Hi Joanne, welcome to Buzzhopper! Tell us what it’s like to be a Buzzhopper in London?
I am an American journalist and I worked as an editor at People magazine in New York City for many years. I have been in London for three years now and love my life here. On the weekends I like to explore different neighborhoods and restaurants in this gorgeous city with my husband and two daughters. We also love visiting the English countryside or bopping around Europe on weekends.
I first caught the travel bug in high school when I was an exchange student in Sweden. Since then I have been lucky enough to live in Tokyo, Berlin, Brussels, and for a brief period, in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it’s currently called. I never tire of traveling. As a Buzzhopper I have a chance to connect with like-minded, curious people all around the globe and get an inside glimpse into their world. It’s awesome.
Bubbles and nibbles is one of your Vibes, tell us more?
Bubbles and nibbles is one of my favorite vibes because I love champagne! Life with two children is always busy, so I often find that I don’t have time for a big night out.When meeting friends, a glass of bubbly and a quick bite seem to do the trick.Where I go out in London really depends on my mood. For lunch, I usually seek out restaurants that serve healthy food with an upbeat and cheery vibe like the Wolesley and Molly’s Little Venice. These places serve great salads. In fact, one of top selling dishes at The Wolesley is their chopped chicken salad. I avoid restaurants that are too dark or serve a lot of fried foods. For dinner, I like restaurants with a fun, buzzy vibe like Sketch, House of Ho or Duck & Waffle. I avoid restaurants that are too precious, too formal or too somber!
What’s your favourite tip from another Buzzhopper that’s on your must-do list?
I am very intrigued by Maria Ramos’ tip about the Richmond Spa . Richmond is a beautiful part of London and I haven’t explored it very much. Now I have an excuse to do so!
What would you say to people using Buzzhopper for the first time?
London is a massive, sprawling city with a wide variety of neighborhoods. Because Buzzhoppers are spread all over the city, you can find your connection to them via your shared interests and vibes and they offer an insider glimpse into parts of the city you might not normally explore. I suggest you seek out BH’s recommended restaurants, bars or activities in new neighborhoods and map out a whole day around the tips.
This week, we stayed in London for “Meet the Buzzhopper” following Gabriele’s nomination of man of mystery – and hyper prolific Buzzhopper – Ant! It’s really worth browsing his scores of tips for a chuckle and to check out his illustrations! Ant is also one of our Resident Artists and we’ll soon be uploading his London cityscape to the London tips page.
Off we go:
A bit about you Ant!
From my native Scotland untimely ripped, I’m a cartoonist, artist and (debatably) musician living in London. I’ve been lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling, with the result being that in each new country I make new friends, try new cuisines… then come back to London craving said cuisines, so I go out looking for them. Then, those friends – by now heartily sick of their native food – come to London to visit and seek out new taste experiences, and guess whose shoulders that falls on? So I now have a hodgepodge collection of bars, restaurants and tourist attractions that can be seen and enjoyed without wading through a bunch of screaming unruly school kids on a class trip.
You have ‘in a wineglass of my own” as a Vibe, so what kind of places do you enjoy?
Wine Bars hold me in thrall, dying breed that they are. There’s a kind of faded glamour about them, as long as you define glamour as mid-‘80s Athena posters of that bird in the tennis costume scratching her arse / travel posters for countries that don’t exist anymore / wax-encrusted Chianti flasks. But invariably, you’re in the hands of experts. The likes of the Albertine in Shepherds Bush or Shampers in Kingly court – these are places that sell fantastic wines, many of which you’ll never have tried or seen before, and have friendly geniuses behind the bar to guide you through them. Plus, they’re the sort of places where you easily fall into conversation with whoever’s at the next table or stool.
What kind of things makes you say “this is a Buzzhopper place?”
This is a bugger of a question because it’s so hard to define. Take Gordon’s Wine Bar, for example. It’s hard to class it as a secret given that it’s always packed, and getting a table involves missile-crisis negotiating. But every visit feels like a special occasion, whether it’s from snaring a good seat and laying into the cheeseboard, or just sitting back with a glass of Oloroso and admiring the candelight. There’s nowhere else in the world like it. Or when you’re queuing up outside Meat Liquor and they trot out with a tray of fried pickles to keep you going – you know you’re onto a gem. But at the other end of the scale, even a maligned chain like JD Wetherspoon can throw up surprises, such as serving up haggis, neaps & tatties in the week before Burns Night for a fiver, with a drink included. It’s easy to sneer but this is quality stuff – McSweens’ haggis, no less – at a bargain price.
What’s your favourite tip from another Buzzhopper so far, perhaps one that you’ve used yourself and wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
Hah, Taqueria by Jana Sanchez(editor’s note: Taqueria is definitely a great spot!) Don’t get me wrong, I love Tex-Mex in all its inauthentic glory and yes, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve gone out to Lakeside for a fix of Taco Bell. Although I should be. But this- this is the real deal, proper Mexican, freshly made with quality ingredients, executed with a degree of expertise that would have the likes of Wahaca shuffling in the corner, looking at their shoes and mumbling “Don’t know, sir.”
What would you say to people discovering/using the site for the first time?
I think it’s important to recognise that the travel bug doesn’t have to end when you fetch up at a destination. I’ve known people who have jaunted all the way from Wagga Wagga, and then never ventured more than a kilometre from Earls Court Station. It doesn’t help that London in particular can be a bit tribal; you might need physical threats and sodium pentothal to convince a Stoke Newington resident to go to a soft launch in Clapham. But perseverance is usually rewarded (and don’t be ashamed to blag if your name isn’t on that list, chances are it was thrown together ten minutes ago by a disgruntled workie). Go with your gut instinct. Buzzhoppers are a savvy bunch, and they are sharing their most jealously-guarded secrets with you. Get in there before everyone else does.
Who do you nominate for the next “Meet the Buzzhopper?”
Let’s kick the focus back over the the Big Apple – I’m looking at you, Jana Sanchez.
Thanks Ant! If you’d like to know more about Ant and read up on some of his illustrated tips, head over to his profile.
Hey Gabriele, tell us a bit about yourself, what makes you a Buzzhopper? I came to London to study and enjoy the big city life back in 2012. Since then, I have made the city my home, from east to west. I have to admit that, in a week, I spend more time out for drinks and meals than I would ever spend in the gym in a month but I love walking around as much as possible, to discover places off the beaten path. I’m a musician who works in communications and dabbles in fashion, always out looking for special things in my restaurants, bar or dance-floor excursions. I’m constantly on the hunt for new places to discover and share with my close friends. I like bringing people from different backgrounds together and location is key in the process – it being for dinner and drinks or club action. That’s probably what makes me a Buzzhopper. I’m always moving about in London to enjoy different environments and meet new people.
You have selected Cheap & Cheerful as a Buzzhopper Vibe, so what kind of places do you enjoy?
I enjoy places that have a unique, authentic atmosphere that comes straight from the crowd they attract. I believe the best experiences come from the people around you, not your spending power. Authenticity is key in creating a good vibe, and that’s something you can only achieve when the management tailors the experience for an audience – and its pockets.
Be it a bar or restaurant, I love liveliness, good affordable service and people who are out to have a good time.
What kind of things makes you say “this is a Buzzhopper place?”
It’s a Buzzhopper place when it offers me something out of the ordinary, it being the location, the audience or its service – from an exceptionally good cocktail and music, to great food and fun faces. It needs to be a place I can trust when it comes to stepping in at any chosen time and knowing it will not disappoint me or friends from London and abroad.
What’s your favourite tip from another Buzzhopper so far? Kua ‘Aina – I took Ant O’Neil’s advice and went there for dinner with my girlfriend. The staffs Hawaiian shirts, the deco and music give it a very fun and cosy vibe. The avocado and bacon burger is delicious and I can only recommend pairing it with the sweet potato fries and a fresh Hawaiian Longboard lager. A fun little Hula break in central London. Having passed through and eaten in Carnaby often, it was a good surprise of the beaten shopping path.
What would you say to people discovering/using the site for the first time? Whether you are looking up your own city or a travel destination, you can use Buzzhopper Vibes to zero into Buzzhoppers that share your lifestyle, and consequently provide tips that suit you best. Otherwise just browse and explore the Tip feed and see what strikes your fancy. I find I can almost always find out which Buzzhoppers are good for me by reading a couple of their tips.
Nominate a Buzzhopper you like for the next spotlight! I think we’ll stay in London… Ant O’Neil!
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Meet the Buzzhopper, check-out Gabriele’s profile, Tips and Collections here!
