London: Halloween at the Church

Don't miss this year's Halloween party at The Church on Sunday, the 30th! An amazing bash!

But be sure to go early! Last year the Capt and I decided to go to The Church, but we were late to the door. The line snaked around the block, and they stopped letting people in at their max capacity. So don't let this happen to you!

Check out my Church post from a few years ago, to get a glimpse of what goes on inside...
http://crewtips.blogspot.com/2009/06/lhr-church.html

or visit The Church's website for more info:
thechurch.co.uk

Enjoy!!

LHR: Melia Neighborhood Report

(Here's the neighborhood report someone put together - enjoy! Tim)

NEW LONDON MELIA HOTEL NEIGHBORHOOD

Here’s a very quick thumbnail sketch of the new neighborhood. The new hotel is palatial. The rooms are small but luxuriously appointed. Good discounts, a free drink chit for now (don’t tell), good HVAC, funky programmed elevators, very upscale clientele. It is a definite change for the better from the Hilton. The neighborhood is fantastic.

LOCATION

The hotel is at the very southeast corner of Regent’s Park, half a block north of Marylebone Rd (become Euston Rd. 1 blk. East). Walking-distance times are as follows:

Oxford Street 10 mins
Oxford Circus 11 mins
Berwick St. – Soho – Ch-town 15 mins
Covent Garden 20 mins
Piccadilly Circus 17 mins
Marble Arch 17 mins
London Hilton 15 mins
Big Ben - Westminster 30 mins

There are three tube stations within a five-minute walk:

Great Portland St. – Circle, Hammersmith, Metropolitan lines
Warren St. – Northern, Victoria lines
Regent’s Park – Piccadilly line

The Baker St., Euston, Euston Sq. and Goodge St. tube stations are within a 10 minute- walk. Grab your Oyster card and be at Harrods in 15 minutes, Notting Hill & Queensway in 10 minutes, and Tower Hill in 15 minutes. Busses all over London are plentiful on Marylebone, Baker Street and Tottenham Court Road. Night busses serve Tottenham Court Rd and Baker Street.

Of course there is Regent’s Park and the London Zoo right there. No roller blades in Regent’s Park. Along the north edge of the park is the Grand Union Canal and Walkway. Follow the canal from Camden Town to Little Venice. Extremely scenic walk any time of the year.

Avoid some of the neighborhoods to the northeast of the hotel. Stick to Albany Street or Hampstead Road if you are going to Camden Town.

NEW DINING VENUES AND PUBS

The Concierge pointed me to three areas.

1. Great Portland Street (GPS) and Totenham Court Rd. Both run south from Marylebone and have the typical commercial and touristy London fare with a few glamorous pricey ones mixed in. Sorry, Pizza Express and Angus Steak House just don’t do it for me, but they’re there.

2. Cleveland Street runs south from Marylebone between Portland and Totenham, and is where the local residents and students from the University of London go. No tourist traps – very affordable. Within six blocks there are two Thai restaurants (very inexpensive)( Lotus Thai / Melonbee), a Chinese sit-down and take-away that is dirt cheap (Friendship), two affordable Greek restaurants (4 Lanterns / Vasis), an Indian restaurants (Ragam - inexpensive), a Chippie (very inexpensive), an affordable Turkish restaurant (Istanbul Mezze) and an affordable Italian restaurant (Monte Blanco). Most of the restaurants on Cleveland don’t open for dinner until 1800 hours.

3. Warren Street runs east-west parallel to Marylebone just one block south behind the Volvo dealership. There is the Smuggler’s Tavern which like Churchill’s and Windsor Castle is a typical pub with a Thai kitchen. A little further to the east is Lord’s Indian Restr which had reasonable prices. The pub I’ll call my new home on cold winter nights is The Prince of Wales Feathers, located one block further east on Warren Street across from the Warren Street Tube Sta. It is a typical new-style pub with four or so flat screens for sports and a kitchen menu that is four pages long. What’s so special is that every day they have a meal and drink special that runs either 5.99 or 6.99 for a FULL meal and a drink! They also have a very extensive menu with London Pride on tap. It’s jam-packed, friendly, with sharing tables, great digital juke box (70’s & 80’s). Very much like the Pride of Paddington on Praed Street – just better!

4. Other areas nearby: The Great Portland Street tubestation has a Coffee Stop on the outside with freshly made breakfast and lunch sandwiches for 2.00 or less. Yes, a real bacon roll for 2 quid. Starbucks and Pret a Manger are both directly east of the hotel on Marylebone (two blocks) or go two blocks down Great Portland St. (south). Behind the G.P.S. tube station is the Albany Pub. Huge, popular, crowded, loud. . . For a more quintessential old London pub, go two blocks down G.P.S., turn right on Devonshire to the Mason’s Arms.

5. Food Shopping. Tesco Express is right behind the G.P.S. tube station (1/2 block from hotel), and Sainsbury’s local is two blocks down Great Portland St. A full-size traditional Sainsbury’s is down Tottenham Court Rd, about a block south of the Warren St. tube station (seven minutes walk from hotel)

LHR: La Tasca Restaurant

La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurant and Bar
30–34
James Street
West End - London
W1U 1ER
La Tasca (James St)

My crew left me to fend for myself at the Hilton, saying that they were going to a Tapas bar. They gave me directions to 'La Tasca', and I told them I'd meet up with them and a bit.

Since it was raining, it was a good day to go forth with purchasing an 'Oyster Card' (blogged). Once I got that all straightened out, I was on my way. I got on at Edgeware Rd Station for the Circle Line, and changed over to the Jubilee line at Baker Street. Get off at Bond Street. You'll walk west on Oxford for just a tad and then right (north) on James Street. La Tasca is just a few hundred feet down on the right, directly after you pass an outdoorsy cul-de-sac street. Apparently, this street is quite a happenin' scene for the pre-theater crowd. The rain on the day I went put a damper on the festivities on that day unfortunately. Here's a Google Map Link.

My buddies had decided to walk and got caught in the rainshower. Aside from the wetness, they didn't mind the walk. Plan on strolling about 30 minutes or so from the Hilton Metropole.

I got there after most of the food was already eaten. It got high marks from 3 of the 4 pilots. The fourth, who is into culinary arts, gave it passing grades saying it was fine for thawed out freezer food. But he probably knows too much...

The staff was extrememly friendly and helpful. I was a bit caught off guard when the waitress turned out to be French. I see that quite a lot in London. You go to an ethnic eatery, and the employees are often far removed from that ethnicity.

A very nice American couple sat across the aisle, and they ordered the same dish. They were kind enough to allow me to take the picture of it for blogging purposes. The man was an old Navy vet, and got a big kick out of my harmonica and my rendition of "Anchors Aweigh!"

I did get there in time for desserts. As a group, we ordered the Flan and the Orange Cheesecake with pleny of spoons to go around. The two dishes were very good!

So, if you feel and urge to nibble on some Spanish tapas while sipping a pint, head on over to La Tasca. You'll especially appreciate when the weather is nice towards the weekend, as the entire street gets into the aciton.

Enjoy!

Tim









A palatable table wine according to the regulars...

LHR: On Anon Club

If you're up for a night of dancing, On Anon Club is the place to go. It's huge! With eight dance floors playing various genres, you will be sure to find the beat that fits you.

http://onanon.co.uk/location has all the data you need to plan your trip.

Take your fave Tube line to Picadilly circus. For us UAL Hilton Metropole types, its the Bakerloo. Once you exit the stairway at Picadilly Circus station, the building to your left is the London Pavillions. Backtrack just a tad to Shaftsbury, and head NE and you'll see the billboards for On Anon. Below is a Google sattelite pic centered on the triangular London Pavillions building.


View Larger Map

On Anon is open every night, but on the slower nights, they won't open all the levels or dance floors. The last time I was there was a Sunday, and only the main floor was open, but it still was a good time. If you want variety and the ability to pick the DJ that's spinning your tunes, go on a more active night.

If you wanna save a few bucks, go before they start charging admission. Refer to the link above to be sure of the schedule on the time and day you're going.

If you don't want to walk home, be sure to check out and know the last tube that you can catch. Go to this first and last tube stop link then click on the line that you are gonna ride. For the Bakerloo, it's 23:54 M-F, 00:31 on Sat. and 23:47 on Sunday (if I'm reading the chart correctly).

If you miss the tube (like I did the last time) and decide to walk, it'll take about 40 minutes to walk from Picadilly Circus to the Hilton Metropole. Definitely doable in a crunch. Cabs are tres expensive, but if it's raining or cold, whatcha gonna do?

Have fun!!

Tim

go to http://www.onanon.co.uk/gallery/ to see an impressive collection of shots of the different dance floors.

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LHR: Carnival

2008 Carnival Map (pdf)

I can't say enough about prior planning. I visited the Notting Hill Carnival this year, but I was late on Sunday. Somehow, I had the idea of the parade being an afternooon into evening affair. I don't know where I got this idea. The parade ending hours are clearly mentioned in most of the literature that I've now re-read.






So, I showed up at around 8pm on Sunday, about 1 hour after the official festivities ended. Missing all but the jerk chicken and rice... Next year, I'll be sure to go earlier. If I'd been aware that I was missing things, I wouldn't have hung out at the hotel bar for the amount of time that I did...

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The one neat thing that I ran across were the funny men-only urinals. Open air, yet still private.

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On my way back to the hotel, I came across a street rave music party. It was most likely an ordnance/curfew violation, but the cops didn't seem to care too much. Loud, active and young. I only stayed 15 minutes until the monotony of the beat wore me out.

I'd also recommend that you bring your own beers, in a backpack if you have one. There is apparently no open container law that is in affect for Carnival and everybody was openly partaking. There's probably some good money to be made with the recycling aluminum contract, as the beer cans were scattered everywhere. (a testament to the fun perhaps?)




Monday aftrnoon, the 25th, after a quick swim at the Hilton, I ventured back out to see what I could witness before the bus pickup time. I jogged there and back, and it was not too bad a run. About 10 minutes to get there there. Once there, I hung out at the southeast corner of the parade route, and got to see the first couple of floats. I was at a crosswalk that allowed you to get 'inside' the parade route (like the infield of the track). I was tempted to cross, but I'm glad I didn't. Had I gone inside, I'm not sure I would have been allowed back out for the next few hours. Keep that in mind if you're tight on time - stay outside the parade route for a quick exit.


That's it. Really a failed attempt at visiting Carnival this year, but I'll be 1 year wiser for 2009!

LHR: The Tower of London

The weather coming into London was not too bad, so I decided to try the Tower of London after a short nap. If you decide to go, you'd be wise to visit this sites to get the lay of the land:
• http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerofLondon
• itInerary Planner
• PDF map of the Tower

Regarding Naps
I prefer short naps as opposed to 'hitting the ground running.' I find that I enjoy my sightseeing the best when I have about 2 to 3 hours of solid sleep. The challenge, however, is waking up and quickly departing for your tour. If you're like me, you just want to throw the alarm across the room and go back to sleep. But resisting that urge can be fruitful as the London sights are beautiful if the weather cooperates. The downside to the nap is that you will most likely be pushing daylight and museum closing times. Experiment to find out which nap schedule works best for you.

Reference Map


View Larger Map

Tube Directions
There are many Tube routes to get to the Tower of London "Tower" stop. The easiest would be the Circle line direct, but you could also take the Bakerloo and District lines, depending on which Edgeware Road tube stop was closest. Take the left exit out of the Tower station to take you to the large sundial in Trinity Place.
The sundial park is a nice overlook area to get your bearings and take a photo or two. When you're ready to continue, go through the pedestrian tunnel under Tower Hill Terrace Road, and then follow the signs for Ticketing.

Ticketing
The tickets for the Tower are £16.50, which is a bit steep, especially if you arrive late. You can buy tickets online for £16.50, but be sure the weather will be cooperating. Unfortunately, there are no discounts for late ticket purchases and the museum closes at 5:30. They stop admitting at around 5:00.

If you want to do a guided tour, the last guided tour starts at 3:30pm, so plan accordingly. I regret not getting the last guided tour, as it apparently is very lively and informative, given by one of the uniformed "Yoeman Warders." The lady at the counter said that it takes about 2-3 hours to take in all that the Tower has to offer. I arrived at 4:10, and almost didn't buy a ticket because I was only going to have an hour and a half to look around. I decided to purchase a ticket anyway, and vowed to walk briskly and not waste time with stuff I didn't find interesting.

Sights
The Crown Jewels are located inside the Tower walls in a very secure building. It's worth the look see, if the line is not too long. At first glance, the line snaked 100 feet beyond the entrancewayof the building. Later, the line shortened to inside the building and I decided to give it a go. Once inside, there was still about 10 minutes of Disney-roped line maze action before you see any goods. The jewels and Royal oppulence is quite impressive. Excellent craftmanship.

I did the Fusiliers museum for £1. It has an excellent chronology of the Fusiliers and their place in British Military History. However, there is quite a bit of reading and not as many artifacts as you might find in other similar museums. I'd skip it if you don't have the time, or have kids with you.

I did the Blood Tower self guided tour. The Blood Tower is where two princes were murdered, and it describes circumstances surrounding the incident. This was interesting and worth it, if you don't have to wait too long in line.

I did the Medieval house tour, which takes you through the Royal living quarters of the Tower. It has some neat factoids regarding Kingly accomodations and what life was like for His Highness back in the day. Upon exit from the throne room. you come out on the South terrace and have a nice view of the beautiful Tower bridge.

Exit
At around 5:40, the Yoeman Warders were politely encouraging folks to wrap it up and exit. I departed throught the gate near the Thames, and since I wanted to scope out the War Experience museum on the opposite bank of the river, I hoofed it across the Tower bridge. (The bridge has tours that explains its storied history, but they also end at 5:30.) Anyway, the walk across will give you great photo ops of the Tower and that crazy egg shaped building. Be sure to walk on the northwest side of the bridge, as you can't cross to the otherside once your on it.

Summary
I'm glad I went and the beautiful weather made it enjoyable just wandering around. However, if I had to do it over again, I'd try to arrive there no later than 3:15. This allows time to tag on with that last guided tour, and you'll have a little extra tme for yourself before they shuffle you to the exits at 5:30. Also, a little bit of web study helps to get familiar with the history and stories, which makes the visit much more enjoyable.

If the weather is cold and rainy, I'd skip the Tower and do an indoor museum. For maximum enjoyment, do a little research before you go regarding the Tower's layout and history. That way, you'll have some of the reading done and will be able to skip some of the queues near the placards without missing much.

If you go, post a comment on your experience. Thanks!

More Pictures

The Tower Green

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King's Throneroom

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White Tower

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Tower from the Tower Bridge

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Tower Western Wall and moat (note the trebuchet...)

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Tower Bridge from the south bank of Thames

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LHR: Oyster Card

It was raining when my captain and f/o told me to meet them at 'La Tasca', a Spanish Tapas restaurant. The tube now was a great option, and what a great time to learn about the Oyster card.

My only regret is that I did not try this sooner! It probably makes the most sense for someone who frequents London regularly, but since I seem to be getting a lot of LHR's in my line lately, I was probably the perfect candidate.

It was extremely easy to get one. Just walk up to the counter at any Tube station and buy one. The card costs 3, plus whatever amount you wish to initialize the card with. I initialized my card with 10, figuring that would be good for a few days of travel. And that was it!

Now, all you have to do to enter (and exit) the Tube turnstiles is wave your card over the yellow Oyster button and voila! Magic.

Here's some other cool stuff. Apparently, the Oyster system is smart enough to figure out what would have been the most economical fare to purchase based on what you've traveled. You'll only be charged the best price. For example, you travel one way 4 times - twice on the tube and twice by bus. If the all day pass would have been cheaper, then that is all that you'll be charged, rather than the separate one way fares.

It's also good on the London buses. No more fiddling with change and buying tickets...

If your balance ever gets too low, then you will be warned when you swipe. To recharge the card with more money, just go to a ticket machine and put more money on your Oyster card account. I haven't done this yet, but I hear it's pretty easy.

Well, that's it! Happy Oystering!

LHR: ATM Machine near Hilton Metropole

I heard a while back that there was a scam that ran for a little while at one of the ATMs on Edgeware. Apparently, someone put an ATM shell over the real ATM and was able to snag all the card information. Although this has never happened to me, it does raise an eyebrow.

If you're concerned about adding an extra level of safety to your trips to the cash machine, I suggest you use the ATM in the M & S store right across the street from the Metropole. It still charges the regular withdrawl fee (according to my bank statements) but it is probably the most secure location to withdrawl your money. The store is crawling with employees, it's well lit, and they probably have a security detail somewhere in the store. A crook would probably pass that locale for easier pickins.