We love London

Sylvanian Families Shop, Highbury

welovelondon — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:24:35 +0000

Summer in Sylvania

From time to time, I like to step out of North London and into the colourful land of Sylvania. It’s a colourful, timber clad world where over 30 animal families (herbivore and carnivore alike) coexist peacefully. My personal favourite is the slightly camp McWalkies family – tartan wearing West Highland Terriers. I do, however, feel sorry for the DeBurgs (penguins), who look slightly out of place in the woodland environment.

I often wonder if this shop is a front for something more sinister, but on upturning the figurines and treetop houses, I’ve never found anything lucrative.

Open for business from 9.30am Mon-Fri and somewhat ridiculously from 9am on Saturdays, you’ll never have to wait long for your Sylvanian fix.

Where: 68 Church Street. Nearest Tube: Arsenal.

In my LMNT

londonfieldslover — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:30:16 +0000

I know this will be a controversial posting, but I feel compelled to confess: I love LMNT. The Dalston eaterie, which prides itself on being the “most eccentric restaurant in London” has much to recommend it.

Not only is it about five minutes walk from my house, it’s friendly, the décor gives diners plenty to talk about and the toilets have the filthiest erotic paintings I’ve ever seen. In the restaurant itself Cleopatra and Jesus Christ jostle for attention with a glittering sphinx and a giant fibre glass urn. Tables range from the mundane (a plain example of the wooden variety) to the delightful (an elevated hidey-hole for two, reachable only by a set of stairs).

The first time I went to LMNT I was on a date, we sat at the table in said huge fibre glass urn – and ate food that, if not exactly memorable, was tasty and reasonably priced.

Others have complained of erratic service and food of vastly varying quality. But despite such naysaying, I remain a big fan.

Recently I went again, this time with a Frenchman – and an exacting one at that. But not only did he enjoy the quirky surroundings and live Sunday night opera, he declared the pigeon “correct” and the lamb “Tres bon”. Praise indeed.

Marine Ices, Chalk Farm

welovelondon — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:12:11 +0000

“Don’t worry I’ll eat your meringues,” Rachel once screamed after me, as I rushed out of a restaurant in the South of France. Mum had managed to get pre-pudding pneumonia and now greedy Rach was getting my dessert.

Sixteen years on and all forgiven, we relished the opportunity to act like kids again, as we tucked into traditional sundaes from this cutesy, family-owned gelateria. Dieters and gastric band wearers keep out: you’ll need your whole gut capacity. I recommend ordering the Coppa Mmmm. It’s a choco-nut beauty and saying mmmm to a complete stranger feels enjoyably rude.

Dodgems at County Hall

welovelondon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:13:11 +0000

Possibly the most incongruously located bumper cars in Britain can be found underneath County Hall, in the former headquarters of the Greater London Council, on the other side of the river from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I forced Lexy and Michael to go there when they both had horrible hangovers and banged into them as hard as I could.

Top tip: Remember that the change machines dispense ten pence pieces no matter what denomination coin or note you put in. Michael learned this the hard way.

Il Bacio pizza

welovelondon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:04:22 +0000

The best pizza place in London. There are four branches: two on Stoke Newington Church Street, one new one in Dalston, at 11 Gillet Street, and the original, on Blackstock Road in Highbury. My favourite is the tiny Il Bacio Express.

We recommend the eponymous house special. If you’re not ravenous, share one between two. They are ginormous.

Top tip: Don’t order wine if you’re one of those people who gets all funny about not being given a proper wine glass (Lexy). It comes in clay mugs with no handles.

The Greenwich foot tunnel

welovelondon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:48:06 +0000

Who knew there was a way of walking underneath the Thames? Not me, until Nic, Zoe and I were denied access to the Greenwich Observatory one afternoon and had to find something else to amuse ourselves with. There’s something so fun about walking under water. For some reason (almost certainly Nicola’s fault) we sang Kiss The Rain by Billie Myers as we walked from the Cutty Sark to the Isle of Dogs, until we realised we weren’t alone and were polluting both the boroughs of Greenwich and Tower Hamlets with our mid-nineties warbling.

Helen and Nic in the Greenwich foot tunnel, February 2008

How to get in: Take the DLR to the Cutty Sark or Island Gardens and head on down.

Cost: Nowt

The BT Tower

welovelondon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:26:40 +0000

All my life I have wanted to go up the BT tower. For decades, right up to the year I was born, the building was open to the public. But in 1981, they closed it, just in time for my birth. I have spent the last 27 years trying to figure out how to get up there. Last Friday, the moment finally arrived. My friend Hans and I had to endure a 90-minute corporate networking do before being allowed in the lift up to the 34th floor, but it was all worth it. It was two days after bonfire night, but most people around the city seemed to be having belated firework displays. We had the best view.

How to get in: feign an interest in BT; marry someone in telecommunications; get BT to sponsor your business and bully them into holding a dinner in your honour in the revolving restaurant on the 34th floor; buy BT.

Where it is: 60 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia.

Welcome to the world’s greatest city

welovelondon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:11:57 +0000

All too often Londoners spend more time moaning about London than singing its praises. This blog aims to redress the balance.