The Tea House Theatre

"We serve the best Full-English in London."

That's what Hal Iggulden told me as I mumbled/gushed about his cakes.

I know that you shouldn't talk with your mouth full, but oh, that cake!

The Tea House Theatre was a stop on a press jaunt around Vauxhall that I joined a few weeks ago.

And along with the New Covent Flower Market this was a favorite stop.

This used to be one of the seediest of seedy pubs dating back to the Victorian era and located in the infamous

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.  But, it's now a cafe/tea house/community center.

The only buzz you will get here is from the creativity and camaraderie.

(And maybe a sugar buzz from those amazing cakes!)

But, they don't serve coffee or alcohol.

They do, however, serve loose leaf tea of every variety imaginable.

Welcoming, homey/homely, charming and lived in with it's vintage and eclectic decor,

this is a place to have a meal, enjoy brunch, have a cuppa and eat lots of cake!

Hal is also one of the guys behind the UK bestseller The Dangerous Book for Boys.

He was a great host and was happy to tell us all about this special place.

We gathered on mismatched furniture and drank tea from mismatched china.

Have I mentioned the cakes?  Holy cow!  Homemade gorgeousness.

That strawberry slice was meant to be shared, but I wanted it all for myself.

They serve a full British menu, including all day breakfast and a Sunday roast.

The windows have been scrubbed clean letting in the light.

Tea-centric quotes are painted on the walls.  A jumble of toys can be found in the corner.

A top hat, bookshelf, board games and, on the day we visited, a whole parking lot of prams.

This is a place where people gather, an extension of their living room.

Check out their events calendar.  As if that cake wasn't enough to draw you in,

how about poetry, swing dancing, knitting & sewing clubs, chess and drama societies,

film night, theatre productions, toddler circle (hence, the strollers) and so much more.

I haven't yet returned to test out that claim about the Full-English, but soon.

If you get there before I do, let me know what you think.

Which slice of cake would you choose?

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New Covent Garden Flower Market

If Eliza Doolittle was alive today, she wouldn't be peddling flowers from a cart at Covent Garden.

Instead, she would be running a wholesale business at the New Covent Garden Market.

From medieval times, Covent Garden was a place where fruit, veg and flowers were sold.

In the 1970's, the massive market was moved to Vauxhall which is where you will now find the 

largest Fruit & Veg Market and Flower market in the UK.

I was lucky enough to be invited to bring my camera along for a stroll around the flower market
with a group of bloggers and journalists. How could I resist?

75% of London florists get their cut flowers, plants and sundries from this market.

And not just florists, but designers and decorators all know that this is the place to be.

Trading starts at 3 am on weekdays and 4am on Saturdays and is done by 10am.

Don't expect to walk in and buy a few stems of roses, this is big business and high volumes.

Some of the 20+ wholesalers that you find here have been in the business for generations.

You will find the most beautiful fresh flowers from the UK and around the world.

But first, a quick stop at the cafe for a coffee and bacon butty.
We must keep our energy up as we explore the acres of flowers. 

Once we started our tour, I couldn't put my camera down.  So many colors and textures, not to mention the smells.

Every flower that you can imagine in one climate controlled space, under one massive roof.

Wait a minute... What's this?

"Oh, that's our 'cheeky calendar'.  It was to raise money for charity.  All these guys work here."

Oh, really?

Flowers. 

Blossoms & blooms.

Mr. February!!!!

Cheeky is right!  Back to the flowers.

I wonder if these guys were in the calendar.  They look pretty cheeky.

It was a fabulous place and the best part was the people.

No, not just because they were willing to pose in the buff for a good cause.

But, it felt like a family.  Everyone was passionate about flowers.

Even the trash bins were beautiful.

How could you not be happy when you worked in this amazing place?

And don't think I left there without my very own cheeky calendar.

What is your favorite cut flower?

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Iceland - Recap & Hotel Reviews

I can't finish up our Iceland trip without telling you about our hotels.

Hótel Örk in Hveragerði

We spent one night here and it's a great base for exploring both the Southern Coast and the Golden Circle.  It's in a spa town about an hour outside of Reykjavik right on Route 1.  

Our room was a standard with a fridge, bathtub, and free in-room wifi.  The room was large and clean. (I love having my very own duvet.)  There's a restaurant and bar onsite, but because we were there during the off season, the restaurant was closed for some renovation work.  Luckily, there were several bars and restaurants just across the street.  The gentleman on night duty was nice enough to open up the bar for a nightcap for us.  He also offered to wake us up if the Northern Lights made an appearance. 

During the peak season, I would imagine this hotel is packed.  There is an outdoor pool and water slide, a 9-hole golf course, hot tubs and a sauna.  The buffet breakfast was just what we needed for our busy days of exploration.  It was a standard Continental breakfast with cold cuts, cheese, fruits, pastries and more.  At a rate of about £85 per night during the off season, it's very good value. 

Hotel Klettur in Reykjavik

This was another really great hotel with massive, comfortable rooms.  The rooms didn't have a tub or in-room wifi, but this one had a little more modern look.  It's located at the Eastern end of the strand in Reykjavik, just a few blocks inland.  Easily within walking distance.  There is some construction going on next door but it didn't really disturb us.  Both hotels had plenty of parking which was handy with the rental car. 

There isn't a restaurant on site, but there was a bar with a great 2 for 1 Happy Hour.  (This was extended if the Northern Lights tours were canceled.)  Speaking of tours, you could book just about any of them with the help of the reception staff.   Again, we had a continental buffet breakfast.  It was a bit crowded, so I recommend going early, but there was plenty to choose from.   Rooms during off season are less than £100 per night. 

We would recommend both hotels, great location and really great value for money.  

If you remember, this is how we planned our Long Weekend Getaway from London to Iceland.

We flew out Wednesday night arriving late and stayed at a airport hotel.

We awoke early the next morning, picked up the rental car and headed out to explore the South Coast.

 This was our longest day and we stayed on Route 1 at Hotel Ork.

Next day, we slept in a little later and had plenty of time to tour the Golden Circle and visit a spa.

That night we stayed in Reykjavik at Hotel Klettur and had dinner out on the town.

Saturday we toured the city in the morning, went to Blue Lagoon in the afternoon,

and did a Northern Lights Tour that evening.

We checked out of the hotel early Sunday morning, dropped off the car and caught an early flight.

We were home by 2pm on Sunday.

This was one of my top three trips so far!

If you ever get the chance to go to Iceland... GO!

Here's a recap of all of the posts from our stay.

Four days and 10 posts, so much to see and do.

Instagram Iceland

The Magic of the Northern Lights

Iceland - Such a Drama Queen!

The Glacier Lagoon

The Golden Circle

Strokkur Geyser

Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Spa 

Reykjavik, Iceland

Blue Lagoon

  Today is my final post from #JonesInIceland.  Perfect timing, too.
Stay tuned for #JonesInDunkirk and #JonesInBruge this month!

 After two months of no travel we're finally hitting the road again!

 Where are you off to this month?

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  *Our accommodation at Hotel Ork and Hotel Klettur was complimentary for the purposes of review.
 All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.