Posts Tagged ‘Hampstead’

GLP #11: Ten top London walks and scenery and stuff…

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Last week we walked, skipped, fell over and crawled around London in a bid to uncover the capital’s best scenic walks. Have a gander and select your setting – here’s where we got to. We recommend you pack a good set of alpaca wool socks – like walking on fluffy clouds of joy. Anyway:


West:

Richmond Park, Richmond

Deer, garden cafés (Pembroke Lodge and Gardens) and a ridiculously amazing view (King Henry VIII mound) can all be found at Richmond Park. Especially check out the Isabella plantations – we’re told the azaleas and rhododendrons are sensational. We suggest setting out a day and seeing all of it, with a few drinks on the river to finish off.

Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew

A proper visual treat, and if it’s one of those places you always intend to go to but don’t. Do. The Chinese Pagoda, Treetop Walkway, stunning flowers – it’s a right scene.


South:

Southbank walk, Waterloo

London at its best. Tip: If ever you have a friend coming to London who wants to see the sights, take them on this route. Start off at the London Eye and walk east along the river bank to Oxo Tower – quick drink and a view, on to Tate Modern, then Globe Theatre. Head over the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s or, if your legs are in good shape by the time you arrive, keep going past HMS Belfast onto Tower Bridge. This shot’s from the North Bank, but you get the picture:

Deptford Arts & Pirate Walk, Deptford
http://www.timeout.com/media/pdf/deptford.pdf

This walk is great fun. Lots of industrial style art houses and piratey-like locations. It sounds odd, and it is. But then again, that’s why we’ve chosen it. Big ups to Timeout for showing us the way.


North:

Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill

Part of the ‘Better Haringey’ wider walking trail, Ally Pally is just brilliant. Stunning building itself, originally built to host entertainment and ‘information’ sessions for up to 12,000 people, which includes the biggest Willis organ in Europe, and there are 200 acres of untouched parkland and an epic view over the city. Make your way down to Muswell Hill and finish at Toff’s for some fish & chips.


Hampstead Heath Ponds, Hampstead

Weather permitting, the natural ponds in Hampstead Heath are a relaxing, if pretty Baltic, way of soaking up beautiful scenes whilst, well, bathing. It’s also a hotspot for kite flying. All adds to the charm. Once you’re done, pop along to Kenwood House and have a nibble at Brew House.


East:


First Thursday Art Exhibition, Shoreditch

Every first Thursday of the month the art galleries of east London open their doors and exhibit the latest installment of east London grit art. Free booze. Hot spots like Redchurch Street are littered with art buffs and novices until close to midnight; it’s like a monthly arty street party. Did we mention free booze. Absolute dating winner.

Brick Lane on a Sunday, Bethnal Green

Brick Lane is mayhem on a Sunday. But with a bit of mental preparation you’re bound to love it – it’s like everyone’s in Miami camp fancy dress, literally no holds barred. Make sure to visit the various indoor markets and quirky cafés off Brick Lane as you amble through. That’s where the charm really comes from.

Central:

London Aquarium, South Bank (in County Hall)

Sharks, jellyfish and fish you never knew existed. Not the most obvious walk, but a real winner. Nip over to Namco Station after for a smash up on the dodgems.


The free bus tour, Start at Liverpool Street.

We came across these guys – for some reason it’s far more fun doing a London tourist bus route when it’s done on the cheap. This site has a planned route consisting of the 11,9,28 and 15 bus routes. By the end of it all you will have covered most of the capital (and most topics of conversation…)

That’s all for this week. Follow us for more ideas at http://twitter.com/glpLondon

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Posted in Scenic Walks |

GLP #10: Grande news: rendezvous at London’s Great Little Cafés…

Friday, April 30th, 2010

You will find no Starbucks cawfee here. These are the best coffee and teahouses off the high street menu, freshly ground from your finest recommendations. Perfect for an espresso date or some delightful conversation. For as the great man himself, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, once said, coffee is ‘Hot as hell, Pure as an angel, Sweet as love’. Oh Charles, how you cut to the very core of me.

Our top ten gems rule still applies. We take no prisoners. So these really are the crème de la crème, filtered especially for you. If you’ve got some more you’d love to share, the floor is yours.

Central:

1. Bea’s of Bloomsbury, Chancery Lane, WC1X 8NW

A veritable afternoon tea boudoir. Perfect for a laydee. They’ve got more goodies than you can shake a cupcake at. How does ‘Triple Chocolate Cake’ sound? Thought so. Just too easy. Book ahead for Sunday afternoon tea.

2. Postcard Teas, Bond Street, W1S 1AG

The perfect blend of provenance and petite charm. Rare teas from around the world are here to be tried and tasted. The Telegraph have said it’s the best tea in town. We can second that.

3. Maison Bertaux, Soho, W1D 5DQ

 

‘Ello ‘ello. Listen very carefully, for we will say this only once. Maison Bertaux is Soho’s piece-de-resistance. An oasis of retro charm and out-dated décor. If their cakes and pastries could talk, they’d say ‘Voulez-vous manger avec moi’. Damn it, we love it when a French cake talks sexy.

4. Flat White, Soho, W1F 0PT

Small, cosy coffee house for the real coffee geek.

East:

 

5. Candid Café, Angel, EC1V 1NQ

 

Well we did say we’d treat you didn’t we? This is the perfect sanctuary to relax and unwind. F.A.C.T. Plus, the Candid Courtyard is open during the summer months. Another heavenly oasis. Killing two birds with one bean.

6. Taste of Bitter Love, Bethnal Green, E2 7SJ

This is so good, it’s illegal in 34 states of America. Good job it’s based in London then. But remember, love isn’t safe. It’s a heart eat heart world out there. Luckily this place will leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth. Scout’s honour.

North:

7. Ginger and White, Hampstead, NW3 1QS

I’m no mathematician but I do know that fabulous food plus fabulous coffee = Ginger and White.

8. Tina, we salute you, Dalston, N1 4NH

Oh Tina, you and your self-congratulatory coffee name, you clever bean. Good job you’ve got the coffee from Square Mile Coffee to back yourself. Because we do too.

South:

9. The Deptford Project, New Cross

Where do we start? This is for the visionaries amongst you. Coffee shop stroke 57 seater converted carriage. We’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

 

Oh go on then, somewhere secret at number 10:

 

10. Hidden Tea Room, err hidden

 

Clandestine afternoon tea anyone? Not for the faint hearted. Hidden Tea Room is a private underground London restaurant that hosts Traditional Champagne Afternoon Teas. Where is it I hear you ask? That’s classified. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. This webpage will self-destruct in 5 seconds…

And as if we hadn’t given you enough fun for one day, here are some musings about coffee from Dana G, the editor of MIEN magazine, your online guide to etiquette + culture + style. Until next week lovely folk, Team GLP. But if you miss us, you can always follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/glpLondon

Coffee talk

A short etiquette musing for I know this great little place

Ah coffee, how we love thee. When brewed correctly, you emanate such sweet perfumes and provide that perfect little pick-me-up.

Truth be told, in this modern age, many people turn to coffee not for relaxation or post-meal treat but more for that routine on-the-run or first thing in the morning wake-up remedy.

Tsk tsk, your little “cup of joe” offers so much more and is far more enjoyable when sipped from a lovely piece of crockery rather than an impersonal styrofoam cup…and even better à deux.

Meeting someone who could potentially be the apple of your eye for coffee is the perfect alternative to going to the pub, and so often provides a cosier – if not more civilised – nook for your sweet little tête-à-tête. Be it on a date, with a friend or colleague it’s ideal way to catch up for a chat and gossip (precisely why Germans coined the wonderful expression of kaffee klatsch). Another cuppa? Well that’s the beauty, your coffee “date” can be as short or long as time, mood and – dare it be mentioned – that little spark allow. And with the luxury of time, pairing a cup of coffee (like a lovely glass of wine) with a dessert can make the java rendez-vous a more intimate experience.

Even though it’s “just coffee”, a gentleman should always make sure his date gets home safely. If all goes well, he may receive an extended invitation for yet another cup (which of course has a double meaning. Meow). Ah, now this is where the date can get interesting, and could be the perfect turning point for that little coffee encounter.

By Dana Gornitzki, Editor of MIEN Magazine

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Posted in Coffee and Tea Shops |

GLP #9: London’s Great Little Museums…

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

London is old. With age comes wisdom, wrinkles and museums. Or musea, or whatever it is. London has some of the world’s biggest and best, but also some of the smaller, more out of the ordinary collections. Here’s our pick of the finest:

Central:

1. Sir John Soane’s Museum, Holborn, WC2A 3BP

A huge favourite of GLP’s, you won’t forget your first visit. An eclectic, in places eccentric, but absolutely excellent townhouse on Lincoln’s Inn Fields, left as the former architect and all round winner Soane left it. Be sure to get the guide of the Hogarths, as they tell a fascinating political story, and look for the ceiling on which the iconic British red telephone box is based. Clue below.

2. Pollock’s Toy Museum, Fitzrovia, W1T 2HN

Pollock’s Toy Museum occupies two houses joined together in the heart of Fitzrovia, one 18th century, one 19th. A museum devoted to toys can’t go far wrong, and it doesn’t. The rooms are small and connected by narrow winding staircases, with the whole place exuding character and atmosphere. Literally every corner is filled with little visual delights, bringing back childhood memories of a time before the internet went and ruined everything.

West:

3. Leighton House Museum, Holland Park, W14 8LZ

Newly re-opened after extensive restoration, Leighton House Museum is a really remarkable 19th century house. It was the former home and studio of the Victorian artist Lord Leighton; every inch the chap. Over time it was extended and embellished to become a private palace of art. Inspiration floods in from the Orient and Arabia – you won’t see another place like it.

4. Apsley House, Knightsbridge, W1J 7NT

Otherwise known as Number One London, this is the former London home of the Duke of Wellington. The Waterloo gallery is a spectacular collection of masterpieces, with more paint and gold going on than B&Q and Elizabeth Duke put together.

East:

5. Geffrye Museum, Shoreditch, E2 8EA

Once the centre of the world’s furniture industry, Shoreditch now hosts the Geffyre Museum, showcasing the quintessential style of English middle-class living rooms from 1600 to the present day through a series of period rooms. One of London’s most friendly and charming museums.

6. Museum of Methodism & Wesley’s Chapel, Old Street, EC1Y 1AU

Methodism may not be the first topic you’d seek out the full range of historical artifacts for, but this place is worth a visit just for the building. A neat Georgian affair, it has a gorgeous little courtyard, and the working chapel holds its exhibits down in the crypt. Romantic, no?

North:

7. London Canal Museum, Kings Cross, N1 9RT

A canal museum isn’t the first place you’d think of to find out about the history of ice cream, but at the London Canal Museum that’s what you’ll get – flake and all. In what was once an ice warehouse used by Carlo Gatti for his famous ice cream, alongside the collection featuring the history of the waterways that helped build Britain and the people who worked on them, you’ll find an exhibition on the stuff that is anything but vanilla. Sorry.

8. Freud Museum, Hampstead, NW3 5SX

A beautiful Hampstead house, the inside of which might suggest that the big man Sigmund had a similar level of neuroses to many of his clients. Not only is it left exactly as he left it, but it’s also exactly like the place he fled in Austria in 1938, as he had noted the position of everything in his home so he could recreate it in London. Obviously. Includes the original couch.


South:

9. Old Operating Theatre Museum, Southwark, SE1 9RY

Once the home of grizzly operations of St Thomas’ Hospital, this is Britain’s oldest operating theatre. Think of a time before anaesthetic, biting the bullet and all; well you’ll see all the relevant old surgical instruments here. Shudder. It’s up in the roof of a beautiful English Baroque church, complete with wooden spectator galleries. This is the place to thank God for morphine.

10. London Sewing Machine Museum, Tooting, SW17 7AA

What? You heard us. Only in London. And the only place you’ll see the first ever Singer machine.

That’s all for this week. Follow us for more little winners at http://twitter.com/glpLondon

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Posted in Museums, Newsletters |

GLP #3. Lights, Camera, Action. The best cinemas in London…

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Maybe it’s just the time of year. Oscar season is in full swing. Baftas are a dime a dozen. But we’ve noticed over the last week there has been a lot of appetite for some old school cinema. Something intimate. Something special; a celluloid time capsule that even Michael J Fox would be proud of. The kind of place which makes you fall back in love with cinema in the same way Renée fell for Tom when he had her at ‘hello’. If only it were that easy… So we thought we’d theme this week around the best that film can offer. Here is a list of the most interesting, cosy cinema spaces London town has up its sleeve. In no particular order, the Oscar goes to…

1. Everyman Cinema – Hampstead (or Belsize Park if that’s closer because, as Adam Davison said, ‘Everyman Belsize is a luxury transatlantic cruise ship to Hampstead’s cosy steamer’. Adam you travel in style). The word luxury cinema doesn’t even do the Everyman Hampstead justice. This is the Tom Ford of the cinema world. There are two screening rooms, which seat 142 and 72. The smaller one is almost entirely sofas – perfect for snuggle time in a back-row-at-fourteen-years-old kind of way. Order champagne. Order beer. Order chocolate truffles if you’re a little bit fancy.

Thanks for the tipoff: Adam Davison

2. Shortwave cinema – Bermondsey
Art house meets independent movies at Shortwave cinema. Their screen has a capacity of 52 (so properly intimate) and the café/bar serves up all the alcohol, soft drinks, coffee and snacks you need to keep you on the edge of your seat.


Thanks for the tipoff: Ashish Patel.

3. The Phoenix Cinema – East Finchley
If an old cinema is your bag, try this one. Set up in 1910, it doesn’t get much older. Under its modern skin, lies an historic auditorium with unique Edwardian and art deco features. It’s even been listed Grade II, so you know it’s good.

Thanks for the tipoff: Louise Stapley.

4. The Electric – Notting Hill
Cinema sleepers beware: if you have a tendency to nod off, this place will only make your condition worse. Plush leather armchairs, sofas for couples and comfy footstools are the order of the day.

Thanks for the tipoff: Anton Bell.

5. The Garrison – London Bridge
Not a cinema. But, beneath this quaint gastropub, you’ll find your own little screening room for you and Mr/Mrs. Special. Your evening is down to you and your excellent choice in film. So choose wisely.


Thanks for the tipoff: Tassanie Johnston.

6. Lexi Cinema – Kensal Rise
Cosy 80-seater venue in North-West London. It’s the city’s first “social enterprise” art house cinema, where all profits go to charity. So you can be entertained and feel good at the same time. There tend to be chic parties going on around that area so keep your ears to the ground if you fancy venturing off into the night post-flic.


Thanks for the tip off: Leloly Lukki.

Plus here are four recommendations from our GLP back pocket:

7. One Aldwych Hotel – Covent Garden
This little number got quite a lot of attention on our wall/twitter. If you really want to impress your special someone, take them here to ‘Moet on the menu’ at the weekend. Champagne + Three Course Meal + Movie = Gold Dust.

8. Soho Hotel - Soho
There’s a small sumptuous screening room that snuggly fits 45 (i.e. 22 couples and 1 gooseberry I’m afraid) downstairs at the Soho Hotel. The cow skin seats are a sight to be seen.
Their Film Club takes place every Sunday, and includes a Champagne Afternoon Tea or a three course lunch or dinner, and the movie (which starts at 3.30pm). The damage: £35.00 per special someone.

9. The Exhibit - Balham
This little gem is a filmic concoction of cinema, restaurant and bar. The cinema room seats 56 on leather sofas for two. What more could you want?

10. It was going to be the Rex Cinema – Westminster, but it’s closed down. Boo. Thanks to Jas and Anne for pointing that out. So instead, by popular demand, it’s… Screen on the Green in Islington. Go go go!

There are plenty more great little cinemas. But we have a strict top 10 door policy I’m afraid. One in one out. Follow us on twitter for more… http://twitter.com/glpLondon.

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Posted in Cinemas, Newsletters |