This is a fantastic way to get a unique view of Kew Gardens. You can hit the water in a fruit-themed boat, and join a giant fruit salad installation. You’ll also visit the giant Pineapple Island at the centre of the Palm House Pond. This is a fun and fantastic way to get a new view of Kew Gardens, one of the most popular destinations in London. You and your whole family can board a boat and sail away!

Until May 27, at the Saatchi Gallery, you can see artisans demonstrating how they make Hermès luxury products. They’ll be working live, meaning this is the closest you’ll get to their French workshops. From Kelly bags to the famed silk scarves, you’ll see it all happen right before your eyes.

Designed to “provide a fascinating insight into the traditions and values of Hermès in the crafting of fine objects,” the week-long Festival de Métiers exhibition will put you behind the scenes of this incredible luxury brand. It’s the best of French fashion in London!

This year the London Whisky Festival will feature whisky galore at the Village Underground in Shoreditch in two very distinct and different days on the 18th and 19th of May.
The 19th May sees the highly experimental and ambitious 1st Edition of the Jam & Dram, in partnership with CaskStrength Creative, and with a focus on live music, live blending and local food producers, as well as our fabulous range of whisky exhibitors. Visitors will actually be encouraged to create their own blended whisky to take home.
The event promises to be a vibrant and invigorating experience for all those keen to learn and discover why whisky truly is “The Water of Life”.

Through their events and activities, the aim of the team at The Whisky Lounge is always to entertain, educate, and continuously delight all of those involved. They are all about breaking down barriers, myths, and legends, whilst promoting the understanding that whisky is a historical and iconic product of almost alchemic origins.

The Whisky Lounge hosts its own tastings and whisky festivals, but they’re also available for private events. Check them out, and enjoy a dram of the water of life!

If you’re looking for the best of vintage clothing in London, check out Dalston Department Store, a brand-new pop up store that is showcasing collections from the latest in British design talent in the creative epicentre of East London.

Dalston Department Store has everything from luxury wear, to indie designers, fashion, jewellery, house ware, and much more. Whatever you’re looking for, they probably have it. And, if we’re giving it our seal of approval, you know it’s got to be good!

On Saturday, 23rd March at 2pm, you can join Wilfred in his Time Emporium. You’ll step through the shabby frontage of the Time Emporium, past racks of the exotic, the grotesque, the occult, and encounter legendary Victorian Time Traveller Wilfred Bagshaw, and his Time Portal to The Unknown. Then you’ll be sent on a thrilling, interactive quest in another age: One of ignorance and fear, where disease and rats run rampant.

This is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in a fantastic world, to travel back in time to key events in human history, and to become the protagonists of a truly interactive adventure. This is a special matinee show, so don’t miss this great event at a special time on Saturday 23rd March at 2pm. And after the show, you can enjoy the amazing after party! It’s so much fun, it’s scary!

The exhibition showcases Bowie not only as a musical original, but as a British cultural icon, and exemplifies the shifts his personal style have undergone over the past five decades, from when he first started performing. There are more than 300 objects on display, which are being brought together for the very first time. These include handwritten lyrics, original costumes, fashion, photography, film, music videos, set designs, Bowie’s instruments, and album artwork.

The exhibition also explores Bowie’s collaborations with artists and designers ranging from Iggy Pop to artist Edward Bell. On display will be Ziggy Stardust bodysuits designed by Freddie Burretti, photography by Brian Duffy; album sleeve artwork by Guy Peellaert and Edward Bell; visual excerpts from films and live performances including The Man Who Fell to Earth, music videos such as Boys Keep Swinging and set designs created for the Diamond Dogs tour. There will also be more personal items, such as hand-written set lists and lyrics, and Bowie’s sketches. You’ve never seen Bowie like this!

By Lucy Boler from FoodGoblin.com

The streets of Soho, flocked by the 8pm dinner crowd, bloom in London street-light glow and the smell of appetite beams as hungry traders and tourists search out their chosen sunset kitchens. Central London boasts an extraordinary selection of eateries – both good and bad. But last Wednesday night took me out of Zone One’s crowds and hustle, out to somewhere quieter, more personal, and unexpected. One Blenheim Terrace in St John’s Wood crowns a peaceful suburban street and is the brainchild of the talented and young Ed Shaerf.

Ed’s career began classically, studying at the Westminster Catering College and subsequently working for Gordon Ramsey in Claridges. Since then his whisks and knives have graced some of Britain’s finest and most famous culinary establishments: The Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal’s legendary restaurant, formerly No.1 in the world, The Waterside Inn, seat of the Roux’s, and The Ivy, to name but a few. And never have I eaten at a place where a chef’s provenance was so firmly transcribed onto a plate than One Blenheim Terrace. Ed has created a gem in St John’s Wood, serving highly classic food interpreted in a unique and exciting way. Classic cooking born of Claridges, The Ivy, and The Waterside Inn, are sprinkled with the magical science of The Fat Duck and seasoned with a more than generous pinch of Ed’s own personality and flare.

To start, a goat’s cheese and pineapple cheesecake, sweet, tart and creamily savoury, topped with a sharp beetroot crisp. Tone set, bemused and pleased, we moved to an achingly pleasant salmon terrine of citrus cured salmon, potted salmon, technical grapefruit fluid gel, pickled cucumber and caviar. Normally terrines risk boring me to death, but here Ed taught me not to be such a snob. Lesson learnt, Chef.

Next, “kedgeree”; notable for crisp shards of onion bhaji and a pungent, smoky curry mayonnaise, and One Blenheim’s Chicken “Caesar”. Do take note of the hyphens here – for certainly the entity contained within them will be served up to you in a form transformed from their titles. Here, chicken Caesar lives as a smoked chicken terrine, moist and tender, with baby gem lettuce puree, fresh anchovies, parmesan and (wait for it…) deep fried mayonnaise. Having eaten deep fried mayonnaise, I feel I can die happy and satisfied. Funny how little breaded balls of glutinous goodness can bring such pleasure.

Around course five, things get serious at One Blenheim Terrace. Bold flavours come swinging, micro-herbs and subtleties disregarded – hearty food, things you want to eat. First up; braised faggots – a sort of meatball made with offal – pea puree, Parma ham, all drizzled in a sharp, rich malt vinegar based gravy. This was certainly one of the highlights of the evening and one that I would travel back for alone. Lobster Mac & Cheese – a deep fried ball of lobster-laden macaroni, roast cod with a hazelnut crust and cep puree and a North African lamb dish served with coriander cress, sumac and harissa.

Dessert is also a thing sweet at One Blenheim Terrace. I was delighted by a shot of hot “liquid popcorn” with a caramel foam, best compared to JK Rowling’s Butter Beer. Our evening was finished with a take on lemon meringue pie that was light enough to cut through the bucket loads of rich protein and butter we had gorged down.

Everything I ate here was delicious. There were even a few things truly special, things I will remember for a long time. Long enough to come back to St John’s Wood certainly. Long enough to escape the vile crowd, shun the flash photography and neon meal deals of Oxford Street and long enough to find myself in Zone two; hungry and ready for a better meal of finer provenance from Ed Shaerf, Chef Patron of One Blenheim Terrace.

{Lime&Tonic Tip: We’ve also got some great supper clubs, so keep an eye on our events page to see what’s coming next!}

The website provides quality recommendations on interesting activities for young-spirited Londoners. You can use the site to reserve tables in restaurants, or to find out about cool events and unusual projects. Using the site is easy. All you do is type in the address, zip code, or neighbourhood in London you want to visit. You can also specify how much you want to spend on your evening out. Twenty Something London reads your search parameters, and gives you a list of cool happenings and great venues that are tailored to your tastes. From pubs to book shops, restaurants to hair salons, Twenty Something London has loads of great suggestions to make your life in London just a little better.

One great event they have coming up is Know More, an all-day festival featuring live acts, DJs, street food (including python!), tequila and rum tasting as well as TwentySomethingLondon & Fold Gallery’s Art Competition exhibiting in the main cafe area. This takes place Sunday 10th February, Tickets £10 in advance, £15 OTD from 12PM-11PM.

Don’t miss it!

Miracle Berries, a small red berry that carries the Latin name “Synsepalum dulcificum,” has the ability to transform the taste of just about anything into something sweet. Simply put some freeze-dried granules of the berry, which is the form they are sold in, on you tongue, and start tasting. A bite of a lemon will taste like sweet and sugary lemonade. A sip of vinegar will taste like sweet juice. A pint of Guinness will taste like chocolate!

The berry has been a big hit among London diners and those looking for something interesting to amuse their guests. The berries are sold as granules, at about 5 GBP per serving. The effects of the berry lasts for about two hours, so anything you taste during that time will be sweetened. The taste of ales and wines is said to ruined by the berry, while sweet fruits like cherries will likely be too sweet to eat. But other, more sour foods are miraculously delicious!

So get your hands on some Miracle Berries and go on a food trip!

{Lime&Tonic Tip: We’ll be getting some Miracle Berries in for a very special, and very sweet London Supper Club. So stay tuned to our Events Page for great things to do in London, and for your chance to taste this miraculous berry!}

By Katherine Macgregor, food blogger at Lady Loves Cake

Having travelled extensively throughout my twenties, I find it very hard to narrow down the best international foods, but here are six of my favourites.

France: My most recent jaunt to France was for a hen party back in May. We spent two days in Carcassonne and, like every other trip to France, lived out of their patisseries, bakeries and delis when we weren’t stuffing ourselves with goats cheese salads, cassoulouet or magnificent French ice cream. I think my best memories from France generally involve a fresh baguette with comte cheese followed by a mille feuille with an Orangina on the side. I’m still not sure where in London to find baguettes as fresh as the French do them, but I am aware of some excellent French restaurants, my current favourite being Les Deux Salons in Covent Garden.

India: In Kashmir I was introduced to Indian sweets and ate them non-stop. My memories of these sweets have since been linked to an amazing family who let us into their home, insisted we join them for the incredible Diwali celebrations and treated us like their own daughters. I’ve found Indian sweets in the UK to be a bit hit and miss, but was recently introduced to Pistachio Rose, the company of Rekha Mehr, who infuses Indian flavours with French-style patisserie. You can find her creations in Fortnum and Mason, or create your own High Chai Banquet through Lime&Tonic.

Vietnam: There were two things I discovered in Vietnam – that they learned baking skills from the French so as a result do outstanding bread – and that Pho is the best soup on earth. I also found that that they do coffee in an interesting way which really appealed to my sweet tooth, so as a result I was drinking two to three cups a day of instant coffee with sweetened condensed milk. Thankfully I got out of that habit rather quickly (when I discovered lime soda in Cambodia) but I never lost my deep love of Pho. I can’t tell you were my favourite bowl of Pho can be found in London as I’ve had it done brilliantly in lots of places, but sister restaurants Cay Tre and the Viet Grill in Hoxton and the Green Papaya in Hackney do very good versions of it.

USA: It is hard for me to decide what my favourite dishes from the States are as there are so many and I could go on for days, but I’ve narrowed it down to two: The humble bagel with plenty of cream cheese; and lobster. I also want to include Maryland crab cakes, hamburgers, nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, pancakes, giant-sized cokes, peanut butter cups, chocolate pie, and cherry pie. At the other end of the spectrum, Burger and Lobster does brilliant lobster for £20. It comes with salad and fries and it’s impossible to walk out of there still hungry.

New Zealand: Being from New Zealand and with the appetite of a “good Kiwi girl,” I couldn’t resist including the country in here. Antipodean cafes are popping up all over the place, and with good reason. They do outstanding coffee and do brunch better than anyone. New Zealand has a proud tradition of good baking and fresh ingredients. It is definitely not a place that should be overlooked for its culinary traditions. I have two favourite New Zealand owned places in London. I don’t think you can go wrong with a flat white with a banana choc-chip muffin from Nude Espresso in Brick Lane or Soho, and for an unforgettable brunch, the Modern Pantry has to be it.

London: Last week I was invited by the Metropolitan Hotel and Lime&Tonic to check out their Festive Afternoon Tea, a holiday-themed extension of their popular Brit Rocks and Tea Pots afternoons. I met up with brilliant blogger Gill from Tales of Pigling Bland and the team from the Met and L&T and we had a really girly afternoon basically gobbling down sweets and savouries, watching the sunset from their amazing bar and talking about our favourite London. I’d never been to the Met before so wasn’t sure what to expect from this newer member of the Park Lane establishment. As opposed to the rest of the more traditional hotels along Park Lane, the entire Como Group has only been in existence for 21 years, but they appear to be five-star luxury without the pretentiousness and I got the impression that an awful lot of thought goes into everything they do. I also had the feeling that I’ll be taking friends back to this place – they have welcomed many baby showers, classy hen dos and celebrations there over the years and pride themselves on being approachable while never lowering the quality. Sounds ideal for my ladies.

{Lime&Tonic Tip: If you’re looking for more great dining in London, check out our Guide!}