London

[choripan 796]

8 hours ago, Chopper said:

@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.

Thanks! I should have clarified. We're people that have reformed from jägerbombs and shotgunning Beast to cocktails and wine, but would be totally down to find a cool pub, drink some typical ales (or Carlsberg, fuck it) and just hang with some blokes.

Goal is to have enough fun and get enough of a buzz that my wife will be down for quiet/stealthy adult activities in the Airbnb when we get home.

[Chopper 17,430]

The Yorkshire Burrito at Camden Market

Available in beef, chicken, and vegetarian. I'd crush it. 

Edited July 29 by Chopper

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Here for a coupla days visiting the daughter. Beautiful sunny day. Walked plenty today, tired as hell.
Heading up to visit her hood tomorrow, the to the Tottenham-Bayern friendly.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Of course, meeting the daughter meant “let’s stroll and shop places I can afford to go when y’all aren’t here.” Still, just being in a city is a favorite thing for us.





Also, if you are into skinny boho chicks who are almost certainly into….unusual stuff…hit the Tate. Every boho gal on earth was there.

And some Turkish grub for dinner.

[locodos 5,590]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And some Turkish grub for dinner.

I was with you till Turkish.

HARD PASS

Edited August 9 by locodos

[Brisketexan 106,860]

I was with you till Turkish.
HARD PASS

Who doesn’t dig on Turkish? The pide was great. And we weren’t looking for anything fancy tonight. Nice thing about London is that you can get pretty much anything in the world. We’ll do a nice lunch tomorrow, and a Sunday roast on Sunday. We’ll be in Scotland as well, later on.

[locodos 5,590]

Just now, Brisketexan said:

Who doesn’t dig on Turkish? The pide was great. And we weren’t looking for anything fancy tonight. Nice thing about London is that you can get pretty much anything in the world. We’ll do a nice lunch tomorrow, and a Sunday roast on Sunday. We’ll be in Scotland as well, later on.

Turkish is the greasy unloved bastard child of Greek and Persian food... pretty much the worst of both words...  Overcooked meat under grease

Now Scottish... been making my own Rumbledethumps but using collards instead of cabbage... Had some this morning with Bacon & Eggs.

[CooterBrown 18,285]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

Here for a coupla days visiting the daughter. Beautiful sunny day. Walked plenty today, tired as hell.
Heading up to visit her hood tomorrow, the to the Tottenham-Bayern friendly.

I just gotta say, Fuck Tottenham.

 

[CooterBrown 18,285]

36 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Of course, meeting the daughter meant “let’s stroll and shop places I can afford to go when y’all aren’t here.” Still, just being in a city is a favorite thing for us.





Also, if you are into skinny boho chicks who are almost certainly into….unusual stuff…hit the Tate. Every boho gal on earth was there.

And some Turkish grub for dinner.

What's the name of this Turkish joint?

[Brisketexan 106,860]

What's the name of this Turkish joint?

Tas Pide. Side street, walking distance from the Tate.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Wandered the daughter’s hood, Hackney, today.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Then to the Tottenham-Bayern match.

[dcbc 14,644]

I want to live the life Brisket's kids are living.  Way to launch!

[Brisketexan 106,860]

I want to live the life Brisket's kids are living.  Way to launch!

Oh…she be livin’ poor. As it should be at this age. She gets fancy dinner and shopping when we’re here to pay. Otherwise, she scrounges, lives lean. But she’s growing up a lot, and learning a lot. London will do that to you.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Also…when the folks are in town, we get to spoil her a bit. Cocktails and Sunday roast at the Hawksmoor.







FAWKIN GOOD. Got the bone marrow gravy stuffing on the side too.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

And sticky toffee muthafuckin’ pudding.



Thankfully, gonna walk a lot. Beautiful sunny day.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Kind of a casual day. Sunday roast, the the Victoria and Albert museum for a little while. Hit a cafe for an iced latte (kind of a warm day), the. We wandered over to Hyde Park. Found space on a bench in the shade along the Serpentine. We watched the world go by, and just had a good visit with our kiddo. Dinner at the Ivy Asia around the corner from our hotel (food was meh…vibe was funny as hell, they have a fucking DJ working the room…and the gal in the red dress had to be a “content creator” of some sort, as she’s pulling her dress up and showing her ass and taking selfies and vids outside for 10 mins before going in for dinner. Central London people watching is first-rate). Nice view of St Paul’s out the window at dinner, so that was cool.






We leave London in the morning to head up to Edinburgh, so guess I’ll switch to the Scotland thread after that. Really, these few days were about visiting with our daughter. Won’t see her again till Christmas.

[CooterBrown 18,285]

Go back to Hawksmoor for their Full English breakfast. It's for two and turns every component up to 11.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

Go back to Hawksmoor for their Full English breakfast. It's for two and turns every component up to 11.

Will be doing the full Scottish more than once in the next coupla weeks. And yeah, at our age, we share it.

[CooterBrown 18,285]

9 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Will be doing the full Scottish more than once in the next coupla weeks. And yeah, at our age, we share it.

Full English at Hawksmoor...

[georginaamiri 0]

London is an incredible city with so much to see and do. If you're planning a visit, I suggest checking out the hop-on, hop-off bus tours—they're a fantastic way to see all the major sights at your own pace.

Also, if you're interested in exploring London and nearby attractions like Stonehenge, consider booking your tour tickets with Roam Around London. They offer reliable and affordable options, making your trip planning much easier. Highly recommended!

[Ghost of LL 15,681]

Ok, London people--I need a little help.  Mrs.LL and I are thinking about heading over for a long weekend in late January to go to a Tottenham match and maybe a Fulham match that night.  Where should we stay (preferably a Marriott property because points).  I can do one of the Marriott properties in Mayfair; the one that is across the river from Westminster Palace, the W in Soho or one of the places in the City.  Or somewhere else entirely.

Or I could blow off the Marriott properties and stay at the Savoy.

So help a brother out.  I'm just not up to speed on the London neighborhoods right now, and need to know where I want to walk around, pop into bars/pubs, and just hang out for a few days around the football matches.

[randomhorn 2,151]

We did the London Marriott Hotel Kensington. Close access to Gloucester Rd and Earl’s Court. Good tube access for us to get to Tottenham White Hart Ln overground station (via Seven Sisters iirc)

I’ve also stayed at the Renaissance St Pancras which is basically on top of Kings Cross, near the British Museum, etc. 

[After irth 1,246]

9 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Ok, London people--I need a little help.  Mrs.LL and I are thinking about heading over for a long weekend in late January to go to a Tottenham match and maybe a Fulham match that night.  Where should we stay (preferably a Marriott property because points).  I can do one of the Marriott properties in Mayfair; the one that is across the river from Westminster Palace, the W in Soho or one of the places in the City.  Or somewhere else entirely.

Or I could blow off the Marriott properties and stay at the Savoy.

So help a brother out.  I'm just not up to speed on the London neighborhoods right now, and need to know where I want to walk around, pop into bars/pubs, and just hang out for a few days around the football matches.

The Sheraton Park Lane always treats us well. 

[Da Fino 2,820]

1 minute ago, After irth said:

The Sheraton Park Lane always treats us well. 

Bang for your buck and location, it’s probably my favorite for quick trips. 

[After irth 1,246]

1 minute ago, Da Fino said:

Bang for your buck and location, it’s probably my favorite for quick trips. 

Last year, we stayed for 18 nights for 820,000 points in an upgraded room. The lounge was an amazing place to hang out daily for whatever we wanted/needed at the time. 
 

Also found a Spanish joint in the back-street behind the hotel that was amazing. The whole neighborhood behind it had lots of gems, too. 
 

Bottom line:  location, service, amentities, all top-notch. 

[Da Fino 2,820]

14 minutes ago, After irth said:

The lounge was an amazing place to hang out daily for whatever we wanted/needed at the time. 

Are you talking about the open-area? 

[After irth 1,246]

4 minutes ago, Da Fino said:

Are you talking about the open-area? 

No, the elite lounge. 

[Da Fino 2,820]

4 minutes ago, After irth said:

No, the elite lounge. 

Nice. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

18 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Ok, London people--I need a little help.  Mrs.LL and I are thinking about heading over for a long weekend in late January to go to a Tottenham match and maybe a Fulham match that night.  Where should we stay (preferably a Marriott property because points).  I can do one of the Marriott properties in Mayfair; the one that is across the river from Westminster Palace, the W in Soho or one of the places in the City.  Or somewhere else entirely.

Or I could blow off the Marriott properties and stay at the Savoy.

So help a brother out.  I'm just not up to speed on the London neighborhoods right now, and need to know where I want to walk around, pop into bars/pubs, and just hang out for a few days around the football matches.

I just got back from London last Friday.  I generally stay at the St. Ermin's hotel.  

From a location perspective, it is really central. There are also really good tube links (St. James station right on the back of the hotel, and Victoria just down the road), and the staff is fantastic.  Granted, I stay there 6-8 weeks a year give or take.  It is also a Marriott hotel (I have Titanium status, so that helps too).

I have also recently stayed at the Dixon (Bermondsey, also Marriott) and the W in Soho in the last year or so. W is a nice hotel, but the location, right off Picadilly Circus, is a fucking beating. I like the Dixon a lot. It is quieter, and you are a quick walk to Borough Market.

However, if I were in London just for fun, I would stay at the London Edition. Location cannot be beat, and I am a real fan of Editions in general (stays at Madrid and Singapore in the last two years were most excellent).

On this last trip, I had the fortune of being able to go out to Bibi, Mambow, Mamapen (the only Cambodian place in London), and KOL. All were fantastic, but my favorite was Mambow. Holy shit was that good.

[Ghost of LL 15,681]

2 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I just got back from London last Friday.  I generally stay at the St. Ermin's hotel.  

From a location perspective, it is really central. There are also really good tube links (St. James station right on the back of the hotel, and Victoria just down the road), and the staff is fantastic.  Granted, I stay there 6-8 weeks a year give or take.  It is also a Marriott hotel (I have Titanium status, so that helps too).

I have also recently stayed at the Dixon (Bermondsey, also Marriott) and the W in Soho in the last year or so. W is a nice hotel, but the location, right off Picadilly Circus, is a fucking beating. I like the Dixon a lot. It is quieter, and you are a quick walk to Borough Market.

However, if I were in London just for fun, I would stay at the London Edition. Location cannot be beat, and I am a real fan of Editions in general (stays at Madrid and Singapore in the last two years were most excellent).

On this last trip, I had the fortune of being able to go out to Bibi, Mambow, Mamapen (the only Cambodian place in London), and KOL. All were fantastic, but my favorite was Mambow. Holy shit was that good.

I stayed at the St. Ermin's last time I was in London and really liked it.  So that's a plus and minus, right?  On the plus side, I'm familiar with it and really liked it.  On the downside, it's not new.  And I like staying at a different hotel in a city like New York or London each time not just for the hotel, but also to explore the neighborhood a bit.

And thanks for the restaurant recommendations.  I don't think I've ever had Cambodian, so that may be something to check out.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

32 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I stayed at the St. Ermin's last time I was in London and really liked it.  So that's a plus and minus, right?  On the plus side, I'm familiar with it and really liked it.  On the downside, it's not new.  And I like staying at a different hotel in a city like New York or London each time not just for the hotel, but also to explore the neighborhood a bit.

And thanks for the restaurant recommendations.  I don't think I've ever had Cambodian, so that may be something to check out.

Mamapen is a pop up in the 13 Cantons boozer in Soho.  The pub is really well located, and the food is really, really solid.  I enjoyed it.  We ordered too much.  My only complaint is that since it is in a pub, the wine selection was Meh.  

Mambow is Malaysian out in Hackney.  It was outstanding. 

Yeah, understand on the hotel thing. Unfortunately, I am usually in London for work, and St. Ermin's is a 10 minute walk to my office. Win win.  

[gsoda3 3,362]

Considered the Grosvenor?  Marriott property.  Bond street.  Great places to wander and get lost.  Never far from excellent random eating.  

[Ghost of LL 15,681]

15 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

Considered the Grosvenor?  Marriott property.  Bond street.  Great places to wander and get lost.  Never far from excellent random eating.  

That's on the list.  It's one of the several properties Marriott has in Mayfair.  And I guess that's a big question I have: for neighborhoods, should I hang out in Mayfair or should I do the Edition (kind of on the north end of Soho)?

[squib 1,131]

I really like the neighborhood/area south of Paddington between the station and Hyde park. There are many smaller hotels around Norfolk Square and down around Sussex Gardens. If you want a bigger, more corporate place, there is the Hilton London Paddington and then on the northside of Hyde Park is the Thistle and also the Royal Lancaster among a ton of others.  All of those put you within walking distance of The Victoria, one of my favorite pubs in London--good beer and excellent food for a high-end pub. Lots of cool places in that area and you can get to anywhere via Paddington. 

[Brisketexan 106,860]

35 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

That's on the list.  It's one of the several properties Marriott has in Mayfair.  And I guess that's a big question I have: for neighborhoods, should I hang out in Mayfair or should I do the Edition (kind of on the north end of Soho)?

The wife spent some time with the daughter bouncing around Soho this past week, and really liked it - they were back and forth between Covent Garden and Soho and such.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

39 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

That's on the list.  It's one of the several properties Marriott has in Mayfair.  And I guess that's a big question I have: for neighborhoods, should I hang out in Mayfair or should I do the Edition (kind of on the north end of Soho)?

Edition. I think it is light years beyond the other properties in Mayfair. 

[Captain Ron 13,123]

The last time I was in London I stayed at The Dilly, I don't think it's a Marriott property, so we paid for that one - https://www.thedillylondon.com/

[gsoda3 3,362]

3 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

That's on the list.  It's one of the several properties Marriott has in Mayfair.  And I guess that's a big question I have: for neighborhoods, should I hang out in Mayfair or should I do the Edition (kind of on the north end of Soho)?

Depends on the person obviously (is there something you absolutely want to see this time around etc) but if it were me for a long weekend I'd want to stay local.  So the neighborhood would drive my decision.

[Cap33 407]

Stayed at the Marriott Grosvenor Square a few years ago. The club level room was worth it for us for the breakfast and evening snacks. We liked the location: Bond St. Station and Selfridges are a few blocks away. Going the other direction is Mount St. with some very nice window shopping. Felt like an easy walk to Marylebone, Green Park/Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, etc.

[Chopper 17,430]

Article documenting interesting changes in London's and the UK's night life https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/28/by-8pm-it-is-time-to-head-home-whatever-happened-to-the-big-night-out?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu

[locodos 5,590]

UK peeps, I'm looking to rent a place for a month possibly longer, any place other than airbnb/vbro type of outfits I should be checking out?  Might do a month or so in a few cities, but right now I'm just scouting.

[Chopper 17,430]

4 hours ago, locodos said:

UK peeps, I'm looking to rent a place for a month possibly longer, any place other than airbnb/vbro type of outfits I should be checking out?  Might do a month or so in a few cities, but right now I'm just scouting.

When we found a long-term furnished rental we used Foxtons. They have short-term, as well. I'm guessing you already know this but "Let" or "Lettings" are the words you'll want to use.

[Ghost of LL 15,681]

So apparently the Austin flight now arrives and departs out of Terminal 3 at LHR.  I think that's perfect fine if you're going to/from London.  But it may impact whether you want to use LHR as a connection if you're going elsewhere in Europe as most of BA's flights will go out of T5 and changing terminals is a bitch.

[Armybrat 41,366]

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

8 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

So apparently the Austin flight now arrives and departs out of Terminal 3 at LHR.  I think that's perfect fine if you're going to/from London.  But it may impact whether you want to use LHR as a connection if you're going elsewhere in Europe as most of BA's flights will go out of T5 and changing terminals is a bitch.

BA will check your bags all the way through. That helps..a lot.

[Brisketexan 106,860]

BA will check your bags all the way through. That helps..a lot.

But the multiple bus rides and having to go through security again doesn’t.

Not a fan of transferring at LHR.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

8 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

But the multiple bus rides and having to go through security again doesn’t.

Not a fan of transferring at LHR.

You have to go through security again even if in the same terminal. I do it all the time. I’ve definitely transferred between terminals before, but it’s been an age. I’m generally in terminal 5. Except for the one time we had to deplane on the tarmac…still at T5, but it sucked.
 

 

[Ghost of LL 15,681]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

You have to go through security again even if in the same terminal. I do it all the time. I’ve definitely transferred between terminals before, but it’s been an age. I’m generally in terminal 5. Except for the one time we had to deplane on the tarmac…still at T5, but it sucked.
 

 

Yeah--I will never understand why you have to re-clear security on a connection.  I guess it's because LHR has plenty of flights from places that have less-stringent security regimes than the UK/US?  But still--one would think they could figure that out so as not to inconvenience connecting travelers from the US.

I'll say that if you're flying Business or have status, the connecting-flight security line at LHR is a breeze.  But if you're in economy, it's an absolute shitshow.  And it is something to consider if you're weighing whether to connect at LHR vis-a-vis someplace like DFW, CLT, or ORD

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,280]

5 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Yeah--I will never understand why you have to re-clear security on a connection.  I guess it's because LHR has plenty of flights from places that have less-stringent security regimes than the UK/US?  But still--one would think they could figure that out so as not to inconvenience connecting travelers from the US.

I'll say that if you're flying Business or have status, the connecting-flight security line at LHR is a breeze.  But if you're in economy, it's an absolute shitshow.  And it is something to consider if you're weighing whether to connect at LHR vis-a-vis someplace like DFW, CLT, or ORD

Agreed.  Thankfully, I am always in business. #firstworldproblems To be fair to the UK, if you are connecting in the US, you also have to go back through security. It is, unfortunately, what it is.