London Called, I Answered.
Duet Wandering
Ya know when you just feel pulled to a place but you aren’t quite sure why? That was London for me. Whenever I feel called to a new location there is no escaping it, the synchronicities, and intuitive hits that come when thinking about it are strong and not easy to ignore. I love traveling and experiencing life in new places knowing there is always a lesson in the end either through the people I meet, sights I see or the feeling the new environment invokes. I had been planning to visit for about 5 months, before I actually made it there this January. What started as a plan to visit alone, ended up being a 5 day bestie trip - a perfect start to the year.
I prepped by watching a gazillion TikToks, reading through substacks and saving all of the hot spots onto my google maps until it was filled with a ridiculous amount of green dots. I was overwhelmed by all of the hotel options and trying to pick the most convenient area to sight see but still not feel touristy? I can’t say I succeeded on the touristy part but the hotel was charming and conveniently located above a tube station (or London Underground?).
As a New Yorker through and through, I know the importance of a solid transportation system and the ability to stroll without a worry. The Clermont London, Victoria is conveniently located above the Victoria station, steps away from the Westminster area and right across the street from what quickly became our breakfast and “let’s grab a martini at the bar” spot, Harry’s.
My non-negotiables when planning this trip were; afternoon tea, Indian food, and a photo in front of Big Benny. Check, Check Check! But, before diving into all that goodness feeling refreshed after a long flight is a must. So once we landed, dropped our bags off at the hotel and had a quick bite a Harry’s we headed to Thai Square Spa for a Post Flight Serenity massage. Honestly, the best idea I had. I snuck in a little nap and woke up feeling light, reenergized and less inflamed.
I won’t bore you with all the details of our daily activities because a lot of it did consist of walking and quite a few ooo’s and aaa’s but I will share some of my favorite places that have me counting down the days till I am able to revisit again.
Attractions/Sightseeing: Of course you can’t miss the heavy hitters like; Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Tower of London. Don’t skip a visit to Covent Garden, Portobello Vintage Market, Borough Market (for the foodies). Museums like The Design Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum. We actually stumbled upon the Modern Art Museum, MOCO and really really enjoyed it! Keep in mind this one is not free so grab your tickets beforehand or at the ticket desk. Lastly, walk - walk until you can’t anymore. I find that when exploring a new city the best way to do that is to just get lost in the streets, you never know what shop, cute cafe or restaurant you’ll stumble upon. Stop into a local pub for some cider, buy something nice for yourself at Harrods or Selfridges or maybe a new book at a local bookshop.
Dining/Cafes: One of my favorite parts about traveling is eating. Those green dots on google maps mainly consists of restaurants and cafe’s and unfortunately for me, I didn’t even come close to visiting them all. But! The ones I did, did not disappoint. The Dishoom hype is very very real, I still think about this meal. You must order the Black Daal - must! If you want sushi, I highly recommend Ukiyo Handroll for a casual lunch or dinner and Niju for a more elevated evening. Borough Market is a must if you want to try multiple cuisines, sweets and maybe pick up a unique souvenir. Finally if you’re looking to grab a pre or post dinner cocktail I recommend; SOMA Soho, Bar Lina, and Cahoot Underground.
The unwritten rule is that you can’t visit London without going for afternoon tea so if there’s one thing you take away from this - The Wolseley's afternoon tea, is immaculate! It’s conveniently located near The Ritz London and 1 Hotel Mayfair if you’re looking for hotels near amazing restaurants and shops. Looking for a cafe that actually serves good coffee, and comfy vibes to chat, work and eat? Watchhouse serves an elite flat-white and each location has a unique design. We frequented the Covent Garden location due to it’s laptop friendly space downstairs. If you’re looking for something a little more unique there are a ton of charming cafe’s to grab pastries, coffee or tea around the city that you’ll stumble upon during your strolls.
All in all, I look forward to my next visit. Hoping to check a few more spots off my wishlist!
New York is my perfect cup of coffee, and stiff dirty martini. London, you are a glass of full body red wine; sophisticated, proper but after a few glasses who know’s what’ll happen. And I kinda love that.
xx,
Sapphira