It’s Proms season!
Actually, it’s been for quite a while, but I hadn’t managed to make my way to the fanciest of all music festivals.
Or so it was until yesterday, when I left work early and Uber-ed my way to South Kensington for an evening of classical music at the Royal Albert Hall.
Continue reading “Kensington stroll and night at the BBC Proms”
It’s Proms season!
Actually, it’s been for quite a while, but I hadn’t managed to make my way to the fanciest of all music festivals.
Or so it was until yesterday, when I left work early and Uber-ed my way to South Kensington for an evening of classical music at the Royal Albert Hall.
Founded in 1895, The Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts held annually in the Royal Albert Hall.
Often described as “the world’s largest and most democratic musical festival”, it’s a very civilised affair indeed; no mud or camping here; it’s all about the Champagne and classical music.
And to some extend, the queues… But well, when the best tickets in the house are only £5, I suppose it’s only fair game.
Having picked up a couple of raffle tickets, we left the Royal Albert Hall behind and raced off towards South Kensington to pick up a few bits for a little pre-concert improvised picnic. 
After contemplating our many options for a quite a while (and deciding that a pudding-only meal wouldn’t be reasonable despite how delicious everything in La Patisserie des Rêves‘ window looked), we settled for an old favourite: Comptoir Libanais. 
We picked up enough baba ganoush to feed a small army (and a few baklawas too, I simply couldn’t resist that amazing window display) and carried our feast back to the Royal Albert Hall. 
Soon after we returned, we were led into the Royal Albert Hall.
From then on, my jaw didn’t stop hitting the floor for the entire evening.
The architecture, the music, the company… Everything was perfect and made for one of the best nights I could ever have wished for.
For obvious reasons, I didn’t take pictures of the concert so I’m afraid you’ll have to go check it out for yourself some time soon!
Have you ever been to the BBC Proms?
My parents are visiting next week. Which would be all good and exciting and everything if my dad didn’t happen to not be the biggest fan of big cities (this sentence is quite an understatement of his actual feelings towards them) and wasn’t sacred of “being bored” (his words).
So obviously, I started compiling lists (yes, plural!) of things for them to do when they’re here (boredom doesn’t stand a chance against my list-addict superpowers!!). Here are my top 10 must-do!
1- Walk along South Bank 
… It’s been proven that it is impossible to get bored of these views!
2- Notting Hill
It simply would be rude to ignore pretty pastel houses.
3- ALL THE PARKS! 
Are we actually in the middle of one of the biggest cities in Europe? Yes? Really? (Also, deers. If that doesn’t win my dad over, I don’t know what will.)
4- Borough Market 
Markets in France are very different from what we get here in London (mostly produce-focused vs mostly street-food focused) and the Borough Market miraculously manage to mix both concepts perfectly. Plus litterally ALL THE FOOD!
5- Climb the Monument 
Best view at the best price (+ extra exercise!)
6- Walk around Covent Garden
It’s just so pretty. Also, there are pies. And tea. Which is basically my idea of heaven.
7- Take a peak of the best museums 
My favourites include The Tower of London, the V&A and the Museum of London.
8- Have a pub dinner. (pictures from last week’s very succesful dinner at The Pig & Butcher. Really good food inc. *THAT* Brulée Rice Pudding.)
A great way to prove that British food can be very (VERY) good indeed and make your mum stop sending absurd care packages (my own mum has gotten better lately though, she doesn’t send pasta anymore!).
9- Teatime!
10- And most importantly, catching up on everything and spend time together!
And if this happens to be over a few rounds of cocktails or some cake, well, what can I do about it?
What do you like to do in London with visitors? Anyhting I should add to my list?
Cake and Whisky 