LaraLoves Birthdays

Birthdays, like Christmas but just for you. This may sound a tiny bit narcissistic and that’s because it is. It’s not that the day, or in my case an extended weekend, is devoted to celebrating my presence on this planet, more that I get to see and do exactly what I want and no one can chastise me for it.

 

Now, most 26 year olds would have a massive night out consisting of dancing on the tables at Bodo Schloss or Mahiki, five Jaeger trains, spotting a member of the MIC cast and rolling home at 5am planned. Not me. This was partly and uncharacteristically I might add, that I left planning of this particular birthday quite late. Furthermore I am, as are most of the twenty something’s residing in either their parents’ houses or the graduate refugee camp known as Clapham, poor. Or, poor enough to know that a £40 round consisting of two SINGLE vodka cranberry and four shots, consumed in the space of 20 minutes, is the equivalent of a session a Psycle and brunch courteous of The Hangover Club. So, in true narcissistic birthday style I decided to fill my day with MY favourite things, a workout, food, friends and fashion. Note: not necessarily in order of favourites.

 

Saturday morning was bright and fresh. Being in central London at 9.15am on a Saturday in gym kit not only allows you to feel very smug but also proffers a view of the city you’re unlikely to see at any other time, dare I say tranquil? Psycle is located a 5 minute walk from Oxford Circus and I can imagine on a busy weekday it offers the kind of refuge in which you can blow of steam and regenerate after a stressful day.

The classes consist of 45 minutes of sedentary cycling at various speeds and intensities mixed with weight reps for the arms and movements designed to engage your abs. I was grateful to see that they have spared no expense on the bikes, or providing everyone with Specialized cleated shoes, meaning everyone is set up to get the best workout they can and will, whether they like it or not, engage their glutes and hamstrings. As a triathlete I do a lot of intense but boring sessions on the turbo, Psycle is as intense as the individual makes it, but boring it aint. With a soundtrack worthy of a Bodo Schloss table dance, modern synced strip lighting and instructors with bodies and credentials that embody the word fitspo, Psycle is worthy of the hype.

Tim Weeks  DJing a Psycle party

Still, remind me again why you’re putting yourself through high intensity interval training on your birthday when you could be relaxing in a spa? Well, Psycle provides an endorphin high to go along with its huge fluffy white towels. Bumble & Bumble and ila goodies in the slick tiled showers and GHD hardware are on hand so customers look and feel their best before stepping back into the London bustle.

Thanks to Bret and team for letting me snap your goodies ;)

 Another great touch is Psycle’s partnership with The Detox Kitchen and Pure Earth. No scrambling to refuel required, Psycle stocks ice cold fruit and veg juices and protein hits; I had a tasty avocado and egg pot and a green juice. All in all, the folks at Psycle have the luxury fitness experience down to a tee, which will keep its London clientele, and those of us just visiting, coming back for more.

Birthdays are definitely a time for friends and I gathered some of my besties for another favourite of mine; BRUNCH. What makes brunch such a joy is that you can eat larger than normal portions of breakfast foods plus steak and booze thinly disguised as fruit juice. Hey, I work out- its fine!

 

Enter the Hangover Club, a pop up restaurant in an industrial unit in a car park – we’re so East London. An £8 ticket reserves you a spot during a designated time slot; we went for 2-4. Your ticket also buys you a brunch main (+£2 if you have the steak and eggs) and coffee, raw juices, protein shakes and cocktails are extra. The mix of detox and retox options on the menu was perfect for my group of friends, who range from ‘fitness bunny’ to ‘don’t walk the two miles from my flat to the tube if it’s raining, or if its not’.

The boyf (and secretlymy workout buddy Lindsey and I) were psyched the appearence of protein and beer on the same menu- LADS LADS LADS. The food was so delicious and between the 12 of us we sampled all the food options and almost everything from the drinks menu – although even a birthday dare couldn’t get me to drink a raw egg containing “red eye”. I went for a burrito and an Breakfast Bellini; Aperol and apricot jam- moreish.

 

Lindsey's mega portion of Avocado on toast with salmon and eggs

I would love to see these guys set up shop somewhere central. Thanks to all my friends for trecking way out east to join me, the consensus was it was definately worth it!