CHALLENGE | gemmalondon

The Challenge

So like most people, I spent the Christmas period developing a resolve that I would do more in 2015. I would metamorphose into this interesting person whose weekends were packed with the latest cultural events. After a 2014 which zapped my energy levels, it was time to take a stand. I was growing weary of the endless stories from friends and colleagues (often from far off lands) of places they had visited in London, which as a native who moved to London six years ago I still hadn’t done. It was time to redress the balance. It was also time to do those things I keep wishing to do but always seem that tomorrow would be a better day.

At the same time I had purchased gemma.london back when the domain names were released but had been unable to have the time to develop the website and the content I had envisaged.

So, having somewhat of a ‘Eureka’ moment (during a day long detoxing yoga session in Soho) it came to me that I could list fifty two things I would do in 2015 and write about each one. Not all the 52 things are places to go or things to see in London, a lot are personal challenges, and some (number eight) are down right unrealistic. Some tasks can be cracked easily and planned in advance, others are ongoing – one of my favourites was inspired from Sophie Kinsella’s Mini Shopholic. I plan to wear every item of my wardrobe at least once during the year. This has already included some rather dressed up nights out at the pub! It has also been a great way of throwing things out which I will never wear again. I hope that you will join me on my journey and progress and for those of you who know me, please feel free to bagsy a seat on some of the adventures!

So here’s the list:

1. Learn French;

2. Renew Driving License;

3. Learn to use a drill;

4. Put up a shelf;

5. Give up chocolate for lent ;

6. Enroll in a cookery class;

7. Learn how to do a handstand;

8. Meet Boris Johnson;

9. Bake a quiche from scratch;

10. Buy some flowers from the Colombia road flower market;

11. Read about late medieval kings;

12. Buy a Josef Kote painting;

13. Go to the Art of the Brick exhibition;

14. Have lunch at Claridges (Fera);

15. Take some driving lessons;

16. Find my ‘local’;

17. Write a chapter of a Christmas novel;

18. Take afternoon tea at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens;

19. Do a yoga class in Central Park, New York;

20. Attend a morning worship at Chelsea Methodist church;

21. Have a MAC make up session;

22. Buy a pair of Jimmy Choos;

23. Walk the Jubilee Walkway;

24. Go to the Wildlife Photographer of the year show;

25. Make my own canapes for a soiree;

26. Discover and visit an English city where you have never been before;

27. Find out more about Buddhism;

28. Wear most items of my wardrobe at least once;

29. Run around Battersea park;

30. Participate in a Race for Life;

31. See the changing of the guard;

32. Go to London Zoo and feed the giraffes;

33. Have my photo taken at platform 9 and 3/4s at Kings Cross;

34. Learn Indian head massage;

35. Read WolfHall by Hilary Mantel

36. Go to the RCA secret postcard exhibition;

37. Watch the boat race live;

38. Arrange a nice surprise for a friend ;

39. Try a ‘Step’ class at the gym;

40. Grow some courgettes

41. Host a ‘Just Dance’ night for friends;

42. Sell something on EBAY;

43. Design a website;

44. Join a reading club;

45. Go to the electric cinema in Notting Hill;

46. Take my mum on a city break in Europe;

47. Create a wall of positivity in my bedroom;

48. Walk along the south bank late at night;

49. Lose 10 pounds (weight not cash);

50. Visit Hampton Court by boat;

51. Develop my own method of procrastination prevention;

52. Take a non historian to Tate Britain to see the Fighting History exhibition.