London Charm: Three Days of Flowers, Bicycles & Vintage Trench Coats

Desk Note 04

Last week while running errands around Manhattan, I caught sight of a familiar face as I made my way to the top of the subway station steps. My friend and classmate, Aditi, was all smiles as she carried a picnic bag toward Central Park. Having each been traveling since school let out, we briefly caught up as the sun glared down on us outside Westside Market. Her friend was visiting from London. They were on their way to see CP and asked if I wanted to grab a drink together later that evening. Yes, of course! 7:00 pm brought an early evening shower; I threw on my trench coat over jeans and a black tee and met them at a jazz bar on the Upper West Side. Over cosmos and apps, we laughed, told jokes about our embarrassing childhood photos, and compared London to New York. I realized it was almost a year to the day when I had been in London myself. Last year I took a solo trip, spending three days in London. And while I’m unquestionably picking New York if we have a debate between the two cities, I’ll say I was charmed by the time I departed The Big Smoke. Here’s what I did and how I think you should spend your next 72 hours in Londontown.

DAY ONE

MORNING - apply your post-flight eye cream, put on black sunglasses, deboard the plane and do your best to survive the chaos that is Heathrow Airport. If you’re like me and can never sleep much on airplanes, grab a matcha latte or cup of hot tea right away to prevent yourself from falling asleep on Day One.

NOON - drop your bags off at the hotel. London offers a variety of accommodations to suit your style, neighborhood, price, and comfort. I stayed at Hotel Xenia, a boutique-style hotel in the heart of Kensington. You should spend the afternoon taking in an exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum, then walk around the Knightsbridge neighborhood. I couldn’t resist walking into Harrod’s on my first day as their concierge held open the door, wearing the classic green uniform. It was calling me in. I just had to buy a new pair of pants, didn’t I? Regardless, it’s a great place to dodge an afternoon drizzle.

NIGHT - bring home your Harrod’s goodies and freshen up. You’ll probably be tired, but trust me, you won’t want to miss spending some time at The Stables Bar. Tucked away in a tiny back room at The Milestone Hotel, steps away from Kensington Palace, The Stables Bar gave me a cozy, warm welcome to London. Angelo and his team of craft bartenders created a custom cocktail for me: an Aperol spritz featuring a hint of London’s favorite: gin! The bartenders even walked me out to the garden to hand-pick a few lemon tree leaves to garnish on top. I had barely been there for 12 hours and London had already charmed me (Thank you, Angelo and the staff at Stables. I hope this post eventually makes its way to your desk!) You can easily walk home down the cobblestone streets, lined with Kensington’s famous flats, and then rest up for Day Two.

DAY TWO

MORNING - after an English breakfast tea, head to London’s Chelsea neighborhood to meander the shops, journal/sketch in a plaza, and see tons of springtime flowers. As it happened, I was in the city during the Annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year; and while I didn’t buy a ticket for the actual gardening show, I got to see all of the life-size floral storefront installations around the streets in Chelsea. My favorite was a tribute to the Queen’s corgis outside of Jo Malone.

NOON - blue carpet, wavy font, a mixture of Britsh and Italian accents, and the smell of fresh fine herbs can only mean one thing: you’re having a late lunch at The River Cafe. Located in West Kensington along the River Thames, the cafe offered refreshing summer zucchini and handmade pasta, among others. I’d love to go back one day to have a three hour long lunch catching up with old friends, sipping Italian white wine, sharing pasta and watching the river pass by. In an attempt to see as much as I could in three days, I skipped over to Nottinghill later in the afternoon. I wished I had been able to do Nottinghill on Saturday morning for the beloved market (imagine walking by the pastel colored flats, sipping a London fog on a bright weekend morning and shopping from local vendors….perfection!) However, I knew I had to head to the airport Saturday morning, so I decided to visit Nottinghill Thursday afternoon with one goal in particular: find a vintage Burberry trench coat. To my delight, I checked that box and wandered Nottinghill wearing a new-to-me jacket, thanks to Claudia, the wonderful owner of 282 Portobello vintage clothing store. Her store is a must visit whenever you are in town!

NIGHT - I almost want to keep this one for myself, but then again, I think everyone deserves to have this perfect bite before the theatre: Bocca di Lupo. Tucked away off Archer Street, this intimate spot was full of local theatre-goers. I sat at the Chef’s counter and enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner … I’ve literally had dreams about this meal even one year later. It was absolutely delightful. If performing arts is your thing, you’ll be minutes away from The West End after dinner and wine. I saw The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre and enjoyed laughing off my pasta. When the show ended, I decided to take myself dancing. There were plenty of options to choose from nearby in SoHo. When in doubt while traveling solo, just take yourself dancing. You won’t regret it.

DAY THREE

MORNING - no matter how late you danced the night away, wake up and go for a coffee or tea because now it’s time to sight-see! I met my friend for a guided group bicycle tour. It was sunny that morning, which provided the perfect backdrop as we saw Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Tower Bridge, Big Ben and more. Midway through we stopped for an Aperol in Trafalgar Square…might I recommend!

NOON - after the bike tour, you should refuel at the multi-cultural Seven Dials Market. It’s a little less touristy than the famous Camden Market.

NIGHT - for a special end to any trip to London, head to SKETCH in Mayfair. This former townhouse was converted into a dreamy space, offering high tea during the day and transforming into a one-of-a-kind destination for dinner and drinks at night. The Gallery dining room regularly changes design and is sure to captivate your eye as much as it does your taste buds. You could easily get lost in its maze of different rooms (including the bathroom pods.) It’s a design lover’s heaven!

By the end of my three days in London, I felt as though I’d only begun to know the city. It whispered to me here and there in between the grey drizzles, retro black glossy cabs, pastel paints on flats, and delicious bites. Goodnight, London - I’m sure we will meet again! Xx

Lastly, to my 19 subscribers - THANK YOU for supporting me and for reading this far! It truly means the world to me to get to share these small notes with you. If any of you were greatly disappointed at not receiving a desk note last Sunday, then practice patience with me this Sunday, again. I wanted to take a bit more time to write a fuller piece this week, knowing that I will be traveling this coming week! Off I go, for now. I’ll soon be back with more to write about from this special destination…from the desk of ECF!