London?

[con_girl]

WE will be a week in London. Suggestions for things to do?

We are particularly interested in stuff that isn't the obvious or your opinion on why we should do an obvious thing.

Science fiction stores?

Cross stitch and embroidery supplies?

Other neat shops.

Comments

[tithenai]

Where will you be staying?

[con_girl]

We will be in Aloft during the con.

Train out of town

[c1]

We are particularly interested in stuff that isn't the obvious
Hop on the GWR. (AKA Great Western Railway, or "God's Wonderful Railway."*) In Lion Witch and Wardrobe opening scene, this was the beige and green train that spirited the kids out of London during the Blitz.
Go to Reading, or follow it all the way to the coast. Visit a town That Is Not London.

*Also, LNER, London, North Eastern Railway, or "Late and Never Early."
LMS, London, Midlands, and Scotland Railway, or "Long, Meandering, and Slow."

Re: Train out of town

[con_girl]

I was thinking that it would be a good idea to visit a town that is not london :) Reading seems too obvious.

(In Canada A prominent show used Reading as their measuring point).

[auriaephiala]

Pick some of your favourite authors from England and visit places they lived in London? Or pick a favourite book set in London and visit places mentioned in the book?

Walk across Hampstead Heath?

[con_girl]

I've never been one to match book places with their real life analogues. I will look up Hampstead heath.

[deguspice]

For sf books, Forbidden Planet is a good store to visit (not to surprisingly, they'll have a table at Loncon). They're also a good source for T-shirts, action figures, and Doctor Who toys.

For books in general, Foyle's is a huge bookstore. I haven't been to their new store (it opened earlier this year), but their old one was large, and this one is bigger. Compared to normal book stores, they have a decent SF section, but it pales in comparison to Forbidden Planet.

The area around Seven Dials has lots of interesting shops. For interesting cheeses, there's Neal's Yard Dairy in Seven Dials.

Forbidden Planet is a short walk from Seven Dials.

If you're staying in the area after Loncon and you'd like to visit any of these, let me know if you'd like company.

[deguspice]

I forgot to answer one of your other questions.

It's been a couple of year's since I've been to Liberty in London, but I remember that they had a cross-stitch department (good for DIY souvenirs).

It sounds like you want to look for "tapestry kits" in the "haberdashery". department. (At least that's how it's organized on their website).

They're a full service department store in a tudor building near Oxford Circus. If you're into quilting or dress making they have wonderful floral print fabrics (not cheap).