Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to London

Donald Olson9780764542985, 0-7645-4298-2

Looking for a travel guide that goes where other guides fear to tread? One that rides roughshod over ad-copy puffery to smartly deliver the real scoop on a destination’s sites and attractions? One that dares to be honest, hip, and fun? Look no more. Frommer’s Irreverent Travel Guides are wickedly irreverent, unabashedly honest, and downright hilarious, and provide an insider’s perspective on which attractions are overrated tourist traps and which are the secret gems that locals love. You’ll get the lowdown on restaurants, lodging, and shopping, and even find out what the locals think of you. ”Like being taken around by a savvy local,” said the New York Times . ”Hipper and savvier than other guides,” concurred Diversion magazine. Never shy about confronting the issues, the Irreverents are guides to real travel in the real world.
London swings once again in the smart, savvy Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to London , a deliciously honest insider’s look at Great Britain’s Gotham. Want to know where the royals kick back? What the locals really think of Tony Blair’s Millennium Dome? The biggest shocker about tony London hotels? The neighborhood that’s the capital of cool? You’ll discover the best spots to savor curry, England’s new national cuisine, how to find designer clothes at rock-bottom prices, and how to get theater tickets when the shows are sold out.

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Table of contents :
Team DDU……Page 1
CONTENTS……Page 8
INTRODUCTION……Page 14
Map 1 London Neighborhoods……Page 17
Where to get a drink after hours……Page 24
Where the hot neighborhoods are……Page 25
Where to park……Page 26
What’s that ringing sound?……Page 27
Where the queen gets her groceries……Page 28
How to get theater tickets when they’re sold out……Page 29
Do we need a gun?……Page 30
How to enjoy Heathrow……Page 31
1 ACCOMMODATIONS……Page 33
Map 2 London Orientation-Accommodations……Page 35
Map 3 West End Accommodations……Page 49
Map 4 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Accommodations……Page 51
Map 5 Marylebone to Holland Park Accommodations……Page 53
Map 6 Westminster & Victoria Accommodations……Page 55
Winning the Reservations Game……Page 37
Is There a Right Address?……Page 38
Favorite uncles……Page 40
Britishest……Page 41
Was that Gwyneth Paltrow in the elevator?……Page 42
Best park view……Page 43
The millionaire look, at Scrooge rates……Page 44
Family values……Page 45
For enemies of chintz and Regency……Page 46
Taking care of business……Page 47
Try these when there’s no room……Page 48
An A to Z list of places to stay, with vital statistics……Page 56
2 DINING……Page 67
Map 7 London Orientation-Dining……Page 69
Map 8 West End & Theatre District Dining……Page 91
Map 9 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Dining……Page 93
Map 10 Marylebone to Notting Hill Gate Dining……Page 95
Map 11 Westminster & Victoria Dining……Page 97
Map 12 Dining In & Around “The City”……Page 98
Only in London……Page 71
Getting the Right Table……Page 72
Celebrate here……Page 73
Caught in Portobello with low blood sugar……Page 74
For grown-ups……Page 75
Party hearties……Page 76
Beautiful people……Page 77
Britburgers……Page 78
Overrated……Page 79
Cockneys and East Enders……Page 80
Something fishy……Page 81
For oenophiles……Page 82
Is this a pub or a restaurant?……Page 83
Indian institutions……Page 85
The rest of the world……Page 86
Old Italian……Page 87
Best prix-fixe……Page 88
The great British breakfast……Page 89
Tea for two……Page 90
An A to Z list of places to dine, with vital statistics……Page 99
3 DIVERSIONS……Page 117
Map 13 London Orientation-Diversions……Page 119
Map 14 West End Diversions……Page 147
Map 15 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Diversions……Page 149
Map 16 Westminster & Victoria Diversions……Page 151
Map 17 “The City” Diversions……Page 152
Map 18 Hampstead Diversions……Page 153
Getting Your Bearings……Page 121
Getting from Here to There……Page 123
Pomp & Circumstance……Page 124
Money-Saving Passes……Page 125
Is this your first time?……Page 126
London’s special moments……Page 127
Only in London……Page 128
When the sun shines……Page 129
The oldest things……Page 130
The newest……Page 131
Architectural highs and lows……Page 132
Go out of your way for……Page 133
Inspiring spires……Page 134
Their Majesties live here……Page 135
Modern art……Page 136
Art alfresco……Page 138
Won’t bore the kids……Page 139
Photo ops……Page 140
A day of romance……Page 141
For gardeners……Page 142
Go east……Page 143
The deep south……Page 145
Unwinding……Page 146
An A to Z list of diversions, with vital statistics……Page 154
4 GETTING OUTSIDE……Page 173
Map 19 London Orientation-Getting Outside……Page 175
Parks to get lost in……Page 177
Perfect petite parks……Page 178
Green escapes from tourism……Page 179
Inline skating……Page 180
Balls……Page 181
Horsing around……Page 182
In the swim……Page 183
Climbing the walls……Page 184
Getting fit indoors……Page 185
5 SHOPPING……Page 187
Map 20 Central London Shopping……Page 189
Map 21 Shopping in the West End……Page 205
Map 22 Shopping in Knightsbridge & Chelsea……Page 207
What to Buy……Page 191
Target Zones……Page 192
Hours of Business……Page 193
The big stores……Page 194
The big names……Page 195
Homegrown talent……Page 196
Labels for less……Page 197
Your own crown jewels……Page 198
Gifts that scream London……Page 199
Remarkable markets……Page 200
Money’s no object……Page 201
For bookworms……Page 202
Small fry……Page 203
For sweet teeth……Page 204
An A to Z list of places to shop, with vital statistics……Page 208
6 NIGHTLIFE……Page 227
Map 23 London Pubs, Clubs & Bars……Page 229
Basic Stuff……Page 231
Beards and real ale……Page 232
Cruising, schmoozing, meeting (gay)……Page 233
East meets West……Page 234
Late license……Page 235
Where to be invited by members……Page 236
Jazz standards……Page 237
An A to Z list of nightspots, with vital statistics……Page 238
7 ENTERTAINMENT……Page 247
Sources……Page 249
Getting Tickets……Page 250
The West End and the Nationals……Page 251
Way out on the fringe……Page 252
Mozart to Martinu……Page 253
The dance……Page 254
Jolly good sports……Page 255
Map 24 Entertainment……Page 257
An A to Z list of venues, with vital statistics……Page 259
HOTLINES & OTHER BASICS……Page 267
Airports……Page 268
Car Rental……Page 269
Dentists……Page 270
Festivals and Special Events……Page 271
Holidays……Page 272
Parking……Page 273
Radio Stations……Page 274
Telephones……Page 275
Tours……Page 276
Tubes……Page 277
Visitor information……Page 278
GENERAL INDEX……Page 279
Accommodations Index……Page 285
Restaurant Index……Page 286