How to Explore Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge in London
I believe the Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge area is certainly worth the exploration within
historic London. What I like about it is --it is comfortable to inhabit and provides the visitor with a
flourishing area where you can do any number of activities such as shopping, or jogging along the
famous Thames River bank. I particularly like the latter aspect as I can turn on my heel and observe
any number of worthwhile sites. For example I may note the tranquility of Battersea Park which
provides the nicest views of Chelsea. However, there are also many good sites that are not on the
ordinary passageways that I believe you may find interesting and well worth visiting.
One sight you may wish to visit, especially if you have an interest as I do in historic architecture are
The Boltons. The way you access the area is to take the Tube to Gloucester Road. The Boltons are a
number of mansions and were established during the middle part of the 1800s. They were well
appreciated by the prosperous individuals of the period. Former residents of The Boltons include:
Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Beatrix Potter. The residents of the dwellings nowadays are much more
indiscreet with regard to being tenants and may be world bankers, rulers or anyone demanding housing
for a large party of persons whose presence is necessary for them to conduct business. The price tag
for staying at The Boltons is also a princely sum averaging approximately two figures in millions
relative to pounds. The price will generally allow for residence within a ten bedroom home.
The next sight we visited and one I believe you may enjoy is to drive west along what is known as Old
Brompton Road and visit numbers 263-267. The address is home of what is known as The
Troubadour. The location is a famous coffee house and music stop. This is the spot where the famous
artist Bob Dylan first performed within London. The rock musicians and singer Led Zeppelin and Joni
Mitchell also liked the venue and spent time at The Troubadour. Their menu is fabulous and the
atmosphere is that of English pub however eclectic in nature. Try Fish and Chips or a terrific meat and
mash potato pie type of meal. I personally like the fact they offer breakfast all day. One offering that
is perfectly healthy is the Hippy Crunch and I think rather goes along well with the theme with regard
to noted artists such as Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin spent time at the Brompton Road location. The
breakfast combines Muesli, Greek Yogurt and Honey. It is the ideal compliment for a run later that day
around the Thames. It is a comfortable pub with splashes of stained glass and a Gothic vibe on top of
the English pub styling. The artist in anyone will be well-satisfied not only with the variety of food but
also the atmosphere. It in my opinion takes English pub to the highest possible level. You will
definitely appreciate the fact I suggested it. Just be advised they do tack on a service charge of 12.5
percent to your overall bill. You may not like my recommendation so much if I left out that salient
detail. Their prices are moderate however and what you'd expect for the style and atmosphere.
A sight seeing opportunity you'll wish to take advantage is Kensington Palace. The palatial setting has
been residence of Queen Victoria, Queen Anne, King George I and King George the II as well as
Princess Diana. I suggest in order to enrich your trip you purchase or locate some histories and/or
biographies of the preceding “Royals.” I always find it makes an historic visit that much more
appreciatively significant. Kensington Palace has been described as the most personalized of the
residences connected to Britain's royalty. (As you may know, Buckingham Palace is the very grand
residence and Hampton Court enjoys a familiarly prestigious and historic reputation.) Kensington
Palace was purchased toward the latter part of the 17th century by King William III. Later Christopher
Wren reconditioned the dwelling into a palace. It was after this renovation that a succession of
“Royals” as mentioned started calling Kensington Palace a home.
The official mail address is: The Broad Walk, Kensington Gardens Kensington. Advance booking is
essential. Phone is 0844/482-7777. The admission charge is around thirteen pounds. It is open for
public viewing during the months of March through October from 10:00 a.m. To 6:00 p.m. daily, and
November through February 10:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m. Tip: You will want to assure you visit one hour
prior to closing time in order to tour the palace.
Highlights of Kensington Palace include first off the King's Staircase. There is an enormous Trompe
l'oeil painting that covers the wall in this area. One of the painting's characters is “Peter the Wild Boy”
who was somewhat like a cat who is non-domesticated and legendary during the early 18th century
inside London.
Secondly with regard to Kensington Palace another highlight is the King's Gallery. The gallery was
originally established in order to house the King's works of art collection(s). Nowadays the majority of
paintings are reasonable facsimiles, however do not let this fact deter you from paying a visit. The
Gallery room alone is absolutely magnificent. There are richly decorated walls swathed in red damask,
gilding and a beautiful painted ceiling.
Third, the grounds burst with color and elegance especially in the spring when tulips open up their
petals to winter's now “sleeping giant.” There are also fountains and everything you would expect in
the way of a beautiful, memorable Royal formal garden.
Currently there is a very interesting temporary exhibition on at Kensington Palace up until January 31
2010 entitled The Last Débutantes 1958 within the Multimedia area which details the last days of the
débutante. This interesting exhibition profiles the change occurring during the time period with regard
to political activism and details why the débutante was becoming less and less prevalent in society.
The photos tell the story and the exhibition takes you well inside the débutante's world where you
receive a true understanding of what it was like to be a débutante. You also understand during this
transitional phase why the débutante's days were coming to an end.
There is much to do in the area of Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge however I believe I've clued
you in on three terrific sites and activities not to be missed..
Exploring the City of Turin within the Region of Piedmont Italy
One of the most interesting areas to explore in the beautiful majestic country of Italy is the
northwestern portion and more precisely Piedmonte (Piedmont).
Picture this: All around you there are endless mountains wearing caps of snow; poplar trees, serene
blue water, green and colorful flowering countryside, romantic medieval castles and the Roman ruins
of ancient times. Could it be any more enticing? And the answer you'll find as you explore the area is
Yes: There is high fashion here and flashy Italian sports cars in addition to the historic aspect.
The region of Piedmont (Piedmonte) is mainly agriculturally-based; however, the area's capital Turin is
one of the country's top ranking industrial cities. I believe the reason I enjoy the area so much is due to
the fact that there is a strong French influence in Piedmont. This is noticeable in the dishes served in
the region as well as within the general dialect.
The city noted in my review is Turin which is approximately one hundred fifty miles southwest of
Milan; 414 miles from Rome and 108 miles northwest of Genoa.
Turin has an interesting history: It was here the unification movement also known as Italian
Risorgimento was initiated. Turin was Italy's first capital; a position it later lost to Florence Also
Turin at one time was the capital of Sardinia. A good portion of Turin's history has to do with the
House of Savoy. The House of Savoy was a dynasty that ruled over the land for nine hundred years.
The monarchy was finally abolished.
The city achieved prosperity once more after World War II. A main reason Turin achieved economic
success is the fact Fiat manufactured its famous automobile in Turin. Many of the structures from the
1600s and 1700s are maintained inside the city. The city is situated on the Po River and has been very
well laid out. The streets are generous in width; there are many historic squares; beautiful churches and
scenic parks.
There was an extended period of time where Turin was one of the nation's least visited cities; however
nowadays all that has changed. The city is a hub of industry and is flourishing in the arts.
The Cattedrale di San Giovanni has been the city's main attraction. This is the home of the famous
Shroud of Turin. It was damaged by a fire in 1997. The Chapel of the Holy Shroud and a wing of the
adjacent Royal Palace where the Shroud of Turin was displayed received most of the loss from the fire.
Fortunately the Shroud had been removed prior to the fire. This was due to the fact the dome within
the chapel area had been undergoing construction.
The city of Turin is not only an automotive manufacturing city it is also home to aerospace industries
and other high tech manufacturing companies.
Culturally notable Italian writers who were initially published in the city include Primo Levi and Italo
Calvino.
The first thing you will want to do when visiting Turin is to do as I and my travel partner did and
establish in your mind what area is the center of town. Stazione di Porta Nuova is the town's center.
The Po river lies east of the station just named. A major artery known as Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is
found directly north of the station.
If you are into fashion the major shopping street Via Roma runs from north of the station to two
squares that join each other known as Piazza Reale and Piazza Castello respectively.
The square where we began our sightseeing expedition of Turin was Piazza San Carlo. The square is
the design work of Carlo di Castellamonte: It was created during the 1600s. The highly notable square
is where some of the country's most prominent figures planned Italy's unification.
The first place we visited was the Museo delle Antichita Egizie and Galleria Sabauda—translated the
first museum refers to the Egyptian Museum. Both of the museums are housed in the Guarini
designed 1600s Science Academy Building. There is a wonderful international class Egyptian
collection containing the statues of Amenhotep II and Ramses II among other items. The Egyptian
exhibits are what every true Egyptologist enjoys.
We ascended to the upper level of the museum where the Egyptian theme continued. We viewed a
valuable papyrus where the monarchs of Egypt were recorded from the first to the seventeenth
dynasties. There are exceptionally rare and unique funerary exhibits. One example is the chapel
constructed for Maia and his spouse. Another example is the tomb of Kha that was assembled once
again at the museum site: The tomb dates back from the eighteenth dynasty and was discovered
during an excavation within the 1900s.
The second museum: The Galleria Sabauda located at the site offers one of the country's most
significant collections of art—all originating from the House of Savoy. The main collection presents
works of Piedmont's master artists however we were also able to view some very nice Flemish works.
The Flemish work that stands out most prominently in my mind is “Three Children of Charles I” by Sir
Anthony van Dyck.
I and my friend also viewed the Italian Master Botticelli's “Venus” - naturally an extraordinary
masterpiece. The exhibits at the museum were rich with world class art. Further presentations
included: “Sleeping Old Man” by Rembrandt and “Dinner in the House of the Pharisee” by Veronese.
Other great works from Italian artists such as Duccio (Virgin and Child), Mantegna (Holy
Conversation), Bellotto (Views of Turin) are strongly remembered (among others). There was also a
fabulous Royal art collection dating from the early part of the eighteenth century to the early portion of
the nineteenth century—more precisely about a one-hundred year span of time.
The second stop while visiting Turin was the city's featured Cattedrale di San Giovanni and the Holy
Shroud located at the Piazza San Giovanni. The hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to noon and 3:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m. We were able to access the site by taking Bus number sixty-three (63).
As alluded to at the beginning of this review the site was damaged by fire in 1997. There was a great
deal of damage within and around the Chapel of the Holy Shroud which is where the religious relic is
normally housed. It was therefore fortunate to find out the Shroud was left unscathed by the incident.
In 1998, the Shroud made the headlines as it was only the fourth time during the century it was made
available for viewing by the general public. Approximately three million pilgrims traveled to the city
to view the Shroud of Turin. However on our visit most visitors must have been happy enough to view
photographs of the famous religious relic as that is what was provided.
The church we find is “attired” in black marble and provides the sightseeing historian a beautiful
example of Baroque-style architecture in the way of its well-lit six-tier dome.
The Shroud is infrequently in view: It is usually housed at Holy Shroud Museum (Museo della
Santissma Sindone), the official mail address being Via San Domenico 28. The Holy Shroud Museum
is a very small library that is located in close proximity to the Cattedrale di San Giovanni or Cathedral.
The only individuals allowed access to the center (of research) are officials of the Church and scholars.
Our third stop was Palazzo Reale also known (in English) as Royal Palace. The official mail address is
Piazza Castello and there is a slight charge for admission. The hours of operation are Tuesday through
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and it is also accessible by taking Bus #63. The Royal Palace is where
the Savoys took up residence and also called their home. The palace was established near the midportion of the seventeenth century. The style is Baroque as witnessed by the palace's halls, tea salon;
the columned ballroom and the Queen's chapel. The original architect of the structure was Amedeo de
Castellamonte. There is a tapestry laden banquet hall as well as a lavish throne room.
The gardens were created by the French designer Le Notre where we also paid a visit. The Royal
Armory (a.k.a. Armeria Reale) contains a sizable collection of armor and arms and militaristic items.
(The West Wing of the palace received significant damage during the 97 fire of the the adjacent
cathedral.)
The city of Turin was a culturally rewarding experience and I'd highly recommend you pay it a visit
when traveling through Italy.
Silver Heart Rings—The most Popular of Gift ideas this Valentine’s Day
Silver heart rings come in a variety of styles and are offered at many different kinds of retailers. The
Gucci sterling silver heart rings is a new item and is an ideal gift for your special lady for the upcoming
Valentine’s Day occasion.
The Gucci sterling silver heart ring is reasonably priced for a Gucci accessory at an affordable $170.00.
It comes with a solid sterling silver heart design with the word Gucci inscribed in the middle of it and is
sure to capture the heart of any fashion conscious lady. The ring is a symbol of love and affection and
is not only an indication of your significant other’s commitment to fashion it is also a continual
reminder of your commitment to her.
If the state of the economy or your frugal budget does not allow for such extravagance as presented by
the Gucci name then you may wish to consider giving your heart away to your special someone by
purchasing FOJO’s diamonds in silver heart ring. This is a fantastic buy at a most reasonable $17.99
and is found on Amazon.com. The ring is completely silver with a small heart in its center. The ring’s
silver heart envelopes the smallest of clustered diamonds. Its simple elegance will easily win the heart
of your special lady on Valentine’s Day.
You must not forget Mom, particularly on Valentine’s Day. A personalized silver ring from Walmart
is the perfect gift-giving solution. The ring is completely sterling silver with simple individual hearts
including the birthstones and names of each child on its front. Not only is it beautiful and meaningful it
is priced at a most reasonable $52.97 price point.
You can also create your own personalized message for Mom. The birthstone heart ring which is silver
with a gold overlay may be your gift-giving answer. The ring includes a heart at its center, Mom’s
birthstone and the word Mom placed within the middle of the heart and over the stone. Further, you
may inscribe what you’d like within the inside portion of the ring such as to my best friend. The ring is
a new item and offered at Target for a very reasonable $42.99.
Sites that offer heart rings include nexttag.com and evesaddiction.com to name a few. The major
retailers as well as alluded to above have a wide variety of rings as well as price points in which to
choose. The sterling silver ring is the perfect gift to win over that special lady this coming Valentine’s
Day or let the important women in your life know how much they are appreciated.
There are websites all over the Internet where silver heart rings may be found and all kinds of styles
and prices. You shouldn’t have any difficulty finding the right ring to impress that special lady in your
life. The rings are symbols of love, affection and serve as constant reminders that the significant other
or any other special lady in your life is always in your thoughts and most importantly inside of your
heart.
All the rings I’ve described within this review I believe to be very tasteful and would suggest any of
them as a terrific Valentine’s day present