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Originally Posted by bilboburgler
(Post 16959746)
Pimms; take a pint glass, pour in the cold gin-based Pimms (1/4 of a pint) (don't touch the vodka one), add mint leaves or borage ( if you can find it) and just a few cubes of ice and then top up with lemonade (the real deal not the clear bottle stuff). Sit in shade and drink. Then find a darkened room and sleep for a couple of hours, repeat as long as you can remember your name.
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>>What us the US equivalent of that?<<
7UP is too sweet. Sierra Mist is a bit closer. I find some 'gourmet' lemon sodas are good. OR - just go with Champagne :) |
Champagne sounds like the best idea, for sure!
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Do you get Fevertree mixers in the US? They are the ones I mostly get, I don't use cloudy lemonade for Pimms, nor champagne, sometimes I use ginger ale but that's not traditional. Slices of orange, lemon, cucumber, strawberries with mint or borage, ice, never in a pint glass.
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re Odin's post -- yes, ginger ale works. Makes a 'different' drink but a very nice one.
Fever Tree is available in some places - I think I've seen it at BevMo. |
Janis, I think I have seen FeverTree at Raleys. Not sure where you are in the greater Sac area, this would be the one at Howe/FairOaks. |
I'll try BevMo; I'm looking for Bitter Lemon, too.
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Originally Posted by socaltraveler
(Post 16961058)
Janis, I think I have seen FeverTree at Raleys. Not sure where you are in the greater Sac area, this would be the one at Howe/FairOaks. The older and/or smaller Raley's near me don't have it but Nugget does. |
Originally Posted by kmowatt
(Post 16960838)
. . . Maybe catch you in London in December >> I was willing you to go to Hide for a cocktail! ;) << I actually was thinking of popping in to Hide but went to the Ritz bar instead. Next time. |
Nice Janisj! Many places that i like, I could just follow your itinerary for a great time!
We loved Spring too. Just a lovely, calm, perfect place. May try Nut Tree Inn on my next trip to Bicester. |
>>Just a lovely, calm, perfect place<<
That's a good description. A calm room - so many places are so trendy/noisy but even with a crowd and those high ceilings it was comfortable. This trip I certainly didn't blaze any new trails -- mostly a 'nostalgia tour'. Spring was just about only new place I hit and it's a keeper. |
Haven’t booked yet either Janis - but that’s around the time I usually go...will keep those dates in mind! |
You can get freshly made lemonade at Whole Foods and other places that make their own juices pretty easily in the US. We have Fever Tree mixers at Whole Foods, Kroger and Publix in the Southeast US. I don't think I could take a Pimms Cup made with & up or Sierra Mist (or Sprite). I do see them made with Ginger Ale pretty often and I don't mind that.
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IME 7Up is too sweet and Sprite makes me gag. Sierra Mist isn't that bad actually -- but the more cucumber, strawberries, oranges and mint the better.
I like using ginger ale but it isn't a 'traditional' Pimm's. I have also used ginger beer -- which is even more 'ginger-y'. |
Originally Posted by margo_oz
(Post 16960206)
Great trip report.
Northie - take pics of the Chihuly at Kew, and then let's meet for lunch! |
I’ve put some dates in action Janis. Will fly to LHR Dec 3rd on the day flight. Good to hit the ground running on the 4th! Found a nice studio flat with London Perfect in S Ken for a great deal. |
Originally Posted by kmowatt
(Post 16963263)
I’ve put some dates in action Janis. Will fly to LHR Dec 3rd on the day flight. Good to hit the ground running on the 4th! Found a nice studio flat with London Perfect in S Ken for a great deal. Still haven't booked flights or accommodations. Probably will wait til end of Aug/early Sept to seriously plan. But I do know the evenings of Dec 3 & 4 are set in stone so I'll probably fly in Dec 1st or 2nd and stay through the weekend. May stay at Dolphin Sq again unless I can find a deal somewhere else. I sooooooo wish I could take a daytime flight. |
Originally Posted by Trophywife007
(Post 16961014)
"Lemonade... the real deal not the clear bottle stuff" What us the US equivalent of that?
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janisj -
I have been away from Fodors for a while so just came across this trip report while I was waiting for my husband at the hospital (all went well - he is fine). But I just had to comment on how very much I enjoy and value your contributions here. As you may remember, I have used your recommendations and ideas many times in my own relatively brief travels, always with much success and enjoyment. I was so happy to read that you were able to move about London freely without pain. Walking places we love is something to be treasured. As Rick Steves says ( ;) ), keep on travelin'. And please do keep on posting trip reports of those travels. |
I enjoyed your trip report and didn't know you were based in California. You always have so much knowledge and great tips about London travels so assumed you lived there! :)
We were able to upgrade to business on our return flight home via the American Airlines app at check-in time and my gosh, it was a total different flight experience. I really do want to go back soon! Have you ever been to London around Christmas break? I wonder if it would be too cold to walk about. |
>>Have you ever been to London around Christmas break?<<
Often -- was there las Dec for a few days before a Christmas river cruise in Germany and will be there again this year -- not over Christmas but the first week of Dec. >> I wonder if it would be too cold to walk about.<<. Nothing (well almost nothing ;) ) is too cold to walk around. It is just a matter of having good socks, gloves, and a warm coat. I usually take a puffer coat in December because it is very light but very warm. I don't take jeans because there are not all that warm and if they get wet they take forever to dry. So a couple pair of wool or wool blend slacks and layers -- blouses, cashmere sweaters, etc. I don't take heavy sweaters but rely on layers - and indoor places can be over heated. It most likely will be cold and could be wet, but they don't get the sort of COLD one gets in Chicago or NYC or the upper midwest. Isn't flying Business a game changer?? |
Clear lemonade.
Not aware of US Lemonade but, in the UK, when I used to sell Pimms by the bucket load we would use the cheap-as-chips clear stuff and the cloudy stuff is far nicer. Easy to find now in the UK, but in a student bar it was harder. |
Originally Posted by bilboburgler
(Post 16971101)
Clear lemonade.
Not aware of US Lemonade but, in the UK, when I used to sell Pimms by the bucket load we would use the cheap-as-chips clear stuff and the cloudy stuff is far nicer. Easy to find now in the UK, but in a student bar it was harder. When all else fails -- Champagne makes a FINE mixer for Pimm's ;) |
Fantastic report - as you know we’ll be in London for the first time in years in September. So many tips! (Glad to see the Dior exhibit will end before we arrive - otherwise, I would have been bummed to find it sold out!). |
Originally Posted by northie
(Post 16961816)
I'd love to meet but I'm in Melbourne. And I think you're in Sydney ! |
Have you decided where to stay? |
Won't let me edit . . . My post was directed to sf7307 |
Jeeze - I keep finding missing bits/typos. I think everyone probably understood this one but just in case:
With the edits in red, this should have read >> I didn't do the tree top walk, or visit the Palace (been there before). I don't know how many Chihuly's there were in total but a LOT. Plus there was an exhibition in the museum. . . . << |
LCBoniti: Somehow I missed your post - yes, being able to walk anywhere and everywhere was a real blessing. And the weather was a dream - no rain at all and I dodged the heat wave. Not sure how much walking I'd have done in 95°F and London humidity. (Where I live 95F is a balmy spring day - its a dry heat -- that's a local inside joke a couple of Fodorites will get)
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Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 16971086)
>> Isn't flying Business a game changer??
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This is a test -- Finally downloaded most of my photos but I actually have no idea how big they are so just posting one -- then I'll figure out what to do next.
This is the Nut Tree pub: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4df649330e.jpg |
OK that isn't too huge -- I'll post some Dior and Kew photos later . . .
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That green one shoulder number must have had 1,000 yards of fabric - only a slight exaggeration
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OK -- those are MORE than a little large, and I thought I had reduced them -- oh well . . .
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Oh, my, Janisj—what a splendid exhibit! The only thing that stopped me from booking a flight to see it was the uncertainty of getting a day of pass. Thank you for posting the pictures! jamilla—I found the weather over Christmas to be very nice (although keep in mind I live in a similar climate, so I mean it wasn’t raining). The crowds are intense though, so I found that it’s best to hit the more obscure museums, and my enjoyment of Harrods was limited. |
OK I think I've figured out how to re-size so here are some shots of Kew and Chihuly . . .
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4a06351230.jpg Chihuly cat tails https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c6eba5149.jpg Monumental - ENORMOUS https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b81a84d6e6.jpg One wonders how they do it -- even having seen DC's staff in action?? https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d70857f60b.jpg The glass houses were chock-a-block with them https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac946c40a8.jpg Serene sand garden https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c70f29ea15.jpg Around every corner there was something new https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9a9a826f70.jpg Absolutely glowed in the sun |
And two non-Chihuly pix and another of the Nut Tree
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74ac045e76.jpg I LOOOOVED this - Took photos from ever possible angle. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...68220cb324.jpg Kew Palm House https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...776b1c3411.jpg The Nut Tree |
Great pictures. Both of these exhibits look wonderful!
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Nice photos, thanks. And they all appear normal size to me. |
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