Capturing the zeitgeist of a freewheeling era at Le Caprice

March 24, 2010

LONDON, UK – Picture London in 1947: the war is over, reconstruction has begun, and a mood of optimism has settled over a city pockmarked by air raids. It’s the start of the “Golden Age” of London couture, Glenn Miller is invading the pop charts, and a sparkling little brasserie,… (more)

Media frenzy meets modernist serenity at Charlotte Street Hotel

March 23, 2010

LONDON, UK – When Virginia Woolf wrote that she wanted “a room of one’s own,” she might have been craving a space at an establishment such as the Charlotte Street Hotel in Bloomsbury. Woolf was one of the most famous members of the Bloomsbury Group, a collective of London artists,… (more)

Stop in the Name of Princi

March 13, 2010

LONDON, UK – The Milanese bakery sensation Princi boasts in nome del pane as its motto, translated as “in the name of bread.” And really, why not? Second only to love, delicious homemade bread is one of the more compelling motivations this life has to offer. Alan Yau (he of… (more)

Covent Garden Hotel: Quite an Upgrade from Your Sleeping Bag

March 12, 2010

LONDON, UK – I always loved slumber parties growing up: gossiping with the girls, trying beauty treatments straight out of teen magazines, indulging in munchies, watching a fun John Hughes movie, and at some point, getting in much-needed sleep in a not-so-comfy sleeping bag. The Covent Garden Hotel reminds me… (more)

Be there or be square: brilliant cuisine and swish surrounds at The Square

March 2, 2010

LONDON, UK – As far as geometric shapes go, squares tend to get a bad rap. Triangles (especially of the love variety) hold a certain intrigue; circles have that 360 degrees of completion thing going for them, with all the attendant symbolism of coming full circle. Squares, on the other… (more)

A superhero of sights: The London Eye

February 23, 2010

LONDON, UK – Look up in the sky. It’s a bird. No, it’s a plane. No wait…it’s the London Eye, the largest observation wheel (read: huge Ferris wheel) in the world. Like a cartoon superhero, The Eye soars over London both day and night, offering spectacular views of the city… (more)

A boudoir of beauty within a mecca of fashion: Urban Retreat at Harrods

February 20, 2010

LONDON, UK – Urban Retreat is like a Russian nesting doll of style and beauty. First off, it’s housed within the fashion mecca of Harrods department store, so it’s a place to beautify within a place to adorn oneself with the latest designer duds. Upon arrival, you’ll find that separate… (more)

A sip of literary history at Gordon’s Wine Bar

February 9, 2010

LONDON, UK – I have to admit, it was more the literary romance of Gordon’s Wine Bar — the oldest wine bar in London — than the wine itself that drew me to this fabled spot. The bar dates back to the 1890s, when Rudyard Kipling lived in the building… (more)

Lessons from the underground at Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms

January 31, 2010

LONDON, UK – Lots of things below ground in London are pretty cool. The Tube. The Dorchester Spa. The rumored vault beneath Commercial Tavern that purportedly housed John Merrick (aka Elephant Man). Topping the list of groovy things down under has to be the Cabinet War Rooms, a frozen-in-time underground… (more)

Getting naughty, Italian style, at Baglioni Hotel London

January 25, 2010

LONDON, UK – Fire up your Vespas, ladies. The Baglioni is a Roman holiday in London Town. This is over-the-top luxury fit for your inner Sophia Loren. Perfect if you happen to be planning a rendezvous with a tall, handsome, preferably Italian lover. The Italian Baglioni Hotel group is the… (more)