The London Edit

well hello lovie!

It’s so good to be back in London again after, OMG, 20 years!! How did that happen?? We were incredibly lucky as our 5 days here were pretty much sunny skies, a little bit of rain and a nice cool break from the heat of Melbourne. We based ourselves in one of my favourite spots – South Kensington. We wanted a mix of absorbing the history/architecture, shopping and fabulous food – which we did. Here’s my tips on the best of the best:

eat/drink

Daylesford – imagine a picture perfect organic farm from the countryside of England has picked itself up and plopped itself right in the heart of London. When I peaked in the window and saw the tree in the centre of the cafe in addition to the food hall and the gift shop, I was sold! We ate breakfast here a few times and my pick – the outdoor reared Daylesford Gloucester ham, from their smokehouse on hand cut toasted sourdough.

Granger & Co – Bill Granger is legendary in Australia and I’ve been a fan since forever. He’s got cafe’s globally and 4 now in London so I was thrilled when one was in walking distance of our hotel in Chelsea. The food is very similar to the cafe’s in Australia with an English twist and i loved the turmeric, pineapple, apple and coconut juice with a ginger shot.

Muriels Kitchen – a lively & charming English cafe that serves wholesome food to keep you nice and healthy. The organic spelt banana bread with a pressed nut butter was divine.

Sketch – this one needed it’s own review – check it out here!

shop

Regent Street – the ultimate in central London shopping. A mix of high to mid range brands along a winding road with majestic architecture, glorious Christmas decorations – known as the mile of style!

Notting Hill – avoid the tourist trap of Portobello Road and searching for the bookshop with the little blue door :). Instead, wander along Westbourne Grove where you’ll find a mix of great restaurants/cafe’s as well as lovely boutique shops including Goop (Gwyneth’s wellness & lifestyle store).

Chelsea – I loved the shops around Chelsea! Walk from South Kensington down Sloane Avenue and meander in and out of the side streets ending up at Sloane Square. Quintessentially English and delightful.

Regent Street

Notting Hill

Chelsea

Be a Tourist – as I used to live in London a hundred years ago, I didn’t really need to do the touristy thing, but it was great to do a couple as a refresher, and to soak up the regency of England. I always do the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off in a new city to get my orientation and have a refresh of history. This time we also did a walk through Kensington Palace and explored the state rooms and admired the history and decor. And finally, we were lucky enough to pop down to Buckingham Palace just as the changing of the guard occurred – so much pomp and ceremony!

See a Musical – as a musical lover, I would love nothing more than lining up at the half price tix booth and taking in as many shows as possible. When you’re short on time however, you need to pick just one, so 6 months ago I embarked on a strategy to get great tickets to the no 1. Musical in the world at the moment, Hamilton. Beautiful theatre, amazing seats, fantastic show!

Immerse yourself in Food Halls – If you love food, retail and design, then make your way to one of the great food halls such as Harrods or Selfridges. You can pick up any kind of food your mind can contour up, including freshly baked pastries, preserved jars of goodness and even pork pies with your initial on top.

stay

We stayed at The Ampersand Hotel and it was pretty much perfect!

The location was spot on, right in the heart of South Kensington. We could walk to Hyde Park and all the high streets in the area, and the tube was literally a 1 minute stroll away. The room was well appointed and had lovely touches like slippers and robe along with free beverages in the minibar. The room itself was a little bit tiny for the two of us but hey, you only need to sleep there right? The staff were ridiculously friendly and they had a great restaurant downstairs that after a long, hard day shopping we could slink into, have a few glasses of red and some great antipasto and share plates. The building itself is an architectural gem and I would absolutely stay here again.

A few final tips to help you out.

The tube is not only an amazing architectural and design feat, but ridiculously easy to navigate and use – don’t be afraid of it!
Always ask the reception staff at your hotel where the best coffee is……trust me, they’ll know or alternatively, if the barista is Australian – you’ve hit the jackpot!
And finally, if you visit at Christmas then really take the time to wander the streets and admire not only the Christmas lights and decor created by the hotels and shops but the homeowners, just beautiful and definitely a highlight on this trip.