London has a super Whole Foods!

There are Whole Foods stores in many cities across the world but NOTHING prepared me for my visit to the London store on Kensington High Street.

A massive three story former department store has been transformed into a sea of international foods and prepared meals that go on and on.  

 This was late on a Saturday afternoon and the lack of people in my photos does not indicate how busy the store was.   when I returned on Sunday for lunch it was wall to wall people buying and the restaurants were also full.

 I chose to sample the Japanese offerings and met Mr. Lee the head sushi chef who was fascinating to watch.   

Chicken Yakitori

Shrimp Tempura

As you can tell I enjoyed everything.

London: a field of angels

My quest for Victorian statuary and funeral art lead me to what may be considered the best display rt:  Highgate in North London.

My goal is to visit the 7 best cemeteries in the London area know as the magnificent seven,  but if I do not reach many others, I have found a wonderful assortment of angels.   The poses may be similar but the faces and expressions change as the light and shadows pass over this peaceful place.

Never an angry angle

Wide open wings that have survived for decatdes

One of the only examples I saw where the angle reaches upwards

My favorite style is with open wings

Many of the angles cast their eyes to the earth

Holding a wreath or a horn is a common style

Eating in the Crypts in London: great solo option

London Restaurants in the Crypts of Churches

It should be no surprise if I tell you it rained today…..        what do you expect in London.
and once you are wet there is nothing to stop you from pressing on.   You can not sit in a hotel or B&B all day just because it is raining.

St Paul;s London

        Instead of choosing a museum to hide out in, I went to join a walking tour in the ‘City’.           As usual plans change and mostly with a nice surprise.  As I made the inevitable wrong turn I was too late for the tour but stumbled on St. Paul’s cathedral.

        I don’t write about the wonderful sites, monuments and churches you can visit all over the world.  There are other better sources for this information, companies with the resources to spend months gathering information.   

       My topic this day was where a shy solo traveler might eat lunch or dinner.    I try to find one hot meal a day but when you find it difficult to go into a ‘sit down restaurant’ your choices are limited.

In London there are many choices and this day I found the Café in the Crypt at St. Paul's.



Cakes that called to be selected

                                                         

St Martins in the Field at Trafalgar Square:   http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/cafe-in-the-crypt/

I have developed a plan on how to manage ‘eating out solo'  since I find it difficult to walk in and join a crowd of 2 x 2’s or as they call themselves, couples eating in a formal restaurant.      Some restaurants are easier than others for a solo to enjoy a hot meal.   I found St Martins in the Field years ago and return for lunch or dinner on ever trip. 

This is a great central location to sit and rest in the church, listen to a concert, shop in their store, while having lunch or dinner.   There are salads, cold meals and  two hot choices and soup and a 'pudding'.  I find the meals here 'inventive'.  Sometimes I have to ask what they are serving but it is well seasoned with fresh ingredients.    

Both St Paul's and St Martins in the Field are reasonably priced.   Most meals are under 10 pounds without wine and desert.

St Bartholomews  http://www.greatstbarts.com/Pages/Cloister_Cafe/cafe.html

St Bartholomews' café was a new option for me.  Tucked behind  an ancient tudor exterior you enter a quiet green courtyard.  On this sunny day you would never say you were in London.  



What a great surprise when I returned to London after many years that there are now cafes and restaurants that are one step above fast food but not always table service.   An example is the
Pret e Mange chain.   You select your meal from the cases of prepared foods:  sandwiches, salads and more.  You select a beverage and a side perhaps of chips, pay for the lot. 
You can ‘take away your meal’ or eat at one of the tables.   No problem if you are solo or even if you linger.

I found other restaurants that featured ‘healthy food’  the Wasabi chain I think, noodles, the endless curry restaurants and a very few fish and chips.  

Other resources I wanted to investigate on this trip were:
1.  the cafes in many of the department stores  and museums.
2.  the wide assortment of ‘take away’ meals in the food halls of department stores or super markets
I had visited several and am expanding this list.