Traditional, sophisticated, trend setting and contemporary: London is a perfect blend of it all, and our unashamed love of this magnificent city knows no bounds. Home to the most famous Royal Family, this cosmopolitan city is one of the world’s capitals of finance and a key world economic influencer. Yet, London is a perfect gateway into culture, architecture, history, entertainment, fashion and the arts. Once… Read more »
Local: London
We went to the Anglesea Arms on a Monday and were quite surprised with the buzz around it on a weekday. At that moment we understood the reason for its reputation as one of the best pubs in town to have some food, and no wonder the pub calls itself a gastropub. The ales were, of course, as traditional as you could expect at any… Read more »
What a pleasant lunch did we have at the Ivy Chelsea Garden! Certainly, sunny spring days are ideal to enjoy this restaurant, and this was indeed the case. The main rooms follow a garden themed décor, with flowery wall paper and fabrics, and actual potted plants and flowers. If the weather allows, ask for a table on the terrace, in the garden or orangery to… Read more »
Isabel restaurant has become one of the trendiest restaurants in London nowadays and is both upscale and informal. You will see habitués in fancy fashionable clothing as well as in jeans and t-shirts. The main salon is beautifully decorated, with a magnificent central bar, exquisite lighting coming from black and gold lamps on the ceilings and small table lamps, and the restaurant’s luxurious silver and… Read more »
Enjoy a day or afternoon of traditionally British experiences at this historical Royal palace, a sophisticated and yet graceful old venue for Queen Anne`s court entertainment. Make your visit to Kensington Palace even more special by treating yourself to a typical afternoon tea at elegant The Orangery, with its impeccable British service, antique china, tasty tea sandwiches, scones and infusions, surrounded by stunning flower gardens.… Read more »
You could go up and down Covent Garden and miss Neal`s Yard entirely. This tiny alley opens into an unexpectedly colorful and charming courtyard and is well worth a visit. Following its initial purpose of offering healthy products and fresh fruits and vegetables at old warehouses, nowadays you will find marvelous organic cosmetics at Neal Yard’s Remedies (many branches in town nowadays, but this is… Read more »
There are many things to do in this magnificent park: go boating on The Serpentine, go for a bike ride and admire the rose gardens, beautiful memorials and fountains, have a picnic with typical cucumber sandwiches and prawn cocktail chips, play Frisbee, and so on. Yet, what we find truly amazing is a horse ride on the bridleways, which would leave you feeling like a… Read more »
A neighborhood worth visiting is Camden Town. No longer a secret, since becoming quite popular in recent years, we still find a lot of London visitors miss this typical and emblematic part of town, which was for a long time the epicenter of anything in the vanguard and the rebellious aspect of British culture. As you stroll around Amy Winehouse´s old hang out in North… Read more »
If you are visiting downtown, referred to as The City, with nearby attractions such as Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower of London, allow some additional time to your plans and head to Spitafields Market. This old fruit and vegetable market, which competed with Covent Garden, is becoming ever more popular. The stalls range from up-and-coming designers, hand-made goods such as handbags, old-style jewelry… Read more »
Forget about the subway, underground or tube as locals call it, and try the riverboats to get around London. Do avoid the overpriced tourist-trap boats and climb aboard the Thames clippers, but skip the sightseeing ones and use the commuters’ for a true local experience. These vessels, used by local commuters for transportation along the riverbank, are a fast and efficient way to move around… Read more »
Jermyn Street is a sophisticated man’s paradise, synonymous with style and elegance. A stroll around this traditional street offers a feast of distinctive luxurious articles: cigars, gentlemen’s outfits, exclusive shoes and boot-makers, bespoke shirts, elegant silk robes, top quality leather wallets and many other luxury goods. If cigars tickle your fancy, walk to nearby St James Street and look for James J Fox Cigars, the… Read more »
It is wintertime and a perfect way to explore cold weather activities in London is ice-skating in the courtyard at Somerset House, a fabulous stately building near Waterloo Bridge. Open during the day and evening, the atmosphere is exciting and the setting very glamorous. Check “Skate at Somerset”, and some nights you will find “Skate Lates”, a program featuring live musicians or DJs that will… Read more »
When in London you cannot miss sampling some ales at a pub and The Churchill Arms is quite a good choice for that. Located in Kensington, The Churchill Arms is a historic old pub, frequented by Churchill’s grandparents, and named after the Prime Minister when World War II ended. It is quite picturesque, with a lovely façade covered in flowers, and was a trend-setter for… Read more »
Loved by locals, this is probably Britain`s oldest and most renowned food market. The market itself is composed of a main hall, restaurants and shops in the surrounding streets, and the Green Market. Some of our favorites are the delectable sandwiches at Brindisa, the gelatos at the Italian 3Bis gelateria (well worth the calories on hot sunny days), the strong smooth coffee at Monmouth and… Read more »
A see-and-be-seen kind of venue, this is an elegant and upscale restaurant in one of London’s most affluent neighborhoods – Mayfair. In some ways, the quintessential décor in itself, with black and white floors, green chairs and mirror walls, somewhat justifies the long lines for a table. The long lines are also found in other branches of Cecconi’s around the world (we loved the one… Read more »
A trendy and cool Victorian house set over three floors, which calls itself a triple dream where food, art and music meet. Sketch drew extensive media attention after its opening and it was all anyone talked about for a while. Today there is much less fuss, but it is still well worth the visit, especially if you a book a table at the Lecture Room,… Read more »
You are in London, so the polite thing to do is to go to a pub! The Cross Keys, located in the deliciously glamorous Chelsea neighborhood, is somewhat traditional and historical, but has been recently modernized with up to date amenities yet kept its old-style flair. The Cross Keys has developed quite a good menu of well-executed dishes served in its typical pub atmosphere. The… Read more »
Located in the City, near Spitalfields market, this proper French restaurant has been considered the best of its kind in town and has been awarded many accolades. We can attest to it being truly excellent. Housed in a parish hall, as the name suggest, as you step in you will likely be immediately struck by its unique ambiance. The food is indeed quite good and… Read more »
The restaurant is located in the heart of Mayfair, in the luxurious Govesnor Square, and run by celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay, which leaves little else to be said. As you arrive at the beautiful venue, you have an option of a formal dining experience to the left or a more casual stylish atmosphere to the right. The innovative European menu has amazing dishes. We opted… Read more »
The Boudin Blanc is an authentic brasserie in Mayfair, near Shepherd Market. It is small, laid back and the type of place people do not talk about much, yet it is beloved by locals and draws a faithful clientele. Large windows, a wooden motif, adorned walls, dim lighting and impeccable service will make your meal even more enjoyable. Try, as we did, the full flavored… Read more »
