Summer in the City

Take a trip on the London Eye -- the enormous Ferris wheel down on the south bank next to the old County Hall building. A clear summer's day affords spectacular views right over the city and beyond. (See my London Eye journal.) Don't forget London's green spaces -- parks, Hampstead Heath, public squares, the commons of South London -- there are loads of them! Great places for a picnic, a breather, or just to sit and people watch. Some of these places are also good spots to be entertained -- keep an eye on Time Out and other listings guides for free concerts (classical, rock, folk, jazz, and more), free live theatre in the parks (especially Regents Park), children's events, and artists displaying their work from the park railings.

Quick Tips:

London can get pretty hot in the summer -- which means you'll get thirsty. If you're on a budget and want to pick up drinks to have on the go or to take to sit down with somewhere, try shops like Superdrug rather than expensive newsagents and convenience stores. Keep a lookout for bakeries, which offer meal deals (save money by buying a sandwich, crisps, and a drink together). To buy food for picnics, go to big chain supermarkets like ASDA, TESCO, or Sainsbury's, which are so much cheaper than the "7-11" stores and their equivalents.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walk!!! The tube is hot and dirty at the best of times, so in summer, take to the pavements. Places in central London are often closer together than you think and there's the bonus of saving money. What's more, you'll see more of London and more of the sun than you will standing in a crowded train, stuck in a tunnel with the sweaty armpits of your fellow handle-grabbers in your face!

This hotel is barely a minutes walk from Kings Cross station, making it well placed for public transport around the city.

At £46.00 a night for a double room with private facilities, this seemed good value to us. The room had been freshly cleaned and was comfortable. However, the receptionist was not inclined to be helpful when I asked for a non-feather pillow (I'm allergic to feathers), but I stood my ground and a synthetic pillow turned up. She said she'd send someone to the room with a fresh pillowcase, but no one came.

The bathroom (toilet and shower) was small but clean. Only one mirror and that was in the bathroom and the cord of my hair drier and sratightening iron wouldn't reach. (I was in town for a wedding so this was important to me on this visit, when usually I wouldn't have been too bothered). There was no window in the bathroom, but despite the extractor fan and keeping the door open, the mirror wouldn't de-steam when I wanted to do my make-up!

The fact that all the bedrooms have colour TV did not compensate for my vanity traumas! We were on the ground floor, which turned out to be noisy in the early hours as people returned to their rooms so we didn't sleep well. With some attention, the hotel could minimise the noise from banging doors and feet. There was also no fire notice displayed on the inside of the door, which concerned me a little.

Breakfast was served until 8.45am, which I thought was an early finish for a Sunday. It was small but tasty, though the coffee was very weak. We were chased from the dining room on the dot of 8.45am by the rather abrupt waitress; there didn't seem any need for this and other guests seemed as surprised as we were to have to forgo the last piece of toast and get going.

On a more positve note, the staff allowed us to leave our bags there after check-out as we weren't leaving until the evening.

Despite all the niggles, I would stay at this hotel again. It is good value; after all, you don't stay at this sort of place and expect the Ritz and all its trimmings. I would advise anyone though, to ask for a room that's not on the ground floor unless you're the sort that can sleep through an earthquake.

Initially we had not considered hotels of this standard because we wanted to spend as little as possible, but when this one turned up through a discounted rooms website we decided to spend a bit more than we originally intended.

Called the Thistle Islington, it is not too far from the Angel and Upper Street (the heart of Islington), and it is ideally located for Kings Cross and St. Pancras mainline train stations - within a couple of minutes walking distance but not so near that you get the sleaze that surrounds the immediate area of the station.

The rack rate should have been around 175.00 Pounds but we paid just 63.00 Pounds for a double room - a great saving and a very good price for a four-star hotel in London. When we arrived early on Saturday morning our room was not ready so we took up the option of having the concierge lock our bags away safely until we returned later in the day. When we did return we checked in and were told that we had been upgraded to an executive room which a quick glance at the rack rates showed would normally cost 214.00 Pounds. We found our room to be clean, comfortable and equipped with everything we needed.

The en-suite bathroom had a bath with an overhead shower and everything was spotless.

The bed was perhaps a little small - my partner is a shade over six feet tall and his feet were just over the edge of the bed, although this was due in part to the sheer bulk of the pillows. The bed was comfortable and we were not disturbed by traffic noise or noise from other guests as they came in and out past our door.

Tea and coffee-making equipment was tidily hidden away and there was a trouser press, hair-drier and television with terrestrial TV and radio stations and a couple of pay-per-view channels.

All rooms in this hotel have air-conditioning, which was greatly appreciated, as it was a hot night.

Breakfast was not included but was available for around 9.00 Pounds, which we thought, was a bit expensive and wanting an early start we preferred to eat elsewhere.

Service was OK - not exceptional or particularly friendly - the only contact we had with staff was at reception - the concierge though was pleasant and chatty.

The hotel also has a restaurant ("Faya") which serves a range of light meals and a variety of main dishes and there is a bar situated next to the hotel entrance. The Thistle Islington has secure parking spaces but these are limited. Reception can advise on price of parking and availability.

Providing you can get a reduced rate I would recommend this hotel unreservedly. Clearly you pay more for quiet and comfort but why pay over the odds?

We booked through www.lastminutelondon.co.uk but enquiries can also be made to

Islington@Thistle.co.uk

(Family rooms can only be booked through reception not through any websites)

The London Eye is a definite must! Erected to commemorate the Millennium, this is the world's biggest observation wheel, lifting passengers 135 metres over the Thames. On a clear day, you can see down the river past the Canary Wharf Tower with its constantly flashing red beacon and up-river to Windsor, more than 25 miles away to the west.

It's interesting to see where the well known landmarks are in relation to each other. When using the tube you miss so much of London and places seem much less far apart. But up in the air however, you realise a couple of things. One is that the real map of London bears no relation to the tube map, which has been stylised to make it look prettier and easier to fit all the staions in. The other thing is that the tube is a pretty fast way to get around, even though it sometimes seems to take an age.

The best way to do the Eye is to book in advance on line or by telephone. We booked about 10 days in advance and had no problems with availability. When you arrive, follow the signs to the ticket office and pick up your tickets. You then make your way to the queue, your advised to arrive about 30 minutes before your time slot. If you've booked a whole capsule, you need to make sure all members of your party are there because the Eye does not stop moving as it comes back round to admit passengers (except for wheelchair users).

As the capsule comes round, you step on and there is enough time for around 15 people to climb on board. The doors are shut and you're under way. You are aware of gently moving at first but then it becomers barely noticeable because you're enthralled by the amazing views. If you don't feel comfortable standing right at the edge of the capsule, there is seating in the centre of the pod. The ride lasts around 30 minutes and seems to fly by. At first it's hard to know where to look as you hear your fellow passengers pointing out new sights through the ride. From the second you step into the capsule until the moment you step out, it's breathtaking and incredibly exciting. At the very peak, the capsule swings over gently and all of London and beyond is laid out before you. Quite emotional . . .

The descent comes too soon and everyone is straining to spot just a few more sights. There is a recorded announcement telling you to stand in the corners of the capsule if you would like a souvenir photograph of yourself in the pod. These are available to buy a couple of minutes after descending.

The Eye costs £11 for adults until November and £5.50 for children. Yes, the price is high for what is a glorified Ferris wheel, but for a really memorable experience, it's worth splashing out.

What a great place to do some window shopping and given the prices that's probably enough. I'd heard about Hatton Garden long before I went there (to choose and engagement ring -- the wedding never came off but I still have a beautiful opal and diamond ring!)and reality exceeded my expectations. Historically Hatton Garden has been the centre of the diamond trade in London for several hundred years and this is where you head to buy something a bit special. Unless you are buying you are really restricted to window shopping as security measures mean that you must be buzzed in and out of the shops. However this doesn't spoil the experience of browsing and on a summer's day it's a lovely way to pass some time.

It's truly breathtaking to see all the sparkling stones as they twinkle and catch the light. It's like a mini firework display and you can't help but "Ooooh" and "Aaah" as you see something even more beautiful then the last. Iridescent opals, rich rubies, sumptuous sapphires and extraordinary emeralds vie for your attention. There are unusual pink sapphires that look like they would melt in your mouth like a boiled sweet, swirls of lapis lazuli of the deepest blue imaginable, golden pools of amber that you want to dive into . . .

For somewhere a bit different visit Hatton Garden, when you need a rest sit at one of the pavement cafes and spend a little bit of the money you've just saved by only window shopping!

This outdoor market is held on Sunday mornings at the South Bank Complex on the Thames. The main focus is books but there are also stalls selling video tapes, CDs and old maps.

The goods are laid out on tables and you can walk round easily. Some stalls specialise in a certain field (for example, there is one stall which has an excellent selection of books on film and theatre with a great choice of biographies), but most have a diverse range of books so it's best to have a good rummage around.

The atmosphere is laid-back and you can browse at leisure. There's no hassle to buy and prices are reasonable. It's also possible with some vendors to sort out a price for a couple of items together.

This market is best in summer when you can stroll in the sun, make a couple of purchases, and then sit in front of the South Bank complex with a drink to enjoy your purchases.

Like many of the pubs in this area, the Mitre is a mix of the traditional and the modern. From the otuside the Mitre looks like an old-fashioned pub with its big wooden door and old leaded windows but step inside and it's very much modern design with a big steel bar and contemporary lighting.

The Mitre offers a good range of (mostly) premium beers and some nice wines but also has a massive range of alco-pops and the latest trendy spirits and shooters like "Aftershock" and "Sourz".

The clientele is young-ish (predominantly twenties and thirties), but is a good mix and tends to be more media/music/arty types than a particular age group. During the day the music is fairly low-key but the volume tends to rise in the evenings. The Mitre is a good place to find out what's on and the window ledges are always teming with flyers for gigs, cinemas and theatre as well as leaflets for local groups (drama, reading, sports, gay and lesbian nights, etc).

At the rear, through the french windows is a pleasant yard with tables and chairs where you can choose to sit in the sun or in the shade. It's funny to think when you sit out here in the summer that the tube is whizzing through the tunnels under your feet and that just on the other side of the pub, the buses and cars are queueing at the traffic lights.

The Mitre is a comfortable, friendly and not too fashionable place to relax, meet friends or to have a break whilst checking out Upper Street.

What could be more typical of summer in London than a day at the tennis? Strawberries, Pimms, cucumber sandwiches, and a day of top-quality sport. Not to mention star spotting!

It's true that most of the best tickets are sold well in advance (you apply through a draw each December for the next year), but it it possible to enjoy a full day's tennis quite cheaply by buying a ground ticket, which means you can watch matches on all the outside courts (that is, everywhere except Centre Court, No.1 and No.2 courts).

You will have to get there early to queue, but there are lots of tickets available and half the fun is the queueing - there are often bands playing and there are sometimes goodies being given away (drinks, stickers, etc.).

Some of these courts have just one row of seats and you stand just behind if you don't get a seat; others are a little larger and have banks of seating on each side. Because the locker rooms are under Centre Court, the players have to walk round the ground to get to the outer courts, giving you a good opportunity to spot the stars.

You can wander from court to court, good if a match isn't very exciting, or arrive during a match and find a spot to watch from if the crowd noise sounds promising.

Refreshments are expensive - strawberries and cream, the traditional fare, is about 4 pounds, and you don't get many strawbs! There are several cafes and even a proper restaurant, but it's perfectly acceptable to bring your own food and drinks. If you want to splash out, though, the food is said to be good and there is often live music while you eat.

If people leave Centre Court early, they can return their ticket stubs to the box office, which are re-sold at half price and the money given to charity. This is a good way of getting onto Centre Court, as many corporate guests leave early, usually after lunch. We were naughty and simply asked people for their stubs, cutting out the middleman, but we did put a few quid in a collecting tin since we felt bad! This way we got to see Pete Sampras play in a great match, and the thrill of watching Centre Court tennis was immense.

(Be prepared to wait ages for a bus back to Wimbledon village in the evening - the queues are long!)