Civilized Cross Many Countries

What a great trip on so many levels. Wonderful to be able to travel, wonderful to be in Marleybone, our UK home, and wonderful to see Paul’s accomplishments realized.

We all get along so well traveling together. It’s easy and fun and no one gets pissy about anything. Staying at the hotel instead of the apartment was lovely. Same neighborhood and a very homey feel. London is an easy city to navigate, and we found a Mayo Clinic just around the corner. Good to know!

Seeing the university Paul attended and all of his classmates was a real eye opener. So different than an American university. Much more refined and cultured, heavy on the elegance and tradition and set inside one of London’s Royal Parks. A real cultural experience. His classmates were from all over the world with very different lifestyles and dispositions. A real education in becoming a citizen of the world. For that alone it was worth the investment. He will be forever changed and more open to diversity and different lifestyles. The kind of mind expansion you hope for at college.

Taking cabs everywhere was lovely. We never got stuck in traffic (one of the blessings of summer), and we had many interesting drivers. We were heavy on the great food this trip which is always a plus for me. Because it was our fourth trip, we had seen the sights and were content to just walk around, pop into shops, have a coffee and relax.

London is very different seasonally. Americans visit between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Arab nations love the summer, and we’d probably get a chance to see more Englishmen in February. The country (and Europe) is in a severe drought and Hyde Park looked like a hayfield. The Danube is so low that river cruises need to be bussed. Spain and France are on fire. But no need to worry about climate change.

Everyone we spoke to is so sad at what has become of America. I am currently burying my head in the sand – I’ve got bigger fish to fry right now. It is awful reading the European press and talking to average Joe’s. It makes me so ashamed and sad.

However, the trip was lovely, Paul is on the next stage of his life, and we are home safely. The garden is in great shape and Lillian is delighted to have her parents to boss around.

Another wonderful family adventure in the books.

He did it!

Kirsten and I started the day with the most splendid cup of coffee from Watch House. Why does no one write about this place as the best coffee in London? Three kinds of brewed, endless choices of pour overs, espresso drinks, and killer pastries.

We walked through the whole neighborhood and into Regent Park. The heat and drought that London is experiencing has made the acres of grass utter hayfields, but the roses still bloom!

It is a place of tranquility and wonder. A new garden was added for Queen Elizabeth and it was great to see.

Breakfast with Brad and then one last trot around the shops. Daunt bookshop must be the busiest bookstore on the planet with the largest collection of paperbacks and travel books. Two huge floor to ceiling floors of travel book (yes, I bought a book on Italy).

We rested and showered and headed to the university – in a black cab, of course.

The ceremony was touching, the setting was out of a movie, and it was eye opening to see all the students he matriculated with. It’s a very international crew, and it gave us such a sense of satisfaction that his world has been opened to all these people and lifestyles. It’s everything you hope university will be for your kids – an expansion of their vision and of the world. He is forever changed in the best way.

The night was finished with that quintessential restaurant, Simpson on the Strand. It’s newly re opened by Jeremy King. The right way to close a London stint.

Car arrives at 6:30 tomorrow morning. We had another wonderful time together. Until our next adventure…..

PS – can’t wait to stream episodes of the Avengers when I get home!

We spent a glorious day together in London. Tomorrow is graduation, so this was our last hurrah.

Kirsten, Brad and I had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Forgot to take pictures, but it’s a lovely buffet in the Brasserie. Staff is so accommodating – you know the hotel is an Irish brand as everyone is trained to be fawningly kind and to remember your name. Our stay in Cork a few years back was the same. I aactually really love it.

We are black cab crazy this trip, and Brad chatted up the driver and asked about the Chinese made taxis. Any chance for car talk.

We walked new streets in Marleybone, found a coffee shop and watched the world go by. I had to find eye drops for a friend and I am shocked by the number of pharmacies in Marleybone – like Dunkin Donuts in Boston, one on every corner.

We met up with the kids and took a London Walk tour on the swingin’ 60’s.

We started at the BBC studios, a gorgeous art deco building.

We headed to Duchess Mews where we saw the building that was in the opening of The Avengers, with John Steed and Emma Peel. One of my favorite 1960’s shows – who remembers it? I always wanted to be Emma Peel – Diana Riggs was my idol!

We talked about the porousness of classes in the 60’s and visited some neighborhoods where the very wealthy and average Joe’s began to live side by side. We also talked about how London was almost rebuilt in a modern architecture style after the Second World War. Thanks to financial scarcity, the beautiful buildings were renovated. How lucky!

Next up, the Profumo Affair and the crazy osteopath, Steven Ward, that introduced John Profumo to Christine Keeler and the downfall of the Conservative government. This is the flat where Steven Ward introduced John Profumo to Christine. Child’s play next to the Trump administration.

The window above what is the Sturm boutique is where Keith Richard’s wrote Gimme Shelter in ‘Groovy Bob’s’ flat. We saw Grovenor Park where a demonstration about the Vietnam War led by Vanessa Redgrave got out of control in front of the American Embassy, statues of Twiggy, and finally the apartment where Jimi Hendrix lived. Interesting and entertaining.

We were ready to sit down and have lunch, so Paul found us a local Pub with a bit of history.

Beers and fish and chips were had.

We all felt sated and decided to relax on the Thames with an Uber Boston ride.

A rest and a shower were in order and we met back up at the River Cafe in Hammersmith for dinner.

We had a really relaxing, long dinner with drinks and antipasti and pasta and mains and the most glorious desserts. I am not a dessert person, but the chocolate nemesis is as good as is reported along with the sorbets and pastry. We ate and laughed and toasted Paul. I won’t bore you with the food pictures, but I chatted with the chefs, gawked at the enormous open kitchen, and ate most of everything on the menu. It was a perfect night, in a peaceful spot, and it ended with Brad ogling a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT long wheel base coupe in midnight blue.

Another perfect London night in the books. As my sister says, “it’s always better in London”.

Delayed and bumpy, but still a luxurious flight and a quick pass through security at Heathrow. We were met by a lovely Serbian driver in the nicest car (next to Ruby) that I have ever sat in. You know I’m not a car person, but the full panoramic sunroof and the seats that squished into your back were tremendous. Great chat on our way in, and curb service is a pleasure (Heathrow Express is 10x faster).

Richard’s apartment was not available, so we are staying at The Marleybone, conveniently located across the street from Ottolenghi. Yes, I ate three salads (hispi cabbage with chili, eggplant with zaatar chips and Labne and the most amazing butterbean mash with saffron courgettes) while Brad and Kirsten had gorgeous croissants.

Paul met us and we walked to the Wallace Collection to see the Churchill exhibit, wandered Chiltern Street looking at the fancy stores and chatted with the florist at Grandirosa who showed us how to turn the petals to make these gorgeous flouncy roses.

It was 90 degrees, we’d had little sleep, so Brad and I headed back to the hotel for a quick rest and dip in the indoor pool.

The Savoy always plays into our London plans, and we decided that High Tea at 4:00 would be perfect for Day One. It wasn’t crowded (shocking, it’s usually a mad house), the service was courtly and expert, and we really got a chance to languor over sandwiches, scones and cakes (extra coronation chicken, please).

Abi met us after work and we black cabbed it back to The Marleybone for cocktails. Such a sweet hotel with so many nooks and small rooms that feel cozy yet modern.

It was 7:30 PM and it felt like midnight. Brad and I crawled into bed feeling totally happy with our first big travel day.

We played it smart, taking air conditioned cabs and drivers on this ridiculously hot London day. We only logged 7000 steps, but it was plenty.

The sheets are crisp, the room is cool, and I’m sure we’ll sleep. Feeling victorious for being able to do this. The graduate is happy and excited, as are we. So glad we can enjoy this milestone together.

Cancer be damned! First grandson is graduating from Regent University and we’re not gonna miss it! Brad’s doctors have not only okayed the trip, but encouraged it. Modern medicine is fantastic and he’s feeling terrific.

Lots of good meals planned, including a dinner at the River Cafe, which was booked 60 days ago.

Paul is already there enjoying his last hurrah – hiking the white cliffs of Dover, visiting the Cotswolds and eating croissants in Paris. Abi flew in and is working at her London office, Kirsten flies tonight and we fly tomorrow.

Curating this trip has been fun. Now that Paul is done with school, we’re all feeling like this will be the last time we’re all there together. We’ve seen so much of London over the time he’s been there, and we all feel so comfortable in Marleybone, it almost feels like we should just hang. Walks through Regent Park, shopping on the High Street, breakfast at Ottolenghi, a swing through the Wallace Collection, a drink at Durrants…..might be enough.

However, one must make the most of things. High Tea st the Savoy, Dinner at Jeremy King’s new Simpson on the Strand, The River Cafe, The Tate Britain, the Tate Modern, a London Walk focusing on the 60’s, Leighton House, John Soane, Churchill War Room…….. We’ll see what we get to. I’d be happy with a Pastella de Nata from Paul’s and a walk through the garden.

Wish us luck, good health, and a happy graduate!

Economy Delight is not Upper Class. We flew back Coach – takes the blush off the rose. The Centurion Club had a waiting list, the plane was full, Heathrow was heaving and there were children behind us kicking our seats. Vera (Virgin’s Entertainment Center) is wonderful and kept me entertained, but it is NOT Upper Class.

We came home at rush hour on Friday. Hard landing.

London was wonderful. We didn’t tour as much this time, but Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court were not as interesting as Windsor. It’s still a terrific city. The flat is comfortable and perfectly located. There are so many lovely areas in London, but Marleybone is our favorite.

Regent’s Park in the summer is outrageous. Central Park in NYC is amazing, but Regent’s is other worldly. I did some research – The Crown owns all the big deal parks and pays for their upkeep through a charitable trust. Makes the Monarchy worthwhile in my estimation.

12,000 roses, 76,000 spring plants, 72,000 bulbs, 63,000 summer plants. The scale is ridiculous and amazing. Next trip needs to be in Spring and a picnic is in order.

London was a different place in summer than winter. Winter brings hoards of US tourists. Summer sends all the English on holiday elsewhere and fills up with Middle Easterners escaping the dessert heat. It had a very different feel. Also, I noticed many more homeless people and I’ve heard crime is up. It still felt very very safe, but statistics are statistics.

Paris was wonderful. It’s such a beautiful city and has so much to explore. I’d like to spend more time in Montemarte and Le Marais. Maybe a Spring trip along with London.

Next trip, I want no itinerary and I just want to wander. I want to eat in interesting little places and just visit neighborhoods and go in and out of shops. I want to read a book in the park, I want to shop and cook a meal. I guess I’m comfortable enough now that I just want to live like a Londoner.

Fly first class and live like a Londoner. That’s my mantra for the next trip.

I came home to this, so the landing was softened as I pulled up the driveway.

Until next time.

Yellow warning for downpours today. We made a plan to spend the day shopping. We have come to the conclusion that the British weather forecasters are not trained meteorologists. They are never right. Your look out the window is far more accurate.

We had our last Ottolenghi breakfast and I tried the hot chocolate. Excellent. We chatted with an American ex patriot who has been here for 40 years. It was an interesting conversation about here and there. One thing that’s clear, immigration is an issue. Almost 100% of the service people we’ve run into are not British. A very large number of construction workers are not British. Yet the British are upset that there are too many immigrants. It’s a conundrum.

The view from our favorite breakfast spot.

We trotted around Bond Street for a bit, visited Selfridges, checked out some other stores and the got on the Tube to Battersea.

Battersea is such a great complex, but we had lost our Mojo. We wanted everything yesterday, and struggled to make a purchase today. I swear all of the merchandise in Zara had been rearranged or sold. Anyway, the day turned bright, we got some lunch and headed home.

Packing ensued and then a walk in the park. The pictures cannot do justice to the hundreds of thousands of plants in Regent’s Park. It is huge and perfectly maintained. A veritable botanical garden.

It doesn’t come close to how beautiful it is and how large it is. I need to do some Googling on how many people it takes to maintain the Park system here. Wonder how many are immigrants?

Anyway, we met the kids and Lisa and John for dinner at Carlotta. It’s part of a chain of restaurants that are more theatre than food, but the food is good. Think highly decorated red sauce place with hip drinks.

Best unisex bathroom ever (in red).

We’ve had a lovely stay, fine weather, good family time and a lot of fun. London is an easy city to enjoy. It’s a change of pace and a comfortable get away.

I am packed and ready for Heathrow. Can’t wait to snuggle Miss Lillian and visit my garden. More later.

We all slept well, Abi and Paul went off to work and we took ourselves to Kit Kemp’s Dorset Square Hotel for breakfast. Refined elegance and a soothing way to start the day.

They know how to do hotels and restaurants and no detail is overlooked.

We had nothing scheduled and Kirsten wanted to see Battersea Power Station and Brad wanted to ride on the Thames, so we made a day of it. We started at the Battersea development and explored the neighborhood and mall. It’s a world class redevelopment, with a cool vibe and lots to explore.

It’s supposed to rain tomorrow, so we may be back here for a good part of the day.

Of course Brad found out who developed and financed the project (a Malaysian public company) and looked at real estate. We picked up the Uber Boat and headed East on the Thames all the way to Greenwich.

Greenwich was a breath of fresh air. The home of the British Navy and the Observatory with the Prime Meridian of Greenwich Mean Time fame, it is a gorgeous complex where Henry the VIII was born. Great buildings, green space, a sweet town, museums and art work.

We wanted to see the Painted Hall and got there in time for an a docent led tour. It was a little too much information for us, so we skipped out early, but not before getting a bit more information on William and Mary, who commissioned the Painted Hall. We are expanding our knowledge of British Kings.

We hit the Greenwich market for lunch and then decided to head home. We took the bus to the subway and crossed the Thames underground and arrived back to Baker Street.

Kirsten went out for a walk in Regent’s Park and brought back these pictures.

Have I mentioned how stellar the weather is? It’s been a dream.

We dressed and trotted off to the Savoy for a drink before dinner at Toklas.

A proper martini from our lovely bar tender.

Off to Toklas to meet Abi and have what we hoped was a fine dinner. The reviews had been great, the food was fantastic. Every dish encompassed the finest ingredients and was artfully prepared. Roasted tomato risotto with mint, tagliatelle with chanterelles, pork tonnato, hake with courgettes, and great chips and sourdough bread. The best dish was green beans with peaches and onions in an almond sauce.

Lovely.

We walked back on the Strand admiring the architecture.

It was a perfect night for a walk.

We headed home happily and sated. Another lovely day in London.

Up at 5:00, in Paris by 10:15.

We started the day at Basilique Sacre Coeur in Montmarte. The highest point in the city, and a lovely chapel. Montmarte is old Paris. Cobbled streets, shops selling fabrics and feathers, trees, artists, cafes and a soft vibe.

First order of business was croissants. We stopped at the first little cafe we saw and boy did we get lucky. Cafe Carla was clearly a locals place with a group of older men taking up a large table and the staff serving up the regular customers their usual orders. Paul had a plain croissant and a saucisson sandwich which he raved about. Brad had his usual canelle roulade and Kirsten had the absolute best ham and cheese croissant in the world (we all tried it). I’m not a morning eater, so I just ordered a small tomato and courgette tart — honestly, never had anything that tasted this good. Ominous start to the day.

Next order of business was the Eiffel Tower, which is brown, not gray, and huge! We took a taxi from Montmarte to the Eiffel Tower – our two furthest points today – and we struck gold in a taxi with a Syrian race car driver. It was like being in a Tom Hardy movie. He zoomed through intersection, barely missed cyclists, and careened through boulevards – skillful and competent and never broke a sweat.

We walked through the park, over the Seine into the 8th Arrondissement and all needed a restroom and a proper lunch. We picked the first sidewalk cafe we saw and were treated to a floor show of bustling waiters with a sense of humor. Food was good, not great (a Niçoise salad with ripe olives?!), but Paul got great French Fries and Kirsten had her first French Diet Coke. All was well with the world.

Sightseeing commenced in earnest. Grand Palais, Petite Palais, Les Invalides, Arc de Tromphe (huge), Champ Elysee, Jardin Tuileries, Parc Monceau, The Louvre and finally St. Germaine du Pres. We covered a lot of ground.

We even stopped to see where a bit of Chazy resides under the Goddess Diana in front of the Louvre.

After all that walking we made it to Notre Dame and sat and had crepes and ice cream and wine (how French).

Notre Dame is an incredible structure has a fascinating history and is a wonder of recent accomplishments. It was magnificent.

Sated and fulfilled emotionally, we took a walk into the neighborhood we usually stay in and showed the kids Relais Christine, a favorite hotel. No one was in the lobby, so we settled into the library and had a glass of champagne and discussed the days events.

The only thing we hadn’t done was take the Metro. Brad is not big on public transportation, but he capitulated.

He was not happy, but he made the 9 stops to the Gare du Nord. We had our final Parisienne meal at a restaurant across from the train station. Dover sole, steak frites, pate and of course the last French Diet Coke.

We entered the train station full and happy with no battery life in our phones (except for Brad, who never turned his on), 20,000 steps under our belt and another family memory to cherish.

We’ll always have Paris.