Desk for the Day: London | Camden
We are not sure how we feel yet about the term “Digital Nomad.” It seems to be the latest buzz word in the lexicon describing people like us who are traveling full time, working remotely from anywhere in the world, etc.
Yet, the term is certainly clear and direct. As long as there is a wifi signal, we can be up and running, working, writing blogs, logistics planning, etc. This affords us the ability to get really creative with where and when we connect. Remember, to us this is a sabbatical and not simply an extended vacation. We are keeping a structured schedule, getting up around 7:00-8:00am every morning and going to bed around 9:00-10:00pm. That said, staying in our hotel or AirBnB all day does us no good. Our goal is to get out into the places where we are and experience as much as we can of the local lifestyle and culture.
This got us thinking, why don’t we share our “Desk for the Day?” Where are we connecting at that moment to give people a little more insight, not only into the fun travel experiences, but what our day to day looks like. This is the first of these posts.
Today is Friday, May 10, 2024. We are in London, England staying with our good friends Dan and John. Valerie decided to take a yoga class this afternoon, so I went on the 15-20 minute walk with her to the studio, and decided to find myself somewhere to set up. Near by the studio is a pub called “The Lyttelton Arms.” Menu looked decent. Come to find out the place was just renovated and this was their second day since their re-opening. So I grabbed a table.
Jeremy’s “Desk for the Day”
One thing to know about me, I love a good dive bar and I love a good English or Irish pub. My hope while we are in and out of the UK for the next few months, that we can get proper exposure to and immersion in local pub culture. I hope to write more on that later, but my first impressions of the couple of pubs that I have been to thus far are surprising to me.
I need to start off by saying that we are in Central London. Not far from many of the touristy sights, but this is by no means a tourist area. Walking around, you see mostly professionals coming and going from their workplaces. What I anticipated around here would be those pubs that have been around for 50+ years with cask ales, serving fish and chips (if there is food at all). Maybe that was presumptuous and stereotypical because what I am finding is that most of the places that look like the traditional pubs on the outside, have been renovated and updated on the inside. While they have tried to keep the look of raw materials on the floors, tables, walls and bar, everything is just fresh and new. The menus are still traditional pub food, but it is all a bit elevated to what most would call “gastropub” fare and the beers are mostly local craft brews. I am not complaining. It’s good food and good beer. I am just asking myself if maybe this is just the evolution of a big, multicultural city with a lot of young professionals, trying to keep up with what attracts them for a pint after work.
And come on! I love London! I won’t go into it beyond just this picture. It’s buselling, but somehow cute and quaint.
We’ll see what I learn as we head out into smaller towns in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. It will be interesting to see if there is a similar trend. But this is my Desk for the Day, as I sit here writing this post and plan dinners for our upcoming trip to the French wine regions.
Let us know your thoughts on Social Media - What do you think about this as an ongoing segment? Does it interest you? Referencing the content of this article, What are your most favorite / least favorite aspects of a good pub? Would it be disappointing to you if British pub culture is upgrading and evolving?
-Jeremy
