THINGS TO DO – Page 3

November 5, 2013 by: Sunny London

The Charles Dickens Museum and a curious conversation with Nan

Prior to living in London I was preparing for a holiday trip here and had one of my most memorable weekly phone calls with my Grandmother. Because she never had opportunities to travel internationally, she was very curious about life across the pond. She asked, “So, what do they do for Christmas over there? Do they celebrate it?”

I responded playfully to her innocent question, “Grandma! Helllllooo??? CHARLES. DICKENSSSSS. They INVENTED Christmas!”

Without hesitation, she fired back, “Sunny!!!! JESUS INVENTED CHRISTMAS!”

There’s nothing like a verbal smackdown from your 87-year old Grandmother.

While she is undeniably right, it also is fair to say that historians would support the fact that Charles Dickens shares responsibility for creating much of the way Christmas is celebrated today in America and the UK.

After my trip, I explained the similarities and differences between the cultures during the holiday season to my Grandmother, which I know is the information she really wanted through her question.

As we roll in to the holiday season, I feel it’s best to start by recognising one of England’s most influential literary and cultural figures.

On a beautiful sunny in London day, I visited the Charles Dickens Museum on 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury. It’s where he lived from 1837 to 1839 and wrote ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘Nicholas Nickleby’.

After paying £8 for an adult ticket, I spent about an hour and a half walking through the residence.

During my time, I stood in Dickens’ study. I’m sure any literary lover could appreciate how I examined the desk and books and attempted to transcend in to the mind of the author in the very room where he crafted his tales.

Another treat was walking around his Dining Room. As I stared at the artifacts, I envied how much information they had absorbed. I’m sure many great, colorful conversations were captured in these walls.

Throughout the home, there were treasured works of art crafted for the novelist.

In the basement, I enjoyed seeing the Kitchen, Scullery and Washhouse where servants maintained the household’s daily activities.

When I made it to the top floor, I saw the most powerful display. Dickens, a strong social commentator, made the biggest statement about his life to me when I stepped in to a room which displayed this…

The description with it indicated that Dickens forever wanted a reminder of his past by obtaining bars from the Marshalsea Debtors’ Prison in which his father spent time during his childhood.

Quotations from his very successful works decorated the room’s walls.

If you’re looking to celebrate the impact Charles Dickens made on the written word and the holiday season, a visit to the Charles Dickens Museum is well worth your time. The staff was exceptionally knowledgable and friendly.

November 14, 2014 by: Sunny London

Covent Garden Christmas and a Beauty Balm Giveaway!

Covent Garden Christmas celebrations have officially kicked off! For me, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year. Combining my favourite holiday with my favourite place in the world makes me burst with inner sunshine! And, to make things super spectacular for Sunny in London readers, I am hosting a giveaway with my favourite British brand… Neal’s Yard Remedies!

Ohhhhh yeahhhhh!

However, just before I share how you can win an extra special beautilicious treat, I am giving you the scoop on what’s going down in my #1 hood this holiday season.

Foremost, the halls have been decked.

Although you probably have seen pictures of the famous Covent Garden Christmas balls already on Instagram. They’re very popular each year. But, did you know I actually bought a coat to match them?
Yep. That picture is from December 2011. I was living in the US then. I had a sneaking suspicion that my London boyfriend was going to ask me to be his ‘Mrs’ over my Christmas visit. So, I planned perfect, photogenic outfits for my trip. When I saw pictures of the Covent Garden Christmas decorations, I purposely bought a coat to match them. Can you say ‘Disco Diva’?

Aside from getting pictures in front of the Covent Garden Christmas tree, I also wanted to pet a real live reindeer.

Did you know you can do that? Rudolph’s buddies became available last Saturday. They should be there every Saturday until Christmas from 12-4pm. My visit in 2011 wasn’t timed right, so I missed the opportunity. It’s #1 on my list of things to do this year.

Also joining the Covent Garden Christmas party for the first time ever this year is a giant 22-feet tall silver reindeer.
And, here’s London’s biggest and brightest hand-picked Christmas tree for 2014… It has 150,000 sparkling pea lights, Sunny friends!

You can read all about everything that’s happening in Covent Garden throughout the holiday season. But right now, I want to focus on one area- Neal’s Yard. This ‘street’ in the Seven Dials/Covent Garden area is where Neal’s Yard Remedies originated.

Why do I love them so much? It just makes tons of sense to give away one of their most popular products for this week’s #FaLaLaFriday celebration on Sunny in London.

There’s a gorgeous 10th Anniversary Edition of Wild Rose Beauty Balm waiting to land on the face of a super Sunny reader! The award-winning product can be used as a rich cleanser, gentle exfoliant or deeply nourishing balm. It’s without a doubt going to be my #1 British beauty product on my Christmas list.

October 25, 2013 by: Sunny London

Battersea Park, without a Boris bike, on a sunny London day

I had the courage to move to another country, but I still don’t have the courage to rent a Boris Bike.

For readers not yet familiar with this term…Voila!

Meet the Boris Bike, affectionately nicknamed after London’s Mayor Boris Johnson.

This bike sharing scheme began in 2010 and is a popular mode of transportation for Londoners. Well, except this one, who seriously lacks athletic coordination and the ability to maneuver a bike through crooked streets with high speed European drivers and big, big busses!

Since biking it isn’t an option for me on a Sunny in London day, I choose to explore and get exercise on foot. It’s much safer for everyone.

Many times I have gone for a jog through Regent’s Park or Hyde Park, because London’s parks offer such an invigorating experience, especially when the sun is in full force. On this particular day, I wanted to venture south of the Thames to see Battersea Park. Since I’ve only lived in Central London and North London, I have much to learn about what’s south of the river.

I took the Tube to Sloane Square, walked leisurely along the Chelsea Embankment and crossed the Albert Bridge to Battersea Park.

The Victorian park opened in 1858 and it’s most noteworthy landmark is the Peace Pagoda.

It’s too far for me to travel each day for a run, but for those who are closer, I learned the Carriage Drive Circuit is 2.8km and the Park “Boundary” route (Riverside Terrace and Street Pavements) is 3.5km.

However, strolling through the park and absorbing the scenery and serenity was well worth the journey. An extra special treat for this Sunny in London day was a lunch in the beer garden at the Prince of Wales Pub, a gorgeous Victorian pub which is one of the many Faucet Inn locations I have enjoyed since moving to London.

February 28, 2014 by: Sunny London

St Albans Market, Sun and Stinking Bishop Cheese

On Wednesday, Mr. Sunny and I ventured to the St Albans Market to enjoy sun and fun in this beautiful Hertfordshire town. To save money and to enjoy the pubs responsibly, we caught the 84 bus outside our flat and rode it to St Albans.

Aside from High Street shops and restaurants, like Sweaty Betty, Reiss and Bill’s, there’s the traditional St Albans Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is open from early morning until 4:30pm. It’s a great way to spend a sunny day!

With over 160 stalls, you can buy just about anything, including my favorite…. glorious, glorious, CHEESE!

In fact, Mr. Sunny introduced me to a new one that day. Have you ever had this?

I haven’t either. He purchased it, under the condition that he would keep it tightly wrapped on the bus ride home, so as not to bother or embarrass me. I still haven’t tried it. It’s quarantined in my in-laws refrigerator.

You can also purchase fish at the St Albans Market. Just as I snapped the above picture for you, the vendor asked the woman purchasing her fish if she wanted it “with the head on or off”. You would think this Florida girl could handle that. NOPE! I took off running! Luckily there was a luxurious spa just around the corner.

23 Market Pl, St Albans AL3 5DP

Once I had inhaled a proper dose of calming ingredients, I ventured back outside to meet Mr. Sunny. Since it was nearly 1pm, we decided to hit our first pub, The White Swan.

Don’t you just love their philosophy above the door? “Life is too important to be taken seriously.”

1 Upper Dagnall St, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 5EA

We ordered our standards, one beer and one red wine and enjoyed this traditional Irish pub.

Next, we ventured up the street and debated between these two pubs.

23 Market Pl, St Albans AL3 5DP

Since Mr Sunny is the beer connoisseur, he chose to strut his stuff in The Cock Inn, much to my chagrin.

I was pretty mortified about this experience, but I managed to cope by having another glass of red wine.

Next we spent a few minutes walking around the St Albans Cathedral, which had its beginnings around 1077. You can enter for free, but a small donation is suggested. They also offer guided tours.

Finally, we feasted at a highly recommended gastropub, the Peahen.

14 London Rd, St Albans, Herts AL1 1NG

We shared 3 starters.

Sticky Sausages (glazed in honey, mustard and rosemary, served with a mustard mayo dip), Homemade Scotch Egg with pork and herb brown sauce, Pate Kilner (chicken liver pate and clarified butter with tomato chutney and toast)

And, we enjoyed these entrees…

Salmon and Smoked Haddock Fishcake with parsley potatoes, wilted spinach and salsa verde

Sirloin Steak, 8oz sirloin steak with a grilled tomato, mushroom and fries

Mr. Sunny’s friend who lives in St. Albans also informed us that the Peahen does a fabulous brunch.

Visiting, the St. Albans Market is an excellent activity for a Sunny in London day. It started back in the 9^th century and according to their website, 60%of the traders have been there for 20 years or more.

Also, in St. Albans, you can visit Butterfly World, the Verulamium Museum, and the Roman Theatre. I’d love to hear about them if you go. And, if you’re a fan of Sinking Bishop cheese, I have some you can pick up… FOR FREE! HA!

October 31, 2014 by: Sunny London

Ho! Ho! Hotel Chocolat, a Tasting Adventure!

If you’re looking for a truly intoxicating date night, Hotel Chocolat offers the ultimate experience with their School of Chocolate! Mr Sunny and I spent an evening there captivated in metaphoric cocoa vaults. Here’s all the details for you, Sunny friends!

Through a two hour tasting adventure created for any passionate chocolate lover, we gained insider knowledge and tasting tips. And, we did this all right in London’s Covent Garden!

Hotel Chocolat Tasting Adventure:

We arrived early so we could interview Natasha, an esteemed chocolatier of Hotel Chocolat. She started with the company as a part-time, seasonal employee several years ago. Now, she teaches the classes offered through their School of Chocolate. Quite simply, she’s a chocolate super star.

Two other couples joined us for the intimate experience held below the chocolate store. As part of the course, each person receives 2 glasses of prosecco. Each couple’s table had a plate of bread, cacoa beans, ground cacao beans and a delicious looking bowl of white chocolate.

Well, that’s what I thought it was. Near the start of the class when I thought Natasha wasn’t looking, I went to grab a sneaky piece from my table. Stealthy Natasha immediately looked over and said, “You probably don’t want to do that.”

She informed us the bowl was filled with cocoa butter, which is the fat contained within cocoa beans. It’s also used to make lipstick soft. I did grab bits and pieces throughout the night, but I rubbed them on my hands instead. Ahhhhh so nice.

Anyhow, back to the beans.

Actually, I should say ‘pods.’ Here’s how chocolate looks before the beans. Check out the giant orange pod on my Tasting Tree below…

All of us received a Tasting Tree, which helped us identify descriptive terms for tasting chocolate. The branches had these categories: Look/Sound/Colour, Flavour and Aromas, Mouthfeel and Taste.

It was so much fun trying to determine if the pieces we sampled fell under categories like: Umami, Claggy, Mushroomy, Metallic or Lavendar.

We learned to ‘listen to chocolate.’ This meant snapping a bar like the one above in half next to our ear. A quick, hard sound meant the chocolate was very pure.

Hotel Chocolat first opened in 2004 in North London. They grow their own beans on a plantation in St. Lucia. Further, Hotel Chocolat creates their own recipes and makes chocolate fresh from their beans in their cafes.

Natasha explained the entire process of how Cacao grows and becomes delicious forms of chocolate. We learned how cacoa is farmed and harvested. From giant pods, beans are extracted. Next, the beans are fermented, dried, roasted, winnowed and ground. That, my Sunny friends, is the ‘conching’ process. It takes between 12-72 hours. It is when the mixture is kneaded and gently heated to develop flavor. However, it doesn’t taste very good at this point, at all!

We each got to sample the mixture, which was at the 18 hour mark. Natasha warned us in advance to be prepared. It didn’t have sugar yet. Whoa! If you could’ve seen my face after that spoon was empty.

Throughout the evening we altered between taking notes and sampling one glorious piece of chocolate after another. Of course, we sipped Prosecco often to cleanse our palettes. And, finally, I received my greatly anticipated pieces of white chocolate!

We learned the best ways to get to know chocolate, how to taste it and what to look for. I highly recommend this experience as a fun date night or gift idea. You can book a Chocolate Tasting Adventure by contacting their Tasting Team at experiences@hotelchocolat.com.

We went to the Hotel Chocolat on 4 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9HB. The class is also offered at Aberdeen, Boar Lane (Leeds), Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Manchester, Rabot and York.

Hotel Chocolat Experiential Events:

We also learned that Hotel Chocolat offers other experiences for chocolate lovers of all ages. Their ‘Bean to Bar Experience’ shows you how to make chocolate entirely from scratch. They also have Children’s Workshops! In these classes kids make their own chocolate. Apparently that class is appropriately messy too!

Hotel Chocolat In-store:

If you haven’t popped in Hotel Chocolat (which I’d find hard to believe), they have thousands of unique chocolate products. I especially like the boozy rows below…

And they have locations just about everywhere. I almost grabbed a few chocolate treats at the Waterloo Station store the day I went outlet shopping at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth.

Hotel Chocolat Christmas Gifts:

Here’s a few Christmassy treats they already have in the store, Sunny friends:

However, if you can’t make it, their website it really fabulous. I picked out a few more items for Mr Sunny’s Christmas stocking and put them below.

They’re the: Advent Calendar (£12.50), Christmas Jumper Slab (£5), 12 Portly Penguins (£7), A Bag of Christmas Stars (£16), Christmas Mess Selector (£3.75), Butterscotch Puddles (£5.50), and Jolly Santa (£7). All Christmas stocking fillers are £7 each, or 3 or more for £6 each.

Let me know what you think!

Here’s another tip for you… if you order a box of chocolate or two, make sure you check the box for the menu before you eat them!

Mr Sunny and I had a blast the night after our class when we opened one of our boxes and tried to guess all the chocolates. We didn’t find the paper indicating their names until we finished eating the box. Even though we got them all wrong, we still love Hotel Chocolat!!!

My absolute favourite piece I tried is Billionaire’s Shortbread. It was previously named Millionaire’s Shortbread. When so many Tasting Club members voted it as their favourite (yes, they even have a chocolate club), they upgraded the name to reflect its elite status.

Thank you, Hotel Chocolat for the complimentary evening. You’ll continue to see a lot of Mr. Sunny and me.

Oh! I almost forgot my final tip… Don’t call Hotel Chocolat to make an overnight reservation in the UK! It happens to them a lot. They only have one hotel- on the island of St. Lucia.

Sunny friends, we kicked off ‘Chocolate and Champagne’ week on Sunny in London with Belgian Chocolate and a trip to Brussels.

April 6, 2015 by: Sunny London

All Aboard the RS Hispaniola in London

What happens in London as the Spring season hits? Aside from everyone packing away their scarves and coats and enjoying longer periods of sunshine, it means the launch of Spring menus for nearly all the restaurants in London. The RS Hispaniola is no exception. In fact, Mr. Sunny and I had an exclusive opportunity to preview their new Head Chef’s first menu aboard the ship, which is a party of the City Cruises fleet in London.

Mr. Sunny and I arrived to Victoria Embankment a few minutes before the RS Hispaniola Spring Menu Launch Party started on the evening of April 1st. Since we had such a blast on the sightseeing cruise we took roundtrip from Westminster to Greenwich, we knew this City Cruises adventure would be fun too.

As soon as I saw the gangplank, I was very, very glad I left my high heels home for this event. This was no April Fools’ Day joke, Sunny friends. The angle is steep, and I am glad Mr. Sunny held my hands for balance as we entered the RS Hispaniola party.

The guest list featured a great crew of people who truly love London. Mr. Sunny and I immediately embarked with glasses of the Laurent-Perrier Brut champagne and began mingling with all the party’s attendees. This is a quick look at the interior of the RS Hispaniola restaurant.

For the event, we each enjoyed a three-course meal with exceptional wine pairings.

First, I selected the Smoked Mackerel Mousse with marinated beetroot, beetroot crisps and beetroot coulis as my Starter.

These are the Wild Mushrooms served with stilton cream, lemon, parsely, and toasted ciabatta that Mr. Sunny ate.

All the Starters are matched with Macon Villages ‘La Crepillionne’ Domaine Fichet 2013, a Chardonnay. The suggested food and wine pairing for the Mains is a Syrah. We had Domaine ‘La Croix Belle’ 2013.

I enjoyed the Seared Sea Trout, which is featured with vegetable brunoise, Puy lentils and bisque broth.

I’m sure we can definitely agree that the RS Hispaniola galley didn’t hold back on the lentils. 😉

Mr. Sunny, who always is a bit more adventurous with his food choices, ordered the Slow-Cooked Ox Cheek. That’s right. It is presented with carmelised onions, sauteed cabbage, Dauphinoise potato and onion rings.

Before we headed ashore, we each made sure to eat one of the desserts on the menu.

In keeping with the seasonal spirit of the upcoming Easter weekend, I chose the Chocolate Tart, spiced Orange segments and vanilla Chantilly cream. Mr. Sunny ate the Fruit Clafoutis with lime and coconut sorbet.

We both couldn’t resist taking this picture for you of the Blueberry, Apple and Pistachio Crumble. Can you say, ‘Pour some crumble on meeeeeee.’?

Mr. Sunny really liked the Jurancon Symphonie de November 2011, which is the dessert wine served with the final food phase.

Just before we began our debarkation for the evening, we made sure to grab a souvenir picture with all of our new friends from the RS Hispaniola party.

The Spring Menu on the RS Hispaniola:

– Features 22 European dishes from which you can choose.
– Includes other options such as Warm Wood Pigeon Salad and Lobster Thermidor.
– Has prices from £6.00 for Starters, £14.50 for Mains and £6.00 for desserts.
– Is the creation of Chef Barry White who has worked in kitchens across the globe from London to Jamaica and Thailand.
– Can be offered in a 3 Course Spring Set Menu for £28 per person.

And yes, they have an afternoon tea (which includes a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne) for £25 per person as well!

Aside from all the food we had at the RS Hispaniola Spring Menu launch party, we also loved the beautiful views of London from the ship. Mr. Sunny used his iPhone 6 to capture these pictures for you.

City Cruises has a fleet of 20 river vessels. Aside from Lunch, Dinner and Afternoon Tea Cruises, they also have Sightseeing Cruises, Sundowners, Riverdays and several holiday party events. As a girl who grew up in Florida and spent tons of time on cruises and boats, I want to give their ThamesJet experience a go. It looks like an outrageously great time. Keep an eye out for that one, Sunny friends. 😉

April 7, 2015 by: Sunny London

What to Wear to an Opera- A Pretty Woman Story

I opened an email recently that ‘was so good I almost peed my pants.’

That’s right. The email offered me two tickets to a show at the English National Opera in exchange for a feature on the Sunny in London blog. I had a choice among Queen of Spades, Carmen or Pirates of Penzance.

This is super exciting to me because attending an opera is high on my list of things to do in my life. Immediately, I sent a response that I wanted to move forward with the opportunity. And then, I started thinking…

‘Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.’

Growing up in Daytona Beach, Florida afforded me fantastic opportunities like living directly on the beach and regularly visiting theme parks. I have been to Disney World countless times and worked at Universal Studios in Orlando. While this lifestyle was fast and fun, it was also thin on highbrow cultural experiences. So, I have no idea what to wear to an opera.

Maybe I should not have sent that email response so fast? I started feeling a bit like Vivian in Pretty Woman. It became obvious to me that I need help getting ready for this event. Logic guided me directly to the source.

On a beautiful, sunny day in London, I made my way to Covent Garden to visit the London Coliseum, where the English National Opera is having these three shows. Who better to ask, right?

When I tugged on the doors, I was elated to find them open, so I made my way inside. As I moved quietly and carefully through the building, I could hear opera singing. Chills ran up my spine. The gorgeous sounds were coming from just beyond these doors…

I found a man seated in front of the rope and asked if I could pop my head inside to take a sneaky look. The answer was a very polite, ‘No.’ It’s what I expected, but figured I would try my luck. He thought my story idea for ‘What to Wear to an Opera’ was an interesting twist and allowed me to take pictures of the Box Office.

The helpful man also told me it might be a nice idea to look up as I made my way to the Box Office because the ceiling was well worth a shot or two. He certainly wasn’t joking.

I would like to tell you the details of this stunning artwork, but again, I missed all that art history training by spending too much time on the beach as a kid. Part of living in London for me involves catching up on those life opportunities and treasures.

I did, however, fantasize a bit about having tickets on a balcony, just like Vivian.

Next, I took a deep breath and approached the man selling tickets in the Box Office.

‘Hello, sir. I am attending my first show here soon and have no idea what to wear to an opera. Can you help me?’

He was very willing to share information. Here’s what I learned:

What to Wear to an Opera:

– The days of fancy decorum are sadly over.
– Most people attend the opera in London with the clothing they wore to work.
– Black Tie Dress Code is not required, nor followed by many.
– Some people wear jeans. Occasionally people wear hoodies.
– The London Coliseum does not have an enforced dress code for patrons.

I found this information to be a bit of a relief. It means I don’t have to purchase an expensive cocktail dress just for the event. However, it’s incredibly disappointing to hear that many people don’t respect the tradition of fine dress and actually wear gear that is more suited for the gym or grocery store.

As of right now, I still am not sure what I will wear. However, first I think I’ll probably try to take off a few pounds. When I asked a tourist also walking through the London Coliseum during my visit to take my picture, she asked me to turn slightly on an angle because ‘it always makes you look thinner.’ Hmmm…

Sunny friends, I do know which show I am going to see. Since this whole adventure already followed the emotional path of Pretty Woman for me, I picked Pirates of Penzance. In the film, Edward takes Vivian to see La Triviata. Unfortunately, that show was already featured February 9-March 13 of this year at the London Coliseum.

In the scene where Edward asks Vivian what she thought of the opera, she says, ‘It was so good I almost peed my pants.’ A gentleman near them inquires about her response, and Edward says, ‘She said she liked it better than Pirates of Penzance.’

It’s supposed to be a a hilarious show which will be Mike Leigh’s opera directorial debut. The plot has numerous unlikely twists, sentimental pirates and blundering policemen. Cast members include: Andrew Shore, Jonathan Lemalu, Robert Murray, and Rebecca de Pont Davies.

The show dates are:
– May 9, 14, 16, 19, 23, 29
– June 5, 13, 20, 21, 26, 27

If you’re interested in going, you can visit the English National Opera site for times and ticket prices. They are on sale now. The other English National Opera show dates on their way are Carmen (May 20-July 3) and The Queen of Spades (June 6-July 2).

The English National Opera also offers one hour long guided tours. During them, you can visit the old Gentleman‘s Baronial Smoking Hall, Stoll‘s Balcony, some Private Rooms, the Upper Glassed Terraces, the fabulous auditorium as well as the warren of staircases backstage including beneath the vast revolving stage and orchestra pit (when possible).

The London Coliseum, is known as ‘The Peoples Palace’; a theatre that was affordable to enter but which would also inspire a sense of wonder and excitement.

I am going to work on figuring out what to wear to an opera over the next few weeks and would love your feedback. Sunny friends, any help you can give me on the following questions is greatly appreciated:

– Have you ever attended an opera? What advice do you have for me?
– What would you wear to the opera?
– What would you have picked from the list of choices?
– Would you like to go with me? Mr. Sunny said he would graciously let a blog reader go with me as a special treat. Our show date will either be May 14 or 23. Just leave a comment below, if you’re interested in being my guest. Of course, any ideas on what I should wear are most welcome too!

Oh, and… ‘In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.’

March 7, 2014 by: Sunny London

Choccywoccydoodah Secrets- What’s behind the Chocolate Empire

For nearly 20 years Christine and Christine have been molding their chocolate fortune, Choccywoccydoodah. What started off as an idea launched by finishing a bottle of gin, is now a sweet international success. Sunny friends, I’m about to tell you the Choccywoccydoodah Secrets!

Aside from currently taping its fifth television season, Choccywoccydoodah is also days away from opening a second location in Brighton which features both a chocolate shop and café. The first one is located in the Newburgh Quarter of Carnaby Street.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Henry, the Director’s Assistant for Choccywoccydoodah, on one beautiful Sunny in London day.

30-32 Fouberts Place. Carnaby, W1F 7PS

When I first stepped foot in Choccywoccydoodah London, I felt like Dorothy opening the door to Oz.

It was an immediate transformation into the surreal as I sifted through piles and piles of chocolate goodies to meet Henry.

We headed upstairs to the café and ordered 2 chocolate drinks, a white chocolate and a mocha. Henry suggested the chocolate dipping plate for lunch. Oh Henry!!! (I think he’ll be my new BFF.)

Milk Chocolate Tiffin, White Chocolate and coconut tiffin, Toffee popcorn bars (in milk chocolate and white chocolate), Brownie, Blondie, Chocolate flapjack and Coconut macaroon. Served with molten chocolate.

For the next hour, we dipped chocolate in to molten chocolate, and I learned the secrets behind this magical kingdom.

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #1-

To create the beautiful designs, Choccywoccydoodah only uses Belgium chocolate. With it, they have made everything from popcorn lollipops to cakes (wedding, anniversay, divorce and even funeral).

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #2-

Celebrity clients have included: Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Collins, Rihanna, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Oh yeah, and Choccywoccydoodah made Elton John’s wedding cake. As you can see from this glittery list, their cakes appeal to those who are ready to go mad with chocolate design and fun.

To have a bespoke or custom made cake, a client needs to contact them via their email 3-6 months prior to the special date.

Here’s what they call a Taster Cake.

It features one layer of each flavor they offer (chocolate, lemon, ginger, coffee or coconut). Each one-inch layer is separated with a truffle filling in either dark chocolate, white chocolate, praline or champagne.

Previous designs have featured dragons, carousels, horses and even a full blown amusement park including a roller coaster! Here’s one of Christine’s favorites, a chocolate cabbage leaf.

Cakes start around £450 for 40-50 portions. The “Midi” is 2 feet tall and is from £795-£1000. It features 3 tiers and includes 120-150 portions.

Once they respond to your email, Choccywoccydoodah arranges a consultation in which they discuss your event’s themes, colors, venue and mood.

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #3-

Every design and creation is handmade. No machines are involved. In fact, Henry said he could easily name each person who made each piece of delicious candy in the store. Whoa!

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #3-

So how does one score a golden ticket for a job here? Henry indicated that there’s a close group of people who come from an array of artistic backgrounds on the team, which is more like a family. One of the bakers is actually a musician. The owners seek people with creative abilities and high problem solving skills, rather than culinary degrees. In fact, one of the Christines comes from a graphic design background.

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #4-

The London location has a Secret Room. Sunny friends, you are getting a peek today!

This room is available for corporate events, office meetings and team building events.

Oh, and Henry said they’ve hosted quite a few bloggers’ teas. Hmmmm.

Choccywoccydoodah Secret #5-

This year’s Easter theme is DINOSAUR EGGS! It would’ve been pretty sweet if I had scored a picture of the sample Henry showed me on his phone, but the eggs haven’t been officially hatched yet. You’ll just have to show up at the London or Brighton locations in about a week for your very own peek.

So, Sunny friends, I hope you enjoyed this sugary bit of inside information. Keep this great place in mind for Easter, or better yet Mother’s Day (March 30 in the UK).

P.S.- I’m still running off the calories from my chocolate lunch, but like Henry said, “It’s sooooo worth it!”

Special thanks to the staff of Choccywoccydoodah in London and Henry for an absolutely DELICIOUS day!

November 19, 2014 by: Sunny London

Rosewood London, Cabaret and a Sexy Video!

Rosewood.

That word kicks off one of the most acclaimed films of all time, Citizen Kane. Prior to this bursting dialogue, the audience sees a castle set far back from the road, encased in shadows and darkness. Orson Welles says the mysterious word, a snow globe falls from his hand and the mystery begins. From there, the viewer pieces together the puzzle. The puzzle ironically fits together through a blazing fire.

Ok. Before you go immediately scrolling down to the blog comments to correct me, I know the movie begins with ‘RoseBUD’ not Rosewood. But I couldn’t help but think of the beginning of this epic film as I approached the Rosewood London on a recent Sunday night. I was invited for Cabaret at Scarfes Bar. And it was epic.

Now, I’ve never been to a Cabaret. But, I have taught drama and acting courses, directed a few musicals and worked at a film studio.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect as I headed to Holborn, where the Rosewood London made its mark just over a year ago. However, knowing the edgy, yet luxurious reputation of the hotel which sits back in the shadows of the street High Holborn, I knew I would be dazzled.

I’ll describe the Cabaret at Scarfes Bar as ‘Explosively Sexy and Fun!’ I highly recommend it for a hot date night in a new romance.

Meet one of the powerhouse performers in the Cabaret at Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London. Prior to the show starting, cast members floated through the lounge in costume and character and mingled with the crowd. I asked her to pose for this picture just as the show started.

Normally I like a big barrier between a performer and myself. I quite enjoy a two dimensional suspension of disbelief. This is not the case at the Rosewood London Cabaret show.

The actors never made me uncomfortable as they sifted through the audience. Let’s attribute this to their outrageous wit and improv skills.

The show begins with Dusty Limits on the mic. He’s been on London’s forefront of the new cabaret scene since 1999. His vocal strength and magnetic presence make him clearly a commander of the stage.

Next, his co-star dazzles with sass and substance as she performs a solo song which stretches all through Scarfes Bar.

The banter among the cast members is fun, adult humored and engaging. As the night progresses, the sex appeal increases, and so does the amount of champagne poured for my table. I loved that the cast members sip some too.

This whirling beauty’s wings floated in the air, as her costume drifted off in to the night too. Yes, boys, I wasn’t kidding when I said this Cabaret is sexy.

The show is full of fun teasers and illusions. The night I attended there was a guest performer who captivated us all as he performed tricks on a chair.

And after one little intermission, our table really went topsy turvy with this tantalizing twist…

We even had another intermission filled with magic tricks and illusions at our table too.
For several hours, I sipped champagne, laughed and even wanted to jump on the bar and swing my groove thang. But, I kept to my better senses and left it to the professionals.
Every other Sunday at Rosewood London kicks off with the same dramatic fashion. Just follow the mysterious fire in to the hotel. Trust me, the story that awaits you at Cabaret in Scarfes Bar is a hell of a lot sexier than the one behind the doors of Xanadu in Citizen Kane.

I can tell you the show is every other Sunday and starts around 7:30pm. The show is for age 18+, and you need to book your tickets in advance. It also stars Lili La Scala, Valeriya Murzak, Sammy Dinneen, Vicky Butterfly and Laura London, as well as cabaret trio Tom Carradine, Tom Mansi and Jonathan Kitching.

If you want the scoop on where the best table is located, I can tell you that too. Just message me 😉 Or, if you need Rosewood Hotel reviews and rates, click here.

What I can’t tell you is just how edgy and sexy this show can be. But, maybe, if no one’s looking over your shoulder, you might click on this little video below that I made for my peeping Sunny friends. Go on then…. I won’t tell anyone.

July 9, 2019 by: Sunny London

London Escape Room in a Pub- Handmade Mysteries Review

Who would ever think that Mr Sunny would ever enjoy a London Escape Room in a pub??? He would actually do anything to try to stay in a pub as long as possible!

When we were invited to experience an Escape Room with Handmade Mysteries, I was a little hesitant at first because I am a total chicken. When we went to the Halloween at Thorpe Park press party a few years ago, Mr Sunny and his mate loved their Escape Room experience at the park.

I literally sat on a bench and worked on my social media while I waited for them because I was too scared to try this new phenomenon.

When the Handmade Mysteries invitation came, FOMO got the best of me and I asked Mr Sunny if he would be my guest. ‘Partner in crime’ would probably be the more applicable name!

london-escape-room-in-a-pub-handmade-mysteries

As the blog and Sunny News YouTube channel’s English food and beer consultant, he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to go. I think he was secretly hoping we would lose and get trapped in the pub forever!

London Escape Room in a Pub: Lady Chastity’s Reserve

We chose to go to Farringdon/Clerkenwell for our London Escape Room in a pub experience. I love the area and it is easy for us to get to from North London. We also liked the quest’s narrative in Lady Chastity’s Reserve. This immersive experience challenges you and friends with an hour of hilarious clue solving as you attempt to win Lady Chastity’s fabled aphrodisiac wine.

Aside from our location, The Hope Pub in Central London, it is featured in:

The World’s End, Brighton
People’s Park Tavern in East London
The Four Thieves in South London
St James of Bermondsey
The Depot in North London

Handmade Mysteries make immersive escape rooms for those who wish to escape reality and enter an entirely new world. In the game there are no screens, goggles or wires. It’s just you, your team-mates and a strange new quest filled with bizarre clues and contraptions that will make your head spin.

London Escape Room in a Pub: The Game

Our game host ‘Gabrielle’ greeted us in character and did a fabulous job of maintaining her role throughout our experience.

Obviously, I am not going to ruin anything for you because that would be no fun. I can tell you the game is well organised. The clues varied from fairly easy to challenging. Mr. Sunny solved most of them. Part of the problem was that I wasn’t expecting to be in darkness for the whole experience.

I was afraid something would jump out at me, and jump scares aren’t my thing. A partner is pretty useless in this circumstance when she insists on keeping her back to the wall in an attempt to not be frightened by the unknown. That was me- useless.

Mr Sunny searched and sorted through nearly everything as I decided my job was going to be to hold the torches (flash lights) while I stood against the wall. Lame. Lame. Lame.

It happened to be mid-day and about 72 Fahrenheit also. That’s actually not that hot. But, when you’re in a blacked out room with no open windows and just two floor fans blowing, it became hot- FAST!

We were both sweating a lot. To me, this was distracting from the game and made it harder for Mr Sunny.

Luckily, he still kept focus and worked with energy and enthusiasm to find and release Lady Chastity’s reserve wine bottle.

Our host, Gabrielle did everything possible to help us during the three times we were allowed to call for her. She assisted in moving us through clues we couldn’t not crack, and didn’t just solve the puzzles for us. She was a real star in the adventure.

London Escape Room in a Pub: Final Thoughts

Sadly, we didn’t release the bottle of wine and our time ran out. For some reason, I thought you got to drink the bottle of wine at the end even if you lost the game. That’s not the case.

I am grateful that the Handmade Mysteries team keeps the prize as a prize and doesn’t take a snowflake approach and give everyone a trophy no matter if they win or lose. However, I guess if I had known that you really don’t get the wine if you lose, I would’ve tried to overcome my fear of the dark faster.

That still doesn’t change the fact that I struggle to pull a clue out of a clue bag. What are your experiences with London Escape Rooms? Add in the comments what you think makes the experience great.

Mr Sunny had a fab time. He highly recommends going to an Escape Room in a pub because he got to take his beer with him. Can you believe that he got so involved in the game that his beer got warm?

I really liked that we were by ourselves, especially in a small, dark room.

If I could be guaranteed that no one would jump out at me (and BTW no one did at this experience), I would love to have another Escape Room experience with Handmade Mysteries.

Perhaps a winter themed one?

It’s something that you definitely want to book ahead, if you are considering going to the London Escape Room with Handmade Mysteries. I mention it as a top activity to book ahead in this video that’s less than 5 minutes.

Handmade Mysteries combine immersive theatre with live action gaming, for total escapism:

Each game room is built within a space at pub venues, so players can begin and end their adventure with a leisurely drink.
Games are hosted by dedicated actors who remain in character from the moment your team are first ‘encountered.’
As assault on all senses. The décor, sound design, music characters, clues and rigged furniture are all carefully crafted with meticulous detail.
No screens.
Silliness is taken very seriously. Comedic value is seeped into every part of the game.

They have very high ratings on TripAdvisor. This shows that even though our experience was complimentary, Handmade Mysteries offers a fun opportunity consistently.

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Rosewood London, Cabaret and a Sexy Video!

London Escape Room in a Pub- Handmade Mysteries Review

London Escape Room in a Pub: Lady Chastity’s Reserve

London Escape Room in a Pub: The Game

London Escape Room in a Pub: Final Thoughts

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