Back in London - More of the City and its Boroughs

I went back to London for work. I made sure that I was going to be in London and try to see London the way locals do. So for two weeks, I made time to see the city after office hours and during the weekend. It was a lot of effort but it was rewarding.

Seeing London how the locals see it made me appreciate the city even more. A bonus was seeing my childhood friends M and J once again.

            I flew into Heathrow airport on a Saturday afternoon. This was to allow for one full day to acclimate to the time zone since I was going to be working starting the following Monday. After checking in to my hotel, which was going to be my home for two weeks, I had time to walk around the area and check out the local weekend scenes. 

I had been to London twice before this trip so my list of things to see was not the usual touristy things. I had seen many times before the more popular landmarks like the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc. For this trip, I made sure to enjoy the city the way a Londoner would. 

[read my London blog, May 2017]

My first stop was Hyde Park which is a 20 minute walk from my hotel. The park was crowded. I couldn't tell if they are tourists like myself or they are locals. A first look at the park map gave me an idea how huge the park is. The goal for this walk was to see the London Mastaba.

After a few minutes of walk, I reached the Serpentine Lake which is where the floating outdoor art installation by the artist Christo called the London Mastaba was on display. The art installation, consisted of over 7,000 colored barrels and shaped like an ancient Egyptian tomb, can be seen from different parts of the Serpentine Lake. I liked how the lake reflects light to the Mastaba and at the same time the Mastaba casting its reflection onto the lake, to the delight of this Pinoy photography enthusiast!

I also found the play on colors interesting and smart. From afar, the outdoor installation looks like it is pinkish blue. However, the view up close revealed several colors. The sides have white and red and the front and back have red, pink and blue. It was the first time I had ever seen an art installation floating on water. I am glad to have seen this work of art while I was in London.

I even had time to check out the nearby Serpentine Sackler Gallery and saw an exhibit on the arts of German artist Tomma Abts.
   

The gallery shop also had this unique fragrance called Serpentine and it comes with grass notes and it is designed by Comme Des Garcons.


There is a part of the Serpentine Lake called The Long Water which is home to birds like swans, herons and mallards. I am amazed, and thankful at the same time, that a big city like London provides refuge to birds. This also makes the city feel less concrete, glass and steel.
 

Another park attraction near the Serpentine Lake is the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. It is like a tiny raging river that is round shaped. The water flows from the highest point in two directions and meeting at the lowest part of the fountain forming a calm pool. I like how the water rages down and the contours and jagged design of the slides create relaxing gurgling sounds. Locals, tourists, adults and kids alike walk or run bare footed on the fountain.


I got hungry so I decided to pay Harrod's a visit and grabbed something quick to eat. On my way to Harrod's, I passed through this cute alley called Park Close. I am amazed every time I uncover these little alleys in London and appreciate the city's urban planners in converting these narrow passage ways into pleasant areas to walk through.
  

Inside Harrod's, I always enjoy passing through its Food Hall and browse through their selections of delicious and beautifully presented food. 


I decided to get an early dinner at the Harrod's Cafe and sampled their Fish Cake and Poached Asparagus paired with their tasty Rose Tea. I was admiring their tea strainer and made a mental note to get one from a local tea shop to bring back home.
  

The Design Museum is one of the places that I haven't seen or been to in my visits to London. For this trip, I've decided to include it in my short list of Things To See.
 

The museum showcases design principles and carefully curated objects that are considered having good design. It also takes a look at the relationship of Designer, Maker and User. As a designer and maker of software applications and as an end user of a lot of things, I appreciate a good design whether it is for utilitarian or for purely aesthetics. The museum also has a wall of designs that takes a look at the timeline of major breakthroughs in design that is London-centric.
 
   

The museum was also having an exhibition showcasing the works of couturier Azzedine Alaia. The museum shop is a designer's delight. I bought a canvas tote shopping bag as a souvenir. The area where the museum is located is called High Street Kensington and it seems vibrant and a happening place but I couldn't check it out at the time so I made a mental note to go back next week after work.
      

Monday came and work was very busy and hectic. Since I was working from 8am till 6pm, I realized that there won't be time for sight seeing during the day. I also wasn't going to see my childhood friends M and J until a few days later. So I made an 'after office walk' plan. From the office on the way back to the hotel, I made it a point to get off at a different Underground station and walked around the city. 

My first 'after office walk' was around Piccadilly Square. The last time I was here was in May 2017 and the giant digital screen had scaffolding on. It was great to finally see the building's finished renovation and the cover removed. This area is very centrally located. It is close to shops and the theatre district. I killed over two hours just walking around the area soaking in the authentic London city scene.


Since my hotel was in the Paddington area of the city, Paddington Station was my home station for my two week stay. I saw it day and night and sometimes late night. I saw it when it was crowded during rush hour and when it was empty very late at night. It is truly centrally located. Several Underground lines converge in Paddington. The station is quite big and this is the terminus for the Heathrow Express so it is perfect for people traveling for business like me. The wrought iron arches give it a pre-World War era feel. 
 

Outside of the station under the Bishop Road bridge, there is an art installation called Message From the Unseen World which combines poetry, art and technology which is a collaboration of United Visual Artists and poet Nick Drake.
  

Of course, no pictures of Paddington station is complete without the iconic Paddington Bear.
 


The first week was a challenge because this was when I was still getting my bearings around the city. I was working long hours too so I was so spent by the time I got back to the hotel. More often than not, I was more tired than hungry. There was one time for dinner, I went to this Lebanese restaurant called Paramount and I had a light meal there. I ordered their Pea soup and Moussaka. The meal was very tasty. It was a great way to recharge after a long day.


Another one of my after work excursions was a trip to the Selfridges. In case you didn't know, the Selfridges is a department store. I used to watch a Masterpiece mini-series called Selfridges and this made me romanticize this store even though I have never been there before. Like Harrods, I heard about the Food Hall of Selfridges and that was the reason I went there.
 
  

I was particularly interested in checking out their tea selections.  They have herbal tea infusions that I've never tasted before - Passion fruit and orange, English rose and elderflower, and British Mint. I decided that moment that tea will be my souvenir from this trip. I also got my mom, my sister and Mijo's daughters souvenir teas from Selfridges.


I also indulged in a little snack to bring back to the hotel. These macarons from Pierre Herme inside the store's Food Hall are one of the best macarons I've had.


I decided to see a West End show on a Thursday night. I figured, this was my 3rd trip to London but I had not seen a West End show so a live theatre either a play or a musical in this trip was going to be a treat. A quick glance at the available musicals, I noticed that I had seen most of the shows except for a few ones. 42nd Street is one of the musicals that I have not seen and it is the original musical's 2017 London revival. It is a musical about a show in America and its cast members and set during the Great Depression.  It features great singing and tap dancing. The show was absolutely entertaining!


The show was held at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane.


    

There was another time after work where I walked from Piccadilly/Leicester Square all the way to the South Bank via the Golden Jubilee Bridge walkway. It was a pleasant evening and a pleasant walk across the Thames River.


On the other side of the Thames River is the South Bank Center. Mijo and I have walked along the South Bank before but I had not noticed the South Bank Center area during that walk. This area is a happening place where art, performances and food intersect. I made a mental note that I should explore this area if I'll ever be back to London on business or leisure.


Here are more scenes from the South Bank Center's Queen Elizabeth Terrace BBQ Bar. 
 

I would have lingered in the area had it not been for a performance at the Shakespeare's Globe that night.


I saw a performance of Love's Labour's Lost that night and oh boy. I didn't only need subtitles, I also needed translation. The British accent was bad enough for my ears and add the old English way of speaking and you have one very confused Filipino guy. In any case, it was a great introduction of Shakespeare for me. I was going to go back to the Globe for a tour of the venue the weekend before I fly back to the States.
 

The weekend allowed me to see the city during the day. One of the things that I haven't done and been wanting to do was to go to the Borough Market.  This was what I exactly did one weekend, to experience market day in London. I was also getting a little home sick by this time so going to a market like this one allowed me to feel at home, as if I was in San Francisco on a beautiful saturday morning.


Lots of things are on sale there. Of course, vegetables and fresh produce. Just like San Francisco, London is surrounded by farms and that's where the fresh produce comes from. The market was crowded. Some stalls are more popular than others like this truffle seller where there was a long line just to smell the truffle samples they have.
 

I sampled many things like cheeses, spreads, breads, drinks, etc. Unfortunately, I was going to be in London for one more week and a lot of these items don't travel well. I decided I was just going to be there to enjoy the market. Mijo would have enjoyed this more than I did.
 

Lots of plants that may be a fit to San Francisco's weather. I wanted to bring a pot of English Lavender so badly.


I did find something to buy like this Rose Mint tea at Tea2You and sampled an order of this paella at another stall. So tasty!
  

Later that afternoon, I went across town from the Borough Market to the Victoria and Albert Museum. This museum is huge. I didn't get to see all of its permanent collections, and if I did see a section, like the Paintings section, I only breezed through it. I also thought that the V&A was still having their exhibition on the late designer Steve McQueen. Unfortunately, that exhibit was over.

I came in from the South Kensington station entrance so I got in the museum through the Sculptures section. Lots of works by Rodin in this section. There were also artists sketching some of the works there.


I found it a challenge to navigate around the museum even with the help of a museum map. I don't even know how I got to the Paintings section.


The ones that caught my attention in this section was the Madonna and Child in Egypt by William Blake (left photo) and the Toilette by Charles Robert Leslie (right photo).
 

I stumbled into this cozy Member's Only room. If you're a member, you can enjoy the amenities provided in this room.


I did enjoy their Tapestry section. This section contains several large tapestries depicting 15th century aristocratic lives in the outdoors. 


The wall on the left displays a huge tapestry depicting swan and otter hunting. The one of the left has tapestries displaying medieval falconry. 
 

Here's the detail of one of the tapestries. The room had low light so it was a challenge to take a photo. And taking pictures with a flash is not allowed.
  

Another section I enjoyed was the Stained glass section.


The one on the left is an example of Flemish style stained glass. The one on the right is French style.
 

This is another section that I enjoyed immensely - the Miniature portraits. I needed to use the magnifying lenses, which are provided for use in this section, to see the portraits.


The section about Theatre showcases the costumes used in the more popular productions, the venue and theatres, the story, the scenes and the artwork.
 

I exited thru the museum's front doors so that I could take a picture of the museum facade.


Even the pavement is ultra creative. Look at the texture and contours and angles! I wonder what this floor looks and feels like when wet?


The V&A absolutely deserves another visit.

One early Sunday morning, I took a leisurely walk around London's Regent's Park. I took the Jubilee Gate entrance to get in the park. My goal was to walk from this park all the way to Primrose Hill.


The park is huge. I literally had to use Google map to find out where I was inside the park relative to where I was going. There are signs mentioning specific areas are being conserved for specific purpose. I noticed there were lots of birds in the area. This must be another area saved for conservation purposes.


The good thing is that Londoners seem to be using the park and its amenities and taking advantage of the good weather. Lots of people walking. Lots of families.
 

People even go boating around the wetlands in the park. I had to look at the map again to get directions.


I made it all the way to Primrose Hill. It was a lot of walking but the view of London from there is nothing short of spectacular. 


Since I couldn't do any site seeing during the next work week, I've decided to take note of my lunches instead. These are the local flavors that I enjoyed for lunches or dinners. I am not used to eating alone so it was during these times that I missed Mijo the most.

This one is a Vietnamese-style noodles from Banana Tree. 


This one is a seared cod from a restaurant called Cote.


This is grilled chicken with fries and rice from Nando's.


This is a chicken sandwich from Paul Cafe. They also have sweet pastries and breads.


This is a tuna salad with pea soup from Pret a Manger.


Caffe Nero is the local coffee that I enjoyed sipping during my 2 weeks of stay in London. Even though breakfast was included as part of my accommodation at the hotel, my morning splurge was a cup of Americano from this coffee chain. Their ginger cookie was perfect with my coffees.
 

There was one time, after work, that I got off at High Street Kensington station. I had been here a week earlier when I went to the Design Museum but I didn't walk around the area during that time.


Lots of restaurants, lots of shops and lots of people walking. And then this Philippine flag. I wonder how many Filipinos are living and/or working in London?
 

Even though I had a long day at work, walking around High Street Kensington gave me a jolt of energy.
 

That extra energy made me decide to walk all the way to the hotel via Kensington Gardens.


The gardens is where the Kensington Palace is located. The palace is also the official London residence of the British Royal Family. The palace was also having an exhibit on Lady Diana but it was already closed for the day.  


The walk was very pleasant.  One of the things I love about London is its parks. Imagine these parks have seen many generations of the Royal family and many generations of Londoners and visitors.
 

My childhood friends M and J were finally available to meet that week so I met them the following night for drinks and dinner at Pingpong Dimsum at the Westfield mall. I hadn't seen them in 20 years until last year when Mijo and I went to London for a quick vacation. M and J and I were so excited to see each other after just a year. Even though we had just seen one another a year ago in London, we had a lot of things to catch up with.


During the next evenings, since there was nothing to do, I decided to see as much shows as I could. And I was going to be more adventurous and I was not going to see something I had seen before. Earlier in the trip I saw 42nd Street. One evening, I was able to get a last minute seat that was discounted in a show called Jamie, or Everybody is Talking about Jamie at the Apollo Theatre.


It is a story about a teenage boy in Sheffield who plans to become a performer when he grows up. It was kind of in the same story line,  and the same city, of Billy Elliot. The music was modern and catchy. I truly enjoyed it and I hope it makes it to the States and to San Francisco.


Here are more views of Apollo Theatre.
 

The next evening, I walked around the SOHO part of the city before heading to a show. Here is a mock Tudor Gazebo in the middle of Soho Square Gardens.


There was also a farmer's market on Berwick St. I even had a quick haircut at Splash Soho. Lots of bars and restaurants in this area that I can explore the next time I stay in London.
 

I saw the 27,467th performance of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap playing at St. Martins Theatre. It is just the world's longest running play! It is a whodunit murder mystery play. There are eight characters in the play and they are connected to each other without their knowledge. And then someone dies and the hunt for the killer commences. Lots of twists and turns.


 At the end of the play, we were asked to keep the plot and the identity of the killer a secret to anyone outside the theatre. So... I cannot tell you anything.


Here are views of the facade of St. Martins Theatre before and after dark.
 

For over two weeks, the London underground was my transport around the city. I've learned to stand by the door and I took pictures whenever the train was not crowded.


  

My official two week work schedule ended on Friday so my vacation started as soon as I left the office.

That Friday night, my friends M and J joined me and we saw Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest at the Vaudeville Theatre. It is a farce set in the late Victorian London where the characters maintain a personae that is different from their true lives and this results in comic situations. The more they lied, the deeper they dug themselves into trouble. It was so good that I'd watch this again!


Here are the picture of the stage I took during Intermission and the scene outside Vaudeville Theatre after the show.
 

The official business had ended so I had to check out of the Paddington hotel provided for me by the company.  
I checked in to a more modest hotel in Kensington for the extra days I stayed in London using personal funds. Because I paid for the next hotel and I was on a budget, it was modest compared to the work hotel. Check out and check in took the entire early morning.

Afterwards, I decided to take the bus to Notting Hill to meet my childhood friends M and J. 

By this time, I had been staying in London for over two weeks and one thing I hadn't done was ride on a London bus. Subways for me are a sure thing, buses not exactly. I wouldn't know where buses would stop next, turn or go. I judged the London buses harshly because I discovered they are truly a great way to get around the city. I learned that the next stops are announced and they have great apps. Unlike the underground, I get to see the street level which was a touristy experience on its own. 


Thankfully, the bus was not crowded and there were available seats on the upper deck of the bus. It was a beautiful Saturday morning so I saw a lot of cute places from my bus ride. The next time I'll be sent to London for work, I'll take the bus everywhere I'll go.

  

Thanks to the wonders of technology, I was able to keep track where I was headed or if I was going on the right direction. And I did reach Notting Hill unscathed and I was never lost. 


  

A trip to Notting Hill was one of the things I haven't done in my earlier visits to London. I made sure a visit here is part of my weekend list on this trip. I did my own walking tour starting my stroll from the Notting Hill Gate station all the way to the Notting Hill Bookstore. This is where I was meeting my childhood friends M and J.  


A few blocks away is the Portobello Road Market. It just so happens that M and J also have also not been to the market so we all went to check it out.


They sell all kinds of knick knacks there. I could almost hear the cute canvas tote back calling my name. I think I might find an item or two if I took time to peruse and rummage through the piles and piles of clothing and accessories.


Speaking of everything being on sale, they even sell textiles there. 


I could spend browsing through these old prints and maps. I made a mental note that if ever I were to go back, I'd go back and browse some more prints.


Of course, they sell food at the market. Just follow the aroma of food.


My childhood friends M and J had better plans for lunch. We went to nearby Duke of Wellington for this delicious British fare. After walking a lot around Portobello Road, it was great to sit down for lunch and rest.


Right after lunch and the much needed rest, M, J and I continued our Saturday adventure to another part of the city where Abbey Road is located. This is to see where The Beatles took the picture they used  for their Abbey Road album. When we got there, a group of people were already recreating the same Beatles pictures by crossing the street. Abbey Road is a real road with motorists and it is by no means an empty street. I actually enjoyed watching people try to endanger themselves by crossing the street and taking a picture.


  

Walking around Piccadilly is amazing on Sunday mornings. I shouldn't  generalize all Sundays in London, but Piccadilly Circus was empty that morning. I could actually sit next to the Shaftesbury Fountain and take selfies without millions of people behind me. I immensely enjoyed my leisurely stroll that morning.


Here's what Piccadilly Circus station and the Royal Arcade looked that morning. Also empty and I loved it!
 

My walks that morning led me back to St. Christopher's Place which is a cute shopping and restaurant
 area that is hidden from all the madness of Oxford St. I had been to the place a few days before during my after work walks and I had made a mental note that evening to go back on a weekend. And I did.


St. Christopher's Place is hidden between Oxford St. and James St. There's an alley next to H&M. Go through the alley and you'll see these decorative silver balls hanging as if to welcome you to the place.


The alley opens up to these cute clothing stores and restaurants.


And into this little plaza with a fountain in the middle. I wanted to linger in this area but I have a ticketed event later that day so I had to move on. Next time, I'll definitely have a meal here.


I continued my walk through the Marylebone neighborhood. The walk through this neighborhood was so relaxing.


  

Later on, I went to the Warner Brothers Studios outside of London to see The Making of Harry Potter. This pretty much took the rest of my day because there were so much to see in that place. This deserves a separate blog so I'll put together one shortly. 


  

[read my Harry Potter blog, November 2018]

The following day, I had a ticketed tour of the Globe. Since I was going to be around the South Bank area, I went to check out St. Jame's Park. From the tube station of the same name, it was a 2 minute walk and that walk was very pleasant. If this was my walk to work, I would be less stressed.


    

From Queen Anne's Gate, I walked toward the Blue Bridge where I took this picture with the view of the Buckingham Palace.
  

Here's the view on the other side of Blue Bridge.  I am officially a fan of London and its parks!
  

I then hopped on the Underground to go to the London Bridge station, which is the nearest station to the Shakespeare's Globe. This was on a Monday morning and tt was still rush hour so I was rubbing elbows with office workers on their way to work to this part of town. I felt elated that I was not going to work that day but instead I was to going to site see.


  

From South Bank, there are great views of the London city skyscrapers. I was also admiring the irregular shapes of some buildings and loved how it added character to the London skyline.


Here's a view of The Shard. 
I believe it is the tallest building in London.


A few moments later, I was at the Shakespeare's Globe. Instead of entering through the main lobby like I did when I saw Love's Labour's Lost a couple of nights before, they led me through the Globe's entrance instead. I got there a few minutes early so I had time to check out the Exhibition and the Globe theatre's earlier productions, the costumes, props and musical instruments.


  

We were then ushered into the side of the Globe and were told about the history of the Globe and Shakespeare and London at that time.


 

We were told that the Globe was constructed as close as possible to the original Globe. As an example, they used wooded nails instead of metal ones.


We then sat in front of the stage to get an idea what one would see during a live theatre performance. We were told more stories and tidbits about the Globe and Shakespeare.


 

    It was hard to get a panoramic view of the Globe using the cameras I had at the time. Here's the best I could come up with.


  

Here's a view from the standing area. I think I heard from the tour guide that the performances continue rain or shine. I made a mental note to bring an umbrella when watching a performance here the next time I'm in town.



Of course, their shop is amazing! Though I don't need another canvas tote shopping bag, I managed to get another one. What I need is a bigger house to store all these tote bags that I accumulated through  the years!


A bonus was a tour of the production locations of the hit series Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle and Oxford. This deserves a separate blog so stay tuned for it.


The next thing I know, I was back to where I started a little over two weeks earlier. I was heading back to Paddington Station to catch the next Heathrow Express train.


  All in all, despite this being a business trip and despite Mijo not joining me, I had an enjoyable time in London. It was great to see London from a different perspective. Plus, I got to see my childhood friends M and J once again and got to hang out with them more than once and for several hours. 

This trip made me love and appreciate London all the more.

~rl