Weekend in London
 

Flew from LAX to London on May 10th after an almost 4 year hiatus from travel to Europe. We stayed in Convent Garden at Seven Dials at the Raddison Blu Edwardian Mercer St. Our last few trips to London we had stayed at the Hoxton Holborn and we liked this new location although it was very busy for most of the weekend. Neighborhood was busier, but hotel was much more peaceful than the Hoxton hipster scene. We checked in around 3, got settled and then immediately went to Monmouth coffee right down the street which was much needed after an almost 3 hour car ride to LAX and then a 11 hour flight to LHR.

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First night we went back to Barrafina, Drury Lane, one of our favorite spots in London that serves excellent and delicious Spanish tapas and some big plates. It’s got a Michelin star now. It’s counter seating although they now also have an outdoor patio that must have been created during Covid. We ordered padron’s, ham croquetas, tortilla with prawn and piquillo pepper and grilled squid with chickpeas and pancetta. My only regret is that we didn’t get more or, even better, if we had had another meal there to get some of their charcoal oven dishes. We’ve been going for years and its never disappointed.

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Next morning I made coffee in the room and ate some fruit I had bought plus got another cappuccino and croissants back at Monmouth coffee for our morning activities. We then trekked off to King’s Cross (loved the canal we crossed with people living on their boats), an area I hadn’t been in years, to see the David Hockney show. I bought tickets online before we got to Europe and it was crowded but doable. From the website of the Lightroom-“Using large scale projection in a remarkable new space, Hockney takes us on a personal journey through 60 years of his art”. His art and videos were projected on wall, ceiling and floor and he narrates throughout the show. Very enjoyable. I’ve loved his work since I was an art student in the 1970’s.

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We went back to Convent Garden and I walked through all the streets and visited some favorite stores and places from our past trips to London. People watching was excellent-everyone vapes (better than cigarettes but still so different from the vapeless and cigarette less world I live in in Santa Barbara) and lots of stores say they are cashless.

Friday night we walked up to Neal’s Yard to another one of our favorite places, The Barbary. It’s a combination of Mediterranean, North African and middle eastern offerings and we have loved everything we’ve eaten there over the years. Friday night we got freshly made naan with two yoghurt dips-one with spinach and nuts and another with cod. Next was smoke labneh octopus, pata negra (amazing pork) and cauliflower Jaffa style. It’s all counter seating and we became great friends with our neighbors plus all the chefs and even got a round of shots on the house at the end of the meal. A really memorable evening filled with great food and fun company.

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On our last full day in London we went back to Monmouth for coffee and for lunch we went back to another favorite, Koya, located in soho and maker of amazing udon dishes. We had our usual, the hot udon with shrimp tempura. My husband’s upcoming conference in Paris ended his carefree tourist persona and he went back to work at the hotel and I went onto to Regent street and again wandered through stores and people watched. It was a week after the coronation and there were still signs of it everywhere-especially loved walking through Chinatown with the beautiful swaying red lanterns and the coronation banners.

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Saturday night we ended up canceling our Tandoor Chop House reservation and eating at our hotel restaurant-Monmouth Kitchen which is a Peruvian/Italian mashup that ended up being really good. Next morning we were off Paris on the Eurostar. We got there about 60/75 minutes early and then got into a line with our already purchased tickets that snaked through St Pancreas station. It’s much more like going through an airport these days. Never used cash, only cards or Apple Pay everywhere and some places even said they wouldn’t take cash. I wrote this TR for a food website, Hungry Onion, hence all the food references. Great long weekend in one of my favorite cities.

Just quick -- will get back to your TR later -- but not sure how you are loading your photos but it didn't work

I redid so hopefully working now.

looks good :)

Thanks for reporting and reminder about Barrafina. We'll be back in London in a few weeks for the Cubs-Cardinals game plus a few days. We stay a stone's throw from the Drury Lane location but couldn't get a reservation there last fall, so we went to the Borough Yards location instead. Just made a reservation! The Barbary looks like something we'd enjoy, as well.

Yo MD,
Glad that you were prepared and had a good weekend as a result. The food all looks fantastic.
Just now reading a book about Banksy and that, plus the fact that we were in London exactly a year ago, have got us in a Brit-state-of-mind.
Where to next? Will you be visiting other places in England or are you headed elsewhere? Just curious.
I am done. the Shoreditch

We went onto Paris and are now back home in Santa Barbara. Probably stay put for awhile and just hang out in California. That plane flight took it out of me!

FWIW, Banksy's old gallery 'Pictures on Walls' was just south of your Hoxton lodgings. Even if one has zero interest in street art, his is a fascinating story about how he helped to move the goalposts of selling art in the digital age.
I am done. the spray can and the stencil

loved your report especially the food

We stayed in Shoreditch a few times and there was a Banksy in the neighborhood. Haven’t heard much about him lately and if he’s still active.

Sounds like fun!