Planet Woo is a first-of-its-kind, feel-good shopping concept and media platform on a mission to turn generation anxious into generation zen. Here's their guide to not-so-Standard wellness.
Travel Essentials:
Load your overnight bag with wellness essentials if you want to turbocharge the feel-good factor of your London stay.
First up, banish the brain fog with calm patches developed by acupuncturist Ross J Barr. Harnessing the power of essential oils, these fancy-smelling remedies relieve tension and stress wherever they’re needed so that you can chill out and take a much-needed breather.
For another suitcase superhero, stash some ethically-sourced Amazonite among your belongings. Even if crystals aren’t normally your bag, these stones from the female-founded brand She’s Lost Control promise to improve creative flow and open you up to new opportunities—pretty ideal energy for a stay in a new city.
A Day in the Neighbourhood:
If you’re looking to clear your head (and spot some rare wildlife in London) you can meander along the canal path and feel a hundred miles away from the city’s grinding pace. Breathe in some fresh air, lighten your load and follow the water as it guides you through central London and stretches onwards towards the warehouses of East London.
You can also hit up the Barbican’s gorgeous conservatory for a dose of greenery: a hidden botanical hub and the second-largest conservatory in the city (second only to that found in Kew Gardens). Free to enter and first opened in 1984, the conservatory now houses around 1,500 species of plants and trees - don’t let anyone tell you London’s just grey concrete on grey concrete.
If you’re into culture, you’ll also want to hit up the Wellcome Collection’s health-themed archives and tune out from the stress of the grind with cutting-edge music performances at King’s Palace.
Closer to The Standard, Honest Jon’s (also a record label co-owned by Damon Albarn) is a tribute to the world of music - new and old - with records sold on vinyl and CD, with jazz, blues, reggae, dance, soul, folk and international all covered. Transportative and transformative sounds that simply may not exist anywhere else in the world lie within.
The Best Medicine at The Bill Murray:
Science says having a sense of humour can help you live longer. That’s a good enough reason to head down to The Bill Murray Comedy Club, the UK’s first-ever community comedy club located in Angel. Not only does it have a rotating programme of comics - including the likes of Simon Anstell polishing off work-in-progress acts - it’s also a good place for a pint.
Bodily Wellness
If you’re looking for all-out relaxation then head to Banya No. 1 in Hoxton, where visitors can enjoy an authentic steam bath as well as mud masks, massage, cold plunges and herbal tea. For a more unique spa experience, try Parenie: a rousing thermal massage featuring leafy and fragrant bundles of birch, oak and eucalyptus twigs as well as (naturally) very hot steam.
While we’re used to the idea of working out our bodies, do you know our faces could also do with being put through their paces? FaceGym in Coal Drops Yard does just that: using high-spec tech to train the 40-something forgotten muscles in the face. Improving the skin’s metabolism and circulation, you can expect sculpting, lifting, toning, and brightening results.
Exercise doesn’t need to be exhausting. Get moving - and swallow a sugary dose of nostalgia - at Bloomsbury Lanes, an old-school bowling joint in Russell Square. With eight lanes, diner-style fast food and karaoke, it’s pure fun.
Feel-good culture just half an hour from Kings Cross
Punchdrunk’s immersive production of The Burnt City is a retelling of Greek mythology told via dance, meticulous interactive sets and experimentation in a huge space in Woolwich, now easy to get to via the Elizabeth Line. Lose yourself in this non-narrative dreamscape where new worlds lie behind every door - like nothing and everything in this world all at once.
If you’re after fashion within a modern art gallery setting, look no further than Dover Street Market - showcasing fashion brands like Comme des Garcons, Junya Watanabe and Gucci that drive creative inspiration alongside exciting emerging designers. Installations rotate every season and a curated selection of books from IDEA and must-have streetwear are also on offer in the basement. Head up to the roof where you will find Rose Bakery where you can grab gluten-free cakes and matcha lattes perfect for a hit of slow-release caffeine.
Scoot down to Soho for a trip to Palace Skateboards’ flagship store where you can pick up limited edition T-shirts and decks - a pretty active way of getting around London. Roll through Covent Garden’s cobbles onto The Strand’s new outdoor gallery, which includes pop-up exhibitions including Nick Ryan’s VoiceLine, a soothing soundscape, before heading into 180 The Strand, where Richard Mosse’s Broken Spectre takes you to the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, where three years’ worth of footage will leave you with that inescapable feeling of…escape.
For a spot of deep relaxation head to BLOK for sound healing, led by George from the SoundShift, where you can immerse into sounds played at frequencies that will take you - completely sober - on a psychedelic trip. If you can’t make it, we’ve got you covered. From woo, you can cast Beabadoobee, Asknikko and Vegyn to your room for an immersive woo-style relaxation experience
