More About London 2014

Since the trip to London was a working trip for Duff, Micaela and I were mostly on our own. Micaela is terrific at navigating the underground (and the overground) so we were able to get around quite well. One afternoon we went out to Hampstead Heath, a charming borough north of London. Hampstead Heath is a huge park (790 acres), some of it cultured and some of it wilderness. Lots of celebrities live in Hampstead and, for a minute, I thought I saw Colin Firth. He was tall with dark, curly hair, slightly graying. But when we got closer, I realized that it was Firth's doppelganger, which is still pretty remarkable, I think. ;-)

However, we did have a celebrity sighting. While we were walking through the Heath, Ricky Gervais ran past us.

While in Hampstead we took the obligatory red phone box picture--actually, one of the few pictures Micaela asked to pose for. :-) Thankfully, she is a good sport even when she's not thrilled about all the photos I want to take of her.

Keat's House is in Hampstead. He lived there for two years, perhaps his most productive years. He wrote "Ode to a Nightingale" there.

"'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot, 

But being too happy in thine happiness . . ."

We went to Portobello Road on a Saturday morning, the day when it bustles with people from all over the world and the market stalls line the streets.

We were charmed by all the street musicians.

We especially enjoyed an a cappella group from Imperial College.

And the food!!!

We couldn't pass up this deep-fried spiral potato.

One afternoon it was raining and we had almost walked our feet off so we went to Leicester Square to see a movie. We saw an odd movie about Charles Dickens that we can't really recommend.

We made a stop at Selfridge's. I had to line up to take a picture because, apparently, I'm not the only fan of the TV series.

We toured St. Paul's, which I think is stunning!

We went to Harrod's and found this Prince George commemorative cup for my granddaughter, Olivia, who was born three weeks before the prince.

Food usually isn't the highest priority for us on a trip, but I do have a preference for not eating at American restaurants. The first time I went to Europe many years ago I was traveling with my in-laws (who paid for much of that trip) and we ate at McDonalds almost exclusively. I learned that McDonalds' menu varies from country to country. Even the ketchup varies. Who knew?

The Gourmet Burger Kitchen is a popular U.K. chain known for using fresh, local ingredients. I'm not a meat lover, so I can't vouch for their burgers, but I thought their rosemary fries and Homeslaw were very tasty.

Zizzi's is an Italian chain in the U.K. They have good lasagne and have the distinction of being close to our hotel. Convenience and proximity matter to us!

Ed's Easy Diner was not a great choice for me, though Duff and Micaela enjoyed it. We were rushed for time before a show and didn't have too many options. Who goes to England and eats at an old-fashioned American diner?

Pret a Manger (Translated, it means ready to eat.) was great because it's fast food that isn't fast food. The menu is interesting and, supposedly, they avoid preservatives and chemicals.

One of my favorite places to find food is the grocery store. I love seeing how the local people eat. Plus, the food is fast and fresh.

When Micaela and I were in Hampstead we rested our feet for a few minutes at Euphorium Bakery.

We loved this!

I know that London has some incredible restaurants and I have had great Indian food there in the past, so perhaps I will get another chance to make more inspired food choices on a future trip. One can hope.

The chocolate is one of my favorite things about England. In fact, I brought an extra bag and filled it up with chocolate to give away to friends and family.

So it's Cheerio to England once again. I'm not ready to say goodbye because part of my heart has always been there and always will be. What great memories we will cherish of our time there!

It's always a great feeling to arrive home safely!