Bring me something from London.
 

This is a frivolous question at best I know so please don't crucify me. My sister is visiting London for 4 days tomorrow and she asked me what can she bring back for me. I have no idea what I like. I know I don't like to get a miniature version of big ben or any of those touristy memorabilia. Clothes? Are clothes cheaper there than in NY, where I live? British magazines? But that is available here. Please help, I know this is silly and I don't really want anything but she insists and she will but me something so it might as well be something I asked for.

If you aren't the kind of guy who finds this all too girly, how about a selection of LUSH bath products which are unisex and great fun.<BR><BR>Bath Bombs and Massage Bars are my favourites but they also do wonderful shower gels, bubble baths, shampoos and their soaps are fantastic.<BR><BR>There is a shop in Covent Garden and other branches around London.<BR><BR>To have a look and see if you are into the idea look at www.lush.co.uk, one of my fave sites.<BR><BR>Kavey

Although not my first choice, Thomas Pink makes some unique mens' shirts and makes the buying experience very easy for Americans--she can even get the shirt at Heathrow. <BR><BR>I would say that for quality clothing the price is comparable (and the selection somewhat unique for men) but then we are getting into issues of taste, fit and the like.

Hi.<BR>There is a chain of very good chocolate shops called Thornton's. They have gift items at all prices, they will even write a person's name on some items. Even Cadbury's is better "over there."<BR>There are wonderful art books and posters in most of the museum gift shops. Also other items: refrig. magnets picturing works of art, note cards, glassware, sculptures.<BR><BR>Great teas, jams, and cookies to be found in the food halls at Harrod's and Fortnum's. Harrod's has a department on the first floor that sells items with the Harrod's logo,including golf tees, golf towels, etc.<BR><BR>Will she be going to a flea market? Lots of household items there.<BR><BR>There's always a Burberry scarf, or a great sweater from Scotch House.<BR><BR>

To get an idea of the selection go to<BR><BR>http://www.thomaspink.co.uk/

It is not a silly question Greg. I have been in that situation before. How about asking them for a shirt from a pub in london? nothing of those i love the uk shirts...tacky. or perhaps an umbrella from some museum that you can use on a rainy day.

IMHO, the best tacky T-shirt is found in London. Nothing like a T-shirt with Tube logo on it proclaiming "MIND THE GAP". Once you've traveled on the underground, you'll understand.

Good question!<BR>I live in NY and can find most clothes here that are sold in London,and usually not as expensive.But it is the really "English" things that we like to bring home, teas,jams,biscuits,Harrods coffee,chocolates,and I always go to the poster shop in Covent Garden and buy a vintage Underground Poster...they are the best and I have not seen them anywhere here.<BR>Scents from Jo Malone,although sold in the US, are still great from London.<BR>Moulton Brown products..<BR>Neals Yard in Covent Garden is great.<BR>Penhaligons, is wonderful and has only a couple of shops in the US.<BR>guess that is all I can think of now:)C

A harrod's logo coffee tin (filled w/coffee) is nice. The pub t-shirt was a good idea. By the way..FYI,,,did y'all know there is a LUSH in LHR airport also?

I was asking my twentysomething son what he would like from the UK, and he wanted a pub t-shirt too.<BR>I was thinking since we will be making quite a few daytrips, maybe I would get him one from a pub in Cambridge or so. He also liked the poster idea too.<BR>It was not a silly question IMO.<BR>Judy :-)

I just adore this site and all of you my fellow travel enthusiasts. Thanks for all your tips. I have a looooong list now that I have to edit as I don't want my sister to spend her 4 days shopping for me. Re pub shirt, that is a great idea christopher!! any specific pub that's the embodiment of cool? i go to columbia so i really don't have a need for a thomas pink shirt but the thought of wearing a london pub shirt everyday this summer sounds way fab. thnks all!!

how about the rat and parrot in belgravia? it's on elizabeth street i think. also there's the shakespeare tavern on victoria. they sell tees there.

I gave my boyfriend 2 thomas pink shirts 2 years ago and he loved them. they remain his favorite shirts to this day. he wears them with his gray suits when he needs a lift.

<BR>I'd ask her to mail you a funny postcard. London has some of the funniest. I've sent ones that were completely black with the caption " London by Night " and another of Prince Charles with his hand right down the front of his pants, tucking-in his shirt during a polo game with the caption " Having a ball ! " Both were appreciated by the recipients, and there are many more. Other than pub shirts, how about a pub towel ? They are great, small and willingly handed out if you ask. I have a collection of many from the pubs in the Cotswolds. And you can't go wrong with asking for good chocolate.

My wife and daughter returned from London last week and brought back shortbread (my favorite cookies) and a ball cap from the Texas Embassy. We also have a 15-minute ritual where we will stand by the lion at the base of Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square and watch live on www.camvista.com. Whoever is watching will also capture the pic to print and add to the scrapbook.

For the ladies on this thread, Pink also makes shirts for us! I purchased a lovely white shirt at their Heathrow shop and took away a mail order catalogue full of lovely ladies' shirts.

I swear by the pink shirts!! they have a bigger variety in london and you think you may not need a tp shirt right now but you never know buddy. it's always nice to know that you have something spectacular looking in your closet just waiting for the right ocassion. Go Pink!!

I love those crocks of Stilton cheese!Or a good bottle of wine especially wines that I cannot get in the states (South African, Chilean). Tea is always a nice gift if you are a drinker. Love those butter cookies. <BR><BR>Personally for me, anything from the lingerie department at Marks and Sparks on Oxford St! My husband hates to bring this back for me though when he travels solo. The customs people always joke with him!

Greg: FYI: 4 years ago, we bought beer glasses at the Cheshire Cheese. The pub is historic (every guide book discusses it), and it is centrally located near St. Paul's Cathedral (I think that is central). We enjoyed lunch there, mainly filled with local business people. The food wasn't great, but the atmosphere is.

Oliver: If you could, please describe the Rat and Parrot. We stayed near Elizabeth on Ebury in 98 (at the Astors Hotel). I'm think the R and P was just around the corner away from the Victoria Coach station?? Thx.

SHANDY!!! (lemonade beer in cans) so yummy on a hot summer day.

Please be more original than wearing common "Thomas Pink " shirts. Try "New and Lingwood", "turnbul and asser", etc. You are so American - not intended to be complementary!

How funny. When I opened this thread I was thinking of my "mind the gap" t-shirt!

oh no please everyone don't go to a Rat and Parrot - they are a chain of tacky pubs - not authentic, historic or atmospheric at all.

where do u buy this "mind the gap" shirt? any store or a store in the underground area? Thnks!!!!!

You can get them at Harrod's.

Yeah, I am now curious. This shirt sounds funny. Where does one find it?

obvious but...<BR>Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt with London on (it was the original)<BR><BR>Sticky Fingers T-shirt from restaurant of that name (Kensington) run by Rolling Stone Bill Wyman.<BR><BR>Any Royal memorabillia (Kensington Palace)<BR><BR>Fudge, shortbread, Everton Mints, Acid Drops, Lemon Sherbert Drops, Dundee Cake, clotted cream toffees, jams, teas, marmalade, marmite, chocolate.<BR><BR>Shetland jumpers, Arran jumpers, plaid anything.<BR><BR>Clarks shoes, Liberty headscarves, Burberry umbrella, cashmere,Janet Reger lingerie.

Will the Clark's shoes be cheaper in London than US?

How about something that is honoring Liz's 50 years this summer-read collectible? Tacky but definitely not something that you can not find in the states?

Mind the gap t-shirts you can get at the London Transport Museum, Covent Garden. Here you can also get other Tube t-shirts, saying things like "Angel" (as in the Tube station), as well as the old underground advertising posters.<BR><BR>Top Shop on Oxford Street - go to the bottom floor and they t-shirts with London area names on them. Sounds naff, but they're actually quite cool, for instance "Holloway" (which is an area but also a famous women's prison) and "Norf London" (spelt to mirror a Londoner's pronunciation of "North").

June, greg will look lovely in some Janet Reger lingerie :-)

what about rugby shirsts eg london irish, wasps, saracens etc. Or football shirts. Only tottenham ones are fit to be seen in though.

Yeah, the RAT & PARROT is about as English as BENNIGAN'S here in the States is Irish. It's just a big faceless chain designed for yuppies who want to drink their Coors and Bud. Don't bother, there are real pubs out there who can use your business.

Don't listen to David's propoganda on Tottenham shirts, I've seen it here before. Everyone knows the only decent shirt to be seen in is a Villa shirt, although that may involve a side trip to Birmingham, which is perhaps not recommended.

Good point about football shirts. As it's the World Cup in May/June, perhaps a shirt of the victors (England, naturally. well I can dream....)

I'm not one for tchotchkes but I couldn't resist buying a couple of dies (as in singular of dice) I saw in London a few years ago. They were cheap, took up very little space and good for a laugh. I gave them to all my friends. I'm guessing the die functions as a Magic 8 Ball when you roll it asking how one should spend the night in London... the sides said: read, sex, TV, pub, love, disco. The die sits in my office and gets lots of play from visitors. I think this was the only thing I bought in London to take home with me.

Definitely LUSH !! Bath bombs, soaps, massage bars , everything!!<BR>Shrewsbury biscuits from Fortnum & Mason, anything from Penhaligon, Pitkin guides from everywhere you visit, and POSTCARDS!! Liberty scarves (they had some very fun hats, too) are nice. My favorite thing I brought home is a couple of reproductions of the Lewis Chess set from the British Museum.