Pixie Geldof recommends cafes in Haggerston, vintage stores in Stoke Newington, and book shops in Chelsea as her favourite places in London.
Home is …
I live in north London with my little family.
My best friend lived in the same building. It was like Friends
Where was your first flat in London?
I grew up here and then when I left home, I moved to a flat in Highbury and Islington. It was an old recording studio behind a church. One of my best mates still lives there. I was at hers one day and the guy came in who lived there and said, “Oh I’m looking for new tenants, do you know anyone?” And I thought, I could take that. So I moved in and lived with my best friend for five years. Plus my other best friend lived in the same building. It was really good. It was like Friends.
What was your first job?
If we’re going straight back, I used to make muffins and sell them outside my house when I was probably about six. I now realise that’s diabolical because I’m pretty certain they were uncooked. It was deeply unsuccessful. No one ever walked past, it was a very residential street. And they were, from what I remember, sort of blueberry smoosh.
Where would you recommend for a first date?
My first date with my husband, George Barnett, was a daytime one and I’m a quite a fan of that. Especially for a first date. There’s something cosy and casual about it to me.
If you want to really sit and chat, I would say go to the Towpath café in east London. It’s cute and incredibly Londony, I think. And delicious.
Or if you’re doing more of a nervous, “don’t know if we want to chat” thing, I would say go to the Prince Charles Cinema and watch an old movie. Then walk from there to the French House and get a drink and chat about the old movie. Save the Prince Charles. I’m obsessed with it and the idea of it going … it would rip out a part of London’s soul. They played Gentlemen Prefer Blondes there a few months ago, for a midday showing. That’s one of my favourite films and I thought, I have to go. It was a rainy day and I was just by myself watching this movie — heaven.
Which shops do you rely on?
Chillie London is one of my go-to vintage stores. I recently worked with them and they’ve done a collaboration with Discarded Spirits, making repurposed leather pouches from offcuts of deadstock leather. And they’ve also made repurposed cotton boxers, which are very lightweight. And I’m obsessed with their vintage boxy 1990s T-shirts. They’ve printed the logo for the collaboration on the inside, so they’re reversible.
Then there’s a store called Hilda in Stoke Newington. She sells a mix of beautiful vintage that she sources in Italy, I believe, and new things. I think she’s got flawless taste and if I need something, if there’s a party, that’s where I go. And John Sandoe Books in Chelsea. It’s a journey, but you could spend hours in that store. It looks like a movie and it’s so peaceful.
What’s the best meal you’ve had?
I’ve never had a bad meal at Trullo in Highbury and Islington. It nails everything — it’s fun for your friends and it’s romantic. Downstairs, they have these little alcoves and if you can get one of those, it’s the best.
I would cobble all the streets in London
What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
The first thing I would do, just aesthetically:
I would cobble all the streets.
And then I would turn down any of the proposed ugly buildings they plan to build.
Then I would go back in time and reuse the money that they used on those ever-so-slightly passive aggressive road blocks that have flowers in them and I would reuse that money by donating it to Save the Children.
Who is the most iconic Londoner?
There’s too many. When I think of London and especially my childhood, my parents used to always go to this café in Chelsea called the Picasso. There were always these three or four older gentlemen who would sit outside every single day and chat. To me, that’s what London was for the majority of my youth: these guys. Although I think they unfortunately turned the Picasso into a Five Guys.
What apps do you use most?
I guess the Lime bike app. I’m a fan, because I don’t live that close to any public transport, so I have to Lime bike to the Tube a lot. If I’m by myself and the day is nice, I will see you on a Lime bike.
What’s the best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?
I’ve had very funny conversations. And long conversations. They don’t often recognise me. I’ve been told that I look like me, or something like that, and I just say, “I get that sometimes.”
Pixie Geldof fronts the Discarded Spirits Co. x Chillie London limited-edition capsule collection, featuring reworked 1990s deadstock tees, boxers and leather pouches. All profits are donated to The Felix Project
