Sketch out of this World...

Champagne in the Parlour

Have you ever been to a restaurant that can make you feel like you are travelling through different eras and genres? One minute you are enjoying a drink in a swanky parlour and the next you are enjoying dinner in an explicable pink art gallery. Every centimeter of Sketch was planned out so flawlessly that they even managed to make a trip to the toilet unforgettable. In fact Sketch is so incredible that even if the food were horrendous it would draw people in for the unique environment alone, so once you consider the top notch quality of the the food anyone could understand why Sketch is a must see London hot spot.

Boasting a two Michelin star restaurant called the Lecture Room, Sketch is a culinary mastermind creating tantalizingly tasty dishes. The Lecture Room is a cozy restaurant reminiscent of a modern twist on a bourgeois club/restaurant from the 20s. With comfortable armchairs around well dressed tables one can relax while feeling incredibly posh.



If you can not manage to score reservations for the two Michelin star Lecture Room then it would hardly be a hardship to wrangle a reservation for the Gallery. The modern art gallery surrounds its guests with original works of art from the walls to the tableware. Its menu, totally inspired, takes the familiar and unfamiliar and molds them into culinary masterpieces, food in the form of art to compliment that gallery in which you sit. Undergoing a total remodel every two years, the Gallery is a fluid canvas that evolves with the times, keeping up with the hottest trends of the art world.

Interested in visiting Sketch but either couldn't get a reservation or don't have loads of money to spend on food? Visit the Parlour or the Glade for a deliciously comforting menu in a luxuriously sexy setting and enjoy a divine cocktail while you wait.

Whether you are there for dinner or just fancy, you must pop into the East Bar to enjoy the hip and artistic atmosphere. Great for casual conversation with friends or an unpredictable date night with a loved one, this bar provides an intimate setting in a club like atmosphere for a classy & exclusive night out on the town.

(Check out this video walking through the restaurant... you will be surprised where we end up...)

Dinner in the Heavens

Aqua at the Shard:

Enjoying a delicious 3 course meal that melts in your mouth with every bite, the amount of food on your plate is only disappointing until you look up and find yourself admiring the never ending views of London surrounding you.

Aqua is located on the 31st floor of the Shard offering fine dining with a spectacular view. Floor to ceiling windows enable guests of Aqua Shard to catch a glimpse of every inch of London, historic and new, in all of her glory. Specializing in British cuisine, the menu provides a delightful taste of British culture to London tourists and delectable versions of local delights to her British guests. With locally sourced ingredients, the knowledgable staff can easily tell you where the food on your plate has come from while giving you a detailed description of the delights listed on the menu.

Boasting a brilliant breakfast and dinner menu,  the real highlight of Aqua Shard is the set menu for lunch. To visit the Viewing Gallery at the top of the Shard it costs £30 if you buy it on site and all you get to consume is the view. However, for £35 you are served a three course meal and get to dine among the heavens taking in the breathtaking views of London all around you.

I happened to go for a celebration in the sky in honour of my fabulous aunt's birthday. However, providing more than just a felicitous occasion, this restaurant left a taste in my mouth and a stunning vision in my mind that I want relive over and over again. Now a staple on my London tourist circuit, Aqua at the Shard provides the perfect lunch with a view to break up a full day of tourism in London.

(Equipped with naught but an iPhone I have only a few pictures, none of which do it justice. To see more visit, www.aquashard.co.uk)

Afternoon Tea at the Ritz

This bear has been in hibernation for the holidays and what better way to wake up from a long sleepy winter than with food! Over my next few posts I will be treating you to exquisite fine dining across London.

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You only live once and the one beautiful undeniable fact is that we all need to eat to survive. So why not treat yourself to some fabulous food with an unforgettable experience. London is one of the many major metropolitan cities around the world where foodies can unite to indulge themselves. With an endless array of choices, one can dine inside the mind of a brilliant chef, eat among astonishing history, and enjoy the height of sophistication in the local culture.

On my most recent trip to London, as a celebration of various events, I was lucky enough to find myself in three deliciously exquisite London hot spots and each experience left an imprint that will forever remain in my soul. 

We will start out with my childhood dream and go for tea at the Ritz before visiting my next two hot spots later this month. 

The Ritz:

There are not words to describe tea at the Ritz. Elegance & sophistication, opulence & grandeur these words don't even begin to shed light on the palatial hotel and the overall royalty of the experience. Sitting in a crowded room one would not expect to have such detailed and individualized service but the Ritz (unsurprisingly) delivers an experience like no other.

The highlight however, (and rightly so) is not the service but the food. Deliciously delicate sandwiches, richly sumptuous cakes, and warm decadent scones never disappear from the table, despite how many you eat, as they are refilled before you can even notice they are gone. Mouth watering from the bottomless nibbles, hot tea is the perfect compliment, refreshing your pallet while quenching your thirst. The wide array of loose leaf teas on the menu are impossible to choose from as they all sound so delicious, yet luckily you can choose as many as you like given there is room in your tummy and on the table.

Although this culinary adventure is not inexpensive at £50 per person, it is worth every penny. So if you are going to London (and will have the spare time & money) then why not indulge and book yourself afternoon tea at the Ritz. (Just don't forget to the dress the part or you may not be granted entry.)

Hiking along the Speyside Way (Aberlour - Dufftown)

Day 3:

Having arrived at Claggan Farm B&B late the night before, we weren't actually back up and out on the trail until 10am. It was yet again a crystal clear day and stepping out of the farmhouse we packed our jackets into our bags and put our sunglasses on to face the sun. The owners of Claggan Farm were incredibly friendly & helpful, going out of their way to direct us to the Macallan Distillery via a field of happy cows. Sticking to the fence line we did our best to avoid the various obstacles scattered along the way. From bogs to cow dung, ravines to trees, we were busily navigating the fields that would deliver us to the distillery in record time. Hiking up the hill following a tractor path into the back side of the Macallan Distillery and past all the warehouses, that ever so familiar smell of "the angel's share" began to waft past our noses and our excitement began to build.


Our tour of the Macallan distillery was simply put, superb, and we left feeling like proud whisky-know-it-alls. Extremely satisfied with our experience at Macallan we decided to dedicate the rest of our day to the trail and hiked back along the River Spey in towards Aberlour before heading back up into Craigellachie. The tall grass still speckled with morning dew soaked our boots and kept us moving. The river is such a brilliant blue and the bank is covered in such rich greenery you expect to see the Scottish whisky angels dancing around on the other side of the Spey to the rhythm of the water rushing over the stones.

Only leaving the trail to stop in the Speyside Way visitor center, we stocked up on some homemade tablet and enjoyed the exhibition. The visitor center is a great stop for anyone whether they are hiking or not as it gives you some interesting information about the trail to go with a detailed 3D map of the Speyside Way. Heading back out on the trail, happy to be stocked up on emergency sugar we continued following the river into Craigellachie for dinner.

This was the walk in which we encountered the most life, ducks made their way up the river, fish leaped out of the water to see how big they could make a splash, and dogs faithfully followed their owners to their favorite hunting & fishing locations. It was fascinating watching the fly fisherman make their lines dance across the water in the hopes of enticing a gullible fish to go for their handcrafted fly. Taking in the life thriving around you while listening to the cadence of your step with nothing but the sound of your own breath intermingled with the rustling wind, rushing water and chattering birds is the most serene and freeing way to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and truly feel free.

As it had come so highly recommended, we were disappointed to learn that the Craigellachie Hotel was fully booked for dinner. However, continuing on to the Highlander Inn was hardly a hardship as it was hands down the most quaint, characterful, & homely pub we visited on the entire trip. With a whisky selection to rival the Mash Tun, we sampled a few (relatively) rare drams and after soups to warm the soul, we shared an order of the most delicious fish & chips and a perfectly cooked steak & ale pie.


Perfectly sated we rolled out of the Highlander Inn and wandered back towards the Craigellachie Hotel to experience the legendary whisky bar that had only just been reopened with a vengeance. The bar, more like a library of whisky, boasts 750 bottles of Scotch filling every inch of the bookshelves surrounding the room. Large inviting chairs and a wide open balcony inspire a true sense of luxury as you cradle your dram enjoying every last drop of the whisky you never though you would be able to try.

Finally ready  to head back to Claggan Farm with the clock approaching midnight, we decided to do the sensible thing and cheat by taking a taxi back to the farm.

Day 4:

The final day of our hike had finally arrived. We gathered our things and set off to Dufftown, Malt Whisky Capital of the World and home of the Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival. The road from Craigellachie to Dufftown takes you past several distilleries including Dewars, Balvenie, and Glenfiddich along with intriguing tourist stops such as the Speyside Cooperage and the Dufftown - Keith Malt Whisky Rail Road Line. With Dewars closed to the public and Balvenie impossible to get a reservation for without booking a minimum of 6 weeks in advance, we were excited to stop at the cooperage and Glenfiddich.

There are few trades quite as fascinating to watch as coopering. Not only providing us with a decent snack and a basic education on the production of casks, the Speyside Cooperage allows guests to observe the coopers hard at work refurbishing each and every cask that rolls their way. Standing with my face glued to the window, we remained watching the coopers prove their mastery of their trade long after the rest of our group had left admiring the skill and dedication they put into perfecting each and every cask.

With Glenfiddich just down the road and not wishing to spend the whole day watching coopers work, we set back out onto the road to venture on to the next distillery on our list. Beginning to wander along the road, we were pleasantly surprised when a cheerful couple offered to give us a lift. Heartily accepting their offer, we bummed a ride the 3 miles to the distillery, and arrived with plenty of time to spare before our Glenfiddich 'Explorers' tour was due to start.

The tour was a brilliant success and we left excited for the kick off of the whisky festival. Hiking along the Speyside Way was the best way to visit the distilleries because, not only are you being sensible and not drinking & driving, but you learn to understand and appreciate how the Scottish wild, protected so dearly by the whisky angels, plays such a huge role in the flavor and depth of your whisky. So take it from me, if you are a Single Malt Scotch lover and you find yourself in Scotland, pull on your hiking boots and dedicate some time to hiking along the Speyside Way.

Hiking along the Speyside Way (Glenlivet-Aberlour)

Day 1:

Getting dropped off at Glenlivet on a dry but ominously grey day with just enough blue sky to patch a sailors trousers, we hiked back towards Ballindalloch along the Speyside Way Tomintoul Spur. The Speyside Way follows  the River Spey however, if you fancy a detour there are several spurs you can fork off on. This particular 17 mile spur takes you along the River Avon to the River Livet past the Glenlivet distillery and on to Tomintoul. The Tomintoul spur is mostly uphill and was by far the most challenging (and rewarding) leg of the trip.

Luckily for us there was a diversion and after hiking along it a good ways, we managed to get a little lost. Going into full adventure mode we backtracked and eventually managed to find our way back to the trail, coming across a helpful map to show us where we were and how to better navigate the area. Comparing the map of the Glenlivet Estate to our Speyside Way hiking map, we figured out how to get to the farm that would lead us to the deceptively large Hill of Deskie.

As we hiked up the Hill of Deskie we watched the Glenlivet distillery shrink behind us, eventually disappearing completely into the distance just as we rounded the top of the hill. Prepared for rain that never came, we were pleased to be in our waterproofs as the grass damp with dew soaked our bottom halves. The only life we saw along the trail was the occasional herd of cows meandering away while maintaining a watchful eye as we traveled through their land.

Luckily for us the portion of the trail that we hiked (in addition to the extra mileage required to reach the B&B) was 11 miles instead of the 20 it would have been had we hiked in from Tomintoul. Checking in to the Woodville B&B long after night fall, we showered and fell into bed having completed our first day. I wouldn't necessarily say the Woodville B&B is the ideal place to stay if you are travelling on foot as it is off the A95 at the top of a hill. However, the cheerful owner, heavenly bed, gorgeous en-suite rooms, scrumptious breakfast, and stunning setting, made it our favorite B&B of the whole trip making it well worth the extra effort we had to take to get there.

Day 2:

Up early to be greeted by stunning blue skies, we set off from our Bed & Breakfast well fed & rested to tackle our second and longest day. We cut through the fields, straight down from our B&B towards the Speyside Way where we  began our 17 mile journey towards Craigellachie. If one were to simply follow the trail to Craigellachie, it is about a 12 mile walk, however with the detours we had planned we were looking forward to the extra 5. Walking along the trail you are following the road upon which the old rail road tracks used to lie. Once again not passing a single soul, we made our way down the trail in total tranquility, taking in the birds song and the rustling of the wind in the trees. Every so often we would cross over an old bridge and as we walked we could see the river rushing below us through the gaps in between the boards. We eventually turned off the trail and made our way up the B9138 towards Marypark turning on the A95 to visit the Glenfarclas Distillery.

An old copper still glowing in the daylight draws you in towards this stunning little distillery. Tucked away in wide open fields far from the road and protected by the Glenfarclas Woods, it appeared as if it were the set of an old film. Walking through the front doors of the visitors center, we were disappointed to learn that we had unfortunately barely just missed the tour. However, all was not lost as we were able to have a tasting to sample the full range of flavors found in the 10 through 30 year old whiskies. It was here that I learnt that Glenfarclas, a 175 year old family run distillery, produces my favorite dram of whisky, the incredibly smooth Glenfarclas 21. Yet despite my pallate's protests we had to head on from Glenfarclas and kick it in to double time in order to make it to Aberlour in time for our tour.

Hiking up the A95 is not ideal, and had we had the time to head back to the Speyside Way and hike along the trail we happily would have. However, on a deadline with the clock counting down to our tour, we legged it down the A95 at a pace of 4 miles an hour arriving at Aberlour a little under an hour and a half later with 10 minutes to spare.

Our tour of Aberlour Distillery was top notch and by the time we left we were several drams in and desperate for a hot meal meaning the only answer was to wander down to the Mash Tun in the hopes of getting a table for dinner. Dinner at the Mash Tun is a must in Aberlour. It is true one is not spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out in Aberlour but the choices available to you will totally spoil you! The Mash Tun is a renowned whisky bar with a brilliant menu and a wide range of drams. Luckily for us, we arrived an hour before food was served and were fortunate enough to snag the only table which hadn't been pre-booked. It is always fun watching locals mingle with tourists, so we sat and people watched as we sampled a few more drams of whisky before dinner. By the time dinner was served the whisky had warmed us to our bones and we devoured our delectable meals in an instant. You can not go wrong when picking out a savory dish at the Mash Tun. (As a bit of a sticky toffee pudding connoisseur, I must admit I was slightly disappointed with their sticky toffee but everything else was to die for!)

Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail - Plan Your Trip Today!

There is no better way to dive into the world of Single Malt Whisky then to embark on a distillery adventure marathon along the Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail. If one were so fortunate as to have unlimited time & money, one could easily visit all of the distilleries along the trail. However, with the number of distilleries spotted across Speyside, if you are the average walker with a deadline, you will have to make some tough choices & decide which distilleries are going to the make the cask.

There are many companies you can have organize your walk. They book your B&Bs, organize your baggage transfer, and provide you with maps and timelines (Check out Macs Adventure or Absolute Escapes). You still have to book & pay for all of the distillery tours but the logistics are all organized for you.  However, as I am a person who gets a kick out of planning trips my own way, I decided it would be best if we carried our bags along the way and saved some money.


Not having enough time to hike the entire trail,
the way  I wanted to, I chose a specific section of the trail based on the distilleries within it and planned our hike accordingly. Typically the trail is hiked from North to South as the terrain becomes more challenging as you work your way south towards the hills. However, with the distilleries we wanted to visit, the time we had available, and the tempting Whisky Festival at the end of our week, we decided to travel it in reverse working our way North. With the basics figured out we finally had it sussed, we deciding to hike from Glenlivet to Strathisla along the Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail for 4 days, our goal was to stop at as many distilleries as possible on the way.

In pursuit of the ultimate Speyside distilleries experience, I got hard at work to plan accordingly, doing the maths and making the calls to determine what the best plan of action would be. The key to planning your own whisky hike is using the official Speyside Way Trail Map as a guide (be sure to buy the Harvey Map). This is the only way to accurately gauge your planned mileage for each day and book your accommodation (or pick your campsites) and distillery tours accordingly. Just don't forget to be generous with your time. Sitting at a desk planning a trip, it is easy to become over zealous with your estimated mileage and pace, making it challenging for you to actually enjoy the trail as you are constantly rushing to make it to the next scheduled tour.

Once the distilleries had been selected, I booked the Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs), and then booked our tours with the distilleries. Luckily for us, three weeks out, the only tour that was fully booked was Balvenie, and now the only challenge would be putting in the miles to make it to each distillery in time for our tours!

Top 5 Tips for Exploring London (Affordably)

As a Brit, I know I am biased, but London truly is my favorite of the large metropolitan cities (with Paris following in at a very close second). London is so rich in history and culture I could happily just wander the streets with a smile on my face the whole time as I take it all in.

When convincing someone to visit London, one of my biggest selling points is that the public transportation is so good and the roads are so well signposted that it is a safe and easy city for anyone capable of reading a map to navigate.

Whether you have never traveled before or you have circumnavigated the globe countless times over, London needs to be on your tourist destination checklist.  Yet with that being said, there is no denying that while London has an endless possibility of things to do and see it is not renowned for being the world's most inexpensive city. So I have written for you this list of my top 5 tips for exploring London affordably to help you visit this glorious city within whatever budget you may be able to afford. (For tips on getting to London on a budget check out my tips for traveling without  breaking the bank)

Travel Using Either Big Bus Tours or the London Underground

• London in deceptively large and with everything there is to see it is easy to "over walk" yourself and end up exhausted, so do yourself a favor and take advantage of the public transportation!
• Hop on & hop off: A Big Bus Tour is a fantastic way to be a tourist in London because not only do you get interesting information along the way but one ticket will get you around the whole city as you can hop on & off the bus as often as you please.
• Looking for a fast way to get across the city? Grab a tube map and buy a day travel card and navigate the Underground lines for a fast and efficient way to get around the city.

Take Advantage of the Free Public Attractions!

• London offers countless free museum exhibitions across the city with fascinating things to see. Visit the National Gallery which boasts a stunning display of priceless works of art or head over to the British Museum and view a snapshot of our world's history through the astonishing artifacts housed there.
• London is a city with many old traditions which you can witness during your adventures. If you wander through Green Park to Buckingham Palace you may be able to witness my favorite age old tradition, the changing of the guard.
• For a full list of free attractions check out VisitLondon.com 

Get Up Early and Book Your Tickets in Advance!

• If you want to visit a popular museum that charges a fee, such as the Tower of London or the National Maritime Museum (which are both well worth the visit), book your tickets in advance! The lines grow long quickly and you can end up spending more time in line then at your destination. Skip the queue and beat the crowds for an overall improved experience.
• Hoping to see one of the many fabulous London productions in or around the West End? Book your tickets as early as possible, look on LastMinute.com or Timeout.com for some great last minute deals on theater tickets. 

Make a Plan...

• It would be easy to spend a week in London and still not see and do everything on your list. So make a loose plan to decide what you want to see and when so you can book whatever tickets you need to in advance.
• Some attractions need a whole day and others you can group together. The Tower of London or the National Maritime Museum really are full day excursions. The Victoria & Albert Museum on the other hand, is right next to the Natural History and the Science museum (all of which are free admissions), so if you are interested in visiting them all, you could plan to visit them on the same day or stay close by and spend a full day in each one. 

Dedicate some Time to Relaxation and Enjoy one of the Many Parks!

• When the weather is nice take the time to relax in one of London's beautiful parks. Stop in a Tesco Express,  M&S Simply Food or a corner-shop Waitrose to buy some lunch, and enjoy a picnic on the lawn. Sit back, relax, and enjoy people watching in one of the world's busiest cities.