Greetings from our balcony!
Bo and I have had the most delightful day enjoying the beautiful London weather. It is sunny and about 70 degrees right now, perfect for relaxing on the balcony with a glass of wine, some light appetizers and our iPad which we’ve used all evening to talk with our parents and loved ones.
We are trying to do a good job of ensuring each of our weekends together is balanced. It’s easy to get caught up in the novelty of a new city and living in Europe. But, we’ve promised each other that we will leave time unplanned each weekend for some much needed rest and relaxation. For example, we were busy today from 8-3pm but have been able to relax this evening, ambling around the wharf area, watching the sunset from our balcony, talking to our parents, and cooking dinner in together.
Last night however, we had other plans for our evening which most certainly did not include relaxing at home. Instead, we thought it would be fun to take the tube to Marylebone and spend the evening sipping and tasting our way around our new neighborhood.
We took the Jubilee line from Canary Wharf to Baker Street, which is about a 20 minute ride. This will be Bo’s new commute each day once he moves from temporary housing into the new flat. Bo and I were both spoiled in New York City with very easy, short commutes on reliable lines. Therefore, one of our goals for the new location was that the commute would be pretty easy as we all know that dealing with a long commute after an even longer day is just no fun.
This is the face of a guy who is very happy with his new commute!
Within 20 minutes we were standing at our new doorstep, ready to embark on an evening of fun! Just a few blocks away we found ourselves ordering a bottle of prosecco at our first location for the evening, Coco Momo. The prosecco was 23 pounds, equivalent to $35.
We spent an hour sipping our bubbly, people watching and dreaming about what our weekends spent in Marylebone will be like. 
It was a great place to start the celebration. As I mentioned on my Yelp review earlier, we will definitely return for drinks but will not order food in the future. The appetizer dish that we ordered was sub par and over priced.
Once we finished our bottle of prosecco we spent some time meandering through the boutiques on Marylebone High Street that were still open and wandering down a few of the side streets. Our next stop was The Fat of the Land, a Mediterranean tapas bar that caught our attention by the crowd outside and the unique name. 
We were able to snag a seat outside and quickly ordered the grilled octopus and their drink special, a Pimm’s Cup. 
Pimm’s Cup, a classic British cocktail, is typically made by mixing Pimm’s, a gin based liquor, with lemonade or gingerale. Historically, Pimm’s No 1 liquor is a mix of dry gin, liqueor, fruit juices, and spices. Unfortunately, this girl did not care for it and instead swapped with Bo for his pint of beer. 
I’m surprised the Yelp reviews for this spot are so negative as we had a great experience overall. Our grilled octopus was perfectly seasoned and prepared, the service was very prompt even on a Summer Friday evening, the prices were in line with the rest of the area, and our waiter was very friendly. We will definitely be back for a pint of beer and their outdoor seating!
Finally, around 9pm we decided it was time for a proper dinner and ended our evening at Fish Works Seafood Cafe. Bo and I are huge seafood fans so the first time we saw this restaurant during our flat search and heard that their fish monger inside is even better, we knew we’d be trying it soon. 
The restaurant focuses on a pairing seasonal, fresh seafood with equally as fresh produce. Everything on the menu sounded wonderful so we spent a few minutes reviewing the menu while we sipped on a glass of pinot grigio. 
Since we had already had two appetizers, we decided to share a few dishes versus ordering our own meals. Overall I would say that we were amazed, if not blown away, by the sea bass main course we shared, the sea bass. But, we were underwhelmed by the appetizer (hand picked crab on toast) and pasta course (linguini with clams). They do fish very well and we should have just stuck with seafood all night, in its purest form.
You’ll also notice in the above picture, that there is a green side dish. That my friends is mushy peas. Mushy peas is a traditional English side dish that is most frequently served with fish & chips. It is dried marrowfat peas which are simmered with sugar and salt after being soaked in water overnight. In the past two weeks we’ve both fallen in love with this side dish!
So there you have it, our first evening in Marylebone together, sipping and tasting our way through the small streets.
Question: What is your favorite way to discover a new neighborhood?
Great post and welcome to Marylebone! You certainly saw a lot in one night! The Fishworks fishmonger is great – their taramasalata is worth trying. If you are both seafood fans make sure you also check out the great British classic fish & chips at The Golden Hind just down Marylebone Lane – doesn’t look like much from the outside but it does one of the best fish & chips in London!
Have a look around our site at http://Marylebone-London.co.uk for some more local tips!
I think you’ve discovered a big difference between NYC and London: almost every restaurant in NYC is good/great while the default in London seems to be very mediocre! I’m sure you’ll find some great neighborhood spots, however, and the amazingness of the rest of the city more than makes up for it! Happy settling in.
I wouldn’t say that every restaurant in NYC was great! 🙂 I am sure we’ll find some wonderful spots in London but it takes time. I agree that the city is absolutely amazing!
You’ll have to get some recommendations as there are a lot of great restaurants in London!!
Thanks Charlie! We definitely will need recommendations. We have started a file so send any of your favorites are way! 🙂
Why do you constantly feel the need to tell us how much things cost? It is really tacky.
Small-town Canadian here, so my idea of interesting might be a little skewed, but I’m reading this blog now as almost a travel blog, and I find it sort of interesting to get a sense of how much things cost in different part of the world.
Andrea I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog! I’m trying to find a balance between travel and health/wellness as I don’t want to lose the fact that this is still a health and wellness blog where I can document my training. Glad the costs are helpful!
I actually enjoy learning about the prices… especially because it’s in a different country, it gives me an idea of what to expect if travelling there in the future!
Both fair points, but we’re reading about such arbitrary and random items. We all know that if the couple were to disclose how much they pay in monthly rent, or weekend airfare, or memberships to workout at fancy gyms or get 90-minute massages, it would be completely opulent and unrelatable.
Thanks Allison. A few readers had asked about the costs of things, hence the reason I’m sharing it. Unfortunately I can never please everyone.
Unfortunately I can’t please everyone. It seems as if many of my other readers like seeing the price of things as a comparison point. If you don’t like my style of writing, you aren’t forced to read.
I actually do appreciate reading about the prices. I never understood why people deem such discussions tacky. In my opinion it is rather interesting and quite helpful.
I agree and think it is useful. I’m from the UK and visit London sometimes so it helps me determine if a restaurant is within my price range and whether I would visit (or if it would be a special ocasion type of place).
I went through Marylebone on my way to see a friend yesterday. And I actually thought “I wonder if Ashley is here somewhere” 😀 Hope you’re enjoying England!! And Geneva too of course! 🙂
That’s so funny Clara! Yes, we’re loving both cities! I’ll be back in London two weeks from now and am already excited for my long run!
I am glad that you guys found your place in London! This is super exciting for both of you to know have a place to nest.
I have to say my favorite way to discover a new neighborhood is to create the unstructured time around to go for a walk/discover. I love the idea to sample things similar to what you did which is a few pieces here and there. Allow for the experience to unfold.
I tend to go with the flow and it just feels fun!
Thanks Laura – it certainly makes London seem more permanent now that we have a flat.
With you on the Pimms thing. I hate it! You will find as soon as the sun comes out, us Brits crack open the Pimms, but like you I would much rather have a beer.
Pleased you are enjoying London and your new European adventure.
Haha yes Helen I definitely have seen just how much they like Pimms. Oh well, maybe it’s an acquired taste? 🙂
Sounds like a fantastic time! My favorite way to see a new place is running, of course, and cycling, but not cycling for exercise – more like using bikeshare to explore. And defintely love walking around neighborhoods and stopping in and out of shops/cafes/bars – my husband and I travel much the same way as you guys.
It was so much fun Kathy! I really want to cycle through Dijon and Burgundy when we go with friends in August.
I seriously love living through you two in Europe!
My favorite way to discover a new neighborhood is to definitely chat with the locals. Figure out where THEY like to go — they always have the best insider information.
Oh, and running of course!
Thanks Ashley! Chatting with the locals is a great idea. We tried to use that concept when choosing restaurants and bars on Friday night. If they weren’t very busy we didn’t go inside.
I love that street and neighborhood, it’s so lovely. Did you find Daunt’s Books? Fab bookshop, one of my favorites! And Villandry on Gt Portland St used to be fabulous, I can’t imagine it’s changed much.
But mushy peas?? UGH….shudder.
Haha, yes we both LOVE mushy peas! To each their own I suppose. 🙂 No, we didn’t see those shops but will have to when we’re there exploring again next weekend! Thanks!
I always get really upset when food is disappointing and expensive! As a canny Londoner, I find that a great way to ensure a good food experience is to check out Time Out London and opt for the restaurants/bars/cafes with a positive review by a Time Out writer. These are usually great quality, and the reviews give an indication of price so you know what to expect. I may have commented before that Les Deux Salons, Wild Honey and the Hawksmoor restaurants are definitely worth a visit-some of my favourites! Nothing beats a good pub though… have fun!
Thanks for the suggestions! We’ve started a file to keep everyone’s recommendations so we’ll add these today! Great idea for Time Out London. We never used it much in NYC but will definitely check it out. Have a great day!