Professional guided tours in London with a qualified Blue Badge, City of London and City of Westminster guide. Trainer of in-house visitor attraction tour
(1)
The Boat Race - a rowing race on the River Thames between Oxford (dark blue) and Cambridge (light blue) Universities. It's one of the oldest amateur sporting events in the world. Today was the 78th Ladies race, which started in 1927, and the 169th Men's race, started 1829. Both races take place over 4.25 miles on the river between Putney and Mortlake. Cambridge were victorious this year in both races.
Stumbled across this fabulous art installation whilst cutting through some backstreets near Tottenham Court Rd. One of the joys of living in this great city - you never know what you're going to find.
Had a nostalgic trip when I stumbled across the 'May The Toys Be With You' exhibition in Chichester. The official toys made by Palitoy and some fakes - spot the difference, plus some fakes are now more valuable than the originals! Also, has one of the last ever made set of figures, complete with commemorative coins. Discovered I'm slightly taller than Princess Leia 😏
Visited the exhibition of Netflix's 'The Crown' costumes and props at Bonhams, before they go to auction next week. Interesting to see, with items from every season of the series. The costumes cover not only The Queen but Charles, Philip, Anne, Diana, Margaret, Camilla and Kate. Diana's black 'Revenge Dress' has an estimate of £8,000-£12,000, Princess Margaret's wedding dress at £6,000-£8,000 and Kate's see-through charity fashion show dress at £2,000-£3,000.
Stunning though the dresses are, it's the other props that really amazed me, especially the attention to detail. Might seem daft, but never dawned on me that the family photographs on desks and dressing tables would be of the actors in their roles rather than the original photos. Same with the portraits. How lovely it might be for Olivia Coleman to have the portrait of herself as The Queen! Or perhaps the design for stamps with her own head on them.
Though I suspect most of the auction lots will be bought by serious collectors or museums, there are also items priced for ordinary fans. Yes, you can purchase the replica Gold State Coach (Coronation Coach) for an estimated £30,000-£50,000, but you can also bid for props from the Queen Mother's cocktail bar at £60-£80. And who wouldn't want their own Coronation Chair (£10,000-£20,000)??
The model of The Queen's funeral is quite something too. 42 feet long and 3 feet wide, it comprises a combination of approximately 500 Britains model soldiers alongside 200 custom 3D-printed figures painted by the Head of Model Making at the National Film & Television School. The NFTS will also benefit from some of the profits from the auction, which will fund scholarships for future students.
The free exhibition has a few more days to run (closes 5th Feb), so book your ticket via the Bonhams website. Or gear up to bid in the auctions.
On 30th January 1649 King Charles I was executed for treason during the English Civil Wars. Today I attended the annual commemoration by The King's Army, the royalist branch of the English Civil War Society where they follow the route of the ex*****on procession and lay a wreath outside Banqueting House on Whitehall for what they refer to as 'His Majestie's horrid murder'.
In light of today’s controversy from our American friends and the semi-diplomatic incident it has caused (see link to BBC article), I thought it might be useful to repost George Orwell’s advice on how to make the perfect cuppa. Regardless, as a born and bred Brit and tea lover, my view is no salt, the milk is always cold never hot and you definitely do not use a microwave! 🫖
On , I thought I would reproduce this article by George Orwell (yes, he of 1984 and Animal Farm fame) for making the perfect cup of tea. It was first published in the Evening Standard back in 1946. It's a long read, so i recommend making a nice cuppa first and, as Orwell concludes, it's tea first, milk second.....
If you look up ‘tea’ in the first cookery book that comes to hand you will probably find that it is unmentioned; or at most you will find a few lines of sketchy instructions which give no ruling on several of the most important points.
This is curious, not only because tea is one of the main stays of civilization in this country, as well as in Eire, Australia and New Zealand, but because the best manner of making it is the subject of violent disputes.
When I look through my own recipe for the perfect cup of tea, I find no fewer than eleven outstanding points. On perhaps two of them there would be pretty general agreement, but at least four others are acutely controversial. Here are my own eleven rules, every one of which I regard as golden:
First of all, one should use Indian or Ceylonese tea. China tea has virtues which are not to be despised nowadays — it is economical, and one can drink it without milk — but there is not much stimulation in it. One does not feel wiser, braver or more optimistic after drinking it. Anyone who has used that comforting phrase ‘a nice cup of tea’ invariably means Indian tea.
Secondly, tea should be made in small quantities — that is, in a teapot. Tea out of an urn is always tasteless, while army tea, made in a cauldron, tastes of grease and whitewash. The teapot should be made of china or earthenware. Silver or Britannia ware teapots produce inferior tea and enamel pots are worse; though curiously enough a pewter teapot (a rarity nowadays) is not so bad.
Thirdly, the pot should be warmed beforehand. This is better done by placing it on the hob than by the usual method of swilling it out with hot water.
Fourthly, the tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right. In a time of rationing, this is not an idea that can be realized on every day of the week, but I maintain that one strong cup of tea is better than twenty weak ones. All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes — a fact which is recognized in the extra ration issued to old-age pensioners.
Fifthly, the tea should be put straight into the pot. No strainers, muslin bags or other devices to imprison the tea. In some countries teapots are fitted with little dangling baskets under the spout to catch the stray leaves, which are supposed to be harmful. Actually one can swallow tea-leaves in considerable quantities without ill effect, and if the tea is not loose in the pot it never infuses properly.
Sixthly, one should take the teapot to the kettle and not the other way about. The water should be actually boiling at the moment of impact, which means that one should keep it on the flame while one pours. Some people add that one should only use water that has been freshly brought to the boil, but I have never noticed that it makes any difference.
Seventhly, after making the tea, one should stir it, or better, give the pot a good shake, afterwards allowing the leaves to settle.
Eighthly, one should drink out of a good breakfast cup — that is the cylindrical type of cup, not the flat, shallow type. The breakfast cup holds more, and with the other kind one’s tea is always half cold before one has well started on it.
Ninthly, one should pour the cream off the milk before using it for tea. Milk that is too creamy always gives tea a sickly taste.
Tenthly, one should pour tea into the cup first. This is one of the most controversial points of all; indeed in every family in Britain there are probably two schools of thought on the subject. The milk-first school can bring forward some fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable. This is that, by putting the tea in first and stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round.
Lastly, tea — unless one is drinking it in the Russian style — should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tea-lover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt. Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter. If you sweeten it, you are no longer tasting the tea, you are merely tasting the sugar; you could make a very similar drink by dissolving sugar in plain hot water.
Some people would answer that they don’t like tea in itself, that they only drink it in order to be warmed and stimulated, and they need sugar to take the taste away. To those misguided people I would say: Try drinking tea without sugar for, say, a fortnight and it is very unlikely that you will ever want to ruin your tea by sweetening it again.
These are not the only controversial points to arise in connexion with tea drinking, but they are sufficient to show how subtilized the whole business has become. There is also the mysterious social etiquette surrounding the teapot (why is it considered vulgar to drink out of your saucer, for instance?) and much might be written about the subsidiary uses of tealeaves, such as telling fortunes, predicting the arrival of visitors, feeding rabbits, healing burns and sweeping the carpet. It is worth paying attention to such details as warming the pot and using water that is really boiling, so as to make quite sure of wringing out of one’s ration the twenty good, strong cups of that two ounces, properly handled, ought to represent.
So there you have it, the guide to making a perfect cup of tea!
The US Embassy describes Prof Michelle Francl's suggested tea recipe as an "unthinkable notion".
The Tower of London is famous for its ravens, due to the legend that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, the Tower will crumble and the kingdom will fall. The birds themselves are real characters. They happily pose for photos and have also been known to steal food off visitors.
None of those shenanigans today as I watched Yeoman Warder Chris Skaife, aka the Ravenmaster, throw a little snack to Jubilee as he walked past. And yes, that is a mouse that Jubilee is gleefully devouring 🐁. Yum, yum.
You just have to see Fortnum & Mason's dancing Christmas puddings 😍😍. Best decoration in London 🎅🎄
There are Christmas trees everywhere you look in the City of London. These are just a few of my favourites 🎄
Lego has come a long way since I was a kid. Just look at these festive pieces in London's Lego Store. And for the James Bond in your life, a Lego Aston Martin!
I love the different Christmas trees around London, but have to be honest....I am NOT feeling the Christmas spirit with the one at the Victoria & Albert Museum 😫🎄
Fortnum & Mason always have the best Christmas windows in London.
Love fashion? Then go see the Chanel exhibition at the V&A. Telling the story of Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel's life and work, from her early designs to the Little Black Dress, the Chanel suit, the evening gowns, tea dresses and cocktail frocks. The creation of her famous No.5 perfume and the Chanel bag. Beautifully curated, it is a fashion feast. On until February 2024.
Sneak a peek inside The Savoy's Christmas cabin...
Always love the decorations in the Savoy Hotel and this year they have a beautiful winter theme plus a fabulous cabin with Santa's sleigh on the roof. But check out my next post for what's inside the cabin
Loving the Hatchards Christmas Book Tree where you can take a moment to sit and listen to a book 😍🎄
🎶It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas🎶
Summer scarlet tunics off and winter greatcoats on
Another day, another recce. This time to Arundel. Only 1.5 hours by train from London and got a cheap ticket - £12 return is an absolute bargain. Didn't have time to go inside the castle, will do that on a separate visit, but did manage to visit the castle gardens and chapel, the cathedral and some lovely shops in the town. Oh, and a charming tearoom - why not?!
Sitting on the river Arun, the medieval market town is a delight. The imposing castle that towers over it is the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk, who have held the royal office of Earl Marshal since medieval times, and officially as a hereditary position since 1672. In his role, the present duke, the 18th, organised and oversaw both the funeral of Elizabeth II in 2022 and the coronation of Charles III earlier this year.
Definitely one to go back to.
Enjoying a lazy Sunday after a full on tour last week with a group of US Chicago Cubs fabs. 5 days - London, Stonehenge, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff Castle, Chester, Liverpool, York, Windsor Castle and back to London. Phew!😊
We are so good at this, and it always make me proud to see the British Army carrying out their ceremonial duties. Trooping the Colour marks HM The King’s official birthday - his real one is in November. This year the honour goes to the Welsh Guards who are trooping their colour. It dates back to times when the regimental colour, or flag, would be trooped past the soldiers so they knew which flag to follow in battle. It is a huge honour for the guards today and is a wonderful spectacle to see. The King is on horseback for the ceremony, no mean feat for a 74 year old, as is his sister, Princess Anne The Princess Royal, aged 72.
Always enjoy leading these walks for the Florence Nightingale Museum. I'm a bit of Flo fan
Florence Nightingale's Blue Plaque was erected in 1955 by London County Council at 10 South Street, Mayfair, London W1K 1DE, City of Westminster. The inscription reads 'in a house on this site Florence Nightingale lived and died 1820-1910'. This is a new plaque on rebuilt premises. The original plaque was erected in 1912 by the Duke of Westminster and was removed when the house was demolished in 1929.
This plaque and address is also the first stop on our Florence's London Walking Tour.
Join us on our next walking tour this week, Wednesday 7th June at 11:00am, to discover more of Nightingale's life through the places where she lived and worked.
For more information and dates visit our website. Book your place and visit London as she knew it: https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/florence-nightingales-london/
Seriously out of my comfort zone last night with dinner at Dans Le Noir. My US law student group had a spare place so invited me to join them at the dining in the dark experience. The menu is a surprise and you rely on your other senses, rather than sight, to work out what you are eating. It is literally pitch black in the restaurant. You are taken to your seat by your blind or visually impaired guide who looks after you the whole time. It was fun, a little nerve-wracking at times, and a really unique experience.
No photos, as you leave all your stuff in a locker and what's the point as you can see absolutely nothing. The service was excellent and the food delicious - even if I did put my hand in my dinner at one point instead of on the table. 😏
Unusual Restaurant in LONDON, AMONG THE TOP10 OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS OF LONDON ON TRIPADVISOR. A UNIQUE SENSORY AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
Bit of a treat to stay in Oxford with clients last night. Lovely room at The Randolph Hotel and a nice view from my room of the Ashmolean Museum. My room key is JRR Tolkein's university pass. The Alice Restaurant is a nod to Alice in Wonderland, which was written by Lewis Carroll who was fellow at Christ Church. And, of course, The Morse Bar, where Inspector Morse enjoyed an occasional whisky. You know you're staying in a posh hotel when the spare loo roll has it's own bag.
In a break from coronation posts, I did a tour recce of the Battersea Power Station development yesterday and went up Lift 109. A unique experience, if a tad scary, to pop out of the top of one of the iconic chimneys.
The preamble to actually get in the lift seems a bit of a faff, but I assume it's about filling the time and to make it more of an experience. Personally I could have done without the arty filmshow as all I, and everyone else, wanted to do was to get to the top. Worth it though for some great views, albeit a bit hazy.
Top tip - book in advance for cheaper tickets and later in the day is also cheaper. Oh, and don't do it if you don't like heights 😏
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when London Town Tours posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
You just have to see Fortnum & Mason's dancing Christmas puddings 😍😍. Best decoration in London 🎅🎄#lifeofaguide #christmasinlondon
Sneak a peek inside The Savoy's Christmas cabin... #lifeofaguide #christmasinlondon
Check out Bankside's Frost Fair Art Trail which celebrates the Frost Fairs that took place on the frozen River Thames between 1605 and 1814. Back then the Thames would regularly freeze over in winter and Londoners would take to the ice to eat, drink, play games and enjoy a variety of entertainments. The last of the Frost Fairs took place in 1814 and, yes, an elephant really did walk on the ice! This wonderful art installation by artist Jason Slabber can currently be seen in the Clink Street Tunnel. #lifeofaguide
Absolutely loving this vibrant tree outside Charing Cross station. #lifeofaguide #festivelondon
Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency?
