Did they just say "last call"?!

I believe that London is the best city for museums--even if you think they're stuffy, you will certainly find at least one here to catch your interest. Best of all, they're all free--not only the admission, but also the tours and lectures. My favorites are the V&A (the sheer variety of things is amazing--kimonos from Japan, inlaid wood tables from China, enormous Persian carpets and, of course, the rooms with the forgeries), the Tate Britain (a great collection of pre-Raphaelite art) and the British Museum (after looking at the exhibits, head to the library and think of all the great people who have studied there). All the major museums also have constantly changing temporary exhibits, so make sure to look in the papers to see what's going on.

Quick Tips:

Don't neglect London's many lovely parks--this is the greenest city in Europe. St. James Park has hundreds of species of birds gliding about in the pond, and Regents Park has outdoor concerts in the summer and houses the London Zoo. Either of these parks or any one of the others--Green Park, Hyde Park, posh Hampstead Heath, etc.--are great for a picnic, a stroll, or an escape from the busy city.

It is also absolutely necessary that you sample the excellent, often reasonably priced Indian food that abounds in London. Try heading out to the East End and picking one of the places along Brick Lane.

Best Way To Get Around:

The tube is by far the easiest way to get around and is far more efficient and cleaner than the subway in New York or the Metro in Paris. However, if you don't want to spend half your time in London underground, and if you're really serious about learning the layout of the city, you have to get out and walk. Much of the tourist-frequented portion, from Westminster to Soho to Piccadilly, is quite walkable. There is a sense of pride that comes with slowly learning the layout of this sprawling city.

If you've ever wanted to relive your dorm years at college, then you definitely want to stay at The Generator. Everyone else will probably want to stay away. This enormous hostel has hundreds of mostly American students, and the people who live in the area are constantly complaining about the noise from this place every night. The Generator has its own bar that is open very late, and it seems that a lot of under-21s from the States are so enamored with this that they neglect to leave the hostel to see anything else in London. Still, the location and the prices are good, and it is very popular among teens.

Perhaps the quality and novelty have diminished somewhat over the last few years, but Wagamama's is still fun. The communal tables are okay, as long as you don't go when it's really crowded. Marvel at how many ways they can serve up with noodles--the servings are generous and filling enough without appetizers. The fresh fruit and veggie juices are also very good, if a bit pricier. These places are good if you are in a bit of a rush or want something reasonably priced.

There is some really great food to be had in London; however, it is not the best place for quality pizza. The Pizza Express chain is very popular with Londoners, and most of the locations are very busy at dinner time. The pizzas come with a wide range of toppings and are usually good enough, if a bit overpriced. The pizzas are not exactly huge, and if you are really hungry, you might want to order an appetizer or dessert as well. The Pizza Express in Soho has live jazz music, which makes it the pick of the crop.

This place might not look like much, but the massive crowds alone would indicate how good the food is. It's a bit chaotic--there's no waiting area, so people just stand in the aisle waiting for a table--but it's worth it. This is some of the best Indian food in a city renowned for its Indian food and, judging from the number of Indian people who eat here, it's authentic, too. Although I'm vegetarian, my friends all tell me that the lamb chops are to die for. The veggie dishes, such as chickpeas or baby pumpkin, are great too.

For anyone who is going to London for the very first time, I strongly recommend these tours, which are a great deal cheaper and much more fun than the outrageously priced bus tours. London can be so overwhelming on a first visit, and deciding what to do can be near impossible. I believe that the best possible way to begin is to take the Westminster tour on the morning of your first day, which covers the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, and a slew of other things, and finishes in Trafalgar Square. You'll be left with enough time to take a leisurely lunch and then set out to join the City of London Walk, which includes the Monument, St. Paul's, the Temples, the Tate Modern, and the Tower. These walks are very well-run, super-informative, and entertaining. Each one lasts 2 hours, and they're also very good for helping one learn one's way around. There are also a host of other, more specialized walks dealing with particular areas or particular subject matters.

I worked at Harrod's while I lived in London, and the place is just as surreal when you're working there as it is when you're only visiting. It is primarily a tourist attraction--the only English people who actually come here are either from the country or are "new money" sorts--but it's a marvelous one at that. From the gaudy Egyptian escalator (you have to look up to see the quotes from "Ozzymandias"--surely Al Fayed is being ironic?) to the bewildering food halls to the glimpses of celebrities great and small (or even Al Fayed himself--on official visits, he is preceded by several bagpipers), Harrod's is like no other place in the world.

Fabric is arguably the best-known of London's many mega-clubs, and it's still going strong, as the massive queue on the weekends will attest. It boasts several floors, each with different music, as well as a few more secluded (though not quiet) nooks and crannies where people who would rather snog than dance retire to. It's not cheap--student discounts only apply to UK students--but then, what night out in London is?

This small "museum" is a great favorite among people who have "done" all of London's big museums and are looking for something different. It is actually the private collection of the late Sir John Soane, and the works are arranged in his house pretty much as they were in his lifetime. I love places like this and the Frick collection in New York, because after your usual museums with echoing rooms, lined with paintings grouped by period or movement, it is a nice change of pace to see various artistic mediums and periods arranged together in a domestic, albeit rather posh, setting. I like to spend time in a particular room and imagine that it is my own house and what it would be like if I were sleepless in the night to stroll around, just looking at my paintings and knick-knacks.

When I was living in London, my three flatmates and I fell into that bad habit familiar to most metropolis-dwellers of "not taking advantage of all the city has to offer." The weekends would come and go, filled with takeaway curries, Blockbuster rentals, and not much else. We usually blamed our lack of cultural activity on our tight budgets, ignoring the fact that all of the museums are free. Plus, there was the tremendous distance, for we were "south of the river" (Clapham, to be exact), and taking the 5-minute overland train to Victoria was simply too taxing (to be fair, I thnk most would agree that navigating Victoria Station really is quite draining).

One weekend, though, we were determined to be good little culture vultures. The National Portrait Gallery had a new Beaton exhibit, and we decided that lovely photos of society women and old stars were just the thing. As we journeyed into the city center, we all wondered why we didn't do this sort of thing more often and vowed to see at least one new exhibit, sight, or show each week. All of our resolve was soon dashed out of us, however, when we arrived at the museum and learned that, since the Beaton photos were a temporary exhibit, admission was not free but rather a steep £8. We immediately agreed that this was outrageous and instead, in true skint fashion, went into the souvenir shop, picked up the corresponding book to the exhibit, and looked through that for a good 10 minutes, ignoring the disgusted looks from the cashier.

After leaving the gallery, we walked to Leicester Square, where we happened to pass the lovely Haagen Dazs Cafe. Two of my flatmates, Shan and Mel, had actually not been there before, so Helen and I decided it was really necessary that we go in for their sakes. We agreed to split a sundae, since we were all uncomfortably aware that the price of one sundae was very close to that of the exhibit we had just said that we couldn't afford. This seemed to make up for the fact that we had passed up art for brownies and hot fudge sauce. And our table did have a view over the square, so we could tell ourselves that we had gone out and experienced London.

Luckily for me, I was actually able to catch the Beaton exhibit several months later when both the exhibit and I were in Edinburgh, and for a fraction of the London admission price. Thus, all lingering traces of guilt were removed from my conscience.