Explore London, Miscellany

London’s Specialty Shops

Written by guest contributor Melissa Holt. Shopping in London can be overwhelming, particularly if you’re in the mood to discover something different. When you’re looking for a gift or have extra money burning a hole in your wallet, your fallback stores might not suffice. Besides, part of London’s charm is its sheer size and diversity … Read more →

Explore London

Cycle the City

Cycle Hire London

Written by Melissa Holt, our very first guest contributor. Even after the honeymoon phase has passed, taking public transit in London can be exciting. You find yourself relishing: bus rides along unknown side-streets and their broad branches of trees; the rush of wind through still-mysterious underground tunnels; even the crush of people joining your morning commute. … Read more →

Explore London

Proms in the Park

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In 1851, Prince Albert launched the Great Exhibition—England’s first world fair and a precursor to the cultural and artistic institutions now housed in South Kensington. With glistening white flats and enviable proximity to Hyde Park, South Ken is more than a cultural Mecca: it’s one of London’s finest neighborhoods, where cozy pubs are authentic watering … Read more →

Miscellany, My Favorite Things

Tour Downtown Abbey!

Highclere Castle EGL

Witty exchanges and insights into post-Edwardian England have garnered international acclaim and cult following for Downtown Abbey. Facebook erupts with the Dowager’s pithy one-liners every Sunday evening, reiterating the show’s success among American viewers. Now fully obsessed, we have to wonder: can fans tour Highclere Castle, the real-life estate where the BBC films the series? … Read more →

Explore London, Travel

Dorset Square Hotel Opens in Marylebone

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The Dorset Square Hotel has opened, with thirty-eight individually appointed bedrooms tucked inside an historic Regency townhouse. Many guest rooms overlook the property’s private garden—the site of Thomas Lord’s first cricket ground. What many don’t realize is that the Dorset Square Hotel joins the ranks of other exceptional boutique London hotels: the Charlotte, Covent Garden, … Read more →

Eat & Drink

Zagat London is Calling all Foodies

It’s late in the day, and you’re scrambling to finish a memo before meeting a friend for dinner. She keeps emailing you. Where are we going? She asks. She’s getting antsy; you’re getting desperate. A restaurant name, recently recommended by a colleague, is on the tip of your tongue but you can’t hone in on … Read more →

Explore London, My Favorite Things

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Christmas is upon us, heralded by dismally dark days, festive lights and gingerbread lattes topped with whipped cream and cinnamon. This time of year is one of my favorites in London. I love meandering along Regent Street beneath dazzling lights, where I can’t help but indulge my inner child at Hamleys before building an age-appropriate … Read more →

Miscellany

Seeking Writers for An Expat’s Guide to London

Happy December, Anglophiles. I hope you’re enjoying holiday festivities as much as I am, depressingly short days notwithstanding. It’s been a while since I posted. Quite a while. An embarrassingly long while. Although I’ve been busy writing about all manner of things, including London, I’m struggling to provide regular posts on the site now that … Read more →

Eat & Drink

Mobile BBQ Heats up London this Summer

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Several months ago, I posted about London’s best American comfort food. Tex-Mex, Burgers & BBQ, although scarce in foreign metropolises, serve as integral antidotes to culinary nostalgia. This summer, another BBQ joint hit the scene: Pit Cue, a temporary mobile food cart located beneath the Hungerford Bridge, has garnered a cult following during its short stay … Read more →

My Favorite Things

Shop ’til You Drop!

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When I first visited London as a young girl, my parents awarded me $100 to spend during our three-week tour of the UK. Delighted by their generosity, I tucked the cash away until arriving in London, when I cooly approached a currency exchange in Knightsbridge. The agent smiled wryly, dispensing several bills and heavy coins … Read more →