London’s Most Famous Landmark Gets A New Name

by Sean McLachlan on


Pop Quiz: what’s this called?

Undoubtedly, 99% of people will immediately answer, “Big Ben.” Actually, only the clock’s bell is called Big Ben. The tower as a whole is called Clock Tower. Everybody knows this iconic sight in London but nearly everyone misidentifies it.

Now the name is getting changed. In honor of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee, the UK government has decided to honor her 60 years on the throne by renaming the tower Elizabeth Tower.

While this is a nice sentiment, they should have probably picked some other landmark. Everyone is still going to call it Big Ben. The clock itself will keep its name, and everyone calls the tower by the clock’s name.

Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower is not open to the public, but you can get nice photos of it from several spots. Two good ones are about two-thirds of the way across Westminster Bridge, and from the little unsigned park just across the street from Victoria Tower Gardens, just to the south of the Houses of Parliament.

[Photo courtesy Vicky Brock]

Stunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The World

by Jessica Festa on

Experiencing an unknown city is always exciting. That’s the great thing about travel – it allows you to try new things and explore new places. While wandering through a city on the ground is interesting, it’s also worthwhile to see a destination from a unique perspective you normally wouldn’t get to view.

Below, you’ll find beautiful aerial shots taken above some of your favorite cities. The lit up Las Vegas skyline twinkling various colors against a nighttime backdrop, the grey and intimidating buildings of the Big Apple as seen from above and the glossy and luxurious architecture of Dubai from a bird’s-eye view, are some of the stunning shots captured by photographers.

To see some of the best aerial views of cities from around the world, check out the gallery below.

[photos via Big Stock]

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Take A Synchronized Swimming Class London’s The Berkeley Hotel

by McLean Robbins on

Put on your flowered swim cap and get ready to practice those pirouettes, because London‘s The Berkeley hotel has announced a new synchronized swimming package that will surely bring out the competitor in us all.

Just in time for the Olympics, the hotel has partnered with Aquabatix, an award-winning synchronized swimming team. Aquabatix will host a weekly 90-minute master class during the months of July and August in the hotel’s open-air pool.

This unique mix of swimming and dance started in the 1920s and reached fame in the ’30s and ’40s, but is still practiced today.

Swimmers will learn several key skills including the “egg beater kick, a form of treading water that allows for stability and height above the water while leaving the hands free to perform strokes, as well as “sculling,” hand movements used to propel the body which are the most essential part to synchronized swimming. The session is completed with a choreographed routine with accompanying music.

We’re mostly interested in the chance to take in the pool, which boasts panoramic views of the city’s famous Hyde Park. And, at £125 per person, the price isn’t too bad either, considering the class also involves a show by the famed team. At the very least, it’s a lot healthier than lounging by the pool with a cocktail, which is what we’re normally wont to do.

Where Are London’s Hipster Neighborhoods?

by Jessica Festa on



With the Olympic Games quickly approaching, people are probably curious as to how to navigate the many neighborhoods of the city. To help, Hostelbookers has put together a fun infographic depicting a graph of “London’s Hipster Neighborhoods.”

Whether you’re a hipster of not, the image gives some good information about the city. For example, while Primrose Hill is inhabited by “’90s actors and pop stars,” you’ll find “Russian oil barons and trophy wives” in Hyde Park. You can use the quirky map as a way to decide where you’ll best fit in during your stay in London.

If you’re having trouble viewing the infographic, click here for a larger version.

Olympics 2012: Best Markets And Shops For Food Lovers

by Laurel Miller on

Just because you’re in London for the Olympics and watching world-class athletes torch calories, doesn’t mean you should be deprived of saturated fats and carbs. Despite its former reputation as a culinary wasteland, 21st century London has become one of the world’s great food cities, renowned for its fine dining and ethnic eateries, markets, specialty shops, and food artisans.

Take one for the team and pay a visit to the following for a taste of today’s London.

The city has its share of farmers and public markets, but if your time is short, the Borough Market is, in my opinion, one of the world’s great food markets. I discovered it on my day off from working at a restaurant in Marylebone in 2001, and I’ve found few other markets that offer comparable delights with regard to quality and diversity.

Located in Southwark along the Thames, Borough Market was established in 1755 and is London’s oldest produce market. Today, you’ll also find baked goods, meat and poultry, seafood, charcuterie, cheese and other English artisan foods, as well as international specialty products: argan oil from Morocco; spices, pickles, fruit pastes and preserves from the Eastern Mediterranean, India and Grenada; Croatian patés, French goose fat and fresh Perigord truffles; and Calabrian licorice root.

The Borough Market is open Thursday through Saturday; click here for times and bus and Underground directions.

Maltby Street is a selection of “breakaway vendors” from Borough Market, including Neal’s Yard Dairy, Monmouth Coffee and St. JOHN Bakery (owned by chef Fergus Henderson he of the much-loved St. JOHN Restaurant, a champion of offal and author of “The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating”). Unlike the market vendors, these are permanent shops that primarily wholesale during the week, and open to the public on Saturday mornings. Psst: Go early to get the custard or jam doughnuts at St. JOHN.World-famous Neal’s Yard Dairy has two shops (the other is in Covent Garden). If you love – or would like to learn about – handcrafted cheeses from the UK, be sure to stop by for a taste.

London’s other great cheese shop is La Fromagerie, with locations in Marlyebone and Highbury. Next door is The Ginger Pig, “butchers and farmers of rare breeds raised on the North York Moors.” Opt for a butchery class, farm tour, or some meat pies in lieu of purchasing fresh product. There’s also a location at the Borough Market.

Marylebone has a lively farmers market, held every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spitalfields, in the East End, started out as a traders’ market in 1666, and today is a fashionable complex with food, fine dining, boutiques, community events and public art. For non-edible souvenirs, check out Divermenti, a kitchenware store and cooking school in Marlyebone.

[Photo credits: vendor, Flickr user nakedsky; cheese, Flickr user Stepheye]