Tea Time in Wonderland

Posts Tagged ‘Covent Garden’

- The London Eye has decorated Southbank… And if you fancy a ride, my friend Celine has found this 2 for 1 offer!

- The Easter passion played on Trafalgar Square: such a show deserves to stop by and have a look.

- Bet on Oxford or Cambridge for the traditional Boat Race… The Spitafield farm prefers to hold its yearly Goat Race (bottom of the page). I tried it last year and had a ball…

- Feeling a little elevenish? Hoorray, the Real Food Market is back @ Covent Garden!

- Womder what the hell chessboxing could look like…

- Are you in an art mood? Think street art @ the Black Rat gallery... Rediscover famous album covers here… Be amazed by bees… Or hop to Selfridge’s for some paper madness!

- Mmmh. Harpsichord and chocolate @ Handel House? Or more traditional @ Chiswick House – Easter bonnet parade, egg trail, teddies picnic…

- A winning recipe: Punch and Judy show and a mobile farm with chicks, lamps and rabbits to pet!

Where to find me? Well, I don’t think I can resist stopping at Haagen Dazs as they have a new Easter ice-cream… I will also be hunting the Easter Bunny @ the Childhood Museum – ideal on a rainy day. If the sun comes out, I’ll just jumps in a boat @ Little Venice and will stop @ the London zoo. What about you?

Snow, icy rain, a ray of sunshine? Just get a hazelnut hot chocolate at the nearest Starbucks and off you go!

- Play the culture card with the latest Van Gogh exhibition…

- Knit yourself a scraf while enjoying a lovely cup of tea…

- dream of a long gone Covent Garden…

- try an afternoon tea – new style…

- Hunt for art deco @ the decorative antique fair…

- Take a garden fan to the potato fair!

- Get your 70ies outfit for the projection of Mamma Mia on a giant screen @ the O2…

- Toast the famous Scottish poet Burns…

- sprinkle with some alternative art…

You’ll find me @ the Underground restaurant Friday evening for curious experiences… What are your plans?

Oh, feeling so lazy these days. But come on, plenty to do!

- Admire extraodinary ice sculptures @ Canary Wharf Friday and Saturday…

- Enjoy the V&A newly openedMedieval and Renaissance galleries. You think you’ll just walk through them and end up staying an hour!

- Redecorate your house thanks to the London art Fair…

- Learn about 200 years of North-American rituals and traditions @ the British Museum…

- See something new @ the Saatchi Gallery: Richard Wilson’s new structural art work, 20:50…

- Turn slow movement into art…

- Take the kids to the mime festival…

- try the new pie and mash restaurant in Covent Garden…

- Find a colourful way back home, at nightfall, through Jubilee Park…

- and sleep @ the Natural History Museum! £45 for 5 children 8-11 and 3 adults. A night visit, torch litof the galleries, a film projections, talks about insects… Ideal for adventurers!

You’ll find me instead… cocooning in front of a roaring chimney fire with a mug of cocoa in Cheshire. How about you?

Do you know, I first learnt English with Elton John’s songs. Candle in the wind was the first. I keep a sure tenderness for the singer. I was lucky enough to hear him play at a private concert in Paris years ago. You can never forget that charisma.

Of course, one thinks of his hits then straight away of his costumes and colourful clothes. Well, here’s your chance to see those close – Elton’s having a clearout and is selling eveything, profits going to his AIDS foundation. David Furnish helped and provided a range. But you can’t help but wonder: how many dressing rooms does Elton actually has in his house?

Hundreds of shoes, belts, shirts! perfect condition – have they even been worn?

Ideal if you want to bag a bargain – luxury shirsts at £45.  Plenty of Elton style – fancy designs – but also a nice more classical range. Have a look at the coats too!

Flowers Cellar
4-6 Russell Street,
Covent Garden,
London,
WC2E 7BN

Open till December 20, 2009 – 11.00-19.00
Free if you do not have any bag. If so, £1 donation for the cloakroom.

Fed up spending your evenings wrapping a mountain of presents in golden gift paper? Chill out!

- Mix your own soda on Thursday…

- Take your kids to the Scoop on Friday to sing Xmas…

- Or play Gay Bingo on Friday at Selfridge’s…

- Munch your way through the slow food market on Southbank or at the Real food market at Covent Garden, more gourmet.

- Have the kids create their own Xmas disguise…

- Or ride in a carriage at Kew Gardens…

- A little flight simulation, guys?

- Or would you prefer a pint and some table football?

- Have a look at the new Sherlock Holmes @ Mme Tussaud (and double the occasion with the Sherlock Holmes museum a few steps away)

- Listen to poetry and short stories in Hyde Park while eating mince pies…

- Grab a glass of mulled wine and listen to Xmas carols @ Covent Garden…

- Stop at St Pancras and see ice sculptures…

- Watch the Chinese Circus and dream…

- Add a little pop street art…

You’ll find me at the All of everything exhibition between two suitcases to be packed…

Fed up with Xmas shopping? A few ideas to forget all about it…

- Well first, you need energy. Carluccio’s has a special -10% on their deli this Thursday. Best of all, you’re welcomed with mulled wine and canapes…

- T’is the season to be eating finger-licking good treats! Head for the chocolate festival on Southbank.

- Don’t forget the new exhibitions: question your identity @ the Wellcome Collection or test artistic technology @ the V&A.

- More of the street art fan? Head for the Flying Eyeball.

- of course there is the pop-up of the week-end: Elton John’s clothes and stage outfits on sale, profits going to his AIDS foundation. Not whithin your budget? Try Barnardo’s vintage shop on Carnaby street to pack a bargain!

- Rediscover England with fascinating landscape pictures @ the National Theatre…

- Take the kids to a panto: there will be a toy Aladdin one @ Covent Garden on Sunday…

-… or pet an ice polar bear on Trafalgar Square….

- … or your toddlers to a Baby disco party on Saturday! Shake it, baby!

- Why not an interactive Treasur Hunt?

- a last festive note: the Tate Britain is setting up its artistic Xmas tree this Friday.

Did I forget anything? Leave me a note!

You’ll find me @ the Earth exhibition (then trying to choose from one of the gorgeous cakes at the Sketch Pop Up) and at the strange and amazing House of fairy tales

Did you make a good supply of Vitamine C? Good. The week-end should be quite busy…

- Try the late opening Thursday @ the Museum of London: live music, carol singing, creative workshops, and lovely original stalls to fill those stockings…

- Have a look at the Xmas tree on Trafalgar square

- Travel through time on Friday night – Dennis Sever house is all decorated for Xmas and can be visited weeknights candlelit- very atmospheric!

- The traditional Pudding Race takes place this Saturday @ Covent Garden. Teams will race for the benefit of Cancer Research, trying to avoir many obstacles ont their way. The take the kids to the cookie workshop! There will be Xmas carols in the afternoon.

- Enjoy Regent and Oxford traffic free on Saturday -  plenty of shopping offers and partying in the streets!

- Admire the newly opened Renaissance and Medieval Galleries @ the V&A

- Add a glamour touch and have a look at Audrey Hepburn’s wonderful dresses before they’re auctioned…

- Have your breath taken away by Jean-Francois Rauzier’s gorgeous hyperphotos…

- Head for the RAC’s new show, Earth, on climatic changes. Then stop at the Sketch’s pop-up bar – a crazy setting which also promises oysters, pancakes and champagne…

- Skate in an extraordinary historical setting – Hampton Court

- Say cheers @ this beer festival… or more elegantly @ the Smirnoff pop up bar, deco inspired by the gentlemen’s clubs.

I’ll be tasting delicious food @ the taste of Xmas. How about you?

This is the place to be to start your week-end. It doesn’t look like much, dark facade, an underground bar @ Covent Garden. Youwouldn’t have stopped, really, were it not for the happy hour, half price! sign. But it’s Friday night and you feel like celebrating in style.

What a surprise – quite a trendy bar, buzzing with Londoners in-the-know and even a DJ.

The cocktail list is mouthwatering. The usuals Dirty Martinis, Chocolate martinis et Espresso martinis are of course to be found. But what a feast to choose from! Hiro and Thyme (blueberries, fesh thyme, schochu, gin, crem de cassis, lemon juice) or the Spicy Melon (Absolut lemon vodka, honey melon, chilli, fresh lemon juice) are to die for. Or would you prefer something with champagne, whisky, sake (the Tokyo Mule with lemongrass is quite a success), vodka, tequila, rum? Ooooh, how to choose?

Watch the barmen – such a dance behing the counter, their hands flying around. It only takes a couple of minutes for your drink to be created in front of you and your camera can’t keep up with the rapidity of this agile ballet… Refreshing, interesting mix od flavours ( I am used to alcohol infused with basil but not thyme), several levels on the tongue…

This is a buzzy and noisy place – to be avoided if you were planning on a quiet and romantic talk… But @ £4 the cocktail for their happy hours? Such a great way to cheer the evening and the week-end ahead!

Dirty Martini
11/12 Russell Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2B 5HZ

Happy Hours: Monday to Thursday: 17.00-21.00 and Friday-Saturday: 12.00-21.00. Plus all night Sunday.

Another rainy week-end ahead… Smile! Just take your umbrella on an adventure…

Here’s to put you in the mood:

- The Portobello Winter festival starts this wednesdau and will have thematic nights every Wednesday till Xmas

- Don’t forget to get prepared for those Xmas parties and meals: celebrate Thanksgiving!

Feeling better? Here’s for the week-end:

- Head for the new pop-ups before they blow away with the fashion wind… Nes-cafe @ Liberty and the famous Parisian Colette on Brick Lane

- Need your weekly dose of street art? Hoorray! Mutate opens its doors again @ Portobello.

- Even Damien Hirst is back @ the White Cube Gallery. It’s still time to see his No love lost @ the Wallace collection

- Spendid news pictures @ The Royal Festival Hall…

- Alternatively hum Only you @ Proud Chelsea… Great pics of a young Elvis.

- Kids will find happiness in Covent Garden – there will be a real reindeer to pat Saturday afternoon. Parents will probably prefer the amazing jewel exhibition that flashes magic lights under UVs…

You’ll find me @ the Secret Cinema… and having an underground afternoon tea. What’s YOUR program?

No matter the temperature, the weather, the piling of coats, scarfs, sweaters. If a child sees an ice-cream around, you’re toast. That’s how I got stuck in Covent Garden, rain pouring outside with a four-year-old that really was feeling like a little something sweet and cool.

Thankfully, down the piazza is Yu-foria, serving frozen yogurts, much more refreshing than a very sugary ice-cream. Choose from natural, green tea, of day special, mango in ourcase. Really worth Snog ones. The principle is the same – add toppings of your choice. 100% fat free and green too, with biodegradable cups.

Add to this a cozy shop, natural deco, wooden and golden tones and even, hidden from view at the back to suspended armchairs where lovers will love to sit…

Even better, they’re just where opera singers and classical orchestra settle to sing and play @ the week-ends.  What a delicious time!

Yu-foria
Covent Garden Market,
London,
WC2E 8RB

Count £3 for a medium size and 20p per topping. 2 is generally enough.

If you prefer a more calorical and trendy option, head upstairs for Ella’s cupcakes. Or maybe Ben’s cookies, with melting chocoloate chips?