Welcome to Bird Flying Solo by me, Nazish Zahra. I'm a London-based writer, barista and food lover exploring the unsung wonders of solo city life, which includes good food and coffee, faith in the everyday, and identity.
Bird Flying Solo was born of two things: having and then wanting to do things alone, and a love of food and coffee.
Bird Flying Solo started its life many years ago as a blog after a life-changing solo cross-continent road trip. I started in San Francisco with a broken heart, a brand new pair of white Converse trainers and a beat-up rental Nissan (Cadillacs really are only for the movies and Net-a-Porter photo shoots), and arrived in New York four weeks later with the glorious dust of 14 states on my mucky rubber soles and a healed heart ready to live a better life, alone. It was an epiphanic adventure, opening my eyes to the joy, freedom and true luxury of doing things by myself.
Since then I have almost always travelled alone - epic road trips across the US and Europe etched onto my heart forever - but that has extended into just enjoying life alone where I am at any given time. And there is much to be enjoyed, probably more.
City life is fast and furious, and I am naturally drawn to the quiet spots which are the real treasures in a megacity like London teeming with millions of people. Those spots are best found and relished alone; you become a ninja silently tiptoeing through chaotic streets and packed restaurants, able to settle in a bird’s eye spot and take in life around you. Solo life has proven itself to be an independent life.
A pattern emerged: I would discover real hidden gems while I was out alone, share it with friends and colleagues, and they would go and try it themselves. Then they started asking me for recommendations, and so Bird Flying Solo evolved to include London life with recommendations and reviews. I also took to Instagram @birdflyingsolo to share more. My ethos has been to share an authentic, accessible London, one which I would only recommend if I am willing to go and pay for myself (I am not incentivised or paid to promote anybody), and also which most people with similar interests can enjoy. I don’t go to or share exclusive invite-only events that industry friends have organised - I only share what most people can access and enjoy. I also fly the flag for under-the-radar spots which (I’m secretly delighted to confess) are often omitted from mainstream London guides.
And then there is faith. I am an actively spiritually engaged Muslim for whom faith is dynamic, physical, philosophical and most of all the grounding cornerstone of all that I do. I often reflect on faith and therefore cannot but help write about it, because it is the most pronounced lens through which I see the world.
After taking a break, this is the next evolution of Bird Flying Solo: a bi-weekly newsletter which is a sort of thoughtful solo lifestyle newsletter with a particular focus on food and coffee. I’ve tried to give you an idea of what you can expect from it, but I also know I’ll meander and talk about anything that interests me. The best thing to do is just read one or a few and see for yourself.
Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue.
In the meantime, tell your friends!