How to Find Local Farmers Markets in London (and escape the tourists)

As regular readers of this blog probably know, Borough Market is one of my favourite discoveries in London.

However, the crush of people and thousands of camera-snapping tourists can make it a bit of a trial to visit. I like to walk through a market - not shuffle, which is the usual state of this market on a Saturday (watch out - it's closed on Sunday).

However, London does have a flourishing set of farmers markets that are hidden from the tourist stampede. You just have to know where to find them.

There is a great web resource London Farmers  Markets which has maps of every market in London, along with opening hours. It also includes a handy list of the growers who (usually) show up.

I've found a great market in Marylebone which happens every Sunday. It has the lovely feel of a local market, and sets up shop in a quiet car park off the main road. It is chock full of fantastic stalls, including goat cheese, pies, and the most fantastic sausages. Guinness and Beef sausage anyone?

On a Sunday morning we try to wander through the market and pick up something unusual and special for the week. There is also an amazing salad-bar style stall. There's boxes upon boxes of greens - including lots I had never tried before (always the sign of a good market). Sorrel salad anyone?

Additionally, this market is not far from Regent's Park - making a perfect afternoon of market-visiting followed by park-wandering.

Plus, you get to feel part of the best parts of London -which of course happen outside of the famous museums, gardens, and promenades. Although I would recommend visiting Borough Market - but perhaps not for your weekly shop.

Preparing for the London 2012 Olympics

With London 2012 looming in the near future, I suspect the Olympics is going to become an on-going topic on this blog!

After much preparation and moaning from the general public, the actual signs of the event have started to appear. This means the Olympic fast-lanes on roads have started to appear, along with signs telling Londoners not to drive or use public transport during the Games (who needs to go to work? Oh wait...)

 Yesterday when I got on the Central line on the London Underground this is what I saw:

That's right, the London Underground is being decorated for the games. This one is supposed to be weight lifters I think?

Londoners still don't seem very enthused about the Games - I guess it's wise to approach it with some trepidation after what the Olympics inflicted on Athens (part of Greece's economic collapse has been attributed to hosting the Olympics).

I suspect that once the Games begin, Londoners will be there with bells on.

 This is what happened with the Royal Wedding in 2011 and the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. People moan a bit, but suddenly the day before it happens suddenly the entire city becomes ridiculously excited  - with more flags and bunting than you can shake a stick at!

See you at the opening ceremony?

PS Most excitingly of all I actually know two people participating in the opening ceremony. Amazing!

Eating Bagels in London

One thing I have always missed from the USA is bagels. Proper bagels - pumpernickel - toasted with cream cheese, and fresh from your local bagel shop.

And I'm excited and over the moon to have finally found a bagel shop worth a mini-pilgrimage to in London.

Beigel Bake in Brick Lane has fantastic fresh beigels -boiling and baking right under your nose. Just be sure to get the right beigel shop! Look for the blue and white sign, and avoid the yellow/red beigel shop next door (even though they claim to be London's best...it's all lies!).

The beigels are ridiculously cheap at just £0.25 per plain beigel, and you can buy by the dozen or half dozen. While I was there they only had a few flavours: onion, plain and poppyseed. I'm not sure if it rotates by the day?

I was recommended to try the hot salt beef beigel with mustard. Heaven! What was hot beef to them was corned beef to me, and the mustard cleared my sinuses right out (a new mustard experience for me). But it was one of those perfect food experiences!

  I would recommend the place to anyone who has a bagel craving,  or just to hungry people passing through Shoreditch.

The only real downside here is a lack of anywhere to eat. There's one narrow counter where you can quickly wolf down your beigel of choice, but nowhere to properly sit and savour it - as it deserves to be.


Beigel Bake, 159 Brick Lane, E1 6SB

Getting there and away

Your closest tube stops are Old Street or Shoreditch High Street. Although to be honest you're in for a little , albiet pleasant, walk either way. 

How to Visit Edinburgh on the Cheap

Rather the brave the London crowds, I headed up to Edinburgh for a taste of Scotland over the Jubilee weekend.

 I booked with East Coast direct to Edinburgh - it's not exactly cheap at £120 round trip, but stacks up pretty well against an airfare. (Plus, my train departed from King's Cross which is about 40x easier to get to than any of London's airports)

So my backpack and I jumped on the train Friday evening...arriving Friday evening. The views do really get beautiful once you leave the city with the greenest greens you can imagine - a beautiful break from the grey buildings that permeate London.

Just look at that green! It makes your eyes sigh, sit back, and whistle a little tune.

I was visiting one of my oldest friends who is working on some farms around Scotland. And boy were we on a budget! But Edinburgh is a pretty magical town - and you can do almost everything without breaking even the smallest bank.