Only 50 miles from London, and easily accessible via train, Cambridge makes the perfect day trip. While you’re there visit the colleges, go punting, stroll The Backs, enjoy a pub lunch and of course some sweet treats. If I’m being completely honest, we skipped the pub lunch and went straight for the chocolates.
First things first…
One of the most unique and idyllic ways I’ve ever celebrated my birthday, was punting on the River Cam. Even if it’s not your birthday this is a most relaxing way to spend an afternoon. Its even better if you’re lucky enough to have friends who will do all the hard work while you sit back and relax.
The River Cam
We may have skipped the pub, but we didn’t miss lunch. We picked up sandwiches from a local grab and go and enjoyed them on the river, and if you’re so inclined and have a good handle on steering your boat, you can grab a Pimms cup from the Floating Cam Bar to go with your picnic! Only £5!
We loved the ducks, and other water fowl, on The River Cam in Cambridge, and they loved us, or at least they loved our lunch, especially the popcorn. At one point I thought they might get right in our punt!
The River Cam
The River Cam
The River Cam
The River Cam
The River Cam
Punting on the River Cam and visiting colleges are essential to any Cambridge visit, but do make sure to take the time to walk across The River Cam, for an alternative view.
Punting on The River Cam
One of the most iconic buildings in Cambridge is Kings College Chapel. You’ll need a ticket to enter, but its worth the price of admission, building started in 1446, just four years after the college was founded with finishing touches completed by King Henry VIII, is there anything in the UK that he didn’t have a hand in?
SAMSUNG CSC
Lucky for me my dear friend, Clare, who is an alumni and a perfect guide joined us for our day out. She made sure we had a lovely day. Check out her guide to Cambridge for more about those pub lunches I mentioned above and other valuable information on how to spend your day in Cambridge.
You’ll feel like you’re on the edge of the world, or at least I did, while exploring the White Cliffs of Dover. Visiting the White Cliffs and the surrounding area was a highlight of our summer vacation, and I know that our experience there will stay with me forever.
White Cliffs of Dover
We spent hours wandering the grassy paths high above the English Channel. Afterwards we made our way to Dover Castle where we explored centuries of fascinating history.
Dover Castle
The White Cliffs
There are various trails of varying difficulties all with breathtaking views, and on a clear day, which we were lucky to have, you can see across to France. Thankfully the trails are just far enough back from the edge, so you won’t feel nervous.
White Cliffs of DoverWhite Cliffs of Dover Trails
If your visit coincides with the low tide you can take the trail, which includes stairs, 350 feet down to the beach below, but keep in mind you’ll have to get yourself back up.
White Cliffs of Dover Trails
White Cliffs of Dover Beach
There is a lighthouse at the end of the trail, and if you’re so inclined they offer a lovely afternoon tea right inside the lighthouse. However we had the castle in mind, so we opted for an ice cream cone to go instead. We were joined by a park ranger along the way who chatted with us about the area’s fascinating history.
Dover LighthouseDover Lighthouse
There is no fee to walk on the Cliff trails, but there is a fee for parking as well as some of the area’s other attractions. Check the official website for more information.
Dover Castle
For over 9 centuries Dover Castle, in one form or another, has stood sentry on the cliffs overlooking the Channel, the gateway to the United Kingdom.
Dover Castle
Exploring inside the castle walls, was one of our favorite part of the day, in some places they are 21 feet thick. You’ll learn about castle life in the 11th century from the wonderful staff who work there, and they’ll share castle secrets and other fun tidbits with you.
Dover Castle Interior
This is the view of the Roman Lighthouse, as seen from atop Henry II’s Great Tower, at Dover Castle. The lighthouse is one of three surviving Roman Era lighthouses in the world and dates back to the 2nd century AD.
Roman Lighthouse &Saxon Church Dover Castle
A visit to Dover Castle is a fascinating journey, which will have you traveling through time as you learn about the Castle’s important defensive role throughout England’s history. You’ll want to allow as much time as possible so you can really explore all the exhibits and the underground war tunnels.
Check the Castle’s official website for opening hours and special events.
Banksy’s Brexit Mural
The search for public art, wall murals and graffiti often plays a large role in my travels, but I admit I practically stumbled upon this very large Banksy piece, while on the road to Dover Castle. As you can imagine I was really excited to see the Brexit inspired piece up close. You’ll find the mural on the Castle Amusements building near the Ferry Terminal in Dover.
When the boys were younger I was frequently asked if I would be bringing them on our travel adventures. The answer was always yes! I know we traveled prior to their arrival, but I hardly remember what it was like, and with very few exceptions, the children have always joined us.
Stow-A-Way
I confess there was a time when I thought occasionally leaving them behind would have been a nice option… Now that they’re getting older I realize our window for family travel is finite and I’m cherishing every opportunity. Speaking of which, my older son turned 16 this month, which is what led me to take this trip down memory lane.
Baby’s first road trip
Simon was only three weeks old when we took our first family trip, a car ride to Santa Barbara.
It hasn’t always gone according to plan, we’ve left strollers in parking lots, formula at home, and wipes in the airport bathroom. Traveling while potty training is always interesting, and I apologize for whoever sat in our seats on United LHR – LAX back in April 2006.
Layover at Heathrow
Elliot suffers from air-sickness, and has pretty much thrown up in every place we’ve ever visited, (Lucky me?) I’ve been there to catch it in just as many places. On the rare occasions when this hasn’t happened, Simon usually takes his place. We’ve lost a few retainers that way.
Hawaii
We brought Salmonella home from Hawaii and Fifths Disease to New Orleans. Our flight left without us in Barcelona, we filled our diesel car with gas in Ireland, and once came back to a car filled with thousands of ants in Santa Barbara.
Ross Castle
Killarney National Park
For the most part we’ve been able to make lemonade out of lemons, except maybe that time with the ants, and though our style of travel has changed as the boys have gotten older one thing has stayed the same and that’s my love of the uninterrupted dedicated time that traveling as a family gives us.
A trip to Maui when Simon was just 13 months was our first long distance flight as a family. Happily it went off without a hitch setting the tone for future family travels.
Kaanapali Maui Hawaii
Seattle, Washington 2004
We loved our annual trips to Seattle to visit family, especially in the summer months when we could take advantage of the city’s many wonderful parks.
Butterfly World will forever be remembered in our family as the first place Simon decided to use the potty. The expression on his face is the way I felt when he said he wanted to use the bathroom!
Butterfly World Miami Florida
Europe 2006
London, Barcelona & Bilbao
Simon was three when we took Our first long haul flight to Europe. We visited London, Barcelona, and Bilbao. Everything was going according to plan until the plane left without us in Bilbao. Thankfully, the airline put us up in a nearby hotel where I had the best pastry I’ve tasted in my life.
It’s no secret that New Orleans is a family favorite, we go almost every year, and I have a feeling the kids will continue to visit The Crescent City long after they stop traveling with us.
Visiting the Forum alone with two hungry boys who wanted to be anywhere else isn’t one of my fondest travel memories, but I love what happened afterwards when I treated them to McDonalds. It was the most crowded one I’ve ever seen (to this day), and there was no way I could get inside with a stroller. I couldn’t leave the boys alone, so 9 year old Simon braved the crowd, pushed his way to the front, and ordered two Happy Meals! Where there is a will there is a way!
A 28 day trip to Europe in 2013 was at that time our longest family adventure to date, and it went off without a hitch! Still a number of years before I would start this blog, I was definitely starting to feel like I had a handle on this family travel business.
In spring of 2014 we visited Japan, our dream vacation, and it was everything we’d hoped it would be and more. A return visit is high on our family’s wish list and I hope to make this happen before Simon heads off to college…
A last minute trip to Portugal and Spain in the fall of 2015 meant taking the boys out of school, but dedicated family time is important and we made it work, spending the time between sightseeing and dinner doing homework in the room.
Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England Belgium, The Netherlands & France
In 2016 we set off on a six week journey, our longest trip ever. During our travels we almost kissed the Blarney Stone in Cork, Ireland, signed the Peace Wall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, went to art school in Glasgow, Scotland and walked on Hadrian’s Wall.
Kissing the Blarney Stone
Signing the Peace Wall in Belfast
Glasgow School of Art Glasgow Scotland
We spent a few days in London (I wished for more) visiting some of our favorite places, before hopping the train to Belgium where we wished we’d eaten way more chocolate, Amsterdam where we visited Anne Frank’s House and Van Gogh’s Museum and finally Paris, where we practiced our French, sailed boats and wandered aimlessly.
2017 was a busy travel year. We stuffed ourselves during our annual trip to NOLA and survived the soaring summer temperatures on a 2000+ mile road trip through the Great American Southwest. Finally, we brought the year to a close in London where we froze our Southern California butts off on multiple day trips and outings including Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor, Kent, and WB Studios.
We stayed closer to home this past year exploring the West Coast of the United States including Northern California, Oregon, and Southern California including Palm Springs.
2018s’ final trip will be our annual visit to New Orleans, and beyond that I’m not exactly sure where we’ll be headed next, but I’ve got lots of ideas. Stay tuned…
It’s been over four years since we visited Japan, the trip of our dreams, and we can’t stop talking about it. We’ve since been on many other amazing adventures, but we all agree that our visit to Japan was one of the most magical family vacations we’ve ever been on.
Kyoto Japan
We sampled unique foods, slept in a ryokan, did our best to try and speak some Japanese and learned about as many of the local customs and cultural differences that we could. We spent every moment of each day transfixed and fascinated by everything we saw, experienced and tasted. We left knowing that this was a place we’d find our way back to…
Performing Misogi at the “temizuya” water pavilion
I’m not sure if our visit to Japan fell during a sweet spot in the boy’s lives when they were still very open to new experiences and travel with the parents, but we all wholeheartedly embraced every aspect of our visit
Watazen Ryokan Kyoto Japan
Watazen Ryokan Kyoto Japan
The kids are older now and it’s harder to get them excited (at least about traveling with us), but back then we discovered that one way to get them engaged was to bring a “friend” and by friend I mean a Batman Lego figurine I happened to find in my bag while waiting to board the airplane.
Batman is ready for his flight to Tokyo Japan
On a whim I decided to take a photo of our stow-a-way Batman atop our little one’s Batman suitcase, and from that moment on, he became our constant companion. The boys loved posing him in different situations, costumes and locations and he became the mascot of our trip.
Hello Kitty outside a shrine in Kyoto Japan
At times we wondered if posing him in certain places might be disrespectful, and we did our best to gauge the situation. We noticed that Hello Kitty was prominently featured everywhere we went, even in places that felt more sacred, and so took our cues from local culture.
Batman Goes to Japan
Thanks to jet lag Batman was up with the sun, and so were we, but with a view this spectacular we were hardly complaining. Our room was on the 43rd floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, which is located in Shinjuku’s second tallest building.
A Room with a View
Batman is up with the sun at the Park Hyatt Tokyo Japan
Like many visitors to Tokyo we made a trip to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. We spent the morning exploring all the different offerings, fish of course, but also spices, dried goods, vegetables, flowers, housewares and more.
Tsukiji Fish Market Tokyo Japan
After seeing all that fresh fish for sale we were eager to try some ourselves. We found a small sushi restaurant within the fish market where we sampled exotic flavors including urchin and roe.
Whale was on the menu at the Tsukiji Fish Market
Tsukiji Fish Market Tokyo Japan
Located in the Asakusa district the Senso-ji Temple is Tokyo’s oldest temple. The approach leading up to the entrance of the temple is called Nakamise-dori and it is lined with souvenir shops selling everything you could ever imagine.
Senso-Ji Temple Asakusa
The Temple itself is beautiful and surrounded by many other places of interest, but this is a very popular tourist destination and with more than 30 million visitors each year you can expect it to be extremely crowded.
Senso-Ji Temple Asakusa
Batman at the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa Tokyo
The Meiji Shrine is located adjacent to Yoyogi Park in Shibuya. Built in 1920 the Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.
Meiji Shrine Shibuya Tokyo Japan
Once you’ve visited the shrine take some time to explore the surrounding gardens, which have many things to see as well including, a tea garden, royal fishing ponds, and the largest Otorii Gate in Japan.
Meiji Shrine Shibuya Tokyo Japan
Batman visits Meiji Shrine in Shibuya Tokyo Japan
We loved our visit to the food stalls within Ueno Park and with so many unique and delicious options we were hard pressed to decide.
Food Stalls in Ueno Park Tokyo
Ueno Park Tokyo Japan
Batman tries street food in Ueno Park
We ate everything from corn on the cob and onigiri to octopus and yakisoba before running out of money. Keep in mind that many places in Japan don’t take debit or credit cards.
Ueno Park Food Stalls Tokyo
Batman tries street food in Ueno Park
The Bentendo Temple is located on an island in Shinobazu pond within Ueno Park and is dedicated to the Goddess of good fortune wealth, music and knowledge.
Bentendo Temple Ueno Park Tokyo
Batman vistis Benton Hall in Ueno Park
Also Within Ueno Park is the face of what was once a very large statue of Buddha. This is the second great Buddha to stand in this spot, the first was destroyed in an 1647 earthquake.
Ueno Park Buddha Tokyo Japan
In 1923 the second one was also heavily damaged in an earthquake. With the exception of the face the rest of the statue was melted down to make weapons during WWII.
Ueno Park Buddha Tokyo
Batman visits the giant Buddha in Ueno Park
Springtime in Japan is breathtaking. The branches are bursting with millions of fluffy pink and white cherry blossoms.
Cherry Blossoms Ueno Park Tokyo Japan
As many as two million people come to see the blossoms each year. This activity is called Hanami which literally translates to “flower viewing” and is a popular activity both during the day and at night.
Gion District Kyoto Japan
Flower viewing “Hanami:” Kyoto Japan
Batman Experiences Hanami Kyoto Japan
Famous for the literally thousands of vermilion torii gates, which line it’s pathways, Fushimi Inari-Taisha, is one of the 80,000 Shinto shrines throughout Japan.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Kyoto Japan
The walk to the top of Inari Mountain takes around two hours and while it is a steady climb it’s not terribly difficult. Along the way there are a few places to stop and get a bite to eat or a drink.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Kyoto Japan
Batman goes to Fushimi-Inara Taisha Kyoto Japan
Tofukuji Temple is the oldest and largest Zen temple in Japan and there is a different type of garden represented on each side of the building. I would love to come back one day too see the autumn leaves for which it is so well known for.
Tofukuji Temple Kyoto Japan
Tofukuji Temple Kyoto Japan
Batman goes to Japan Tofukuji Kyoto Japan
It’s no surprise that Kinkaku-ji Temple is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan. Not only is it located in a beautiful setting, but the top two floors of the building are covered in gold leaf.
Kinkakuji Kyoto Japan
Kinkakuji Kyoto Japan
Batman visits Kyoto Japan
There are more than 5.5 million vending machines in Japan. That’s one vending machine per every 23 people. Most of them sell drinks, but you can buy just about anything from them, including bread.
Vending machines Tokyo Japan
Vending Machines In Tokyo Japan
As we often do when traveling with the boys we visited the zoo. We had a nice afternoon and saw quite a few animals that we’ve never seen in any western zoos.
Tokyo Zoo
Batman goes to the Tokyo Zoo
Kit Kat bars are the number one candy in Japan. The name Kit Kat sounds very similar to a Japanese saying, “Kitto Katsu” or “Kitto Katto,” which is a good luck term meaning “you will surely win” and it is often said to students before a big exam. The Kit Kat bar is so popular that a Kit Kat shop was opened in the Tokyo department store Seibu.
Kit Kat Store Tokyo Japan
Batman in Japan Kit Kat Store Tokyo
Batman joined us for all our activities throughout the trip, from getting some shut-eye and doing our laundry to riding the subway, eating traditional foods, drinking sake and swimming in the hotel pool.
Batman Orders Room Service at the Peninsula Hotel Tokyo Japan
Batman pays for lunch in Kyoto Japan
Batman gets some shut-eye at the Park Hyatt Tokyo Japan
Batman dines in the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Batman tries yakisoba noodles in Kyoto Japan
Batman goes to Japan and tries Onigiri
Batman tries okonomiyaki in Kyoto Japan
Batman does his laundry in Kyoto Japan
Batman tries Sake in Kyoto Japan
Batman tries Sake
Batman goes to the Peninsula Hotel Spa Tokyo
What do you do to keep your kids engaged while traveling? Have you ever brought along a “friend?” Let me know in the comments below. If you’re interested in learning more about our adventures in Japan you can read about them in these other posts:
Call it what you will, and it has a lot of names, Stumptown, Bridgetown, City of Roses, Rip City, or PDX but there’s just something about Portland, Oregon. A definite vibe, but it’s hard to sum up exactly, it’s a sort of Pacific Northwest Goth meets LA hipster vibe with a splash of… well, weird.
Keep Portland Weird
After 10 days exploring the Oregon Coast this self described city girl needed a dose of hustle and bustle and a good cup of coffee, so we made a beeline for Oregon’s biggest city.
Stumptown
We only had two full days, but we made the most of them. We took tours, visited multiple gardens and museums, ate delicious food and lost ourselves in the world’s largest bookstore!
Getting Around Town
In my humble opinion walking is the best way to discover a new city, and Portland is a very walkable city, but if you’re not up for walking the Portland Streetcars and Biketown rentals (sponsored by Nike) are both readily available.
Downtown Portland Oregon
Go By Streetcar Portland Oregon
Biketown Portland Oregon
Almost immediately we came upon the #instafamous Portland Oregon Old Town Sign.
Old Town Portland, Oregon
But First, Food.
Portland is well known for their food truck culture, there are literally hundreds of them set up in what are known as pods, but I’m going to admit to you right now, that I’m not a fan of food trucks, and didn’t eat at a single one.
Food Truck Portland Oregon
Don’t worry, we didn’t starve! In fact we ran out of time before we could eat at all the highly recommended places on our list. Here are just a few of our favorites:
Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen kept popping up during my Portland research, and as soon as I saw the ceiling covered in light pink umbrellas I knew I’d be going, but when my friend Erin, over at Oregon Girl Around the World, recommended it as well, that sealed the deal!
Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen Portland Oregon
Thankfully, we loved everything else about it too. From friendly fast service to delicious and plentiful servings, Luc Lac was a highlight of our Portland dining experience.
Pine State Biscuits
Location: Central East Industrial District – 1100 SE Division
I LOVE biscuits, so a visit to Pine State Biscuits was at the top of my dining wish list. We arrived just prior to closing, which meant we avoided the ever present out the door line I’d heard so much about.
Pine State Biscuits Portland Oregon
We went with the most popular item on the menu: The Reggie, a Fried chicken, bacon & cheese biscuit topped with gravy. Trust me, it tasted way better than my photo gives it credit for. We couldn’t resist a side of cheese fries and the seasonal pop tart, and washed all this deliciousness down with a large jar of sweet tea.
The Reggie with gravy on the side
Cheese Fries Pine State Biscuits
Seasonal pop tart
Carlita’s
Location: The Pearl District – 1101 NW Northrup Street
Carlita’s, described as Mexican with a Northwest flair, was walking distance from my hotel making it the perfect place to meet my bestie for a girls night out! The food was delicious, though spicy, and the service and atmosphere were great. Carlita’s is 21 and over.
Margarita at Carlita’s Mexican
Night in the Pearl District
Lauretta Jean’s Pie Bakery
Location: Division – 3402 SE Division Street
We are a pie loving family, so resistance was futile when we came across Lauretta Jean’s Pie Bakery. Nothing says summer like a fresh slice of warm pie with a scoop of melty ice cream, or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Don’t miss a visit to the quirky Portland favorite Voodoo Doughnut! As you might imagine they have a plethora of fun flavors and shapes on offer, all of which are delicious.
Voodoo Doughnut Downtown Portland location
Voodoo Doughnut
Voodoo Doughnut
Voodoo Doughnuts is cash only, but you’ll find an ATM onsite.P.S. We didn’t visit Blue Star or Salt N Straw, both of which are local favorites, because we visit the LA locations often.
Powell’s Books
Location: 1005 W Burnside Street
One of the first places we stopped upon our arrival, was Powell’s Books. They claim to be the world’s largest bookstore selling both new and used books, and I believe it. One could literally get lost, so we paired up and set off to explore. Good thing our hotel was just a few steps away because we came away with a bag of literary treasures.
Powell’s Books
Alberta Street Arts District
Location: Alberta Street between Approximately 15th and 30th
My never-ending quest for street art led me to the Alberta Arts District where we found street art murals and slap tags aplenty!
Blaine Fontana Mural 22nd and Alberta
Alberta Street & NW 22nd
@rather_severe Alberta & NW 29th
Artist: Mateu Valasco
Alberta & NW 26th Alley
Portland is a slaptaggers heaven @socialfatigue
This quirky and fun neighborhood is filled with one-of-a-kind boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, dive bars and more.
Yarrington & Fontana Alberta & NE 21st
After we’d had our fill of art and the 95 degree heat, we settled into the blissfully air-conditioned and very friendly neighborhood bar, Binks.
Stay tuned for more about this fun area in a future post…
The Pearl District
You’ll be hard pressed to find any evidence of the once run down industrial warehouse district that is now known as the Pearl District. Instead you’ll find a vibrant and thriving neighborhood, with charming wooden sidewalks, city parks, and one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants.
Tanner Springs Park
Remnants from the old Warehouse days Pearl District
Tanner Springs Park Portland
Portland Rose Test Gardens
Location: Washington Park
Opened in 1917 the International Rose Test Garden is home to over 7,000 rose plants and 550 varieties. Roses are sent from around the world to be tested for color, fragrance, resistance to disease and other attributes.
International Test Rose Garden
Take time to smell the roses
Yellow Roses Portland Oregon
We loved walking up and down the rows taking time to smell the roses, and reading all the different names.
Portland Rose Garden
Golden Hour at the Portland Rose Garden
Portland Rose Garden
Rose Garden Portland Oregon
The Rose Test Garden is open from 7:30 am – 9:00 pm daily and offers free public tours daily at 1:00pm, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Japanese Garden
Location: Washington Park
Having visited Portland’s Japanese Garden a few years ago, we were pleased to see the extensive renovations and additions, which were completed since our last visit, enhancing what was already a spectacular place.
Information Japanese Garden Portland
Koi Pond Portland Japanese Garden
Crane Statue Japanese Garden Portland
Check the Japanese Garden website for the information on the hours and admission prices as they vary throughout the year. Complimentary tours are included with your admission.
Ground Kontrol Arcade
Location: Old Town/Chinatown – 115 NW 5th Avenue
From Dig Dug to Mortal Combat, Centipede to Donkey Kong you’ll find all your old favorites at the Ground Control classic arcade, or if you prefer pin ball they have 27 different machines. We found this to be a perfect place to beat the heat on a sweltering hot summer day, and to give our kids a break from playing tourist.
Ground Kontrol Portland Oregon
If shoveling quarters into arcade games isn’t your thing, or if you run out of quarters before the rest of your crew there are multiple bar areas where one can hang out.
Ground Kontrol Portland Oregon
Ground Kontrol
All ages noon-5pm daily, 21+ from 4:30pm-close.
Street Art Walking Tour
Portland Street Art Alliance
In hindsight a walking tour on a 95 degree day probably wasn’t the best idea, but having scheduled it in advance we decided to give it a go. The extreme heat really put a damper on our ability to stop and enjoy the art, but we did our best, and saw quite a lot!
Artist: Ben Patterson
Artist: Yoshi 47
Artist: Fin DAC
Artist Unknown
Central East Industrial District Portland Oregon
CEID Taylor Electric Portland Oregon
Burnside Skateboard Park Portland Oregon
We may have stopped in the middle to cool down with boozy pops from the Portland Roasting Company.
Portland Roasting Company Boozy Pop
Our tour was booked through the Portland Street Art Alliance. Stay tuned for more about Portland’s street art scene.
Portland Photo Tour
Wanting to see the city’s skyline and bridges I decided to book a small group tour with Portland Photo Tour. This way I’d be able to take all the night photos I wanted safely and without torturing the rest of my family.
Downtown Portland
Hawthorne Bridge Portland Oregon
Tilikum Crossing Bridge Portland Oregon
Stay tuned for more about this fun experience…
The Ace Hotel Portland
Location: 1022 SW Stark Street
Prior to this trip the last time I stayed at an Ace Hotel, was my wedding night. I thought I’d give it another chance… the jury is still out. I will say that the location was great, as was the Stumptown coffee shop.
LA, is Americas’s second largest city, encompassing over 500 square miles and home to just under four million people. Trying to “see it all” can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Not if you think of LA as what it really is, a city of neighborhoods, each with its own unique character and charm.
View of Downtown LA from the 101 S Freeway
Whether you’re a local or just visiting I find the best way to see the City of Angels is to pick a specific area of town and focus on it. You’ll have to drive a few extra miles, Angelenos are famous for staying in their own neighborhoods, but you’ll get a whole day of exploration and fun for the price of a “little bit” of traffic! Feeling ambitious, pick two neighborhoods, we did!
Exploring Silver Lake and Echo Park
For the second installment of our culture club we chose Echo Park and Silver Lake two of LA’s most hipster neighborhoods. We started in Silver Lake, which is also the more gentrified of the two. Echo Park is on the grittier side, but I really like that about it. Both are a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and hidden gems just waiting for you to discover them.
We started our day at Alfred, which is famous around town for it’s But first, Coffee slogan. If you ask me, Alfred Coffee has their priorities straight, because as far as I’m concerned nothing happens before coffee! Beyond their coffee and tea beverages, Alfred also serves a lovely and delicious version of one of LA’s more popular dishes, avocado toast! Not an avocado fan? You’ll find other food items as well.
What could be more perfect than Alfred’s Iced Coffee on a hot day in LA!
LA’s signature dish Avocado Toast
Alfred Silver Lake is located at: 3337 1/2 W Sunset Blvd., LA. They are open Monday thru Friday 6:30am to 5:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 7:30am – 6:00pm.
Lark Cake Shop
Having just enjoyed a bite to eat next door at Alfred, we stopped in Lark Cake Shop at the request of the kids, and thankfully we were in the mood to say yes! The Ice Box Cake was delightful as was everything else we sampled.
Lark Bakery is located at 3337 W Sunset Blvd., LA
The Maven Store
Okay, so this wasn’t a kid friendly activity, but we couldn’t resist stopping in Maven, a Louisiana based clothing shop with it’s unique and affordable apparel, jewelry, and gift items for a bit of retail therapy.
Shopping in Silver Lake at Maven
The Maven Store is located at: 3333 W Sunset Blvd., LA. Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
The Hidden Stairs of Silver Lake Walk
LA wasn’t always the car town it is now, and at one time public transportation was the primary mode of travel. People used an extensive network of staircases to get from their hillside homes to their transit stops, and many of these historic staircases are still in existence. These days they are used primarily for urban hikes and exercise and a climb to the top will grant you fabulous views of the city.
View from the top of the Micheltorena Stairs.
Because these staircases are located within residential neighborhoods, they are often hidden from view, so finding them can be a challenge, but don’t worry I’ve done that for you.
Along the way we took the time to stop for rest breaks and to enjoy the flowers, murals and art installations along the route.
je t’aime LA
Breaktime
Taking a break on the Swan Stairs
Can’t Stop the Dance
It Will End In Tears
Bougainvillea
We were surprised and delighted during one of our rest stops when we unexpectedly met up with Party Goats taking a break of their own between engagements. Apparently party goats is a thing!
Party Goats
The stairs are steep and some quite narrow. Bring plenty of water, be mindful of high temperatures and wear appropriate attire. The Goods Mart on Silver Lake Boulevard falls in the middle of the route and is a great place to stop for more water and snacks.
We stocked up on water at The Goods Mart.
The Hidden Staircases walk begins at the Micheltorena Stairs across the street from Alfred Coffee. Hours: 24 hours but remember it is a residential area, so be respectful. You’ll find the route we took here: The Hidden Staircases of Silver Lake.
Echo Park
@la_steez
Honey Hi
Honey Hi turned out to be a perfect place for us to grab a late lunch after climbing all those stairs. The menu is filled with organic, sustainable comfort food and is vegetarian and child friendly with a casual atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed my chimichurri skirt steak and the dragon fruit lemonade was as tasty as it was pretty.
Vegetarian options at Honey Hi
Skirt Steak with Chimichurri sauce
Honey Hi is located at 1620 Sunset Blvd., LA. The cafe is open every day from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
The Echo Park Time Travel Mart
Wherever you are, we’re already then.
How could we resist a visit to The Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers? Inside we found fun from every era, past, present and future including, dinosaur eggs, robot milk, t-shirts, and so much more.
Wherever you are, we’re already then.
All proceeds help support the free programs at 826LA a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.
Fresh Dinosaur Eggs!
Good humor at the Time Travel Mart
The Time Travel Mart is located at 1714 W Sunset Blvd., LA. The Mart is open Monday – Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Echo Park Lake
The kids were very excited about our next stop, Echo Park Lake, where our main goal was the Lake’s swan pedal boats. We weren’t the only ones with this idea, and the line was long, but we took turns waiting, while the rest of the group passed the time walking the lake path and watching the turtles and other wildlife in the park.
Echo Park LakeMama and baby turtle
Recently upgraded to include shade canopies, these brand new swan boats can hold from 2 – 5 guests. Apparently our kids had forgotten how tired they were after our stair hike because they really wanted to pedal, so we sat happily shaded in the back enjoying the fountain and city views while they did all the work.
Echo Park Lake Swan Boats
Rainbow on Echo Park Lake
View of Downtown LA from Echo Park Lake
Echo Park Lake Fountain
Echo Park Lake Lotus Flower
The Lake’s annual Lotus Festival celebrates the bloom of Echo Park Lake’s famous floating flowers. This free event celebrates the Asian-American community in LA and has been taking place for 38 years. This year’s festival celebrates the Chinese community. Expect food, dragon boat races, and hundreds of glorious lotus flowers.
The swan boats are open 7 days a week 9 am – Sunset. The last boat goes out 1 hour before sunset. Adutls are $11 and children (17 years and under) $6 for a one hour rental.
Admission to The Lotus Festival is free. This year’s festival takes place on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15, 2018, from 12:00 pm.
Angelino Heights
Established in 1886 Angelino Heights is one of LA’s oldest neighborhoods and was the city’s first recognized Historic District. It is well known for it’s large concentration of unique architecture including Victorian, Turn of the Century and Revival. While again, not exactly a kid friendly activity, our drive through the neighborhood gave the kids a chance to rest before arriving at our final stop of the day.
The Charmed House
One of the homes was featured regularly on the television series Charmed. Due to its picturesque beauty the entire neighborhood has been featured in countless television shows and films.
Angelino Heights is located within the boundaries of the Echo Park neighborhood and just a short drive from Echo Park Lake.
Milk Shop
Our final stop of the day found us back in the Silver Lake neighborhood. We wanted to end our day with a visit to Milk Shop, an old fashioned ice cream parlor and bake shop with a modern day twist!
Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich
Not only were the treats Insta worthy, but they were delicious. I couldn’t resist the cookie dough to go, yes please!
Cookie dough to go!
Macaron with cream milk ice cream and fruity pebbles
Cookies & Cream Bar
Milk Shop is located at 1639 Silver Lake Blvd. They are open 12:00 pm to 10 pm Sunday to Thursday and 12:00 pm to midnight Friday & Saturday
Bonus Stops:
Fancy a little more time in this area? Here are three additional destinations very worth making time for with or without the kids.
Neutra VDL House
Architecture lovers won’t want to miss a visit to the Neutra VDL House located on Silver Lake Boulevard. Built by the famed Modernist architect Richard Neutra 75 years ago, the VDL house was named a National Historic Landmark in 2017. Tours of the home and garden are available, and are given by architecture students.
The Neutra house is located at 2300 Silver Lake Blvd., LA. Tours of the VDL House are ONLY on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm. Admission is $15 Adults and $10 Students and Seniors. Children under 15 are free as are members of the press and Cal Poly Pomona students, faculty and staff.
Pine & Crane
Pine & Crane is aTaiwanese restaurant in the heart of Silver Lake with a casual family friendly atmosphere. The food is fresh, delicious and affordable.
Pine and Crane is located at 1521 Griffith Park Blvd., LA. Their hours are Wednesday – Monday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm. They are closed Tuesdays.
The Chandelier Tree
Should you find yourself in the area after dark I highly recommend stopping by The Chandelier Tree. Created by, Silver Lake resident and artist, Adam Tenenbaum the tree is located in his front yard. Visitors to the tree are very welcome and if you’re so inclined you can contribute to Adam’s electric bill, by inserting coins into the meter beneath the tree. Check out this neat little video to learn more about the Chandelier Tree.
The Chandelier Tree is located at 2811 W. Silver Lake Drive, LA.
Where we went:
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Take Me With You!
Would you like directions to these fabulous places? Why not take me with you! You can download this and other fun hilarystyle articles using the GPSmyCity app!
Is there one thing you always do when visiting a new place? For our family it’s the zoo. We always said that having children wouldn’t stop us from seeing and doing all the things that interest us in a given place, but that doesn’t mean we can’t allow time for child friendly activities as well.
Finding a balance is key and the zoo with animals and beautiful gardens has often been the perfect place to achieve that balance. Though as my children are getting older I’ve recently started finding my own balance…
Over the years we’ve visited as many as 25 different zoological gardens around the world, so we consider ourselves something of zoo connoisseurs! Traveling with kids, and considering a zoo, take a look and see if your destination is on our list:
Audubon Zoo
Mexican Wolf
I don’t have photos from every one, but for the purposes of this post I dug out some old photos. I admit in advance that some of them aren’t the highest quality.
The Woodland Park Zoo has to be one of my favorites, probably because I grew up going there. However, the zoo is laid out really well and has a wide variety of animals. The Children’s Zoo has a lovely farm and a petting zoo.
A zoo and an aquarium, Point Defiance does a great job with both. We loved visiting the beluga whales and the zoo’s playground is quite good. I once rode a camel here, and really regretted it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is this awful photo.
We really enjoyed the Portland Zoo, which has a very Pacific northwest feel about it. The forested areas, natural habitats, and lots of interactive exhibits made the entire experience fun and immersive for the entire family.
I really enjoyed this zoo, that is until I decided that the white tiger exhibit wasn’t quite secure enough for my liking. That might have been because the zoo keeper told me that enclosures are really more to keep the people out than to keep the animals in… Yikes!
I admit San Francisco Zoo isn’t my favorite. The layout isn’t easy to follow, and the enclosures are spaced far from one another. They did have these fun interactive posters though…
Sadly, I don’t have any photos of our visit to the Oakland Zoo, but we really enjoyed our visit here. A pretty standard zoo, there are also rides and an overhead tram.
This was my neighborhood zoo for many years! I know, a neighborhood zoo, how cool is that?! So, why don’t I have ANY photos? Too busy enjoying ourselves I guess… This zoo may be small, but it has a lot to offer including a wonderful indoor area with science exhibits and play areas made just for the little ones.
A bit off the beaten path, this zoo is perfect for the younger set. It’s not terribly large, but there are interactive exhibits, and an amusement park with rides perfect for toddlers through age 8.
We always get lost in this zoo, but there is a really nice selection of animals and interactive exhibits, so we don’t mind. I especially loved watching these Chinese Cranes. Keep in mind the zoo is located in Griffith park, which is a giant hill.
The Santa Barbara Zoo is a family favorite. It’s an absolutely lovely little zoo with a fabulous ocean view! The gardens are beautiful and finding your way around is relatively easy. There are many unique animals and if you’re interested you can even feed the giraffe! We loved the playgrounds, and if you fancy it there is a little train around the zoo as well.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Palm Desert, California
If you’re visiting the Palm Springs area with younger children consider a visit to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. We loved the Giraffe exhibit, and if you’re interested you can feed them for an additional fee. The animals featured here are from North America and Africa, and there are some unique and endangered species. Did you know the giraffe is endangered?
The desert gardens are beautiful and unique. A first at any zoo I’ve ever visited there were hiking trails and even the opportunity for camping overnight. It was a lovely afternoon out, though I don’t recommend a summer visit, as it was blazing hot even in March.
I know the San Diego Zoo is world famous zoo, but I admit it wasn’t my favorite. This was mainly due to a confusing layout and the many hills, which weren’t easy to navigate with a stroller. We did see pandas though, so thats something!
The Shark Reef Aquarium, located in Mandalay Bay, is a fully accredited aquarium, and is home to not only sharks, but many other fascinating creatures as well. I know this isn’t a zoo, but my sons insisted I include it here, as there were animals as well as fish.
Another favorite and well worth your time is the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is open and free 365 days a year. My parents grew up going to this zoo, and it’s been such a treat visiting with them and my own children. The enclosures are beautifully done and the play areas are wonderful. There are sea creatures here as well. A perfect zoo if you have limited time.
The Brookfield Zoo is a very large zoo, so you’ll want to allow the better part of an entire day if you decide to visit. A fairly standard zoo I prefer Lincoln Park zoo.
I feel pretty confident when I say the Audubon Zoo in Uptown New Orleans is pretty great! We’ve been three times! The zoo has a wide variety of animals from around the world, but my favorite part of any zoo is the exhibit showcasing the local area and the Audubon Zoo does a great job of this with their Louisiana swamp section, which features local animals and foliage. You can even get alligator jambalaya at the zoo cafe! We loved seeing the white alligators, and they have a white tiger too!
We visited the Brooklyn Zoo, when my older son was only 4 years old, and I admit to having only a vague recollection, so I can’t really tell you how it measures up.
Even though you won’t see all the animals from the Madagascar movies, The Central Park Zoo is a wonderful little zoo right in the heart of the city. A perfect place to give the kids a New York Minute before carrying on with the rest of your New York day.
The London Zoo, located in Regent’s Park is not only the worlds oldest scientific zoo, but it was also the home of Winnie the bear. A.A. Milne changed the name of his famous storybook character Pooh Bear to Winnie-The-Pooh after he and his son Christopher Robin visited the London Zoo. We’ve been to the London Zoo twice, 12 years ago, and again just this past Christmas Eve.
We had a really nice visit at the Edinburgh Zoo, even with the rain, because… Pandas and Penguins! I wouldn’t say this about every zoo we’ve seen, but if the littles are growing tired of yet another historic site or museum and just need a break this is a very nice place to visit.
The Barcelona Zoo was the perfect place to give our littles a break from all that sightseeing. On the smaller side, we were able to see it in just a few hours!
Bioparco di Roma, is one of the oldest zoos in Europe, and is located near the Villa Borghese Gardens. We wandered through the gardens and then around the zoo on Christmas Eve. It was a nice break, especially for the little guy.
The oldest zoo in Japan, the Ueno Zoo is located in Ueno Park in Taitō, Tokyo. We really enjoyed our afternoon here and saw animals that we’ve never seen in any western zoos.
My husband says The Tower of London Doesn’t count, but did you know that it was at one time a zoo. Yes, for 600 years the Tower of London was a zoo?! This is where Kings and queens kept the exotic animals gifted to them from other monarchs around the world. There is a great exhibit showcasing the different types of animals that lived here including a polar bear who once lived in the moat and fished in the River Thames! The wire replicas of animals throughout the grounds are pretty cool, even if they aren’t real…
Unfortunately, we were unable to visit the Paris Zoo, but the Jardin des Plantes is a fabulous place to visit with children, and I hope to find my way back.
That time we almost went to the Paris Zoo
Have you been to any of these zoos? What is your favorite go to family activity when traveling? How many times can one person say zoo?
I realize I’m writing about Christmas in March, but with good reason. Have you ever had an experience so unexpected, so absolutely magical that it stayed with you in vivid memory like it just happened yesterday? I have, and I just couldn’t wait until the festive season rolls around again to share it with all of you.
The Christmas tree in St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle Royal Collection Trust (c) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017
Now of course everyone’s idea of a magical day out differs, but if you love all things fairytale including castles, royals and history you’ll definitely want to keep reading! If you’re just after tips and advice for visiting Windsor Castle scroll down, otherwise fix yourself a cuppa, this is going to be a long one.
English Breakfast Tea
Look at it this way, if after reading this post, you find yourself inspired, you’ll have 280 ish days in which to plan your own magical day out! Nothing wrong with planning ahead, right? So, how did this magical day out come to be? Well, it had all happened similarly once before. Let me explain…
Magical details are everywhere in the Royal Palaces
A Tale of Two Christmases
Many years ago, six in fact, I decided I was quitting Christmas, at least the big at home extravaganza that no-one seemed to appreciate all that much. Instead we set off to see how the holidays were celebrated in Rome and London. I felt quite sure Santa would find us, and “he” did!
During my trip research I discovered a special event taking place at Buckingham Palace. The Palace, which isn’t normally open to the public during the winter months, would be offering small group tours twice daily for five weeks only. Sign me up!
I had a feeling this might be something special, and I didn’t want anyone tugging at my sleeve asking when it would be time to go home, so I went alone.
Buckingham Palace
As soon as I entered the Palace my mouth literally fell open. Beyond the already beautiful interiors, there were multiple Christmas trees glittering with beautiful ornaments lining the entrance hall, and evergreen boughs filled with brightly colored baubles climbed the stair rails on both sides. Everything, and I mean everything, was decorated to the hilt, and it all seemed to give off a golden glow.
These are the decorations from our recent visit to Windsor in December 2017
During the tour I learned that the interior really hasn’t changed since Queen Victoria lived in the Palace, and as you can imagine everything is in perfect condition, almost as if you’d just stepped back in time.
We visited the State Apartments, just as visitors in the summer months do, but because the number of visitors was greatly reduced there was no need for roped off areas or removal of certain items. For two hours it was just our small group, the guide and the Palace. Something about being inside this very real in use Palace made me feel about 11 years old. SQUEE!
At the end of our tour we enjoyed a glass of champagne (not for 11 year olds) and had time to shop the items in the billiards room, which was temporarily serving as the souvenir shop. The ornaments I’d seen on the Palace’s Christmas trees were for sale. and you know I picked up a few!
Six+ years later, and my memories are just as vivid today as they were the day I went. I know this was an experience I will never forget. Are you still with me? I did mention this would be a long one… I hope I’ve done justice to just how magical I felt this experience was, but photos aren’t allowed inside the Royal Palaces, so words will have to do.
Six years later… Windsor
Knowing we’d once again be in London during the festive season I set about trying to repeat the amazing experience I’d had six years prior. I discovered a special holiday event would be taking place at Windsor Castle! For nine nights only, a presentation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol would be performed in the Waterloo Room. Although very familiar with the story, we’d never seen it performed inside a castle. This time I would bring the boys along! Sign us up!
Approaching Windsor Castle
Stepping off the train at the Windsor Eton Station I was delighted to see that the entire town was decked in royal themed holiday decorations, I couldn’t wait to seem them lit up later that evening!
Exiting the train station in Windsor
Windsor Holiday Decorations with a royal theme
Windsor Castle Day & Night
Our special event wouldn’t take place until 7 pm, so we decided to make a complete day of it, and purchased tickets to tour the Castle during the day. This way we would see it both day and night.
Castle Hill
Built in 1070 by William the Conqueror, Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world. A visit here means you’ll be walking in the footsteps of 40 different monarchs over the course of almost 1000 years. Talk about history, now if only walls could talk!
To the Castle!
As you can imagine there is a lot to see and do at Windsor Castle. There are three main areas within the castle walls, the Lower Ward, Middle Ward, and Upper Ward with each section containing worthwhile points of interest.
The Lower Ward
Your ticket includes a tour of the State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Dolls House, A 30 minute Precinct Tour, St. George’s Chapel, and an audio guide. Allow plenty of time!
You’ll enter the castle through St. George’s Gate
State Apartments Entrance
The Quadrangle Windsor CastleYou’ll exit the State Apartments through The Norman Gate
St. George’s Chapel – Dragons, Knights, and Fairytale Weddings
St, George’s Chapel, located in the Castle’s Lower Ward, will serve as the venue for the upcoming wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle. I did mention fairytales didn’t I?
The current chapel is over 500 years old, but there has been a chapel on this site since the 1200s. The building, stunning inside and out, is filled with amazing artifacts. If you’re traveling with kids they’ll want to look out for the 6+ foot battle sword, as well as stone carvings of angels, animals and flowers which encircle the entire inside of the chapel and line the roof.
The Chapel is the final resting place for many members of the royal family including some of the most well known: Edward IV (who built the chapel) and his queen Elizabeth Woodville, Henry VIII (who finished the chapel) and his favorite wife Jane Seymour, Charles I, and King Charles VI father to the current queen, and his wife Queen Elizabeth.
Sunset at St. George’s Chapel
The architectural details and craftsmanship are exquisite and I particularly enjoyed the Quire with it’s beautifully carved stalls and fan ceiling. The story of St. George defeating the dragon is represented in the wood carvings above the stalls, and the stalls themselves are lined with gold plates, dating back centuries, each of which represents a Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Break Time
Currently, there isn’t anywhere within the castle grounds to get a meal, but you can exit and reenter as needed, so after our visit to St. George’s Chapel we grabbed lunch, across the street from the castle, in the town of Windsor.
The Duchess of Cambridge Restaurant is across the street from the castle.
Duchess of Cambridge Restaurant
Queen Mary’s Doll’s House
After lunch we visited Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, which is located in the Castle’s Upper Ward. The Dollhouse is a replica of a Georgian town house and was built to showcase what aristocratic life might have been like in the 1920s.
Royal Collection Trust/(C)Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017.
Everything within the dollhouse is operational and it is complete with working lights, and running water. There is even a tiny flushing toilet with a tiny bath tissue roll. The dollhouse cellar is filled with miniature wine bottles complete with wine, and the library’s tiny books were all contributed by famous authors including J. M. Barrie, A. A. Milne., and Vita Sackville-West, whose book is pictured here.
Royal Collection Trust / (c) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017
The State Apartments
The entrance to the State Apartments is just beyond Queen Mary’s Doll’s House. Starting with the Grand Stair case you’ll walk through 23 beautiful and very ornate rooms. Each one filled with priceless works of art and furniture collected over centuries.
Waiting in line to enter the State Apartments
The entire castle was decorated for the festive season, and you can probably imagine just how beautifully done up it was. My favorite rooms had to be the Crimson Drawing Room with it’s gorgeous red walls, and St. George’s Hall with it’s magical golden Christmas tree. Lets just look at it again, shall we?
Christmas at Windsor Castle, Royal Collection Trust/(C)Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017
We’d spent the entire day exploring the castle, and in fact stayed until it closed enjoying a spectacular sunset as we left .
The Round Tower at SunsetSunset over the castle
We still had some time before the evening’s performance, so after we took photos of the town’s holiday decorations we warmed up with tea and cakes at a nearby shop, and waited for 7 pm to come around. Still with me?
King Henry VIII GateThe Town of Windsor as seen when exiting the CastleThe Town of WindsorHoliday projections on the Garter Tower
Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol
Arriving back at the Castle after dark was exciting! There was a buzz among the guests, as entering the Castle after hours seemed particularly special. We would all be participating in this first of its kind experience together. We checked in and pre-purchased refreshments, which we would collect later during the intermission in the Grand Vestibule. Now that we’d taken care of business it was finally time to head up to the Castle…
The Round Tower as seen from the Moat Path
As we made our way up Castle Hill we noticed a little girl sitting on the ground just outside St. George’s Gate. Just as I wondered, what is she doing there? She spoke, “Would you like to buy some matches?” Huh? We continued along the Moat Path, but before I could process what had just occurred a tall gentleman in a top hat breezed by us, shouting “Bah Humbug!”
Edward-Halsted as Ebenezer Scrooge. Royal Collection Trust. Copyright-Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 photographer Matt Humphrey
The play had already started!
We hung up our coats and checked our phones in the State Entrance Royal Collection Trust (c) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016
We made our way up the Grand Staircase and into the Waterloo Room. The Play would be performed in the round, and there were big fluffy cushions on the floor for the children. We quickly took our seats and anxiously awaited the play to continue.
The Program from A Christmas Carol at Windsor Castle
The play was performed by just 8 actors who along with limited props, mood lighting and music managed to transport us all to 1840s London. As Scrooge came to from his ghostly adventures he invited us all to join him in St. George’s Hall where the play concluded around the base of the most magnificent Christmas tree I’ve ever seen. It was truly glowing with a golden light as the players and the audience proceeded to sing Jingle Bells, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, and We Wish You A Merry Christmas.
The Christmas Tree St. George’s Hall Royal Collection Trust / (c) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017
I felt almost in a daze as we collected our things, and filed out into the quadrangle. History, literature, and holiday traditions had all came together to create what had been a truly magical evening in a fairytale setting.
I do hope you’ve enjoyed my tales of surprise, delight and Christmas Magic! Have you ever had what unexpectedly turned out to be the experience of a lifetime?
The Round Tower as seen from the Quadrangle
Fun Facts, Tips & Advice:
Portraits of the Queen and her family hang in the ticket office.
Plays have long been held in the Waterloo Room. Queen Victoria had a passion for theater, and Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret performed pantomimes to raise money for the troops during WWII.
A special edition of A Christmas Carol from 1882 was on display in the Grand Vestibule and we enjoyed looking at it as well as other items of interest during the Play’s intermission.
I was interested to learn that many of the holiday traditions we know and love today came from Victoria and Albert’s love of the Christmas season and their celebrations at Windsor Castle.
Prince Harry will marry Meghan Markle in St. George’s Chapel on May 19, 2018.
Harry and Meghan Mania
Windsor Castle is open all year round, but is still very much in use by the Royal Family. Do check the official website for operating days and times.
Check the official website for special events, which are offered throughout the year.
The town of Windsor is 30 minutes by train from London’s Paddington station. The Windsor & Eton Riverside station is the closest stop to the Castle, and is only a few minutes walk from the Castle.
Heading back to London on the train after our magical day/evening out
Purchase your tickets online in advance. Alternatively you can wait in a very long line like the one pictured below.
The VERY long line to purchase tickets.
Families with younger Children will enjoy the many family themed activities available throughout the Castle.
Although there are no restaurants within the Castle, your ticket allows you in and out privileges, and the town of Windsor has many food options. Make sure to stop in a castle shop to get a wrist band before leaving.
The multiple shops within the castle grounds sell everything from fine china, tea, and other kitchen items to toys, purses, and of course those ornaments I mentioned earlier. The ornaments are made by St. Nicholas, and benefit a women’s charity in Thailand.
While I wasn’t able to take interior photos during my visits to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. I did source photos via PicSelect for the purposes of this post and have noted wherever they’ve been used, otherwise all photos are my own. Look for additional official photos on the Royal Family’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.
I’ve been collecting Street Art for quite a few years now, so I was excited to finally explore some of what London has to offer. Graffiti writers and street artists come from around the world to leave their mark on the streets of Shoreditch, a trendy neighborhood in London’s East End.
Redemption Wings Old Street
The walls of this always up and coming, but (thankfully) not fully gentrified neighborhood are a veritable who’s who of the street art world including Banksy, Dface, Eine, Shepard Fairey, Shok-1 and so many more.
This Banksy piece on the wall at Cargo has been covered with protective plastic.
A guided walking tour was a great way to see and learn about the street art scene in Shoreditch, and it was an absolute highlight of our London trip. Our guide, Karim of Street Art Tours London, is also an artist and has been painting on and off the street for the past 16 years.
Wherever possible I’ve shared the artist and location of the piece, but as the Street Art scene is always evolving there are no guarantees that these pieces will still be available from one day to the next. However, their replacements are almost sure to be something equally special!
Shoreditch High Street
Like the street art covering it’s walls the neighborhood of Shoreditch is also in a state of evolution. There are mixed emotions about the state of change and you’ll see that a lot of the art represents this.
Brexit Paste Up
Gentrification Zone Paste up
Shoreditch Street Art Walking Tour Highlights:
X-Ray Hand with Soda Can
Artist: Shok-1
Location: Whitby Road
Shok-1 Whitby
Various Stik Pieces
Artist: Stik
Locations: Great Eastern & Rivington Streets
Stik 81 Rivington Street
Stik – Great Eastern Road
Merry Christmas Mural
Artist: Graffiti Life
Location: Wheler Street
Graffiti Life Christmas Mural
Graffiti Writing
Artist: Ghost Writers Crew
Location: Shoreditch High Street
Ghost Writers Crew
The Angel of Sclater Street
Artist: Jonesy
Location: Sclater Street
Heffalump!
Artist: Unknown
Location: Sclater Street
Winnie the Pooh & Friends
Motorcycle Mural
Artist: Ryan Roadkill
Location: Sclater Street
Ryan Roadkill Sclater Street
Although not a piece of street art I thought it worth noting that the Rebel Alliance Motorcycle shop located on Sclater Street is owned by Dface.
Dface owns this little motorcycle shop on Sclater Street.
MasterClass
I really enjoy collecting street art, but it was only a matter of time before I gave in to the urge to create my own masterpiece. Having done a bit of painting at home in LA, we were pretty exited about repeating this experience in London.
Practicing our technique.
Street Art Tours London offers what they call a MasterClass, so after the walking portion of our tour was over we set off for a local art studio in nearby Hackney where after a brief lesson on technique we set about making our own masterpiece. We’re pretty pleased with the way our piece came out, and you can bet that we’ll be doing more of this in the near future!
Here are the steps we took when creating our “street” art mural:
Find A Blank Wall
Start with a blank space.
Draw your Construction Lines
Lay down your construction lines.
Fill In The Design
Fill in your design.
Add Background Elements
Add the background elements
Outline Your Design
Outline your design.
Add The Small Details
Add detail elements
Add The Halo
Give your outline a halo.
Sign and Date Your Piece
Sign and date your piece.
Tips & Advice:
Our London Masterpiece is complete!
Our tour and Masterclass were through Street Art Tours London
You’ll want to pay in advance or bring cash on the day of. Email for Masterclass rates.
Wear your “paint” clothes.
All the supplies and painting location were provided and organized by our guide.
Due to studio rental fees the Masterclass was on the expensive side, but we had a wonderful time and I highly recommend this.
Spray painting is incredibly difficult, so don’t expect perfection on the first try. Street art requires practice practice practice.
Our guide helped us a lot! A lot!
We ran out of certain paint colors midway, but I think we made it work!
After class was over the boys and I went back to Shoreditch to explore the streets at a more leisurely pace, and discovered a ton more art!
We discovered so many amazing pieces of art I couldn’t fit them all into this one post…. stay tuned for more Street Art from Shoreditch and our finds on Brick Lane!
What do you do in Los Angeles after you’ve spotted the stars, seen THE Sign, and brushed off the sand? How about a museum! With over 100 museums to choose from, you’ll get a dose of culture while giving yourself a break from all that sun.
The Broad Museum
Whatever your interests, art, architecture, entertainment, libraries, gardens, automobiles, or history I guarantee there is a museum in LA for you. I’m nowhere near making a dent, but I’ve checked off a few…
LA is a large city and many of it’s museums are spread out, but the area known as Museum Row on Wilshire Boulevard’s Miracle Mile has five wonderful museums all within steps of one another. If you were motivated it would be entirely possible to get a taste of all of them within one day.
LA County Museum of Art (LACMA)
They are: The LA County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Craft & Folk Art Museum (CAFAM), The Labrea Tar Pits, The Peterson Automotive Museum, and the Wende Museum exhibition of the Berlin Wall.
LACMA
It would take multiple visits to see everything the largest art museum on the West Coast has to offer, but if you’re short on time you can enjoy some of LACMA’s outdoor exhibits, like Chris Burden’s Urban Lights, Levitating Mass, or choose just one of the Museum’s many buildings and focus on that.
There is definitely something magical about Urban lights. The solar powered installation is made from 202 restored cast iron street lamps from 1920s and 30s Los Angeles. This is an incredibly popular place to take photos and hang out, so expect crowds.
LACMA on Museum Row
The boys loved Penetrable by artist Jesús Rafael Soto, an interactive art installation just outside the entrance to the Ahmanson Building. Made of simple yellow tubing hanging from a steel grid, this installation was meant to be touched!
Getting a people free photo is virually impossible
My older son and I visited the temporary Guillermo del Toro exhibition last year and loved it. You’ll want to check the Museum’s website for information on current and upcoming exhibitions.
We loved the Guillermo del Toro exhibition.
The Peterson Automotive Museum
Los Angeles is famous for many things, but one of them is not waking! In fact, “Nobody walks in LA”, or at least that’s how the song goes, so it makes perfect sense that there would be an automotive museum in the heart of Museum Row!
At the Peterson Automotive Museum, you’ll find cars and motorcycles representing the history of the automobile, including racecars, concept cars, movie cars and custom built cars. My favorite part was viewing the movie cars including, the bat cycle, Stephen King’s Christine, lightening McQueen and Herbie the Love Bug!
La Brea Tar Pits
Can you believe that at one time the bustling area that is now Museum Row was once the home of dire wolves, saber-tooth cats, and mammoths? It’s true! Of course that was 50,000 years ago, give or take a few thousand years…
The La Brea Tar Pits and the George C. Page Museum offer a glimpse into what life was like in the LA basin long before people came along. A few things to keep in mind: There is an entrance fee to the museum, but viewing the outside exhibits is free. You won’t see dinosaurs here, as they’d already been extinct for 65 million years when animals started becoming entrapped in the tar pits.
The Craft and Folk Art Museum is housed in an adorable little building just opposite the Labrea Tar Pits. You can’t miss its cheerful black and yellow design. The exhibitions are revolving and feature current day artists with a unique twist or smaller exposure.
The museum offers crafting opportunities and we had the good fortune to visit during a Japanese paper making demonstration.
CAFAM is special because it is a place to both see art and make art.
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The Berlin Wall
Did you know you can view part of the Berlin Wall in LA? The largest remaining stretch of the original Berlin Wall is located just across from LACMA on Wilshire Blvd.
The Wall is part of the Wende Museum collection. Street artists from around the world were invited to paint blank segments of the Wall to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Wall coming down.
Paley Center for Media
Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, just one block off of Rodeo Drive, the Paley Center for Media exhibits explore the connections between media and society.
During our visit we saw the Cartoon Network exhibition: 25 Years of Drawing On Creativity. We loved learning about the creation of some of our favorite cartoons! A visit to the Paley Center will give you access to their collection of over 160,000 programs covering almost 100 years of television and radio from around the world. The museum’s exhibits are revolving, so you’ll want to check the website to see what’s on.
The Broad
The Broad Museum located in DTLA is easily one of my favorite museums. Entry to the museum is free, and the collection of contemporary art is top notch! Not only that, the building itself is a work of art.
Advance reservations are required, however if you don’t have them there is a stand by line. Check the website for instructions on how best to visit and for information on current exhibitions.
The Getty Villa
Located on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, the Getty Villa is dedicated to the antiquities, and features 7000 years of ancient art. Even if antiquities aren’t your thing, The Villa itself is a site to see.
Built in the early 1970s it was modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a roman country home that was located in Herculaneum, Italy. Herculaneum, along with Pompeii, was buried in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The Getty Center
If you’ve been to LA you might have noticed the Getty Center, a large white building perched on the hillside above the 405.
While the Getty Villa features antiquities through the fall of the Roman Empire, the Getty Center features American and European art from medieval times to the present. Not only is it considered an architectural masterpiece, but it’s surrounded by beautiful gardens and on a clear day the view of Downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean are spectacular.
The Huntington Botanical Gardens has something for everyone! Museums, a library and acres of beautiful and unique gardens, including a fabulous children’s garden!
Entrance tickets are all inclusive, but because the Huntington has so much to offer it would be tough to see everything in one visit.
Architecture lovers won’t want to miss a visit to the Neutra VDL House located on Silver Lake Boulevard.
Built by the famed Modernist architect Richard Neutra 75 years ago, the VDL house was named a National Historic Landmark in 2017. Tours of the home and garden are available, and are given by architecture students.
Try to time your visit to LACMA for sundown and you’ll see Urban Lights in action.
The Peterson Automotive Museum has a dedicated children’s area and parking lot.
If you’re short on time skip the George C. Page Museum at the Tar Pits and just view the outdoor exhibitions.
Be sure to check out CFAM’S calendar of crafting events for both children and adults.
Walk all the way around the Berlin Wall, so you don’t miss the fabulous art painted on the backside.
Entrance to The Paley Center for Media is free, as is parking in the building below.
Visiting the Broad? Consider eating lunch at Otium. Easily one of the best lunches I’ve had in LA.
Entry to both the Getty Villa and the Getty Center is free, but both charge a $15 parking fee. Entry to the Villa requires an advance reservation.
The Huntington Gardens aren’t technically in LA, but it’s worth the trek!
Admission to the Neutra House is $15 and tours are available on Saturdays from 11 am -3 pm.
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