London...I LOVE this city!

I must have been English in a former life as I feel so at home in this city.  This is the fifth time I have been to London and I could return year after year and still feel like there is more to explore.  I popped over for just a quick 3 day 2 nights which I had book just the week before - I had wanted to get over before the weather changed from fall to winter and before the couple museum exhibits I wanted to see closed.

Flying in on Tuesday morning, being ushered into London with a glorious sunny day, I was to my hotel, The Pelham, in South Kensington by about 11:30 am.  I love this hotel and I have stayed here 4 of the 5 times I have been to London.  In fact this is one of my favorite hotels in which I have ever stayed.  It is a quiet oasis away from the bustle of the streets and is so convenient, located directly across the South Kensington tube stop. So, you can take the Piccadilly line directly to and from Heathrow.  

I was then off to the Royal Society of Arts to see the show, Making History: Antiquaries In Britain, 1707–2007 - Here is what there web site states of the show: 

It features works of art, antiquities and manuscripts of unique historical importance, such as a processional cross of King Richard III and his defeated Yorkist army recovered from the battlefield of Bosworth (1485). Also on show will be the earliest known medieval manuscript illustrations of Stonehenge, as well as drawings and paintings of this and other historic sites and monuments by great artists such as Constable, Turner, Girtin and Blake.

  The exterior of part of the Royal Academy of Arts - the home of the Society of Antiquaries 

It was a nice little show taking me about 2 hours, which included lunch in their lovely little cafe. After I decided I was ready to switch gears and thought I would indulge in a bit of retail therapy in an area of London which I had never explored before - Regent Street. 

 The Beautiful Georgian Buildings of Regent Street

I walked up the lovely Georgian street doing some window shopping, stopping at Liberty of London's - truly an English institution. I spent almost 2 full hours browsing around all the wonderful rooms, lingering in the fabrics and sewing notions, the accessories shop and the lotions & potions section. So much to see it is a visual cacophony of products.  I picked out some wonderful bubble bath and candle as I couldn't wait to spend an evening luxuriating in my perfect hotel room. 

After a quick stop by the gigantic department store, Selfridge's (which I was frankly disappoint with - too noisy, too crowded, and everything was tied down in an attempt to keep the shoplifting to a minimum but completely dissuading anyone who actually might buy something from wanting to see/pick-up and browse the store).

I was giddy as I made my way back to the hotel. I was SO excited at the prospect of room service (from their really nice restaurant) a long, hot bubble bath and to bed early.  The Pelham had actually upgraded me to a Queen suite for free so I had a large room with two sets of french doors - there really wasn't much of a view with the doors opening to the back, but it was quiet and allowed the fresh crisp fall air to fill the room. 

 My lovely room at the Pelham

I had the perfect evening.

The next morning I woke after nine hours of sleep ready to tackle the National Gallery.  I had only been there for about 30 minutes in a past visit so I had never "done" the museum. I ended up spending 3 1/2 hours till I was just too hungry to continue and tried to find some food.  Both of their restaurants had nothing which sounded appealing (and that is saying something as I am never a picky eater) so I went over to the National Portrait Gallery and had a wonderful gourmet lunch looking out over the skyline of London.  It was a nice respite, rejuvenating me to see some more art. 

  My view for Lunch at the NPG

Since I had already seen the NPG in a previous trip, I just visited my favorites in the Tudor, Stuart and Georgian galleries.  After these two galleries I was ready to again transition to a different type of culture and spent some time in Harvey Nichols & Harrods.  I have to say that I really enjoy Harrods, it is like a toy shop for adults and I stocked up on their tea and found a lovely wrap-coat by Vivienne Westwood.   

(No, this is not me, just showing a picture of my new wrap from the Vivienne Westwood site)

Hobbling back to my hotel room, bags of exhibit books and various purchases in tow, I think I was even more excited the second night about a hot bath and room service after 10+ hours of walking around.

My final day was gray an spitting rain so I was glad I had left the closest museum till last.  I arrived at the Victoria & Albert Museum (just one block up and one block over) at opening and was glad I did as the show I had come to see started filling up quickly.  The show was The Golden Age of Couture: Paris & London 1947-1957. I really enjoyed this show and its history of fashion at this wonderful period of design revolution.  They had an exquisite collection of dresses, shoes and other accessories and I learned many little tidbits which I had never known.  Did you know that it was Roger Vivier who invented the stiletto shoe???  The museum was becoming a madhouse and there were just too many children, which I learned was because there was a school holiday, so I went back to my hotel to wait till it was time to take the train back to the airport.

The main rotunda at the V&A

While I missed my honey on this trip, I know he would be have been bored and I would have been guilty for dragging him around to all places which are much more of my interest.  It was a wonderfully restorative trip and I am again so glad to live so close to be able to do these great little last minute trips.