The song by Lily Allen and the town are two favourites of mine. The song because it’s catchy, happy go lucky and Lily Allen, (always a good thing in my books). The town because it’s my home town.

Even as a child I always thought growing up in London was pretty special. I used to think I could have been born anywhere in the world and I was lucky enough to be born in the UK’s capital city. A city with opportunities on every corner. As a child I would be taken to visit friends in the country and wonder what on earth they did with all their time. All they had were fields to play in, it looked so boring. Whenever anyone finds out i’m from London, their eyes light up. ‘Oooh London’ they say. Most have never been, which always surprises me as I take the city for granted.

I had many teenage years singing on the underground trying to be discovered, tap dancing my way with my besties around places most of you know as Tourist attractions. We used to busk in Trafalgar Square and launch into street theatre in Covent garden, any where and every where we felt like it. The city was one big playground.

In my twenties I grew bored of it, i’d spread my wings beyond its buildings and traffic and saw life with new eyes, Europe was the place to be I declared and headed off. For some strange reason, years later, I ended up in Scotland.  (Still wonder why some days) and London is now a city I visit but still very much my home town. As I step out into the city daylight, it always seems sunny, there’s always some action, some hurry, some frenetic energy I love. Pushing my way through the underground in rush hour, meeting friends in bars or parks, grabbing a coffee and shopping, it’s back to being shiny and fresh to me.

Running along Liverpool Street this morning with a freebie magazine over my head to shield me from  the rain, laughing with my friend on my way to work I realised I love London town, with a capital L.