If you’re interested in London’s history, go right to the source. At the Museum of London, you can witness the city’s development from, oh, 450 million years ago to the present. You can take in the Roman era, then Saxon, medieval and Tudor periods. I particularly like the extensive Great Fire display and the 1960’s […]
Moti Mahal
Moti Mahal is currently the top Indian restaurant in London for good reason: the traditional-style food is so good you will want to eat there every night. This restaurant opened in 2005 and is the offspring of the Delhi restaurant of the same name. The original restaurant, which opened in 1959, was the first to […]
Buckingham Palace
Since 1837, Buckingham Palace has been the official royal residence. It was originally built in 1705 for the Duke of Buckingham. The royal family moved in when their residence, St. James’s Palace, was deemed insufficiently impressive. Buckingham Palace remains a main tourist attraction. Unless you plan on going inside for a very limited tour that […]
The National Gallery
The name says it all. This is one of the largest, most comprehensive collections of European paintings in the world. All major traditions are represented. The color-coded layout is as good as a GPS as you wind your way through the crowded galleries to view works by artists such as Van Eyck, Holbein, Titian, Botticelli, […]
Tate Britain
Younger, shinier Tate Modern gets all the attention, but Tate Britain remains my favorite museum in London because of the Turner-filled Clore Gallery. When JMW Turner died, he bequeathed his works to the nation. The Tate was the largest beneficiary; the haul was 300 oil paintings and 30,000 sketches and watercolors. The current exhibition, “Romantics”, […]
Victoria & Albert Museum
This museum is a perfect destination for a group whose members have divergent tastes since there’s a bit of everything – sculptures, paintings, jewelry, photographs, artifacts, manuscripts, etc. The enormous collection is devoted to the applied arts of all disciplines through all periods and corners of the globe. A healthy sampling of every sort of […]
FishWorks
We were browsing in Marylebone, starving and craving fish and chips, when FishWorks called out to us like a beacon. It was exactly what we were seeking – delicious, fresh seafood, a glass of crisp wine and comfortable seats upon which to rest our weary bodies. FishWorks sources its fish locally from suppliers who practice […]
Afternoon Tea: the Original Snack Time
Afternoon tea has gone the way of social calling cards and is no longer a fixture in British society. That’s too bad, since relaxing with hot tea and a small meal, usually consisting of finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and other accoutrements and pastries, is so much better than snacking on a bag of […]
National Portrait Gallery
View striking portraits of all notable Brits here, from Mary, Queen of Scots to Victoria Beckham. This museum is a fascinating walk through British history, and you’ll certainly pick up many tidbits that were not covered in your history books. Start at the top in The Tudor Gallery and work your way down to the […]
Cozy British Pubs
At every turn in London, there is a welcoming pub. The traditional ones do not play music or have televisions and are set up like living rooms, complete with comfortable seating, lamps and a newspaper selection. Whole families, neighbors and passers-by of all ages stop in throughout the day. Here, socializing and relaxing is the […]
