Living Royally in London

Two weeks in London is still not enough time to absorb all this royal city has to offer!  We seemed to make the most of our fortnight on an Anglican, ballet, foodie, themed trip.

Anglican Hotspots

Westminster Abbey for Holy Eucharist is one of my favorite parts of any trip to London.  “God Save the Queen” in the middle of the thanksgiving part of the liturgy is music to my ears!  If you are in London two Sundays, do worship at St. Paul’s Knightsbridge.  This high church Anglican Eucharist will keep you focused on your purpose in worship.  If you go to the mid morning service, you will be offered a glass of wine in the Narthex after the service!  Lovely.

Any Anglican enthralled with the rich history of our faith will certainly pilgrimage to Canterbury in his or her lifetime.  The seat of the Church of England and the Anglican faith, Canterbury Cathedral is magnificent to experience.  Stained glass windows with images of the current royal family keep this 6th century treasure relevant to the current Church of England leadership. The Archbishop of Canterbury spends much of his time here performing his duties.

Those truly interested in how the Archbishop of Canterbury spends his time while in London will want to make advanced plans to visit Lambeth Palace, his home and office across the Thames from the Houses of Parliament.  This Palace has magnificent gardens, beautifully appointed rooms, and history that almost talks from the walls surrounding you.  The tours are not offered often, and are small.  If you are fortunate enough to book a tour, your guides are knowledgeable members of the Archbishop’s staff.  They truly make Lambeth Palace come alive for their guests.

Ballet

The English National Ballet is a joy to watch, especially in Royal Albert Hall.  Their production of Romeo and Juliet filled this theater in the round beautifully and full of grace.  If you are a ballet enthusiast, pay attention of special offers on their website.  I found a workshop for my daughter to attend two days after seeing this company perform.  She learned several variations from Romeo and Juliet from one of the dancers.  It was a highlight of her experience of “living in London.”

Take the EuroStar to Paris to see the Royal Opera Ballet in the Royal Opera House!  This dance company is impeccably precise, graceful, and artistic.  We got to see two ballets in this incredibly ornate theater in the heart of Paris.  This is well worth the trip, even if you have only one night there.

Foodie Heaven

We ate really well in London.  Below is a list where to go for a wide array of cuisines, neighborhoods, and ambiance.

Pizza: Rossopomodoro (multiple locations, look online)

Cupcakes: Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury St. in Belgravia (LOVE!)

Sushi: Nobu 15 Berkley Street and 19 Old Park Lane

Italian: Bocca Di Lupo 12 Archer Street

French: Casse Croute 109 Bermondsey Street (this was my favorite from this trip)

Italian: Cafe Murano 33 St. James’s Street

Indian: Amaya’s Halkin Arcade Montcomb Street

Chinese: China Tang in the Dorchester Hotel (Outstanding!!!)

Chinese: Hakasan  17 Bruton Street and 8 Hanway Place

Chinese: Ken Lo’s Memories of China 65-69 Ebury Street in Belgravia (great for neighborhood meal)

Pub: Thomas Cubitt on Ebury Street in Belgravia

Peggy Porschen is a wonderful place for a cup of tea and a cupcake and watch children walk home from school along the charming sidewalks.  We went 7 out of 10 days in London!

If you go to Casse Croute, make sure you wander through Borough Market for farm fresh everything!  Cheeses, flowers, meats, fruits and vegetables are the bountiful in this tremendous outdoor market.

 

Living Royally in New York City

My mother recently took my girls and me to New York City for my girls’ first trip to the Big Apple. The most valuable part of our trip was the time spent together, the conversations that were generated, the memories that were made, and the love that was shared.  No picture can capture these experiences, but the heart can, and certainly did for this foursome!

Below are some snippets from our trip.  I highly recommend all of the restaurants mentioned below.   Each one treated us as if we were, indeed, royal!  Also included are notes on where we went, shopped, and some fun photo ideas.  I made all restaurant reservations on Open Table 30 days prior to dining.

Restaurants

River Cafe is an elegant dining experience.  From the breathtaking floral arrangements in the entrance hall, to the spectacular view of NYC and the Statue of Liberty from this Brooklyn barge, one’s sensory odyssey has just begun.  Each table has a different floral arrangement to backdrop the culinary art which will appear over three courses.  The service is perfectly timed, and attention to details, even for teenagers, was spot on.  The sommelier brought the girls sparkling Martinelli’s apple cider in champagne flutes to toast their first night.

River Cafe in Brooklyn is located at 1 Water St, New York, NY 11201
(718) 522-5200

Tea in the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel

Delightful, beautiful, delicious and relaxing!  After a big day of touring, this stop was a treat for the senses.  Floral arrangements, again, stopped us in our tracks.  This was a perfect meal before going to see Mama Mia.  For a girl trip, tea at the Plaza is a must.

The Plaza

Fifth Avenue at Central Park South
New York City
New York, United States
10019          212 546 5300

The Boathouse in Central Park was lovely!  Even with the lake frozen solid, the view was delightful.  With a view like this, the food doesn’t need to be too impressive to have a great experience, but the Boathouse delivers not only the view, but excellence to the culinary palette.  Butternut squash soup like none other was served in style!  When you make your reservation, ask for a table in the dining room, otherwise you may be placed back in the bar are with no view.

E 72nd St, New York, NY 10021
(212) 517-2233

Bell Book and Candle in Greenwich Village was a cozy bistro with comfortable seating and friendly service.  The menu had something for everyone, including a picky teenager.  Delicious!

141 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 414-2355

Balthazar in Soho was just what we needed in a late lunch after experiencing the island from one end to the other.  Bustling and crowded, the staff still delivered service with speed and a smile.  This New Orleans style spot allowed for vibrant conversation and provided culinary excellence.

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1414

LArtusi in Greendwich Village found us delighted with their Italian fare.  This neighborhood haunt was full of life this midweek night, yet still allowing us to have a meaningful conversation with the girls.  We ordered all of the specials, and they were, indeed, special!

228 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-5757

Sarabeth’s for breakfast!  Why didn’t we try it on our first morning?  This gem has so many delicious offerings that we should have gone here each of our four mornings.  Lemon ricotta pancakes, a variety of muffins, beautiful fruit and more just get this place going.  Sarabeth’s serves all day long for brunch, lunch and dinner, too.  And, you get to look at Central Park while sipping your latte.  Not bad.

40 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019
(212) 826-5959  (they have other locations, too)

Trattoria del Arte rounded out our feasting in the City.  Our last lunch was at this “go to” restaurant, according to a local we met as we approached the door.  The crisp, thin crust pizza is out of this world, antipasto offerings abound, and dessert was amazing!!  I can’t wait to go back.

Trattoria del Arte 900 7th Ave, New York, NY 10106
(212) 245-9800

Need a quick breakfast bite while waiting on the Today Show crew?  Magnolia Bakery is wonderful!!  I got the girls muffins and hot chocolate while they waited to meet Al Roker.  They have cute t-shirts, too!

Magnolia Bakery 1000 Third Avenue
New York, NY
Tel.: 212.265.5320   among other locations, including Dubai:)

Another place we missed because we were too early was the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Station.  This now restored bar was once the apartment for the 1920s mover and shaker, John W. Campbell.  The view of the Grand Central Terminal allegedly pales in comparison to the interior details and finishes of this once opulent city apartment.

Touring

We hit the high spots in our quick four days.  The New York Pass allows you to go to the front of the line at many of the most popular attractions.  On the New York Pass website you can select the attractions you plan to see, it totals the admission prices, and shows you if buying the Pass is worth it, or not.  For us, it was well worth the upfront cost.

The Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center, Madame Toussaud’s, the Guggenheim and The Metropolitan Museum of Art were our first layer of unpacking New York to my girls.  On a future trip I would like to arrange for a MuseumHack guide to see the Met again, as well as the Natural History museum.   For a first trip, self guided was just fine.

We had one day with a driver and tour guide who took us from one end of the island to the other.  This was spectacular, and made things easy.  Our guide took us to Harlem to see St. John the Divine Cathedral where he imparted tremendous knowledge of the history of this magnificent stone structure.  He then took us on a most informative, moving, and meaningful experience at the 911 Memorial. The memorial has very little information about the symbolism of the space elements because it is a memorial, not a museum.  Having a knowledgeable guide brought out deep meaning to why names are arranged the way they are on the granite slabs, the significance of the flowering pear tree, and more.  Ask your hotel concierge to recommend a guide for you.  Our day with John the tour guide was a highlight of our trip.  This guide also takes a day trip to the Hamptons to see the palatial estates, dine at local favorites, and shop in this high end part of the world.  Add this to the list of what we will do next time!

 

 Shopping

In four days, on a first trip, it is hard to pack in much shopping, but we managed better than our husbands liked!  It is fun to see the toys at FAO Schwartz no matter your age, the wide array of colors in Dylan’s Candy Bar were perfect for a color photography assignment, and window shopping at every turn and straightaway.  Henri Bendel was a thrice visited retailer for this group.  Handbags and costume jewelry were just what we were looking for in updating our wardrobes.  The jaw-dropping shopping excursion came on our last morning when mom wanted to pop into Scully & Scully, a.k.a. Herend Heaven!   Queen Victoria became a fan of Herend china when she purchased a set in 1851 at the first World Exhibition in London.  This Chinese inspired pattern of flowers and butterflies was subsequently named after her.  China patterns, fine linens, Halcyon Days boxes are but a few of the pieces of eye candy that surrounded this tablescape enthusiast.  FYI, Halcyon Days is now producing a line of enamel bracelets.  Mom bought me one that morning for my birthday the next day!

Some window shopping photo opportunities included:

Crowning experience, a carriage ride through Central Park!