• Stay at The Columbia Hotel on Bayswater Road at Lancaster Gate. Wonderful old Georgian house, eccentric staff and rock n' roll guests (a friend once drank in the bar with Robert Cray and Eric Clapton and my son recognized the Swedish band The Hives, looking totally lost when I was there last week. Walk across Hyde Park to museums, Harrods and the Royal Albert Hall.
• Eat at Santorini off Queensway in West London - great Greek food and atmosphere just off a wonderful high street. Just found it.
• Don't pick up your rental car until the minute you're leaving town. Traffic is impossible. Use the Underground. Daily passes are only about 4 pounds. Only eat English food in pubs, otherwise eat ethnic cuisine.

• Stay at the Benson on Broadway has been there for almost 100 years. Great atmosphere, decent restaurant and jazz in the lobby. If it's full, the Heathman further up the street is almost as old.
• Eat at The Ringside, a 1950s steakhouse, very dark with onion rings to die for, exceptional service and great wine list.
• The West Hills are the most handsome part of the city with a multitude of architectural styles, beautiful gardens and a great view of downtown and Mt. Hood, which is only an hour away.

• The Fairmont Olympic is the best hotel, but I usually stay at The Camlin, which is a crazy old place that's cheap and close by.
• Eat at Ray's Boathouse. Great view of the ship canal, good seafood and you can watch the meat market bar!
• See the city from one of the ferries which go to the islands, take your car on the ferry and drive around, especially when the weather is clear. Don't try to drive across the city in rush hour. Interstate 5 has six lanes each way and they still jam solid.

• Stay at the Empress. It is the dowager - an enormous Victorian pile that dominates the bay. You have to stay there once just to say you have.
• My brother lives in Victoria so you should eat at his favorite French restaurant - the Harold Street Cafe.
• The Provincial Museum is a don't miss. The designer went on to do museums worldwide but this is his first. Awesome. You must do tea at the Victorian Empress hotel and ride an open top double decker bus out to the Buchardt Gardens in the summertime.

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