Blog Archives
Wayne Pate
I’m loving the artwork of Brooklyn-based artist Wayne Pate. Particularly his U.K.-inspired prints and totes!
London
Brighton Beach UK
Brighton Beach UK Tote
Check out his online shop!
London Ork poster
Last Christmas, my husband received this San Francisco Ork poster.
This year, he’s asking Santa for the London neighborhoods version.
It comes printed on black soy-based ink or a blueish purple soy-based ink for $22. Even better, it ships to the US in one to three business days via UPS!
See, it’s not too late, my fellow procrastinators! And you’re welcome!
Time Out’s Eating & Drinking Awards
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – London is home to some of the best restaurants in the world and this week Time Out is highlighting the best of the bunch in their 2011 Eating & Drinking Awards!
Even better, they’ve posted all of their picks on their website.
This year’s categories include best new restaurant, best sushi bar, best new bar and best new cheap eats.
I’ve already bookmarked it for my next trip to the Big Smoke.
How to dress your kids like Londoners
It’s never been easier to dress your kids like Londoners (well, apart from moving to London). This summer, Janie and Jack released their Lovely London line, and now Gap has gotten into the act with their Portobello, Brick Lane, Covent Garden and Greenwich fall collections.
I am all for it because there is nothing cuter than a baby donning a union jack knit one-piece, except maybe a baby also wearing the matching union jack beanie.
Slap the union jack on everything, I say and I’ll buy it (well, not now since I’m still saving up to pay for my extortionate red-light ticket. But in theory…).
Shown above, moving clockwise) : Graphic Raglan T in Midland Gray for Toddler Boys, Union Backpack, Union Jack Slip-on Sneakers for Baby Boys, Union Jack Driver Cap for Toddler Boys, and First Original Jeans (Union Jack Medium Wash) for Toddler Boys.
The London line for girls is heavier on floral prints, ruffles and boucle (really adorable items!) and lighter on the Union Jack and other traditional British icons. But they do offer some cute graphic tees that are distinctly British.
Shown above: Portobello Charming Graphic T in Ivory Frost and Pink Granite for Toddler Girls.
Gap is regularly adding more items to these collections and they’re also having a Labor Day Sale now through Monday so kit out your kids’ wardrobe Brit-style.
Have a lovely weekend!
The Culinary London 10
Despite Britain’s undeserved reputation for terrible cuisine, London is truly a culinary mecca. Following my blog post a few weeks back about top 10 London destinations, I submit my top 10 in the food and drink department.
The Cow specializes in oysters and Guinness, as well as sausage and mash.
1. The Cow. Charming gastropub that is good for celebrity spotting, too. 89 Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill, London. W2 5QH. 020 7221 0021.
2. The Tiroler Hut. This tiny hole in the wall combines Austrian food with live cow bell music and complimentary peppermint schnapps. A lethal combination. 27 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London. W2. 020 7727 3981.
3. Le Relais de Venise. They serve only one dish: green salad with a mustard vinaigrette and steak frites (translation: steak and thin cut French fries) and do it very well. There is always a line out the door but it’s worth the wait. 120 Marylebone Lane, London. W1U 2QG. 020 7486 0878.
4. St. Pancras Grand Champagne Bar. Europe’s longest champagne bar is at St. Pancras train station of all places and it’s open from 8 a.m. (don’t judge) to 11 p.m. I haven’t been there yet but friends report that it is every bit as great as it sounds. St. Pancras Station, Upper Concourse, Euston Road, London. N1C 4QL. 020 7870 9900.
St. Pancras Grand Champagne Bar is the longest champagne bar in Europe.
5. Pitcher and Piano, All Bar One and Slug and Lettuce. They’re all chain pubs but they do decent food and drinks and there’s always one just around the corner. A good place to stop in during a rain storm. Locations throughout London.
6. Afternoon tea at the Ritz Hotel. They do those dainty little crustless finger sandwiches and pretty desserts with your choice of tea. So very British. 150 Piccadilly. London. W1J 9BR. 020 7493 8181.
7. Hush. Co-founded by the son of 007’s Roger Moore, this Mayfair restaurant/bar has a formal dining room, a more casual brasserie and a cocktail bar. You can’t help but feel cool here. No. 8 Lancashire Court, Brook Street, London. W1S 1EY. 020 7659 1500.
8. Yo Sushi. Sushi delivered on color coded plates via conveyor belt. There are over two dozen locations dotted throughout London.
Get your sushi fast, fun and fresh at Yo Sushi.
9. Belgo. Belgian beer and moule frites (translation: mussels and thin cut French fries). A match made in heaven. There are locations in Bromley, Clapham, Kingsway and Chalk Farm Road. I’ve only been to the “Centraal” location at 50 Earlham Street, London. WC2H 9LJ. 020 7813 2233.
10. Beach Blanket Babylon. Not sure where the name came from, as this is more Marilyn Manson than Gidget in decor. But the gothic style is accompanied by a very tasty cocktail menu. There are two locations: 45 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill. W11 2AA. 020 7229 2907 and 19-23 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, London. E1 6LA. 020 7749 3540.
A final note: avoid Angus Steakhouses and Garfunkel’s restaurants. They always attract Americans because they resemble an alluring cross between Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s but don’t be fooled.
What are your favorite places to eat and drink when you’re in London? I’d love to hear from you!
Affectionate Anglos
If you’ve watched too many episodes of Masterpiece Theatre, you might get the impression that the British are all standoffish and Mr. Darcyish, with their top hats and stiff upper lips.
Not so.
Actually, I’m routinely taken aback by how very affectionate Brits are. They’re always greeting people with a kiss on the cheek, even those they might meet for the first time. That doesn’t happen in America.
And they’re always ending letters and emails with kisses (x = kiss, if you didn’t know). Sometimes two = xx. Oftentimes three = xxx. And even as much as four = xxxx. I’m not talking about schoolchildren. I’m talking about full-fledged adults. This is the way they sign off every letter. It’s downright romantic!
But what about hugs, I hear you asking … Well, what about them?! Brits can hug as well as the next Yank. Check out the new Hug London Facebook page that’s formed post-riots to heal the city. Hosted by Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centers, the community page invites anyone to send in photos of themselves hugging London landmarks. They will be gathering at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow to hug City Hall in London. So much for the stiff upper lip …
Hope Amidst the Wreckage
A Sainsburys worker dishes out free pastries to clean-up volunteers in Clapham. Photo credit: Kay Burgess Twitpic
As the news and images coming out of the UK continue to horrify us all, Paperblog has posted seven examples of humanity amid all of the violence and madness that we have seen in the past few days.
Again, please be safe, all.
The London Riots
A masked rioter is seen in front of a burning car in Hackney, North London. Photo credit: EPA/Kerim Okten
This weekend, my family and I were in San Francisco for a mini-vacation. No Internet. No newspapers. No TV. Just a heavy dose of rest and relaxation.
When we returned home, we were shocked to hear the latest news out of London. All of the headlines of looting, arson and violence were too much to stomach.
I know North London. Less than ten years ago, we were living in the small neighborhood of Harringay, only a stone’s throw from Tottenham, where 29-year-old gangster Mark Duggan was fatally shot last Thursday by police after resisting arrest. It was this incident that spurred this weekend’s riots. I would routinely take the bus to Wood Green Tube Station to commute to work – another area that has been targeted by rioters in London.
And these riots have continued to spread far beyond the North London borders. To Lewisham, Peckham, Clapham, to the northern cities of Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool. I’ve been watching the #londonriots tweets today, still in disbelief by how much destruction is taking place and the momentum at which it is spreading.
To my friends and family in the UK, please stay safe.
The London 10
Don't miss the London Eye. Photo credit: De:Benutzer:Swgreed
Every time a friend travels to England, I’m inevitably asked for recommendations on the best spots in London. With that in mind, here is my London 10.
1. London Eye. This walk-on ferris wheel provides the best views in the city! Buy your tickets online and avoid the long lines. Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London. SE1 7PB. (0)871 781 3000.
2. Notting Hill. Great boutiques and pubs on Portobello Road and don’t miss Portobello Market.
3. Covent Garden. Plenty of restaurants, boutiques and shops to visit including the world famous cheesemonger Neal’s Yard (17 Shorts Garden, London. WC2H 9AT. 020 7240 5700).
4. Oxford Street. H&M (261-271 Regent Street, London. W1B 2ES.020 7493 4004), Top Shop (216 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1LA. 0844 8487 487) and plenty of retail therapy.
5. Theater District. Culture vultures, here’s your spot!
6. Hampstead Heath and Hampstead. You’ll feel like you’re in the country even though you’re only 20 minutes or so from Central London.
7. Green Park, Hyde Park, St. James’s Park, Kensington Park. They all connect. Take a picnic and people watch.
8. British Museum. You can absolutely spend days here and the admission is free. Great Russell Street, London. WC1B 3DG. 020 7323 8299.
9. Tate Modern, (Bankside, London. SE1 9TG. 020 7887 8888) if you like modern art. Also, don’t miss a stroll along the Thames. There are lots of little restaurants and shops there, as well as Shakespeare’s Globe Theater (21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. (0)20 7902 1400) and the Millennium Bridge.
10. Selfridges Food Hall. Totally amazing. Actually Selfridges department store is amazing. It puts every department store in the US to shame. Fortnum & Mason and Harrods also have amazing food halls but my favorite is still Selfridges. 400 Oxford Street, London. W1A 1AB. 0800 123 400.
Do you have a favorite spot in London? What’s your London 10?
Jim Datz’s London
Months ago, I spotted this London poster by Brooklyn artist Jim Datz online and fell in love. Who can resist the retro illustrations on this very different London map? So charming! Jim lived in London five years ago as freelance art director for Urban Outfitters Europe so he’s very Britrish. The poster is currently at the top of my Most Wanted list.
BRITRISH.COM 