After settling in our first London hotel, B and I headed to Leicester Square to meet up with my sis Intan and her hubby Felix as well as my adorable niece Isabella. She is now three years old and though no longer a baby, looks cuter than ever!
Waiting for the tube to Leicester Square
We left the hotel and walked the two minutes to Gloucester Station to ride the tube into Leicester Square. The last time I visited London (many moons ago) I spent most of my two weeks dining, clubbing and shopping and neglected to enjoy any major sightseeing. This time around, B and I happily made our way to Leicester Square, eager to take in the view that night whilst reuniting with sis and family after bidding them goodbye a while back. 
Leicester Square by nightWalking around aimlessly; we took plenty of pictures while enjoying the cool evening breeze and only stopped when I spotted a huge souvenir shop with a mascot bear walking around outside; luring customers inside. I was immediately enticed and happily hopped, skipped and jumped to the big Teddy for a hug and snapshot!
Fluffy hug!
Classic British phone booth
Ka-ching!
Nightlife in Leicester Square
We did however pause to watch a few artists at work and surprisingly I was not tempted to sit down for a portrait. I already had one done on my last London visit and it cost me £20 and 20 minutes of enduring the cold. One portrait is sufficient and don't forget the portrait pressie from Aussie that my artist friend Kim sent to me last year!
Artist at work
When sis arrived, B took some candid shots of us reunited in hugs, which unfortunately turned out blurry. I had a difficult time trying to grab Issy in a bear hug; she was screaming and covering her face with her hands but I hugged her anyway and pinched her chubby cheeks for good measure! 
Reunited
Issy looked amused and excited when she saw me. I guess she was wondering whom this lady was who suddenly appeared from nowhere to hug her and her Mommy! 
It was cold so we took shelter at the nearby Chiquito Mexican Restaurant & Bar for some before-dinner drinks. Thrilled to see my niece again, I was engrossed playing with her and completely forgot to snap some restaurant shots!
Intan, Issy and Felix
I had brought along some DVD titles for Issy from home; obviously it's cheaper to get them here than in UK. Before giving Issy her gifts however, I made her hug and kiss me first! 
Huggy wuggy Issy!
Initially reluctant, Issy eventually warmed up to me and allowed me to take her picture without hiding her cute little face behind her hands!
Issy & Aunty MWhile Issy kept busy with her gifts, the adults spent some time catching up and making plans for the next day before hailing a taxi to take us to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.
Coffee and chit-chat with Intan & Issy
We arrived at HRC London and by then, everyone was hungry but after checking with the hostess; we were informed that there is a 2-hour wait for patrons dining indoors! Horrified, I refused to wait in the cold for 120 minutes!
Hard Rock Cafe, London
Thank goodness for my brother-in-law who somehow managed to charm our way in by speaking to another Spanish hostess. More than happy to speak in her mother tongue to my BIL, she gladly ushered Spanish-speaking Felix and the rest of us to an empty table outside. We had no qualms about sitting outside; better to sit and eat outside whilst enjoying a chilly night in London than to stand and wait around for 2 hours just to dine inside! 
Issy entertained us by reciting the alphabet and singing at the top of her three-year-old voice. Check out her expression as she sang her heart out that night and doesn't she look adorable in her leather jacket?
Issy entertained us by reciting the alphabet and singing at the top of her three-year-old voice. Check out her expression as she sang her heart out that night and doesn't she look adorable in her leather jacket?
La la la...!
Issy & Mama Twisted Mac, Chicken & Cheese, was my dinner choice and it was pretty delicious; definitely tastier than the Shrimp Pasta I recently had in HRC KL!
Hanging out with Felix
Grilled Mediterranean Shrimp Linguine 
Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
Classic BurgerAfter dinner, we stopped at the Rock Shop where I bought a teddy bear for Issy and a shot glass for B. I made plans with sis to meet at the Tower of London the following day before we parted ways. By that time, Issy and I were already best buds and she bawled her pretty eyes out when I hopped on a separate tube to return to Best Western, The Cromwell.
Dinner that first night in London ended on a scrumptious note indeed thanks to Intan & Felix who treated us at HRC. And this picture here is my favourite of the night. B and I are smiling after a delightful meal and Issy's pose for the camera is truly her most adorable yet!
B, Mariuca and adorable Issy
MARIUCA LOVES
103 comments:
8-) 8-) 8-)
Aww.. what an great reunion GP!! and Issy looks so cute!!! i LOVE the last picture tooll :*
ish ish ish.. the food sure looks yummy.. still hungry it seems..
yelah.. i cannot RT your post!! :(
hahahah that fluffy teddy bear looks so huge.. ahahah...
poor Issy crying eh? lucky met again the next day kan?
hurray for Spanish speaking BIL!! ehehe
>:o >:o >:o >:o
LJ! ur sooooo faaaaaaaaaaaast! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
=-O =-O =-O =-O =-O =-O
:* :* :* :* :*
:'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
OMG GP, i wanna pinch Issy's cheeks in your last pic..OMG! =-O =-O =-O
she's really adorable!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
in your last pic, she looks like you kiddie..hehehe :-P :-P :-P :-P
CASINO board is striking me! :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P
La~la~la~la~
you have had enjoyed much your vacay GP! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
really good for you! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
:-P :-P :-P :-P :-P
did make a chop? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
can i have the bees here GP? ;) ;) ;) ;)
terima kasih! ;) ;) ;) ;)
Tweetmeme not working eh? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
>:o >:o >:o >:o >:o
:( :( :( :( :(
:* :* :*
wohooo! u n sis look great! :-D :-D
I want pinch Issy's chubby cheek!!! :-P :-P :-P
Wow...it is a good reunion huh! :D
Baby Issy looks so different now. She is very chubby now. :D
I like the last post of Issy...
I guess throughout the session she was not warm up to you, hence some of time being her looking like very distant.
hehe! Fun to reunite. I want to reunite with my sister too.
alamak i just realize if at home i linked it with blogger but not twitter! hahaha =-X
love all the yummy foods! n this is y i like western food, the portion is quite huge!! :-P :-P
=-O =-O =-O =-O
morning Mariuca! :* :* :* :*
oh my Issy is so adorable esp in the last picture!! :-P :-P
so did u guys go to the casino? hehe.. :-$ :-$ :-$
now i feel hungry just looking at the food.. :-D :-D
so many pics..love this post sweetie..!! ;) :)
aww issy is SO cute! i SO want to pinch those cheeks! love the last picture sweetie, hehe.. and so bright la ur flash.. wohoo..
huge portion of food there.. yums! but lookey the pricey.. haha.. ooh so nice i'm hungry now :-P
Love this post! Seems like you all had a really fun time. I especially like the last picture with you and B and your niece.
I've been real busy in my offline life and have not kept up with my ususal blogging habits. It's like that sometimes. Up and down.
Best wishes,
Anna
Anna's Alphabe-Th-C
Hi Mariuca! :* :* :*
Wow, Issy is very adorable indeed! I like the last pic of her with you and B.
Leicester Square looks great at night!
And when I'm out of town, I'm all for going to a casino! It is a must for me!
Hugs for you sweetie! :* :* :*
the telephone booth reminds me of superman lol
have a great day and happy blogging :) :) :)
8-) 8-) 8-) LJ FC1!
>:o >:o >:o >:o GG FC2!
Great chop ladies, love n hugs! :* :* :*
Yay, I ♥♥♥ the last pic oso, my sister asked her to pose and she happily did, mmg kecomelan la, geram betul tau!! :* :* :*
FC2 oso crying GG? lol... :-P :-P :-P
:-P :-P :-P :-P :-P
CASINO board was bugging me oso GG hahahah! =-X =-X :-[ :-[ :-[ :-$ :-$ :-$
:* :* :* Hi Caroline!
Definitely Tekkaus, really had a wonderful time! 8-) 8-)
Ha ha good one BD, Superman indeed! :-D :-D :-D
Hungry hippo LJ? I cooked and ate rice yest! >:o >:o >:o >:o
LJ SSG, GG ha ha.. the other day Tito B read my comments and he said GG always late to chop it seems hahahahah! =-O =-O :-D :-D :-D :-D
Morning GG! :-P :-P :-P
Sama-sama... 8-)
Pinch away Caroline.. if she lets you hahahah! I wan to pinch oso susah lol! :-D :-D
Ha ha ha yeah!! She is very chubby now Tekkaus, drinking UK milk it seems he he... =-X =-X :* :* :*
Good morning LV! Yeah she forgot me edi but only for a while, once she warmed up to me, it was awesome and she was holding my hand the whole time, love Issy! Where is ur sis btw? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* :* :* :*
Thanks so much for ur visit BD, have a good one! 8-) 8-)
Can RT edi LJ, yest TM down kut... *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
=-O =-O =-O =-O lol GG!
=-O =-O =-O =-O Monica!
Yay thanks sweetie, this one 24 pics ha ha, the HRC one 36 aiyo! Next post? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* :-D :-D
Abaden!! I had to visit my frens the slots right? Aiya... kalah la... =-X =-X :-[ :-[ :-$ :-$ :-$ :-$ >:o >:o >:o
Ha ha enjoy the food pics then Mon, more to come! :* :*
You got FC2 GG, congrats! :-D :-D
Thanks Caroline, dis one my younger sis... 8-) 8-)
Ha ha tu la kan Bella? Enticing me with her chubby wubby cheeks and cuteness, geram geram!! And so nice to hug too, bestnye! :* :* :* :*
He he nampak je anything fluffy, sure kena bergambar, and yeah the Teddy was a biggie! 8-) 8-)
Morning Monica, wakey wakey! :* :* :*
Bees is up GG, buzzzzzz... ;) ;)
Ha ha really GG? Yay then cause she's so cute so it's a compliment! :* :* :*
Oh no wonder la no pic for ur earlier comments Caroline... :-D :-D
Hi Anna, thanks so much for ur lovely comment, I enjoyed writing this post too and yay for loving the last pic as well. Issy looks like a doll there I think ha ha, miss my niece now! *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
Oh same here sweetie, haven't been dropping EC or clicking Adgi much lately, still on vacation mode I guess, hugs! :* :* :*
B impressed it seems dengar Ali aka Felix speaking Spanish LOL! :-D :-D
:* :* :* Thanks GG, I think so too!
He he we did have a good time GG, u will too later when u and M go on ur vacay! :D
Thank you Tita GG! GP loves Issy! :D:D
Yeah crying it seems running after me wan to follow me naik tube ha ha so cute! And I love the way she says Aunty marzie, pelat2! :-D :-D :-D :-D
Ha ha thanks Mon, so cute la she posed for the camera dat time, wan to pinch2 her cheeks dat time cannot tahan ha ha poor Issy... =-X =-X 8-) 8-)
Everybody needs a vacation right GG? Enjoy yours with mom soon… :)
Yest TM was down GG, now okay edi..
OMG indeed! How to resist pinching right? lol... =-O =-O =-X =-X ;) ;)
GG singing with Issy? La la la..♬♬
>:o >:o >:o >:o >:o no need angry anymore GG, TM is back ha ha!
Thanks for the RT cutie, and happy Sunday... :* :*
Yeah pricey kan HRC so thank you sis for belanja-ing ha ha! Me too hungry now sebelum tidur Bella.. =-X =-X =-X
Hi David! :* :* :*
Awww thanks so much, she is indeed very adorable, more so in person ha ha cause then u can hear her speak and see her antics, love cutie pie Issy!
Woot hi-five on da casino, what's your game David?? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* :-$ :-$ :-$ :-$
Damn huge Caroline, should share kan? Ha ha tamak la we all lol!! :D:D
that looks like a wonderful square to stroll around and it looks beautifully illuminated at night. how colourful and appealing!
Baby Issy looks absolutely different now. she's getting chubbier.
i enjoy all the pics honey and you're so fortunate to have a pic with big teddy.
enjoy the rest of your Sunday and have a fabulous 10!
Those are great pics it's good to see you enjoying London :-)
Baby Issy, you are so cute and I really want to kiss and twist your chubby cheeks.
;)
Haha! Cute teddy bear!!
Hey I saw those telephone booth in KK!!
haha! Yes, eating outside in the cold is better than waiting outside hungry and cold!! LOL!
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Love n Hugs from Genie Princess!