london_expat

London Expat newsletter (latest happenings, discounts and reviews)

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:31:04 -0500

Newsletter issue no. 2011/2 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Private offers! - free first drink at NoiseTek, Where to eat? - Shanghai Blues, Sichuan Folk, Local Friends, Old Tree, Louis Patisserie What's new? - Thinking of buying a property, Newest food hall in Brick Lane, Wellcome Collection, The best crepe in London Private offers at London Expat Techno event (NoiseTek by selectivefm) - first drink free for all London Expat readers Thinking of buying? 4 must visit websites Bank of England Governor Mervyn King has been trying to reassure the public that the Bank will be keeping the base rate at the historical low of 0.5% for at least the near future. But with the inflation hitting 4% and staying consistently above the Bank of England's target rate of 2%, an increase in base rate may be just round the corner. (read more) Truman Brewery Boiler House - the latest food court in Brick Lane And as if the rows of curry houses and the food stalls outside Old Truman Brewery's Backyard Market are not enough, we stumbled upon Brick Lane latest food court - the Boiler House. In fact, it's so new that its website is still under construction at the time of writing. ( read more) Wellcome Collection - chastity belts, shrunken heads, torture chair Come to think of it, we shouldn't be surprised. Frankly, you can't expect anything less from an entrepreneur who was also a philanthropist, patron of science and pioneer of aerial photography. Sir Henry Solomon Wellcome, borned in 1853, left a huge collection of curiosities that continue to fascinate us till this day. (read more) The best crepe in London. Period A trip to Hampstead would normally mean an entire afternoon out at Hampstead Heath, away from the hustle and bustle of London. We would normally either take a heavy meal before making our way there or pack some sandwiches to last us for a couple of hours. However, we have stopped doing that some time back when we found out about La Creperie de Hampstead. (read more) Drop me a message via Twitter Great deals! 20% off Habitat till 27th Feb (enter S11ED at checkout) Up to 30% off all TVs at MandS till 27th Feb 42% off Renewal Spa package Where to eat Shanghai Blues - great ambience, 50% off dim sum Sichuan Folk - undiscovered gem Hunan Xiang Cai Guan (Local Friends) - decent food, eerie service Old Tree - Taiwanese bites Louis Patisserie - Hungarian cafe To Advertise for advertising inquiries, please visit here. Brought to you by London Expat and London Chow, powered by Aweber

London Expat - let it be an experience this Valentine

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 06:30:08 -0500

Hello , Yep, it's that day of the year again when there's love in the air. Even for those who enjoying the freedom of being single, it never hurts to have a night's out with your buddies. But what's Valentine's Day without a gift? It doesn't have to break the bank. This year round, check out Red Letter Day instead. Red Letter Day focuses not on the gift itself but on 'experiences' instead. Be it for couples, pampering, flying, dining, short breaks, the list just goes on. If you're worried about not being able to make it in time for V-Day, do not fret. Just opt for the next day delivery or e-voucher and your loved one will be in for a pleasant surprise! Enjoy! C K London Expat | What ELSE to do in London London Chow | Where to eat in London

London Expat newsletter (latest happenings, discounts and reviews)

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:30:11 -0500

Newsletter issue no. 2011/1 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Private offers! - 85% off Ministry of Paintball, 20% off Levis, Lee and Wrangler jeans Where to eat? - 9 new restaurants reviews that include Dishoom, Hawksmoor and Food Lab What's new? - Live demo on how to make Dragon beard candy, Billingsgate Market, How does VAT increase affect you and more! Private offers at London Expat 20% off Levis, Lee and Wrangler jeans (end 27th Feb) 85% off Ministry of Paintball Get additional 5% off Valentine's hampers at Hampergifts (enter VAL1105 at checkout) How to make Dragon Beard candy - live demo at Chinatown Though I remember seeing the stall set up at the same spot every Chinese New Year, we have never gotten round to getting any dragon beard candy from it. While we do have that in Singapore, it isn't exactly my favourite Chinese New Year snack as the candy, which is made from saturated maltose solution, just clings to your teeth, hardly pleasant. (read more) Where to have high tea in London - 3 places that you don't want to miss I met someone from across the pond some time back and we were walking down Fleet Street towards Strand when he said, You know what, that's what I like about London. The weather's not perfect but the architecture especially in this part of London is really captivating. I guess the buildings then were made to last, weren't they?. I gave a shrug in agreement as we passed by the Royal Courts of Justice. (read more) How does VAT increase affect you? You'll be surprised The headline grabbed my attention on 3rd Jan 2011. £600 is quite a bit, it can pay for almost half a year's worth of council taxes, more than a year's of broadband or months of groceries. Some claimed that the poor will be hit the hardest while others claimed that the middle class is going to foot the bill. But before you going around beating your chest, let's take a look at how you will be affected after the VAT increase from 17.5% to a whopping 20%. (read more) Billingsgate Market - where to get fresh seafood in London Six farmed sea basses for £10, wild ones for £7.50 per kilogram, a huge (and I mean huge) slab of salmon fillet for £11, fresh jumbo tiger prawns going for £11 per kilogram, large fresh scallops at £18 per kilogram, whole tuna (almost a metre long) at £15, a sizable piece of salted cod for £4 per piece - prices that you wouldn't find anywhere in London. Other than that, there were rainbow trouts, oysters and mussels, squids, crabs, lobsters, and a whole lot of other fish both fresh and frozen offered by the rows of stalls at Billingsgate Market. (read more ) Also... 5 predictions for 2011 - how the year will pan out Where to get Chinese New Year goodies in London Chinese New Year dinner - 5 recommended restaurants 5 tips on how to travel light Drop me a message via Twitter #sky { background:url('http://80.249.98.16/jlamb/Thomson/img/160X600_bg.gif') no-repeat;width:160px;height:600px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: arial; } #sky #content { position: relative; top: 140px; left: 8px; } #dates li { display: inline; } #dates { margin: 0; padding: 0; } #sky .label { margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px; position: relative; left: -2px; } .noborder { border: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: 8pt;} #sky .submit { position: relative; left: 75px; top: 25px; margin:0 padding: 0;} #book_now { color:red; font:bold 10px verdana,sans-serif; position:relative;top:-35px;left:0; text-align:center; width:160px; Great deals! Up to 50% off fine fragrance at Boots £10 off at LowCostHolidays (enter LOVEFEB at checkout) 8% off (other than sale items) at Chocolate Trading Co. (enter Valentine8 at checkout) Where to eat Hawksmoor (Seven Dials) - score on all fronts Bar Shu - best dan dan mian Dishoom - Bombay Cafe minus the humidity Alisan - fabulous congee Hana - good service and atmosphere Market Coffee House - cosy English cafe Yauatcha - tasting menu Food Lab - rustic feel The Tea Rooms - little charmer To Advertise for advertising inquiries, please visit here. Brought to you by London Expat and London Chow, powered by Aweber

London Expat - fabulous last minute offers for New Year's Eve dinners

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:29:13 -0500

Hi , It's that time of the year again when we start compiling our lists of resolutions while totally ignoring what the list you have made last year (be honest!). If going on a diet is in the list of yours, set that aside for the time being at least till after the New Year Eve's dinner. Well, you are not breaching it technically, are you? Anyway, there are a couple of brilliant deals to be had at Toptable for New Year's Eve. Here are some of them that are offering last minute booking offers. Notting Hill Brasserie (W11 2PN) 6 courses + a glass of Dom Perignon for £125 The Ebury (SW1W 8NA) 4 courses + a glass of Ernest Rapeneau champagne for £50 ORA Restaurant (W1W 7JE) 3 courses + a glass of champagne for £49 Olives (SW7 4QH) 3 courses + a glass of prosecco and stuzzichini for £49.95 Navajo Joe (WC2E 8JD) 3 courses + a margarita cocktail for £45 Cantina Vinopolis (SE1 9BU) 3 courses, coffee, petit fours and a glass of champagne for £65 Palm Court Brasserie (WC2E 8JS) 5 courses + kir royale for £50 The Waterway (W9 2JU) 4 courses + a glass of Ernest Rapeneau champagne for £50 I guess that's it from me for 2010. Thanks again for sticking with London Expat. I'm already looking forward to the new year. In fact, I've already drawn up a list of must-eat for 2011. I should really take up jogging again shouldn't I? Then again, that's exactly what I said last year. Oh well... Happy 2011! Cheers, C K London Expat | What ELSE To do in London London Chow | Where to eat in London

London Expat - 70% + 10% off at Debenhams!

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:00:13 -0500

Hi , Hope that you have had a full Christmas lunch. You know what they say about Christmas' meals, don't you? They're just to fill you up so that you'll be ready for the Boxing Day's sales! Oh well, the Tube drivers' strike is going to put a dampener on that though. Fear not, there's always the online sales, which I have always prefer. No point heading to the stores and be crushed by the hordes then driven into impulse buying, is there? So let's talk online sales shall we? Debenhams is currently offering online offer up to 70%. What's best is that you'll be able to get 10% more off if you enter promotional code PX8P at online checkout. With free returns, what are you waiting for? Head on to Debenhams online store now! Merry Christmas! C K London Expat | What ELSE to do in London London Chow | Where to eat in London

London Expat newsletter (latest happenings, discounts and reviews)

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 06:30:09 -0500

Newsletter issue no. 2010/3 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Great Deals! - 2 months free with Lovefilm, £100 bonus with EDF Energy, Christmas getaways deals with Thompson Holidays, Keynoir daily luxury deals, 50% + 20% off at house of Fraser Where to eat? - Medcalf, Myddeltons Deli, Morito, Delhi Grill What's new? - London Underground Unspoken Rules, Chasing away the winter blues, 5 Tips on Relocating to London, Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals Steamboat - chasing away the winter blues Back home, despite a year round temperature of 30C, steamboats are often reserved for special occasions. Over here in London, nothing is more welcoming on a wintry night than a hot steaming hotpot. The best thing is that the portions of food thrown into the mix can be easily adjusted according to the size of the dinner party. Imagine having a relaxing evening with your pals or family nursing a warm sake or cool beer with the hotpot bubbling in the background, fresh food ready in mere minutes. Think barbecue with less fuss and healthier to boot. (read more) Relocating to London - 5 things to do within the first month Now that you got a job offer in London, what's next? Fine, you firm has probably arrange for a relocation company to ease your transition into the UK. That said, other than applying for a work permit (which is of paramount importance) and arranging for your initial lodgings, the relocation company wouldn't be much of a help. (read more) 5 unspoken rules of the London Underground - what guidebooks didn't tell you I remember reading a Lonely Planet guide during my first trip to New York a couple of years back and one particular sentence stuck to my mind. When walking along pavements, never stop at junctions to consult your map. That would simply irritate the heck out of New Yorkers, especially those who actually have to slow down their pace to avoid crashing into you. (read more) Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals exhibition at The National Gallery Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto, was born in Venice at the end of the 17th century. Trained as a theatrical scene painter, he was well known for his paintings of Venice's sights, churning out contemporary scenes of the millennium old republican for English well heeled on the Grand Tour. (read more) Also... Christmas with the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr) Funding your retirement through the London Underground Londoners' obsession with sending cards Drop me a message via Twitter Last minute Christmas getaways deals! #sky { background:url('http://80.249.98.16/jlamb/Thomson/img/160X600_bg.gif') no-repeat;width:160px;height:600px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: arial; } #sky #content { position: relative; top: 140px; left: 8px; } #dates li { display: inline; } #dates { margin: 0; padding: 0; } #sky .label { margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px; position: relative; left: -2px; } .noborder { border: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: 8pt;} #sky .submit { position: relative; left: 75px; top: 25px; margin:0 padding: 0;} #book_now { color:red; font:bold 10px verdana,sans-serif; position:relative;top:-35px;left:0; text-align:center; width:160px; Great deals! 2 months free with Lovefilm Enter code: MPYH46DKE House of Fraser (up to 50% off with 20% on top of that) grab your Christmas gifts now - offer till 12th Dec Get £100 bonus when you sign up with EDF Energy Keynoir - daily luxury deals Must have Christmas chocolate gifts at Chocolate Trading Company Where to eat Medcalf - didn't quite make the mark Myddeltons Deli - foccacia to die for Morito - tiny tapas bar packs a punch Delhi Grill - new darling of Chapel Market To Advertise for advertising inquiries, please visit here. Brought to you by London Expat and London Chow, powered by Aweber

London Expat - 60% off Rodizio Grill (Brazilian all you can eat meat fest!)

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:55:08 -0500

Hello , Hope that you weren't too affected by the snow that has blanketed most of London. Cheer up though, it's the weekend so it's time to cuddle up and sleep late into the morning! Isn't too bad, is it? Anyway, I came across this offer and couldn't wait for it to be included in the next biweekly London Expat newsletter as it would have lapsed. Rodizio Grill is currently offering £11.60 instead of £29 for its Brazilian all you can eat grill with a caipirinha (Brazil's national cocktail) thrown in. That's 60% off its usual price and it's too good an offer to be missed! However, the offer is only available for the next 41hrs (starting from the time this email is sent). Once the voucher is purchased, it'll be valid for the next three months. Do refer to the Terms and Conditions at the order page. Enjoy the meat fest and stay warm! Till next, C K London Expat | What ELSE to do in London London Chow | Where to eat in London

London Expat newsletter (latest happenings, discounts and reviews)

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:33:10 -0500

Newsletter issue no. 2010/2 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Great Deals! - Discount with Amazon, Asda and National Express Where to eat? - Royal China (Baker Street), Masala Zone, The Peasant and Aqua Kyoto What's new? - Pierre Herme, Wing Yip, The Master Builder review, Country Living Fair Pierre Herme has finally opened up a store in London Without a single iota of doubt, Pierre Herme, which until recently had only a counter at Selfridges, serves the best macaroons I have ever come across. There is little hint of essence in the cream and its crust is light to the touch. Well, fans of Pierre Herme macarons will rejoice to hear that it has opened up a store at London's Belgravia, a short walk from Hyde Park's Marble Arch. Other than the entire array of flavours for its macaroons (including pietra, jasmin, rose, infiniment caramel and fragola), Pierre Hermes' store offers it's a wide selection of its chocolates. (read more) Wing Yip supermarket - time to stock up for the winter She picked up the Prima Taste Laksa pack from my shopping trolley without uttering a word and started to examine it. I was stupefied. It's not every day when a stranger picks up an item from your trolley along a supermarket aisle. I could have politely asked how I could help her but I was equally prepared simply to run in the opposite direction with my remaining fourteen Prima Taste packs. (read more) The Master Builder at Almeida Theatre Dilane's portrayal of a self delusional man at the peak of his career is entirely believable. Solness' bouts of warmth and coldness to Kaia, his hopelessness and exasperation with his wife, his frustrations and hope in fulfilling his promise to Hilda was well exhibited throughout the duration of the two hour play. However, the main star of The Master Builder has to be Arterton. After receiving accolades for her starring role in Tamara Drew, she burst into the play with the innocence of a child-woman (with a cape no less) alternating between boundless joy, curiosity, naivety and even tears of disappointment within minutes of her appearance.(read more) Country Living Christmas Fair - counting down to Christmas Christmas has got this magical feel in London that is somewhat lacking back home. I'm not sure whether it's the weather, which has seen 80mph gales sweeping through parts of the country as we go well into the autumn, but being snugly wrapped up in coats and scarves does create the anticipation for the festive period that is drawing near. (read more) Also... 10 things to do in London 5 ways to save on your groceries DLR - where reality ceases to exist Great deals! Spend £40 at Adsa Groceries and get £40 vouchers offer till 5th Dec Fabulous Black Friday deals at Amazon National Express brings you to Christmas Markets in the UK from £6.50. Where to eat Royal China (Baker Street) Aqua Kyoto The Peasant Masala Zone To Advertise for advertising inquiries, please visit here. Brought to you by London Expat and London Chow

London Expat newsletter (latest happenings, discounts and reviews)

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:00:32 -0500

Newsletter issue no. 2010/1 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Great Deals! - Discount with Waitrose, My Favourite Magazines and Thorntons Where to eat? - Edokko, Aji Noodle Bar, Santore and Camino What's new? - One New Change, Yes Prime Minister and Museum of London and more... One New change in the City - is it worth a visit? For starters, it's open 7 days a week. That itself is a venture for a place where everything shuts down as soon as the office crowds leaves. With an array of lunchtime crowd pleasers like Nando's, Zizzi, Byron, Wasabi and even Sumo Salad coupled with heavyweights Jamie Oliver's Barbecao and Gordan Ramsay, City workers in the Square Mile are in for a treat. And yes, there is an E.A.T., fans of Pret will be disappointed though but I'm sure you'll find one just round the corner of the street. (read more) Yes, Prime Minister at Gielgud Theatre - wit at its prime With the party in government changing every decade or so (sometimes more often), one wonders who really runs the country. Well, it must be the Civil Service then, one argues. No doubt, an excellent team, albeit unelected, manages the smooth transition of power between the Labour and Conservative governments to make sure there is minimal fuss, even for the case of coalition government. So the Civil Service is indeed the backbone of the government, the oil that runs the machine, the unseen hand behind the throne, and all these without any political affiliation. If only things are as simple.(read more) Museum of London - where you can buy time After missing the Modern London history exhibition's opening by a week during our previous visit to the Museum of London, we have to go down and take a look and are we glad we did. Three years in the making, the Modern London history galleries in Museum of London occupies the entire lower basement of the museum. There it picks up from the 1666's Great Fire of London where the prehistoric and medieval London galleries on the ground floor let off. (read more) More... Top 5 Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants in London Sun Luen Chinese bakery - fresh off the oven Singapore Symphony Orchestra performance in London Festival Hall Unpackaged - Organic grocer in Clerkenwell London Metropolitan Hotel - Nobu bento, spa and massage Get your Christmas hampers early at a discount at Virginia Hayard quote VHL-EBOFAM10 at checkout for 10% off Where to eat and Where to avoid Aji Noodle Bar (Japanese) Santore (Italian) Camino (Spanish) Edokko (Japanese) Great deals! 3 for 2 Christmas gifts at Thorntons Enter FD20 at checkout for free deliver for over £35 Up to 53% off popular magazines subscriptions this Christmas 25% off all wines and champagnes at Waitrose To Advertise for advertising inquiries, please visit here. Brought to you by London Expat and London Chow

London Expat - Win a pair of tickets to MasterChef Live and The Wine Show

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 08:00:27 -0400

Hi , Hope that you didn't get too affected by Wednesday's Tube strike. Be mindful that the next one is coming right up on the 29th Nov. Anyway, just to let you know that MasterChef Live and The Wine Show will be in London next weekend (12th - 14th Nov). This is a must-see for foodies like yourself. Tickets is priced at £20.50 upwards. However, London Expat will be handing out 10 pairs of tickets to both events to 10 lucky readers! What are you waiting for? Enter the contest now! All the best, C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | Singaporean in London