Susan Clark Interiors
I have been running Susan Clark Interiors, a small independent shop in the heart of Keswick since 2010. Before setting up the shop I worked for many years in the hospitality industry. This has given me a solid grounding in interior design and an appreciation of good service and customer care. My approach to interior design is centred around creating beautiful and practical homes. Each home has its own character whether that be vintage or contemporary, eclectic or straightforward.
My aim is to blend these elements together as seamlessly as possible through my furniture, South Greenwich Forum (southgreenwichforum.co.uk). The fabrics used throughout the collection are carefully chosen. They are all sourced from across Britain, Scotland, Wales & Ireland and include some of the finest designers working today. I am always looking for new talent to add to the collection. If you live in the West Midlands area or know somebody that does, you can't miss this gorgeous website.
Really lovely homepage with some fab photos of some beautiful items I want for myself and gifts to buy for others. There is a lovely blog where Sue writes about her life, and a wonderful portfolio and services section which is full of details about Sue, her awards and successes, and lots of photos of her incredible interior design work. I have worked in a variety of interiors related fields, (including retail & design), for over 30 years.
I started Susan Clark Interiors last year, as I had so many clients asking if I could do the same for them (i. e. source pieces of furniture, accessories and fabrics) but with their taste. Susan Clark Interiors. A lovely independent interiors shop in the heart of Bournemouth, Dorset selling fab pieces of furniture, fabrics, small gifts and unique cards. Susan Clark Interiors found the perfect balance of creating a beautiful shop that wouldn’t break the bank.
Up At The O2
Up into the sky we go! This isn’t a particularly interesting blog post but I have a little tale to share with you from a weekend escape that has been a long time coming. I’m from Essex and having been born in London I spent most of my childhood summers in Kent. The last time I was in London I experienced my first O2 concert (The Killers), played football on a sand pit in Greenwich Park, walked along the Grand Union Canal which runs through north-west London, and visited Victoria Station — which is where this blog post is setting off from.
This is where you find the best views in London. The O2 Arena – currently known as the Royal Box due to the Queen’s attendance at a gig – sits on the Greenwich Peninsula overlooking the Thames. I mean, really, what view could be better than this?. If you want to get some amazing views of London then there are few better places than the top of the O2. The O2 is a leisure and entertainment venue with a lot going on inside so I wanted to find out if it was worth the effort of getting up top.
I noticed the roof of the O2 was free after a little googling and I decided to pop along and grab a few pictures from the top. There’s no security to stop you from doing it either and if you don’t look down you can see how high up it is. O2 Arena is a popular venue for Circus shows. So why not add some colour and take the O2 arena theme and make it O2 green?.
Greenwich Foot Tunnel
The Greenwich Foot Tunnel is a tunnel under the River Thames in London that passes through the Isle of Dogs. It links Greenwich in south-east London with the Isle of Dogs in the north-west. The original foot tunnel was opened in 1902 and was occasionally flooded by the surge tides caused by its construction before being replaced by a 1973–77 culvert, which looks similar to the original and remains below high tide level at all times to prevent flooding.
During the 2002 Commonwealth Games, it was used as an emergency exit for Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The underground tunnels of the Greenwich foot tunnel connect the Isle of Dogs with Greenwich, plumb beneath the River Thames. The first part was built in 1902 by Sir Alexander Binnie as part of part of an ambitious project to connect London with docks on the Isle of Dogs. The tunnel is one of the remains of Canary Wharf's historic past and attracts a lot of attention in that light.
There are currently only two pedestrian walkways in the world under a river – this one and Paris'Pont Des Arts. A lot of people are unsure about the history of this foot tunnel. Some have even asked if it’s real. The truth is; the tunnels connecting Greenwich and London Docklands in east London are very real. They’re part of one of the last remaining historic parts of Canary Wharf, a former industrial area now known for it’s modern office buildings, hotels and apartments.
Greenwich Foot Tunnel With the last of the industrial building works at Canary Wharf now complete – and with a thriving retail and commercial presence on either side of the river, it’s time to start looking further downstream. The area that lies beneath the Thames is for many people a little known place – one that few get to visit, and even fewer explore. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel is the only public pedestrian tunnel under the River Thames.
Built in 1902, this historic part of Canary Wharf has been carefully preserved and is available for public to walk through. Greenwich Foot Tunnel was used by pedestrians and cyclists from 1894 until the Jubilee Line extension brought about the replacement with a new tunnel in 1999. For business people needing to get to Europe and beyond Greenwich is a fantastic option in London. It's 18 miles from central London by car but only 25 minutes by train, with regular trains to and from London City Airport every 30 minutes.
The Gun
The Gun is a hidden gem on the Isle of Dogs, tucked away in the east. If you don’t know it’s there, you could easily walk straight past. There are plenty of pubs scattered throughout the isle, but many of these are traditional pubs with a bit of history and not a lot by way of atmosphere or any other special features that make you want to go back. But The Gun is different — it has it all.
The Gun is a fantastic riverside tavern hidden on the east side of the Isle. The pub looks over the Thames towards the City so it’s nice for a sundowner too. There is a real ale bar that has excellent guest ales and cask beers. The food is really good quality, cooked to order on an open fire grill. There are many different pubs in London. From near-by, to far-out, to ancient and even more modern.
I have had the priviledge of visiting several of them all over the city and I decided to write a little bit more about one of my favourites: The Gun. The Gun is a restaurant found in the Bowley Lock district in East London but it feels like a pub. It has a lovely riverside location, and the interior is darker and richer than what you might expect to find on the banks of the River Lea.
Ah, the Gun. Is there a better place to eat in East London? I think not. The Gun has been serving real ale and delicious food since my grandparents were children. It’s a bit of an institution in the area and a staple for many regulars. A lovely riverside tavern hidden on the east side of the Isle with excellent food. The best place for a Sunday roast in East London and a good selection of real ales too.
Il Bianco
Il Bianco is a hidden gem that I stumbled on in London this year. I was visiting for work and found it perfect for Italian food when you just don't want pizza or pasta. Their menu can be a little daunting since they have so many different options. They have specials every night which are usually their most popular dishes at a discount price. If you get there early, the specials may still be available since they only do them for a limited time each night.
I have been to Il Bianco a fair few times and always leave with an impression of the delicious, simple Italian food. I just love the quaint location of the restaurant inside a courtyard in Norhcote, which is a very quiet street. You don't even realise that you are only 10 minutes away from Victoria Station. Il Bianco is a little Italian gem in London's Notting Hill. A great family-run place where you receive extremely high quality food at a very reasonable price for the area it's situated in.
Il Bianco is a great place to spend time with family and close friends. They serve unreal food. I highly recommend the seafood it's extremely fresh. Il Bianco. The best food at this little hidden gem in London! Great for occasions and loads of specials the seafood is the best thing they do. The best food at this little hidden gem in London! Great for occasions and loads of specials the seafood is the best thing they do.
Emirates Air Line
The new Emirates Air Line cable car provides breathtaking views over east London. The new ropeway transports passengers from the ExCeL exhibition centre to the Royal Victoria Dock in just 4 minutes. The 1km-long link connects Singapore-based Gwekap Investments PTE, which is developing a massive £4bn regeneration project around the Royal Victoria Dock in Newham. A second, longer cable car from the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula will also be built, giving visitors an aerial view of the Olympics site.
Breathtaking views over east London. The Emirates Air Line was built as a pedestrian cable car link across the River Thames in London, England, United Kingdom. It opened on 28 June 2012 and is operated by Transport for London (TfL). The Emirates Air Line route is served by a cable car travelling between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks, with intermediate stations at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre and North Greenwich station. You can now experience the breathtaking views of east London from 135m up in the air, when you take the Emirates Air Line.
The Lotus
The Lotus is an authentic Chinese restaurant that has flown over to London from Hong Kong. The restaurant is a replica of all our favourite Cantonese dishes and equipped with the most modern gadgetry. This fully enclosed boat on the river Thames at Canary Wharf offers a unique dining experience. There is certain romance in eating on a river surrounded by iconic buildings like the Gherkin, the Heron Tower and One Canada Square in Greenwich.
While there's no shortage of views, this is about far more than just location. The Lotus restaurant is built on custom water-tight pontoons. Thus it can adjust its water level position depending on the tide. This is how the restaurant can stay above ground even when there are low tides. The interior and exterior of this floating restaurant are as impressive as the food that they serve. My parents were in London when I was backpacking across Europe and they took me to The Lotus Flower, an amazing Chinese restaurant on a barge that served delicious dim sum.
It was the perfect time of day as the sun was setting, casting orange lights on the water of the harbor. The Lotus is a floating Chinese restaurant in London’s Canary Wharf. From the outside it looks just like a massive boat plonked in the middle of an office building, but don’t let the unassuming exterior fool you. This cable car connects North Greenwich on the Royal Victoria Dock with the ExCel centre at London City Airport.
Mudchute Park And Farm
You don’t have to cross the Atlantic to get the New England farm experience. On the outskirts of East London, tucked away in one corner of Poplar’s Mudchute Park and Farm, is a replica of some of the most famous farms seen on television or featured in magazines, newspapers or books. When most people think of Canary Wharf they think of one thing: business. But it’s not just offices, you’ll also find a number of activities available for residents and visitors in the area.
Crossrail Place
The Crossrail Place is an impressive new terminal at London Liverpool Street station, which will be used by millions of passengers a year for the new and expanded Crossrail services. It will also provide improved access to other rail services and the Underground station beneath it; and a range of high quality shops and restaurants – as well as some very desirable air-conditioned shopping areas in the main building (for those times when waiting on a delayed train!).
The Royal Docks have been dormant for many years. But that’s not the case anymore. Crossrail Place is just one of the winners. The public and Londoners in particular will love this place. I’m sure it will get really busy during lunch time, especially if you work nearby. It was good to see bubble tea on the menu, as well as a sushi bar, and plenty of other food options. I visited Crossrail Place for the first time in December to check out their Christmas Market; I had no idea what to expect.
I was apprehensive because this is a shopping centre not a conventional marketplace, and I wasn't sure what kind of retail would be here. Crossrail Place is not just a terminal for Crossrail, but a mecca for restaurants and shopping. There is also a lovely relaxing winter garden. One of those is Mudchute Park and Farm, which is a botanical garden and animal farm. Short journey from Greenwich to London City Airport Cost £6.
Sunborn Yacht Hotel
My boyfriend and I love weekends away and overnight stays, so I’m always on the lookout for different places to stay. We live on the south coast so I was delighted to find out about Sunborn, a unique hotel based on a yacht! If the exterior is anything to go by then photos can’t do it justice. We went over the May bank holiday weekend and I may have shed tears at being away from my children as we boarded the boat, but as soon as you step inside your worries melt away.
What is the Sunborn Yacht Hotel? It’s a hidden gem just outside the ExCel centre, on the Thames. But that’s not all that's on offer! From yacht parties, to late night cocktails on the roof terrace with stunning views of the sunset over London this is a little known hotel that ticks all the right boxes. This hotel has been designed to provide a unique stay. The rooms have been thought of in detail making for a pleasant stay, and the boat is moored right next to the ExCel centre too! Breakfast is included in your price, with options such as fruit smoothies, waffles, fresh juices, and more.
The accommodation is the Sunborn hotel, which is held on a ship moored to the ExCel centre. The rooms are reasonably priced, and the self-contained apartment I stayed in had a fully functioning kitchen and living room as well as two bedrooms. Seriously though, it is a beautiful place with 3 pools and 5 restaurants. It also has a gym, spa, cinema and several bars. And the best part? It's not even that expensive to stay here as little as £79 for the night if you book in advance.
Know A Great Place?
Have you heard of North Greenwich ? Where is it? There are so many places in the UK. I’m sure that you have not heard about them all. If you want to know more about North Greenwich, keep reading. There are a lot of places for you to go there. Let’s read them and see what you think about North Greenwich. I'll be the first to admit it, I'm a bit of a North Greenwich aficionado, having lived there for over 6 years now.
So I've tried a fair few of the local restaurants and cafes and thought it was about time I shared my absolute favourites with you. Where is your favourite place to go in North Greenwich? Whether it's a bar, restaurant, coffee shop or even if it's just a great place to sit and watch boats go by here. Once you've found your special place, go ahead and "heart" it. There is so much to do for the family in North Greenwich, London.
Whether you are a BMX enthusiast, or just like looking at the history of Greenwich it is something different every time. Of course, North Greenwich is an extraordinarily large site with a myriad of things to see and do. So here is a starter for ten. What better way to show off the upsides of living in North Greenwich than by highlighting its top spots to hang out. I didn’t think I was ever going to get the chance to review a hotel.