The best shoestring dates in London
“I’m basically broke – I have a girlfriend now – my funds are getting drained” were the painfully uttered words from a male friend of mine over the phone last night. A common misconception in our ever-growing consumerist culture is that getting, maintaining and having a girlfriend involves spending vast sums of money.
Yes ok, I’ll be the first to admit that being spoilt by a potential love interest is great, wonderful even, and any woman who says otherwise is either a much less materialistic person than I am, or they’re lying – my money’s on the latter. Expensive new restaurant? Great, who doesn’t love good food and cool new places. Smart cocktail bar? Wonderful, we can wear our painful, but oh so pretty new heels. The theatre? But of course, because, you know, we love culture! And yes it’s lovely and sweet and it shows he cares and is in fact interested is us, and all girls deserve to be treated like that every once in a while. But, when all is said and done, I can’t help but think back to some of the best dates I’ve ever been on and realise that actually, they’ve involved very limited to zero opening of wallets or purse strings.
A walk through Hyde Park in Winter with nothing but a hot coffee, a summer’s day spent by the river with a cheap bottle of Prosecco and the tinny sounds of music playing from a portable speaker. Those have been some of the best, because it’s not really about what or where, it’s about you. You and her. The rest is all just smoke and mirrors until you decide whether you can actually tolerate each other enough to hang out without the extravagant dinner dates and over-priced cocktail bars.
So gentlemen, with this in mind, we bring you a few of The Gentleman’s Journal’s tried and tested best dates in London on a shoestring. Next time you start complaining about “draining funds”, don’t blame your relationship, blame your lack of imagination!
FLOWER MARKETS
Don’t bring her a beautiful bouquet of flowers, take her to the bouquets. London is awash with overwhelmingly colourful flower markets and this time of year is the best to visit them. Covent Garden flower market is a personal favourite, while others swear by Colombia Street Market – both become an unrecognisable oasis of rainbow-coloured flora. If the scene isn’t enough in itself, let her pick her own bunch from the stunning selection before heading into any number of coffee shops near by to marvel at your own success.
PICNICS IN THE PARK
Within the concrete jungle of London lie a plethora of idyllic green spaces and parks at your disposal. So pack a picnic (you can’t go wrong with Whole Foods), bring your wireless speakers and a favourite playlist and set up shop for the day in any one of them with a jug of home-made Pimms for company. Our favourite is Primose Hill, if not for the stunning views, then the potential for celebrity sight-seeing.
GREENWICH OBSERVATORY: ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Everyone knows that there are few things more romantic than staring up at a nights sky with someone you love, but you don’t need to wait until the sun sets this summer to enjoy it. Appropriately held at the Greenwich Observatory, this years Astronomy Photographer of the Year prize is an unmissable experience. Among the impressive shortlisted entries for this year’s competition are a collection of stunning meteor showers and calidascopic auroras – just sit back and let the romance come to you! rmg.co.uk
FREE GALLERIES & EXHIBITIONS – FORENSICS: THE ANATOMY OF CRIME
Bear with us on this one. Whist an exhibition on the gruesome details of crime might not scream romance, this is not an exhibition to miss – and it’s free! The exhibition explores the history, science and art of forensic medicine, travelling from crime scene to courtroom, through centuries and continents, exploring the specialisms of those involved in the delicate processes of collecting, analysing and presenting medical evidence. On the first Friday of every month they’re now open until 10pm, so you can spook yourselves on your way home (cue: an excuse to place a protective arm around her). If that’s not what you had in mind, then The Serpentine, the National Galleries and a host of other London landmarks offer an incredible array of free exhibitions to choose from. wellcomecollection.org
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