London - Restaurants and Bars

Londoners are spoiled with many choices when it comes to dining out. The cuisine of almost any country in the world can be sampled in the capital. Options include Korean, Burmese, Argentine steak, Vegan, Malaysian, Mauritian, Modern British, and Hungarian — all in all, an epicurean feast! Food is a popular hedonistic pleasure, with restaurants emerging as trendy hang-outs, chefs becoming TV stars and cookery books turning into hot bestsellers. Naturally every area and every other road in London has a place to eat, but certain areas do excel. Camden - This perennially popular neighborhood teems with great mid-range venues like Wagamama, everyone's favorite modern noodle bar, and Cottons — a favorite for Caribbean cuisine. The famous Jazz Cafe brings some great blues and an eclectic selection of music to the area. Chelsea & Fulham have a first-rate selection of restaurants catering to the area's wealthy clientele — but the variety is just as vast as the rest of the city. Enjoy classy Thai at Blue Elephant and join locals for authentic Italian at Chelsea stalwart La Famiglia. For some brilliant 'Modern British' head to Conran's Bibendum and Bluebird. For the gastro-pub experience, join the Chelsea crowd at The Admiral Codrington and sample great, updated British grub like salmon fishcakes and warm liver salad. Covent Garden mixes the simple with the traditional, the substantial with the stylish. Food for Thought on Neal Street is a popular vegetarian hole-in-the-wall that serves hearty portions to students and travelers alike. Traditional English fare is the order of the day at Rules; it always offers a refined and restrained dining experience. Another appealing venue is The Ivy, in the heart of Theaterland, which boasts celebrity spotting. Charlotte Street, up the road in Fitzrovia, is also packed with superb restaurants, perfect for business and romance. Islington's Upper Street is swarming with restaurants, bars and cafes; Modern British cuisine is very well represented. You can also find a range of other cuisines, from Turkish to Vietnamese. Kensington & Knightsbridge - Kensington Place is a good spot for lunch, visit Julie's for a romantic evening, and Clarkes is a contemporary and elegant experience. San Lorenzo on Beauchamp Place was Princess Diana's favorite place for Italian and continues to attract many food connoisseurs. Marylebone has some great eateries, including the elegant Orrery (another Conran venture). For Irish cuisine, try the Ard Ri Dining Room above the O'Conor Don Pub. In St. Christopher's Place, a charming courtyard off Oxford Street, you'll find cafes, Italian trattorias and juice bars. Mayfair & West End - The 28th floor Galvin at Windows at the Hilton Hotel offers fantastic views of London's nightscape; have a drink before indulging at the eternally trendy Nobu or Mirabelle. Deeper in Mayfair, enjoy the Michelin-starred modern French cuisine of The Square, probably one of London's finest restaurants. Check out Indian favorites including upmarket Veeraswarmy and Chor Bizarre. If you seek opulent relaxation, visit Momo, where you can sit cross-legged and enjoy Middle Eastern treats. Notting Hill is home to hip restaurants of all kinds. There is a vast selection of Italian places, like the snug and friendly Osteria Basilico. Tom's delicatessen is popular for weekend brunches, but be prepared for long lines. For something more exotic, try some Caribbean food, abundant at Carnival time from street stalls. Primrose Hill is one of London's best-kept secrets. The hugely popular Greek restaurant Lemonia is perfect for families while Odette's suits intimate, romantic dinners and enjoyment of fine wines. Manna is a great vegetarian restaurant, and Sesame, the whole-food store, has a great cafe on Regent's Park Road. Soho & Chinatown, one of London's top nightlife areas, has an incredible concentration of bars, restaurants and cafes. From Bar Italia and the trendy vegetarian eatery Mildred's to the very exclusive Lindsay House, you can find practically anything in just a few dense blocks. South Bank - Oxo Tower has the hype to match the buzz and a formidable view. Its West London counterpart Thai Square Putney is an architectural delight offering both great views of the Thames and knock-out food. Terence Conran's Blue Print Cafe leaves a fine impression with views of Tower Bridge. The City has a super vegetarian lunch venue in the crypt of St. Mary-le-Bow called The Place Below. Other options in the area include Futures restaurant, The Eagle gastro-pub and the literary Filthy McNasty pub for a drink. Stylish and formal restaurants, from Conran's Aurora to the trendy Smith's, are abundant. Hotels are also a good bet for eating out, since they have a pleasant touch of luxury, tip-top service and tables that are often available at the last minute. Afternoon teas are an English tradition that cannot be missed — scones, clotted cream and leaf tea in silver teapots. The Dorchester and Brown's are among the great hotels serving tea from 3p. You can even find good food at Internet cafes, mushrooming all over the capital. Many public houses, besides pumping real ale, are metamorphosing into gastro-pubs. With such a fabulous choice, standards are very high. London is truly terrific on a global scale.

Actor Quizzed On Domestic Assault

Actor Sean Bean spent the night in a police cell following allegations that he assaulted his wife.

Police were called following a claim of domestic assault and arrested the 49-year-old at his London home.
Bean was taken to a police station and kept overnight before being released without charge.
The Lord of the Rings star married his fourth wife, 29-year-old Georgina Sutcliffe, in February.
The couple originally intended to marry in January but cancelled 24 hours before the big day, citing "personal reasons".
Ms Sutcliffe, who is an actress told the Sun: "Everything is okay. Sean and I are at home enjoying the sunshine. He was arrested. Everything was blown out of proportion."
Bean told the newspaper: "I'm fine."
The Sheffield-born actor married his first wife Debra at the age of 21, followed by marriages to Bread actress Melanie Hill and Sharpe co-star Abigail Cruttenden.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police were called to a home at 11.40pm on Thursday night following an allegation of domestic assault.
"A man was taken to a police station and bailed on Friday morning. Later that day he was advised that no further police action would be taken."

Obama defends foreign tour as visit closes

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, wrapping up a tour abroad where he got a rock star reception, defended on Saturday his decision to take the trip despite signs it has not helped to boost his popularity at home.

"I am convinced that many of the issues we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad," he told reporters in London after meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"This was important for me not only to try to highlight or amplify how the international situation affects our economy back home but also hopefully to give people at home but also leaders abroad some sense of where an Obama administration might take our foreign policy."

Obama said he had a "terrific conversation" with Brown on a range of topics including the Middle East, climate change, terrorism and financial markets.

The two men chatted on the patio of 10 Downing Street and took a brief walk together in a tourist area nearby.

On earlier legs of his trip, Obama drew a crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin and elicited effusive praise from French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

But the reaction from U.S. voters, whom Obama acknowledges are worried about gas prices and home foreclosures, has been mixed.

"I'm not sure that there's going to be some immediate political impact," he said. "I wouldn't even be surprised that in some polls you saw a little bit of a dip as a consequence -- we've been out of the country for a week."

PROTOCOL RESPECTED

Earlier Obama had breakfast with Brown's predecessor as prime minister, Tony Blair, now a Middle East peace envoy. Their talks focused on the Middle East and climate change, Blair's office said in a statement.

Obama, who faces Republican John McCain in the November 4 U.S. election, aims to burnish his foreign policy credentials through his overseas trip and counter McCain's criticism that he lacks experience.

Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war accounts for part of his appeal with the European public. He has called for a refocusing of U.S. efforts on Afghanistan and an end to the Iraq war. He also wants Europe to contribute more in Afghanistan.

Brown followed protocol to ensure he did not appear to be favouring a particular candidate in the race between Obama and McCain.

There was no handshake between Brown and Obama at the front door of Downing Street, as would take place with a visiting head of government, and did not hold a joint news conference.

Obama was later to meet opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron, whose party enjoys a strong lead over Brown's Labour Party in opinion polls.

Winehouse Waxwork Unveiled

Mitch and Janis Winehouse have unveiled a life size waxwork of their daughter Amy at London wax museum Madame Tussauds today.
Mitch Winehouse, described the waxwork as being "absolutely incredible" adding "I can't get over the tattoos. They are perfect."
Mitch Winehouse also stated that his daughter is due to begin work on her third album within the next few months.
"She has two or three more live gigs then she will be working on her new album. She's got quite a few songs already."