v2london

Eat The Italian Way-Strada

Good Italian food can be hard to find in a big city if you don’t know where to look for it. Strada chain of restaurants can be described as a very stylish group of modern Italian restaurants serving high quality,simple and freshly prepared dishes. Within the whole group there are 60 restaurants mainly in the centre of London and their popularity has grown more than Pizza Hut or Pizza Express.

Their service is very quick and friendly-as soon as you enter their doors- a smartly dressed member of staff will greet you and seat you as quickly as possible-they will throughout your meal keep you supplied with complimentary mineral water. The menu is extensive with many wholesome Tuscan dishes like pastas,risottos,grilled meats,fish,salads,breads,desserts and pizzas.

Strada’s strongest selling point would seem to be in using only the finest,wholesome and freshest ingredients to make eating here an enjoyable experience. The olive-oil used to flavour so many of the dishes is extra virgin,Parma Ham,buffalo Mozzarella are specially imported from Italy to provide the diner with the exact rustic and traditional dishes as one would find in if they were travelling around those regions.

When I first ate here a few weeks back I started off with Insalata Toscania-melted buffalo mozzarella served on a Tuscan salad of vine cherry tomatoes,cucumber,roasted red peppers,onion,ciabatta croutons and olives. My partner had the roasted butter fried king prawns done garlic white wine,chilli,lemon and parsley -lightly sprayed with extra virgin olive oil.

For the main course I went for the rather creamy risotto di verdure consisting of freshly grilled asparagus,broad-beans,peas,spring-onions,courgettes,green-beans and mint. The whole dish was presented in an attractive bowl - finished off with baby spinach and shavings of parmesan. My accessory in this eating adventure had the fourteen ounce char grilled rib-eye steak which was served on the bone with diced potatoes,green beans with just the right amount of garlic and herb butter.

The group has an extensive wine-list consisting of many regional Italian wines,beers and liqueurs-very carefully chosen to enhance the flavours of the Tuscan menu.

Although we were stuffed full by the end of the two course;: the prospect of leaving the restaurant without having tried the Tiramisu was going to be verysad-so we had that as well-it was really nice dessert made with light sponges fingers soaked in espresso coffee and rum,thickly layered with mascarpone cheese, and sprinkled with cocoa powder -followed by a mild latte coffee.

A meal for two with wine and all the trimmings set us back seventy pounds and it was every penny.

South Kensington is a very popular tourist area because it has three excellent museums and is situated very close to Knightbridge and Brompton Road which has some really excellent shops like Harrods,Harvey Nichols,Giorgio Armani,Louis Vuitton and loads of eatries,cafes and restaurants to keep you occupied.

Looking at South Kensington’s share of museums there is the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and of-course the very popular Victoria and Albert Museum. The area is also the home of KensinGTON Palace.

On the tour begin with Victoria and Albert Museum as it is really close to South Kensinton Tube and is very well sign posted. This museum is considered to be one of the largest museum’s in the world as it has one hundred and fifty rooms and if you have lots of time to spare then wandering around from room to room is a good way to explore and see all the exhibits.

The museum was set up in 1899 by Queen Victoria named after herself and husband Albert-there is the Cromwell road entrance which is adorned by a statue of the pair in the front.

Getting back to attaining the best from your tour there are several guide books available from the museum book-shop which can direct you to many interesting exhibitions,informative displays and exhibits which attract the most visitors like; Constable,Raphael Cartoons and The Dress Collection.

Next is the Science Museum which was built in 1913 and consists of seven floors. It covers all scientific developments of medicine,food,space travel and much more. It is considered to be more child friendly than the Victoria and Albert Museum as it has many interesting and colour-ful informative displays and life-size models to capture their attention,basically its good for all ages. Again you can either wander in and browse through the exhibitions or ask a curator as to which are the most popular exhibitions or purchase some guide books from the museum shop.

Finally there is the Natural History Museum which is housed in a magnificent building and focuses on the history of creation as we know it today. The museum covers subjects like Zoology,Palentology,Entymology and any-mology if there is one it will be at the museum. This is really worth a visit if only to view the life-size models of all living and extinct beings which are interactively accompanied by sounds from the zoo,jungle,roars so on and so forth taking you back in time.

All three museum are child friendly, have well-equipped museum shops, cafes and restaurants. If at the end of your day you have any energy left then also take in the Brompton Oratory-the venue of the rich and famous which has been the site of

many high-society weddings and if you carry on walking along Brompton road you will eventually come to Harrods-our most friendly,inviting elegant,chic,designer store-a perfect way to end a perfect day!

http://www.cityporters.com

London climbers take their sport very seriously possibly because they live in a huge city and there is a dire lack of real proper mountains nearby. But we do have the indoor climbing wall which is a lot better than climbing a real mountain-and can be considered to be  a sport within its own right. It can be used as means of limbering up for the real climb as well.

So popular is the indoor climbing sport that many of  the local sports centres and some on the more well known ones like Crystal Palace National Sports Centre,Brixton Rcreation Centre and Hendon Youth Sports Centre are always busy with people wanting to learn the art of indoor wall climbing. For a fuller list try looking at http://www.ukclimbing.com.

For those wanting to climatise themselves and develop greater altitudinal skills this out-door club Bowles Rock (+441892-665665) is hugely popular.It is situated just outside Tunbridge Wells,the nearest station is Eridge.It has marvellous sandstone ridges-you must be trained climber,must  have your own equipment and be an expert on how to use it.

THE MAZE

13-15 Grosvenor Square London W1K 6JP

+442071070000

Nearest Tube:Marble Arch

Getting back to our much-loved celebrity chef Mr Ramsay lets focus on another establishment that he owns but in another part of London-The Maze. Situated near Marble-Arch tube and very close to the US embassy it is one of loveliest places to either have lunch or dinner. The location is so well-chosen its hard not to be tempted to go in and have a look and have something to eat there. I have eaten there many times and the food has been perfect-absolutely no complaints in that department!

Now the interior decor is  something  completely different and really worth looking into because its modern-has superb chef’s table,a good-sized bar and very comfortable seats that you will not want to leave once you have finished you meal,check it out at http://www.gordonramsay.com/maze.

Basically in the Maze there is a choice of the Tapas style menu or the chef’s table. I usually prefer the latter because I suppose they work in the kitchen and know what they are doing-so thats a safe bet. There is a huge choice in the Tapas menu and none of the dishes could be faulted-all cooked to perfection and served in an appetising manner.There is a well-edited wine list and also a number of different combination cocktails to get your juices going.

Prior to becoming a fan of Gordon having watched his controversial television shows I used to be wary of going into expensive restaurants and being disappointed by the food. Once I had watched him on television then I knew what to expect-at least I know he can cook.

I know many people would say that he is outrageously expensive but I don’t agree. At the most a meal for two would set you back £80.00 per person with wine.I think its all about experiencing the whole aspect of being part of the fine dining concept.Before I became addicted to this expensive habit-it had been a case of do I really want to spend week’s worth of grocery money on one meal here.But now I would say well if you cannot afford his prices at a regular level :save up and go there for a special occasion and I promise you won’t be disappointed. I just love going there because I get so much attention-the crisp,clean,uniformed army of waiters are just all over you as soon as you enter the Maze. Then throughout the meal - my wine glass or mineral water glass was attentively topped up almost after every sip. Lunch is a good option if dinner is too expensive for a three course meal thirty pounds is not bad,and six courses its forty pounds.

Address:Claridges Hotel

55 Brook Street London W1K 4HR +442074990099

WebSite: http://www.gordonramsay.com

Nearest Tube: Bond Street Station

Recommendations:

1. Set Lunch-three courses is thirty pounds
2. Set Dinner-three courses is sixty five pounds
3. A la Carte- six courses is seventy-five pounds.

Credit Cards Accepted AmEx,Diners Club,JCB,MasterCard,Visa

London is full of many eating establishments and it can become difficult to choose where to eat,but if you like your food in a posh manner have a meal in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in Claridge’s Hotel. He is one of our most popular celebrity chefs and has many venues,but I think this one is worth  dining in because it has all the formal dining etiquette and frilliness  that you would  expect in a first class proper English restaurant.

Claridges hotel was first launched in 1898 and has been a fine example of British hospitality for one hundred and ten years.It has the most beautiful and grandiose central flower displays,dramatically scattered  rose petals  across heavy linen tables laid out for afternoon tea. Overall the hotel has a very clean crisp image with shiny marble and art-deco feel but Ramsay’s section is a complete contrast.

Don’t be shocked as you enter the restaurant to be swamped by an army of smartly dressed band of waiters who will deal with you and your order in an expert fashion. If you are going to eat here make sure you have plenty of time to spare because you cannot rush Gordon-our six courses in the evening took a long-time being served.You can’t just rush in and out of here as if you are eating in Macdonald’s. The decor is much lighter and muted with a luxurious pale orange dining room.

Unlike most restaurants you have to order everything first from the first to the last course. I have had the set lunch and he offers fewer trimmings as it is a rushed meal from the customer’s point of view.

The food served in the restaurant is of a very high standard and you will not regret the expense especially if you want to eat something nice. There are some unusual combinations and flavours to go for- chilled celery soup,fresh pea tortellini served with a mint sauce and succulent bits of pork. Masterful culinary skills came through with a perfect presentation of professionally grilled baby spring chicken accompanied by vegetables.

There are a few things you do need to know before you go there:

Booking is essential,Babies and children are welcome,dress must be smart(no jeans,trainers),there is another room for parties ranging from 6,10,12,24.

Harrods Department Store

87-125 Knightsbridge

SW1 London

No-one can visit London without at least shopping in Harrods Department Store in exclusive Knightsbridge. Although it began life as an English store it has changed hands many times over the years and today it is controlled and owned by the infamous business tycoon Mohammed Al-Fayed. Other than Harrods being  his claim to fame he was also the father of Dodi -the man Princess Diana was dining with the night she died in that fateful car crash in Paris.

Going to visit Harrods is a fantastic experience because it depicts British shopping history and tastes through the years and there is also a marvellous amount of expensive architecture show-casing the nostalgic element that is so lacking in other department stores in London.

You don’t have be rich to be able to afford things from a department store-just be selective in what you can afford. It could be for a special occasion,a birthday, a celebration or some expensive item of clothing,household items or furniture that you wish to splurge on. I usually love to save and spend on buying an expensive woollen coat,shoes and a handbag-things that will last and look good. What you need to avoid is the perfumery and the make-up department because unless there is a unique and special item you are looking for and can only get it at Harrods-shop elsewhere because they will be a lot less in Oxford Street or your local store. What I am trying to emphasise is don’t throw money away on something you can buy from a regular store for example don’t buy your regular hair-colour for £50.00 just because its Harrods-when you can get for £6.00 in the local chemist. Ofcourse being Knightsbridge there is going to be a huge mark-up because of the name,and the council tax that Al-Fayed is paying for twelve thousand light bulbs lighting up the exterior of the building: of which a mere three hundred need replacing every night-needless to say there must be rotation pattern to this.

Harrods has something exclusive for everyone like food,chocolate,sun-glasses,shoes,scarves,leather-goods and so much more. For women I think the fashion floors are worth looking into-especially the sweater section because they so full of exclusive designs from some the most expensive mills in Scotland. They also stock specific designer items from many exclusive brand names like Armani,Dior,Chanel,Fendi,Dolce&Gabbana and much more.

The items I think worth going for and even save for are stuff like real jewellery,watches,bone-china dishes-tureens,chandeliers stuff you will only buy once. Instead of spending on cheap decorative items like vases,lamp-stands,paintings go and have a look at the collection in Harrods and pick out stuff-invariably in the sales at Christmas time and the Summer at lot is reduced to half-price and pick up a bargain . I have done this and once I have got fed up I tend to sell it on ebay or in a boot sale and usually its worth it- I recouped part of what I spent on it.

THE FAN MUSEUM

12 CROOMS HILL

GREENWICH

LONDON SE10 8ER

PHONE: +442083051441

http://www.fan-museum.org

London is the home of the only fan museum of its kind in the world and one that is well worth a visit. It is located on the World Heritage Site-Maritime Greenwich. The museum is devoted to aspects of fan making from start to finish and the curators also offer fan-making classes and repairing any antique fans for the right price. You can always ask for quote.

At present the museum is home to three thousand and five hundred fans and the collections dates as far back Cleopatra to the the eleventh century.Surprisingly the museum on this protected site actually possess the worl d’  s most important single collection of famous fan leaves and all items associated with the art of making fans.

The museum changes its exhibition of fans every four months so people can have look at the collection in a more thematic and organizeway-i.e. ceremonial fans,gift items or sport themes. They are such desireable  items  almost as highly valued as oil paintings that individuals and companies or any-one can even commission a special fan to mark a special day or occasion.

+4408702429988 : The London Pass direct to your camera phone via upcomm.net on your phone for a free download

I think these passes are fantastic value for money especially if you are on a tight budget or are touring in a group or in a family. Costing twelve pounds a day-the London Pass can be a more economical way of discovering London. The benefits of buying one gives you entrance to a choice of fifty attractions, access to many shopping,restaurant discounts, as well as other benefits,its great value for money and  allows you to go ahead of any queues. The purchase also includes a multi-lingual guide book and a special offers and money off coupons as well. There are eight categories of sights you can visit;Historic Buildings,Museums,Leisure,Places of interest,Shopping,Tours,Cruises and Walks,Places to eat and drink.

Historic Buildings: The Tower of London,St Paul’s Cathedral,Tower Bridge Exhibition,Kensington Palace,Royal Mews,Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace,Windsor Castle,Jewel Tower,Wellington Arch,Hampton Court Palace,Apsley House,Royal Albert Hall,Benjamin Franklin’s House,Eltham Palace,Eton College,Southwark Palace and Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House.

• Museums:Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms,Britain at war experience,Guards Museum,Fan Museum,Fire Power Royal Artillery Museum,Florence Nightingale Museum,Foundling Museum,Handel House Museum,Kew Bridge Steam Museum,Pollock’s Toy Museum,London Canal Museum,Twickenham Stadium,Docklands Museum,Old Operating Theatre Museum, Cartoon Museum, Alexander Fleming Lab,Royal Airforce Museum.
• Galleries:Courtaulds Institute of Art Gallery,the Queen’s Gallery,National Portrait Gallery,Tate Britain Audio Guide,Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art.
• Leisure:Theatre Tickets,Curzon Mayfair,Curzon Soh,London Nightclub Offers,Namco Station,Queen’s Ice Skating,Renoir Cinema,London Brass Rubbing Centre,Chelsea Cinema,Queen’s Ice and Bowl.
• Places of Interest:HMS Belfast,Shakespeare’s Globe,London Zoo,Wimbeldon Lawn Tennis museum,Cutty Sark,Chiselhurst Caves,Kew Gardens,London Wetland Centre,Chelsea Physic Garden.

Banqueting House Whitehall London SW1A 2ER Phone:+44 0844 482 7788

London is full of interesting and unique places to see and its has five historic palaces to keep any tourist occupied.They are the Tower of London,Hampton Court Palace,Banqueting House,Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. All of the five palaces which are in the care of a charity called ‘Historic Royal Palaces’  are highly regarded because they depict a historical journey spanning over hundreds of years culminating in their preservation as the nation’s heritage today.

These architectural masterpieces- all of which I have seen have witnessed peace,prosperity and considerable growth as well as war,civil unrest,revolution and political unrest. If you decide to embark on a historic tour and wish to visit the palaces then its worthwhile getting a membership to the charity because you can get unlimited visits to the palaces,have access to member only special events and ten percent discount on any purchases in the palaces gift shops and catering out-lets.

Only recently I visited Banqueting House and was amazed by this extension which used to be a part of the great palace of Whitehall. Designed by Inigo Jones in 1622,its claim to fame is the real life drama: the excution of Charles 1 which took place here in 1649. The building it self is an architectural masterpiece unsurpassed by anything I have ever seen in the United Kingdom. Inigo Jones was greatly influenced by the Italian Renaissance Palladian style and used this theme extensively making it the  first well-known classical building to be completed in England for that year. The whole structure is true to the design-representing perfect proportions of the main hall with its large windows and soaring columns calculated precisely in accordance with the Roman idea of perfection.

The most ironical part of visiting this palace is that Charles 1 -the only English king ever to be executed actually passed under Rubens magnificent painting on the ceiling of Banqueting House which he had commissioned to glorify the monarchy during his reign. Known as Ruben’s ceiling and something that you could not fail to admire is the fact that painted canvas has survived floods,fire and war.  Every-one  would enjoy looking at the painting in  its original form and setting. Peter Paul Rubens was actually paid a mere three thousand pounds for this-in today’s term that’s  actually paying some-one two hundred and fifty thousand pounds (250,000.00) to paint the ceiling.

During the tour make it a point to explore the Undercroft,originally designed by James 1 as drinking retreat where he could escape from the rigours of palace life and indulge in a glass of wine from his extensive cellars and enjoy some solitude and private moments with his favourite courtiers.

The palace does hold concerts from time to time featuring many classical musicians of our time .For a programme why not visit http://www.hrp.org.uk.