Tag: Covent Garden

Churchill Arms at Christmas

More London Christmas lights

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Have you soon my last post on London’s Christmas lights? Check it out here.  There are so many great lights cheering us up that I thought a second post was called for.

My favourite is the Tate Britain, not the most obvious place to look for festive lights but they do have some previous successes in the form of festive slugs a few years ago!  This year’s display is a brilliant use of lights and packs in so many ideas.  The building looks great day and night and is really popular with people travelling just to see it – if they can while we are under the current regulations.

The display by Chila Kumani Singh Burman called Remembering a Brave New World  celebrates a range of cultures in swirling colour and neon light and is a message of hope at this difficult time. Can you spot the Hindu mythology, Bollywood imagery as well as British traditions?  This is a Diwali celebration, the festival of light and its message fits well with Christmas.   I loved the tiger and the ice cream van!

Tate Britain Tate Britain

Tate Britain Xmas Tate Britain Xmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Pancras station always brings us a dramatic and elegant tree and this year is no exception.  This pink beauty from EL&N is made up of thousands of ribbons with messages of hope from  NHS and key workers.  In the background you can see Tracey Emin’s ‘I want my time with you’ in purple neon.

Christmas tree in St Pancras

The Churchill Arms on Kensington Church Street is a riot of lights and they must take the prize for the most festive pub in London.  Sadly closed at the moment but still giving us joy.

Some lights manage to be impressive in daylight (see the Tate Britain above) and these reindeer, fox, bird combination by the Thames does just that.  In a great position with Tower Bridge in the background, they brightened a dull day in London.

Mayfair put up its usual elegant and dramatic crowns.

Xmas in Mayfair

Covent Garden’s mistletoe and disco baubles cheered up a visit during lockdown where everything was shut but the lights gave us hope that things would get better.

Xmas in Covent Garden

Hamley’s famous and huge toy store went all Harry Potter on us with this traditional Christmas window.

Christmas lights in London

I’ve saved the best for last.  In a side street near RIchmond park this nativity was made with such love and thanks to all the NHS and care workers .  Congratulations to this family for this great celebration of the Christmas spirit!

Nativity

I send festive wishes to you all and all the very best for 2021.

Sue

Lockdown London

Photos from lockdown London

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As we begin to emerge from lockdown in London, it seemed a good time to reflect on what it was like over the last 3 months, while really hoping lockdown does not have to return.   During lockdown I’ve been volunteering at the Unity Kitchen in Victoria preparing meal to go out to those in real need. As well as being a good thing to do, this has meant I’ve been travelling to the heart of Westminster and experienced a very different London from the normal hustle and bustle.

Here are my photos showing the strangeness of these times when central London had no visitors and no office workers, when hotels and restaurants were shut, when theatres and cinemas went dark and the streets were empty.  Plenty of signs were erected to remind us of the rules.

Lockdown London rules

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Selfridges Christmas

Christmas lights in London

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Christmas is one of my favourite times of year in London, the buzz, the festive events, the mulled wine and carols, but mainly because of the Christmas lights. London is lit up so beautifully that even those of us who have seen many many Christmases are still enchanted by the sights. Each area has its own style from classic to wacky, with Carnaby Street winning the prize for the latter!  Take a stroll with me to enjoy the lights from the warmth of your own home.

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The Barbary

Getting a seat at The Barbary at last

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I’m not a fan of the no booking fad that restaurants in London are so keen on.  I’m not a fan of queuing nor of wandering around to find a restaurant that has a table. But The Barbary in Covent Garden has been on my list of ‘must visit’ restaurants for a while now so when I was in the area early one evening for a play at the nearby Donmar Warehouse, I  thought I’d give it a try and hurrah there was space at the bar for 2! Top tip is to arrive at 5.15pm and to do so before Time Out makes it their number one restaurant in London as I fear it will be even more busy now!

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Fortnum & Mason Christmas

London’s Wonderful Christmas Lights and Trees

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London looks brilliant any time of the year but in the build-up to Christmas London dresses up in its very best festive lights and trees pop up all over the city.

I’d love to show you a few of the fabulous sights to enjoy right now in London.   Covent Garden is a good place to start as they have the best tree, in my view, and fabulous lights. This year’s theme is mistletoe – ahhh.  You can shop for gifts and enjoy some refreshment as you explore. Continue reading →

New favourite London tapas bar: Duende

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Seven friends enter a tapas bar, they stare at the menu and ponder the big question: how to chose, how many dishes each, who wants which dish, do we all like the same things? We don’t have all day to make these big decisions. Then it came to us, there was an easy answer – order one of every dish on the menu! Except no one likes oysters so we drop those 3 choices and wait in anticipation for everything else to arrive.
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Christmas lights in London 2015

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It’s that time of year again when London comes to life with festive lights in all the major shopping areas. I’ve been out and about checking them out for you and my view on 2015 is that some new ones are great, some areas have kept with old favourites which is no bad thing  but some of the major shops have not made much effort this year and one major street is just not up to our high standards.
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