Photo Courtesy of Rules
On my last trip to London we tried out another London classic: Rules. Established in 1798, Rules is London’s oldest and most eminent restaurant. Its famous diners include Thackeray, Dickens, H. G Wells, Lord Olivier, Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin and it’s appeared in the works of Evelyn Waugh, John le [...]

Photo Courtesy of The Wolseley
If you have a little more time and feel like some old school cool in the West End go to The Wolseley. Very English. Very chic. Very establishment. Its gilded, marbled splendour a perfect back-drop to its wonderful menu. It’s a favourite at any time of day or night but [...]

It is a well-known fact that the British love tea. Point in-fact America rebelled against us by throwing crates of tea into Boston Harbour in 1773. So you could say, tea is our pride and joy. It stands to reason then that ‘Afternoon Tea’ is the thing to do when visiting London.
There are hundreds of [...]

My favourite place for a quick lunch in the West End is Rose Bakery on the top floor of Dover Street Market. Tiny and squished-in, the food’s sensational with the focus being on little meals and petite indulgences. The effortlessly cool and comfortable vibe makes it’s a super easy and always reliable stop. [...]

Queen Elizabeth I (’The Ditchley portrait’) by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger Courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery
There are far too many great sights to do justice to in a short time but as far as galleries go my absolute favourites in London are The National Portrait Gallery and The National Gallery, both on Trafalgar [...]

Photos by Peter Hunt
A curled-up koala, a micro monkey with its hands up, a Victorian sweet jar filled near to the brim with preserved moles, their splayed paws and elongated noses seeming to press against the glass semaphoring “Let us out of here!” - the cabinets of curiosity at The Grant Museum, in London’s Bloomsbury [...]

Photo Courtesy of Selfridges
Commemorative cups, plaques, and dishes are so blasé. Why not spruce up your celebration of Will-n-Kate’s Royal Wedding by serving jelly in the shape of Buckingham Palace, made in a Bompas & Parr jelly mold? (12.95 GBP from Selfridges). Nothing could be more regally traditional than jelly. Need proof? Henry [...]

I like to tell people I have a green thumb. My father comes from a long line of farmers, and although I’m not exactly handy with a cattle brand I can, if pushed, drive a tractor. London is brilliant at maintaining its green spaces - you’re never too far away from a park [...]

Photos by Peter Hunt
The current it-girl in London? Esther. That’s the name of the marvelous painting by John Everett Millais (1829-96) which is attracting fashionable attention as the star piece in the V&A Museum’s outstanding Cult of Beauty exhibition.
You will note the word “outstanding.” We do not usually gush. We do now. The V&A has [...]