Fortnum & Mason Christmas

London’s Wonderful Christmas Lights and Trees

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

Best view in London is from the Shard!

I’ve been watching the Shard grow from a hole in the ground to an amazing finished building which catches the eye where ever you are in central London.

This week I finally got round to going up it and it certainly lived up to all the hype I’d heard since its opening in February.  I awoke on Monday nervously looking at the sky as I really wanted a fine day. Western Europe’s tallest building can be hidden in or even above the clouds as I’d seen during the Jubilee river parade –  that famous day of dreadful weather when the top of the Shard disappeared into the clouds! However, it turned out to be a fine morning and I reckon having been there that a visit would be fun even in poorer weather. Continue reading

Trips and tours

I’m a bit late posting this week’s blog due to a short trip to Cornwall which was great. We stayed in a lovely boutique hotel in Fowey (pronounced Foy just to confuse) where they were starting their regatta week so bunting everywhere. Coves, harbours, 2 cream teas and a visit to the Eden Centre all added up to a great little break tho’ the sun was clearly not venturing out of London for us.

Last week was focused on a business day with 2 Chinese visitors on an It’s Your London tour on Friday. They went for the fully accompanied version and we had a fun day (have a look at http://itsyourlondon.co.uk/ to see more about the tours). They wanted a full big sights tour so, with the help of our taxi driver, we managed to fit in: Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey (inside too), Downing Street, Changing of the Guard at Horse Guards Parade, Buckingham Palace (inside tour and lunch), Tower of London (inside too) and a drive around the City past St Paul’s and we nipped into the Olde Cheshire Cheese for a quick half before finishing with Trafalgar Square. Action packed but not too rushed either. They were lovely people and hopefully my explanation of Henry 8th didn’t confuse them too much – all those wives! The sun shone thankfully and the crowds weren’t too bad for mid August so I’m looking forward to the next visit.

One other outing worth a mention this week. We went to the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road which is always a delight with its huge seats, foot rests, bar in the cinema and more space around the seat then your own home. It’s what all movie going should be. Before the film, a return visit to El Pirata de Tapas on Westbourne Grove to have another tasty meal before strolling round to the cinema. That’s the beauty of Notting Hill – loads of good stuff all close by.

Bye for now. Am off to Edinburgh for the Fringe to catch some comedy and theatre. It’s all go…..

Sue