The Extreme Staycation

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Magic and Mystery Part 1 - doors Some things will always have a sense of mystery and magic about them. Saw this door (below) on a walk today, down an alley way I'd never been down before and it just screamed childhood adventure book at me - The Secret Garden, Narnia, Harry Potter... What is it about a locked door?  Or a hidden door for that matter.  We want to be the person to discover what's hidden behind it, whether that be a beautiful garden, a hidden basement (Parasite) or some moonshine brewing on an inustrial scale (Boadwalk Empire)... Even Chandler in Friends got obsessed when he couldn't open a door to a cupboard in Monika's apartment when he moved in.

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I love to walk as I've mentioned before and to accompany my walk, I enjoy a good podcast.  But I've also taken to listening while I cook or clean. My regular ones include: Make Me Smart  - Usually weekly, now daily, American.  Looks at news, economy and tech, really interesting and fun. The Chickpeeps  - This is a podcast about all elements of veganism.  It's much more accessible and fun than it sounds and will answer any questions as they have loads of experts as guests. Serial  - the first series was a huge talking point worldwide, featuring the case of Adnan Syed.  I would also recommend the following series, very interesting. The Teachers Pet  - about the disappearance of Lynnette Dawson in Sydney, Australia in 1982.  Fascinating and quite frankly, horrifying. Slow Burn  - series 1 is all about Watergate which I am currently listening to....

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I've mentioned before how much I love a good walk. Well, I've just discovered ON MY DOORSTEP the most beautiful walk.  I'm ashamed that I didn't know of it's existence in all this time. In one of my weekly online calls / actor jams we were talking about this and the existence of places which have been turned into walks which were originally something else.  Old railway tracks etc. Two which I have enjoyed in the last few years were in Valencia and New York. The much vaunted HIGH LINE in New York is great.  A wonderful use of old freight rail line, it winds down a 20 block stretch of the west side of Manhattan giving a sneaky peak into some incredible apartment buildings (including one designed by Zaha Hadid) ending up at the brilliant Whitney Museum. The other is the Turia Riverbed Park in Valencia.  The river caused a huge flood back in 1957 and officials decided to divert the river ...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown What are the small things that you miss? For me, it's a simple one.  I miss going to a coffee shop, getting a big, extra hot coffee and going for a walk. I have many coffee shop apps on my phone that have gone untouched for the past 35 days which is UNHEARD OF for me. I love walking.  I enjoy being outside, the exercise, the time to listen to a podcast, walk with a friend or call one for a catch up  or just to ruminate. I think it's the small rituals - getting your breakfast or lunch from somewhere each day, the reading time on the commute, being able to pop into a supermarket without having to put a couple of hours aside that in some ways are the hardest adjustments to make. Nice thing: The 1990s were pretty seminal in my development and Fearne Cotton is now broadcasting a Sounds of the 90s show weekly on the BBC.  Highly recommend to any fellow 90s sufferers! https://www.bbc.co.uk...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I am a Londoner born and raised.  As an actor, I have travelled to pretty much every corner of the city for auditions, rehearsals, performances etc so I feel I know this sprawling metropolis pretty well.   One of my favourite things to do, is to walk through London with no particular place to be.  It's the best way to explore any city.  I love all the sights and sounds and smells you get to experience when wandering along. And London is so immense that there is never going to be a shortage of places to explore, of new discoveries to be made, new views to be seen. One of my favourite quotes is this well known one:  'Sir,  when  a man is  tired  of  London , he is  tired  of  life ; for there is in  London  all that  life can  afford.' ... Samuel Johnson, to which I totally agree. And right now, I miss my city.  It's b...