Hometown Series Part 3
A Local’s Guide to London |Stefan Arestis
Meet Stefan
“I was born in London and grew up here. I did my law degree here and then worked as a lawyer in the city for a decade. During this period I met Sebastien back in 2009 in a gay bar in Soho. We were both passionate about travelling and did many small trips together. But we wanted more. So in 2014, after many years of saving and planning, we left our lives/jobs in London for a big trip around Asia and Nomadic Boys was born!”
What is London known for?
London is one of the most diverse and gay friendly cities in the world. According to Grindr, it has the most number of users compared to any other city! There is always something going on at all hours of the day. It's exciting, super stressful, really expensive but a very satisfying place.
What do you miss the most when you're gone?
London has a fantastic gay scene with some of the best parties in the world. When travelling in parts of the world where being gay is illegal or can get you into trouble, the gay scene becomes hidden and very underground. It's at times like these when I realise how lucky I am to come from a place like London.
Where and what to eat:
London is famous for chicken tikka masala, an Indian dish that wasn't invented in India, but by our proud Indian immigrants.
We have some of the best Asian restaurants in the world due to having a large community from different parts of Asia, particularly India and Hong Kong.
Obviously the British staples like Fish & Chips and Bangers & Mash are foods first timers here want to try, as is a Sunday Roast with yorkshire pudding and gravy.
I love Ping Pong for dumplings, Soho Joe for pizza and pick any traditional pub for traditional British food.
Where is/are your favorite places in the city to hangout?
Soho London has a fantastic gay scene. Also in Vauxhall for the big clubs and now a more trendy "hipster" scene in East London.
London always has some fantastic festivals going on throughout the year. Our favourite is London Pride in early July, which attracts millions to the centre to watch our LGBTQ community stopping traffic to march. Another more quirky one is the Naked Bike Ride in early June. I did it one year and its a lot of fun!
Why do you love the people from your city?
People from London are very open minded and diverse!
If someone were coming to visit the city for the first time, where would you recommend they go?
The obvious sights: Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace. I love walking around Covent Garden. The Embankment also my favourite spot, it makes for a very romantic walk that goes all the way to the famous iconic Tower Bridge.
What are the most instagrammable spots?
Tower Bridge, Big Ben (when the scaffolding comes down), and red phone box, a black cab (taxi) and the gothic-style Houses of Parliament (next to Big Ben).
@nomadicboys
What are the most underrated places in the city?
Hampstead Heath is gorgeous in the summer. The Einstein Museum is nearby which is one of the most fascinating museums I've been to in the city.
About the Hometown Series
I visited London in November and absolutely loved it. Read about my trip here.
The more I travel, the more I love my hometown— Albuquerque, New Mexico. And this has inspired me to start this series, the hometown series. I will be interviewing people from around the world and asking them about their personal connections to their hometowns.
Never forget where you came from! Whether you like it or not, your hometown has probably shaped you in more ways than you know. Every time I drift away from New Mexico, the return just gets sweeter.
I hope you enjoy this series. I have collected a variety of people and hometowns around the world. I hope you like their stories and learn something new! If you know someone with a cool hometown, or you’d like to be featured, be sure to contact me above in the menu bar under about > contact.