STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

where to stay/what to do in London?

shopgirl · Kenneth Cole

You're going at a good time. It may be slightly nippy and drizzly, but the weather shouldn't deter you from walking around. (i got married in london in early november and the weather was really mild.)

I highly recommend eating at one of gordon ramsey's restaurants, especially Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, which has three michelin stars (http://www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/reservations/).

I like getting drinks at the bar/restaurant at the top of Harvey Nichols -- and sit at the bar so you can watch the bartenders work. Mmm. They make whiskey sours with egg whites. You can take a look at really exspensive clothes and then relax with a cocktail.

for shopping, hit h&m, zara, top shop and my fave shoe shop is l.k. bennett. they are all over london, but there is an outlet type shop on kings road. I'd read that roland mouret designed some items for the gap. portobello road and oxford circus are good shopping districts.

The Telegraph had a great article last week on charity shops that sell designer clothes at remarkably low prices.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml;jsessionid=FI5NYOPIZTAXTQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/fashion/2006/08/25/efbag25.xml

oh yes, if you'll be out a lot, you'll want to get a travelcard from the u.s. because it is a better deal than getting one in the u.k. it allows you to ride the tube and buses and night buses for free. You can get the travel card from your local british tourism office, along with free tube and street maps. to get from heathrow to central london there is a high-speed train that only takes about 20 minutes. Check online or ask the tourism office for coupons because sometimes there are deals.

tourism board
http://www.visitbritain.com/VB3-en-US/index.aspx

travelcard
http://www.visitbritaindirect.com/en-us/detail.aspx?ID=67

I can't recommend hotels because we always stay with family.

-- Edited by shopgirl at 08:28, 2006-09-07

-- Edited by shopgirl at 10:47, 2006-09-07

Bastet · Kate Spade

I haven't been to London in a few years, but when I was there, I ate at three fabulous restaurants:

The Square: http://www.squarerestaurant.com/ (2 Michelin stars)

Orrery: http://www.london-eating.co.uk/1709.htm (1 Michelin star, I think)

Gung Ho: http://www.london-eating.co.uk/5602.htm (Best. Chinese. Ever.)

lovelygirl · Kenneth Cole

I HIGHLY recommend a restaurant/lounge called Mint Leaf. It is so chic and the Indian food is amazing-- and I'm Indian :) The lounge is awesome and they have the best drinks. I would really recommend going there-- it's such a fabulous, Sex and the City-esque restaurant. Perfect for going to with your girlfriends!

http://www.mintleafrestaurant.com/

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

thanks for the fabulous recommendations, girls!! i'm getting soo excited.

shopgirl, thank you so much about the travelcard info, we'll have to make sure to get one! and that's good to know about the weather. and the shopping sounds divine, i can't wait!

bastet, yum...we will have to go to gung ho for sure, i love chinese food!

and lovelygirl, i am super picky about indian food but your recommendation totally sold me, I can't wait to try Mint Leaf! i'm from bangledesh by the way. wow, we seem to have so much in common!

thanks again girls and please, any hotel recs would be greatly appreciated!

jah · Dooney & Bourke

Not a night club/shopping rec, but I just wanted to put in a thumbs up for the Tate Modern. I visit every time I'm in London. Love, Love, Love!

Bastet · Kate Spade

esquiress wrote:

thanks again girls and please, any hotel recs would be greatly appreciated!

When I was there, I stayed w/a friend for 2 weeks and then spent a few nights at the Radisson Edwardian on Bloomsbury St. It was a nice hotel. I don't remember it very well, but it was clean and near a tube station.

http://www.london.hotelsoffer.com/hotel/radisson_edwardian_marlborough_hotel.php

Here's the official site, there are several Radisson Edwardian hotels. HTH!

http://www.radissonedwardian.com/

lovelygirl · Kenneth Cole

esquiress wrote:

thanks for the fabulous recommendations, girls!! i'm getting soo excited.

shopgirl, thank you so much about the travelcard info, we'll have to make sure to get one! and that's good to know about the weather. and the shopping sounds divine, i can't wait!

bastet, yum...we will have to go to gung ho for sure, i love chinese food!

and lovelygirl, i am super picky about indian food but your recommendation totally sold me, I can't wait to try Mint Leaf! i'm from bangledesh by the way. wow, we seem to have so much in common!

thanks again girls and please, any hotel recs would be greatly appreciated!

Esquiress-- we do! I wish I wasn't recovering from my surgery or I would have loved to meet up while I'm here in LA

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

lovelygirl, i know, it would've been so fun! oh, well, just rest up and get better and if you ever find yourself here again or if i'm ever in illinois we'll definitely have to get together.

ETA: Bastet, thanks so much for the rec and link, i will have to check it out! and jah, the tate is definitely on our list of things to do, thanks!

-- Edited by esquiress at 21:04, 2006-09-08

Ritz · Dooney & Bourke

check out bex's post from a few weeks back.. it has some great suggestions.

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=44784&p=3&topicID=8162745

have so much fun! i am so jealous of you! london is my favorite city ever, i can't wait to go back!

Hermes

as far as where to stay, how much do you want to spend per night?

bex · Chanel

D wrote:

as far as where to stay, how much do you want to spend per night?

ditto- i can recommendation a couple of hotels based off this info...

also, we just got back from london and paris...

in london- i would recommend:

seeing a show. they just opened Wicked there which is an amazing show to see... or you could always catch Ashlee Simpson in Chicago (j/k!)

going to Tate Modern

Camdentown- we went and walked around and bought fun things there

Knightsbridge- i 2nd the suggestion of Harvey Nics (and the bar!) and although H&M and Topshop are lovely- i couldn't bring myself to spend 30 pounds on a sweater that would cost me $30 in the states. i did buy a sweet pair of grey suede ankle boots from Office though... and Harrod's is always fun to wander around in.

Houses of Parliment and Tower of London. I LOVE English history and learned a lot from both of these tours that we took. I also learned a lot when we toured Buckingham Palace but it will be closed when you go b/c the queen is back in residence. but if you ever go back between June & September- you should go there!

halah · Kenneth Cole

I was last there over memorial day weekend here are a couple of things I reccomend.

-Raddison Edwardian - we stayed at the one on Mayfair but they have a lot of locations. I wanted to stay close to the palace but really the best thing is to find a spot close to a tube station so you can around easily.

-TopShop, you HAVE to go there! First of all everything in London is more expensive the same GAP and H&M stuff is twice as much so it's not worth it. However, topshop is reasonable and is like a H&M really trendy items lots of stock I got a lot of nice things there.

-I was most impressed with Westminster Abbey. It's beautiful and it's amazing all of the people burried there. It is worth waiting in line for. From there we walked around Big Ben and crossed the Millinium bridge for a ride on the London Eye. It's a nice area to walk around.

-British Museum. I went there to see the Rosetta Stone but also enjoyed their collection of Egyptian artifacts.

-Afternoon Tea - You MUST do afternoon tea it's fun. We did the tea at Brown's hotel. It was outrageous (29 pounds a person) but It was full service, white glove, with lots of yummy scones, tiny sandwhices and desserts. There are plenty of other places that offer it I reccomend doing it at least once while you're there.

-Fish and Chips. you must eat some pub grub while in London. There are places everywhere with fish and chips and mushy peas (I don't like green peas but I actually liked mushy peas). Get a guide book (I like lonely Planet's guides) it will help you get around and has good reccomendations on food.

-CHOCOLATE, if you've never had cadburrys from England you must try it. It's completly different than what is made in the US it's creamier and so good!

I loved just walking around the city as well. I guess it will be quite cold when you're there so I'm not sure how feasible that is. Have fun!

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

Can't believe I forgot to update this! Here's where we'll be staying:

Somerset Bayswater, 42 Princes Square, Notting Hill, London W2 4AD, England

We'll be there from Nov. 4-11, I'll totally post a review as soon as I get back!

Also, halah, thank you so much for the recs, I will for sure do afternoon tea and go to topshop, thanks again!

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

I hope you have an amazing time, Esquiress! London is probably one of my favorite cities, if not my favorite. I know it's late, but if you have time, you should consider taking a day trip to Bath and Stonehenge! I did that the last time I went to London, and it was really fun, and so cool to see. Just a thought. No matter what you do though, you'll have a great time!