London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark

As I mentioned in my last post about the Leman Locke hotel, we decided to stay in East London during the first weekend of our recent visit to Europe. I absolutely fell in love with the different neighborhoods on the east side of the city, especially on the south side of the Thames. While we’ve visited Southwark several times before, this was our first time exploring the neighboring Bermondsey district. Between the street markets, breweries and restaurants, I knew I loved it from the start. If you’re visiting London and looking for some local spots to try out, I’ve listed some of my favorites from our time in the southeast bank below!

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide: Bermondsey & Southwark | The ELL Blog

Borough Market: This has always been a favorite spot of mine, and it now has an even more significant place in my heart due to the events that occurred there while we were visiting London. While the market has been closed since the attack, it’s  actually reopening this week to continue serving the city as it has for the past thousand years. A visit to this market — filled to the brim with produce, cheese, meats, and local food stands — is definitely necessary if you’re in London.

Neal’s Yard Dairy: While this shop originated in Covent Garden, my favorite location to visit is on a side street near Borough Market. The shop is filled floor-to-ceiling with wheels of cheese, and you can sample a variety that are either locally made or imported. We grabbed a wedge of an amazing  local cheddar and a loaf of bread for our train trip to Paris (details of that trip coming soon).

London Grind: This café and cocktail bar is located within an old bank at the end of London Bridge, and  served up the best breakfast we had on the entire trip. Their avocado toast comes topped with poached eggs and red chilis, while their Full English breakfast came with the best roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. Aside from the food, their urban design aesthetic is pretty great, too. I fell in love with their neon sign quote on the back wall: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” There are also many other “Grind” locations throughout London, so there is most likely one nearby wherever you are.

Maltby Street Market: Located in Bermondsey beneath strings of lights and flags, this market should be on the top of your list if you’re in London during the weekend. The market runs beneath the train tracks, with local little shops tucked under the arches. Grab a gin cocktail to-go at Little Bird and stroll through the various pop-up stands serving all different types of street foods, from scotch eggs to waffle sandwiches. One of the best things I ate on the entire trip was a creamy French potato and ham dish served out of a gigantic pan near the end of the market (and I’m still trying to figure out how to recreate it!).

Bermondsey Beer Mile: The London craft beer scene reaches an all time high in Bermondsey. The neighborhood has nearly 10 microbreweries along a mile and a half stretch, which has been dubbed the “Bermondsey Beer Mile.” Many of the breweries are in the arches beneath the train tracks and are only open on the weekends. My favorites that we visited were Anspach & Hobday, Hawkes Cidery, and Brew by Numbers. The breweries are definitely on the smaller side and can get really busy, with people spilling out into the streets to enjoy their pints — but we loved getting to see where the locals spend their Saturdays!

Woolpack: Unlike some other pubs in London, the Woolpack has several local beers on draft. Their back patio is worth a visit, and made me miss my pup since it was super dog friendly! They also host pop-up events on their patio with local brewers, so we got to check out Fourpure Brewing Co. while we were there.

Tanner & Co: We stopped here for an afternoon cocktail, and it didn’t disappoint. Their bar menu can be found inside vintage books, while table numbers are painted on enamel cups filled with succulents. The best part is their bright patio complete with colorful market lights and vibrant patio chairs – an ideal place to enjoy a Saturday bloody mary in the sunshine.

More to come from our second weekend in London soon, as well as all things Paris!

The Leman Locke in East London

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

Our Stay at the Leman Locke in London | The ELL Blog

We’re finally back from our trip, and I’m already missing this gorgeous hotel! I was soo thrilled that we decided to stay at the Leman Locke during our first stop in London this time around. Located in the Shoreditch/Whitechapel area, it’s nestled in the East end of London, which I immediately fell in love with. After having visited the city multiple times, I loved getting the opportunity to stay in a spot full of local pubs, restaurants and cafés. Shoreditch is such a vibrant & hip area, so finding an amazing spot to eat or grab a drink was never a problem.

Now, more about this darling hotel. Since Leman Locke is an “apart-hotel,” the rooms are much bigger than standard rooms (especially compared to those typically found in Europe). Our room had a stove, fridge, and dishwasher, as well as a combination washer/dryer. In addition to the amazing size of the room, I was head over heels for the space’s design. Every room features a pink couch, which was an Instagram dream! I also loved their use of mixed furniture in the rooms, plus the exposed cement columns and slate blue and white walls were pretty rad.

Leman Locke is also home to a café and restaurant, Treves & Hyde, which are equally as dreamy as the rooms. The pink, lavender and mustard color palette of the café made it the perfect spot to grab a coffee before heading out in the morning. The mezzanine level restaurant had a beautiful bar that was great for a glass of prosecco at the end of the day.

If you’re looking for an amazing spot to stay in London, I would highly, highly recommend checking out Leman Locke. If it wasn’t great enough already, it’s incredibly reasonably priced, too! I’ll be sharing my recommendations for the Shoreditch area around the hotel soon, so stay tuned.

Summer Rosé Sangria

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Summer Rosé Sangria | The ELL Blog

Rosé season is here, and I’m not giving it up anytime soon. My fridge is stocked with virtually every cute bottle or can I that I get my hands on. There’s just something about sipping on a chilled pink drink that makes me so happy for summer.

I have been waiting and waiting and waitingg to get my hands on a bottle of this Summer Water rosé since I first saw it online last year. The bottle is a collab between Yes Way Rosé + Winc, and it’s a match made in heaven. If the name isn’t cute enough, the rosé will have you hooked. I’m partial to dryer and less sweet wines, and this one meets both of those. I want to fill all of my shelves with their darling bottles (but then there wouldn’t be room for food..)

Since I seem to have become a bit of a rosé collector (ok hoarder), I wanted to come up with a cocktail recipe that would include my favorite pink beverage. This brings me to the latest recipe – a fruity summer rosé sangria! It’s light and fresh, making it a perfect beach or pool day drink. The flavors of the pineapple and watermelon compliment the crisp wine, and the sparkling water gives it a little spritz. Any of the fruits can be switched up for whatever summer produce you have on hand, too. Strawberries, raspberries, peaches, or grapefruit would all be yummy alternatives!

Summer Rosé Sangria

1 bottle of Summer Water rosé

1/2 c. cubed pineapple

1/2 c. cubed watermelon

1 lemon, sliced

1 c. sparkling lemon water

Pour bottle of rosé into pitcher. Add sliced fruit, and top off with sparkling water. Let wine + fruit chill in refrigerator for at least one hour. Pour over ice and sip away all day!

A DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta in 4 Easy Steps

A few weeks ago, we hosted a fun tropical summer fiesta in honor of Cinco de Mayo, and it made me realize what a fun theme it would be for any summer party! The bright colors, pineapple margs, and yummy nacho bar all came together for an evening of early summer fun. If you’re looking for some tips on throwing a fiesta of your own this season, I’ve outlined a four easy ways  below to help you do it yourself!

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

DIY Tropical Summer Fiesta | The ELL Blog

• Bring the color: For our party, I wanted to go with colors that were a little more unique than a typical Cinco de Mayo party. I was inspired by a pack of colorful banners I found at Target, and decided to ground everything with a vintage pink Mexican blanket I’d picked up at the flea market. Next, I added slight levels to the table with an overturned bowl and cake stand to add dimension. I finished it off with a few different tropical elements from around the apartment, like a ceramic pineapple, brass candlesticks, a vintage New Mexico tray, and a few piñatas!

Incorporate fresh elements: I also wanted to bring some fun tropical elements to the table, and florals + fresh fruit did just the trick. The floral arrangement was actually created from several of Trader Joe’s small wildflower bunches, which even came with pincushion proteas. The entire bouquet cost less than $7! I also tucked a fresh pineapple, coconut, and limes amongst the table decor, too.

Setup a margarita station: A tropical summer fiesta wouldn’t be complete without a pitcher of homemade margaritas! To add a tropical twist, we made them with pineapple juice, and were even able to repurpose our signature cocktail sign from our wedding (pineapple margaritas were on the menu!) Elliot squeezed over 50 limes to make the pitcher of fresh margs, and it was soo worth it. We used this recipe, and just added in a bit of pineapple juice at the end. The margarita bar also had stir sticks, straws, and lime wedges so guests could dress up their glasses. We also had a bucket of Mexican beers on hand for those less partial to margs 🙂

Create a build-your-own nacho bar:I love a themed party because it means getting to come up with a creative menu. Obviously chips and dips were a must, and our lovely friends each brought their favs to contribute to the afternoon! We had fresh shrimp ceviche, guacamole, jalapeño garlic dip, and, of course, lots of salsa. As for the main event, we thought a nacho bar would be a fun concept since everyone could build their own plate. We made some overnight barbacoa in the crockpot + some homemade queso, and then set out a bunch of other fresh toppings. My favorites to set out include:

  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Green onions
  • Diced red onions
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Jalapeños
  • Corn
  • Black beans

So there you have it – just add some music and a few friends, and you’ve got yourself a tropical summer fiesta! Hope you find some time this summer to celebrate the warm weather with a marg in hand.

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

5 Summer Pool Essentials for the Ultimate Pool Day | The ELL Blog

In the summer time, I’m somewhat obsessed with going to the pool. Any day the sun is out, I want to be laying out in the sunshine, sipping on a cocktail and reading a good book. Throw in some cute pool accessories, and my day is made. To help you experience ultimate pool day, I’ve put together five of my 5 summer pool essentials below!

• Drink floaties: Why hold your own drink when it can float in the pool?! Drink floaties may be some of my favorite pool day accessories since they are so simple to inflate and super fun to use. ban.do now makes their own line of mini floaties, and they come in either round pink +yellow stripes or bright red hearts. And if you’re going to have a drink by the pool, you should probably be sipping out of a pink party straw, too.

• Canned rosé: Judging by the number of canned wines that are popping up in stores, I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only one that thinks portable rosé is a summer pool essential. Winc is currently selling these adorable Ruza rosé cans for the summer, and I think they make for the perfect poolside beverage. If you’re in the mood for a cocktail instead, my Tropical Guava Rum Punch recipe is pretty and pink, too.

• Fresh snacks: Snacks are definitely a pool necessity, and they’re even better when they’re colorful! A plate of fresh tropical fruit pairs perfectly with a can of fizzy rosé and leaves you feeling hydrated, which is a plus. Strawberry papayas are my new fav, too since they are small and such a vibrant color inside.

• A good book: One of the best ways to pass the time in the sun is with a good book in hand. Some of my favorites I’ve read recently include Sweetbitter, The Regulars,  A Game for All the Family, and The Girls.

• A killer playlist: I’m not sure about you, but having music by the pool makes me feel like I’m on vacation. I personally love my Bose Soundlink bluetooth speaker since it’s portable and has a concentrated enough volume so it doesn’t disturb other people nearby. Bob Marley or a Chainsmokers Spotify station has definitely been the go-to playlists for the weekends lately!

Hope you enjoyed these fun pool day tips! + thanks to ban.do for the fun pool day goodies!