Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Ten for Tuesday: My Favourite British Summer Things

This year -- for the first time in many -- we're having a proper summer. By 'proper summer', I mean that it's not raining every day of the week, the temperature's above 15 C, and you don't need to head out swathed in scarves to brave the elements. (I'm not joking. One year, I didn't even unpack my summer clothes.)

So to celebrate, this week's Ten for Tuesday will be all about my favourite summer things!

1. Pimms. When I posted about Pimms a week ago, many of you didn't seem to know what it is! For shame! Pimms is a yummy liqueur that you mix with lemonade, cucumbers, strawberries and gin. I know it sounds strange but it can actually be very refreshing. And lethal. A friend of mine once streaked through Richmond after consuming too much Pimms.

2. Proms. Every night from mid-July to mid-September, you can attend wonderful classical music concerts at the Royal Albert Hall for only £4!

3. The Serpentine Pavilion. Each summer, a new architect is commissioned to design a pavilion in Kensington Gardens. It's up for about two months and then they dismantle it.

4. Stripy deck chairs in Hyde Park. Plop one down by the lake, lean back, and watch the trees sway above your head. Bliss!

5. Regent's Park Open-Air Theatre. The only permanent professional outdoor theatre in Britain, Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre holds over a thousand people. With its pitched seats, though, you’ll feel like you can practically touch the actors on stage. Founded in 1932, the resident company is the New Shakespeare Company. At least two Shakespeare plays are performed each summer – one of them usually A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which lends itself perfectly to the park’s leafy environment.

6. Swimming in the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Bizarre but true - if you fancy a dip in a secluded pond, head up north to the Heath. There's a men's pond, a women's pond and a mixed pond.

7. Opera Holland Park. Every summer, a massive open-air opera stage is constructed in Holland Park. Tickets range from £10 to £57 and if you're a young person (not me...) then you can get free tickets here.

8. Pavement Cafés. Being able to sit on the street and eat probably doesn't seem that exciting, but when you live in a country where the sun rarely makes an appearance then it's downright intoxicating (in more ways than one).

9. South Bank Stroll. I may have mentioned that my husband proposed and we got married on the South Bank, so it's no surprise strolling along the Thames when the sky is brilliantly blue is on my top 10 list.

10. Sun. SUN! SUUNNNN! Although technically, I'm not sure sun can really be classified as part of a British summer, when it does make an appearance we appreciate it that much more!

43 comments:

  1. Talli, thankyou so much for conjuring up so well the perfect picture of summer in London, when it has one :)

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  2. Lovely Talli, I must get to London soon, I miss the deckchairs the most.
    Also I used to love Covent Garden on a sunny day.

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  3. Ah Pimms. At a wedding my mum nearly fell in a fish pond after drinking one too many Pimms - she thought it was fruit juice!

    Love your list, Talli. I do many of the same things! And oh, how lovely your hubby proposed and you married on the South Bank. When the sun sparkles off the river it is truly one of the best 'I Love London' moments. :)

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  4. A great list. If you do all those things this summer, I believe you would look back and consider it a nice one!

    I would love to be sitting in a sidewalk cafe right now...
    I'm happy that you have some nice weather, but I think it belongs to us! It's raining here at this very minute. It NEVER rains in July, in southern California. Heck, it rarely rains at all...

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  5. I love this post! Talli, I know you said you're from Canada, but you have so much knowledge of the English way and I really love to read about it when I come here!

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  6. #8, pavement cafes = perfection :-)

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  7. Outdoor cafes, outdoor concerts, gardens, sunshine, swimming, leisure. What a perfect summer you are having!

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  8. Britain's one of the best places on earth to be when the sun shines .......... but when we get one of those non-summers I'm glad we have so many low-cost airlines here ;o)

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  9. It all sounds very lovely Talli, you make London sound so appealing.
    Let's hope the summer continues! Ooh, I could just do with a fruity pimms!

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  10. Pavement cafes sound so lovely and amazing! You can't find many here, but I'd love to visit one in London. :)

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  11. Wow I think I need to come out for a visit and enjoy a nice Pimms at one of the several establishments you just listed! I'm glad to know you're having a proper summer! It's important for the health!

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  12. Oh, I love London. Lucky you living there. At least I can enjoy Pimms here.

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  13. Sounds quite different from my summer, but definitely pleasant!

    And I was wondering what Pimm's were.

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  14. Okay, now I really, REALLY want to go back to London. We had planned to go again this year, but I requested that we not, so I could focus on my book. I guess it'll all pay off if my book sells. If it doesn't...

    *sighs*

    Beautiful post though. Glad you're having some sunshine!

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  15. I know I'm always drooling about your lovely London but we do have some of those things here in Leicester too you know. Pimms, proms, sun, walks. We've even got an open-air theatre... but I'd still love to live in London. *drool*

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  16. Women's ponds? How very interesting. Nothing beats being outdoors! I would love to go outside right now, but I don't think I can take the Georgia heat, which is why I usualy wait until about 7 to venture outside.

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  17. Glad you're all enjoying a virtual London! It *is* great in the summer, when the sun is shining. It's like a different city - and while I love the winter gloom, the sun! Sigh! Oh the SUN!

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  18. Sounds like some great things happening in England! I'm on my way...

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  19. Yes, Pimms definitely. Especially in the garden at a nine o'clock dusk when the birds are still chirpin it large
    And Wimbledon too, of course (;

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  20. Only 15c? It's much hotter here. I wish I were there.

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  21. Know what you mean about the luxury of sitting outside a cafe. It seems so decadent to Brits! And if it's Pimms, even better!

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  22. Can Pimms be enjoyed with items 2-10?
    Sounds like a great summer to me. Enjoy!

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  23. Agh I'm jealous! It sounds like fun (minus the part about the year when you didn't even unpack your summer clothes.) I sort of want to move there... :-P

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  24. Oh, how absolutely lovely it all sounds! How I would love to fly me and Jen over there right now. Have always wanted to go to London. Enjoy, enjoy (while we're in a dreadful heat wave on East coast USA!!).

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  25. Really cool. Thanks for posting these.

    CD

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  26. Thanks for sharing! Summer in London sounds delightful...when there's sun, that is!

    I sure hope you see many sunshiney days this summer, Talli!!!

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  27. Oh, I love all of these, especially the classical concerts. You've also peaked my interest about Pimms. Wonder if it is only sold in UK?

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  28. I had no idea about those ponds at Hampstead Heath. So do you go to the mixed pond? :)

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  29. Great list! I'm saving it for when I finally get to travel to London :)

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  30. Yay!!! The hat has got his hat on - hip hip hooray!!!!

    These are brilliant ten things for summer! You can't go wrong with Pimms, Parks, Proms! :-)

    I'd add summer sandals. Such a joy to be able to air one's pedicured feet...!

    take care
    x

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  31. Excellent list! I need to find out if I can get Pimms in Nebraska!

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  32. London sounds so dreamy. I want to live there!

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  33. ah, that sounds quite divine! We're not an overly sunny part of the world either as you know! Mine would include hanging the clothes on the line, buying so many strawberries I don't know what to do, wandering around the waterfront with a ninety year old - slowly, very slowly, and hearing people from the Bronx at the next table at the Lower Deck. yay, all today and it wasn't really sunny at all!

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  34. Hi Talli - I'm a brand new follower and you've been tagged! ;p (see my blog for details)
    Any description of summer is enough to make me green with envy at the moment, we're into our third week of steady rain here in NZ blahhhh

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  35. haven't had any Pimms yet this year - and now teh sun's gone in. Darn!!

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  36. I make it to England quite often but I haven't been to London in years. I miss Hyde Park!

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  37. Go Pimms! I never drank it but that commercial cracked me up..Im so curious!

    And summer here in switzerland has been pretty decent too, thank goodness!

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  38. Makes me long for England. I love Pimms and I still have a bottle left from the several I brought to the US with me. I've been conserving as I can't seem to get a hold of it here, and once I run out, it may be ages before I can get more.

    London sounds like it's been beautiful. So now the question is if you're able to stay cool?

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  39. I'm glad I've painted London in such a positive light! It's a wonderful place when the sun's out.

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  40. Hi Talli .. sounds like you know London .. I saw the new Serpentine Gallery (Pavilion) the other night on tv .. and thought I must visit when I get to London .. he's a bit put out at the white cups for the coffee I see?! Everything's red or green ..

    Tennis - you missed the tennis?! probably not a fan - but you're definitely a fan of the good things of life .. outdoor opera, the Proms, Pimms .. and on and on ..and

    yes we have summer .. and it's coming back I gather ..

    Loved the post - and thanks for following my blog .. eventually I got here - see you again soon .. Hilary

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  41. You summed it up well!
    As a child, summer lasted much longer in the UK. We never had rain during the school holidays. So glad you all got more than one day of sun this year. :)

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  42. Thanks for your comment on my blog yesterday to which I have responded there. Maybe you have a good excuse and were not living in the UK at the time?

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Coffee and wine for all!