Great Parks/Squares, Streets, Buildings in London (What should I see on my trip to London?)

Mike, odd that you aren't getting more responses... I don't have a lot to contribute not knowing London all that well. (When I go to Europe I am irresitably drawn to Paris. Even if I get on a flight to London, the plane somehow lands in Paris, and since I'm there, well what the heck...) However, one little spot I like is the Seven Dials Monument area in Covent Garden. I first saw it in 1989 when the monument was just starting to be restored and it was a bit scary. Now the area is thriving. (The Edwardian Mountbatten Hotel there is very nice but my favorite London hotel is Fleming's Mayfair.) I was also blown away by Picadilly Circus on a Saturday night. Maybe that scene has changed, but it was not for the faint of heart. Dye your hair pink. Plan a full day for Westminster Abbey, and the parks - Kensington, Green, Hyde, St James - are a must for urban parks fans. I'm sure others will have more and better suggestions, but London is great and easily discovered. Take money.

Mike, everyone visits St. Paul's Cathedral but it's easy to miss Paternoster Square, just north of the Cathedral. It has a wide array of eras represented, but even the contemporary shops and restaurants borrow style elements from the Cathedral and other surrounding buildings, giving it a seemingly consistent feel. The fountain is a great place to take a lunch break (provided the St. Paul's bells aren't ringing) while admiring the space.