How to spend 48 hours in London

Palace of Westminster

What do you do if you have 48 hours to spare in London? There's literally so much to do and see there that one can barely fit it all into a week, much less 2 days. London is best explored on foot. It's like cracking open a Kinder egg. You never know what'll surprise you just around the corner. A house that Mozart once lived in. The ornate designs of a building.  A row of terraced houses in varying pastel cotton candy hues. It's a city where historical buildings intermingle with modern architecture, sometimes rather disharmoniously and at other times, the stark contrast may amaze you.

For me, the sight of the magnificent Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster just as I get out of Waterloo station never fail to leave me a little awestruck. A stroll along South Bank is perhaps one of my favorite things to do when I have a few hours to myself in London.







South Bank

The café on the top floor of the Tate Modern has a sweeping view of St Paul's Cathedral. It's a great spot to rest your weary legs, enjoy a hot cup of coffee while gazing at the spectacular view right in front of you.

Shakespeare's Globe theatre is only a hop and a skip away and if you're a foodie, the Borough market which has been in existence for nearly a thousand years is a popular choice. I wanted to push on to get another close up view of the Tower Bridge but St Paul's Cathedral beckoned instead. I managed to dash in just in time for their 10:15am Choral Mattins.





Outfit: Zara coat, Uniqlo sweater, Frame Denim Le Garcons jeans (on sale here and here), Charlotte Olympia Kitty flats and Hermes Garden Party TPM bag.








Fournier St

After the morning service, I had a sudden desire to explore East London, a part of the city that I rarely visit. How shall I put it?  While West London (Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge etc) is like the obedient child - all spiffy, polished and proper who minds her Ps and Qs, East End London is a rebel. One who's an individual and cares little about conventions. It's unashamedly gritty but there are pockets of the area that are fashion forward, edgy and yes, even pretty.

The charming terraced houses on Fournier St and Princelet St, a short walk from Spitalfields Market with their colorful shutters have a certain rustic Provençal charm to them.







National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is served by 3 tube stations (Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Charing Cross) that are an easy walk away. I remember being held spellbound by the paintings at National Portrait Gallery on my very first visit there more than 18 years ago. For someone who simply can't draw even if a person puts a knife to my throat, I find it amazing how the artists could paint such luminous skin just the way the light would fall on the face.

Hunger pangs reminded me that no matter how beautiful art is, my stomach rules. I went in search for a bowl of ramen over at Soho before heading to Amba Hotel Marble Arch where I'd be spending the night.






Amba Hotel Marble Arch

I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning. I can tell you that it was no mean feat for I've been a night owl all my life. The stupendous view of floating baubles above Oxford Street with the gradient pink sunrise in the background was totally worth the agony of having to forcibly peel my eyelids back.

I'm sure a few passersby bagged an eyeful of this crazy unkempt hotel guest with her arms stretched as far out of the window as possible to get a shot of this view. #crazyphotographer. Be sure to ask for a room with a view if you plan to stay at Amba Hotel Marble Arch.







I asked for room service as I preferred not to scare fellow guests while clad in my PJs and face devoid of any make up. It was a nice change, scarfing down a large breakfast while peering out the window and watching the world go by. There was never a dull moment on Oxford Street as hundreds pounded the street even in the wee hours of the morning and dozens of double decker buses roared past. The windows and walls are so well insulated and soundproofed that I couldn't hear a squeak.







I tend to travel light as I don't normally check in till late. That means I would be walking for miles with a bag over my shoulder. My overnight bag for the past few years has been my trusty Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere 35cm.

I'm not big on make up but I do love Laneige BB cream cushion (I wear #21 Natural Beige), Laura Mercier brow powder (U.S here), Bobbi Brown blusher (U.S here), Laura Mercier concealer (U.S here), Bioderma Créaline (which I'd tipped some into a small travel bottle), Shu Uemura lash curler, MAC eye shadow (which is all broken up. Argh. It's mostly used as a highlighter), Lancome Hynôse Drama mascara (U.S here), Lancome eyeliner, NARS eye primer and Moroccanoil. I've also picked up quite a lot of REN skincare and Apivita samples over the years which are great for short trips. They take up little space in my bag and I toss them in a bin when they're finished.







My room came equipped with a Nespresso machine and several capsules as well as an electric kettle if I wanted to make myself a cup of tea or hot chocolate. I did a little jig around the room the minute I clapped my eyes on that coffee machine. I simply can't function in the morning without a good cup of coffee and no, instant coffee powder doesn't cut it. There was a mini bar tucked away in the cupboard with complimentary water, soft drinks and snacks.

I hit the shower (LOVE their monsoon shower) and got ready to check out. Thankfully, Marble Arch tube station is just 2 minutes away as my legs were a little stiff after walking for miles the day before.





Saatchi Gallery and King's Road

These photos of Chanel Mademoiselle Privé exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery were taken a few weeks prior to this trip but I thought I'd sneak them in. I love Duke of York Square, the area surrounding the Saatchi Gallery with its water jets sprouting from the ground, the Saturdays market and King's Road. Shopping along King's Road is always a pleasant affair. The pace is never frantic as few tourists ever venture this way.








Natural History Museum

I did a little detour to the Natural History Museum to take a peek at the skating rink and carousel. They were gearing up for the Christmas countdown. The garden was transformed into a mini winter wonderland which at a glance, looked like something out of a fairy tale book.

While the Natural History Museum may be Lil L's favorite museum, mine's the V&A which is a minute away. I've been to both multiple times but there's still so much to see.








Farm Girl, Notting Hill

South Kensington tube station is conveniently located opposite Natural History Museum. The circle line took me all the way to Notting Hill Gate and from there, it was a 10 minute walk to Farm Girl café. I've been dying to check out the new and much hyped Farm Girl cafe, hidden inside a little alleyway off the busy Portobello Road. Yes, the coffee there costs far more than anywhere else I'd been to. It's one of a handful of cafés that will actually use almond milk in their hot beverages. Lately, I have developed an allergy to milk. A spoonful of milk will reduce me into a quivering wreck with severe abdominal pain that'll last for several days.

There were quite a few gluten free options (whew!) and a new revelation. Frying Burford brown eggs in coconut oil. Absolutely D-I-V-I-N-E. I decided to try matcha latte with almond milk with much trepidation. I'm not much of a tea drinker but caved in when they agreed to do a little latte art in the shape of Bronté, the owner's French Bulldog. Spirulina with matcha takes a little getting used to.

My 48 hour jaunt to London was short and sweet. Sadly, it was time to head home on the hour long journey back to Winchester.


I was a guest of Amba Hotel Marble Arch. Do check out their website for more information. 

Outfit & Éclairs

Outfit: Rick Owens bomber leather jacket, Étoile Isabel Marant "Andrei" striped t-shirt (sale or similar here), Zara jeans, Hermes Cape Cod watch, Miu Miu sunglasses (sale) and New Balance 420 sneakers (sale).


I get a detailed commentary on my outfits every single morning by a 9 year old fashion critic on the way to school. Some days, I don't pass muster (hey, what's wrong with denim cutoffs and my favorite worn sweatshirt???!) and get a tsk tsk tsk after a head to toe inspection. I mean seriously........what's wrong with kids these days?? Back in MY generation, otherwise known as the dinosaur era  (as described by Lil L and her friends), kids were seen and not heard so the 21st century parents over-compensated. And now, we have kids who abuse their freedom of speech. By the way, I bought a set of fabulous earphones. Comes in real handy........






I love the Instagram community. A fellow Instagrammer messaged me on the week Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini set up shop on Marylebone High Street. So off I went in search of éclairs despite being on a less sugar/non-dairy diet. Oh well....life's too short to be on a diet everyday. I resisted the urge to order my favorite - salted caramel and went for the coffee and bitter chocolate instead. They're smaller, creamier and not as cloyingly sweet as the ones from Paris based famed L'éclair de Génie. It may be too rich for some if you're used to lighter desserts. 

I shot a step by step no bake marshmallow lollipops tutorial which Angela made. They're something you can whip up in a jiffy and still look mighty impressive. If you're heading off to your summer vacation soon, be sure to check out these 5 best high SPF sunscreens.

Eating, shopping & chilling in London

"You're forever hopping on the train to London." That's the general consensus amongst my friends. Ah..yes... but it's for meetings or certain appointments so I'm constantly in a hurry, racing from one location to the next before jumping back on the train in time for after school activities, dinner, supervising homework and the lovely never ending housework that we ALL love to do.

So.....last Saturday, I decided to have a girls' day out. No appointments. No plans. No kids or husbands/boyfriends. Just my friend, Josephine and I. We relaxed, hung out, ate and just wandered into any place we fancied. Oh, did I mention eating? My favorite thing to do.......

First port of call.....coffee. We were both barely coherent, having no caffeine in our bloodstream first thing in the morning. After grabbing enough Nespresso capsules to last me for months, we staggered off next door to Hotel Café Royal. We stared longingly at the decadent array of cakes displayed on the counter but managed to resist. Just barely...... To think that once upon a time, I could scarf down anything and everything and not gain a single ounce. *sob*  The coffee, cozy setting and service were terrific.


Hotel Café Royal
68 Regent Street 
London W1B 4DY
Tube: Piccadilly Circus

I've tried my fair share of ramen but Shoryu remains a firm favorite. It's easy to get to (just a few steps from Piccadilly Circus tube station), the service is prompt and the hakata tonkotsu ramen is lip smacking goooooood.  I've been to the famed Kunitoraya restaurant (and a few others) in Paris but nothing compares to the ones here in London, in terms of quality and price. £12 for a large bowl of tonkotsu made of pork bones broth that's been boiling for 18 hours, handmade noodles and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. Yes, all of that for £12.


Shoryu Ramen
9 Regent Street
London SW1Y 4LR
Tube: Piccadilly Circus






Outfit: Pinko leather jacket, Adidas wedge sneakers and Chloe Darla bag.


We wandered into the Japanese bookstore next door to purchase a pair of chopsticks for Lil L. They have the latest magazines and books from Japan along with beautiful ceramics and cute stationery.







We made a quick pit stop at Liberty to gawk at the breathtaking flowers on display. I'm sure the ladies over at Wild at Heart must be so used to a million Instagrammers photographing their flowers to death. I contemplated purchasing a bouquet but the flowers would've been bashed about and wrecked by the time I got back to Hampshire.

Shopping was a quick 30 minute affair where we chatted to a friendly sales associate over at the eyewear counter in the department store. I'm in desperate need of varifocals these days. My vision has gotten worse over the years. Long sightedness (yup...thanks to ageing. Pfffft) has set in which means I'm grappling with both distance and reading difficulties along with an allergy to ALL contact lenses. Lucky me.  For those of us who're stuck with wearing glasses for life, we simply can't comprehend why anyone would wear glasses for fun. Garance Doré wrote an article recently about those who wear sunglasses indoors. That'll be me......if I'm only heading indoors for a few minutes. My motor coordination is rubbish. Juggling a bag, shopping bags and having to switch my glasses.....well, it's a recipe for disaster so the sunnies stay on.

Liberty
Regent Street
London W1B 5AH
Tube: Oxford Circus






Outfit: Étoile Isabel Marant parka (similar), Étoile Isabel Marant Andrei linen t-shirt, Zara boyfriend jeans, See by Chloe ankle strap wedges (old), Hermes belt, Hermes Cape Cod GM watch, Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere 35 and Miu Miu sunglasses.

I'm not really bursting into a song in the middle of a street. It's called "flicking your hair trying to look sexy but failing miserably" pose. Recently, Lil L shook her head in disgust as she tried to take a photo of me. "Mama, you look the SAME in every photo." True. Guilty as charged. Hand in the pocket and a cheesy grin :-)

Speaking of pockets......I A.D.O.R.E them. This military parka has been my summer mainstay for several years now. It may look like I only ever have one miserable jacket (actually, that's quite true) but it's so practical with half a dozen of pockets to store my junk. I sometimes forgo a bag and just fill up the pockets with my keys, wallet, cellphone and tissues.

Don't be fooled by the weather forecast proclaiming a high of 18˚C. It means that the temperature will be double digit briefly when the sun pops out between the cumulus clouds and the blustery winds miraculously eased off for a second. Poor Josephine was freezing in her shorts while I had my parka buttoned all the way up to my neck. We dashed into Coco Momo for a reprieve. As for the guys sitting outside in their t-shirts......they're not humans.


Coco Momo
79 Marylebone High Street
London W1U 5JZ
Tube: Baker St or Bond St







Daunt in Marylebone has got to be the most beautiful bookstore in England with its dark wooden beams, narrow galleries and colossal antique stained glass window. This place is a heaven on earth for bookworms. I could spend hours poring over the huge variety of travel books along with stacks of massive coffee table photography books.


Daunt Books, 
83 Marylebone High Street, 
London W1U 4QW
Tube: Baker St or Bond St







We were peckish but not overly hungry so we opted to try Ping Pong. As you may have guessed by now, I'm rather particular about my food. These dim sum dishes were..........hmm......how should I put it? Wannabe dim sum? The glutinous rice with seafood were bland. The rice wasn't soaked nor cooked long enough. Crunchy glutinous rice? Hmm......interesting taste but um...not for me, thanks.  The prawns were dry.........so dry that I felt like I was chewing my daughter's rubber wellies.

Let's move on to the dumpling skin. They're so starchy that they'd make awesome superglue. Be ever so careful that you don't accidentally knock one over another because they won't EVER come apart. There's a reason why Chinese tea is served in small porcelain cups. They're great insulators but allow the tea to cool down. These super duper modern new agey double insulator deep cups? Big no no. I felt like my lips and tongue were dipped in boiling water every time I took a sip. I'd give them credit for friendly and efficient service though because the staff were fantastic.

Perhaps I've eaten in plenty of authentic dim sum restaurants where the chefs were brought in from Hong Kong. If you're ever dying for AWESOME dim sum, I suggest you go to Pearl Liang. The food there is exquisite.

Afternoon tea at The Landmark

Every blogger, whether she's doing it professionally or as a hobby will tell you that it's all too easy to suffer from blogging burn out. Those of us who've been pounding the keyboard for years will also tell you that we continue doing it because of the people who've come into our lives, thanks to blogging. I may have landed in the U.K knowing only a handful of individuals but the number of friends I've made (that includes fellow bloggers and readers) over the past years have grown tremendously.

I've heard many of your stories, shared many laughters, shed some tears, learned invaluable tips......all of which have left footprints in my life. Material things can only make us happy for a brief moment before the desire for the next holy grail grips us but it's the people who leave behind memories and the impact they've made stay a lifetime (or two).

A reader ( I shall call her Mary to protect her identity) and I met up last year and chatted over dim sum when she had the opportunity to visit London. This year, she went all out and treated me to a lovely afternoon tea at The Landmark along with a beautiful bunch of flowers and a wide smile. Words can't describe how touched I am seeing the trouble she went to just to spend some time with me. Another reader/client who has become a good friend shouted me lunch (we usually fight over the bill. Never mind, there's always next time!). Myizzi thought of me when she was in South Korea and sent me packets of special tea from Jeju Island. Another reader and client flew into London recently and spent a couple of hours catching up with me at Bond & Brook.

I can wax verbose over our afternoon tea treats but it was the memory of the lovely time spent with Mary that lingered in my mind.

Winter Garden
The Landmark
222 Marylebone Road
London NW1 6JQ
Tube: Marylebone or Baker St