London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Hampstead may be part of London but life here is different, soothing, sweeter. It forces you to slow down. Just a couple minutes away from the high street are the most adorable houses and tiny gardens. Somes are tidy, almost combed, other offer this crafted wilderness  so caracterictic of British gardens. Breathe -  can you smell the lavender, the jasmines, the peppery rosses, the rosemary? Have you seen the figs and apples? From one door to another opens a brand new universe…

I am counting the days to the holidays. You know, prisonner like, crossing them out. I know they are not so far away but looking at the piles of files on my desk, it looks like the wall of China is between me and them. And so I look at London who also derives towards dreamy places. Here a hotel becomes a narrowboat (or vice-versa), close to a floating restaurant. A parking is sublimed by a classical music concert. Camping becomes urban and with a view. Even spas head toward the garden.

Are you trying to escape too? Well, I can help you make it to the week-end at least. Print this page. Thanks to Thrillist, you can have a free cocktails, a French twist the Pimm’s. Instead of the classic British aperitif, this one is made with my favourite Bordeaux alcohol, Lillet. A delight.

All re-energised to go and enjoy London!

* Learn to dance tango in Spitafields. It’s free. And romantic. And sexy.

* Movie fan? Take place on the Dalston roofs.

* Have tea in a historical house with Bea’s of Bloomsbury. We love her cupcakes.

* Just a year left before the Olympic games and London is celebrating with 1000 events.

* Discover the Brixton murals.

* There is quite a party on Whitecross street and street art will be involved too.

* Do you like Chinese shadows?

* Discover British wines at the Borough Market.

* Nike proposes free sport sessions in London parks.

* Art will make you smile on the Central Line.

* Soho celebrates short-movies until July 29. go and see them at the Curzon, the Apple Store, the Hospital Club…

* Do you have a bike? A few cafés for you this way.

* We love these new themed tours of London: fashion, foodie, art on Bond Street…

* Missing the royal wedding atmosphere? Have another dose!

Pssst: Always wanted to discover the view from the BT tower? Book here.

Wander on Malborough road, walk to the very end, just after Clarence House and you will find quiet narrower streets such as Cleveland Rows. The house there have full view on Green Park, amazing door knob and who knows, you might even find a Rolls parked in the street… A very pleasant walk.

Know what I like best in London? The cheerful touch of crazyness, the freedom to be creative, different.
Example -  this guy who decided one day to commute by canoe-kayak. Fabulous. I have been searching for an equivalent since (as there is no canal on my way to the office).
Meanwhile, here is a cocktail of plans to enjoy the so British city this week-end:

* David Lynch fan? Twin Peaks is back, just for one night this Thursday.

* Free ice-cream at Dri Dri on Friday. Come on, you can’t say no to this.

* Stop at the Scoop – free theatre on Friday and this week-end.

* Calling all chocaholics – check out those yummy walks!

* Wake up the sumo in you -  it is all for a good cause.

* Get your ticket for Taste of London – quite expensive but you will not be able to resist the menus for long.

* Pretend you’re in Tokyo and have a karaoke party. This hotel dedicates rooms with cocktails and outfits.

* Musicals take over Trafalgar.

* Black Peper? Lavander? Marmite? Paul A Young just opened his new Soho shop.

* Smile with this dog show. Lookalike competition: which 4-pawed-cutie will look the closest to Queen Victorias’ dog? Which other will be the best Victorian fashioned?

* Find happiness (and/or a good bargain) at Wimbledon’s car boot sale, the best around according to Time Out.

* Tea in a park? Yes, call it med-tea-tation.

* 10 ideas for Southbank.

* Party time on Marylebone: farmers’ market, foodie stalls, animations, salsa, concerts… Café Luc will be there too, serving mussels in a saffron sauce. Oh, and their fab cocktails too, of course.

* Ignore cinema chains. Independant ones have so much more charm.

* What if it rains? Have a virtual walk.

Pssst:
* On June 20th, sing a little opera.
* On June 21, meet Tracey Emin at Selfridges: she will be opening a pop-up concept store there.

Bingo! This week-end is forcasted sunny AND will last an extra day. Around me, there are constant talks of Pimm’s jugs.hammocks, barbecue-parties, of the pleasure of walking barefoot in the grass…

* Is there a spirit in the Old Operating Theatre?

* Couldn’t get a ticket to the Chelsea Flower Show? Cheat, enjoy it differently with dedicated cocktails and afternoon teas.

* Put on your dancing shoes at Spitafields. You can even learn to tango there.

* The V&A late opening is dedicated to Yoji Yamamoto. Fashionistas should rush there.

* Always wanted to own a real theatre costume? Now is your chance: this pop-up sells them at affordable prices.

* Stik is back!

* Or would you prefer miniature street art?

* Foodies, the party’s in Hampton Court this week-end.

* Fancy a picnic but don’t want to prepare anything? Try this. enter the code MAY15 for an extra 15% off the price.

* Come and admire the fab sport cars at Covent Garden before they race away to the Gumball 3000 rally. Gentlemen, we promise this is not a ruse to let the girls fo even more shopping…

* Take some height at the Sky Bar.

* To keep those little pirates busy, click this way.

* Yummy! There is a new Hummingbird Bakery branch in Spitafields. Street art & cupcakes, now thta’s good news. Follow the crumbs and you’ll find me.

* Top Shop hides a pop-up with limited edition clothes. It is hiding behing the florist shop…

* Discover London the yummy way with Tastour. I have just registered for their famous Indian food walk in September.

* Visit a Huguenot House.

* Sip a bubble tea.

* Pssst! Next Wednesday, go and see some opera on Trafalgar Square.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, the countdown to the week-end has begun…

* Stop by the Scoop, the Open Air theatre close to London Bridge, for a dose of modernised Shakespeare. It’s free, every evening till April 18.

* Knitting has become so trendy it is now the perfect occasion for a tea party… There is even a funny word for this new fashion: a crafternoon. Even Liberty follows!

* Saturday is Queen’s day in Holland -  a national public holiday. Trafalgar Square will have a dedicated market with music and the National Gallery proposes to discover the masters of this colourful country.

* The artist Chantal Powel got inspired by Alice in Wonderland and is recreating this magic on Saturday. Come and have a look – there will even be a Mad Hatter Party!

* Flutter by the Natural History Museum – the Butterfly House is back for the summer!

* Easter’s just arounf the corner. Come and make your own gourmet chocolate eggs and enjoy a cocktail.

* Go ad-Mire the colourful Miro exhibition at the Tate.

* The Royal Wedding has a Marmite effect: love it or hate it!

* Did the London Cooking Club win your heart (or stomach)? Well, it’s time for desert!

* We love the nostalgic touch of The Carter Steam fair, with retro style rides… A few pics from last year this way.

*Uniform is all the chic at Selfridges.

* You know summer’s just around the corner when open air cinemas start popping up again…

* Get on Dickens’ tracks.

* Get some fresh air and have a walk in the Lea valley.

Find your sunglasses! The week-end should see temperatures of 20 degrees AND a bright sunhine!
Yes, in London.

Head for your nearest park, walk along the Thames, find a rooftop or a beergarden!

- On Thursday, free cocooning and £4 cocktails – girls only.

- Revamp your wardrobe with Paul Smith without breaking the bank…

- Celebrate the Thai new year -  zen and exotic. A great opportunity to discover the Buddhist temple in Wimbledon.

- Southbank chocolate festival is back…

- Rediscover circus…  hip-hop version!

- Remember The Adventurists? Come and see movies of their trips and experiences. Of course, there will be the ever-so-perfect cocktails by Hendrick’s…

- Fill-up with caffeine…

- Love Italian cinema? This way for spaghettis-movies…

- Be curious about Tower Bridge…

- Walk to your nearest market…

- Stroll along the canal…

- Time Out just updated their list of cheap eats – ideal, we will need to test/taste them all!

- Get inspired by the elegance of Chinese arts…

- Get the kites out!

- Feel like a kid again with The Muppets…

- Prepare your summer agenda: Tom Jones, the Gipsy Kings and James Blunt will be in concert @ Kenwood House…

- Pssst: free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream on April 12 and 27…

- Planning a ride on the London Eye with the kids? The Easter Bunny has lost his favourite tea set – try and look for it in the landscape around the wheel and tweet the pics to @thelondoneye referencing #easterlondoneye. Who knows, you might win a family ticket!

The week-end to come is a special one for me. Sunday will be filled with hugs, bunches of daisies, sweet words made with sparkly Crayolas, homemade cakes covered in colourful sugary stars. Sunday is my day, you see, mothers’ day.

How will you enjoy yours? Here are a few ideas:

- Enjoy the first splash of the season! The Brockwell Lido reopens and it’s free for the celebration day!

- Look for glimpses of Elisabeth Taylor’s life through the city…

- Smile with those anecdotes…

- Have a surreal break… or a contemporary art hunt…

- Have tea at Lily Vanilli’s cake club -  it takes place in Hackney this time in a very wonderland atmosphere… Go for the champagne donuts!

- Circus are in -  whether they offer a contemporary show or host a nomad cinema…

- Get your camera out – come and join me at this photowalk!

- Revisit King’s Rd rock’n'roll style in black & white pics…

- London puts its dancing shoes on…

- Gasp at this amazing collection of theater costumes…

- Did you know the London Eye now has a beauty capsule?

- Selfridge’s and Oxfam open a top sale with clothes given by celebs – fancy wearing kate Moss’ dress?

- Sing a nursery rhyme with Eine…

- Discover a poetic sculpture made entirely of bird feathers…

- Are you a mum? Then get a free cocktail at Hendrick’s on Sunday!

- Add a spoonful of a royal desert – specially created by the famous Heston Blumenthal.

- Get some fresh air!

I’m escaping to France for a week-end of laughs and folklore dances (not quite sure how I’ll fare on those). London is all yours – if you find fab addresses or shows worth the detour, don’t hesitate to share with us!

A few ideas collected here and there:

- Melt for this foodie’s blog – mouthwatering! Follow on advice and have dim-sums for dinner!

- The Baby Bathtub opens in Hackney on Friday – deco between Victorian and gothic, DJ in a birdcage and cocktail aplenty…

- Street art fan? Go and see Stik’s characters out of Shoreditch…

- Dream of elegance at the Yoji Yamamoto retrospective at the V&A….

- Don’t laugh and head for your favourite pub -  it’s National pie week…

- We’ve seen pop-ups and secret restaurants. This one is a secret pop up artistic restaurant. (If you’d rather try a secret pop-up cabaret restaurant, try the Pale Blue Door)

- Fancy catching a movie? This hotel hides a cinema club… or watch a silent movie at the BFI….

- Hunt for gems in this vintage fair…

- Have a look at this peak-high expensive Picasso…

- See green and join St Patrick’s parade…

- Throw some bets -  how much will Kate Middleton’s dress go for?

- Well of course, royalty can be fun!

- Love quizz? Try this film pub quizz walk for extra difficulty!

Pssst: On march 16th, play musical chairs with the Londonist…

This week-end, I’m joining a cooking club: yummy dishes, wine and happy chats. What have you planned?

- This Thursday evening, why not try an interesting mix of disco and video games. Unusual, but fun!

- A yummy walk…

- Pubs inspire artists…

- Fancy being a mad hatter?

- Be amazed by modern art…

- Rediscover the charm of silent films…

- Don’t forget to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the V&A!

- By the way, why not indulge in an afternoon tea with an Asian twist?

- Pssst: a secret bar in Chinatown – tested and loved!

- Ever hear of the Burger Monday pop-up?