thisislondon
Livia Firth's My London
Share
inShare
Related Articles
Four hurt in police station blast
Julian Lloyd Webber talks music and marriage
'Warn of dangers': partner of dead cyclist in plea to politicians
Suggested Topics
Chiswick
Tower Bridge
Tourism
Fruit
London
Royal Opera House
West End
Butchers
Children
Richmond, London
Hannah Nathanson
24 February 2012
Home is
I adore London for everyday life but Italy is where my roots are.
Where do you live in London?
Chiswick. It's the perfect neighbourhood. It still has a lot of independent shops, a vibrant street life and lots of kids everywhere.
What was the last show you saw?
Sadly, we don't go to the theatre enough. Evenings are more of a challenge when you have young kids. The last time we went we saw Tannhäuser at the Royal Opera House.
What advice would you give a tourist?
Don't spend too much time in the West End. Explore East London, Richmond, Brick Lane and Hampstead instead.
Which London shops do you rely on?
Macken Brothers for quality meat, Andreas for fruit and veg, and Mortimer & Bennett, a great deli on Turnham Green Terrace in Chiswick. For quirky gifts I like Paul Smith, and Designers Guild on the King's Road for home inspirations.
What's the best meal you've had in London?
It's impossible to choose between Al Waha, the Lebanese on Westbourne Grove, for delicious mezze and hummus, and Shanghai, the Chinese on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge.
What's your earliest London memory?
When I was 18, I came to London to work in an office as an intern, doing the photocopying and making sandwiches. I spent five months earning £60 a week, sleeping at the YMCA in Great Russell Street and going out every night in Leicester Square.
Do you have a recurring dream?
Not really. I crash out in bed and sleep very heavily.
How would you like the opening line of your obituary to read?
'She broke everyone's balls and they thanked her for it.'
If you could live in any building in London, which would it be?
I would buy an enormous loft on the river, overlooking the city, with all the lights and life below me. It would be modern and pristine and I would probably get tired of it very quickly.
Which animal would you most like to be?
A monkey, for their curiosity, simplicity and mischief.
What do you most like wearing?
Henrietta Ludgate for elegant occasions and big comfy sweaters, Stewart+Brown T-shirts and Joseph trouser leggings.
What's your biggest extravagance?
Flying.
What would you do as Mayor for a day?
I would ban the words 'refugee' and 'asylum seeker' forever and I would run 'Declaration of interdependence' classes for everyone.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
A guy on Rollerblades handed me a sticker in Venice Beach that read: 'Stop bitching, start a revolution.'
What's the most romantic thing someone's done for you in London?
Apart from Colin? I guess it's my local florist who hands me flowers in the morning sometimes
as I head to work.
Who's your hero?
The Roddick family. Sam, because as an activist she never shuts up and doesn't take herself seriously. Her father Gordon, because he started more social ventures than anyone I know (The Body Shop, The Big Issue, 38 Degrees, to name a few). And her mother Anita, because she was a huge pain in the *** and created a movement across the planet.
What are you up to at the moment?
I've just finished designing a skull necklace, handmade in the UK from recycled bronze, for my new collection, Livia Firth Design. I have a thing about skulls; they remind me of freedom and dissent, and at the same time of pirates.
Which was the last album you downloaded?
The new Ryan Adams album Ashes & Fire.
What's the first thing you do when you
arrive home?
I go to High Road House on Chiswick High Road. I spend so much time there for meetings during the week and with the kids at the weekends.
Which is your favourite club?
All the Soho Houses in London.
What are your favourite discoveries?
If someone told you that you live in a
city with places as diverse as Columbia Road Flower Market, Brick Lane, Tate Modern, Soho, St Paul's Cathedral and Richmond Park, would you believe it?
Where did you last go on holiday?
We never go anywhere else but our home in Umbria, Italy. We travel so much for work that holidays are in our cocoon at home.
The Livia Firth Design Skull necklace is available from Monday for £270 (eco-age.com)
)
