London offers an array of possibilities to the travelling executive who has from a few hours to a few days to spare. Many are well known and others require a good deal of venturing in the corners of this marvellous city. Here are a few tips of what you can do and that most will never know about depending in which area you are.
For a good start the morning breakfast at the Ritz has justifiably become a London institution and if you want open your day on a very good foot then do not shy a minute to try it. Alternatively on the way to the Ritz from Piccadilly (same sidewalk) you will pass the red façade of Richoux. Breakfast and 5’o’clok tea is equally delicious in this restaurant founded in 1909, but I would recommend having lunch as the menu is full of different dishes. Expect queues at rush hours but the advantage of Richoux is that three other restaurants are now present in Mayfair, Knighstbridge and St. John’s Wood (http://www.richoux.co.uk/).
Thereafter, as this article will appear the famous London Art Fair will have just closed, but if you are an art aficionado do not miss the Affordable Art Fair which will take from March 15 to 18th in Battersea Park. As the organiser put it ‘: a relaxed, fun, inspiring environment and a diverse range of quality contemporary art’ (http://www.affordableartfair.com/portal/home).
Now if you are in London earlier and want an art experience of an unprecedented kind aim to see the basement and why not other parts of Sir Joan Soane’s 19th century house and now museum in Lincoln’s Fields – this should do it (entry is incidentally free; http://www.soane.org/). At the other East End of London, there is also much art in the increasingly popular covered Spitalfields market (http://www.spitalfields.co.uk). The secret here is to get out of the covered area and go all around it in the popular back streets where other bargain art and clothes opportunities may be found along some very nice pubs. If you are still after art and markets, then head far north towards the wild life of Camden and its world famous market. The renovated covered stables are worth loosing oneself, not only for the original art crafts, but also to try the variety of international foods offered either on the spot for nothing. Or at the other price end try the unusual and very scenic Shaka Zulu restaurant and night club (http://www.shaka-zulu.com/) where you will dine under towering statues of the famous Zulu ruler. If you are in there you may want to push all the way to Hampstead, about 20-30’ drive away. From there cross Hamstead Heath after admiring the wild fowl on the lakes and walk or drive all the way to the Spaniards Inn (http://www.thespaniardshampstead.co.uk/) – there is incidentally a free parking. The place is not run by Spaniards but by Frenchmen. The food is delicious (book a table during week end) and the beer superior. The Inn is in fact in the list of the British pubs with good beer and it does make, like for the organic Twining teas, a very very marking difference. To find the latter return to the Strand in central London. At No. 216 is squeezed the little tea shop of the Twinings Company. The shop is worth visiting for three reasons first there are memorabilia of the Twining family making it some sort of little museum. Second all the way at the end of the shop is a self-service kitchen where the tea aficionado can try for free as may teas as are available from the brand. In effect a considerable number. Third no one in his right mind will depart the shop without buying for a couple of pounds more the ‘organic’ Earl Grey. Since we are set on food, at No. 21 Picadilly is the French Meridien Hotel. At the top of the hotel is a marvellous covered terrace restaurant which dominates London and has top notch French food. Whereas of course hidden in a passage way between Picadilly Place and Regent’s street (99-101) is what has been long held as the best Indian restaurant in London: Veeraswamy.
Now with shopping. Once you have finished eating and if you have time you can go to the elegant Burlington arcade, 5’ away. As the arcade is split by Picadilly Place, take the southern one and reach Jermyn Street. Jermyn street has any Londoner will tell you is the Mecca of handmade shirts. For a price which may range from the reasonable to the outrageous you will have your shirt fit to your size by some of the best British shirt makers.
The feeling of a fitted shirt with double twisted cotton threads is unparalleled. Unparalleled is also the comfort of woollen flannel suits. They are more and more difficult to find particularly at a reasonable price but do not make the mistake to snob Marks & Spencer like the one on Oxford Street. You will be very surprised of the quality of the British tailored sartorial suits which you will pay elsewhere two or more times the price for exactly the same.
If you are in Oxford Street than the ladies with elegance and who do not break their bank account will want to visit Miss Selfridge at 216 Oxford Street (Marks & Spencer is at No. 173). Not so far from Miss Selfridge (at No. 400) is Selfridge proper. Usually far less crowded than Harrods’s and in my opinion now far more stylish, this institution has about anything one can wish. Whereas the perfume floor rivals with Printemps or the Galerie Lafayette in Paris and de facto all French brands, among others, are there.
Food and shopping done, from Oxford Street there is a marvellous afternoon walk to do particularly if you have children with you. Take Portland Place from Oxford Street and reach Park Crescent. Cross Marylebone Road and reach the Outer Circle of Regent’s Park. Take the York Bridge and as you cross take the alley immediately on your right which follows the water canal. Do not forget to bring some nuts as the squirrels will not only rally around you but if you are still will climb on you to get the dried fruits. Regents’s park is in fact a jewel among gardens and you are not alone a very romantic place particularly in winter when the snow has fallen or in March when the cherry trees blossom.
Returning you may wish a time out. If you are in London for long and want to socialize you may want to join the Royal Commonwealth Society (http://www.thercs.org) which aims to promote international understanding. The club is open to all and the substantial initial 500 pounds fee (including L 300 entrance fee) goes in part to charities and/or is tax deductible. The club has a stylish lounge, a restaurant with one of the largest selection of whiskies in London, conference rooms, etc… and organises events in series where high quality guests speak. Asia House (http://www.asiahouse.org/net/membership.aspx) is another possibility for a multitude of artistic events centred on Asia. Membership is ten times cheaper and one of the attractive side to be a ‘friend’ is a large discount (35-50%) on various good Asian restaurants. Theatres are many in London, but one hidden one is worth keeping an eye on is the Donmar Warehouse somewhat hidden in a back street of WC2 (http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/p30.html) not far from Covent Garden. In 2010 Sir Derek Jacobi triumphed there in Shakespeare’s King Lear and until the 4th of February 2012 Shakespeare’s Richard II is on, but this is only one of the several other plays with handpicked casts programed this season. [Note that many websites offer up to 50% discounts on London theatre tickets (http://www.discountheatre.com, http://www.uktheatretickets.co.uk, etc…).].
And of course if you want to spend an exceptional jazz night, Ronnie Scott’s (http://www.ronniesscotts.co.uk) in Soho remains one of the very top jazz place in the planet. Book in advance as sold out performances are constant.
Ed Navatrav