London with Stephanie Barba Mendoza
LONDON WITH STEPHANIE BARBA MENDOZA
London-based Stephanie Barba-Mendoza emanates an air of magnetism.
Drawn by her affable demeanour and bold sense of style, we sat down to talk travel. From her base in the city’s Westminster borough, Stephanie invites us to share her insider tips on navigating the city.
Place of birth:
Mexico
Occupation:
Interior designer
I don’t leave the house without…
…My mobile phone.
I’m currently reading:
Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’, ‘Grace: A Memoir’ & ‘The Course of Love’ by Alain de Botton.
Where do you currently reside in London, and what’s your favourite local find?
I live in North West-London (or Queen’s Park if you prefer). The best find in my area has been a family-owned restaurant called Ida (222A Kilburn Lane). They make fresh hand rolled pasta, serve you wine in a carafe and use good old-fashioned pressed white tablecloths. It’s uncomplicated, fresh and delicious. As it’s fully run by the family, it gives you the sense of being in a trattoria in Italy.
Ida, Queens Park
What brought you to London?
I came to London in my teens to study and I immediately fell in love with it. I knew this city would one day be my home!
Talk us through your typical day
My morning ritual consists of drinking plenty of water laced with apple cider vinegar (antioxidants) followed by a pilates or yoga class before getting ready to spend the most productive hours of the day working. A workday can range from doing typical desk work (e-mails, research, sketching and drawing) to go-sees and client meetings, and trawling London for antiques and soft furnishings. In the evenings I like spending time with my children before their bedtime and unwinding with my husband and/or friends, sometimes it’s casual but more often than not, I end up venturing out on the town!
Favourite places for lunch?
Granger & Co. in Notting Hill (175 Westbourne Grove), The Summerhouse in Little Venice (Blomfield Rd), La Famiglia in Chelsea, (7 Langton St) and Petersham Nurseries (Church Ln, Petersham Rd).
The Summerhouse, Little Venice
Granger & Co, Notting Hill
Favourite places for an evening meal?
Gold (95-97 Portobello Rd) and Casa Cruz (123A Clarendon Rd) in Notting Hill. Chiltern Firehouse (1 Chiltern St), Blakes Hotel (33 Roland Gardens) and The Garden at Annabel’s (46 Berkeley Square).
Casa Cruz, Notting Hill
The Garden – Annabel’s, Mayfair
Tell us your favourite green spaces in London
Clifton Nurseries (5A Clifton Villas) in Little Venice, Hampstead Heath has been a real relief during the lockdown period and I’ve always loved Regents Park.
If you could choose just one gallery or museum to visit, what would it be?
The V&A (Cromwell Road) anytime, any day!
The V&A, South Kensington
Where do you go if you want to escape the city?
Weekends are spent in the countryside, and I often venture to Soho Farmhouse (Great Tew, Chipping Norton) near the Cotswolds or The Pig Hotel (Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst) in the heart of the New Forest. I like exploring different areas of the country as it’s vast and there’s something special everywhere you look. If I had to choose a winner so far, it would be the seaside in Devon and Cornwall.
When I’m in Mexico then it’s definitely the beach. Most Mexican beaches are in the tropics, which makes them sunny and warm all year round. I love the pacific coastline in Guerrero and often end up in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. I recommend staying at the all suite boutique Hotel Amuleto (Calle Escenica 9, Playa la Ropa).
The Pig Hotel, Hampshire
Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire
Favourite city break?
Paris and Milan in Europe. I also love escaping to New York. I am a huge fan of big cities and aim to visit them at least once a year.
Favourite long-haul break?
Hotel Esencia (Quintana Roo, Mexico) on the Riviera Maya. The beach, the food, the people and the house are simply perfect!
Hotel Esencia, Tulum
What’s your dream destination?
Japan! I have been trying to go for a long time and for one reason or another I still have not made it there. This September was all planned, but I had to postpone to next year so fingers crossed!
If you had 24 hours in London, what would you see?
London is best explored on foot. Walking will give you the time to notice the stunning architecture and soak up the city’s energy. I would probably keep it quite central, stroll around Westminster and by the river into town through Soho, have lunch at The Wolsley (160 Piccadilly) and peek inside The Royal Academy of Arts (Burlington House, Piccadilly). Make time for some retail swooning on Albemarle and New Bond St and finish off with a walk through Hyde Park. If you still have it in you, then definitely don your best frock and head to Isabel (26 Albemarle St) in Mayfair or Chiltern Firehouse (1 Chiltern St) in Marylebone for dinner and a night cap!