5 Unforgettable Views of London

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A view from above without the high ticket price

Admission for a family to The Shard's 72nd floor viewing platform is steep — unless you go when they offer 'kids go free' specials. Here are some other options:

Aqua Shard (London) — Breakfast is served on the 31st floor until 10:30 weekdays and 10 am weekends (when brunch available until 3:30 pm). Tables of two can be seated by the floor to ceiling windows. For a real treat, add a morning cocktail to the reasonably priced breakfast.
www.aquashard.co.uk ✆ +44 2030 111256
Level 31 The Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY

The Monument (London) — If you aren’t a UK resident to climb Big Ben or don’t want to shell out the cash to go up The Shard, The Monument to the Great Fire of London is a perfect alternative. Tower Bridge offers a joint ticket to climb The Monument, the world’s tallest column for £11/adult and £5/child under 16 (to climb the monument itself is just £4/adult and £2/child). You’ll climb 311 spiral steps to enjoy views of the city and given a certificate as a memento of your ascent.
www.themonument ✆ +44 2076 262717
Monument Street, London EC3R 8AH

St. Paul's Cathedral (London) — There are two options of good views from and of St. Paul's Cathedral. Climb 528 steps up to the Golden Gallery for breathtaking panoramic views Shakespeare Globe, Tate Modern and the Thames. Also, closeby you can take lift* to the terrace of One New Change retail and restaurant building. Here you have a chance to enjoy a stunning unobstructed view of St. Paul's Cathedral from 6 am - midnight at no charge.
www.stpauls.co.uk ✆ +44 2072 468350
The Chapter House, St Paul's Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD

Sky Garden (Multiple) — Open last year, there is no admission fee, but you have to pre-book a time to visit. City Garden Bar and Sky Pod Bar are both located on the 35th floor with seating available at scattered chairs and coaches. Book Darwin Brasserie restaurant on the 36th floor for a reasonably priced breakfast. Small parties of 2-3 work best so you can request a table in the corner with the best view. Fenchurch on the 37th floor is open for lunch and dinner and serves both an ala carte and tasting menus with wine pairings.
www.skygarden.london

Tower Bridge (London) — Visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition, seeing the engine rooms and taking in panoramic views above the River Thames towards the East and West of the Thames are great ways to explore the most famous bridge in the world. To make it truly memorable, plan your visit to coincide with the Bridge lift times.
www.towerbridge.org.uk ✆ +44 2074 033761
Tower Bridge, London SE1 2AA

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Favorite Salads

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Three favorite places for summertime salads

Summer has certainly taken its time to arrive.  Whether the good weather is here to stay, I find myself craving summer salads. Three favorites to enjoy (even with a hot cuppa*) include:

Cafe Menta (Esher) — Both the warm goat’s cheese and sweet chili chicken salads are delicious. The cafe is a great place for breakfast too. The owner is friendly and has a knack for remembering customer's preferences. On my second visit he already knew the variations to my omelette and fresh squeezed juice combination.
✆ +44 1372 467559
64 High Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 9QS

Muriel's Kitchen (Multiple) — We stopped in for a quick bite after visiting an exhibition at the V&A. We shared a seasonal salad plate that consisted of four salads, including market roasted beets, roasted butternut squash and feta, smokey Surrey aubergine and spicy mixed bean salads. The slow roasted BBQ pulled pork sliders was a generous and tasty portion too.
www.murielskitchen.co.uk

The Old Plough (Cobham) — Gastro pubs with the same menu include The Crown in Twickenham and The Wheatsheaf in Esher are consistently good. While they maintain traditional wood floors, the decor is lighter, airier and updated than conventional pubs. The only difference between their tasty bang bang peanut satay chicken salad and grilled hallomi salads found at their locations is the plates they are served on.
www.oldploughcobham.co.uk ✆ +44 1932 862244
2 Station Road, Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3BNS

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Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Times

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Only time of year to go inside Buckingham Palace starts next Saturday

Buckingham Palace is the administrative headquarters for The Queen where official events and receptions take place. The only time to get inside Buckingham Palace is during summer opening times (July 23rd and October 2nd). In addition to seeing the 19 State Rooms and Garden, the Palace features a limited edition exhibition.

As part of our private State Room & Garden Highlights Tour, we had a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation for state visits. We left with a true appreciation for the meticulous planning and attention to detail for these lavish occasions. While there is little chance to get a glimpse of the Royal family (they are on holiday* at this time) and few changes to the State Rooms and Garden themselves annually, the themed special exhibition is worth a return visit. The 2016 exhibition is Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from the Queen's Wardrobe. As with most attractions, book* early to avoid disappointment.
www.royalcollection.org.uk ✆ +44 3031 237334
Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA

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Hampton Court Flower Show

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In case you missed Chelsea Flower Show, plan a visit to 
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (July 5-10), the world’s largest annual flower show.

Close by, the small village of East Molesey boasts quite a few antique shops, boutiques, independent stores and a surprising number of good places to eat, including:

  • Cocum (Multiple) — Save yourself a trip into the city and visit this small unassuming South Indian restaurant that has earned Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence. Cocum serves authentic, tasty Kerala fare at affordable prices.
    • www.cocumrestaurant.co.uk
  • Mada Deli — This is one of our favorite breakfast / brunch places, and features consistently good food. Outdoor seating for people watching is a premium on Saturdays and Sundays – so you will need to go early to get a seat in the sunshine.
    • ✆ +44 2089 797553
    11 Bridge Road, East Molesey KT89EU
  • The Vineking (Multiple) — While a wine shop by day, The Vineking turns into a pop-up restaurant at night, serving multi-course meals with wine pairings on select evenings. The sommelier was friendly, knowledgeable and on this occasion, the delicious four-course meal was prepared by chef Max Mckenzie, formerly of Marcus Wareing @ the Berkeley.
    • www.thevineking.com
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Celebrating July 4th

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July 4th is obviously not a big holiday in the UK, however,
there are some ways to make you feel right at home.

Fireworks — One of the best bits* about living in the UK is the opportunity to set-off proper* fireworks yourself. Whereas the US limits fireworks to holidays and to rural areas, the UK allows fireworks (including those of the aerial and explosive varieties) year-round in many parts of the country.

American Food — While not all 4th of July fare, they fit the bill to satisfy a few, but common American cravings!

  • Bodean’s BBQ Smokehouse (Multiple) — If you’re in the mood for Kansas City barbeque ribs in London, here’s your place. Other smoke pit specialties include chicken and pulled pork. Their Soho location also has American sports playing on giant screen TVs. Kids eat free everyday from Noon to 5 pm and eat for just £5 after that.
    www.bodeansbbq.com
  • Hummingbird Bakery (Multiple) — This famous bakery bills itself as baking ‘authentic American cakes and desserts’. Indeed the portions are US sizes. They have huge cupcakes with black bottom and red velvet varieties being family favorites.
    www.hummingbirdbakery.com
  • Knot Pretzels (Multiple) — I can still remember how happy I was to have discovered a kiosk in Clapham Junction station serving soft pretzels. While I have since realized Auntie Annie’s and Mr. Pretzels are also sold here, I like the idea of supporting a small, local business – did I mention they also serve hand-roasted coffee.
    www.knot-pretzels.com
  • NY Fold (London) — We stopped into NY Fold before seeing a show at Phoenix Theatre located just across the street. It turns out the owners are New Yorkers themselves and missed NY style pizza. Beyond traditional pies, they have creative combinations, such as mozzarella, gorgonzola, fig, parma ham and balsamic.
    www.nyfold.com ✆ +44 2072 876633
    103 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DT
  • Top Dog Diner (London) — While it is easy to find sausages at nearly every pub here, American-style hot dogs are harder to come by. In addition to traditional beef or pork hot dogs, Top Dog features a few unusual ones, including Korean, pulled pork ‘n’ slaw and even a smoked tofu one. wwww.top-dog.com ✆ +44 02030 192380
    48 Frith Street, London W1D 4SF
Another option is to grill at home. Costco stocks American beef hot dogs and Sainsbury carries Oscar Meyer hot dogs.
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Best of Wimbledon

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How to enjoy Wimbledon with or without courtside seats


Wimbledon (June 27-July 10) — Ground passes are £8-£25 per person before 5 pm (less after 5 pm). Kids under five are free but not allowed on show courts. Re-sale Centre Court tickets are £10 each and Court 1 and Court 2 tickets are £5 each with all proceeds benefiting charity. If you go with kids, bring lots of snacks and something to do while waiting. The good news is that you can watch the games below at Centre Court while queuing. I love the fact with patience and a bit of luck you can turn up without a ticket and end up on Centre Court. Customer service that is hard to come by!
www.wimbledon.com ✆ +44 2089 441066
Church Road, Wimbledon SW19 5AE

Even if you are not able to get courtside tickets, it is still fun to tailgate in the queue and see the game streamed live on the big screens on Henman Hill. Don’t forget to enjoy some quintessential English fare:

Lanson Champagne — For the last 25 years, Lanson has been the official supplier of champagne to Wimbledon. The miniature bottles sold in stores come with a neoprene Wimbledon koozie and can be brought into The Championships as well as purchased on-site.

Pimm’s — The first Pimm’s bar opened at Wimbledon in 1971. The tasty gin-based ‘No. 1 Cup’ is made with carbonated lemonade and garnished with apples, cucumber, mint and strawberries (ingredients all found in Britain). In the summer, it is a very popular British drink indeed – perhaps second only to the ever-popular tea.

Strawberries & Cream — Similar to Pimm’s, a visit to Wimbledon would not be complete without an order of strawberries and cream. This traditional dish has made its appearance at the first Wimbledon in 1877. Today, the strawberries are always fresh since they are picked the day they are served.

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Kids Week

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Each year during the month of August, kids 16 and under go free with a full price paid adult ticket (and two additional children can go half price). In addition to shows, there are free pre-show activities and workshops — both backstage and even on stage. The shows include both West End hits and lesser known productions. Tickets sellout fast — book now!



In addition to 'big name' shows like Lion King and Matilda, here are some other shows worth checking out:

  • The Tiger Who Come to Tea (ages 3+) — Returning for its sixth year, this show is an adaptation of the classic picture book by Judith Kerr. With a running time of only 55 minutes, this Olivier Award nominated production is a perfect introduction to the theatre*
  • The Railway Children (ages 5+) — If you have a train fan in your family, this is the show to see. The stage is on a train track and features a vintage steam locomotive. After the show, we visited Harry Potter's Platform 9-3/4 at King's Cross station.
  • Impossible (ages 7+) — It is always tricky to find a show that both my kids (a girl and boy) will like. Back after a limited run last year, the show features impressive illusions, close-up magic and everything in between. We'll be booking this one again.
  • The Play That Goes Wrong (ages 7+) — This play within a play had everyone in our family laughing. Beyond the slapstick humor, the technical effects and timing of the cast with its myriad of props is to be admired.
It is easy to forget that Kids Week has shows for mature teens. Some award-winning shows include:

  • Jersey Boys — Winner of 4 Tony awards and Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, this musical goes back in time to the 60s. The lead singer that plays Frankie Valli and the supporting Four Season cast members are all solid performers.

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  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — Winner of 7 Oliver awards originating from National Theatre, this play uses technology creatively. Be sure to stay to the end of the show.
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