideal destination to launch their All Nighter Concealer.
It’s practically impossible to get the full experience of London in just over 36 hours, but should you find yourself passing, pulling an all-nighter experience like I did, you can absolutely make it worth your while! Here’s a quick guide on how you can spend 36 hours in London taking in the sights, flavors, and fun of this remarkable city.
How to get to London:
Virgin Atlantic has a reputation for being one of the UK’s most popular long-haul airlines, thanks to a range of excellent services and special perks that set the company above the rest.
So if you traveling from South Africa to London, a direct flight of only 13 hours makes this the ideal airline of choice. They have excellent service, a state-of-the-art aircraft, and friendly staff, which is generally a cut above typical airplane gruel. You can read more about my Virgin Atlantic experience in an upcoming blog post soon.
Stay in Stratford:
In a city that is known for bright lights and constant activity, MOXY London Stratford adds guts to this high powered community. As some of you might know, London Stratford was the home of the 2012 Olympics, and this hotel in East London is really taking advantage of the local regeneration.
#ATTHEMOXY offers its own version of creative expression, and they surely went out of their way to ensure our trip was extra special! From mirror decals in the lifts welcoming us upon arrival to our very own private neon PJ party at the stroke of midnight.
Shop & Lunch in Carnaby:
If you are looking for something different away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, I can recommend that you visit Carnaby. The 14 streets of Carnaby are known for unique independent stores and global flagship brands, making it one of London’s most famous and distinctive shopping, food and drink destinations.
You can find brands like Diesel, Paul Smith, Rag & Bone and Urban Decay’s London flagship store too. This store is genuinely Urban Decay wonderland, with gorgeously extravagant fixtures across the two floors, eight makeup stations, a whole wall dedicated to showing off the UDOPRO brushes and custom neon lights – I was blown away during our makeover session at Urban Decay Carnaby!
Apart from the shopping, Carnaby is also home to the most extensive collection of independent restaurants, pubs, bars, and cafés in London’s West End. I can highly recommend that you visit Breddos Tacos Kingly Street if you are in the mood for some tacos. The ambiance is buzzing, the food is terrific and you will find some of the best margaritas in your life.
Cocktails in Waterloo:
Waterloo isn’t just a train station or a path to the buzzy South Bank. Waterloo crams some of London’s best artistic venues into a tiny space; one such place is Tonight Josephine.
This tiny basement bar is plastered – literally – in cyber-sayings and meme-material. It’s silly, sassy and utterly shameless. ‘Why the fuck can’t I have fun all the time?’ asks a sign outside. ‘Well-behaved women don’t make history,’ screams a neon sign at the bottom of the stairs.
Tonight Josephine outlandishness extends to the cocktail menu, my personal favorite being Pornstar Martini (Vanilla-infused Eristoff vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit, apple juice, vanilla, Prosecco).
Dinner & Drinks in Shoreditch:
Ending off our Urban Decay All Nighter experience, we decided to visit Trapeze Bar in Shoreditch. This circus-themed venue is in one of London’s unique restaurants, with inspired food and drinks. The venue offers three bars, a nightclub and a kitchen over three level, one of the most creative restaurants and bars I have seen in a long while.
I had a fantastic time exploring the city during my 36 hours there and cannot wait to go back later this year again. With such a short amount of time, I hope this helps you with planning your London trip, even if it’s a short stay, there’s a lot you can see, taste, and do!
I would like to extend a huge thank you to Urban Decay, Virgin Atlantic, Moxy London Stratford and b4iTravel for making this trip possible. You can also discover the journey on social media and get the inside scoop on what the rest of influencers and bloggers got up to #UrbanDecaySA, #UDAllNighter #LVTravels #LorindasWorld.
