sylvia – britlog

Where’s wally?

sylvia — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:34:23 +0000

After 5 years still a surprise. Poor waldo. Look what they’ve done to you!

Saying goodbye to the old favourites

sylvia — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:01:25 +0000

The little things in london

sylvia — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:12:04 +0000

Former stables that yes, housed real horses for the neighbouring homes have been refurbished and now make up some very expensive real estate. Yes, your flat can cost well over a million pounds and you’re still living in a barn

Lowry + Baker

sylvia — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:17:32 +0000

Portabello road, well past the touristy bit. Great breakfast, great coffee, tiny cozy little place.

Caravan

sylvia — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:54:10 +0000

I will miss this place – love it!

Mmmm flat white’s latte

sylvia — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:31:23 +0000

Goodbye (for now) London!

sylvia — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:52:25 +0000

That’s it, we’ve packed up our stuff and will be leaving for the airport within the hour. Thanks for following us on Britlog, we’ll be back in February 2011.

Until then, you can follow us on: http://taiwan.slaughter.com/

God I miss pedestrian rights

sylvia — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:40:29 +0000

Hate London road rules. Just had a narrow miss with a taxi and again with a delivery truck. The taxi looked like he was going straight, then did a u turn and then changed his mind again to turn. So basically he turned 270 degrees. Don’t worry he slowed down enough to glare at me who was mindfully crossing the street. Delivery truck? I’m at a bloody pedestrian crossing half way across, and the guy revs his engine moves up a bit and almost clips my heels. Seriously? This is a pedestrian cross walk, the only place where I have legitimate right of way. Stupid london drivers

Day 1 – Kings Cross & Regent’s Canal

sylvia — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:40:11 +0000

Regent’s Canal, passes by us only a few blocks north of our flat. Its an old shipping canal built in the 1800’s. Now, it seems to be used by cyclists, pedestrians on a walk, and far too many old men sitting in a crap lawn chair with a fishing pole stuck in the water. It’s not pretty water, its mostly still sludge, so what sort of fish you’d want to catch i don’t know.

But it makes for a nice walk

Although this morning, it was about 15C cool, windy and I had to cut it short due to the fabulous British drizzle settling in. Very english.

Funny enough a friend popped in for a visit in the afternoon, and as the weather was better we went for a walk on the canal making our way to Camden and back. Notice the amazingly nicer weather??

house boat cat

2 days to go! – fitrovia

sylvia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:37:29 +0000

Love this neighbourhood! You’ll rarely find this as a top tourist site to see, but Fitzrovia is great. Amazing little hub of restaurants, cafes and bars. Its also home of Lantana (the best Aussie coffee cafe, their food is absolutely amazing) and this relatively new place, No.26

It’s also home to one of Jason’s favourites: Benito’s Hat

and lots of little pubs:

Day 3 – Calzones with Friends in Putney

sylvia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:11:43 +0000

Another favourite, Calzones from the best Italian place in London

I actually had the MasCalzone – half pizza and half calzone, all delicious.

We also got to see a bunch of friends have a meal and a few drinks together and say our goodbyes.

Day 4 – Tacos & Portobello Road Mkt

sylvia — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:42:36 +0000

There’s no way Jason would let us leave London without one last stop to Taqueria. Amazing authentic tacos:

And since its just around the corner form Portobello Rd, and it was a Saturday, I couldn’t leave London without one last trip to the famous market. It was one of the first things we did when we moved here, and in my first year here I spent so much time in this area:

Day 5 – British library

sylvia — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:30:45 +0000

Ok, not technically one of my London favourites – i’ve only actually been in here once before and that was to check out the Magna Carta. Today it was ridiculously cold, i had to dig a sweater out of one of my storage boxes to wear today! After some time in St. Pancras station having lunch and coffee I decided to pop into here and check out the exhibit on maps. Really cool exhibit by the way.

Image c/o urban75.org (my camera phone took crap photos)

While inside i took a bit of a wonder. The library may not look like much from the outside but from the inside its really nice!

This shot here is the enormous book collection behind glass running several storeys. A cafe surrounds it (makes me sad i didn’t discover this sooner because its a really nice place to enjoy a coffee and a read):

Day 6 – Covent garden market + British Museum

sylvia — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:03:03 +0000

I love walking through Covent Garden market. Not for the buskers, and definitely not for the piles of tourists with their maps, but for the carless streets, cobblestone and good shops.

Also while i was there i got to check out the giant new Apple store – the biggest in the world now:

Its in a gorgeous old restored building – beautifully done.

Then a walk through the back shopping streets (plus coffee from Manmouth Coffee):

And finally a stop at the British Museum on my walk home. I think i’ll miss the British Museum most of all:

Day 7 – Harrods, Knightsbridge and Belgravia

sylvia — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:53:57 +0000

Today a trip to Harrods to pick up a gift. I wouldn’t call Harrods a favourite of mine. I find it dark, hard to get around inside and way too full of tourists! But, its a London institution.

After my stop there I took a walk down Sloane Street and into Belgravia. I haven’t been here in ages! 3 years ago i worked in this area, and i spent many a lunch hour wandering the streets. Belgravia is one of the nicest looking neighbourhoods, but the emptiest. Hardly anyone actually seems to LIVE there. Oh, and its always under construction. Someone is always renovating a wing, or gutting one of the huge homes.

Like the Rolls parked out front?

Day 8 – nada!

sylvia — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:08:30 +0000

I got trapped at home today waiting for a delivery. I suppose my short walk in St Pancras station could count? I do love that station, and have spent many hours just strolling through it with Max.

Day 9 – soho

sylvia — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:07:24 +0000

Working so close to Soho has given me plenty of time to explore the area and really love it. Sure its a bit seedy in some parts but overall its a compact little area full of interesting restaurants bars and cafes.

Some of my best memories of London are from here. Trying to salsa dance at La Floridita with Jason, my brother and Rachel. Endless cups of coffees at the 3 of the best coffee shops in London (f&w, flat white and milk bar). Karaoke with coworkers and actually far too many after work pints with coworkers too.

Today i just a nice wander through the neighbourhood, a bit of shopping and of course stopped for a coffee.

10 days part 2: Sunday Roast

sylvia — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:45:10 +0000

Definitely one of our favourites! The tradition of a Sunday lunch/dinner at the pub is one we’ll definitely miss. Even though its a heavy meal (i find the vegetarian nut roast much lighter), its just so delicious with a fresh pint of ale and on a day like today even nicer to sit outside in the sun.

As enjoyed at the Harrison at Kings Cross

10 days to go! Coffee at Exmouth market

sylvia — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 10:00:12 +0000

Its come up quickly I’m leaving london in only 10 days. So, as the count down is on its time for our last favourites.

Day 10 – exmouth market on a sunday. Sleepy, quiet (accept the few cafes that are open) , and completely untouristy this is london for londoners (and immigrants in the know). Huge leafy trees, outdoor patios and great coffee. Oh and within walking distance too!

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London cycle scheme seems plenty popular

sylvia — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:35:47 +0000

This is the cycle point across from st pancras station. The other day it was full, so far the scheme seems popular Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Espresso room, london

sylvia — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:45:42 +0000

Literally just a small room, one counter and 2 tiny little benches to sit. Outside a few extra stools and benches, but otherwise this is a very bare bones place. Great coffee though!

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Last weeks in london (for now)

sylvia — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:00:26 +0000

As we’re wrapping things up in london getting ready for our short term assignment in taiwanb its time to do some last things in london. Today was a busy day, afternoon coffee with a friend in soho, a quick chat with another friend in mayfair then a trip to primark to pick up some baby clothes. Finally, a walk half way home including a trip up marleybone high street, london’s prettiest high street.

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This one is for mom

sylvia — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:00:28 +0000

… Who loves the flower boxes outside of london pubs. Quite pretty in victoria close to the taiwanese embassy.

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London cycle is here

sylvia — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:45:19 +0000

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After lots of press, London cycle is has launched today. Interestingly, most cycle points were half empty. Seems very popular!

Bizarro cereal world

sylvia — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:35:13 +0000

The kellogs brand is called frosties, and the no name is called frosted flakes. What the…?

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Happy canada day – from trafalgar square in london

sylvia — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:11:19 +0000

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English garden

sylvia — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:34:51 +0000

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Lovin’ the trou!

sylvia — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:37:26 +0000

Mc trousers? Looks like it. As spotted at Oxford circus.

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British fact for the day

sylvia — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:38:58 +0000

Interesting fact, the decks in a London double decker bus are called saloons. Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device

Chivalry in British men is dead

sylvia — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:47:45 +0000

So I’m in my 35th week of pregnancy. Commuting to work has given me a nice guage on London chivalry.

Bus this morning? One middle seat between two men both late 30’s. One obese one fairly fit (for British people). Tried to sit down between the 2 of them they’d seeped onto my potential seat leaving me maybe 2/3 of the seat free. I made a motion to sit, but realising i’d end up on both their laps I stood up and looked at them both. Obese guy looked asleep. Thinner guy had sunglasses and preceded to ignore me. A sigh of disgust at these 2 and I stop down the bus to the middle where within seconds a young woman offers my pergant self a seat.

Women 1 Men 0

Tube this evening.

Crowded platform, crowded tube. I squeeze in and stand in the middle, all seats taken proceed to casually scroll through my blackberry. Minute oases and the only woman sitting immediately offers me a seat. The men? All under 50 all in visual decent health, most staring off blankly. A few look up to their surprise that the seat exchange happened at all.

Women 2 Men 0

Based on my one day scientific analysis, I can safely conclude that the sterotype of the kind proper chivalrous English gentleman no long exists.

Or he doesn’t ride public transport.

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