Why London?
- I wanted to get away for a few days.
- Found a great fare after looking for a while.
- It would be great excuse to hang with some friends.
London doesn’t really get snowy. So when this “Beast from the East” collided with Storm Emma, a cold wave developed and next thing you know I was headed to a very cold, snowy London. Having gone back and forth from California to Boston for years, I’ve been well-prepared for the cold. However, since London (and the UK in general) usually doesn’t get this cold, I decided to pack my boots. Actually, because they were heavy, I wore them. The last time (and the first time) I wore these was in the Arctic Circle in Sweden back in 2012.
My flight was 1/3 full. I couldn’t believe it. I had a whole row to myself. Then beautiful views of San Francisco at takeoff (the key is to sit on the right hand side of the airplane when facing forward).
Day 1: It’s Snowing in London
After landing at Heathrow, I took the tube to Kings Cross station, where the Great Northern Hotel would be my home for the next 72 hours. I was upgraded to a Cubitt Room from the super tiny Couchette Room, but I had to wait for the room to be ready, so I set my bags down, and I was off towards Oxford Street. I was thankful I wore my boots. That said, I didn’t feel cold at all (it’s easy after you’ve been to Boston in wintertime).
After a quick lunch, I walked through Grosvenor Square and there it was. Snow.
Then I walked towards Green Park, which is anything but green. This is when all of a sudden snow started coming down so fast and… cold. People just had to keep moving to stay warm. Check out the two short videos below.
I quickly got back to the hotel to settle into my room, rested up a bit, and then headed out to do some quick tea shopping at Fortnum & Mason and walked through Trafalgar Square before showing up at the Adelphi Theatre for Kinky Boots. I had upper circle seats for just £31 ($43) including fees. It’s always much cheaper to see shows in London than in New York.
The music and the story was awesome, and made for a wonderful first day in London. It was already 10pm and I haven’t had dinner yet, so I headed back to the hotel for some food.
The hotel’s restaurant, Plum & Split Milk, is actually somewhat well known in London. I was able to get a table just minutes to closing, so I ordered something light before going to bed.
Day 2: Walks Around Broadway and Spitalfields Markets, and More
The morning started back at Plum & Split Milk, where I got myself some eggs benedict and a side of bacon. What a way to start out the morning right. The best part about it was that daily breakfast is included because of my status as an SPG Platinum member.
Since I haven’t had a chance to go to the gym since last July, I took advantage of their gym offerings and walked about 10 minutes down to a local gym and worked out for about an hour. It was just good way to take another step forward in getting healthier.
Then passed by this “Goodenough College”. I wonder what this place is about…
The idea of this particular trip is to take things slow. So I actually did something I usually don’t do – which is to sit in the hotel room and enjoy its amenities, such as grabbing some camomile tea to warm myself back up, and reading the newspaper. There is also a cake, but I had one last night 🙂
It’s just a nice change of pace.
I headed further east for Broadway Market in Hackney, but sadly the Saturday market only had a handful of stalls as it’s too cold outside for many. Otherwise it’s a busy market with all kinds of food, flowers and more for sale. I ended up walking through London Fields to experience more snow. Luckily the snow has stopped and thing seem to slowly come back to normal. Here is a nice slideshow.
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From there I took the bus back to Shoreditch and walked to Spitalfields Market for lunch. It was just a simple lunch box, and the food was alright. Now it’s time to walk off the food.
Believe it or not, I walked to London Bridge station and then took the tube over to Westminster. Why? Just to see Big Ben all covered up…
Then a really nice visit to the Saatchi Gallery. A friend of mine who lived in London for years first told me about this place, and I’ve been going back ever since. The surrounding King’s Road area is just lovely as well. Here’s a nice slideshow of the exhibit.
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I met up with friends for apps and drinks at Spiritland, a bar that is also a radio studio. It’s a pretty cool concept. Spiritland also has a shop in Mayfair that sells headphones. My friend actually DJs here every so often. After two (or was it three?) drinks and lots of apps I decided that I was going to try to make it back to Piccadilly to see if I can make one more performance.
So after slipping in the tube car trying to catch my train (and then very quickly getting up pretending nothing happened, but my “Asian glow” when I drink gives it away), I made it to the Apollo Theatre in the West End, bought a ticket and sat down 10 minutes before curtain. The performance of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was more than what I expected – the cast was amazing and the music was just wow. There is no Broadway version yet, so you’ll have to be in London to catch it.
Day 3: Brunch and… Just Strolling
In remaining consistent with taking things slow, my last full day in London began with The Sunday Times, some more chamomile tea, and then a very light breakfast at Plum & Split Milk just down the hall. You see, I am planning to meet the same friends for brunch.
We are back at Bistrotheque, an awesome restaurant tucked away in Bethnal Green, just south of Hackney. The food here is great, and you must make reservations otherwise you’re out of luck. Their eggs benedicts are to die for. On top of wonderful conversations was a bottle of rosé (not pictured). Or was it two…
It took us more than two hours to finish the meal, which was perfect for a Sunday brunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in a café until almost evening. Then it was dinnertime… and I was too full to eat.
All good things must come to an end, so the next morning it was time to leave, but I had to get another (free) breakfast in… so I did. Smoked salmon on rye bread with spinach and a poached egg on top.
I got to the airport with plenty time to spare, and this time I was even luckier. The plane back home only had about 50 passengers. I’ve never been on such an empty plane to or from London. Everyone had their own row. What a great way to end the trip.
Practical Information
West End Shows: Tickets to the West End shows can be bought using the TodayTix app for convenience (therefore a convenience fee is added). You’ll also find them cheaper at the box office.