Cheers...

I have been toying with the idea of moving to Europe and while the chances of me actually doing it in the near future are slim, I don't know if I'm ready to let go of the dream.  In the meantime, I'll just hold on to a few more highlights from London:

An afternoon at the actual local cafe with plenty of tea, Sheesha and a view of Gordon Ramsay's new London House in the back (with crafty cocktails and a charming lounge).

Lots of laughter with the BFF as we tried (and failed) to attack this Le Fruits de Mer.  Note from the ignorant American, a seafood platter in Europe consists of much more than oysters and mussels...

A visit to the Saatchi Gallery for the Pangaea Exhibit (featured artists: Rafael Gomezbarros, Aboudia, Fredy Alzate).  Less daunting, quick visit and great space. 

Traditional English food - fish and chips at one of the alleged bests Golden Union...

...and not so traditional English food at Flesh and Buns. Fun dessert = Smoking Green Tea Chocolate S'mores served with a flame.

Taking in the gorgeous views and wondering if certain European cities would retain their beauty if I saw it everyday.

Tally Ho!

I find that one of the hardest things about traveling is balancing the touristy stuff with the local experience.  I have a bad habit of traveling with a rigid checklist but ultimately, I know there is nothing better than spending an unexpected number of hours at the local cafe - especially as a total sucker for cafes even domestically. So, this time in London, I opted for less touristy stuff (sorry, Sherlock's home and the Tower of London) and did the following:

Start day. Wander streets.

Forego the English breakfast.  Instead, spend hours at the adorable nearby restaurant in Chelsea, No. 11 Pimlico Road, eating cured meats and drinking wine. 

Partake in cheesy touristy stuff only minimally.

Step out of my one comfort zone from the last trip (Indian restaurant Tayyabs which was the highlight of my last trip) only slightly and hit up another Indian restaurant, Dishoom, in trendy Shoreditch neighborhood.  Highly recommended by locals.  Best lamb shank. Excellent (and unlimited during the day) Chai.

End day by wandering the streets some more. 

Londontown

After deciding to leave SF, it was time to shake things up.  The question was how.  I had no answers so I figured what better place to think than my sister's new, super modern flat in London!

Having only been to London once, I did not leave loving London.  It was NYE 2012 and on a whim, I thought London would be the perfect place to ring in the new year.  As a Brit recently pointed out to me on this trip, NYE in any large city - on a whim (i.e., without plans) - is likely to be, at worst, disastrous and at best, a disappointment.  Touche. That being said, I still found the food bland, the weather too dreary and the overall feel of the city, lacking.

This time around, however, London was much kinder to me - and to top it off, my BFF from DC met me there. What made it better this go around:

Gorgeous weather (for London, at least).

My sister's amazing flat in Battersea.

My sister.

The amazing view of the Thames from her flat, during the day...

...and especially, at night. (#nofilter.)

Late night chats with the BFF and excessive amounts of wine.