London Calling
January 12, 2010 By: Maureen Jones
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Jumeirah Carlton Tower Suite |
Forty years ago, I married a charming major in the United States Marine Corps, who quickly understood that “I need shoes” was code for my being homesick for fish & chips and a shandy (half beer and half lemonade) among other things. I’ve used the line a lot (120 times and counting), so I know London well. I didn’t buy any shoes this trip (sadly, and there was a great set of seven-inch heels…), but I did see some great stuff!
There are many excellent hotels in London, but the one I stayed at on this trip, I feel, had something extra special. The Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel is in Cadogan Gardens, Knightsbridge—an absolutely fabulous location—five minutes from two department stores, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Hyde Park and the Knightsbridge Underground Tube Station are a short walk away. You have private access to the gardens, complete with two tennis courts. The things I liked about the hotel were that it was quiet, away from the noisy traffic, and the windows actually open. (Many London hotels have triple-glazed windows to drown out the traffic noise.) Each room had a view of the gardens, or of the London skyline, so you won’t look out at another building. It had a large gym, with 50 different classes each week. They had swimming lessons in the 20-meter pool and a Swing Factory, which had a golf pro giving lessons. I was pleased to see that they had a hairdressing salon—a rarity these days—on the second floor. The facilities at the hotel make it an ideal venue for corporate meetings.
The most notable among its three restaurants and a comfy bar was The Ribs Restaurant, drawing a large, cosmopolitan crowd. Chef Simon Young has been recently named London’s Restaurant Chef of the Year.
Staying at the hotel, which seemed to be popular with families, was comfortable, and the staff well-trained. Car transfers from the airports to the hotel were excellent!
Every member of the concierge team was a member of the prestigious Golden Key Society—which is unusual. They are invaluable in getting theater tickets for you, or a dinner reservation. With 74 theaters and seven symphony orchestras in the city, you have plenty to choose from.
A fun place to visit is the Grenadier Pub at 18 Wilton Row, a short walk from the hotel. This is a historical pub used by the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and is home to a ghost. An officer was rumored to be beaten to death for cheating at cards, but, all said, it is still a good place for lunch.
On every trip to the city, I go to the Queen's Gallery, next to Buckingham Palace, where the exhibits are changed regularly. The Queen’s displays consist of jewels, china, furniture and paintings, which are always a treat to watch. They also have an excellent shop for gifts.
If you are going to use the underground train, buy an Oyster Card at any train station. I got one for about $16 for two for the weekend. It is less expensive and saves standing in line to buy a ticket.
Another place I always go to is Grays Antiques at 58 Davies Street, off Oxford Street. It is several floors of different dealers and is a fun place to wander around and look for treasures. Fortnum and Mason, a department store with an amazing food hall and the second-floor gift shop is a must for Christmas presents. I always have a pre-theater dinner in their Fountains Restaurant on the ground floor.
As London has grown, it has sucked in a tide of bricks and mortar, the quiet villages that once surrounded it. Many have retained their character, yet engulfed in London as they are, their charms are often overlooked.
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Freud's couch at his namesake museum |
With its exclusive shops, pavement cafés and fine Georgian houses, Hampstead, one of the villages of the North, has a distinct village atmosphere. It became popular with writers and artists during the l8th century, including John Constable who is buried at St. John’s Church. Perhaps its most famous resident was John Keats, whose home is now a museum. Also in Hampstead are Fenton House with its collection of early keyboard instruments and the Freud Museum, where you can see the couch of the world’s most renowned psychologist.
Neighboring Highgate is famous for its cemetery, resting place of Karl Marx and author George Eliot. To visit the most atmospheric West Cemetery, with its Egyptian Avenue and terraced catacombs, you must take a guided tour. Nearby Hampstead, Heath has fabulous views of London. There are band concerts on Sunday afternoons in the summer in Golders Hill Park and Parliament Hill Fields. The elegant Robert Adam mansion of Kenwood House showcases impressive paintings and has been used as a location for films such as Notting Hill. Close to a great pub is the Old Spaniard’s Inn, which takes one back to the days when Heath was the haunt of highwaymen.
Along the Thames, in easy reach of the Royal Court, West London was long the chosen home of monarchs and their courtiers. Designed by Lord Burlington for extravagant parties and set in lovely gardens, Chiswick House is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in England. Upstream is Syon House where Adam remodeled a riverside Tudor monastery to create a London home for the Duke of Northumberland. Kew’s Royal Botanical Gardens hold the world’s largest collection of plant life, with 35,000 different species, including 9,000 trees. If you go to Kew Gardens, take the river boat there and the Tube back. Near Richmond is the largest Royal Park, which has lots of great antique shops to explore.
Greenwich was long the playground of Kings and Queens. It was at Greenwich that Sir Walter Raleigh supposedly laid his cloak over a puddle so Elizabeth I wouldn’t get her feet wet. The royal residence is now the National Maritime Museum, which traces Britain’s seafaring history. It is well worth a visit, especially after the lovely trip by river from Westminster Abbey.
One of my favorite activities is cruising along the leafy waters of Regent’s Canal. The one-and-a-half-hour boat trip has been in operation between Little Venice and Camden Lock and its famous market for 500 years. The market is a regular in my London itinerary.
