Connaught Hotel: Afternoon Tea

Connaught Hotel: Afternoon Tea


While our friend was in town we decided to kick things up a bit and have a proper Afternoon Tea at the 5 star swanky yet in no way snobby Connaught Hotel.

Do I recommend a tea at the Connaught Hotel? Yes, reserve a spot in the Espelette and ask for a window seat.

We all know that pictures speak louder than words so please enjoy:

Connaught Hotel

Espelette at the Connaught Hotel

Connaught Hotel

Those buns were good and the egg salad sandwich was the best I have ever eaten.

If I look a little dazed its the cold medicine I was on. I got sick the day our friend arrived. That tiered masterpiece to my right cheered me up though.

Best jams I have ever eaten. Seriously!

 

Wendy from London in a Day and Chris Cannon from News Channel 5 having a splendid Happy Birthday Afternoon Tea at the Connaught Hotel

His Happy Birthday surprise from the Connaught Hotel

Hotels in London

While my friend was in town and in the name of research for my private tour guide company "London in a Day" we went on a "Hotel Crawl".

I love seeing new hotels so this was a lot of fun.

We checked out the bar area, afternoon tea area, lobby and even the bathrooms.

Here are the pictures that will walk you through our Hotel Crawl of London: 

Intercontinental Park Lane ~ Loved the decor and it had a lovely smell running throughout

Intercontinental Park Lane ~ Bar area

Intercontinental Park Lane: Lobby area looking into the bar area

We really liked the Intercontinental Park Lane, the decor was lovely, the smell was even better, the bathrooms were spotless and up to date. The people were very friendly and the location can't be beat.

Park Lane Hotel located on Piccadilly... This is the tea area, it was nice. The lobby was a bit drab. The bar/restaurant area was a bit weird with wallpaper that had weird faces all over it. Sheraton owns this particular hotel.

Le Meridien Hotel located on Piccadilly - This is an inside picture of their cool bar called " Longitude 0. 8. ~ This picture really doesn't give this bar justice. I really liked the inside.

Bar entrance

Le Meridien Hotel ~ The Terrace Restaurant/ Bar~ This is where they serve afternoon tea, lunch and dinner.  It was nice, but on a warm day all that glass and sunshine made for a very warm environment... they need to work on turning up the air...  They also have some 2 and 3 course lunch specials if you are interested... On a side note...they have very high quality products in their bathrooms which is always a plus.

Claridge's Hotel on Brook Street ...located off Oxford Street just a bit

Claridge's Hotel lobby and afternoon tea area

Claridge's Hotel Afternoon Tea area - the chandelier was absolutely beautiful (If you want to book, book at least 12 weeks in advance or you are very likely not to get a booking)

Claridges Hotel: Mens bathroom ( my friend took this picture not me. The womens was nice, but I was too busy sitting at the vanity inside it brushing my hair to take a picture...sorry...)

Swissotel: located just across the street from Temple Station and down the street from popular Fleet Street ~ This is their bar/afternoon tea area facing their fantastic outside area

Swissotel: bar, restaurant, afternoon tea area

Swissotel: I love this outside area. I will definitely be back to have drinks out there on sunny day or a warm evening.

Brown's Hotel: located just off Piccadilly. We forgot to take pictures once we got inside...oops!... We loved the bar area, very cool!, nice bathrooms... Did we like the afternoon tea area? No, we found it kind of boring and sleepy.  Did we like their restaurant area? Yeah, it was ok.  We mostly just fell in love with their nice bar.

Stay tuned for the scoop on the Connaught Hotel where we had Afternoon tea...

Tuk Tuk? In London? Yes!

Tuk Tuk? In London? Yes!

In the next month or so you will see me cruising around in this adorable ride, yes it is a Tuk Tuk!!  I can't wait! I'm already dreaming of how fabulous the pictures are going to be and the fun that will be had!!  More details to come so keep an eye out.  Its going to be good!

Tuk Tuk

The London Coffee Festival

http://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/home.aspx

Per the site:

An inspiring celebration of coffee & food.

The London Coffee Festival was born out of a dream to create the world’s most inspiring celebration of coffee and food culture.

London is rapidly becoming one of the greatest places on earth to discover, taste and share incredible coffee and gourmet food, and is now established at the centre of the new ‘third wave’ coffee scene.

Taking place in the unique environment of the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, the coffee-obsessed and food fanatics will be immersed in a world of discovery, tastings, demonstrations and entertainment.

London Attraction Discounts

London Atrraction Discounts:


Book a Tour with London in a Day and receive discounts at London Attractions:

London Skyline.... www.londoninaday.com

Ben Franklin House: 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF (he lived here for 16 years)

* Receive 2 for 1 discounts (Buy one ticket, get one free)

*Children under the age of 16 receive free admission

Open:Wednesday to Sunday 12-5 PM

Warwick Castle: London in a Day customers receive a discounted price: £11.02 Adults, £6.50 Children, £8.42 Students, £7.77 Seniors. 

Open: Daily 10-5pm (closed Christmas Day)

*To receive this discount booking must be made through London in Day.

Contact: wendy@londoninaday.com or call +44 785095 5238

London Eye: 

1)Photo Voucher: Half Price London Eye Souvenir Photo

2) Groups of 15/more receive discounted admission.

For booking/photo voucher email wendy@londoninaday.com or call +44 785095 5238

Open: Daily 10-830 PM (Closed Christmas Day)

The Freud Museum: 20 Maresfield Gardens, London NW3 5SX

(Sigmund Freud's Home and the home of  the couch where his patients would lie down)

*London in a Day customers receive discounted admission

*Children under the age of 12 receive free admission

Open:Wednesday to Sunday 12-5 PM

and St. Bartholomew The Great Church (founded 1128)...

Dr. Samuel Johnson

The other day I was roaming around Fleet Street exploring...
when I finally found Dr. Samuel Johnson's House.  Who? or What? is that you ask?

Dr. Johnsons House

"When a man is tired of London he is tired of life" - Dr. Samual Johnson

Dr. Samuel Johnson is a man who worked for years with a small group of friends compiling the first comprehensive English Dictionary.  He became known as "Dictionary Johnson" .
He and his friends piled into 17 Gough Square, EC4 and created one of the most important books every published.


Dr. Johnson was not a rich man, but instead a man dogged with debt. His reputation stood on the shoulders of the Dictionary.  His wife was proud of him, but sadly did not live to see the Dictionary published in 1755...she died in 1752.

Dr. Johnson lived in this house from 1748-1759. He was born 1709 (3 years after Ben Franklin) and died 1784.

The house is located off Fleet Street
Closest Tube Stations are: Temple, Chancery Lane, St. Pauls and Blackfriars.
Bus: Aldwych, Chancery Lane, Fleet Street, Strand.
Telephone: 020-7353-3745
www.drjohnsonshouse.org
Hours: Mon-Sat 11-5pm
 - Closed Bank Holidays.

Classroom Canada

Classroom Canada is a great blog about teaching in London and they have recently posted about me and my company "London in a Day". How cool is that? VERY!

They are cool you should check out their blog!

Here is the link and also the copy and pasted version below:

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

See "London in a Day!"

Classroom Canada recently learned of an exciting new tour company that opened up in London, UK. It’s called “London in a Day.”

“London in a Day” is a private tour company owned by Wendy, an American expat currently living in London. Wendy has a passion not only for discovering unique bits of London, but also for sharing her finds with others. Her affordable themed tours (Landmarks and More, London’s Markets and Shopping or “Create your own”) are geared for small groups of between one and four person(s) and include tube/bus fares and one tour guide.

Sounds to me like a great, stress-free way to get to know “the best city in the world” – like a local! Or, better yet – a terrific way to entertain visitors while you are teaching in the classroom!

Ben Franklins House

If you are ever strolling down the Strand or find yourself climbing on the lions at Trafalgar Square you should take a few minutes to wander over to Craven Street and see the only remaining home of fellow American Ben Franklin.  He lived at 36 Craven Street for roughly 16 years...his last night in that house was March 20, 1775...

me at Benjamin Franklins House in London...in the RAIN...

* TELL THEM LONDON IN A DAY TOURS SENT YOU AND YOU CAN GET A 2for1 DISCOUNT (Buy one ticket and get one for free)*

Ben was an interesting guy... he was an inventor... inventing things such as bifocal glasses, swim fins, glass harmonica, street lighting, odometer, 3 wheel clock, extension arm, a stove and how could we forget the lightening rod... Of the numerous inventions Franklin created, he did not patent a single one.

I recently read this on a PBS website and found it really interesting:

Daylight Savings Time: In 1784, while Franklin was living in France, he wrote a humorous letter to the Journal of Paris, in which he suggested that it would be more thrifty to use natural light than to burn candles or oil lamps. In his tongue-in-cheek commentary, Franklin recommended that the city of Paris enact a number of laws which would force Parisians to get up with the sun and retire early in the evening. Later, Franklin's letter was published as an essay under the title of An Economical Project. We will never know if Franklin intended anyone to take his idea seriously, but every April and October people reset their clocks to "spring ahead" or "fall back." 

Besides an inventor Ben Franklin was a number of other things such as: a diplomat, colonial agent between America and Britain, entrepreneur, a writer, a printer, gulf stream mapper, kite flyer, journalist, electricity pioneer, US FOUNDING FATHER and much much more... 

He was also a husband and father, but I'm not sure if he was very good at either of those things especially the husband part...  He was a passionate man when it came to his work, but when it came to his wife he would leave her for very long periods of time.  When she was sick he was not at her bedside.  When she died he wasn't there then either...

He even had an illegitimate son that was once the Governor of New Jersey.  Ben was a bit of a ladies man from what I've read...  I wasn't alive in 1775 so I'm not one to say for certain...


Besides this house, he has ties to St. Bartholoemew The Great Church (found 1123) and St. Bride's Church...


He lived a long 84 years and now rests in a small cemetery in Philadelphia, PA (USA)... located just a short walk from the Liberty Bell. 


Benjamin Franklin House opened for the first time on his 300th birthday in January 2006 and now offers Historical Experience Tours as well as Architectural tours Wednesday-Monday. Closed Tuesday for School activities.



Location:
36 Craven Street
London, WC2N 5NF
UK
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.orgwww.benjaminfranklinhouse.org

a dear friend...

If you are crafty and have never read the blog http://www.stitchriprepeat.blogspot.com/ then you should... go do that right after reading the blurb below...  I'm not saying that just because she mentioned my company "London in a Day" either (smile) She really is good.  She even taught me how to sew.  She's the only person in the world that can that.  She's an artist and her recipe cards can be spotted all over the USA at the coolest store ever "Anthrologie".  Her latest venture is 1canoe2 (click the link to learn more)

Now on with the news.... 

Per her blog on March 4, 2011:

From one friend to another..

A dear friend has started a new company and I just had to help spread the word

Wendy specializes in unique tours of the city which are stress-free and affordable. She can show you all of London in less than 6 hours without needing a map- and without the worry of getting lost.

There is finally a reason to stay off that tour bus!

If you are busy at work, and need to entertain family and friends this is a great way to do it! A long layover? Traveling alone? London in a Day is the answer!

Tours also make a great gift!

Check out her website: London in a Day.

Contact info:
wendy@londoninaday.com
www.londoninaday.com
www.londoninaday.co.uk

An American Girl in Chelsea

I have been reading a blog called "An American Girl in Chelsea" for quite some time.
I just love it and try to tell people about it all the time. It's a really great site.

Today I was told through a friend that my company "London in a Day" was mentioned and I nearly lost it with excitement.  I immediately went to the site and now to this site to share it with all of you.

So cool!  Thanks American Girl in Chelsea!

Here's the post:
http://www.americangirlinchelsea.com/2011/03/southern-belle-turns-london-tour-guide.html

Thursday, 3 March 2011

Southern Belle turns London Tour Guide...

I was recently contacted by American Girl, Wendy, a self-proclaimed "Southern Belle" who has started her own tour company here in London. I had to give her a shout-out....

Wendy specializes in unique tours of the city which are stress-free and affordable. She can let you see all of London in less than 6 hours without needing a map- and without the worry of getting lost.

If you are busy at work, and need to entertain family and friends this sounds like a good way to do it! Here's her website: London in a Day.

London in a Day

St. Brides ~ This spire inspired the tiered wedding cake...

I have terrific news to share... I have started my own business!!

"London in a Day"

It is a private tour guide business and I can't wait to start showing people around one of the best cities in the world!

"London in a Day"

recommends that you check out the websites and more importantly "LIKE" it on facebook... here is the facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/London-in-a-Day/121572874578830?sk=wall

You can also just type in the search box "London In A Day" and it'll pop up.

Thank you all for all of your support and please please please spread the word!

Let's send emails...

Like it on facebook...

Leave a comment on its facebook page...

Tell EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Heck even write a blog about it if you blog... If you do this PLEASE send me the link so I can link it to my website.

This is short and sweet, but I'm a business owner now I gotta get back to work!

Click here to read a blog of a friend that I recently showed around the city in "4.5 Hours". It was pretty amazing that I was able to show her all that I did in that amount of time. (Insert pat on the back here)

Cheers,

WMMc

P.S. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT LONDON IN A DAY!

*London in a Day is a limited company registered with Companies House

Big News!

So that people will stop asking me if I'm preggers or if I got puppies...

I am going to tell you. I'm starting my own company!! Yep! More details to follow soon! Stay tuned!

Oh yeah and I'm going to Thailand in a couple weeks for a girl trip.
I've been hearing a lot about "lady boys and lizards"... ??

Big News!

In the next few weeks I will be announcing some VERY BIG news so stay tuned!
No, I'm not pregnant.

It's gonna be big!

Cheers!