A Lady in London

Paris’ Right Bank is synonymous with the establishment. From the Elysee Palace to the elegant shops on Rue du Faubourg St Honore, it represents all things traditional. In a city with as much history and culture as Paris, tradition can often mean great things.

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Paris is a competitive city. The fierce rivalry between Paris’ Left Bank and Right Bank dates back a long way. The former is known for its artistic, bohemian ways. The latter, being more upscale, is a bastion of the establishment.

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I love summer in London. On the few sunny days we get, the city buzzes with outdoor festivals and events, and every terrace and garden is packed with people. As a sun-loving Californian, I am not immune to this phenomenon. As such, I was very excited to be invited to the launch party of the annual outdoor terrace bar at The Langham hotel in London.

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When I first moved to London, I was good about taking day trips to nearby cities. From Brighton to Bath, St. Albans to Stonehenge, I went, I saw, I wrote. But recently I have been remiss about seeing more of England. In an effort to change that, I decided to plan a trip to the southwest for not one, but two days of Bristol sightseeing, restaurants, and shopping.

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One of my favorite events of the summer is Taste of London. The annual food festival takes place every June in Regent’s Park, and the top restaurants in London cook up small portions of their signature dishes. Visitors traipse through the grounds eating and drinking all afternoon, and the end result is pure gastronomic bliss.

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It’s that time of year again. Time for horse races, time for Pimm’s, time for the Queen to arrive in her carriage to the delight of the crowds. It’s time for Royal Ascot.

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As my ferry from Stavanger pulled into Bergen harbor, the historic buildings of Bryggen wharf basked in the sunshine. The bustling fish market buzzed with afternoon commerce, and Scandinavia’s only funicular glided gracefully up the wooded hill to Floien. It was quite a welcome, and I was excited to do some Bergen sightseeing.

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Last month I was offered a trip with bmi to one of Bergen, Berlin, Cairo, Edinburgh, Marrakech, or Venice. Bergen was the only city that I hadn’t been to, but the flights didn’t work out with my schedule. Instead I went to Edinburgh. Then last Thursday I was asked if I was available to go to Bergen and Stavanger for three days to check out the two cities in Norway.

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In January I went to Madrid for a Singaporean foodie extravaganza. The Singapore Tourism Board put on an event called A Night in Singapore, which was the opening event for the Madrid Fusion food festival and gastronomy summit. While I was there, there was talk of an upcoming event called Singapore Takeout.

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My culinary life has been top notch this week. After a great evening at the Connaught Bar on Tuesday, I was invited to the opening of a restaurant called Baity Kitchen in London.

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There’s something about the Connaught. When I first moved to London, I stumbled across the legendary hotel in Mayfair while exploring the neighborhood. Maybe it was the elegant curve of the street or the beautiful architecture of the building, but either way, I was smitten. I wouldn’t have turned down the opportunity to sip cocktails at the Connaught Hotel bar in London for anything.

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I love London’s markets. From the famous foodie paradise of Borough Market to the bustling antique wonderland of Portobello Market, I could spend every weekend market hopping. But given that I’m rarely in London on the weekends, I have to choose my markets wisely. Last weekend I chose Broadway Market in London.

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The only thing better than going to the zoo during the day is going to the zoo at night. Zoo Lates in London allow visitors to do just that.

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It’s not often that I can’t finish a meal. Plates of steak, gigantic salads, and rich desserts are usually no match for my appetite. But last night I met a meal that soundly defeated me. It was at Locale restaurant in London’s Waterloo, and it was nothing less than a feast.

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