Quote of the Week from Rick Steves:
Congratulations to Fiona who was awarded the Blue Badge Guide of the Year title this week!
Fiona, a descendant of John of Gaunt, already had a trophy case of awards and professional qualifications: Blue Badge, City of London Badge, Westminster Badge. Anything else? Thought you'd never ask. She's an actress who also teaches juggling, circus skills and escapology (she made a famous break from the London Dungeon).
We had a dig a round on her blog - the Stardust Classic Movies Blog - and liked it so much that we've been inspired to add this new, occasional slot to our weekly London Spy post - London Walker Blog of the Week!
Vanessa B is first up, natch...
Here's an extract from her post on London's own Alfred Hitchcock and his classic Dial M For Murder...
Made us want to watch this film again! Thanks Vanessa, keep up the great work and we'll see you soon on a London Walk. (P.S keep an ear out when we post Part Two of our Literary London Podcast next week - we're covering London bookshops and we know you're a fan of those too!)
Are you a London Walker & blogger? Send us a link, we love a good read!
A London Walker Writes...
Dear David, Richard the III & London Walks Guides At Large
I write to confess my sincere infatuation with London Walks.
About a decade ago I happened to be in London for the weekend and having done most of the Big Onion Walks in New York City and the Boston by Foot Walks in Boston, MA, in addition to various walks in other countries, stumbled upon London Walks . I took the Old Westminster Walk with Graham and, for better or for worse, was hitched. I hasten to add that Graham introduced me to Barrafina in Soho on his Soho In the Moring Walk a few years later and I have been faithfully returning there henceforth.
Fast forward 10 years and 125 walks (enumerated below and including those by your unofficial sister company Paris Walks ) later and one could claim with impunity that a coveted benefit of me spending my sabbatical in the Math Department at Imperial College London is that its provides me with an opportunity to check plenty more walks off the list.
I find the guides without exception to be erudite, passionate, down to earth, "utterly reliable" as claimed and downright formidable in their knowledge of London. They treat their clients with genuine respect and an utter lack of hubris, often staying on afterward to have a drink at a pub with them or even inviting them to join them for a meal between walks.
Another wonderful thing about London Walks is the more of them you take the more you find that you must do in London. For example, a few weeks ago while on Hillary's Eccentric London Walk , she informed us that the quintessential view over dinner in London is to be had at the National Portrait Gallery and, after having dinner there last week, I can attest to the accuracy of her assessment. Your company has effectively democratized the ability to become a London Insider. Some other things I find wonder about your include
The pamphlet is my 1 year old son Ken's favorite toy and I take the often enough (and often with Ken) that I can quickly replace those that he tears. Apologies for elevating your printing costs, but perhaps I am compensating by distributing the pamphlets to all of my colleagues.
The Walks are invigorating and provide a bit of exercise to get the blood flowing,
both in the mind and in the body.
It makes reading books by English authors all the more fun.
More than anything else London Walks has indeed taught me that what Dr.
Johnson said back is genuinely true and, moreover, bears repeating. "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
Our weekly slot in which we point you in the direction of other happenings and events in our great city. A new exhibition, a gig, a museum, a pop-up-shop - the best of London within a few minutes of a London Walks walking tour.
Mr Cruickshank will tell the story of the first defeat of British Land in Norton Folgate back in 1977 and outlines the current battle to stop them obliterating the neighbourhood under a hideous corporate plaza. Sian Phillips reads the poetry of John Betjeman who lent his support to the 1977 campaign and Alec Forshaw, the distinguished Conservation Consultant, dissects the inadequacies of British Land's current scheme.
The Spitalfields Trust's Save Norton Folgate exhibition will be on show.
There's this from the Canadian Underwriter Society website (full story here)...
Seen in London This Week...
Sunshine. Lots of it, too...
We're currently working on Episode Two of our Literary London Podcast. In the meantime, catch up with Episode One...
Thanks for reading. Over the next few days we've got a whole load of Literary London stuff coming up onThe Daily Constitutional. Stay in touch! London Spy will return next week.
A London Walk costs £9 - £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com