Spring is a beautiful time to be in London

In 2013 the winter seemed to go on forever and it was chilly through much of March but April saw the blossom come out at last. The Brits are famous for being obsessed by the weather and this blog seems to be confirming that! 

Spring is a fabulous time in London and I'd like to share some photos taken during April so you can enjoy it too. 

Brits are always out, sitting or laying in a park at the slightest hint of sunshine:

Outdoor yoga - seems a bit public to me but they look like they are completely in to it:
 

My neighbour's front garden is always a delight:
 

And this is just around the corner from me, pink magnolia trees in Notting Hill and a small garden, squeezing some daffs into a corner:
 

Camden Market and Camden Lock are great places to hang out and shop on a sunny day:

You can't beat the Thames on a fine spring day, looking towards the east, on a boat or near the London Eye:

Even an April shower brings its own reward - a rainbow right over London:
 

Another famous sight that shines in the sun is Westminster Abbey. The red buses were on hire for a wedding  so we wondered if someone was getting married inside this great building - it's not just for Wills and Kate!

Piccadilly Circus is a famous meeting and hanging out spot - never more than on a sunny day:

Primrose Hill offers fabulous views over London (how many landmark buildings can you name?) and you can hang out on the grass all day relaxing. The nearby streets have beautiful blossom:

  



Regent's Park is home to an open air theatre that starts in mid May but before then you have the gracious gardens, good for strolling or playing in the fountains:
 

 It's another lovely day today, so I must head out to enjoy it!

Bye for now.
Sue
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk
@itsyourlondon

3 top London markets!

My 3 favourite markets in London are Camden, Portobello and Spitalfields. They have a different feel and are in different parts of London but beware, don't ever try to do more than one in a day or you will have a severe case of market overload!
Let's go to Camden first. It's in north London and is made up of several markets that cover a huge area around the Grand Union Canal's lock which is why you'll see many references to the lock and this can be another name for the markets. Camden market grows every time I visit and has mushroomed from being some stalls around the canal area to the massive redeveloped Stables area which is full of huge bronze horse statues as it was once a stable and horse hospital. There is always something new and one area which burnt down a couple years ago has been rebuilt and incorporates a fun cafe of Vespas (see photo)
One thing hasn't changed in all the years I've been coming, is Camden fashion's love of black and leather and outrageous visuals. There are tons of food stalls, clothes stalls, jewellery stalls but most of all clothes stalls. My last visit was rather sad as the news of Amy Winehouse's death spread through the crowd while we were there and as fellow local, the stall holders felt a great affinity with her.

Camden is full-on over the weekend when they reckon 100,000 people visit, especially on a Sunday, but you can visit during the week tho' don't try going in the morning as no one is up! The streets leading to the market are amazing too, trading on the image of Camden of black leather and tattoos - see photo
Photos are: the lock and the market; Vespa cafe; classic shop entry!; Camden fashion; and, the street leading to the market.

Next we are off to east London to Spitalfields market where Sunday is the big day, tho' again there are some markets during the week but unlike Camden, they are much smaller. On Sunday the square is humming with stalls manned by new designers just starting off with their creations - mostly clothes but other items too. They are always keen to tell you about their work and tell you about the creative process. Of course there are the food stalls and stalls with stuff you'll see elsewhere but there is still a good selection of one offs. This market has grown recently and is now surrounded by large shops and well known restaurant chains but it has kept its buzz and is a great Sunday out.

There has been a market on this site since 1638 when fish, fowl and roots were sold here. The original market, specialising in wholesale fruit and vegetables was moved to new premises out of central London in 1991 and now it is at the centre of a busy market area. Close by is Brick Lane, Petticoat Lane and Truman Brewery so on a Sunday you can wander from one to the other and experience the amazing range of cultures and styles in London.

A key landmark in the area is the beautiful  Christ church built in the early 1700s which is the first photo. The others show the busy market trading .

Our final stop today is my favourite market because it is round the corner from where I live - Portobello Market. In fashionable west London this market is best visited on Saturday, as the other days of the week are a shadow of the bustle of the main day. The market lines both sides of Portobello Road and it changes character as you move down from antiques at the beginning, to fruit and veg, to general items, to a new designers section, a major second hand clothing section, a farmers market (with a seasonal pop up cinema!) and finally to the north African/Portuguese/Spanish section as you get to Golborne Road. The area where the antiques are is where you see the classic views of the brightly coloured houses that typify the road.

Portobello Road was the setting for Notting Hill the film and we still get lots of visitors trying to find the famous blue door and the travel bookshop. The market is also famous as a favourite Saturday activity for Paddington Bear who lived locally! Trading however dates back to the early 1900 when it was mainly fresh food with the antique traders arriving in the late 1940s and 1950s. 

Photos are: busy market day ; a quieter day with the food stalls and the Electric cinema; the beautiful coloured houses; and, the famous travel bookshop.

I hope you've enjoyed my favourite London markets - there are loads more, but that's for another day.

Bye for now,
Sue
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk

Unusual London: narrow boats, rail bands and moonwalks.

This week's blog brings some of the more unusual things you can enjoy in London: a Sunday canal wine tasting; an unusual station concert and a most unusual all night walk by women in bras - and some men too!

First we head to Camden for a wine tasting canal cruise. Run by a small independent wine shop and deli in Ealing, called Harrison's, I was not sure what to expect but something called 'Beaujolais Cru Cruise' sounded worth a go. We boarded our canal narrow boat and found a warm welcome from the Harrison's staff and the sight of loads of wine bottles and cheese and snacks laid out for us. Starting with a glass of sparkling red (yes!) we moved through whites, rose's and reds. You can help yourself to as much or as little of each wine as you like and refill as many times as you want to and can manage. The ticket was £30 for all your wine and wonderful cheeses, pates, saucissons and breads and even Beaujolais region's own pork scratchings!
Our route went from Camden Lock along the Regents Canal, past London Zoo, through Little Venice to Paddington Basin and back. It was a really enjoyable 4 hours on a wonderful sunny afternoon with a chance to get out at Paddington Basin to have a short wander around. We went with our own gang but also got chatting to lots of other folk on the trip so it was really sociable too and I even bumped into some old colleagues.
Photos are: the My Fair Lady; the first sighting of the wine challenge and these are just the reds!; our first lock; close encounters of the narrow boat kind; greenery en route; Paddington Basin; Little Venice; and, the tunnels - short and long with the light at the end.

I was passing through Paddington Station on a Friday evening and despite my hurry, had to stop and enjoy the playing of an amazing band. It seems they play between 7.30 and 9pm every Friday and have been there for years but I'd never heard of them! Going under the name of The Great Western Paddington Railway Band they are in the great world tradition of rail bands and are definitely worth not just stopping to see but going especially to see these dedicated, quality musicians!

My final unusual sight in London this week was the Moonwalk - a half or full marathon walk for breast cancer charities. Mostly women but also some men take to the streets of London and walk through the night to raise money for these charity and mostly are wearing bras and very little else on their tops! It was a really chilly night and I was volunteering by helping walkers cross the very busy traffic lights on Hyde Park corner. The traffic rushes past all night and we needed to make sure that walkers got across safely. I was wearing the unusual combination of tons of clothes to keep warm and a high vis jacket and hat so here's a photo of yours truly in full gear. Millions of pounds are raised by the brave and hardy walkers and I was pleased to do what I could to help cheer them along and keep them safe.

Who knows if next week will be as 'unusual'? Let's see...

Bye for now,

Sue

www.itsyourlondon.co.uk

This week's blog brings you an unusual Sunday afternoon - cruising the canals of London while busy doing a wine tasting! And some unusual music at a mainline railway station as well as an all night charity walk by women (and some men!) in bras. Only in London I reckon.