5 nights without my kids - ideas needed so I live up to my namechange...

[imgoingtohavelotsofsex]

Going away to London with DH for 5 nights without the DCs. Have booked a lush hotel with wet-room style bathroom with double rainfall shower and large roll-top bath. Big bedroom with King size bed, sofa & lots of floor space.

Plan for the week is to just enjoy being alone - being adults and not mummy & daddy.

Need ideas for restaurants for dinner - Dressy-up kind of one but preferably without totally pretentious food (I actually want to eat!) - and for nice wee places for lunch.

Any Londoners (or London visitors) able to fill me in also on places to go aside from the usual sight-seeing stuff which we've done many times before? Any really decent shops we can visit to help me fulfill my name-change?

Before I go too - any shopping websites you can recommend for what to put in my case? (We live in a crappy town with no decent shops and our nearest city is over and hour away so getting in to go shopping without kids before we go is unlikely so online it must be!) (No sex toys or dressing up outfits - just not me - but I'm open to anything else)

If it was you and your DH - what would you be doing...?

[Mumfun]

As a Londoner...

I would be interested in seeing the refurbished Savoy so would pop in there for a drink and a gawk!

I would also do some kind of trip on the river - some wonderful views -probably including a trip to Greenwich - there is great shopping at Greenwich at the market there at the weekends - some different jewellery and clothes etc to buy. Went to a very interesting show at the Planetarium recently there too.

Would go to the Wallace collection - beautiful intimate place with lovely covered restaurant/cafe -good for lunch or dinner. www.wallacecollection.org/

The Mayfair Curzon cinema has always seemed special and intimate so would think of going there if they were showing something good.

Have a fab time!

[imgoingtohavelotsofsex]

lunchtime bump

[atswimtwolengths]

You lucky, lucky woman, OP! I am green with jealousy!

[berri]

Ooh can think of loads of nice places for evening meals....

Yauatcha
Ping Pong
Crazy Bear (bar downstairs is nicer than restaurant imo)

Browse round Liberty/Selfridges, loads of nice stuff to look at even if you're not 'shopping' as such.

London Eye is always a winner if it's a nice day, and loads of places to eat on the South Bank before/after.

Yauatcha is close to Soho so you can have a browse round all the shops round there in order to live up to your namechange :o

I'll have another think and come back with some more places to go.

Also there's a fab website called I Know This Great Little Place In London:
www.greatlittleplace.com/

Everything is split into categories so you can pick and choose what you fancy doing - great website.

Have fun!

[LucretiaInShadows]

For restaurant ideas, have a look at Toptable.com - inspiration and discount!

The Wallace collection's fascinating, I'd second that as a recommendation. Greenwich market too. If that's the wrong bit on London, Spitalfields market on a Sunday has similar crafts and unusual clothes, and nice eating places nearby.

As for things to pack, I'm a bit scared of ordering clothes online, due to lack of trying on, so wouldn't venture beyond a few pairs of nice new knickers.

[berri]

Oh yes and have always wanted to try this afternoon tea, looks different!

alice

[squeakytoy]

Camden market and the high street are great for an afternoon or morning wander..

If you are there on a saturday, Portobello Road has a fantastic antiques market with stalls lining the street, lots of food places, coffee shops and wine bars..

[RubyFakeNails]

I really recommend going for lunch/tea & cake/ ice-cream at the Parlour in Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly.

Also the lingerie room in Liberty if you're looking for underwear, its girly and they have a good range. Liberty in general is great to browse around. There is also the 'sex' shop in covent garden called Coco de Mer, its not at all intimidating and the woman who runs it is (daughter of Anita Roddick) does the sex/relationships feature in Marie Claire. Coco de Mer is less seedy and more feminine, plus its on Monmouth Street/7 dials which is great for shopping, if you like shoes check out Poste Mistress, Orla Kiely and the unique jewellery designer Tatty Devine are on the same street. The Covent Garden Hotel another great place for an afternoon tea is on the same street or pop into candy cakes for something a bit more fun. Cath kidston is also just round the corner.

Have you visited Spitalfields Market? Full of places to lunch and lovely little shops plus its under cover so great for when its a bit grey. You can head further up Bishopsgate or Brick Lane and find Redchurch Street where I love Caravan, Aesop and 11 Boundary, also check out Bob & Blossom on Columbia Road (home of the flower market) for childrens presents. Please don't overlook East London like all the other tourists, there are lots of good bits.

I don't know what your personal style is but I'd try Zara (take care with the sizing) although you can always return it when in London, Asos is great for range and John Lewis have started selling more online recently like Reiss, Whistles. French Connection have started to turn it around with their new stuff so maybe have a look.

[RubyFakeNails]

BTW if you want to catch up on general shopping there is always Westfield plus its got variety of places to eat although I usually end up in Wahaca or Wagamama.

[imgoingtohavelotsofsex]

Thank you! Will check out those links and restaurants. Great ideas! Keep them coming...

atswim - believe me, I know how fortunate I am! Hence all the pre-planning - I don't want to waste a moment when we are away as I know it's such a great treat!

[wellwisher]

Brick Lane is good for a wander at weekends, and you could even venture as far as Shoreditch if you want to laugh at fashion victims see some cutting-edge London street style

[crystalglasses]

covent garden market plus Royal Opera House if you're into that sort of thing.

[BelligerentGhoul]

The Curzon Street cinema is lovely; deffo worth a look to see what's on.

Make sure you've got comfortable shoes for day, as you're likely to end up walking a lot.

For a nice pot of tea near Liberty, the Sacred Cafe just off Carnaby Street is nice.

[DoubleDegreeStudent]

The Cellar Door bar at zero aldwych is amazing for cocktails - it's a bit, um, quirky at times but it's in converted public loos (looks like a bus shelter outside the Lyceum where the Lion King is on) and is worth a visit.

The American Bar at the Savoy I thought was disgusting - felt like I was on a ferry. The Champagne Bar is much nicer.

How much are you looking to spend?! The Champagne bar at St Pancras is great too, and Pret-a-Portea at the Berkeley is really fun.

Top Table is wonderful for stuff like this. Anywhere in the D&D group of restaurants (the Orrery especially) is wonderful for a good night out.

Marylebone High Street is good for shopping and much less stressful than Oxford Street.

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House is surprisingly good for something so unhyped.

There are day release tickets for all the big theatres - just turn up first thing in the morning or ask your hotel. I'm a huge fan of the Royal Opera House but might not be your thing...

Online shopping - theoutnet is amazing. A lot of it is along the lines of "oooh a dress with 75% off...oh, it's still £3000" but they have some amazing bargains (I got a dress for £35 down from £118 the other day).

So jealous! For tea and cake you have absolutely got to go to Konditor and Cook. They have a few shops around - there is one on Stamford Street (just near the London Eye) which is my favourite.

And the restaurant Canteen is amazing for lazy brunches. I've been to the one on Baker Street and the one underneath Royal Festival Hall which is my regular spot when I'm in town.

Borough Market isn't open every day I don't think but really good to mooch around and fill up on free samples try something new.

If you're south of the river, there is a great little restaurant called the Laughing Gravy just south of Blackfriar's Bridge (straight over the bridge to Southwark tube and just a bit further down) which is small and cosy and just exactly the sort of place I want to go to every night. The food's amazing and the staff are so lovely.

Sorry, might have got a bit carried away there...

[imgoingtohavelotsofsex]

Don't apologise Double - really appreciate all the ideas! Off to Google them now...

[squeakytoy]

Depending on how far you normally are from London, you can also think of wandering a bit futher afield during the day. A travel card gets you all over the place on the trains too.

Kingston upon Thames is fantastic for shopping and a lazy lunch by the river. As is Richmond.

Hampton Court Palace close by too.

Kew Gardens.

[DastardlyandSmugly]

The Electric Cinema on Portobello Road is great.

The most romantic restaurant for me is The Bleeding Heart.

South Bank is lovely for a walk around and lunch.

Myla also good for lovely underwear.