Soho Top 5 pt. 1

So many places in Soho and not enough time. With close proximity to West End theaters and Chinatown, you can eat, drink, shop, see a play and visit a sex shop all in the same evening while seeing a C-list celebrity stumble out of a bar.  This is one of my favorite areas of London, so I will be adding to this list.

My picks for Soho:

1. Algerian Coffee Shop. This caffeinated gem tucked away in Soho is alone worth sidestepping tourists. Established in 1887 and offering over 80 coffees and 120 teas from around the world, the assortment of spiced coffees blended for you in the shop is quite like Christmas morning for grown ups! Vienesse, a dark roast blended with figs, and the Lebanese blended with cardamom, are my favorites.

2. Amorino Gelato. Admittedly a European chain, this creamy goodness is a tempting late night treat as they fashion your gelato into a lovely rosebud! Coconut and the 71% Gran Cru Chocolate from Ecuador are my favorites.

 3. Salsa & cigars at Floridita. Imbibe well crafted cocktails (beware the Zombie!) in a 1930's Havana inspired setting in between dance requests from strangers who sure can salsa. Great girl's night out.

4. Oysters at Hix. If you want to get your sweetie in the mood, start here!

5. Cox Cookies and Cake. If you're in the mood for a cola flavored, gothic or S&M cupcake, this place is for you! The Bling Cake is my favorite, but they do a pretty good red velvet I must admit, being from the south and all.

Weekend in Margate (Yes! Margate!)

The reaction I received from everyone when I said I was going to Margate for my birthday weekend was "Margate? Why?" A sleepy seaside town in Kent, Margate's hey day was about 100 years ago as a beach vacation destination. Margate is one of the many coastal towns  in the UK whose former Victorian glory has long since passed. It's more currently known as the birthplace of Tracy Emin and the new home to the Turner contemporary Collection opening April of this year.

However, I was not daunted by the naysayers, especially because we had booked into The Reading Rooms! By far, my absolute favorite place I have stayed just about anywhere in the world, and would highly recommended it (as alone it is a reason to go to Margate.) We stayed into Room 1, but I plan on staying again in Room 3. Owned by the lovely couple Louise and Liam, it's a three bedroom B&B situated in a renovated Georgian townhome on Hawley Square and within walking distance of everything you would want to see in Margate. Sumptious beds with overstuffed pillows, yummy linens and a cast iron tub underneath a whimsical chandelier with definitely enough room for two! And Ren bath products which = happiest place on Earth.

What do you mean you like it? (.....or my tempestuous love affair with London pt. 1)

Much like any love-hate and erstwhile manic relationship, such are my feelings about London.  On any vibrant, sunny day I am in love - the architecture (everything's so old!) the diversity (bonjour! dzien dobry! sat sri akal!) the fashion (I don't know how can she wear that and make it look chic but she does!) However, when in a matter of hours my blissful sunny day becomes a dark, cold, damp evening and I am getting on the tube at rush hour, I could very well throw myself in front of it. There's no avoiding the surge of bodies clamoring for less than ten inches of personal space. You'd think it was the Titanic. So when London is pretty and accomodating, I love her. When she is selfish, depressed and refuses to give me space, I want to end it.

So as a companion piece to my first blog about living here, here is my ongoing list of what I do love about living in London (and in no particular order....!)