Travel reviews – Page 3

London Eats

Published on January 29, 2015May 12, 2016 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Other than seeing the attractions of London, we had to make sure we ate well. There are so many restaurants and pubs that are highly recommended on the internet. Even though the internet is a great place to search, personal recommendations from family and friends are even better. Thank you to a wonderful coworker, who gave us her favorite places to eat in London. Needless to say, T.W.O. ate very well and we are happy to share these spots with our friends and family!

The Market Tavern

Tucked amongst the chic boutiques and intimate cafés of Shepherd Market, The Market Tavern is a city pub where every drink is poured with a generous serving of quirky personality. The Pub is know for the best Sunday roast in Mayfair. It’s tucked away on a windy street, but don’t let that deter you from walking in. T.W.O. ordered the Sea Bream and the Rib Eye steak. Both were fabulous….the Sea Bream being our favorite of the two.

Thomas Cubitt

Located in the middle of Belgravia on a distinguished nd desirable street, The Thomas Cubitt is a cozy restaurant with beautiful food and great atmosphere. Since they are know for their Fish & Chips, we ordered one of those and the Beef Braised Guinness Pie. There are two dining rooms, Ground Floor and the First Floor. For a casual dining experience the Ground Floor is great (that’s where we sat) where the First Floor is more intimate. T.W.O. perfect for a London night night!

Blackfriars Pub

“A traditional pub of unique character, revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its quality pub food which are served, as they should be, with a generous measure of famous British hospitality.” After a day of walking around London, we popped into this pub to grab a beer. Its near the financial district, so expect to see professionals grabbing a beer with their colleagues. Perfect place for T.W.O. (Might meet a young lad!) We loved standing at the bar sipping a beer chatting away with locals! Everyone was so friendly! Vier?!?!

Paul

Conveniently located near our hotel and the S. Kensington Underground, it was the perfect place to grab a flat white and a croissant.

Whiskey Ginger

Located in the Borough providing high quality food all sourced as close to home as possible. We stumbled upon this place while walking through the Borough Market. It was a quant little restaurant that was calling our name. They were serving mulled outside, but we decided on a local beer. Its a perfect place to stop and take a load off your feet between the Tower of London and the Market tour.

Casa Brindisa

We discovered Casa Brindisa through Gwyneth Paltrow. She wrote it up as one of her favorite restaurants in London. Being a GOOP supported and have been to Spain just a year and half ago, we decided to try it. The padron peppers were delicious and everything else from there was just alright. Let’s just say they were heavy on their oil. It was kind of a disappointment – but at least we had a fun, young waiter keeping us entertained!

Zetland Arms

TRADITIONAL.ENGLISH.PUB – CHECK! Located in S. Kensignton, this pub was the perfect stop to warm up after a long day being a tourist.

Ampersand Hotel -Apero

T.W.O. stayed at the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington. It is a boutique hotel that is in the perfect location and cutest neighborhood. The staff was very nice and helpful during our stay. The deluxe rooms are the perfect size for two people who have big suitcases and did i mention the bathroom floors are heated? Oh and they stock the fridge with waters, orange juice and milk every day at no extra cost. There is also a tea bar that you can enjoy in-suite. We loved staying in this hotel and would suggest it to friends and family. One amenity that will take us back to this hotel is the breakfast at the Apero. It was absolutely divine. Tucked beneath the Victorian cellar arches of The Ampersand Hotel, Apero brings a shot of fresh Mediterranean style to the heart of South Kensington. The Coconut Porridge with Caramelized Bananas was the perfect start to our morning. How English of us, right? We also tried the Goat Cheese & Herb Egg White Omelet. Top 5 best omelets ever eaten! The baked goods are delicious – chocolate brioche slice in particular! And the coffee….perfectly made latte! Cheers to Apero and another trip back!

Here are some places we didn’t get a chance to try, but are on our list for our next trip!

Polpo

Polpo is a bàcaro. This is a Venetian word to describe a humble restaurant serving simple food and good, young local wines.

Bumpkin

Bumpkin is your local Great British Brasserie, a home from home serving delicious British dishes, made with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. Bumpkin is your perfect neighbourhood retreat and we look forward to serving you the best in British food soon.

Can’t wait to go back and be less of a tourist and more of a local!

VIDEO

Cheerio,

London Sites (Part 1)

Published on January 20, 2015January 19, 2015 by T.W.O.5 Comments

T.W.O. traveled to Europe this past Holiday Season for 11 days. On the itinerary… London, England and Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was the perfect time to go since all the Christmas decorations were on display in both cities and we timed our visit perfectly with great weather. It was cold, yes, but we couldn’t complain since we had many sunny days and hardly any rain. In these next posts you will find out why we loved London and Amsterdam so much. Thank you to all our family and friends who gave us recommendations and help make this trip a huge success!

LAX -> LHR

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. It was one place we wanted to see from the outside since it’s so iconic with hopes to maybe see the Queen (or Kate!). haha! We also planned our visit based on The Changing of the Guards. It doesn’t happen every day – so before you go check the site. The ceremony starts at 11:15am and we learned that you have to get there early for front row seats. Unfortunately, we didn’t so we saw a lot of selfie sticks instead of the ceremony. We got some small glimpse of the March and made some friends with two nice Belgians guys and after 30 minutes we decided to beat the crowd and leave. Got our pictures and headed towards the London Bridge.

St. James Place
St James’s Place is a street in the St James’s district of London near Green Park.[1] It was first developed around 1694, the historian John Strype describing it in 1720 as a “good Street … which receiveth a fresh Air out of the Park; the Houses are well-built, and inhabited by Gentry …”[2][3] Henry Benjamin Wheatley wrote in 1870 that it was “one of the oddest built streets in London.

London Bridge + Tower Bridge + Thames River Walk

We took a cab from Victoria Station since the District and Circle lines were closed for maintenance and we didn’t want to have to deal with the crowds getting on the Underground. It was a fun experience! We traveled along the Thames River and were dropped off on the London Bridge. The London Bridge was the perfect place for photo ops of the Tower of London. Highly suggest going here and then walking over to the Bourough Market.

Borough Market

Borough Market is London’s most renowned food market; a source of exceptional British and international produce. It was the perfect place for T.W.O. to walk around – YES our cup of tea! We love strolling through these international markets exploring the produce, baked goods and the creations each vendor displays. What better place for a food bloggers paradise! Make sure to check the times of the market on the website !

Tower of London – Crown Jewels

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It the home of the Crown Jewels – – which was the first place we stopped. Since we were there later in the day, the line for the Jewels was pretty long. We suggest getting there before 10am to avoid lines. Make sure to get a Beefeater tour of the Tower – great way to learn the history behind this historical landmark. Also – get tickets online HERE to save time.

Cheers to a fun day in London!! VIDEO TRAILER HERE! More to come…

Cheerio,

A San Francisco Treat

Published on November 20, 2014November 19, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

T.W.O. spent a weekend in San Francisco with family this past weekend to celebrate the arrival of BP3. We arrived on Friday and enjoyed a lovely meal at our favorite French restaurant, Gamine, located on Union Street in the Marina. We were greeted by the owner, Stefan and sat at our favorite table. The bistro style restaurant is the perfect cozy atmosphere for a cold SF Fall night. The chicken and lamb stew are amazing dishes and make sure to start with the French Onion Soup. Warning – do not ask for ketchup…you will offend Stefan!

Saturday was a beautiful day spent outside running around the city. It wasn;t a complete day without a bridge run and a trip to Le Marais Bakery on Chestnut. Later that evening we enjoyed a wonderful dinner later that night with family and ended the weekend with a baby shower in Tiberon. It was one weekend that goes in the books – simply the best!

Happy Travels Ahead,

Catamaran Rides + Da Conch Shack

Published on August 6, 2014August 5, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

What better way to see Turks & Caicos then from the water?! We hired SAIL PROVO to take us around Grand Turk and to a northern cay – Pine Cay – for full day of snorkeling, sailing and exploring. Oh and I can’t forget the delicious lunch and rum punch! We picked the catamaran up at Walkin Marina leeward and sailed out past Blue Haven Marina towards the open ocean. Once we were about a 1/2 mile off the coast, we stopped at a reef to snorkel. The water was warm and crystal clear so it made for a delightful snorkeling experience. We saw a ton of tropical fish, colorful coral and cool looking reefs. After about 45 minutes, we sailed towards Pine Cay to a private beach know as Sand Dollar beach. No need for an anchor, we literally beached the boat. As we walked on the fluffy white sand we spotted nothing but water, sea shells and a group of rain clouds in the distant. Since it was Sand Dollar beach, we grabbed our snorkels and started hunting. We learned that the brown sand dollars are alive – so we left those alone – the white ones were good to take! Unfortunately we were not that lucky – only one person snagged a sand dollar – and that one person was one of T.W.O.! After our treasure hunt we boarded the catamaran for a bbq lunch – chicken, sandwiches, fresh fruit and of course rum punch and Turks Head! It was the perfect atmosphere! Lunch ended, but not our day. We headed back towards the Marina and made a stop along the way to snorkel again. At this spot we found a 3 foot lobster. Biggest one we have ever seen! It was hidden in the reef and our Dad spotted it. That itself was worth the stop for sure! Once on board, T.W.O. sailed us back to the marina. Yes…you can call us Caribbean certified skippers that’s for sure! It was a lovely day and we had a great time with the Sail Provo crew. Thanks again for the memories and such a great experience. Can’t wait to come back!!

Da Conch Shack

Conch creole, conch salad, curried conch…..bring it on! At Da Conch Shack you will find a picturesque setting on the beach with your typical caribbean architecture. Pastel pink, Caribbean blues and light turquoise greens fill this open white shack restaurant. Conch shells line the walk ways, make walls and even used as light fixtures. I wonder where they get the name from?!?!? We enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and of course you can’t go without trying Jan’s Infamous Rum Punch. Save your server time and just order a pitcher!