citylikeyou — Hampstead Heath — London by Chrissie Macdonald

London / Park

I go to the Heath every weekend (often via the wonderful Waterlow Park which skirts Highgate Cemetery) and during the week too if I’m working from home; it helps to put things in perspective when I’m thinking about my work. It’s great in the summer for obvious reasons but I love it the most in autumn and on those rare days it snows so much London grinds to a halt (which doesn’t take much). Everyone heads up there to make giant snowballs/cats/creatures and surf down Parliament Hill on anything they can get their hands on. Grown ups turn into kids for the day. My husband and I made this snow yeti last year, it was sad to leave him behind but he soon made friends and even made it into the Camden New Journal.

Address
Hampstead Heath, Hampstead Tube Station, London, United Kingdom

Illustrator Art Director

Current city: London

chrissiemacdonald.co.uk

I’m an illustrator, maker and art director based in London and work with photographers to create images for clients such as the V&A, Orange, The New York Times, Creative Review and Wallpaper*. As part of Peepshow Collective I work collaboratively with the other members on exhibitions, animation and installation projects. Portrait by Jenny Lewis.

More Places in London 471

London / Restaurant

There are three branches of this South Indian Vegetarian Restaurants across London, two in the West End. They all look pretty unremarkable from the outside, the décor is pretty basic, but don't be fooled - the food is wonderful! It's incredibly cheap and the friendly staff cater for vegans and people with food intolerances really well.

London / Park

London is blessed with many fine parks, but Brockwell is a real jewel in south London. A short walk or bus ride from Brixton, or right by Herne Hill overground station, the park includes large grassy areas, the fantastic Brockwell Lido (a vast open-air pool – hectic mid-summer unless you get in early - a 7am swim is utterly blissful), tennis courts, a bowling green, a BMX track, a mini-railway, a secret garden, and a few newly landscaped ponds. Perfect for a lazy summer day.

London / Cafe

I've only just discovered this fantastic little salad bar-come-florist right round corner from my studio. It serves freshly made salads that are not only delicious but cheap too! Either take away, or grab the one and only table and eat in.

London / Restaurant

My all-time favourite place. Whitewashed ex-smokehouse where Fergus Henderson pioneered the resurgent interest in offal dishes. The restaurant is brilliantly unfussy, retaining lots of the smokehouse’s original features, and the food very British, making St. JOHN something of a London institution. The restaurant has a winery and bakery.

London / Park

My favourite park in town. They have a small Japanese garden and areas marked off for joggers. Well organised space.