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Seasonal in Edinburgh, Scotland

Monday August 30, 2010

urbanangel.jpgDespite its deep-fry and haggis reputation, Scotland is a cornucopia of fresh ingredients from land and sea — and both restaurants and the public are increasingly embracing seasonal foods as a way to eat healthy. You'll have ample opportunity to explore both sides of Scottish cuisine during your stay at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, but I'm going to focus on the healthy stuff here.

The best place to see the seasonal movement in action is at the Edinburgh Farmers' Market, which takes place on Saturdays in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle year-round. Get a look at the current crop of meats and produce, sample locally made cheeses and pick up a loaf of crusty bread to slather with fresh butter and preserves.

Or perhaps let Urban Angel do the cooking for you. This cafe, now with two locations, bases its menus on what's available locally and organically at the moment, delivering some fantastic breakfast and lunch dishes that don't break the bank.

Seasonality takes drinkable form at Demijohn , a "liquid deli" that turns fresh-picked local ingredients into wines, vinegars, liqueurs and other things, and allows customers to choose the bottle each comes in, from just a taste up to a year's supply. Elderflower vinegar made from flowers picked in late June is ready now, and the store is serving blackcurrant ice cream made with fresh fruit and blackcurrant gin.

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For an explosion of music, dance, pageantry, and so much more, start making your way to West London. That's where, from August 29-30, 2010, the annual Notting Hill Carnival takes place, filling the streets with 20 miles of vibrant, colorful costumes in the celebration of all things Caribbean. The festival goes back to 1966, when Notting Hill residents of West Indian ancestry organized a small gathering to share their cultural traditions with their neighbors. It has grown exponentially over the ensuing decades, and today is the largest street festival in Europe, welcoming more than a million revelers from all walks of life. This year's festival promises to be one of the biggest ever, and if you plan on checking it out, you'd better bring your appetite. With hundreds of Caribbean food stalls, you'll eat your fill of jerk chicken and conch fritters before you know it. But you'll need the fuel to shake your stuff along with a sea of costumed dancers, whose intricate headdresses, jewelry, and body painting signify traditions from Trinidad, Tobago, and all across the West Indies. Music is at the heart of the festival, and you'll groove to calypso, soca, steel pan, samba, reggae, jazz, hip-hop, and more. Before long, you'll be infused with the island spirit that pervades this little patch of the Caribbean in England. Starwood has hotels throughout London, including the Sheraton Park Tower, London.

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SA-at-the-British-Museum.jpgBritain has long been a nation obsessed with gardening. What fueled that passion to a dramatic extent was the discovery of then-new and exotic specimens from all over the world when British ships and British empire began to touch faraway shores. Novel species from those distant lands - North America, South America, China - were all the rage among the plant fanciers, which counted among their numbers not just wealthy aristocrats, but average citizens. One of the richest treasure troves of flora was found in South Africa, with its Mediterranean climate of dry warm summers and mild cool winters. An astonishing wealth of species are endemic to the area, and many of them are now utterly familiar to gardeners around the world due to their adaptability and xeriscapic qualities. On the west lawn of the British Museum, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have created a comprehensive South African environment in miniature, open and free to visitors all day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (through October 10, 2010). Striking species like bird-of-paradise, red hot poker, mountain aloe, agapanthus and sweet thorn acacia are just part of the walk-through landscape. Besides making connections to objects on display in the Museum's African galleries and to people of the region, the landscape offers a dramatic glimpse of the stunning wealth of floral forms and adaptations, and the importance of protecting South Africa's precious biodiversity. The British Museum is less than a mile from the luxurious Park Lane Hotel, and convenient to the Tottenham Court Road Underground Station.

[Image via British Museum]

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Grace Kelly epitomized 1950s glamour. As one of Hollywood's most legendary silver screen sirens and one of Europe's most beloved princesses, she had one heck of a wardrobe - a fact most of us know from the movies she's starred in and the numerous magazine covers she's graced. To see those ravishing frocks up close in person would surely be a fashion lovers dream come true. Here's the chance we've all been waiting for. "Grace Kelly: Style Icon" features the outfits she wore as both a "Hitchcock blonde" and in her post-movie star days as Princess Grace of Monaco.

The exhibition, which runs through September 26, 2010 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, traces the evolution of Grace Kelly's style from Hollywood icon to European royalty. A quick walk down fashionable Brompton Road from the Sheraton Park Tower, London, the exhibition includes the dresses she wore in classic films like High Society and Rear Window, the lacy suit she donned for the civil ceremony of her marriage to Prince Rainier, and the gown Edith Head designed for her to wear to the 1955 Academy Awards (she won the Oscar for best actress in The Country Girl). Get lost in the swirl of Balenciaga, Dior, Givenchy, and Yves St Laurent gowns she wore in the 1960s and 1970s as one of Europe's most beloved princesses. And be sure to take a look at Hermes' original Kelly bag.

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mahiki.jpgWhile there's a bit of a craze for zombies in pop culture right now, for some people, zombies never went out of style. Nor scorpions or volcanoes. That's right, tiki lives on here in the States and around the world. Particularly, it turns out, in London.

Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" name-drops Trader Vic's, which opened in London in 1963 and is still going strong. Werewolves prefer piña coladas, but the classic is, of course, the Mai Tai. Far less hidebound is Mahiki Club (pictured), a popular destination for celebrities, certain royalty and the paparazzi who follow them. It's not just for the beautiful people, though, and the drinks are well-made, if a bit pricey. It's also conveniently around the corner from the Park Lane Hotel.

The Sugar Cane goes the whole nine yards with the Polynesian theme, and specializes in rum drinks in both classic tiki tradition and some of their own. Try the fun Hairy Coconut or their own bourbon-and-rum Pacific South — and take the edge off with something from the kitchen, too.

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ork-thumb-300x307.jpgSometimes your eyes can deceive you - or is it your brain that tells the lies? Either way, you can have fun with the ideas of illusion and perception at Edinburgh's Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, one of the Scottish capital's oldest and most unusual attractions. Since 1853, visitors have gathered at the "Outlook Tower" for its camera obscura show, along with amazing views of Edinburgh and three galleries with a range of optical experiences. The camera obscura show is a delightful way to see Edinburgh, with live moving images of Edinburgh projected on a moving table through a giant periscope. The Rooftop Experience provides stunning vistas of the Royal Mile, the Pentland Hills, the Royal Observatory, and St. Giles Cathedral. The World of Illusions includes a Magic Gallery - complete with X-ray machines, kaleidoscopes, and virtual fish tanks - along with Edinburgh Vision (pictured), a collection of unique pictures of the city, and Light Fantastic, comprised of fascinating holograms from around the world. Learn how holograms are made, peruse the holo-portrait gallery, and get close to a hologram of a giant tarantula, if you dare. Edinburgh's Camera Obscura is a short walk from the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh.

[image via camera-obscura.co.uk]

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The green grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club will provide a dramatic stage for the world's best players this summer as the 2010 Wimbledon Championships get underway. The tournament - one of four annual Grand Slam events - is widely considered the most prestigious tennis event of the year, drawing hordes of enthusiastic fans who don their finest outfits for the matches and related parties. There's been no shortage of drama in the 133-year history of the games, from Spencer Gore's initial victory in 1877 to Bjorn Borg's five consecutive wins in the 1970's to the current reign of Roger Federer and Venus and Serena Williams, whose aggressive style and pinpoint accuracy have electrified spectators around the world. This year's tournament begins on the summer solstice, June 21, with 128 players battling in the singles events, 64 pairs in the doubles events, and 48 pairs in the mixed doubles matches. The ranks are winnowed down over the following two weeks, leading up to the final championships on July 4, 2010. And while you're likely to see familiar faces battling in center court, there's always the chance for a major upset, as the tournament has seen more than a few relative unknowns emerge from obscurity to earn their moment of tennis glory. Wimbledon is just 30 minutes from central London, home of Le Méridien Piccadilly and five other Starwood properties.

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Polo Photo 7.jpgOne of the biggest events on the British polo calendar is coming up this May, and St. Regis Aficionado and American Express want to help you make it an experience to remember. The St Regis Aficionado Polo Style Experience is the ultimate engagement in the "Sport of Kings," pairing the majestic halls of The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel with some of the city's hottest style icons to help you make a splash at the third St. Regis International Cup. The experience begins on Thursday, May 13th with a champagne reception at the hotel's Great Hall and afternoon tea at Apsleys, where the retail editor of Tatler magazine and the personal shopping manager of Harvey Nichols department store will curate four stylish looks in this summer's themes - white and ice cream hues with heritage twists. Spend a luxurious night at The Lanesborough and the next day a personal shopper at Harvey Nichols will help you select an outfit for the match that's sure to turn heads. Then, indulge in your choice of a revitalizing facial or body treatment at The Lanesborough's Spa Studio. On the day of the match, Saturday, May 22nd, join St. Regis Hotels and Residences at Cowdray Park. There, you will experience exclusive VIP access including St. Regis' legendary afternoon tea service. Enjoy an amazing view of the action in choice seating as the Audi-sponsored English squad faces South Africa in the season opener. Reserve The St. Regis Aficionado Polo Style Experience with any American Express Card, the official card of St. Regis Polo, by calling +020 7259 5599 by May 10th.

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Experience the Thames by Kayak

Friday April 30, 2010

River Thames Kayak Adventures.jpgThe River Thames has been one of London's most recognizable features since its founding more than 2,000 years ago, providing a means of transport, commerce, and recreation for generations of citizens. It's still one of the best ways to see the city, so if you've never had a duck's eye view of London, consider touring the Thames by kayak. Several outfitters will set you up with a kayak, all the necessary equipment, and some guidance as to where to go and what to see. Thames River Adventures, for example, offers tours for paddlers of all skill levels to some of aquatic London's greatest attractions. The Hampton Court Tour starts at Molesey Lock (built 1815) and continues to Hampton Court Palace in southwest London. The Regent's Canal Tour, meanwhile, begins at Primrose Hill Bridge and passes the London Zoo, Cumberland basin, Little Venice, Regents Park, and Lords Cricket Grounds. And those who are serious about paddling can take the Tower Bridge tour, which takes visitors along the tidal Thames past the Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, and other historic sites. The tours are available at sunrise and sunset, depending on your interests and the kind of evening you've just had. Starwood has hotels throughout London, including the Sheraton Park Tower.

[image via Thames River Adventures]

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London's Real Food Festival

Tuesday April 20, 2010

realfoodfestival2010.jpgThis spring, Londoners celebrate the bounty of local, organic and handmade foods at the Real Food Festival May 7-10 in Earls Court, not far from the Sheraton Park Tower in Knightsbridge. Featuring more than 400 producers of vegetables, meat, cheeses, chocolates and more, it's an excellent opportunity to explore the breadth and depth of England's food scene.

You'll also have the opportunity to watch cooking demos by some of Britain's top chefs, including Raymond Blanc, best known on this side of the pond for his "Last Restaurant Standing" reality show on BBC America; Giorgio Locatelli of Locando Locatelli; and Ashley Palmer-Watts of The Fat Duck. If you've got a sweet tooth, you might be particularly interested in Chocolate Unwrapped, a special section of the festival devoted entirely to local chocolatiers.

The fun isn't limited to the first weekend in May, either; the Real Food Festival has launched a weekly mini-festival at the Borough Market, running every Thursday in the historic market.

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