During our last trip across the pond, I got to spend the most time exploring London that I have on any trip to date. Here, I put together a miniature London city guide featuring a few of my favorite things to do, see and, of course, eat. I shot these photos in Knightsbridge between morning rain showers, and was so happy that I threw these boots into my luggage last minute. The pop of red made for the perfect finishing touch to this otherwise simple look, plus I matched the iconic phone booths. What more could I ask for?

1 – Act like a tourist.

There are so many charming (read: Instagram-worthy) sights to see in London, so I would recommend crossing these off on your first trip. My personal favorites are Big Ben, the Buckingham Palace, the London Eye. Since I had checked these off my list on previous trips, I focused on doing as the locals do this time around.

2 – Always honor tea time.

This was one of the first things I picked up on when I went to meet Chris’ family for the first time. Tea time happens every day in the mid-afternoon and involves not only tea (with milk?!), but a delicious spread of snacks too. On my recent visit, Ashley and I went to Sketch for afternoon tea, and there’s just so much to love—pink velvet seating, delectable finger sandwiches and egg-shaped bathroom stalls (really!). A must visit.

3 – Spend a rainy afternoon in the museum.

There are so many must-see exhibits on in London right now. The Jeff Koons’ exhibit at Newport Street Gallery and the new Tate Modern were both high on my list, but in the end I couldn’t pass up Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit at the Victoria Miro galleries. The highlight of the show is a mirrored room filled with oversized pumpkins featuring the artist’s signature polka dots. So chic.

4 – Have a proper Indian meal.

London is to Indian cuisine, as New York is to Italian. I had always heard from Chris that we just don’t have great Indian in New York, but I guess ignorance was bliss. I made it a point to see what all the fuss was about this trip with takeout from Noor Jahan and with a fun group outing to Dishoom in Covent Garden. I get it now. And I’m craving a tikka masala just writing this…

5 – Walk along the Thames River.

I had a really fun brunch with my friend Eimear and her London blogger friends—Danielle, Mark and Sarah—at Chiswick Fire Station. Afterwards, Chris and I wandered around Chiswick and made our way to the river. We stopped into one of the cottage-like pubs lining the water, called The Dove, and it was definitely worthy of sitting down and staying a while.

6 – Unwind with a trip to the spa.

We happened to be in London around Chris’ birthday, so I got us a couples massage in the Four Seasons on Park Lane. I was drawn to the treatment rooms that have massive windows with sweeping views of the city. I would definitely recommend adding a little something luxurious to your to do list.

7 – Catch a soccer game in a pub.

Just hear me out. Soccer bores me just like the next American girl, but there’s something about the camaraderie of watching a big game that is sure to be entertaining. When we were there, England was playing a rival in the cup (of course I’ve forgotten who…) and the streets would roar with every goal. Any SEC football fan can appreciate that kind of spirit.