Best things about living in London

in this post - some of the best reasons to live in London

Best things about life in London

8 million people.  From all over the world.  In one big crazy city.
It's an amazing place like no other on the planet, and having lived here now three plus years, we can appreciate the qualities that make London truly unique, truly wonderful.

1.  London is a very liveable city because of its efficient transport system and multitude of green spaces.  Yes, it's confined, and you'll find yourself living in a much smaller space than in most parts of the USA, but the underground will take you almost anywhere and there is usually a green space within your reach that will allow you to breathe in some fresh air and feel like you can escape the city pressures.

2.  The variety of activities, events and businesses reflects the strengths that London has in the areas of the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport.  If you get bored in this city, you clearly haven't left your flat.

3.  The diversity of people, foods, architecture

The world seems to converge in London.  Every kind of food from around the globe is available.  You will meet people from every corner of the world.  And you can be walking in London, looking at the White Tower in the Tower of London, which dates back to the 1000's, and at the same time view The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe, just completed in 2013.  

4.  No need for a gym!  

Your own two feet will get you most places in London, and your waistline will thank you.  Heavily obese people are are rarity in this city.  You must be active to get around and navigate this great place.

5.  The Eurostar

Want to go to Paris?  Done - you can be there in a couple of hours!

Prefer to visit Belgium?  Again, you're there in a couple of hours.

And no airport security!

And you arrive right in the centre of your destination city.  No airport shuttle needed!

6.  The supermarket groceries - fresh fresh fresh and no preservatives

You've made your grocery run, now you're set for the week, right?  Wrong.  Most grocery items will expire within days of purchase.  The availability and variety of fresh foods far surpasses the nasty canned, frozen and preservative bursting food supply in the USA.

7.  The museums

The museums in London house some of the most amazing ancient artifacts, modern works and everything in between.  Best of all, most of the museums are free.  The British Museum, The Tate Modern, The National Gallery, and the Victoria&Albert are among the most visited.

8.  Transportation - the tube and buses

The tube is a bit pricey, but it is clean, safe, and the fastest way to get around London if you're traveling more than 1km.  The buses are a bit slow, but you get a lovely view during your travel, and sometimes it can be faster than the tube if the bus is direct.

9.  The climate - mild, moist

Many people complain about the London weather.  True - it is wet, chilly and often gusty.  However, it is mild.  It's never too hot (rarely) and never too cold (rarely).  The moisture means my skin is rarely dry and cracking.  As long as you've got a good raincoat and a gust-proof umbrella, you'll be happy!

10.  It's easy to travel all over Europe and beyond

With EasyJet's affordable prices and Heathrow nearby, the opportunities to explore beyond England beckon.  Only four hours or so to Northern Africa, Scandinavia; and a day flight to the Middle East...the sky is the limit, truly.  Now getting to those airports can be a hassle...but once you're there, the choices of destinations around the world are endless.

11.  Mobile phones are cheap 

You can get a mobile phone for as little at 10 US dollars and get a pay as you go plan so that you only pay when you use it.  We found out such great deals are not available in the USA.  Of course iphones and high-end smart phones are still very expensive, but plans are cheaper, and better!

12.  Shopping for everyone

You'll find it all in London.  From high-end luxury goods to dirt-cheap sweatshop goods.  You can shop in charity stores and department stores and unique boutiques, all in one day.  

13.  The theatre

Theatre is for everyone in Britain.  It's not considered fancy, and you'll see every kind of person at any given show.  Tickets are more affordable than in the USA, and the variety of shows is outstanding.  

14.  There are green spaces around every corner - the parks 

In one of the world's busiest cities, there is pollution, sometimes just too many people and crowds, and you may want to escape to the countryside!  Lucky for you, you are probably not far from a nice green park space - some of which have amazing forests and trails and a real out-of-the-city feeling.  Parts of Hyde park seem curiously removed from central London.  Head up to Hampstead Heath, and you're quickly engulfed in the forest and lost among the trails.

15.  The BBC
I secretly credit the BBC for the high intelligence of the general public in Britain.  You really can't turn on your radio or television and not tune into a BBC station.  No nasty commercials, just the real deal news, great shows, in-depth programs, and all kinds of music.

honorable mentions:
the PUBS
the MARKETS

Oh London, we will miss you....you've been quite good to us....

country girl in the big city

Living in central London thrust us into contact with quite an interesting crowd - a crowd we are not used to bumping into. 

Prior to our move to London, Dave warned me that "we really shouldn't be living here" and that we were a "bit over our heads".
Not really understanding what he meant, I shrugged all that off.
Now, after three years, I guess I know what he was talking about.

My simple tips on how to "stay grounded":
-get outside and hit the green spaces as much as possible
-keep life simple
-others will be afflicted with major affluenza, stay away so you don't catch the disease yourself
-write a blog entry (voila!) of all the things that have shocked you (the wealth, fame, etc. - unknown in our homeland circles)

Here's your new home - all 500 square feet of it!
It all starts with London housing prices.  To live in central London, you either need to be in Council Housing (aka subsidized housing/social housing), be ridiculously wealthy, or have some sort of housing allowance.  We fell into the last category.  As ex-pats, we were offered a certain amount of money to cover part of our housing.  When we began looking at what we could afford for that amount, we realized we would need to supplement quite a bit if we wanted something more than a one-bedroom flat.  Our first place was quite small, a 3-bedroom townhome.  We soon found out we were over-paying for it, and at the end of the one year lease, we searched and found our current place for slightly more money but twice the space.  A fantastic decision.  But while we lived there, we had to walk many times a week up a gorgeous street called Avenue Road, where the mansions are jaw-dropping.  One in particular seemed to be well-guarded - there was always a weapon-yielding security man posted, sometimes more than one.  We learned it is the home of the Israeli Ambassador.  A couple of recently renovated homes on Avenue Road have been on the market for 80million GBP (a bit over 132 million dollars, but who is counting?).  It's really convenient that there is a large indoor pool as well as underground parking for 15 vehicles.  You can also rent a more modest mansion on the street, at a mere 25,000 GBP per week (that'd be about $42,000)....for the week (I repeat).

The American Ambassador lives in an Estate in Regent's Park, which is the 2nd largest private home in London. After Buckingham Palace!  We were invited to the Ambassador's home for a parent reception and I must admit, I felt pretty important that day, ha!  During the Olympics in the summer of 2012, students from the school were invited to participate in some celebratory events there, which included famous athletes, the Obamas, and even David Beckham.

Celebrity encounters....
Our first place was near Primrose Hill Park.  Primrose Hill attracts quite the celebrity crowd. Kate Moss and Jude Law are among the famous former residents.  Current residents include Gwyneth Paltrow, Sadie Frost, Gwen Stefani....of course the most famous current resident is One Direction's Harry Styles.
Friends of ours sometimes end up at the playground with Gwen Stefani and her children.  People say that they see Sacha Baron Cohen in the area, dressed in bohemian "I'm not a celebrity" style fashion.

Paul McCartney lives in St Johns Wood, on Cavendish Avenue, and some mums from school have actually done yoga with him at the Cricket Club.  Many people I know have seen him locally.  Our son is a huge fan of Paul, and recently worked on a biography of him for school.  While he was working on it, one of his classmates said, "Oh, I see Mr. Paul all the time, our moms are friends".  Yes, of course!

I have not had regular encounters with celebrities.  Some people seem to see them regularly, or just have them as friends.  During a conversation another parent just mentioned "Well when we were at dinner with Jamie Oliver..." and continued blah, blah, blah...I had to hit my head to keep following the conversation.  Ok, so I have had a couple of celebrity spottings myself.  Once I walked across the street with Emma Thompson.  And on two occasions I saw Gwyneth Paltrow at the local leisure centre - once I almost ran into her, literally.  She looks amazing - just like in the photos. Helen Bonham Carter and Tim Burton live in Belsize Park, just a short walk from here, and apparently have a genius living arrangement where they essentially each have their own home with a connecting area between the two homes for common family space.  Sounds brilliant!

At a school coffee recently I was chatting away with a couple who were talking about being in London for the "entertainment" business.  Later I learned that I had been having coffee with an Academy Award winning director who is currently working on the Mission Impossible 5 movie - lovely people!

Parents at our children's school are award-winning writers, rock-star band members, hedge-fund owners, traders, bankers, West-End stars, CEO of premier league football clubs, oil executives, heiress of massive Indian realty estates, dignitaries, etc. etc. etc.  And then there are a handful of us at the school who are nobody important (it's not such a bad thing, really...who wants to manage all that staff anyways), or here with the US Foreign Service, or teachers at the school itself!  It is a fascinating mix!

Money money honey!
Yes there is money money money in this city.  Stuff doesn't phase us anymore.  Like all the luxury cars - the Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Bentleys and Rolls Royces....they just become part of the scenery.  Meanwhile we schlep around town on our own two feet, scooters, bikes and city buses. Ok, sometimes the tube or a private hire car....
But the conversations are what really fascinate me.
You overhear people talking about their travels to the Maldives, their Safaris, and their catered Ski Chalet holiday.
Their properties to which they don't even have time to visit.
You find out they are wondering if they should consider having the family fly coach class - so the kids know what it is like - because of course, they have never traveled anything but first class.
When your child comes home from a playdate and tells you that there are elevators and butlers and drivers at the friend's house.
When someone asks you about your "staff" and you truly, really do not have any.
When your child goes to a birthday party and comes home with a party "favor" that is three times nicer and more expensive than the actual birthday gift you offered.
When the bar-mitzvahs and bat-mitzvahs are so over-the-top, at the most exclusive London locations, with pop stars as entertainment, like Pixie Lot.
When you learn that someone who moves here from India has never ever carried her own groceries before.

Our neighbors are interesting and wonderful people.  Across the street, the children go to school with the Beckhams (at Wetherbys), yes, it's the same school Prince William and Harry attended.  Another neighbor's husband works in Dubai.  But the family resides here, and he comes home most weekends. She doesn't cook, so she has a daily chef.  Next door is a lovely couple who have lived all over the globe.  They don't have children, so she enjoys traveling the globe on her own while her husband is busy working.  She has nice staff who tend to her home.  Sometimes she comes to yoga and pilates classes with me at the leisure centre.  Last year, a lovely American Embassy couple lived on our street, and they lived to travel.  They went on 20-30 trips per year.  They had a map in their entry way that was covered with pins marking their travels.  And when they are not traveling, they are attending shows - about 200 per year.  It's amazing the things you can do if you don't have children!  Currently there are a few other Embassy families on our street who are in similar boots to ours, and they're very down to earth.

We have a very nice man (who we believe is homeless) as a friend.  He is at our leisure centre every morning with his large bags.  We see him so much, he's like a friend.  We always greet him and sometimes make small talk. He reads the London Financial Times and passes the day in the library. He'll tell you his car is parked a ways off, and that he is working on his pension.  But I'm not so sure. He's friendly and doesn't ever beg or cause any trouble.  He's just there.  Every day.  And has been for a couple of years now.

It is all very, very interesting.  Stuff that we will never forget, for sure.
And we fully accept and embrace the fact that deep down inside, we are small-town Minnesota folk and that is never gonna change.

THEATER in London

In this post...an ongoing update of Larson theatre outings

London has arguably the best theatre in the entire world!!

After living in London about a year, I was lunching with a couple of girlfriends, when the topic turned to theater.  One of them was going to see a show that weekend, and wanted to know if we others had seen it.  "No, we haven't been to the theater here," I replied.  WHAT??  The eyes popping out of their heads, the shrill tone of their shrieks, the absolute look of astonishment nearly knocked me off my chair.  "You're joking!" they said.  They really couldn't believe we had not been to the theater.  I should be charged with a crime, they sneered.

Another one of those "wake up girl!" moments (I have many many many of these), I began to wonder what the big deal was.  And then I did realize what the big deal was.  Here we are, living in the theater capital of the world, and we are passing the opportunity to experience what many people pay large sums of money just for their airfare to get here and take in a show?  As everyone knows, I'm a research girl, so I immediately took to the internet and began asking friends about how and what to see.  Unfortunately, the "must-sees" are also the "break the budgets", so some insider info helped me navigate the system.

First of all, if you can get to the TKTS box office in Leicester Square the morning of the day you want to go to the theater, it can be worth the trip.  This is the go-to place for last minute sales.  Yes, as you exit any of the tube stations or walk in the general area of the West End, you'll see lots of places advertising "last minute tickets" discounted tickets, lowest prices, etc.  The deal is that you don't get better than the TKTS booth.

http://www.tkts.co.uk/how-to-find-tkts/

And you can sometimes get tickets for later in the week at the booth as well.  Check their website for more information.

As a Londoner, I have no constraints of when I can get to the theater.  Obviously you can save a lot of money by going to matinee shows and weeknight shows.  This has been about the only way we can get our whole family to the theater without costing a small fortune.

When planning in advance, I recommend the following site:
http://www.comparetheatretickets.com/

Like travel comparison websites, the site actually compares the cost from several different ticket sales companies to get you the best price.

Finally, I'll pass along the best advice I ever got from a local here (thanks Laurel!!).  She is a theater-loving fanatic, and she said, "I'd rather go to the theater many times per year than only go once or twice and have the best seats.  If I'm in the theater, I'm there, and most of the theaters in London are quite small venues with decent seating even in the cheap seats."  WELL SAID, and this is another way we've been able to go multiple times, we don't splurge on front row.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN
Our first theater experience was...FREE!!  Another tip from my theater loving friend, this organization puts on top-notch theater outdoors and it does not cost you once single pence.  You just gotta get there early and be willing to wait in line!  If I remember correctly, we queued about an hour prior to the show.  But it WAS worth it!  We saw "Around the World in 80 Days"
http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/event/225150/around-the-world-in-eighty-days

Around the World in 80 days Scoop outdoor free theater Sept 2011


Top Girls Trafalgar Studios Oct 2011


Julius Caesar Stratford Upon Avon, Royal Shakespeare Company June 2012

Thriller Oct 2012

Les Miserables with Mike & Kay May 2012

Stomp with the Orban family Oct 2012

Jersey Boys with Glenn & Dorothy Sept 2012

Matilda January 2013

Top Hat July 2012

Chariots of Fire Hampstead Theatre June 2012

Dick Whittington and His Cat Hackney Theater  Panto!  Jan 2013

Old Times with Kristen Scott Thomas 23 Feb 2013

WICKED! March 2013 with Hoffs & Ally with bday party Feb 2013  (Ally's favorite)

Responsible Other Hampstead Theatre June 2013

Spamalot Playhouse Theatre Aug 2013

We will Rock You Oh goodness I don't remember when we went!

ONCE the musical Phoenix Theatre London Oct '13  (Dave's favorite)

The Book of Mormon Nov 12, 2013  (Warning - this show is horribly vulgar, to be honest it went too far for me and I cannot say I recommend it.)

The Lion King - Visually, this was jaw-dropping.  The music and acting were not amazing, but the scenes and the way they create the movement of the animals is just awesome.  With Morgan and Lisa Mellum.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  With the kids for Christmas.  This top-notch show put together by big names stands in a league of its own.  

Fuerzabruta at the Roundhouse.  December 2013, for our 19th wedding anniversary.  Very interesting - can you picture clear pools of water with swimmers floating in them descending upon you?

Let it Be.  With Mike and Kay January 2014.  Like going to a Beatle's concert.  No story line, just songs.  We sang along to every one!

Rapture, Blister, Burn.  February 2014 at Hampstead Theatre.  We didn't have high expectations, but this little production kept us on our seats and laughing too, despite the dark situation unfolding before you.  

I Can't Sing - the X Factor Musical  March 2014 London Palladium
Dave didn't have high ratings for this show, but the rest of us were busting our guts.  Lots of stupid British humor.  The whole thing is outrageous, but just good simple comedy - FAMILY FRIENDLY which we really appreciate.  I think comedy is hard to do with a musical and my review is that they pull it off pretty well.  

Phantom of the Opera March 2014

R&D, Hampstead Theatre October 2016

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party January 2017

Our ladies of perpetual succour July 2017

The Humans October 2018

Heathers November 2018

Adventures with guests - Larsons in London guestbook

It's time to share the guestbook!

We have been blessed with many guests while living here in this great city.

This causes us to take on a sort of stay-cation and enjoy the highlights and tourist attractions.  After living here a while, we have abandoned many of the outings we did so frequently in our early days when we were so excited to explore London!

I must admit with each visit there is a different flavor.  With gratitude to my Grandma Dorothy (my dad's mother) who loved having people at her house and seemed to always have visitors, hosting people in our home has become one of the greatest joys in my life.  We are not fussy - there's nothing fancy here - but it's great fun to spend time together.  In this busy world, sometimes it's difficult to even get together for a cup of coffee.  When a guest comes to stay, you get more than the cup of coffee.  You get some shared experiences, meals together and overlapping lives.  So, this post is dedicated to those who have come to bless us with their presence!

April 2011
The Simonis family from Belgium!  Our first visitors and the only ones to see our temporary housing!

May 2011
Our first US visitor was my cousin Stacey, a world traveler!

June 2011
Dave's brother Chris came to visit for a weekend while he was in Europe for a medical conference

October 2010
Our partners in this ex-pat life, having been sent to Switzerland about the same time we came to London:  the Homan family!

November 2011
Julie and Mark Berg from New Prague - my college bestie and roommate (and a quick visit from Karen Kleindl and her husband too)

The Wohlfords from Edina, one of Jonah's besties Josh

 The Bulsons - our original pals in the early days of parenting!  Now hailing from Boston, they also came in November and overlapped with the Wohlford's visit:

MARCH 2012
Dave's brother Chris (2nd visit) along with Angie, Hannah and Leo!!

APRIL 2012
The Hage family came to visit - and they will be the only ones who stayed in both our first rental place and our second one (in fact, they were here during the move, and what troopers they were!)

MAY 2012
Kay and Mike!!  Grandpa and Grandma Larson!!
After only one night in London, we whisked them across the Channel (well, under the Channel really) on the Eurostar to visit PARIS for the weekend!

End of May 2012
Michel and Valerie Royen-Quittre from Belgium

JUNE 2012
Homan ladies come for a mom's weekend with kids!  and the sun did shine!

SEPTEMBER 2012
Glenn and Dorothy!  GRANDPA AND GRANDMA VanAmber!
An ancestry search (yes, I really am part British!) and visiting the oldest historic site in England

End of October 2012
The Orban family from Brussels - my Belgian sister =)

March 2013
LADIES FROM MN!

Easter 2013 Homans from Switzerland.  They've come to London several times, but they love the city so much that we are hard pressed to get to see them while they're here ;)

JUNE 2013
Bobbi & Ryne Prigge (my sister and niece)

December 20-24 2013
Morgan and Lisa Mellum

Dec 29, 2013 to Jan 5, 2012
Kay and Mike!
First a week in Italy =)

Trevi fountain, Rome

The Vatican

Florence

Mike's favorite - David

Gelato as much as possible!

Dean, Kirsten and Kaitlyn from Eau Claire, WI
The March winds blew over some guests from the Midwest - my cousin Dean and his wife Kirsten along with her daughter Kaitlyn, who is a senior this year, and this trip was her senior year gift. Awesome!  She's a fantastic golfer and part of their visit included a haul up to St Andrews.  That destination has been on our list since arrival, and with their help we now have a visit scheduled in early June for Dave and Jonah.
Dean makes a mean Wild Rice Soup, and they won massive points with the kids by bringing a hoard of Annie's noodles with them!!

Happy Midwesterners atop Primrose Hill

A brief visit from Dave's brother Chris, Angie, Hannah & Leo
They had already been in Europe basking in the Spanish sun.  We were able to take them captive for only a couple of days, but in that time we had some great cousin relaxation time and took in a tour of the Chelsea stadium and a brand new show in the West End.

APRIL 2014
Becca and Dylan
Drum roll please....all the way from New Zealand!  Yes folks, from the Southern Hemisphere!  My sister and her delightful Dylan came to stay with us.  Boy did they see London and beyond.  They had an adventure every day, seeing so much.
They saw so much that you'll have to click and link to her blog to read all about it!!
http://mn2nz.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/england-overwhelming-but-totally-awesome/

We had a great time with them, enjoyed some board games, dinners together and an especially fun day trip to Warwick Castle.  Becca made us vegetarian chili, they played games with the boys one night so Dave and I could take Ally to her swim practice and grab a quick dinner together, Becca had an egg bake prepared for the morning after we returned from Egypt, and they had nice bonding time with Snowy Victoria (the guinea pig) while we were away.  Thank you Becca & Dylan!

Not enough time with my sis....too many miles between the continents!

The kids didn't want them to leave!

MAY 2014
Eric & Francine Hiertz from Chaineux Belgium, where I lived in 1989-1990 as an exchange student and have held close to my heart ever since.  Wonderful, warm people...fun to explore London together. We had a lovely Mother's Day brunch at Chamomile Belsize Park!!  Every day Eric, Francine and I went on an adventure and they usually spoiled my with lunch somewhere.
Je vous embrasse tous les deux....

Sadly, the London guest book is going to be closing soon =(

Next up...my parents will come to help us with our final days and return with the kids so we can wrap things up and bid adieu to this London life....

I hope we haven't forgotten anyone….