How long have you lived in Marylebone?
My husband and I have lived here since 2007. Since then we have moved twice but have always managed to stay on the same street!
What do you enjoy most about living in the area?
I love how diverse Marylebone is and that is reflected in the food options in the area.
Describe your perfect day in Marylebone – where would you go and what would you do?
My perfect day is usually a Sunday, starting off with a coffee and pastry – the challenge here is deciding where to go as there are so many options between Seymour Place, Crawford Street, and Chiltern Street. Lunch would be at home, cooking whatever we got at the farmers market that day. When in season, my favourite things to buy at the farmers market are scallops, wild garlic and Guinness chocolate cake! In the afternoon my husband and daughter might go for a swim at the Seymour Leisure Centre at Seymour Place, or we all go to Wyndham Place to enjoy an ice cream or a drink!
As a mum with two young children, what affordable, child-friendly places in the area do you recommend?
There’s a great community and there are the few areas families hang out so you quite quickly get to know others in the area.
We like going to Rosa’s Thai on Baker Street which is usually pretty quiet, the staff are incredibly kind and it’s really well-priced. Our little secret is Pizza Pilgrims and Din Tai Fung at Selfridges. The robots at Din Tai Fung never fail to entertain the children (you have to go to know what I’m talking about!!). Le Pain Quotidien and La Brasseria Milanese on Marylebone High Street are pretty child friendly too. But our family’s favourite place is the Larrik. It’s child-friendly and the food is delicious!
Tell us about the community feel of the Marylebone area.
Before having children, I never really noticed it but Marylebone is a real village. There’s a great community and there are the few areas families hang out so you quite quickly get to know others in the area. Most of the eateries on Crawford Street are very friendly and many of the teams recognise us. When I was on maternity leave, I was never short of having someone to chat with, especially at Ta’ Turu where lots of customers were more than happy to hold my baby while I ate!! There’s a well-established Marylebone Mums and Dads group and we are incredibly supportive of one another. People use the forum to sell/give away children-related things, share worries, advice or just have a good banter!
Which parks and green spaces in the Marylebone area do you use?
Hyde Park is nearer to us so you will often find us strolling to Buckhill Playground, saying hello to the chickens at The Allotment in Kensington Gardens, or watching the horses. We are almost always at Paddington Street Gardens, especially after visiting the farmers market on Sundays.