London

[skipperj 377]

On 2/27/2023 at 9:37 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Back in London for work from the 26th of March to the 31st of March (then to Antwerp for the weekend) then back the 3rd to 7th of April.  

imagine I will be working a TON, so not a lot of free time.  But, going to try and do a couple of things while in town.  

I’ll be there on the 30th. We should hook up.

[skipperj 377]

3rd or 4th works too. Don’t leave until the 5th

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by skipperj

[CooterBrown 18006]

I’ll be there on the 30th. We should hook up.

[DougHdTx1968 37]

17 minutes ago, skipperj said:

I’ll be there on the 30th. We should hook up.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

On 3/14/2023 at 7:22 PM, skipperj said:

I’ll be there on the 30th. We should hook up.

[DougHdTx1968 37]

have you ever been peed on

[rage-a-holic 4382]

Fucking limey shitheads decided to close Buckingham Palace today. Looks like The Coronation Part 2; most of the Mall closed off and barricades everywhere.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Might be filming.

[rage-a-holic 4382]

Handy tip at Heathrow passport control: If you have a mixed passport situation (i.e., one from a country the UK likes and one from a country with brown people), you are allowed to go ask one of the facilitators if you can stand in the (empty) Family Line. We learned this after 2 hours in the India/Mexico/China/Russia line.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Have been in London since Sunday for work.  Headed back to NY Monday night.  
 

Since arrival:

Chanel and Diva exhibit at the V&A

Singapore race with all you can drink champagne at the F1 Arcade

Pret-a-Portea at the Berkeley

Dinners at La Poule au Pot, Bubala (Soho), Fallow, Santini, Sumi, Bob Bob Ricard, and Bouchon Racine.

Lunches at Where the Pancakes Are, Chez Antoinette, Gymkhana, and Golden Union.

Drinks in the St James bar (in the Sofitel in St. James) and various pubs all over the city.  
 

I am spending tomorrow in Notting Hill before seeing Dawn French at the Palladium. 
 

I am exhausted!

 

 

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

Going in 7 weeks for the first time since 2018. Staying at the Stafford. Have tickets for The Wotches at National Theater and Cold War, dinner reservations at Gymkhana, Fallow and Brat, Kee Gardens Christmas reservations and carols at St Michael’s in the Fields. 
 

We have done basically every touristy thing so the days will be shopping at Liberty and Fortnum and Mason, walking the Royal mile and wandering pub to pub. And our 6th visit to the Tower. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

8 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

Going in 7 weeks for the first time since 2018. Staying at the Stafford. Have tickets for The Wotches at National Theater and Cold War, dinner reservations at Gymkhana, Fallow and Brat, Kee Gardens Christmas reservations and carols at St Michael’s in the Fields. 
 

We have done basically every touristy thing so the days will be shopping at Liberty and Fortnum and Mason, walking the Royal mile and wandering pub to pub. And our 6th visit to the Tower. 

Be prepared for insane crowds at Liberty and Fortnum and Mason.  I was in Liberty a few weekends ago and very quickly left.  The boutiques in Mayfair are much more my speed now.  

I can tell you you will really enjoy Gymkhana, Fallow, and Brat.  I have been to all of them (the first two on my last trip, and Brat back in 2022.  

I am headed back the week of the 18th of December.  I have a reservation at Kol for Wednesday night.  Looking to book Monday and Friday night, but keeping Tuesday and Wedneday more open due to maybe needing to take folks out for work.  

My list of places I want to try includes Chishuru (they reopened in Fitzrovia), Good Front Room (At the Langham), Anything in the Raffles at the OWO complex (lots of amazing looking restaurants like Paper Moon London, Cafe Laperouse, etc...), and a lot of places on this Time Out List (https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/best-restaurants-in-london).  

Also, heard that Pacific Overtures at the Menier Chocolate Factory might be worth a watch, so thinking about that for Friday night as well.  

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Be prepared for insane crowds at Liberty and Fortnum and Mason.  I was in Liberty a few weekends ago and very quickly left.  The boutiques in Mayfair are much more my speed now.  

I can tell you you will really enjoy Gymkhana, Fallow, and Brat.  I have been to all of them (the first two on my last trip, and Brat back in 2022.  

I am headed back the week of the 18th of December.  I have a reservation at Kol for Wednesday night.  Looking to book Monday and Friday night, but keeping Tuesday and Wedneday more open due to maybe needing to take folks out for work.  

My list of places I want to try includes Chishuru (they reopened in Fitzrovia), Good Front Room (At the Langham), Anything in the Raffles at the OWO complex (lots of amazing looking restaurants like Paper Moon London, Cafe Laperouse, etc...), and a lot of places on this Time Out List (https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/best-restaurants-in-london).  

Also, heard that Pacific Overtures at the Menier Chocolate Factory might be worth a watch, so thinking about that for Friday night as well.  

This will be out 6th trip to Gymkhana - my favorite meal of all time was there in 2015. Too bad we miss each other - we fly home the 17th! Although if you and I were in London together our joint shopping bill would likely make some nations blush. 

And yeah, we're prepared for crowds. 

I'll also buy a few new hats at Lock and Company, so yeah. And have many drinks at The Connaught bar, which I still value as the best gin bar in the world. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by The Ace of Aces

[After irth 1243]

Gotta cycle through this thread and refresh my notes...

Flying out Thanksgiving Day DFW-LHR.  Got a 13th floor flat at Merchant Court in Wapping, overlooking the Thames (right next to Prospect Of Whitby).  Plan to settle in and embrace the Christmas cheer of the neighborhood for 3 full weeks.  

We've previously done the traditional touristy stuff, so we're keeping this trip fairly loose.  Our concrete list of plans, however, involve:

Tower of London (never been)

Front row for Branagh's King Lear

Front row for Frank And Percy (starring Ian McKellen & Roger Allam)

Griffin Brewery for the 2nd time

Christmas Actually variety show by Richard Curtis

Humbug immersive Christmas Dive Bar experience

 

Other random plans include:  Greenwich Christmas markets, Bermondsey Beer Mile, maybe return trips to Westminster Abbey and Parliament, The Churchill Arms pub, Cart & Horses, maybe a Fawlty Towers Dinner, The Jugged Hare, Ping Pong Dim Sum, hanging out with Paul & Bernice at Turner's Old Star, Monday night trivia at The Grapes, and...who knows?

In the past, I've taken a thousand or two in currency, but I think I'm gonna pair that down to about $500, which I will acquire from my local Regions Bank.  I figure everything else will be swipable.  We are gonna do Oyster Cards simply because I don't wanna have to have my phone in my hand every time we go through a station or jump on a bus.  Only gonna pack a week's worth of clothes and will do laundry in the flat a few times, but I have layers, jackets, my trusty London Fog trench coat, appropriate footwear, and a jaunty new hat for dealing with the weather (most of it thanks to L.L. Bean Labor Day sales...ha!).

My nerdy wife is a major Anglophile and Brit History buff, so she is excited and ready to return.  Fourth time for her, second time for me.  We've considered moving to the UK, but eventually realized it's better to be 1%ers here and travel when we want.  That's the goal, anyway...

Bottom line...I'm starting to get pumped for this trip now that it's on the horizon.  Also because I just forked over the last half of the flat rental, so it just got real...ha!  Gonna have to clear our travel Amex now, dammit.

If anyone has any Christmassy info to recommend...I am all ears.    

[CooterBrown 18006]

1 hour ago, After irth said:

We are gonna do Oyster Cards simply because I don't wanna have to have my phone in my hand every time we go through a station or jump on a bus. 

If you are on the fence about an Apple Watch, it is worth it for this reason.  

[After irth 1243]

5 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

If you are on the fence about an Apple Watch, it is worth it for this reason.  

Ha!  It's a nice suggestion, and I will accept it in the spirit in which it was given.

I'm pretty old-school, though, and have never even seen that fence, much less climbed on it.  Got enough tech clogging up my life right now, and I generally don't give a shit what time it is.  

Just an analog man living in a digital world.  

[Sandman 3403]

On 10/25/2023 at 8:45 AM, After irth said:

If anyone has any Christmassy info to recommend...I am all ears.

I was in London the first week of December last year. The lighting of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is cool. Lots of little pop up tent shops. Hot chocolate, Belgian waffles and crepes with different toppings, sausages being grilled. And with the national gallery in the background? Pretty fucking great. 
 

 

[Keef 764]

Just popping in this thread to say that if any of ya'll are around here during football season, the Texas Exes watch parties are pretty fun and worth stopping by.  There's a very solid group of UT alums in London.

[After irth 1243]

12 hours ago, Keef said:

Just popping in this thread to say that if any of ya'll are around here during football season, the Texas Exes watch parties are pretty fun and worth stopping by.  There's a very solid group of UT alums in London.

Any specific places they regularly hang?

[Keef 764]

Its usually at a pub called the Swan, which is a really great venue.  For bigger games like OU, they go to a larger space (can't reember the name of the bar this year - I've tried to block out that whole night).  Tonight its at Passyunk Nine Elms.  If you're local to London, there's a WhatsApp group that is pretty active with events and meetups.

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

Landed today. It was cool all trains to and from Heathrow were down since England can’t handle heavy rain or winds above 25 mph. Gotta love the 65 minute, 12 mile, £110 taxi ride you had to get since all car hires were gone. 

Dinner tomorrow at Fallow and seeing The Witches at NT. Mrs Ace always wants to go back to the tower so I think that’s tomorrow’s agenda. 

We have stayed awake since landing until 8:15 - time to sleep. Staying the Stafford. Great as always. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

17 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

Landed today. It was cool all trains to and from Heathrow were down since England can’t handle heavy rain or winds above 25 mph. Gotta love the 65 minute, 12 mile, £110 taxi ride you had to get since all car hires were gone. 

Dinner tomorrow at Fallow and seeing The Witches at NT. Mrs Ace always wants to go back to the tower so I think that’s tomorrow’s agenda. 

We have stayed awake since landing until 8:15 - time to sleep. Staying the Stafford. Great as always. 

It is always best to stay up that first day.  That is why I always have that day jam packed.  My flight is Friday night at 9:30 PM, so land around 9:20 on Saturday AM.  Will head straight in on Heathrow Express, then pop to hotel.  

Then it is off to Charlotte street for an Alexander McQueen private sale, then lunch at the new Cafe Laperouse with a group of friends.  Afterwards, I am guessing we decamp to a pub or two, though trying to confirm.

Sunday, I am probably going to head to the V&A for the Chanel exhibit, then I am meeting people at the National Gallery for Afternoon Tea.  

Monday through Thursday, I am in the office (I have a new joiner). As of right now, have the following planned:

Monday Dinner - Quo Vadis

Tuesday Lunch - Cinnamon Club

Wednesday Dinner - KOL

So not tons planned, but will add a few things most likely.

 

 

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

The cod’s fish head at Fallow was real fucking good. 

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

F&M is almost impossible to visit because crowds. It’s so uncomfortable and you can hardly walk. 

Did the tower and Southwark Cathedral earlier, then F&M, just saw The Witches (meh, 2.5/5 for me). 

Lunch at St John tomorrow with friends, going to buy some hat at Lock and Co, probably hit up Liberty and Morton Brown, then carols by candlelight tomorrow night with friends at St Michael’s in the Field. Hope to hit up the Connaught Bar too. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

London Critics lauded ALW's Cinderella.  Broadway hated it.  I prefer Broadway to the West End, generally, though I think the West End has better plays vs. musicals whereas Broadway generally has better musicals vs. plays.  

F&M is a beating at Christmas.  Just buy shit at the airport.  

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

I’m bad with food/drink pics. St John’s was wonderful - highly recommend. 

Tried to get into the Connaught Bar today but it was 3 deep at the bar so we went to Brown8s Hotel bar. This slammed. 

Dinner at Gymkhana, which I still value as my favorite restaurant in the world. 

 

 

[Gil Bang 25943]

Looks like I'm heading over on the 21st or so.  GF has a dear friend there, and is bugging me to go with her.  She was just there 2 weeks ago, and some cocksucker on a vespa snatched her iphone from her hand and sped away.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

I'm thinking about cancelling Kol and going with Akoko.  I'm a fan of West African food.  

Also, want to go to Kinkally.  Decisions, decisions.  

 

UPDATE...Akoko is booked up.   Sigh.  Keeping Kol for now.

Edited December 14, 2023 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

The Fuller’s Christmas Ale is damn good. It’s hard to find a pub that has 2-3 deep but stumbled upon Harp’s earlier that wasn’t jammed. Knew Gardegs Christmas lights tonight. Dinner at Noble Rot  

Also went back to Fortnum & Mason at opening and it was nit bad  £285 and a lot of tea and a few gin bottles later we left  

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by The Ace of Aces

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

My flight this evening was cancelled, so I have spent 3+ hours on the phone with BA.  Seriously, their flights are great (when they run), but their customer service line sucks.

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

Brat was damn good.

 

 

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

Also London the week before Christmas is verrrrrrrrry crowded. I don’t mind crowds but got annoyed by every damn bar being wall to wall humanity. If crowds bother you, don’t come here in mid December. 
 

[Keef 764]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:12 PM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

My flight this evening was cancelled, so I have spent 3+ hours on the phone with BA.  Seriously, their flights are great (when they run), but their customer service line sucks.

Since I moved from the US, I have come to appreciate a couple of things I didn't anticipate.  Number fucking one is customer service.  US companies, even airlines, generally attempt to help in some capacity.  Most European businesses can't be bothered to pick up the phone.  And heaven help you if you have a problem on a holiday.  I've joked for years I'm going to set up a business that responds to customer emails in a timely fashion.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

11 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

Also London the week before Christmas is verrrrrrrrry crowded. I don’t mind crowds but got annoyed by every damn bar being wall to wall humanity. If crowds bother you, don’t come here in mid December. 
 

It is because schools are out, and for the most part, everyone in the fucking country comes to London.  It’s quite annoying. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Noble Rot in Soho.  And drinks at Swift.

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Noodles in China Town, afternoon tea at the National Gallery, and wandering.

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

We didn’t love Noble Rot. 

[Gil Bang 25943]

Our flight is tomorrow night, so I've been speaking only in my Paul McCartney impression voice all day.  The GF will likely stab me in my sleep. 

Ever sentence starts with "well, you know man..." 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Went to Mount St. last night.  It was excellent.  Have a res at St. John's in Marylebone tonight.  

Fly back tomorrow.  The crowds on Bond St. are a beating.  I might get up early before the sun is up and get some good photo taking in.  

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

6 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Went to Mount St. last night.  It was excellent.  Have a res at St. John's in Marylebone tonight.  

Fly back tomorrow.  The crowds on Bond St. are a beating.  I might get up early before the sun is up and get some good photo taking in.  

The crowds SUCK. Regent Street was a nightmare. We avoid Leicester Square like the plague, as well as Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden, and can't even imagine how bad they are the last two weeks. 

[Sandman 3403]

5 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

The crowds SUCK. Regent Street was a nightmare. We avoid Leicester Square like the plague, as well as Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden, and can't even imagine how bad they are the last two weeks. 

I was there last December and I didn't think it was that bad. But I'm a very large man and people just naturally GTFO of my way, so YMMV.

[Gil Bang 25943]

I’m on the tarmac at LAX headed that way!

[Gil Bang 25943]

The GF: “I want to go shopping at Herrods”

Me: (blank stare)

GF: “You can sit at the Prosecco Bar and eat pizza while I shop”

Me: “yeah, ok”.

[The Ace of Aces 5181]

13 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

The GF: “I want to go shopping at Herrods”

Me: (blank stare)

GF: “You can sit at the Prosecco Bar and eat pizza while I shop”

Me: “yeah, ok”.

I went to the Burberry near Harrods to get a scarf and they followed me around like I was going to rob the place. That neighborhood can fuck itself.  

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Headed to London again tonight.  This is for work, but will be there for the 4th of July and the Election.  Not a lot on tap.  Land tomorrow around 9:35 AM then will head into the hotel.  Staying at the St. Ermin hotel (I always stay there).  

Sunday, I am going to head to the National Gallery to see the Last Carvaggio. Then meeting up with my friend and colleague (she lands from Dallas at about 12:45 PM) to try and catch the end of the Austrian Grand Prix.  Thinking we might hit the Audley Public House, wander through Mayfair, then have 6:30 PM reservations at the Devonshire.  

After that, it is a week of work, but we are hitting up The Barbary, Manthan, Kinkally, and Kurisu Omakase.  Nothing planned for Friday yet, and Sunday, we have a 3:20 train to Oxford, so will be meeting up for lunch somewhere.  We have three nights in Oxford, with Sunday being spent at the British Grand Prix.

[Rudiger 1162]

10 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Sunday, I am going to head to the National Gallery to see the Last Carvaggio.

Did those profligate Italians already use up all the other Caravaggios?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

Ita the last painting Caravaggio painted.  It hasn't been in England in 20 years and is on loan. Exhibition.ends July 21st or thereabouts. I'm a member of the National Portrait Gallery. Figured I'd kill time and go see it.

[choripan 790]

Looks like a lot of folks here are experienced Londoners. Looking for a few good recs. 

For background, we're living in Barcelona and dipping out for a Friday morn-Sunday afternoon trip with our kids. We're going to have a babysitter Saturday night from, say, 7/8p to 12/1am. Our home base is going to be right by Pelham Crescent. We've done all the classic touristy stuff in previous visits to London, so I'm looking for places that (1) are easy to get to and (2) the type of place that is distinctly London or cool/different enough to be of note. Basically, the type of place where I can say "hey, this place came  recommended" and my wife can by like "nice recommendation, this is cool." Dinner not so important since we're not looking to blow 1-2 hours of 4-5 hours' worth of babysitter coverage.

Thanks for any recs. Fine taking the tube or walking. Moderate preference for a handful of places in close proximity that we can bounce between.

[Chopper 17230]

@choripan If you haven't been to Royal Albert Hall yet, it's an easy walk if something happens to be on while you're there. Also the West End theaters are an easy tube or taxi ride. Also bar hopping in Chelsea comes to mind, if that's more your style.

Edited July 7 by Chopper