We ask this month's KITRI Spotlight muse, Katherine Ormerod for the inside scoop on her favourite spots around town.

1. Absolute Flowers, Maida Vale 

There is a flower and vintage interior store on Cliffton Road in Maida Vale called Absolute Flowers and Home. It’s one of my favourite places to go to and look at beautiful interior pieces I can’t afford and buy some vases and flowers that I can. I really love going there – it’s my lovely little drop off on a Saturday when I’m out exploring my area.

2. Ida, Kilburn Lane

There’s a tiny little neighbourhood restaurant called Ida on Kilburn Lane. It’s the sweetest family run Italian restaurant. The pasta is all hand rolled and during the week you can get a plate of delicious pasta and a glass of wine for £10! I spend far too much time consuming far too many carbs there.

3. National Portrait Gallery

My favourite gallery is still the National Portrait Gallery. I grew up in the south east suburbs and Charing Cross was our portal to London. We didn’t have much money but my mum would always take us to the free exhibitions and galleries growing up so that’s where I got the beginnings of my art education. I ended up doing a history degree then a masters in fashion history and I think a lot of that comes from those visits. I think this is such a great microcosm of what it means to be British in terms of our history whilst still remaining modern and inspiring.

4. Frame, Queens Park

Before I got pregnant I did a lot of exercise at Frame which is on Beethoven Street. My favourite classes were reform pilates and rebounding, which is a mini trampolining class and I just love it there. The women who set it up are also very inspiring, it holds a great ethos. It’s not about killing yourself or beating yourself up, it’s about coming in and doing your exercise in a great social environment that feels fun and not like some type of punishment.

5. Hampstead Heath

Hampstead heath would also have to be one of my favourites. We do a lot of walking outdoors on the weekends. Sometimes it’s so important when living in the city to blow the cobwebs away. It’s gorgeous there as well and there are so many different areas of the park to explore. We always end up going for a roast at the Holly Bush afterwards.   

Words by Katherine Ormerod

Image Credits: Interiors: @absoluteflowersandhome, Ida: Time Out, Absolute Flowers: wildattheartflowers.com, Frame gym: workout.com, National Portrait Gallery: Visit London