I didn’t waste any time on my first trip to London. My objective was simple: five days, three major British events, very little downtime.
Summertime in the UK is packed with various social and sporting events throughout the months of June, July, and August. Among them were the Wimbledon Championships, BST Hyde Park, and the British Grand Prix. While sunshine during the London summers aren’t guaranteed, the weather was looking up and I intended to make the most of it.
From unexpected upsets at Wimbledon to surprise on-stage performances by Gracie Abrams and Noah Kahan, here’s a recap of the highlights from my first time in London.
Wimbledon
As someone who dabbles in tennis and attends the US Open regularly, it’s safe to say that I was particularly thrilled about going to my first-ever Wimbledon. It is one of four Grand Slam tournaments, and is arguably considered the most prestigious. The event brings together some of the most influential people and celebrities—this year saw Olivia Rodrigo, Kate Middleton, Nicole Kidman, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Tom Holland, and more.
After around a 45-minute drive from where I was staying in Mayfair, I arrived at the gates of Wimbledon. I felt good about my decision to dress in smart-casual attire, leaning into the tradition of tennis whites that the players are required to follow. Attendees put on their best game-day ensembles—men in crisp linen suits and women in floral sundresses.
courtesy of kristina ang
My first stop: the American Express Card Member Lounge. There, I was able to take refuge from the blazing afternoon sun and gather my energy before my first match of the day. As a cardholder member, you have access to the lounge and can enjoy food, beverages, and partake in photo opps. I was most excited to get my hands on the Amex Radio—an analog radio that streams real-time sports commentary during live sporting events.
I found my seat in No. 1 Court. The first match was between 18-year old Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva and Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti. Although Bronzetti put up a good effort, Andreeva took the win after just two sets.
The final and most exciting game on my schedule was between Britain’s number one player and world’s fourth ranked , Jack Draper. There was a deafening cheer of excitement from the crowd as Draper stepped onto court and a lot of pressure riding on the 23-year old athlete playing in his home country. His opponent—36-year old Marin Cilic from Croatia.
Mike Egerton – PA Images//Getty Images
Draper lost the first two sets. “Jack Draper carrying the weight of the nation on his shoulders,” the British correspondent said through the radio. Miraculously, Draper came back for the third set, but was then ultimately defeated in the fourth. You could hear the wails of the audience echo throughout the stadium, which were soon followed by applause for Cilic.
My Wimbledon Look
BST Hyde Park
I’ve never had any desire to attend a music festival—the whole scene I felt just wasn’t for me. But when I was offered the opportunity to see Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, and Finneas perform, I couldn’t pass it up. And Hyde Park is conveniently located in the center of the city, which meant travel time was a leisurely 15-minute walk
As I arrived at the festival, I was pleasantly surprised with how organized and clean everything was. The park grounds were well preserved and the bag check process went by with ease. I briefly checked out the Amex Experience where I had access to the lounge and bar filled with nostalgic throwback games, a bag customisation counter, and music-themed photobooths. Moments before Gracie Abrams went on stage, I made my way to the VIP terrace where I had an unobstructed view of the performers and the crowd.
Courtesy of American Express
Just as Abrams made her entrance on stage in a flowing, backless vintage Chloé blue dress, the crowd erupted in cheers as she opened with her hit song, “I Told You Things.” As I expected, she sounded even better live than on the recording. It was only after I left the venue, did I learn that Paul Mescal—Abrams’s boyfriend—and actress Daisy Edgar-Jones were spotted in the crowd supporting her sets that weekend.
Just as the sun started setting, headliner Noah Kahan’s began his electrifying set, with fans hanging onto every lyric of every song. Kahan brought out Gigi Perez, Lewis Capaldi, and Gracie Abrams—who changed into a more casual outfit for their duet of his song “Everything, Everywhere.”
Gus Stewart//Getty Images
Kahan closed his set with a performance of “Stick Season,” that everyone knew the lyrics to, it was this one.
My BST Look
F1 British Grand Prix:
The F1 British Grand Prix—held in the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire, has a long and rich history that spans since the very first race in 1926.
After spending the past 3 days in central London, traveling to the British countryside was a nice change of pace. For the occasion, it was only fitting that I wore my vintage red leather DuPont racing jacket, which I happened to have in my closet already, sourced from eBay. I went for a casual look pairing it with black denim jorts, white riding boots, and my flashy silver Diesel bag.
courtesy of kristina ang
As we neared closer, you could hear the racecars zipping through the track. And to someone not accustomed to the F1 experience, I was startled with just how loud it was. After extensive security measures, I made my way to the paddock club where gourmet dining, cozy seating accommodations, and prime views of the track were all offered.
In our suite, we were joined by former British racing driver and Amex F1 Brand Ambassador, David Coulthard. An exciting match was ahead of us, Coulthard explained, especially with the unpredictability of the English weather that was showing to bring on rain showers and slippery conditions.
As part of the paddock experience, we kicked it off with the photo safari. Exactly what it sounds like, we rode in vans within touching distance of the speeding racecars. “Never turn your back to the fence,” the tour guide warned us. I was scared, but also full of adrenaline.
courtesy of kristina ang
courtesy of kristina ang
Ahead of the Grand Prix’s kickoff, we attended the Drivers’ Parade, which I soon learned was a pre-race tradition where the drivers are presented to the fans. At that point, I didn’t have any favorites in mind, but secretly I was rooting for Lewis Hamilton.
The British National Anthem was performed by singer Hannah Waddingham and the race officially came to a start. I stood in the prime viewing area to catch a glimpse of the racecars making their first lap. Dutch-Belgian driver Max Verstappen took pole position after receiving the fastest lap time during the qualifying session.
A few hours and multiple laps later, we were at the final few stages of the race. Verstappen experienced a spin out and dropped several spots in the race while Lando Norris of Great Britain and Oscar Piastri of Australia were in the lead. As we reached the 52nd lap, all eyes were on the finish line and just as the Brits would have it, Norris finished in first.
It was truly a moment of celebration for the crowd and Norris, who took home his first victory at Silverstone, in front of a home crowd.
One race was all it took to turn me into a true F1 enthusiast!
My F1 Look
