london trip part 2

It’s been… a while… since I posted london trip part 1. I mean to post a part 2…but I forgot. Seeing as we’re returning to the square mile next month, figured I should wrap up this past trip so I can write about the next one.

This will be a bit shorter¹, more of a photo dump than detailed log like last time. Let’s go!

Tuesday

Tuesday was a day of exploration and shopping. We started the morning in Covent Garden with breakfast at Arôme cafe, then some stationery shopping at nearby Choosing Keeping and Present & Correct. A jaunt down Oxford Street got us to Selfridge’s (with Christmas shop setup in the basement!). Cheeky Pret lunch eaten in a park, a coffee from the cool @ConnorDoesCoffee at Storyline, and a romp through Daunt Books in Marylebone. Our most anticipated dinner of the trip at the Tamil Crown.

This honey butter toast was life changing. Every single exposed bit of bread was caramelized and crispy and delicious

Present & Correct ❤️ I've followed them for so many years online it was so amazing to actually visit this store

Rainy wiggle down Oxford St near the British Museum

Selfridge's Christmas Shop in full flight in October

Ham and Cheese + Salt and Vinegar crisps

Our view at Storyline feat @ConnorDoesCoffee

Our first (and only) double decker bus ride

It was super quiet and peaceful along the canal

Throwback from Paris - Aux Merveilleux du Fred at St. Pancras Station!

Wednesday

Wednesday was a bit slower of a day. Cafe breakfast in the morning and a mooch about Harrod’s in the morning (didn’t really know what to expect but it was certainly not our vibe). Afternoon tea (dinosaur themed!) at our hotel for lunch was a delight and a ton of food. Some more wanders around Hyde Park and then we went on a Jack the Ripper tour at nightfall. Honest Burger for dinner from South Kensington Arcade.

Dinosaur High Tea at the Ampersand Hotel

This was just a cool bird. I took a lot of pictures of them

The one and only Whitehaven Mansions, mon ami

Ending the night with a tiny Colin the Caterpillar

Thursday

Our Oxford Day! Train from Paddington Station - with a Bakewell Tart before embarking. Society Cafe for a pick me up once we got there, a mooch about Waterstones and then checked out the highlights of Oxford - Radcliffe Camera, Bridge of Sighs, Divinity School, Covered Market. Found a really cool old cemetary and had a lovely time in the massive Blackwell’s book store. On the train home we went by Wembley Stadium where England was hosting Greece in a friendly that night (they lost).

The Eagle and Child. J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis met up here to talk hobbits and elves over a pint

Divinity School. Recognize it from any movies?

This graveyard was dope. We saw a fox hanging out in it too

Friday

Our last full day in London, but we made the most of it. Made our way through Central (to get some Xmas cards from Liberty) on our way to East London. Wandered through Bethnal Green up to Hackney, where we met Kat’s boss for lunch at Bambi. We got some coffee at Climpson and Sons and a nice walk down Regent’s Canal and through Victoria Park. Which conveniently put us at a pub for a pint outside on a beautiful day. We made our way to Pendley Street Station for our murder mystery dinner party (wonderful). Final tube ride of the trip back to the hotel.

Field Notes 3 from Offbeat is English wine grown in Kent. It was _really_ good

Climpson & Sons flat white. Maybe my favorite coffee of the trip

Saturday

We only had a little bit of the morning before heading to Heathrow for our flight back home. We got breakfast at Ole & Steen for the fanciest sausage roll of the trip, and back home to Chicago we went.

Channeling my inner Craig Mod where I say it’ll be a shorter piece but then can’t help myself and write many many words nonetheless. ↩