WHOS WHO: Laura Cohen of the DK Singers
Laura Cohen recently got back together with former South Hampstead school choir members to form the DK Singers. They performed a reunion concert at Lauderdale House in Highgate over Christmas. She grew up in Hampstead. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HAMPS
Laura Cohen recently got back together with former South Hampstead school choir members to form the DK Singers. They performed a reunion concert at Lauderdale House in Highgate over Christmas. She grew up in Hampstead.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HAMPSTEAD?
The crepe stand, it makes me feel continental. It's on such a lovely cobbled street and I love the atmosphere around it and of course the chocolate banana crepes.
WHAT IS THE WORST THING ABOUT HAMPSTEAD?
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Prices, probably. Just going for a drink costs £1 more than anywhere else. I know it comes with being a high class area and I wouldn't want it to change because that's what Hampstead is about, but it stings me every time I buy a drink.
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCAL BUILDING?
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Hampstead Parish Church: we used to do our concerts there. It's set in a graveyard and it's got a cobbled path leading up to it and lots of greenery, it's just sort of set back from everything.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE AREA AT WEEKENDS?
Usually I just go to the pub, maybe for dinner. It's nice to walk around on the weekends as there is such a continental atmosphere when everyone is sitting around outside the cafes drinking coffee. Picnics on the Heath are lovely too, and so is swimming in the ponds.
HIDDEN HAMPSTEAD: WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE MOVING TO THE AREA?
Have a car, because it's just best to do things like your shopping out of Hampstead. There just aren't decent everyday supermarkets, so you need to get out of the area to shop. Another tip would be to live in the back streets, because it'll be much quieter.
WHICH BOOK ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT?
The second in the Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials trilogy, It's called The Subtle Knife. It's amazing, I love it, I usually don't go for fantasy type things but this is just incredible.
4x4 OR PUBLIC TRANSPORT?
Public transport, I hate 4x4s. I'm angry with them, they take up too much space, are too expensive, have a massive carbon footprint, are usually used by one person, and the drivers are too aggressive.
WHERE WAS YOUR LAST HOLIDAY?
Borneo, it was in the summer after our first year of medical school when 12 of us decided to make the most of our last holiday, get a loan and spend five weeks trekking around. We did incredible jungle trekking, got struck down by food poisoning, and tried the local alcohol which was vicious.
IF YOU HAD A MILLION POUNDS TO SPEND IN A DAY WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
I would buy a kitten, and get it all the jabs that it needed because they're expensive. I'd give my parents enough money to sort their house out so when they downsize it's all done, I would pay off £10,000 of my student debt and give the rest to charity.
