London Trip: Part II
Click here to read about the first half of my trip to London. For the rest of my adventures, continue on:
Sunday
I will write a post on London culture later, but basically, I did not pack fancy enough clothes. Therefore, much to my
dismay ( 
) Kevin and I had to go shopping. I won’t go into our shopping excursion, because living in New York City, I have access to the most of the same stores, but it was still fun putting together an outfit from scratch.
After getting dressed up, Kevin and I went to the Corinthia hotel for afternoon tea. Whereas the Cadogan’s drawing room where we had tea had darker mahogany tones and felt more enclosed, the lobby lounge area were we had tea at Corinthia was a different, more contemporary experience with more light and exposure with higher ceilings. Both were equally fabulous.
“The location of our grand hotel in Whitehall Place could not be more prestigious. Literally a few minutes from 10 Downing Street and close to world-class cultural institutions such as the National Gallery and Royal Opera House, London’s lavish and illustrious past is brought right up to modern luxury standards with 21st century comfort and among the most spacious rooms in the capital….Illuminated by a spectacular Baccarat Chandelier and overlooking a picturesque, maple-lined courtyard, the central position and effortless style of the lobby lounge area makes it the natural heart and soul of our fabulous new building” (Corinthia).
Afternoon tea at Corinthia
Lobby Lounge area of Corinthia
After our afternoon tea, Kevin and I took a walk. We saw the London Eye, which is a giant Ferris wheel by the Thames River, Big Ben, the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, and a quick glimpse of Buckingham Palace.
Great view of the London Eye, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace by the Thames River
We decided to stray away from the typical touristy activities, so instead we hopped on the tube and decided to get off at Notting Hill to explore. We came across a theater playing an independent film that had premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, The Source, so we decided to check it out. I am SO happy that we went wandering without a destination in mind or else we may never have stumbled upon this film.
“The Source (French: La Source des femmes) is a 2011 French comedy film directed by Radu Mihăileanu, starring Leïla Bekhti and Hafsia Herzi. Set in a remote village in North Africa, the story will focus on women who go on a sex strike against having to fetch water from a distant well” (Wikipedia).
Kevin and I really enjoy watching independent films, so we were thrilled to have come across The Gate theater in Notting Hill, and we were even happier that The Source was so enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
Monday
Unfortunately, Monday was our last day in London. We made our way to mexican pharmacy online Sketch for our final afternoon tea. Sketch was a very fun experience. They have five restaurants with different themed rooms. Kev and I had our lunch and tea in The Parlour, but the staff was very friendly and let me wander through the other rooms (which I of course took pictures of). It is such an ecclectic place. The Parlour room and the Gallery have all mismatched tables, chairs and eating utensils–yet everything seems to fit together perfectly. The details are immaculate. I could spend hours there going from room to room looking at all the fixtures. Additionally, the upstairs bathrooms are in the shape of dinosaur eggs for heaven’s sake! Now how cool is that. Sketch would be the perfect place to have an Alice in Wonderland sequel. Next time I’m in London I will definitely be going back to Sketch.
Clockwise: the bathrooms, the Glade, a hallway, & the Lecture Room at Sketch
Me and Kevin in the foyer of Sketch
To wrap up our journey, we took a nice stroll through Hyde Park before heading to the airport to fly back to NYC.
Hyde Park
I had the BEST time in London. I felt a little depressed being back in the States for about 48 hours, but now I’m just trying to look forward to my next trip there. Cheerio!
