Restaurants, Shops, and More: The Best of Oxford List

In an effort to procrastinate from packing, I would much rather reflect on my favorite places and such in Oxford. It is going to be a bit of a random list, but I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed doing these things:

Best Sandwich: Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella panini at Le Parisien
Two pounds, fifty pence of pure delicious--no other way to describe it. Le Parisien also wins for best pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant). 

Coolest Pub: The Turf
It used to be a bear pit and is tucked away in alley, but only a few steps from Oxford's main sites, like the Bridge of Sighs, the Bodleian Library, and the Sheldonian Theatre.   

Best Atmosphere Pub/Restaurant: The Perch
Paradise in Wonderland: the willows, Port Meadow, the Isis River, the river boats...Absolutely stunning.

Best Pimms: Eagle and Child
When you think of eating dinner out in England, ordering fish and chips with either ale or Pimms is your best bet. Pimms is a signature English cocktail and each pub or restaurant makes it differently. Eagle and Child used all fresh ingredients and made a beautiful presentation using a mint sprigs and the fruit. 


Best Fish and Chips: The Anchor; Honorable Mention: White Horse Tavern for presentation
A lot of pubs in Oxford claimed to have the "best fish and chips"--I had quite a few fish and chips at different pubs, and The Anchor definitely won.

Best Afternoon Tea: The Old Parsonage, Oxford; Laduree, London
I loved the Grand Cafe, but The Old Parsonage had the best scones combined with a great atmosphere. Since Laduree is technically a French tea house, I cannot count it as my favorite place for England, but definitely one of my favorite experiences period.  

Best Chips and Cheese: The Boss Kebab Stand in Summertown
Also should be categorized under "Best Bargain for 2 pounds."

Favorite Weekend Trip: Brighton; Honorable Mention: London
Visiting Bath, London, York were also beautiful in their own way, but Brighton was by far my favorite. It is probably a win by default because it is by the ocean and has an awesome pier. Seeing Fashion Week certainly does not hurt its ranking either. Going to the Christian Louboutin exhibit and having tea at Laduree in Harrods makes a close second. 

Favorite Affordable Shopping: Primark
Think Forever 21 but cooler. The fashion at Primark is trendy, but it is still wearable for seasons to come. Also a great place to get souvenirs which are less expensive than the tourist shops in city centre. 

Favorite Historical Monument: Roman Baths
The best thing about the Roman Bath is that they remain active because of the hot spring they are built on. It was great to see wonderfully preserved Roman architecture in England. 

Favorite Museum Exhibit: Christian Louboutin 20th Anniversary at the London Design Museum
I suppose if I was a truly cultured individual, I would put the Renaissance Art Display at the Ashmolean Museum or the Dodo Exhibit at the Oxford Museum of Natural History, but seeing all of those red-sole shoes was a feast for the fashion hungry eyes.  

Best Purchase: Wall Art
I have to say, the souvenir for my oldest brother is amazing--and not just because I picked it up on sale. He is tough to buy for, but I figured this was something he would love. Brilliant. 


Best Classroom Memory: Convincing my Shakespeare professor that a homo-erotic relationship exists between Brutus and Cassius in Julius Caesar and the lecture on the significance nonsense during Literature of Oxford at The Perch 

Oxford, Day 21: A Most Fashionable Day in London

London...

Wow.

I did not have a typical tourist visit to London. I did not sit through the three hour guided bus tour or do the London Eye. This is what I did end up doing--

1. Visit the Christian Louboutin 20th anniversary exhibit at the Design Museum
2. Window shop at Harrods
3. Celebrate the day by stopping at the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar in Harrods
4. Drink tea and eat macaroons at Laduree before leaving Harrods
5. Watch a live production of Henry V at the Globe Theatre
6. Eat dinner at Wagamama

Because there are so many pictures (eighty, I think), it will be easier to walk you through the day by captioning the photos.

The Queen's Walk along the Thames River

Bike rentals by Barclays 

Ruins of Winchester Palace, built in the 12th century.  Bishops used to stay here when visiting town until the 17th century and the Palace was converted to warehouses and residences. The ruins were finally revealed in the 1980s. 

Golden Hinde Galleon Ship

Southwark Cathedral is located in what used to be the common man's territory for servants way back when. The priest put it simply as "the cathedral for the poor who could not afford to live on the other side of London across the Thames." Shakespeare and his brother were buried here, as well as other notable servants to the monarchy who attended the parish.

Jubilee Market, the farmer's market in the area

Lunch at Pret A Manger--Meatball sandwich in a tortilla wrap served with Pomegranate  juice

I did not notice the mini stream...until I stepped in it

Mini water park with a view of London Bridge

London Bridge from Potters Fields

Design Museum!

Ever since I found out about the exhibit last winter, I have been dying to go, and I did! The exhibit was everything I could have imagined and more. It covered Louboutin's early life and career, and more importantly, showcased Louboutin's masterpieces--the shoes. There was a mini display of shoes on the staircase which can give you a small taste of the exhibit and its cabaret-circus feel. 

Honestly, I would be willing to go through hoops to have a pair of Louboutins

The big book of Christian Louboutin's designs (the thick pink one) came out  last fall. There were also Christian Louboutin stationery, notebooks, and posters at the Design Museum bookstore. 

More books for my future fashion library

Kensington Palace. My friend and I noticed the palace on the opposite side of the river. We both kept remarking how it looked really important, but neither of us knew what it was until we found the plaque.

Riding the Tube

Burberry flagship store

Lacoste flagship store

Topshop flagship

The only reason why I went to Harrods in the first place was because my friend had a gift card there. I knew Harrods was a huge luxury department store, but I did not fully anticipate how HUGE it was. Each floor has every luxury good imaginable--clothing, home, food, wine, sporting goods... Can you say  seven floors of heaven? I wish I could take more pictures, but I was told several times no photography was allowed. I did manage to get a picture of a beautiful Alaia jacket, though. 

Fromage/Charcuterie 

Jacket by Alaia

Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar

Gift shop

We looked at the wine shop in the basement and found $20,000 wine

Laduree is my new obsession. I have seen pictures of their macaroons on Instagram and my brother  told me about it before I left. This was my favorite part of the day in London.

I could not leave without buying a small box of macaroons.

Marie Antoinette tea and chocolate, vanilla, and cherry blossom macaroons

After Harrods, we stopped by Hyde Park briefly before making our way to the Globe Theatre.

I saw a taxi with Coach logo all over it, but this one made my day too. Hopefully a travel destination in the future?

Yasai Katsu Curry--"sweet potato, aubergine and butternut squash deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs, served with a curry sauce and sticky white rice. garnished with dressed mixed leaves and red pickles."

Globe Theatre at night