The Wonder of You (Part 2) London’s Calling
Are you a Gooner or someone who got way too into Ted Lasoo visiting North London hoping to see a match? Check out tips from my rececent-ish trip.
I went to Emirates (Arsenal’s home, built by Arsène Wenger himself) in May, but am writing this in August about a week before the 2023-24 Premier League season kicks (LOL) off.
If you’re a Gooner or a bandwagon fan (get in before it’s too late), here are some suggestions about where to go:
WATCH:
Fever Pitch. The 1997 one with Colin Firth.
Rye Lane. A new favorite rom com that came out in 2023. It takes place in Peckham (my favorite part of London!) and is just lovely.
BONUS: After you watch Rye Lane, see the mandem at Prince of Peckham for some of the best vibes, drinks, and food you’ll have while in London. I first visited in 2019 with a colleague and felt like I was a party in college or in Oakland-so it definitely passed the vibe check. I still dream about the jerk chicken sandwich I had from White Men Can’t Jerk after…more than a few Dark and Stormzys from our last visit and will always make it a point to swing through when I’m in London.
STAY
The Standard Hotel. You can’t beat the vibes (immaculate and mod…immodculate?) or the location (Saint Pancras/King’s Cross). If you happen to be travelling in from Paris, the Eurostar stops right there. It’s a really convenient tube stop for getting to Emirates-2 stops and you get off at Holloway Road*
*Per Google Maps: HOLLOWAY ROAD STATION: During Emirates Stadium events, Holloway Road will be closed for two hours before the start of the event and will open 15 minutes after the start of the event. During return traffic the station will be closed 15 minutes before the end of the event and will be kept closed for 90 minutes after the event. These adjustments may be subject to alteration/." - tfl.gov.uk, Effective from 5/9/2023, 3:30 AM to 7/5/2024, 12:29 AM
EAT/DRINK:
Taking in the atmosphere before you even arrive at Emirates is a must. The people watching is chef’s kiss.
It’s the epitome of what you think of as a real sports bar. It was filled to the door and patio with proper Gooners. We stayed for exactly for one pint before our informal crawl continued.
This wine bar is so cool. I decided we had to go after seeing a guy in a beautiful teal Highbury Library cap at the Tollington and was greeted by a wine bar you’d want to be your local spot. If you’re more of a natural wine girl than beer, you’ll love this spot. I would love to spend more time there the next time I’m in London.
I’m not going to hold you. I felt seen in the worst way at the Compton Arms. A bunch of twenty and thirtysomething hipsters sipping wine or spritzers-this restaurant would not be out of place in San Francisco. This setting would work for a lovely brunch on a non-match day or for a heartier, more epicurean meal before heading to the match.
DO: Catch a match at The Emirates. Obviously.
Do not play yourself. Tickets to Arsenal matches can only be bought through the club or from a registered Arsenal member. I was fortunate to get my ticket through a connection Mark, the Bay Area Gooners organizer made to a Gooner in London who couldn’t use his tickets. I had to register for an Arsenal membership (digital) to be able to access the tickets. For the 23-24 season, the team has switched to Digital only tickets. Definitely refer to the website to learn more about ticketing policies and how to protect yourself against scammers.
Arrive early to walk around the stadium before the religious masses ascend. As of August 2, you can witness Arsene Wenger’s statue. The game day atmosphere was positively buzzing. The first time I visited Emirates in 2019, I did the tour with a few other people and it was a quiet, composed, almost solemn. It kind of felt like the culimation of a religious experience, on May 28th the vibes were like Mardi Gras and it was absolutely lit.
BONUS:
If you are one of the many Americans went got into the beautiful game because of Ted Lasso, welcome. I enjoyed season 1 and it came at a time when I, and many others, needed light and good fun. If you are a Ted Lasso fan, you might as well take a trip to visit Richmond and experience the quaint cuteness of the area.
The Wonder of You: A love story (Part 1)
A short reflection on Arsenal’s 2022-23 season and the importance of community.
When I talk about my love for Arsenal Football Club, a Premier League soccer team based in and ruling North London, I feel silly, but I don’t know of a better word.
I was introduced to this team in college circa 2006 by a boy and it stuck because of the composition of the team-a lot of French players led by a composed, professorial manager named Arsène Wenger (I have a painting of him in my bedroom). The once and eternal star of our team, Thierry Henry, sealed the deal for me and then it was a done deal. I missed the Invincible season (where the lads were undefeated for 38 matches straight-a feat that has yet to be surpassed 💅) However, like with all relationships, there’s been ebbs and flows. I moved from the East Coast where “early” matches still started at a respectable time to the West Coast where I’ve seen 4 am too many times for a rational person who isn’t waking up early to start a job to feed their loved ones or save a life. It was all worth it.
I reconnected with the team after watching the documentary Arsenal: All or Nothing (streaming on Amazon Prime). It follows the team throughout the 2021-22 season which had highs of hope and lows of reality and they got me again.
I decided to watch matches live with Bay Area Gooners and was rewarded with so much joy and connection. I was reminded of the importance of intention in building community and what can grow when you commit. For me, that looked like a community that came together to donate money to the nonprofit I work at on the strength of our connection and shared love. I immersed myself in the foolishness of modern fandom, listening to infinite hours of podcasts dedicated to recapping the matches (that I had just watched), learning about tactics and strategies, and generally falling deeper and deeper.
I love this goofy team and community so much that I even wrote a poem:
The Wonder of You
I love you, like a new world created through chants
and revelations that can only happen in a new language.
Love your harmony, discipline, and doing things our way.
I love you in years of no trophies, but with glimpses of beauty.
Love you through decent start times on one coast
And through hella early mornings on the other.
I love you with the roar of millions.
But also, the love of a fan tuned into one tv at the end of the bar.
Love you delusionally. Tribally.
Love you for reminding me what it’s like to love mortals who sometimes transcend, but also fail and fight.
I love you for irrational joy and illogical tears.
Love you like a pilgrimage and conversations throughout the years.
That’s the wonder of you.
At the end of the 2021-22 season, all we wanted to do was qualify for the Champions League (4th place out of the 20 Premier League teams). However, through the brilliance of our coach and young players, and sometimes luck, we spent 248 days at the top of the league. By late December, the improbable seemed possible and I booked tickets to London for the last match of the season wanting to be in town for the glorious end of a magical season.
“When you start supporting a football club, you don’t support it because of the trophies, or a player, or history, you support it because you found yourself.”