To Britain

To Britain

My first travel tickets to Britain came tucked inside the pages of books.  There, midst black words on white pages, I was whisked away to a land where it was possible, after the merest sprinkling of fairy dust, to think wonderful thoughts and fly right out through one’s bedroom window on starry, moonlit nights.  It seemed that in Britain, parents employed nannies who either floated down through foggy skies holding on to nothing more substantial than parrot-head umbrellas or, for the luckiest children, were responsible Newfoundland dogs.  In Britain, I learned, it was possible to fall headfirst down a rabbit hole in one’s garden and land smack dab in the middle of a brightly colourful world where everyone was, quite pleasingly, mad.

When I got a bit older, books spirited me across the centuries where I met real Kings and Queens, poets and writers, musicians and artists, every one of whom ensnared my imagination with a permanent hold and served to make Britain utterly irresistible to this little girl from the South.  Then the day finally dawned when I realized it was possible to actually travel, in real time, to this land of my dreams.  That journey became my one wish, my pot of gold at the end of a rainbow of stories and tales that stretched back beyond remembrance.

One might be forgiven for expecting this confession to end in disappointment, for how frequently does one’s reality match one’s dreams in seamless perfection?  But fear not, romantics and dreamers alike, for Great Britain is every bit as wonderful as it appeared to be in the pages of Peter Pan.  Visit Lord Leighton’s magical home in Holland Park and you’ll realize Lewis Carroll’s imagination was not unique.  Wander the hills above Lake Windermere and you’ll have no doubt where Wordsworth got his ideas.   Take the ferry over the sea to Skye and you’ll find it easy to see Bonnie Prince Charlie sailing alongside you, despite his clever disguise.  Stand at the edge of the world in the ruins of Tintagel Castle with the sea spray in your hair, and you will know King Arthur must be much more than myth. Through many visits now, the sceptered isle continues to captivate and inspire me and each time I board the plane home I am already scheming a way to return.

My most recent trip proved no exception and I thought I’d share some new finds, just a little bit of my own quirky taste when it comes to Great Britain.  Of course it’s a given that one must see Westminster Abbey and Harrod’s Food Halls, but this short list is a little more off the beaten path, a little more eclectic, and perhaps it will capture your own imagination.  And if it does... well... it’s all just a plane ticket away, you know.

(The photo above, by the way, is Vita Sackville-West’s library at Sissinghurst.  Lots and lots of tickets to exotic places in there, I’m sure.)

1. The Three Chimneys Freehouse

There are so many treats to be found traveling through the British countryside on one’s own, little surprises tucked in along the side roads just waiting to be discovered.  Such was the case for this deliciously atmospheric pub just a stone’s throw from our bedroom at Sissinghurst Farmhouse in Kent.  It was almost dark when we entered, a navy blue sky streaked with painterly strokes of mauve and rose hung over our heads.  We pulled open the heavy old door and found ourselves in a cozy room where, to our delight, dog beds of every shape and size were tucked into corners, under tables and next to the ancient fireplace in which orange and red flames slowly flickered.  There were smiles all round, warm greetings for two strangers who were a bit worn out from the day’s adventures.  The food was amazing, the surroundings unbeatable.  

We loved it so much we ate there the next night.

Read about it HERE.

2. Charleston Farmhouse Gift Shop

As the story goes, dear Virginia Woolf used to love to walk the South Downs near her cottage in Rodmell, East Sussex.  She did so frequently and on one such walk, she happened to look far down below her and spied a charming farmhouse in the middle of an idyllic little valley.  She went home and wrote her sister, artist Vanessa Bell, telling her that she’d found the perfect country home for her.  And so she had.  Fortunate beyond belief, I wandered the rooms of Charleston Farmhouse this past May on a sunny afternoon, The Songwriter and I the only visitors present.  I’m still digesting the experience and will write about it soon, I know.  But in the meantime... the gift shop!  Oh my soul.  Simply the most tempting little room I’ve been inside in years.   The Fabrics! The Wrapping Paper!  The Books!  The Prints!  and The Ceramics!  One could lose one’s mind.  Do not miss it if you are anywhere near.

The fabric above was designed by Duncan Grant for the lounge of the Queen Mary, but never used. 
 Available exclusively from Charleston now. 

See more HERE

3. VV Rouleaux

In an area of London so evocative even the most pedestrian of imaginations finds it easy to suspend any attachment to the modern day, the shop of VV Rouleaux sits serenely on a corner.  You are to be forgiven if you stop stock still on the pavement in front of its windows.  They are that breathtaking.  In Springtime, silk butterflies float in the air, iridescent wings catching the light, their colours more tempting then candy.   You may find spiders in October, fat tarantula legs that beg to be entwined on a green velvet hat.  And Christmas, well, you can just imagine.  I have been visiting VV Rouleaux for years, for a meter or two of ribbon as sublime as any diamond necklace, for a handful of velvet leaves to adorn holiday gifts, for a cluster of flowers the precise colour of Edward’s white fur.  It is a shop known to make the hands of my watch spin; minutes become hours as though bewitched.  You must, simply must, visit.

See more HERE.

4. Middle Temple Hall 

When From the House of Edward was released last year, I was contacted by the lovely London writer/blogger, Jayne Ferst, requesting an interview.  Her questions were so much fun to answer and proved, even though we’d only met once before, she completely had my number.  (You can read that interview HERE.)  Naturally, I wanted to spend some time with her on this latest trip and when I wrote to say I was returning to London she told me she was taking me “someplace special”.... someplace I was sure to like.  So, on a chilly Saturday afternoon, we met at my hotel and made our way to Sloane Square station.  When we popped up along the Embankment near Fleet Street, I had no idea what to expect.  My anticipation peaked when we stopped before a large and ancient door.  A gentleman opened it, we stepped over the high threshold and, just like that, we were in the Elizabethan age.  Tudor buildings lined cobblestoned pathways and looked down on manicured gardens.  This was Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call members to the English Bar.   A guide, perhaps a bit bored by the quiet Saturday afternoon, took us under his wing and gave us a private tour into rooms rarely seen by the public.  Such a treat. Of course the highlight was Middle Temple Hall itself with its glorious paneled walls and stunning windows.  I actually ran my hand along the twenty-nine foot wooden table, a gift to the Hall from Queen Elizabeth I.  Made from a single tree, it was floated down the Thames from Windsor Forest.  Can you imagine? 
 Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night premiered here in 1602! 
 Yes, I was giddy with delight at the whole experience.  
Try to arrange a visit if you can.

See more HERE.

5. Theatre

It is no secret that London theatre is different than American theatre.  Actors enter the stage already immersed in the play and the audience, loathe to break the spell, never roars with appreciation at their appearance.  The theatres themselves, being much older than ours, are therefore often smaller and provide a much more intimate connection with the play.  Such was our experience when we were fortunate enough to sit in the presence of Dame Judi Dench as she performed her role of Alice Hargreaves in the play Peter and Alice at the Noel Coward Theatre.  She was a marvel to watch and I’m so happy to have seen her in this new and rather difficult play. 

 It’s always fun to see the “big” shows of course.  The Lion King and Cats will always reap large and enthusiastic audiences.  But quiet plays with great actors?  Now that’s heaven.

(At present, I’m holding tickets in my hot little hands to see Vanessa Redgrave as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.  Needless to say, I’m thrilled.)

You can see what’s coming up on the London stage HERE.

6. Partridges

Often, when I’ve walked miles and miles during a London day, a restaurant meal just doesn’t appeal.  I long to pull on my pajamas and dine in the privacy of my room.  That’s when I stop off at Partridges on my way back to my hotel.  A family run market, Partridges carries only the best of everything.  I gather up the best yogurt, the best cheese, the perfect apple and... for those of you who, like me, crave a custard tart every time you happen to watch the British sitcom As Time Goes By.... the most scrumptious custard tarts known to man.  Lionel would be pleased. Those treats, along with the latest issues of Tattler, Vogue and Country Life, a bottle of sparkling water, and I’m totally set for the night.

See more about Partridges HERE.

7. The Draycott Hotel

Of course, for someone like myself, where I stay is a vital ingredient to the whole London experience.  No sleekly modern hotel for me.  No, I want to visualize Jane Marple knitting serenely in the corner of a sitting room.  I want fresh flowers.  Tea and biscuits in the afternoon.  I want access to a private garden, stairwells that twist and turn and beckon.  I want fluffy beds, soft pillows, and mugs of hot chocolate on a cold, windy night.  In other words, I want The Draycott Hotel.

I don’t exactly remember when I first discovered The Draycott, but it’s been “my” London hotel for years.  Just around the corner from John Sandoe Books (another favourite, must see location), The Draycott sits quietly in the maze of Victorian lanes just off Kings Road near Sloane Square.  I can easily walk to the V and A from here, easily walk to Harrod’s and, while cabs are plentiful just a stone’s throw away, I always feel like I’m heading home whenever I turn down the shady lane to the Draycott.  

I love everything about it.
Read more about it HERE.

I guess I should stop here, knowing full well how tiresome it can often be to hear a traveler prattle on about their latest adventures.  But.... if you’d like to hear more about Britain, leave a comment and let me know.  I’ll add some more in a few days if you’re interested!