Living it up in London town

Our very own Saskia hits London and reports back on what’s hot right now in the city set to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Where did this trip take you and why?
lastminute.com.au has staff all over the world, and our main international office is located in London. I’m based in The Netherlands but travel frequently to see my colleagues in the UK. On this occasion my husband joined me and we stayed on for a weekend to enjoy some culture, great food and fine shopping.
What are the best things about London? Why should every traveller go there?
London to me is just the best city in the world; there is so much to do. I love the West End theatres, the art galleries, the bars, the restaurants…..and of course the shopping! I always seem to come back with an extra bag to check in when I go back home.

Where did you stay? Why would you recommend it?
We stayed at Think! London, Earls Court Apartments. I like staying in apartments when I travel as it gives you more space, and having a kitchen means you can stock up on supplies and save some money. I never cook when I travel but I stock the fridge with breakfast supplies, wine, water and chocolate (the essentials really).

Think! Earls Court is in a great location, five minutes walk from the tube (District and Piccadilly lines) and next to a giant supermarket that is open until midnight. Sometimes in apartments you miss the hotel service (I have stayed in places that had just one grumpy security guard) however at Think! The staff are super friendly and helpful.
If you do want to go out for breakfast one morning, I recommend The Troubadour which is a 10 minute walk from the apartments. For dinner I recommend The Warwick Arms which is also nearby – aim for a Friday night so you can enjoy their specials.

Who did you fly with?
I flew KLM to Heathrow, very convenient as it’s on the Piccadilly line, so for a few pounds you get pretty much door-to-door transport to your hotel, no expensive airport transfers required.
KLM is the Dutch national airline. The Dutch are generally quite tall so not sure if this is why, but we had plenty of legroom! The flight from Amsterdam to London takes less than an hour, and it is always quite amusing to watch the cabin crew try to complete the drinks service in that time. We were served a sandwich at lunchtime on our flight over, and drinks (wine or beer, no spirits) with a savoury snack on the way back.
What are your insider tips for London?
Wine bar delights
On Friday night, after some shopping on Regent and Oxford Street, we stumbled upon a great little wine bar called Dego, the perfect spot to rest those tired legs.

Dinner time
We had dinner at Cha Cha Moon, a Chinese noodle bar that is cheap and cheerful, and very popular. The format is similar to that of Wagamama’s so you sit at long shared tables. When these guys say a meal is spicy, believe them!

Strolling the markets
On Saturday morning we went to the Borough markets (take the tube to London Bridge), where you can find the best of British produce as well as foods from all over the world. The coffee at Monmouth is so good there is a queue around the block for it, however it moves quickly so it’s well worth lining up.

We walked around the markets while munching away on an improvised ’lunch’: Spanish cheese on freshly made bread, falafel from the Arabica stand (amazing) and cakes made locally for dessert. Oh and a box of new season strawberries for a pound, they did not last long.

Time for a drink
From the markets we walked along the river Thames, past Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and the Tate Modern museum (where a very cool exhibit by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama can be seen until June 5) towards OXO Tower where we had a drink in the 8th floor bar. This cocktail bar has a big outdoor terrace, which would be amazing in summer; the views of the river are spectacular. The drinks were not cheap, however, the service was great and genuinely friendly.

My new favourite bar
We arranged to meet some friends at Piccadilly Circus, and completely by chance I discovered what might be my new favourite bar in London: Jewel Bar.
It’s located on Piccadilly, right underneath the neon sign, and has a daily: ‘5-7.30 Club’ where all cocktails (including the champagne ones) are 5 Pounds, and most wines are half price. There is a hostess with a guest list (you are supposed to be on at the door) however if you arrive at 5pm on the dot you should get in without any issues.

Foodie delights
One of the main reasons I wanted to stay for a weekend was to go to NOPI in Soho, the new restaurant by my favourite celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi. This Israeli-born chef is famous for really interesting flavour combinations and beautiful fresh ingredients.

The chef writes a column for the Guardian newspaper called ‘the new vegetarian’, encouraging people to eat more veggies. NOPI restaurant serves all kinds of food (including meat and fish) but the vegetarian selection is amazing. I loved the cauliflower, chilli and coconut fritters and the five spice tofu served with tomato and cardamom passata and braised aubergine.

What is your best travel tip for visiting this destination?
If you like the theatre the best place for cheap tickets is still the ‘tkts’ booth in the clock tower building on Leicester Square. This is the only official discounted tickets outlet and I always get great seats for shows on the same day at half price. You can buy tickets to evening performances until 7pm (4pm on Sundays).