The Churchill Arms, Kensington Church Street The Churchill Arms, in London's Kensington, is a traditional pub marked in summer by its beautiful award-winning floral displays. Fun Facts: The pub claims to be the first in Britain to serve Thai food (when the landlord back in 1985 teamed up with a Thai cook.)I've never set foot … Continue reading Slow Summer | The Churchill Arms
The statue of Diana, Princess of Wales was unveiled by her sons on 1 July and there was a lot of noise in the media about it. Is it okay for me to confess that I'm not certain I actually like it? Whatever. The statue can be found in the sunken garden at Kensington Palace … Continue reading Slow Summer | The Diana Statue
Sometimes I choose a Slow Summer outing as simply a way of making The Boy leave the house for a few hours. Hunting for London's last remaining sewer gas lamp was one such occasion ... The Webb Patent Sewer Lamp was invented in the 19th Century as a way of drawing off smells from underground … Continue reading Slow Summer | London’s Last Sewer Gas Lamp
The Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising opened in London's Notting Hill in November 2005 and grew out of the collection of consumer historian Robert Opie, who began by saving a packet of Munchies chocolate at the age of 16. His collection now has around 300,000 items. It takes about an hour to meander through … Continue reading Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
In Central London, at 9 Carlton House Terrace, is the grave of Giro the Alsatian, whose owner Dr. Leopold von Hoesch was a well-respected diplomat under both the Weimar Republic and Nazi governments (and famously received a full Nazi funeral in London in 1936). Giro had died two years earlier, after chewing through an electrical … Continue reading Slow Summer | Giro the Alsatian
One of the most celebrated blue plaques in London is for someone perhaps not everyone has heard of. At 16, Eaton Place, Belgravia is a plaque commemorating William Ewart, MP, the father of the blue plaque system. 🙂 Ewart lived on Eaton Place from 1830 until 1838, and was a notable reformer who, as well … Continue reading Slow Summer | The Ultimate Blue Plaque
On an overcast Friday morning, The Boy and I set out to climb the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner. The Arch was originally built as an entrance to Buckingham Palace but became an arch commemorating Wellington's defeat over Napoleon. Today, surrounded by traffic, the Arch echoes the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, with three … Continue reading Slow Summer | Wellington Arch
Boris Johnson has confirmed that all restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19th. I then watched the BBC News earlier this week where he said, "This pandemic is not over. We cannot go back to normal life." So why is he lifting all restrictions in England? The daily number of infections is rising … Continue reading The Lifting of England’s COVID-19 Restrictions
A global audience watched the Euros. A global audience watched England lose a penalty shoot-out in the final against Italy on Sunday evening. Yesterday, a global audience heard or read on social media about the hideous racist comments posted online targeting the three young men who missed their penalties for England. Three Lions Three young … Continue reading Not My Tribe
The final of Euro 2020 is on Sunday evening (BST) (I'm talking about football (soccer to my North American friends)) where Italy will play England at London's Wembley stadium. Delayed from last year, the England team's performance during the competition has brought a smile to the faces of the majority of the nation. Of course, … Continue reading The Inclusivity of Football
