Welltraveled, what a great thread! I am planning a possible trip to London/UK in the fall and this is all very helpful! Thanks! :)

I have so much to catch up on on my blog so there will be lots about London over there for months.

Glad to hear it's a useful thread, thanks for the encouragement!

Looking forward to more! I have a friend who just came back from London and had some really cool pictures of the Columbia Road Flower Market and the Shoreditch Street Art scene. Would love to hear any thoughts on either of those too! :)

The Columbia Road flower market is where you can still find genuine cockneys. The patter is very good just before the market closes and they are selling flowers cheaply to get rid of them.

WTB,

Thanks for the suggestion about the LEIGHTON HOUSE MUSEUM – will keep for future reference.

“… then took a bus to Kings College on the Strand for a very enjoyable lecture on THE IRISH IN LONDON.” Oh, I would love to have heard that – maybe I can find it on youtube.

“The walking tour was entitled "The Triumph of the Bourgeoisie" and followed the development and expansion of Kensington in the Nineteenth century.” Maybe I missed something – was this an escorted tour of the neighbor?

Also want to visit the Carlyle Museum – so much to do.
You mentioned, “… perhaps when I get home I'll write up a quick summary with lots of links.” Yes, that would be a great service to those of us who don’t have the amount of time that you folks do in London.

WTB, just wanted to mention that last week (just returned from Dublin) I did a great tour of the W. B. Yeats permanent exhibit at the National Library of Ireland. Emphasis was placed on WILLIAM MORRIS’S relationship with Yeats as a designer of many of the poet’s volumes. I enjoyed your description above of Morris’s home in Walthamstow. Small world, eh?

Thanks again for all the info…

Bostonblondie I agree with Miss Prism the Columbia Flower market is a scene, particularly on the later side. Our flat is five minutes away and I go quite frequently, I brought my mother who is in her late seventies and there was a lot of amusing patter with the lads on the stalls about whether she was looking for a younger boyfriend! If only she had been able to hear it above the din. Sometimes there are buskers and trendy, hipster types dancing in the street. My mother was transfixed by young women with their hair dyed grey, "why do they do that." she asked.

It is however very very crowded and consequently I found it hard to take pictures. The market would combine well with a tour of street art. There's a lot so great stuff. In fact I've had to limit myself to how much I intstagram as my feed will become nothing but street art. Currently I'm liking stuff by a French woman artist Zabou. It's right throughout Shoreditch, in the areas surrounding Bricklane and also along the Hackney Rd and up round the Haxton a OverGround and Haggerston. It's worth going on a street Art tour, there are several.

Latedaytraveler - Glad the thread is still interesting and giving you ideas. I'm interested to hear about the WB Yeats exhibit at the Nat Lib in Dublin. I do love when all the connections between historical figures comes together.it's startling how often I go to Dublin and how little I see beyond family! My mother lives in a Blackrock so it's easy for me to get into town it's just about making the time.

The walking tour was from the Time Out Walking Tours of London book, I can't remember if it was vol 1 or 2. I'll check when I get back to London. Right now I'm back in California unexpectedly for a funeral. Frankly this morning the thread is a welcome distraction.

Back from our unexpected trip to California, we were there less than 48 hours. I had a blog post on ELTHAM PALACE scheduled to pot today which was convenient. Here's the link, as you can see Eltham is a fascinating place. I can't think of an Art Deco interior like it in London but do let me know if there's one I should visit..

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...at-eltham.html

Latedaytraveler the Kensington walk, "The Triumph of the Bourgeoisie" that I mentioned is from London Walks Vol 1 by Time Out. I particularly like their walking guides as each walk is by a different person so you get quite a diversity in terms of focus and interest. They have quite a few famous authors, arts types and journos and I've enjoyed the perspectives.

I'm running out of time in London just as the better weather is taking hold!

So sorry about the unexpected trip.

Thanks for the Eltham Palace info. I am a big Art Nouveau fan, but I have friends who are into Art Deco - will have to go and take photos for them - although yours are great - I'll send them the link.

Thursdaysd - did you know that there is an Art Deco house in Penzance? [no, not many people do!] it's called the Egyptian House and it's at the top of Chapel street in the middle of the town. I was lucky enough to be going past one day when they opened it to the public [you can rent it from the Landmark Trust for hols] and had a fascinating hour or so exploring it.

WTB - sorry you had to interrupt your trip, especially because of a bereavement. Weather here is mixed - in fact less good than it's been for the last couple of weeks.

what have you got planned for the rest of your stay?

Thanks thursday and annig,
Bereavement is always hard. Anyway I'm a great believer in healthy distraction so that's what's on the docket. I'm hoping to make it to the McQeen exhibit and the RA Summer show. We are really running out of time. I have three days in Dublin next week dealing with mater who is in fact a delight. So it will be lots of relatives.

We missed our tickets to Everyman at the National so I'm hoping possibly to catch that, depending on when it's next playing. We also missed a dinner at Le Manoir aux Quarter Saison with the sibling but what can you do, we will have to reschedule for another trip there's no cramming it in this time.

I also had to let go of tickets that were part of the Festival of Architecture, believe it or not a Tour of Peckham, yes the only question is can you have a tour of Peckham without referencing De Boy, sorry references probably only Brits will get!

Otherwise we want to take a walk around Kings Cross, hopefully make it out to the Chelsea Physic Garden and maybe Kew. I had hoped to make it out to several of the historic houses in Richmond but that might be dropped. I need to plan a trip to Helsinki and Berlin in the meantime!

Tonight we walked down the Regents Canal to fight the jet lag passing the Kingsland Road and heading towards Islington. There's quite a lot of life on that section of the canal and there are several places to stop for something to eat and or drink. We stopped at The Proud Archivist for a drink with a lovely view of the canal and a small jazz duo playing.

http://www.theproudarchivist.co.uk

The other day we went to another place fairly nearby in Haggerston Tonkotsu East which I really recommend, great ramen and I had a noodle salad I really enjoyed, all quite hip and under the arches. We ended up here when the wait at a nearby space ( http://berberandq.com) was far too long, anything more than 5 minutes is too long for me but they said it would be an hours which is just madness as far as i'm concerned. Apparently Tonkotsu has a place at Selfridges too!

http://www.tonkotsu.co.uk

There's lots more to explore in Haggerston but this is what we've seen so far.

Love the Physic garden - the first time we went there it was closed - on a Saturday?
The 2nd time - we did the tour - really worthwhile and explains the garden beautifully .Tickled pink to see the Wollemi Pine - very spindly specimen . It's a newly discovered tree from Australia and unusual.

I also had to let go of tickets that were part of the Festival of Architecture, believe it or not a Tour of Peckham, yes the only question is can you have a tour of Peckham without referencing Del Boy, sorry references probably only Brits will get!>>

lol, WTB - the caped crusader rides again! Do Del Boy and Rodney make it across the pond? trouble is I think they'd need subtitles.

Yet another place I've never made it to - the Chelsea Physic Garden - one day!

I don't know if Del Boy and Rodney have made it across the pond, I don't have cable tv but maybe they are on BBC America...?

Northie, thanks for the heads up on the Chelsea Physic Garden's odd opening hours. I will try to check them before I head over there, that is if I make it.

So today I didn't do any of the things I mentioned above but I did see something I had on my list. It was another fabulous Art Deco building, the FREEMASON’S HALL which is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England.

http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/tours/

It was great because they offer guided tours several times a day which take you right into the building which is quite fascinating. The imagery, tile work, mosaics and decorative details are really amazing. The building is right on the edge of Covent Garden and I'd passed it many time so it was great to go in. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in architecture.

I forgot to add that the tour and museum are free and that tours are offered Mon-Fri 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm. Booking is not necessary. On Saturday they offer tours but these should be booked in advance.

Sorry, but another hijack -

I'm in London now and want to let annhig know that we had lunch at Middle Temple Hall yesterday and it was fab! Such a beautiful place and an amazing experience. My friend (who lives here) did not know about his and was duly impressed. :)

Thank you so much. We had a lovely day - and the food was great as well!

I will have to catch up with all you have been doing, wtb. How wonderful to have so much time to explore wherever your interests take you.

LC, glad to hear you arrived safely and are enjoying yourself. I'm meeting my brother at one of the law libraries this afternoon!

I'm leaving Dublin today but have just posted on a visit and walk I took from and to The Johnson House. It was interesting to learn more about Johnson's dictionary and the London of his age.

Though the museum is rather limited, somehow along with the monthly walk (they organize) tit did a great job of invoking the spirit of Johnson, his wit and intellect. Luckily, to paraphrase Johnson I am neither tired of London or of life!

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...se-london.html

Hi again WTB,

I really enjoyed your blog about your visit to the SAMUEL JOHNSON HOUSE. I find the rooms quite serene. The walk sounds good too. Great pics too.

Before my last trip to London I read SAMUEL JOHNSON by Joseph Wood Krutch, an old chestnut, really delightful. Johnson had a tremendous influence on his age.

Thanks latedaytraveler, I really appreciate your comment on the blog post, I was quite pleased with that one, I was hoping it would make people feel like they'd been along on the day out too.Over the years I've been trying to find a "voice" on my blog which is harder than it looks when you've been trained to write as an academic!

After visiting the house I'd certainly like to know more about Johnson and his circle which does seem to be very wide. We ran into references to him again at Kenwood House.

Today it was fabulously hot and we walked back from dinner along the Regents Canal from Kings Cross to Bethnal Green. Though the canal is covered over for a section in Islington, it's still a fun route and we recognized where we were from a walk we did in the area a week or two ago. It's a nice feeling to see places fitting together slowly as we start to get to know the city.

Thank you for the link to your pictures of Johnson's House. It looks like a place I'll have to visit. And of the Temple Church where I have an ancestor to visit in the round end. I love the building and its location and I'm especially fond, for some reason, of the simple hanging light fixtures inside.

Regarding the lights I mentioned - it appears it's all changed since I was there last, all gussied up and the lighting now "designed". One would have hoped that a medieval church would be spared such attentions, but apparently nothing is sacred.

http://www.enlightermagazine.com/pro...ighting-design

It does show some hanging ones, not unlike those I mentioned and they may be the ones, although I think, in a different location. Or maybe it's just so changed I don't recognize the location.

Hi again WTB,

"Over the years I've been trying to find a "voice" on my blog which is harder than it looks when you've been trained to write as an academic!"

Trust me, you have found your "voice." So many Fodorites will benefit by your experiences and suggestions. I hope to return to London next year and will review this trip report while planning. :)

MmePerdu, isn't it incredible when they "improve" a place only to strip it of the idiosyncrasies that give it character!

Thanks for the encouragement lateday.

CAMDEN AND ST PANCRAS
Today we did more walking, this time from a walk in one of the Hidden London walking guides. There are a series of three of them that we've been using - though I think overall the TimeOut guides remain my favorite. Anyway we took the walk from Euston, up through Camden (neighborhood, market, lock etc) and then along the canal again, towards Kings Cross, passing St Pancras Church and ending up at St Pancras station where you really must go in to check out the wonderful St Pancras Hotel.

Janisj mentioned staying here on her last trip (lucky thing) and it is an incredible place. There are so many lovely public spaces including a champagne bar and the wonderfully atmospheric Gilbert Scott bar, next to the restaurant of the same name. Gilbert Scott was of course the architect of St Pancras - one of the great Victorian rail stations of the age. It's really a palace to the technology of the time. The hotel is fantastical on the inside as if an Englishman went to Cordoba and thought, we'll have some of that in London! It's well worth going in for a drink, this entire area has been completely transformed and is well worth a look.

The walk along the canal was very attractive though I'm not a fan of the market in Camden, there are too many people for me, but along the canal we stopped at a lovely pub called The Constitution. There's a gorgeous raised garden overlooking the canal which was quite charming, particularly on a hot day which we enjoyed today.

After the canal we cut south through the Old St Pancras churchyard which is a rather fascinating place. Here is the tomb Sir John Soane built for his wife (which apparently inspired Gilbert Scott's iconic telephone box design) and there is a monument to Mary Wollstonecraft who was buried here with her husband William Godwin - though they were later interred in Bournemouth. It was here in the churchyard that her daughter Mary planned to run away with Percy Shelley. Of course all of this predates her writing Frankenstien!

However the literary connections don't end there as Thomas Hardy once worked at the churchyard trying to restore it following the horrendous upheavals it experienced as the whole district was cut apart by the construction of the railway lines and yards which transformed the neighborhood. It was probably worse than the Cross Rail chaos we are currently living through!

Anyway, I love all the intersections that keep popping up. The longer we spend here in London the stronger my sense of the city and its history becomes.

Tomorrow we are heading out on a Karl Marx walk.
http://www.marxwalks.com

I met some people on London Walks walk through Clerkenwell and they highly recommended the this walk which looks interesting, I'll let you all know how it goes. If we have the energy we may go up to Highgate to see Marx's grave, which I have seem before, interestingly Marx is buried across from the Social Darwinist Herbert Spencer.

Boveney
Just to say in addition to loving Rochelle's we very much enjoyed watching
the Arnold Circus segment of 'The Secret History of Our Streets', what a fantastic show.
It was a real reminder of the ways in which squatters contributed to the revitalization of thess neighborhoods. Incidentally the same was true in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Anyway thanks very much for all your recommendations they were much appreciated.

OK so on to a few more places -----


KARL MARX WALKING TOUR
We made it to this tour yesterday and I enjoyed it very much. The tour takes you through Soho and covers the major moments in Marx's life, his association with Engels and his political work. The group was quite large (I suppose that's the summer for you) but we were very glad we went and it was good to get a new perspective as always.

It was a bit rainy and so we decided to skip the trek up to Highgate cemetery to see Marx's grave. I'd seen it years ago anyway and we stayed in the British Museum where the tour ended. I headed to Roome 93 which houses the PERCIVAL DAVID COLLECTION of Chinese ceramic. When this collection was housed on Gordon Square I always intended to visit it and when investigating it for this trip I read that the collection closed in 2007 and was later incorporated into the British Museum. However, what is nice is that it is still displayed as a single collection.

I know almost nothing about Chinese porcelain but it's beautifully displayed and gives you a sense for the aesthetic diversity of Chinese ceramic work. They have so many beautiful pieces there.

After the ceramics I didn't fancy anything else at the BM and opted to head over to the FREUD MUSEUM in Finchley. Again another place I've been meaning to go for years.

http://www.freud.org.uk/visit/

This is my kind of museum, another wonderful house museum. Although Freud lived here for only one year, after he fled from Austria in 1938, his family was already established in England as his son Ernst had moved there in the early 1930s.

When they fled Austria, a friend paid a ransom to the authorities to enable Freud to send most of his books and furniture on to London. Consequently the house was set up to be a familiar as possible. Here is the famous couch, the small figurines cluttering his desk, the beautiful rugs, furniture and objet d'art. It's all beautifully preserved as his daughter Anna remained in the house until the 1990s. After her death it was converted into a Museum.

The whole place is very atmospheric with family films narrated by Anna shown in one of the upstairs bedrooms. there's also an excellent audio guide which I highly recommend.

By this time I was flagging but having looked at the map I realized I wasn't far from the Modernist TWO WILLOW ROAD a property I'd passed and intended to visit several times, previously I'd run out of time or it was closed.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/2-willow-road/

City Mapper told me it was only 17 minutes away and I was off! The walk took me through Hampstead on a series of small pathways that cut through the back of the houses. It is a lovely place but after the Marx walk I couldn't help thinking about how our wealth disparities just keep getting bigger and bigger. Frankly Hampstead almost feels unreal, so pretty and fresh and unattainable.

I made it to the house just before closing and took a quick look. It's a lovely home from the inside and while it looks like so many places that were built in the 60's and 70's you have to remember this property was designed in the 1930s. I loved the layout and the bright light from both sides. There is some interesting art including a painting by Max Ernst. They alsohad a very illuminating film on ERNO GOLDFINGER which covered his influences, personality and later work which I enjoyed.

After this I was ready to collapse. my husband had stayed at the BM so I met up with him in Hoxton Sq and we headed over to a Korean Street Food place ON THE BAP for a quick meal. Later in the evening the place always has a line out front but though it was busy we saw and empty table and grabbed it. It's a casual place and rather fun.

I can barely believe our three months are almost over and it's almost time to leave for Helsinki and Berlin. I've seen lots but still have lots of places I didn't make it to and will have to save for another trip.

Places that looked grimy and slightly dodgy when we arrived now look familiar - time changes the landscape around you in your own head. We've certainly got a better sense for the city from the perspective of the East End and without doubt this is hipster central. It's a completely different scene over in Camden which is only a few miles away.

Overall we saw a lot and I've enjoyed it though it's a little bit like looking down a rabbit hole. After 25 years in California this s the life one could have lived. I'm astonished how little time we've spent west of the parks and I've enjoyed getting to know an entirely new area of the city.

I thought I had so much time and would see and look up so many people, but somehow didn't. My husband LOVES the place and I think he would move here tomorrow if I wasn't whining on about the weather, though it's finally gorgeous in time for us to leave.

If we get to come again we'd love to stay at the Barbican if I could find an exchange or informal rental. It could be pie-in-the-sky but last year coming to London for three months seemed inconceivable and somehow we found an affordable place to rent and someone to rent out home in California for three rather random months!

I'll probably try to write a summary of the whole trip when I get home with lots of links to the relevant blog pages, many of which haven't been written yet!

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/London

I'm hoping to see the Sonia Delaunay show at the Tate Modern today or tomorrow, but it all depends on the packing and cleaning schedule and I doubt I'll have time for a review.

It's been fun to have you all following along and hopefully it has been useful or interesting too.

I like the possibly apocryphal story about the visitor who went to the British Museum Reading Room and asked an elderly attendant to point out the seat where Karl Marx sat. "Oh, the old Jewish gentleman. He sat in that seat regular as clockwork, then he stopped coming and we heard nothing more about him".

The East End is changing. My daughter had a flat on the corner of Brick Lane above a leather shop. Pret-a-Manger have now opened there. A friend of hers lived near a pub where several of the clients wore tracking devices on their ankles. It's now a trendy gastropub

Oh, I feel a bit sad that you are preparing to move on. :(

But thank you so much for sharing this experience with us.

Tomorrow we are heading out on a Karl Marx walk>>

lol, while you were doing that, we were getting a different view of him, ℅ the friends with whom we were staying who live in what was East Germany:

http://www.ottmarhoerl.de/sites/engl...ink=62&pro=gal

they have one of these in there living room, where he provides quite a talking point as I'm sure you can imagine.

LCB - I'm so pleased that you enjoyed your lunch in Middle Temple and exploring its environs, and I'm sorry about the lighting in Temple Church, about which they did not consult me, strangely enough!

wtb - I feel a little like LCB's friend who though living in London, knew nothing about the Temple. You have shown me so many places that I never knew existed let alone visited, so thank you!

So nice to get your responses thanks LCN, I hope you and the Meadettes, no Meadaholics had a great time

Annhig I love the red Karl Marx figures Annhig!

Miss Prism - you are right the East End has changed enormously and is changing as we speak. the first chain store has opened on Broadway Market and a very upmarket one it is - Aesop's. The other day I saw some 2 bed flats on Hackney Rd advertised for £725,000. But then again I've been reading a history of Bethnal Green and the area changed radically in the mid to late 20th century, with an out migration to Essex (white cockneys)and north London (Jewish immigrants) and an in- migration of Bengali families.

FANTASTIC VIEW
This afternoon I stopped at One New Change the new mall next to St Paul's as I had to return something at Cos (one of my Paris favorites). As I was there I decided to head up to the roof which jamikins mentioned at the GTG. Wow what a view! It's quite fabulous and while they have a bar up there they also have public space currently kitted out with deck chairs and bean bags facing a huge screen showing Wimbledon. I sat down to watch Sharapova play a few games, astonishingly with the dome of St Paul's in the background. It's very much worth checking out.

Afterwards I headed over the Millennium Bridge which is always nice (and was fantastic in the hot weather) to the SONIA DELAUNAY exhibit at THE TATE MODERN. I can't recommend it highly enough. I loved seeing her work at the Pompidou when we were in paris and I'm a fan of her fabric designs. This is the summer of big shows for women with the new Barbara Hepworth show at the Tate Britain. However I was sorry to see that the Delaunay show isn't drawing crowds and it was very quiet. It's a wonderful retrospective covering her career from before the first world war into the 1970's covering her commercial or, fabric designs, painting and fashion pieces. Highly recommended.

After the museum I headed up to Shoreditch for dinner at Andina a hip Peruvian place with small plates. Some of it was excellent and some just ok. We loved an aubergine dish and the grilled octopus which were fabulous. I wish I'd checked out their weekday lunch for £9 and their brunch options but all that will have to wait till next time.

This may be the thread that never ends because I have so many blog posts stacked up from all we've seen. Here's my latest post on 18 STAFFORD TERRACE, this was one of my favorite places in London a real find IMHO. Lots of photos and details on the blog....

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...sambourne.html

I'm sorry to see an end to your London adventure. I would absolutely love to spend several weeks or months there and have enjoyed visiting along with you.

Thanks Carolyn, I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

We leave for Helsinki tomorrow and we will be packing up and cleaning the flat today - despite the fact that we are in the middle of a heat wave and I'd love to go to Kew instead!

Heat wave? Hope it's well over before I get to England in August/September! Nowhere I'm staying has AC. Good luck with the weather in Helsinki - it rained a lot while I was there.

Have very much enjoyed your TR, and will be reading it again with care when I plan my London visit.

It's really hot in London right now, summer has arrived and will probably last about a week or two! I've heard it's getting hotter too. It's in the mid 80's today and heading for the mid 90s tomorrow! Finally I'm getting to wear the lighter clothes that have been sitting at the bottom of my suitcase.

It looks like it's going to be in the 70s in Helsinki, currently no rain on the forecast but now that I've written that it's sure to change!

Thursday - Feel free to email me on the blog if you have any questions for your upcoming trip.

yes, anyone headed for the UK should leave all their thermals at home and pack cotton and linen - we're in for what the redtops sometimes call a "scorcher".

All except Cornwall where it is likely to remain between 20C-25C, thank goodness.

We'll be in London in a couple of weeks. Tell me that absolutely nobody is wearing shorts!!!

I bet there will be loads of shorts, Dukey, plus t-shirts, capris, sandals with socks, and many other fashion faux pas.

It's been great following along and so nice to see someone covering some of the less well known sights and sites. Get yourselves over to Viet Grill for the fish curry and one of sharing cocktails before you go if you possibly can........if not, next time :-)

Catching up after more than a week (the US Senior Open golf tournament was here in town Mon-Sun and I was there every day)

I can't believe the 3 months is over already - back at the GTG it seemed like such a long time.

You have reminded me of several places I want to visit. But next trip I'll only be in London 4 days so they will probably have to wait til Dec or next Spring.

I once stayed right around the corner from 18 Stafford Terrace but didn't learn about it til a few weeks after getting home. I had forgotten about it and your mention put it back on my radar.

And Willow Rd . . . just too much to see/do (even in three months)

90F!! -- that is about 15 degrees too high for London. Today its 106F here - but that is easier than 90F in London. A/C is the bomb!

Have a safe trip to Helsinki . . .

Hi again WTB,

Really enjoying your June 27 post about Camden and St. Pancras. Interesting about St. Pancras Hotel - must try that Gilbert Scott bar.

We are on the same page with literary figures for sure. In recent years, I have read bios of Mary Wollstonecraft (really sad life) and Thomas Hardy - I had forgotten that he did restoration work before writing his great novels. Hardy is one of my favorites - I would love to see his homestead sometime which I believe is in Dorset.

The associations just go on and on - will finish reading later...