NYLON...In Heels!

4. Be a groundling at the globe

This may have been the longest planned 'to-do' on the list!  When Jess booked her trip to London, she made a lil request that we save this one for her.  And so she came, and off we went!

I have a soft-spot for the Southbank and often find myself making excuses to peruse the area to get a glimpse of the Globe Theatre (not the original let me remind you).  But, with all my passion for theatre, literature, and the arts in general - I've not once thought to buy a ticket and go in.  Until now.

As the name suggests, a 'groundling' ticket means you are on the ground (or the yard) watching the play from standing room only.  The concept is the same it was in Shakespeare's 1600s as tickets are still cheap at only 5 GBP a pop and you stand for the ENTIRE show.  In the 21st century, however, we sophisticated Groundlings certainly don't swear or throw food at the actors and we most definitely don't stink!  

Anyway, I regress.  Our tickets entitled us to enjoy the three hour long performance of 'As You Like It'.  The play got FANTASTIC reviews and, while I won't bore you with the specifics ('cause you should go and do it for yourself) I'll just pause to say that we all whole-heartedly agreed.  Fast moving with a lot of wit, it (and some of the cute actors) won our hearts and we most definitely will go back for more!

Jess, Lorna, Jenny, Tamsin:  Thanks for Shakespeare-ing it up with me at The Globe!  And a huge thank you and dedication to Mr. Knutsen, a fantastic HHS teacher who taught us all to live, love, and learn about Willy the Shake.

"All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts" - ( Quote Act II, Scene VII).

17. Take an open bus tour at night.

 

Happy birthday to me!  On the 3rd, Mike surprised me with dinner at Michelin starred Marcus Wareing at the Berkley followed by a Sex in the City Style Romantic Open Bus Tour for two around London at night.  This just so happened to check off two things, one on my "life things to do list" (The Berkley) and the other a London "to do" (#17!). 

Both were fabulously fun (and maybe a tad bit frivolous) but a fantastic way to celebrate the big 2-8 with my new Hubby.

Thanks MA - love ya to pieces for all that you have done to help me learn to love London a little more each day.

27. Experience the magic of Heston Blumenthal at Fat Duck

There is one thing Mike and I had always said we wouldn't miss before leaving the LON - secure a coveted reservation and enjoy the culinary creativity of molecular gastronomist Heston Blumenthal at his famously fabulous Fat Duck.  So two months ago, with a little help from our Amex concierage, we nailed a ressie for August 18th and got the Illsley's signed on to keep us company.

The restaurant, which is ranked 2nd in the world and boasts three Michelin stars, is known for its menu of unusual dishes.  Our 14 course, four hour long gastronimc extravaganza included:

• "Mad Hatter Tea"
• "Sound of the Sea"  
• Salmon poached in Liquorice 
• "Not So Full English Breakfast" featuring Parsnip Cereal, Nitro-Scrambled Egg and Bacon Ice Cream, and Hot & Iced Tea
• Chocolate Wine Slush 

  











This supreme eating experience was technical perfection, playful, artistic, surprising and very tasty.  It can truly be defined as "food as theatre, theatre as food."

A Michelin Star and 10/10 to Nick, Erica, and Mike for making this foodie fantasy a reality.

30. Drink a cocktail at Lounge Lover

An impromptu night out started last Friday at Lounge Lover, #30 on my list of things to do, but #1 on my list of places to go for a drink. The swanky digs, where Madonna apparently celebrated her 48th b-day, has a funky and eclectic decor that pulls you in and a phenomenal cocktail menu that keeps you there.

Mike and I LOVED the cocktail list so much that we don't remember the names of our drinks ("Postcard from Rio" topped the list perhaps??) or to snap any paparazzi style pics. So above is what you get: a borrowed photo from Flikr, and a fuzzily written NYLON post to mark the LOVELY LOUNGE occasion. 

Thanks to my own LOVER for footing the cock-tail bill and coming along!

Unlisted. Visit Rome, Sweet Rome.

 
Before we get too deep in posting about all the fun things being completed on "The List"... Let's pause for a quick minute to give Rome a shout out and thank that wonderful city for hosting Mike and I for a weekend early in July. 

To be fair, Rome needs much more than the two days we gave it to give it justice, but alas it was all we had to "rome" and eat our way thru this historical mecca.  Our base for the weekend was the ALEPH - a fab hotel that was converted from an old bank.

Our Birkenstock's were burnin' up the pavement covering the Vatican, St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel, The Colosseum, The Roman Forum, The Spainish Steps and the Trevi fountain eating no less than at least five pizzas and ten gelati's along the way.

Don't worry, we know we didn't see it all... we're savin' some for later!

(Around) 75 Days and 101 (More Or Less) Things I Want to Do Before I leave London

 

 So... now that I'm coming to grips with the reality that we are leaving London I realise that I have a whole-lotta love to show London before I go.  So with a few tips from some friends.. here is the list.  Now I just have to decide what shoes to wear and who's explorin'' with me!

1.    Listen to classical music at St Martin-in-the-Fields (Thursdays to Saturdays, and alternate Tuesdays, 7.30pm).  Lunchtime recitals are free.
2.    Tour Buckingham Palace Summer State Rooms.
3.    Row on the Serpentine. 
4.    Be a groundling at the Globe. 
5.    Get Beautiful at Bliss Spa. 
6.    Get up early for Billingsgate Market. 
7.    Experience a Burlesque Show.
8.    Shop & drop at Bicester Village.
9.    Take a London Ghost or Jack the Ripper Walk. 
10.    Eat fish & chips in Brighton.
11.    Swim outdoors in the middle of Covent Garden.  Oasis Sports Centre.
12.    Stay late in a museum. Late night hours at the Tate or the V&A.
13.    See a show at the Young Vic. 
14.    Shop for posh stationary at Symthson. 
15.    Visit the Oxo Tower.
16.    Buy an umbrella at James Smith & Sons.
17.    Take an open bus tour at night.
18.    Visit the beautiful Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park. Holland Park tube
19.    Discover the Chelsea Physic Garden. 
20.    Discover Dover Street market.
21.    Get a membership and explore the British Library.
22.    Go to Edinburgh!
23.    Share a bottle of wine at Gordon’s.
24.    Breakfast at the Wolseley.
25.    Eat Vietnamese in Hackney's Huong-Viet.
26.    Dine in the dark at Dans le Noir.
27.    Experience the magic of Heston Blumenthal.
28.    Teach the Londoners how to make s’mores.
29.    Hunt down the Choc Star van. 
30.    Drink a cocktail at Loungelover. 
31.    Get hot and sweaty on a night out in Camden.
32.    Catch a gig at Ronnie Scott’s.
33.    Have a drink at the Routemaster in Shoreditch. 
34.    Chill at the Big Chill bar.
35.    Drink at the Notting Hill Arts Club. 
36.    See Bruno!
37.    Have a laugh and a pint in a Theatre Pub.
38.    Take in the view from Parliament Hill.
39.    Watch a movie and go for tea at the Charlotte Street Hotel. 
40.    Take in the view (& the food) at Gilgamesh. 
41.    Shop and eat brunch in Primrose Hill.
42.    Go to a first Thursday in Shoreditch.
43.    Climb to the top of the dome at St. Pauls.
44.   Get plant happy at Petersham Nurseries. 
45.   Try an Ostrich Burger at Borough Market.

"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."
Samuel Johnson

To join in the fun, leave a comment below!

NYLON...High Heelin' Back to NY

2 years, 7 months, 20 days. 83,203,200 seconds. 1,386,720 minutes.  23,112 hours. 963 days. 137 weeks.  A lifetime of memories (in great shoes!) for us together in London.

So, it's officially official...Mike and I have decided to high-step it back to NYC for an amazing opportunity and another NY chapter starting in October!

In the next three months, we've got Pub Clubs to attend to, barns to camp in, last minute jet-sets, and still lots of London to light up...Stay tuned!

NYLON in Heels on Honeymoon: Chillaxin in the Seychelles

After rising at 5:00 AM for photo-hunting for four days straight, Mike knew we would be exhilerated but pooped, so the Happymoon organiser extroidinaire booked us in for our final week of holiday on the private island of Sainte Anne in the Seychelles.

We flew out of the bush via private jet to Johannesburg where we had an 8-hour layover before our overnight flight into the Indian Ocean followed by a 30 minute boat transfer to Sainte Anne.  The Seychelles are known for their exquisite ribbons of white sand lapped by topaz waters and backed by lush hills and big boulders with no crowds (or even many people!) insight.

The five days we were there were spent laying by our private villas pool, bike riding around the island (no cars allowed), enjoying couples massages in the Clarin's spa, snorkling in the crytal clear waters, and eating by candle light on the beach or at the island's Swiss Family Robinson style restuarant.  It was without a doubt pure-bliss and the perfect way to end our Happymoon before coming back to Londontown for one last wedding celebration.

VIEWING TIP: Click on the right hand corner to see the video in full screen. Also it may be helpful to hit pause and let it load (let the red line fill all the way to the right) if you are having trouble with interruptions.

NYLON in Heels on Honeymoon: Into the Bush

You would think that we would be tired of travelling, but when you've come this far, you've got to go by bus, train, and even Cessna Plane to get to where you need to go.

With Mike as our co-pilot, we left Nelspruit in a "Bush Taxi" plane for Londolozi, our game reserve in the Sabi Sands region of Kruger National Park.  There we met Jess, our ranger, and Jeff, our tracker - whose keen eyes can spot a leopard print on the roadside from a moving jeep at sundown and hear bones-crunching from bushes half a mile away.  They lead us on our morning and evening drives, helping us to discover the wildlife of Sabi Sand.

Since the animals are no longer hunted they are generally tolerant of human presence - so you can get right up (still in the jeep of course) and observe for as long as they let you.  The Londolozi leopords (of which we saw 5!) let you come in relatively close for a photo with hardly a reaction.  A pride of lions ambled by one day looking so cool and cuddly that you want to hug it - but of course you won't. 

 A baby elephant with its herd of 100 swung by on our last day to say "good-bye", sloshing down the river bed in the heat.  Zebras struck serene poses, and not to mention the graceful giraffes, sculptural rhinos, various specious of antelopes whose patterned face make them living artworks, drifting submarines that turn out to be ponds full of hippos, and birds that could have inspired the cubist movement.

The beauty of the widlife was only complemented by our beautiful Lodge, hospitable hosts, gorgeous food, sundowners on the Savannah, and visits to the local village (including songs from the children) only made us fall further in love with each other and with Londolozi - it's a special place and we'll certainly be back.  Ask us more next time you see us - there's just too much to tell here!

VIEWING TIP: Click on the right hand corner to see the video in full screen. Also it may be helpful to hit pause and let it load (let the red line fill all the way to the right) if you are having trouble with interruptions.

NYLON in Heels on Honeymoon: First stop, Cape Town & Franschhoek

After a 10,000 mile journey and 18 months of planning what else would you want to do on your honeymoon but sleep with the waves lapping outside your window, eat amazing food, and drink first-class wine?  That is exactly what we did in Cape Town at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay and the rest of the Western Cape.

You can see for yourself in the slideshow below, but Cape Town quickly became one of our favorite cities in the world with it's beautiful beaches, stunning skyline, living history, and first rate restuarants.  From our boat trip to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was held and released less than 20 years ago) and the Jackass Penguins now reside, to climbing rocks on the beach, visiting the Cape of Good Hope, and dining on a seven course wine and food pairing at La Colombe - despite the fog from the Cape "Table Cloth" it was a fantastic five days down under.

Just outside of Cape Town lies the Wine Valley of Franschhoek.  With 43 wine farms, it is the place to go for some of South Africa's top wines.  Franschhoek's finer tastes don't end with wine. The picturesque valley also offers some of South Africa's most acclaimed restaurants and with everything from delicious Cape country fare to sublime French cuisine. 

As we were passing through, it happened to be the weekend of the South African Cheese Festival.  It's not surprising that the area if known as the "Wine and Food Capital of the Cape" and that it was a perfect match for our palates.  The award winning wine farms we visited including Vrede en Lust and L’Ormarins and restaurants Reuben's and The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais were some of the best we've ever experienced!

VIEWING TIP:  Click on the right hand corner to see the video in full screen.  Also it may be helpful to hit pause and let it load (let the red line fill all the way to the right) if you are having trouble with interruptions.