Tottenham Court Road station

Why would you go to Tottenham Court Road station? Because it is right next to Foyles bookshop, as well as theatres and shops and a convenient corner when catching trains.

Tottenham Court Road station is in Tottenham Court Road, in central London, many stops away from Tottenham. The station is also on the corner of Oxford Street, which might lead to Oxford but is not near it.

I was so looking forward to seeing the new station which was cordoned off for many months whilst it was being redeveloped as part of Crossrail which will transform London, bringing new area within reach, new restaurants and shops and friends and meetings. Easier journeys.

If you've got a moment, stop to read about Crossrail.

the entrance near Foyles is not colourful, in fact the design is black and white, striking, sombre and sophisticated, like Westminster station.

However, down on the Northern line platform, going north to Euston, is a colourful mosaic by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Italian parents. He is also known for sculpture. See his sculpture P i s c a t o r (autocorrect is trying to change this word) on nearby Euston station. (And more sculptures around London and in Edinburgh.) Read more about Paolozzi in Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Paolozzi
Photos by Angela Lansbury, 2016. Copyright.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Court_Road_tube_station

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Crossrail - what's in it for you and me? Where will it be?

If you've been into central London in the last couple of years you might have noticed that Tottenham Court Road station at the west end of Oxford Street near Foyles bookshop and landmark Centrepoint skyscraper has been closed and cordoned off. Tottenham Court Road station is one of many which are being redeveloped.

Others include Farringdon.

I was excited to read that the new Elizabeth line will connect to places as far away and out of London as Reading. Not only that, journey times within London, for example from Tottenham Court Road to Heathrow airport will be quicker.

I was pleased to see one of the new stations has a floor to ceiling glass barrier, like the ones on some DLR (overhead light rail) platforms in East London. The ones in Singapore are wonderful. You know exactly where the train doors will be. You can form an orderly queue waiting on the platform behind the red lines either side of the doors.

The glass barriers also affect cleanliness, safety, and the on time trains. You cannot drop your phone, fall, push somebody onto the line, jump to commit suicide. So the trains are reliable. Less stress from delays and accidents. Good news all around.

I wish all the new stations were to be built like that. Unfortunately it appears that some are, some are not.

Several websites allow you to take a look at drawings of the new stations and the artworks.
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/news-and-information-about-crossrail-events

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and editor.

Good News For World Travel Market - 2019 Crossrail Heathrow to ExCel

The new Crossrail line which is already being mentioned in local papers is scheduled to go from Heathrow via Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Paddington and Canary Wharf to Excel.

I've seen the building works cutting off Tottenham Court Road station at the end of Oxford Street.

I was trying to calculate times of travel.

I've also seen the building works Farringdon station, near to Comptoir Gasgon restaurant (see my review in a previous post and on TripAdvisor) and Barts Pathology Museum. What a pity the Crossrail line does not connect Heathrow to City Airport.

2019 - some of us will be retired or dead by then. At least if you have a five year travel plan, you can put visit London on your list for 2019. MeanwhileI am watching progress.

What will happen is good news. But must we wait until 2019? No. Some of it will be open earlier.

The Farringdon station underground is currently open. Out in the street you can see the wonderful old mainline building with its art deco facade still standing waiting, I hope, for renovation, all curves and parallel lines and faces. (Or is it art nouveau?) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_stations_that_are_listed_buildings

I do like the look of the new art work letting light from the ceiling or changing lights to it will change every day.

Go to the website:
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/heathrow-funding-major-artwork-at-paddington-crossrail-station

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker and author.

Tapas Bar and Charcuterie Restaurant Ember Yard near Oxford Street: what do you get?

The menu here is similar to the restaurant I tried previously, and this time I liked the experience even more. From our table upstairs I could see the flames of the grill. We had warm welcome and attention all the time form all the staff.

Decor
Downstairs is a bar and more tables and a secluded area. And the toilets.

Plus an amusing double painting of Adam and Eve and wine. The restaurant owner Simon explained it to me.

The restaurant name, Ember, reflects the embers cooking the food.

Starters
You pay for the bread or olives.

The bread was very tasty. I scraped off the blackened parts. I am not keen on chargrilling. I don't like the last of charcoal. Also having had cancer in the family, I've perused the cancer websites which advise against eating food which is cooked on high heat and you can't get higher than food burned to a cinder. But I still ate it and I would still recommend it.

Having a pink (rose) sparkling wine, made everything nicer.

Our starter was the cooked vegetable in honey, which we'd previously tried at the sister restaurant Salt. (Four related restaurants. Next on our list to try will be Opera.)

Anything I'd like to change or improve? Yes, some kind of curtains or blinds on the front window as either a semi-barrier or complete one-way screen so you are not exposed to passers by. I hate windows exposed so that you are either facing the window and distracted by movement of people and vehicles outside, or sitting with my back to the window wondering what is going on behind me. However, only three of the tables are against the window and if you feel as I do about windows you can easily sit at a proper table inside, or at a bar stool, or downstairs at the bar on a bar stool or downstairs at a proper table.

The tables are wooden and close together. A bit of a squeeze. With fingers over the corners so you don't bruise your flesh or bang your bones.

Main Courses
The ribs on a puree of mash were good. So was the chicken.

Desserts
We ordered desserts with matching sweet wines which were excellent, aromatic and tasty, sweet but not sickly, interesting to learn about.

Desserts were the high point. We shared three. Even though my pears were underdone, hard and not so flavourful, the amaretti biscuits were so good! I also liked the honeycomb. We resolved to order honeycomb at home for home.

The coffee came up with the hot milk on the side as requested, with a small bowl including rough cubes of brown sugar.

Anything missing? The coffee was not accompanied by anything. They charge for chocolate as a special dessert. Maybe I'm spoiled, but an Indian restaurant changing half the price gives you a free chocolate with your coffee and/or the bill.

Despite what I've said in retrospect, we came out smiling and raving about the restaurant, saying we would try another branch and come back to this one again.

Not over-full of food. Nothing to bring home in a take-away bag.

At this branch the menu said that the expensive seat meal was for groups of 8 or more, and the restaurant needs 48 hours notice. So, for a special occasion, or Christmas, here's a good place.

See my earlier revue of Dehesa.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker and author.