Luckily, I had just about mastered the London Underground and would fairly easily be able to find my way back to The Princess of Wales Pub the next evening.  

The Princess of Wales Pub in Charing Cross is named after the secret first wife of George IV. He wed a Catholic woman which his father declared illegal because he would no longer be able to hold the reign of Prince Regent with a wife of that religion.

Perfect. I adore drinking and dining at places with dramatic history.

The previous night, the bar was crowded, overflowing onto the sidewalk. It was a sea of suits. Tonight, we had arrived well after the 5:30 rush and it was fairly vacant. Not a single person belly up to the bar…yet.

I ordered a pint of the UK Adnams Lighthouse, while Peter apparently forgot what country we were in and ordered an Italian Peroni. At least it came in a really cool glass.

My English amber beer was served at about 55 degrees, a little warmer than I am used to, but typical for the UK. In the States we keep our brews under 41. The mountains on the Coors Light bottles will not turn blue at anything higher.
 

And here it is.

My first sip of my first pint, in my first pub, on my first trip to London. That's a lot of firsts. Just how I like it.

After we settled into our booth with our brewskis, it was time to order some traditional pub food (aka: fish & chips, beef pie and mushy peas).

Though I was eyeing the Shepherd's Pie, the waiter recommended the Beef Rib Pie instead. But, neither came with any mushy peas, so the Fish and Chips was a must too.

I had imagined mushy peas to be similar to a pasty split pea soup. And this wasn't too far off.

I love eating green peas, sometimes dinner is a huge bowl of sauted shallots, crimini mushrooms and peas. It makes for the perfect meal. But, I do not love these mushy peas.

How could that be? There was just a little something about the texture, and maybe alittle something about the taste, that does not translate into goodness for me.
 

Are you a mushy pea fan? Have you had pints at a London pub?

Megane is the ultimate bucket lister whose stories are intriguing, as well as inspirational. And of course, it wouldn't be a bucket listers night out if there wasn't a check on someones life list and Megane graciously offered to teach me the alphabet in sign language. Wine, friends and new experiences. Triple bonus.

Established in 1890, Gordon's Wine Bar, gives you a glimpse of the past. Not much has changed in over a century.

With the billion of neighboring pubs, Gordon's has not succumb to peer pressure and still only serves wine, which was more than fine by me.

The dusty bottles in the window are an indication that nothing has changed in all these years. Let's just say that someone needs a feather duster and a sponge. Though, the residue does add to the undeniable charm.
 

photo credit: Simon Burgess

Since the inside was standing room only, unlike the photo above, we grabbed a bottle of wine and headed to the crowded outdoor patio. The locals apparently were unaware of the 45 degree temperatures outside, while I was frantically searching for heat lamps to no avail.

The average age range was 30s, with many men in suits and trendily dressed women. I was happy to be wearing my less than trendy puffy jacket.

About one glass of wine in, Megane started with the sign language lesson. A…B…C.and then A again (I am a slow learner, thankfully she is a patient woman).

Not more than twenty minutes later I had learned the British alphabet, which slightly differs from the American one.

I have yet to put my new skill to use, but can still remember how to sign my name. I just can't remember anything else. More practice.

Do you know sign language? Have you ever been to Gordon's Wine Bar in London?

1. Buy an Oyster Card
After much debate between the Travelcard or Oyster Card I opted for the later. Typically, purchasing either is much cheaper then just buying single tickets to each of your destinations. For 4 1/2 days of strictly tube traveling, including two trips to the airport (zone 6), I loaded my card with $30 total. And I was underground…a lot. Which one is best for you? Check out the London Toolkits Travelcard vs. Oyster Card to decide for yourself. But, I was more than happy with my choice.

2. Only Smart Card Work at the Ticket Machine
A Smart Card looks just like a regular credit card except it contains an embedded microprocessor. They are more popular in Europe and this American gal did not have one, though it did take me four attempts to figure that out. In order to reload my Oyster Card, I had to pay at the in-person attendant.

3. Watch Out for Oncoming Traffic
When the train unloads, dozens of riders flood to the exit barriers. Step aside, do not block their way.

4. Have Your Card/Ticket Ready
Don't approach the barrier gates unless you have your card or ticket ready. There is usually a line of people behind you who would like to get on and off the tube…quickly. My biggest hurdle was remembering that I needed my Oyster Card to exit too.

5. Check the Line Map
Double check the maps to make sure you have chosen the right line your destination. The stop that in bold is where you are at, simply find the stop you are going to and the color of the line it is on.

6. Stand to the Right
Stand to the right when riding the escalators. Peter got caught on the left and that is not a place you want to be unless you intend on getting shoved, nudged and bumped. Absolutely, under no circumstances, stand to the right and leave your luggage on the left.

7. Check that you are on the Right Side of the Tracks
You've checked the map to make sure you have chose the right line, but did you check to see if you were on the correct platform for the direction you are going?

8. Mind the Gap
"Mind the Gap" was easily my favorite London terminology. Much to Peters dismay, I repeated the saying every time I heard it. It is a warning for Underground passengers to be aware of the gap between the train door and the platform.

9. Stand Behind the Yellow Line
Please stand behind the yellow line. Not only do you NOT want to fall into the tracks, but when the tube stops it is almost a guarantee that loads of people will be getting off. Allow them to do so before getting on. Shame on you to all those folks with no patience who shove your way on, you know who you are.

10. Pay Attention to the Signs
The signs tell you which train will be arriving, in how many minute and which stop it is heading towards. Just because you have made your way to the right side of the tracks, doesn't necessarily mean that all the trains on that track will be stopping at the same place.

11. Do NOT lean on the Poles
The poles inside the tube are meant for holding onto, not leaning against. This was one rule that I had a hard time abiding by.

12. Watch the Signs Before Exiting
Look out the window before exiting, there will be large signs that tell you what stop you are at. There is also a diagram inside the tube to indicate this.

Though the first day of my London Underground experience was frightening, by day two I was a semi-pro navigating my way throughout Zone 1 without committing any tube faux pas, besides maybe #11.

What was you experience like on the London Underground? Do you have any more tips to add?

Either way, I would still be having a meal at one of the restaurants owned by the famous nose to tail chef, Fergus Henderson.

There are 3 establishments in Hendersons repertoire, St. John Hotel, St. John Bar & Restaurant and St. John Bread & Wine.

We arrived at St. John too early for dinner, the restaurant section was closed, but the bar was open. That works for me.

The location was a former smokehouse, and not much has changed since besides painting the walls white. All of the walls. Very white.

After the wine selections were made, I scanned the brief, yet unique bar menu.

No Blood Sausage? What?

It wasn't until then that I realized that I was at the wrong St. John. Though all owned by the same chef, the menus varied. Luckily, this menu contained some offal to fill my strange food obsession.

As we waited for our food to arrive I studied the bakery section of St. John. A slim selection of fresh baked breads and treats were available for sale. There was no need for me to make a purchase since my meal was served with three slices of their soft white sourdough.

A larger collection of baked goods may be found at St. John Bread & Bakery, where the bakery operations moved after outgrowing the restaurant.

The first of two dishes to arrive to the table was the Gloucester Old Spot with Watercress & Radishes (₤7.40).

Gloucester Old Spot is a type of English pig that is white with black spots.

The meat was sliced thin and served cold. Very good. Not mind-blowing. But, very good.

And then the most picturesque meal I had seen since arriving to England showed up to the table, Roasted Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad (₤7.10).

"Bad boy chef Anthony Bourdain calls the Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad at London's St. John restaurant his 'death row meal'." Tampa Bay Times

I started to dig out the marrow with a long, thin spoon. Then slathered the rich, gelatinous insides on its crunchy bread companion. Topping that with a sprinkling of the Parsley Salad made for the perfect bite.

What does bone marrow taste like?  It tastes like oily, flavorful meat fat and spreads like a soft butter.

This was the best 'bar food' I had ever eaten, but still would not be my 'death row meal'. I'll reserve that for a wild mushroom and truffle risotto.

Have you ever eaten bone marrow? Have you been to St. John Restaurant?

London is full of extremely well-dressed folks wearing proper blue suits, mid-thigh skirts, skinny pants and stockings in a variety of colors.

I rarely see women wearing stockings in my Northern California hometown and I have not owned a pair since the 90s. We are very casual here; jeans and a blouse is evening attire.

But, Londoners are pretty dapper dressers.

Most ladies donned the simplest black stockings, but several others got creative with color and pattern.

Boots were all the rage, just not the knee-high ones that I had painstakingly purchased. Anything mid-calf or lower was fashionable, in particular ankle boots.

Note to self: Get a pair of ankle boots before heading back to London.

Skinny jeans, which are a fantastic boot companion, were scattered throughout the streets. Mostly on men. And they came in an assortment of shades, the least popular being the standard blue jean.
 

Suits & Ties: The pubs, underground and shops were filled with them. That is something I could get used to. Easily.

When I packed my suitcase, I did some things right…and some things wrong.

The Good: Not only did my large crossover bag fit my DSLR camera, maps and guidebooks, but it was also in style. Another good is that I only brought skinny jeans.

The Bad: The puffy jacket was so "hot" in Italy two years ago, not so much in London today. My knee-high Leslie Sharon boots gave me miles of comfort, but not a place on the cities best dressed list.
 

Do you research fashion trends before traveling? Do you go for comfort or style when traveling?

Piroshky Piroshky, located at Pike Place Market, specializes in Russian Piroshkys, buns that are fried or baked and stuffed with a variety of fillings.

After snacking on the thinnest slices of beef tongue, I was in need of a calorie-infested indulgence.

Piroshky Piroshky is one of the smallest eateries I have seen, just a few stools inside. But, in this case, size does not matter.

There was only a handful of items to choose from on the menu, but I still had a difficult time deciding.
 

Thankfully, the Potato & Cheese and Beef & Onion were a recommendation. And there was no doubt that they were fresh, because dozens were being made right in front of me. The buns were flaky and warm, the filling well seasoned and, even if I didn't have a gift card, they were cheap at 4 bucks.

The restaurateur in me was envious of this operation; a limited menu with few employees and a tiny location. I could do this. And be very happy.
  

I spotted the Cinnamon Cardamom Braid in the case and knew there was no option but to return the next morning for one…or two.

My cinnamon braid was going to go perfect with a cappuccino from the Original Starbucks which was just a few doors down.

I was just one year old when it opened in 1971. Too young for coffee, unless it could be snuck into my baby bottle. 
 

The interior wasn't that of the typical stream-lined Starbucks that I am used to. This one seemed more rustic, more…original.

Of course, it wouldn't be the Pike Place Market area if there weren't souvenirs, which I did NOT buy. I took pictures of the souvenirs instead.
 

Happily waiting for our caffeine fix. Actually, mine was decaf.

Have you ever had a piroshky? What do you think of the Original Starbucks?

I still have about $10 left on my Piroshky Piroshky gift card. Any takers?

The London Eye is a giant ferris wheel that towers 443 feet in the air and I wanted to see what that heck was way up there.

As I approached the impressive structure I was having flashbacks of my last ferris wheel ride. It was not pretty. You can spin me upside down twenty times on the Zipper, but the simplest ferris wheel ride made me revisit my prior meal of corndogs and pink popcorn. Like I said, not pretty.

Our reservations had been made well in advance and, even though I was previously unaware, they were Fast Track tickets. I was not privy to what that meant until I handed them to the attendant who scooted us to a separate line from the general admission, passing hundreds of folks in line.

Get a Fast Track ticket people. It costs a bit more, but saves at least an hour in waiting.

The London Eye has 32 capsules, representing the 32 boroughs of London. 

Prior to entering the capsule I attempted to scope out which interior location would have the best view. I ignorantly determined it to be the outside right and told Peter to make a run for it when the doors opened. Each one of the capsules can fit up to 25 people, but we were lucky enough to only have half of that, so getting a good view didn't really require any scheming.

I immediately hoarded the interactive screen that identified several of the buildings in our 360 degree view, taking note of any I may want to see close up.
 

Dozens of sites can be seen from the London Eye; Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Hyde Park, Alexandra Palace, Hampton Court and so many more…

On a clear day, it is possible to see 25 miles of the beautifully amazing London. That would be a lot of ground to cover on street level.
 

My favorite was the County Hall.

The entire London Eye rotation takes a half hour, slow enough to avoid making me queasy and fast enough to avoid making me bored.

Yes, it was uber-touristy. But, paired with my London city map, I had a better understanding of the layout of the land. And I felt better prepared for my next London adventure.

Have you ever taken a spin on the London Eye? What do you do when you first arrive to a new city?

Disclosure: This attraction was sponsored by the London Eye, but all the words I write come straight from my, sometimes distorted, mind. Just as it should be.

Hyde Park is 350 acres and home to over 4,000 trees, The Serpentine lake and Diana Memorial Fountain. 

Though, technically, Kensington Gardens and Palace are not a part of Hyde Park, they seamlessly blend together.

We started our loop in the Gardens heading towards the Palace. The plan was to continue clockwise until we ended up where we started. That is quite a plan after a 10 hour flight, no sleep for 24 hours and a welcome-to-London cocktail at Min Jiang.

But, I was ready to get this vacation rolling and didn't want to miss one minute of new adventures or exploration. 

The gate at Kensington Palace was stunning and William III greeted us out front. What a nice guy.
 

The flowers were all in bloom in the gardens. Luckily, they were also fenced in or else I would have had a beautiful bouquet for my hotel room.

Their landscaper did an impressive job on these perfectly manicured hedges which lead to the resident cafe, The Orangery.

We continued our walk, through the thousands on trees, to Hyde Park.

We passed Serpentine Bridge, the boundary between Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.  

The Serpentine, a 28 acre recreational lake, tempted me with their blue paddle boats. But, that may have thrown my tired body right over the edge. No pun intended.

Approaching the Princess Diana Memorial fountain, I had to do a double take. This was not your typical fountain, instead it was one continuous circle of shallow streaming water. 
 

The laughter of the children enjoying this memorial could be heard a dozen feet away.

Heading back towards our Kensington entrance, I was stopped in my tracks by the grandest statue I have ever witnessed.

The Prince Albert Memorial was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband who died of typhoid. The statue is 176 feet tall and took over ten years to complete.
 

The sky is turning dark and it is time to put me and my first day in London to bed. Goodnight.

Have you ever taken a stroll through Hyde Park? What was the most striking statue you have ever seen?

By the second day in town, my only dining experience had consisted of eating duck gizzards and beef tongue. It was about time to dig into this world renowned chowder everyone speaks of.

The award winning Pike Place Chowder is only a half minute walk from the market. You'll wish it was even closer. 

photo courtesy of  Angie安姬

I was nervous about my pending chowder experience for a couple of reasons.

#1 – I make a mean clam chowder. Please excuse the vanity.

We serve a Tuscan Clam Chowder with Pancetta at my restaurant every winter. It's a sold out show.

#2 – I am just 40 minutes from the famous San Francisco Fishermans Wharf. Chowder in a sourdough bowl is their specialty. They kind of know what they are doing.

Impressing me was going to be challenging. I was going to be one tough nut to crack or shell to break or fish to scale. Whatever.

We walked into this tiny, 5ish table shop and had a selection of eight chowders to choose from.

I opted for the Traditional New England Clam, since it was the closest to my recipe. Peter ordered the Smoked Salmon.
 

They were served steaming hot right at the counter, to order, and came with a large hunk of moist bread. Perfect for dipping. Of course, you can grab a bag of typical oyster crackers if you so choose.

Though the Salmon Chowder was good, the Traditional New England Clam gave my own a run for its money.
 

My pride will keep me from saying that this chowder was better than mine, but it was so tasty that I had to practically sprint to purchase another cup just before heading to the airport.

Have you been to Pike Place Chowder? Where was the best clam chowder you ever had?

We plopped down in Min Jiang's cushy bar chairs and were taken aback with our view of Kensington Palace and Hyde Park. 
 

The view would have been the same if we opted to eat at the ritzy adjoining dining room. But, casual lounging is more my speed. Besides, the bench seating allowed me to press my nose against the glass. I am sorry to person who will have to Windex that after I leave.

Though I had read rave reviews about the authentic Beijing Duck (₤55.00), it was one big bird. And I still had a mushy pea quest in my near future.

Instead we opted for the Steamed Dim Sum platter (₤13.50), which arrived looking like a colorful piece of art. Being that this was my first every dim sum experience, I had absolutely no idea what these dumplings would be stuffed with, if anything at all.

I made Peter try each one first, I don't like my taste buds to be too surprised. You see how helpful he can be?

Each delicate dumpling was filled with fresh seafood. I almost forgot about my mushy peas.

Of course, to commemorate my London arrival, a cocktail was in order.

The Canton Ginger (vodka, amaretto, lime, fresh ginger, apple juice, ginger ale) was exactly the crisp cocktail that I was looking for.

From the look on Peter's face, he was jealous that all he ordered was a beer. He should be.
 

Now, it was time to walk off my slight buzz and dim sum belly. Hmm…Hyde Park is right outside the front door. I guess that will just have to do.

Have you every been to Min Jiang? What's your favorite dim sum?