London: Tea Time in Wonderland

When you have lived in London a while and taken quite a few friends on the London Eye, the view on the Parliament and Big Ben lose a bit of their charm. But with summer days, look the other side: the park lawn is invaded for pinics, reads in the sun, chats… Zoom and find fun details – like this group of friends suddenly jumping into a choregraphy! A great way to keep the little ones smiling as they sometimes find the ride a bit long:

1951. A very austere time. So many fathers, brothers, sons, friends , fiancés did not come back from the war. It takes time for the wounds to heal., for the country to rebuild what was lost. To redefine itself too. After fighting for their values, the question is left unanswered: what does “Being British” mean? Think about it – many are under two flags: Ireland/Scotland/Wales/Commonwealth and England. Great melting pot of traditions.

That year is launched the Festival of Britain, meant to help turn a page. By celebrating Great Britain and its inhabitants, it will bring optimism and creativity back. Southbank builds up, the efforts are comparable toth – ththose of a universal exhibition – look at this video to get an idea! The most famous was the skylon a rocket/cigar kind of tower. The telekinema was partocularly successful – at that time TV was still very young… Of all this only one thing remains: the Royal Festival Hall. This concrete building makes so much more sense when you think of it as an exhibition space: many entrances for maximum access to the public, many glass windows to make a visual link with everything happening outside.

Southbank opens this Friday a new version of this festival. Smaller, the space around is of course more limited, less grand too but the idea remains: bring forward meeting spaces, bring friends and family together, give them a chance to learn, discover something new on their way. The list of happenings is long and will last until September 04, 2011.

A few ideas we particularly loved:

- The museum of 1951: many people loaned their memorabilia of the event. Programs, posters, merchandising… Quite fascinating. The film projections give you a better understanding of it too – this is so different from the views we know it felt like seeing an old sci-fi movie to me!

- The festive feeling along the Thames: the longest bunting, 14 beach huts decorated by artists, an appearing-disappearing fountain, 70m of beach for the kids and deckchairs for the parents, retro vans selling ice-creams, fish and chips, pop-corn… Dishoom, London’s Bombay café will even have a pop-up there soon. On the program too: a mini fun fair and the Udderbelly, this concert and show space in the shape of an overturned lilac cow.

- Here and there, photographies, art, sculptures… that take you to floors you usually ignore.

- A Market will also be there every week-end behing the Royal Festival Hall. A modern bandstand is in place and will be welcoming musical groups for everyone pleasure.

- Many British artists will join in. Our favourite will be 0n May 09th, Heston Blumenthal will tell us all about afternoon teas and the 1950ies sherry parties. he ticket is a bit expensive but will include a sherry tasting.

- We loved the Queen Elisabeth hall garden roof – open to the public for the first time. The Eden project team has just finished adding lawn, vegetable patches, flower sets near the mini-bar. Very relaxing and a nice view too. Believe me, it is lovely to sit there in the sun with an ice-cream.

- Each week-end will be themes differently. Guitar, litterature, traditional music… We are quite looking forward to the vintage one which will cover fashion, films, danc, music from the 20th century (July 29-31)

And so many other things! Summer will definitely be under the Festival of Britain sign.

What a dream, it does feel like summer ! T-shirts and beach dresses are out. You’d better eat those Easter chocolates quick or they’ll melt before the hunt has begun…

Put that suncream in your bag and pick a few ideas:

* Are flashmobs dead? Not at all! Meet tomorrow (Thursday, April 21) at Pierre Garroudi‘s gallery at 16.00. Him and his 20 models wearing bright red creations will take London streets as an amzing catwalk stage. Arrival planned at Trafalgar Square between 17.00 and 18.00.

* Southbank opens on Friday a huge festival, inspired by the 1951 and meant to celebrate the British culture. Over the next 4 months there will be a beach atmosphere, Indian street food, a fun fair and each week-end will provide animations on different themes…

* Every year, the British Museum and Kew Gardens work together on a themed garden. Australia is the new guest of honour.

* St Georges Day may not bring an extra day off but it is no reason not to celebrate!

* Blue sky and bright sun usually mean great thirst. Why not cheer the weather with a royal pub crawl? Alternativerly, get a beard and a toge, it’s all for a good cause and your pint will taste even better for it.

* Trafalgar Square is so trendy that even Jesus will stop there this week-end. No kidding.

* Do you live in east London? There’s plenty of chocolate your way.

* Until now, our favourite bubble tea place was the Candy Café. Will this new address in Soho win over?

* We had fallen in love with Gina Foster‘s hat creations. We are not the only ones – she seems to be pretty busy for the royal wedding…

* Don’t forget your camera on Sunday: Easter Bunnies will be skating through Hyde Park!

* Royal wedding cakes are all the craze. Go and see this free exhibition that recreates the most amazing ones, including a Buckingham Palace made of sugar.

* Discover the keys ceremony at the London Tower.

* Hendrick’s will mix new cocktails at Selfridges, served in teapots: gin-champagne-elderflower liqueur. Cheers, my dear!

* You can now enjoy Pimm’s on the London Eye.

What about you? London or countryside escape?

The Real food Festival regularly brings a highlight to Southbank. It may not be very big but the stalls gather all kind of savoury and sweet crafts that are worth discovering.
Themes vary, of course -  this week-end is chocolatey, Easter being so close. And yes, you can lick your lips in anticipation!

A few things to try:

- Niko B‘s creations: fig, lemon-ginger-pepper, burnt caramel-lemon, mint-raspberry, chai, tyme-lime…
- Cocoa Magic‘s lovely alliances: coconut-cherry, chilli-mint, cardamom-pistachio…
- Beautiful jewels, as if handpainted by Baruzzo…
- Mexican dishes with a chocolate twist…
- Café On‘s 20 different macaroons – they will also propose today macarons and ice-cream sandwiches!
- The amazing cheesecake collection by The Sweet Tooth Factory – they had a Toblerone one yesterday, yummy…
- Absolutely anything/everything from The Choc Star Van, from brownies to ice-cream. We’re big fans of Petra.
- Hotel Chocolat and William Curley (and so many more!) also present their collections.

Too hot for truffles and cakes? try this:

- We fell in love with Jaz & Jul’s pinachocalada – chocolate and pineapple: a match in heaven. They also do a range of flavoured iced chocolates.
- Choccy Woccy also proposes Snickers, Mars or Bounty milkshakes. And cocktails! Chili-mint-vodka-Bayley’s, rum-butterscotch schnapps-chocolate or vodka-coffee liquor-chocolate. Hips!
- Discover The Meantime Brewery‘s very refreshing beers. (Although for the chocolate one, walk a bit further on Southbank and prefer the Double Chocolate stout at the Founders Arms. Sunny terrace included!)

And if you are not totally saturated yet, go for a chocolate lunch at The Rabot Estate in Borough Market – savoury and sweet adventures to be had there!

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!

Hunting for macaroons, crumbles, cupcakes… certainly is pretty easy in London – the one for cheesecake proves more challenging. The texture often is disappointing: bland, crumbly, too creamy. When favoured, the taste gets too sugary, almost sickening. Only Ottolenghis really won my heart (or stomach), light, fragrant, smooth, the cheesecake deli.

The Real Food Market on Southbank always has a few surprises in store. The Sweet Tooth Factory’s range really is a must-stop. 32 cheesecakes. From pistachio to Kinder Bueno, via green tea, Macadamia nuts, banoffe, Matelsers, Oreos, mango…

Two seconds and I was walking away with a piece of Ferrero Rocher treat. The cream was dense, heavy as it should be, melting nicely. Pieces of the chocolate candy were included which made the texture much more interesting and the sweetness just balanced rather than overwhelming. But gosh, it is very filling and it is worth sharing it with a friend!

They will be present at the Chocolate Festival this week-end (and so will be Café On and their fab macaroons)– worth getting a piece then sit close to the Thames for a sunny picnic…

Sweet Tooth Factory
No boutique/café yet, but look out for their events on their FB / Twitter
£3.50 the slice

What a week! I have cheered spring, friendship, the royal wedding to come, the wonderful Irish people, summer collections and treats from the South of France… Tell me, what will you celebrate this week-end?

- It’s St Patrick’s! Why not try Chin Chin Lab‘s special ice cream for the occasion? The Black Velvet mixes Guinness, Monmouth espresso,Whiskey, & Chocolate Cake!
- Cakes and sushis unite for the best cause this Friday…
- Bee happy! This pop-up willl be honey sweet from jellies to cocktails!
- Pet Shop Boys in a musical – strange but it does look pretty good…
- Spot the difference…
- This week-end, the Slow Food Market is all about cheese and wine… Café On will be there too with their gorgeous macaroons.
- Why wait for the desert to enjoy cupcakes?
- The Somerset House turns artistic…
- Love skate-boarding? Take note of that one…
- The Grant Museum reopens..
- Bea’s launches a Mad Hatter party…
- One of Hyde Park’s little secrets…
- Wouldn’t that go well with a sophisticated coffee?
- How about trying the Nomad Cinema?
- You can now enjoy Lily Vanilli’s cakes at Drink, Shop & Do before jumping in a Eurostar!

Pssst: For the royal wedding, get yourself a tent…

Londoners love the address in Borough Market  – shelves loaded with biscuits of all sorts, counter heavy with cakes… One of the preferred treats are the Magic Cakes, cubes of tangy lemon sponge topped with a flashy icing and a drawing or a message. A cute gift – kids and adults love it alike. One mouthful of pleasure.

I much prefer the Waterloo one – just behind Gabriel’s wharf. The shop is away for the Southbank buzz and ever so peaceful. This is where it all started for them – with this boutique, wooden front, two big windows with a view on yummy deserts, a soft light inviting to enter. Decoration is vert simple, there is a big table in the center for visitors to sit, order a coffee, a croissant, a slica of almond or spiced apple tart, a carrot cake… The team is particularly friendly and welcoming, and it is easy to get distracted by the sugary perfumes around and just daydream.

Great news -  to celebrate their 17th birthday, they will be proposing a selection of cakes at their 1990ies price and this until January 31. Forget the calories: have a sweet life instead!

Konditor & Cook
22 Cornwall Road
London SE1 8TW
Careful, they’re closed on Sundays.

What’s around?
- Leake st tunnel
- The Waterloo elephant
- Topolski’s century

Xmas tree? Check. Cards, wrapping, ribbons? Check or postponed to the very last minute. Party time? Let’s go!

- There’s a touch of magic @ Kew Gardens…

- Visit a historical house decorated for Xmas…

- Play hide and seek @ the Pyrus Art Gallery…

- Xmas afternoon tea, anyone? Or maybe one with a zest of madness?

- Street art stuck behind bars…

- Hop, another Xmas fair, very much into design, that one… and another one there…

- Even the Somerset House has its own…

- In search of vintage gifts? Try this pop-up shop…

- Choccie time on Southbank!

- (Or cookie time for guys – cool gift!)

- Boris Bikes for everyone!

- Hate December? Have a reindeer pie.

- Grab a coffee and listen to carols under the Trafalgar Norvegian Xmas tree…

- Be generous…