One of my personal favorite parts of London is the city lights. London’s landmarks like Tower Bridge, South Banks, and Piccadilly Circus light up in luminescent bright vibe that stops you in your tracks. This is the London I have come to find so stunning, and will miss when I return back home.

World Cup post celebrations. Spanish fans flooding the street in Shoreditch, London

One of London’s most distinctive icons, the black cab and their drives have earned the reputation for providing the best taxi service in the world. To become a black cab driver, one must undergo a rigorous test of learning London’s metropolitan area which can take up to 3-4 years to complete and includes learning over 8,000 points of interest before they awarded the coveted badge. Talk about dedication. 

Another great perk of working and living in London is the proximity to the town of Wimbeldon. Fortunately for me, my wife and I were here during the Wimbeldon Championships.  Though I am not much of a tennis fan, it was amazing to experience Wimbeldon at its best.  Here are just a few pictures I took from the day.

While strolling through the Camden market today, I came across this interesting service.

Friday Social at TMSW London.

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures while being in and around London (with the exception of Paris)

Ads that make you think. The Economist underground adverts dispay hard facts and stats on controversial issues from prisnor rights on voting, to legalising drugs, and shows both sides of the argument. A nice way of communicating The Economist’s stance on talking about big issues without taking sides.  In the end, the only person to decide what side to take is the consumer.

Urban Bike Sharing System coming to London.  As you may have seen in my earlier post on Paris’s bike sharing system, it looks as though London is launching the same program here in July. The cycle for hire scheme will be used for Central London and will consist of 15,000 bikes in 1,000 stations.  According to London Mayor Ken Livingstone, the new ‘granny bike’ sharing scheme hopes to reduce traffic congestion and help clear up the air.

Here is a genius product I saw while in the Hyde Park gift shop today. An England based company, The Pocket Garden is a gift that grows and offers a range of organic herbs, plants or flowers. The description on their website reads,

The pocket garden allows you to give a loved one or friend a gift that will become a permanent reminder. Supplied in a sealed leak-proof bag the PG contains specially formulated compost and seeds that once cut open, just require water to germinate allowing them to grow a beautiful houseplant.

However, what I like most about this product is not the heart felt message it sends, but the potential to get kids excited about sustainability and the environment. As moms are looking for simple ways to keep their kids entertained, it gives them an easy way to take an initiative on growing their own foods or taking care of their own plant. Also, I love the simplicity of the product use: Cut Open, Add Seeds, Water, Let it Grow. Simple and easy!

Overall, a great product and even better idea.

Random bits of observations.  Here are just a few things I have seen that are weird, interesting, or just different from life back in the states.

Pub Culture is a common extra curicular activity here in London. As it is no surprise the British have a fine appreciation for beers, the after work pub scene is a ritual for many as they leave the office. However, this thirst for alcohol is more than just the desire to become inebriated or the occassional drinking problem. As I have come to learn that a typical British summer is more like the rainy season, the slight appearance of sun and touch of warm weather makes every body want to get out and soak up every part of summer.  I also have come to observe that Londoners have a very ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality, and a proper pint is usually the answer for long day’s work load.