So admittedly I do go to the other side of London a lot, and I like it, much more than "England" generally, or most other cities. I am stunned that most of my neighbours rarely get further into the city than Zone 2 with their kids, although they take the tube across town for work. On the other hand, my old friends (being west Londoners or coming from out of town) like to go out in these 'classic' parts, but I do not agree with nightlife in west London, and prefer north, south, or east. They tend to win and so I get bored and go home quickly. West London caters a lot to Western Europeans and Americans. I do some shopping at the big Whole Foods and Cool Chile Company, but west London is not really worth it for the French stuff (i.e., things considered luxuries here, but normal there). It doesn't take long to cross the channel by train or boat, to where the options are far better and cheaper.
Here are the 10 things you really MUST go to west London for:
Bloomsbury. I think the British Museum, British Library, St. Pancras, and Lincoln Square all count. I Am less excited about any of the museums you have to pay for, they tend to be 'crumbly'. Historically a magnet for intellectuals, but the nucleus seems to be moving further north towards Islington.
Camden. Mecca for the inner teenager.
Chinatown. For food shopping, bakeries, and atmosphere. There is a very cute back road with very fresh fish. But - I still have not found a restaurant there which is worth the trip, let me know if you have.
Christmas. Lights, department store displays, and outdoor markets. They are not always good, but at least it feels like Christmas. There are special days when Oxford Street and Regents Street go pedestrian.
Crowds. Nothing brightens a melancholy day like the noisy tourists and cheesy displays around Leicester Square. For the record, I also love to go to Hollywood, Times Square, and Champs-Élysées. As horrific as M&M World is (why not at least be Cadbury's?) even the worst commercial porn is at least something to deflect your loathing.
Denmark Street. Concentrated shopping for musical instruments and sheet music.
Foyles. The most complete bookstore in London, with all the trimmings like a kiddie fish tank, jazz cafe, and intellectual events for the pubic. Waterstones Piccadilly comes next in completeness: well tall and organized, but not so bookish with its focus on celebrity signings.
Soho. The best concentration of quick cheap eats anywhere in London.
South Kensington. How could I not go again and again with my children to these museums which each take several visits to explore? I always have a reason to go back for more. It is a social injustice for the three most massive state-funded museums to be concentrated adjacent to a posh residential area. In the USA the big museums at least have the decency to be along massive parks and fairly isolated from residential areas, and the ones near by are rarely the most expensive in the city.
Theatre. Of course, the perfect date, and you can dress up how you like. In addition to the West End, there are important theatres south of the river. I always warn tourists heading to musicals to do their research and avoid end up eating at the worst tourist traps.
Here are the 10 things you really MUST go to west London for:
Bloomsbury. I think the British Museum, British Library, St. Pancras, and Lincoln Square all count. I Am less excited about any of the museums you have to pay for, they tend to be 'crumbly'. Historically a magnet for intellectuals, but the nucleus seems to be moving further north towards Islington.
Camden. Mecca for the inner teenager.
Chinatown. For food shopping, bakeries, and atmosphere. There is a very cute back road with very fresh fish. But - I still have not found a restaurant there which is worth the trip, let me know if you have.
Christmas. Lights, department store displays, and outdoor markets. They are not always good, but at least it feels like Christmas. There are special days when Oxford Street and Regents Street go pedestrian.
Crowds. Nothing brightens a melancholy day like the noisy tourists and cheesy displays around Leicester Square. For the record, I also love to go to Hollywood, Times Square, and Champs-Élysées. As horrific as M&M World is (why not at least be Cadbury's?) even the worst commercial porn is at least something to deflect your loathing.
Denmark Street. Concentrated shopping for musical instruments and sheet music.
Foyles. The most complete bookstore in London, with all the trimmings like a kiddie fish tank, jazz cafe, and intellectual events for the pubic. Waterstones Piccadilly comes next in completeness: well tall and organized, but not so bookish with its focus on celebrity signings.
Soho. The best concentration of quick cheap eats anywhere in London.
South Kensington. How could I not go again and again with my children to these museums which each take several visits to explore? I always have a reason to go back for more. It is a social injustice for the three most massive state-funded museums to be concentrated adjacent to a posh residential area. In the USA the big museums at least have the decency to be along massive parks and fairly isolated from residential areas, and the ones near by are rarely the most expensive in the city.
Theatre. Of course, the perfect date, and you can dress up how you like. In addition to the West End, there are important theatres south of the river. I always warn tourists heading to musicals to do their research and avoid end up eating at the worst tourist traps.
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